The reformation of morals

Sinopse

"Yahya ibn Adi (893-974 C.E.) is one of the most important Christian authors to have written in Arabic. Although he was a Syrian Orthodox Christian, he studied under the Muslim philosopher al-Farabi and counted Muslims and Christians of many sects among his own disciples. Yahya ibn Adi was a leading figure in the tenth-century translation movement in Baghdad and the author of numerous works of philosophy and theology.". "In his tract The Reformation of Morals, Yahya ibn Adi discourses on social virtues and vices, giving advice about the cultivation of the former and the extirpation of the latter. His work encourages the pursuit of moral perfection, especially among kings and other members of the social elite. While it contains many echoes of Hellenistic moral philosophy, the topical profile and language of the work reveal the author's participation in the Baghdad circle of philosophers and intellectuals - both Christian and Muslim - who were responsible for much that has come to be regarded as typical of the classical culture of the Islamic world. Indeed, this text by a Christian has sometimes been misattributed to one or another famous Muslim author, being regarded by many as one of the earliest works of Islamic ethical philosophy." "The Reformation of Morals stands now as an important Christian contribution, in Arabic, to a strand of moral philosophy that is an integral component of the intellectual tradition of the world of Islam."--BOOK JACKET.