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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books A History of Muslim Philosophy Volume 1, Book 3 Chapter 24: Miskawaih By Abdurrahman Badawi Life Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ya`qub, surnamed Miskawaih, is also called Abu 'Ali al-Khazin. It is yet undecided whether he was himself Miskawaih or the son of ( ibn ) Miskawaih. Some like Margoliouth and Bergstrasser accept the first alternative; others, like Brockelmann,[^1] the second.

Yaqut says that he was first a Magi ( majusi ) and was later converted to Islam. But this might be true of his father, for Miskawaih himself, as his name shows, was the son of a Muslim father, Muhammad by name. He studied history, particularly al-Tabari's “Annals,” with Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Kamil al-Qadi (350/960). Ibn al-Khammar, the famous commentator of Aristotle's, was his master in philosophical disciplines.

Miskawaih engaged himself too much in the study of alchemy, together with Abu al-Tayyib al-Razi, the alchemist. From certain statements of Ibn Sina[^2] and al-Tauhidi,[^3] it seems that they had a poor opinion of his aptitude for speculative philo­sophy. Iqbal, on the other hand, regarded him as one of the most eminent theistic thinkers, moralists, and historians of Persia.[^4] Miskawaih lived for seven years in the company of Abu al-Fadl ibn al-'Amid as his librarian.

After the death of Abu al-Fadl (360/970) he served under his son Abu al-Fath `Ali ibn Muhammad ibn al-'Amid, surnamed Dhu al­-Kifayatain. It seems that he also served 'Adud al-Daulah, one of the Buwai­hids, and later some other princes of that famous family. Miskawaih died on the 9th of Safar 421/16th of February 1030. The date of his birth is uncertain.

Margoliouth gives it to be 330/941, but we think it should be 320/932 if not earlier, because he used to be in the company of al-Muhallabi, the vizier, who rose to the office in 339/950 and died in 352/963, by which time he must have been at least nineteen. Works Yaqut[^5] gives a list of thirteen books attributed to Miskawaih. These are: 1. Al-Fauz al-Akbar . 2. Al-Fauz al-Asghar . 3. Tajarib al-Umam (a history from the Deluge down to 369/979). 4.

Uns al-Farid (a collection of anecdotes, verses, maxims, and proverbs). 5. Tartib al-Sa`adah (on ethics and politics). 6. Al-Mustaufa (selected verses). 7. Jawidan Khirad (a collection of maxims of wisdom). 8. Al-Jami`. 9. Al-Siyar (on the conduct of life). Of the above works al-Qifti [^6] mentions only 1, 2, 3 and 4 and adds the following: “On the Simple Drugs” (on medicine).