mparative Study of Political Perspectives of Bābā Afzāl and Abu Nasr Al-Fārābi

Afzal al-Din Kāshāni is considered to be a multi-dimensional scholar, poet and philosopher in Islamic and Iranian culture. The variety of his works and his profound perception of different philosophical and literary techniques make him outstanding among other scholars of his time. His approach to political philosophy and political writing is regarded to be a significant aspect of his life. “Sāz o pīrāya-ye šāhān-e pormāya”, written by Baba Afzal, seems to be a concise text on the nature of power, policy and government. Employing complex and technical writing style, this book eloquently describes the philosophical aspects of policy. Moreover, Bābā Afzal defines condition and method of governing through using Aristotle’s ontological ideologies. Applying Abu Nasr Al-Fārābi‘s attitudes which is supposed to be the primary political philosopher in Islamic countries, the present study aimed at elucidating the theoretical basis of Bābā Afzal’s political believes. This article is an attempt to indicate that Afzal al- Din’s approach to politics is rooted in a traditional ideology which is started from Fārābi and continued to Ibn Moskuyah, Āmeri, Ibn Khaldoun, Nizām al-Mulk, and Khāja Nasir. This study provides evidence that political philosophy of Baba Afzal and Fārābi includes a collection of ontology and methodology of philosophy and religion. Additionally, it is indicated that both Fārābi and Baba Afzal examine politics through ontological perspective. So, the onset of their work is appeared to be the origin of politics and its degrees.