c. 870-950

Turkish Philosopher, Mathematician, and Musician

Al-Farabi provided the first comprehensive Arabic classification of the sciences. One of Islam's greatest philosophers, he was widely known as "the Second Master" (Aristotle being the first). His defense of rationality and attempt to reconcile the philosophies of Plato (c. 427-347 B.C.) and Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) were highly influential in the Islamic world. An accomplished musician, he was also one of the foremost music theorists of the Middle Ages.

Known to the West as Alfarabius, al-Farabi's date of birth is unknown, but it is generally believed to have been around 870. It seems he was born in the village of Wasij in the Farab district of Trasoxiana (modern Turkestan). His father was a military officer in the service of the Samanid emirs...