Society, State, and Urbanism: Ibn Khaldun's Sociological Thought

by Fuad Baali

Ilm al-umran is “… an independent science. This science has its own peculiar object—that is, human civilization and social organization. The discussion of this topic is something new, extraordinary, and highly useful. Penetrating research has shown the way to it.”
— Ibn Khaldun

This book probes the nature, scope, and methods of ilm al-umran, the new science of human social organization, as it is developed in Ibn Khaldun’s 14th century masterpiece, the Muqaddimah. It explores his ideas and observations on society, culture, socialization, social control, the state, asabiyah (social solidarity), history as a cyclical movement, urbanization, and the typology of badawa (primitive life) and hadara (civilized life or urbanism).

Through a comparative perspective, this study illustrates that Khaldun’s ideas about society have conceptually preceded those of Machiavelli, Vico, and Turgot, as well as those of Montesqueau, Comte, Durkheim, Gumplowicz, Spengler, Tonnies, and even Marx. Society, State, and Urbanism demonstrates that Ibn Khaldun’s thought is relevant to contemporary sociological theory, and that his very language differs little from that of classical and modern sociologists.

Genres: Sociology, Islam

188 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1988

Reviews

[Irfan Muhaimin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ramai barat mengatakan Comte merupakan pengasas ilmu sosiologi yang mana gabungan dari Greek dan Latin yang bermaksud sains dalam masyarakat. Apa yang kita boleh persetujui Ibn Khaldun merupakan founder pertama manakala Comte penyambung ke arah lebih moden. Ini kerana belum ada mana mana penulisan yang bercakap tentang sosiologi seperti mana Ibn Khaldun. Antara poin menarik buku ini, Asabiyah merupakan peneranu kepada pembangunan sosial masyarakat yang menonjolkan kekuatan, kestabilan. Conscience Collective Asabiyah may lose it vigor if tyranny replace democratic leadership in a state. Ibn Khaldun sama seperti Comte, mengurus siasah berdasarkan analitik dan pandangan sejarah serta berpezaan teokeasu dan fenomena social politik. Beliau juga ada menjelaskan mengenai badawa dan hadara yang berkait rapat dengan perilaku masyarakat ketika itu. Kekuatan beliau adalah pemikir realistik dan bukan ahli falsafah kerana Ibn Khaldun tidak mudah puas andai kta satu teori itu tidak selari dengan apa beliau lihat.