Avis de soutenance - doctorat - Tohir MUSTOFA

This dissertation examines the political thought of Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, which emerges at the intersection of falsafa and Ašʿarite theology. It is grounded in the postulate that, in al-Rāzī's view, the governance of the human being pertains primarily to one's inner affairs (bāṭin) rather than to external matters (ẓāhir). The study therefore seeks to demonstrate how this idea is articulated throughout his reflections on political questions, particularly concerning the origin of human association, its ultimate purpose, and the means by which this purpose may be attained. In the absence of a systematic work by al-Rāzī devoted specifically to politics, this dissertation undertakes a reconstruction of his political thought as expressed across his diverse writings. This reconstruction is guided by the framework that al-Rāzī himself outlines in the chapter entitled “The Science of Goverment” (ʿilm al-siyāsa) in his encyclopaedic work, Ǧāmiʿ al-ʿulūm. Although concise, this chapter sets out what al-Rāzī understands as the objects and scope of the science of governance – equivalent to “political science” – which constitutes one of the three practical sciences within the Aristotelian schema. By seeking to harmonize the ideals of excellent government derived from Greek philosophy – already present in the Islamic intellectual milieu – with the teachings of Islam, al-Rāzī argues that prophetic rule represents the most accomplished form of government. Such government guides the human being not only toward the preservation of worldly prosperity but also toward the attainment of ultimate happiness. This conclusion rests in part on recourse to his theory of the soul, which is indispensable for understanding the foundations of his political thought.