Al-Farabi
The Second Teacher — Aristotle's Islamic heir
Known as the Second Teacher (after Aristotle), al-Farabi made Greek thought fully at home in Arabic. His Virtuous City is an Islamic counterpart to Plato's Republic. He also wrote the most important early treatise on music theory in the Islamic tradition.
Key works
- The Virtuous City (Ara Ahl al-Madina al-Fadila)~940— Islamic political philosophy — the Platonic ideal city reimagined
- Grand Book of Music (Kitab al-Musiqa al-Kabir)~940s— The foundational treatise on Islamic music theory