Facing the Crisis of Personal Identity in Muslims through a New Understanding of Emotions in the Islamic Intellectual Tradition (Avicenna)

Author
Seyed Amirreza Mazari
Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch
10.61186/mi.5.2.109
Abstract
One of the primary crises facing Muslims today is the question of personal identity. While many contemporary Islamic thinkers have addressed this issue, their focus has often been on the collective dimensions of identity. Meanwhile, some have sought to analyze the crisis on a deeper, individual level. This topic, historically explored by philosophers, is now revisited within the framework of analytical philosophy, where emerging approaches provide critical distinctions and insights.
Notably, thinkers like Dariush Shayegan have examined the crisis of identity by linking it to the emotional structure of Muslims. Building on Shayegan’s perspective, this research aims to analyze the identity crisis within the Muslim world by integrating contemporary theories of emotion. Recognizing the profound connection between religion and emotion, the study begins by exploring the nature of emotions in Islamic philosophy, with a particular emphasis on Avicenna’s contributions.
Avicenna’s theory of emotion and its role within his broader philosophical system serve as a key foundation for this analysis. By revisiting his approach and adapting it to address the challenges of the modern world, this study proposes an alternative path for revitalizing the Islamic intellectual tradition and confronting identity-related crises in the Muslim world.
Keywords
Personal identity crisis
Emotions
Islamic intellectual tradition
Avicenna
Shayegan
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