Avicenna's Approach to Practical Philosophy

Avicenna asserts that practical philosophy is one of the basic pillars of philosophy, which plays a role in man's felicity and even in perfecting his theoretical faculty. In spite of this importance, however, there are not many issues on the field of practice in Avicenna's works as compared with his theoretical philosophy. Given Avicenna's unique position in the history of intellectual thinking in the world of Islam, it can be claimed that his reticence on practical philosophy has greatly caused this part of philosophy to be neglected in the process of Islamic philosophy. But, indeed, what is the reason of his reticence on practical philosophy? What is the nature of his approach to practical philosophy? Can it be said that his reticence is due to his approach to practical philosophy? Questioning Avicenna's reticence on the field of practice, the present paper seeks to clarify his macro-approach to the field of practice and, in the light of this approach, find justified answers for some of the most important in-text and peripheral questions of Avicenna's practical philosophy. It proves that Avicenna's reticence is not due to his neglect of and inattention to the issues of this field, as it is sometimes assumed; rather, it is based on his macro-approach to prophecy and relationship between philosophy, religion and practice. Avicenna is of a few choice words, which is the necessity of his view, and owns a fundamental thought in practical philosophy.