Ikhwan al-Safa' - A Brotherhood of Idealists on the Fringe of Orthodox Islam

The Ikhwan Al- Safa'' or Brethren of Purity were a highly secretive group of tenth-century Shi''ite thinkers, their identities remaining unclear even today. Renowned for creating the legendary Rasa''il Ikhwan al-Safa, an encyclopedia of philosophical sciences, they proposed a coherent intellectual system that sought to reconcile human reasoning with prophetic revelation.

This fascinating survey provides a clear, objective and innovative introduction to the Brethren of Purity and their encyclopedic project, showing its critical place in the history of Arabic science, philosophy and literature.