Poetic Imagination and Morality: A Study of Al-Farabi's Theory of Poetry

Poetic Imagination and Morality: A Study of Al-Farabi's Theory of Poetry
Mona Fahmy Ghitas
 Department of Literature and Criticism, Faculty of Islamic and Arabic Studies for Female Students, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
Email: dr.monafahmy11@gmail.com
 
Abstract:
Al-Farabi (d. 339 AH) was the first philosopher to analyze the relationship between poetry and morality using intellectual tools and logical and aesthetic concepts. He did not view this relationship merely in terms of poetic meaning or the poet’s emotions and whether they aligned with moral values. Instead, he aimed to establish a comprehensive intellectual framework that encompassed the components of the poetic message—beginning with imitation and imagination of reality, including its moral virtues, to the purpose of poetry and its cognitive and ethical functions, leading to the audience’s response, whether repulsion or admiration, and ultimately resulting in a transformation of human action. For Al-Farabi, the purpose of imitation and imagination in poetry is to refine and guide human behavior, helping individuals achieve moral perfection, thus becoming beneficial members of a virtuous society. This focus on morality occupies a significant place in Al-Farabi's philosophy, as he connects poetry to ethics within a broader philosophical structure. This study tackles Al-Farabi’s specific intellectual contributions, his theories on ethics and poetry and outlines the dimensions of his theory of morality as linked to poetic imagination. It also examines the principles of his theory of poetry to reveal his vision of the relationship between poetry and morality, highlighting the unique language of his philosophy and the distribution of his ideas across his works.