Abstract

The commentary dwells on certain features of al-Farabi’s work Risala fi Tanbih ‘ala Sabil al-Saadah and first of all the “Islamic” and universalist visions of the text. It explores the essential ethical doctrine of al-Farabi: the notions of “good deeds”, “appropriate states of soul” and, finally, “good distinction”. The strict observance of these "means" in pursuit of happiness leads, according to al-Farabi, to perfection of one’s virtues. It is concuded that al-Farabi links rationality and ethics placing his logical views in the context of eudemonism. The translation and commentary show that al-Farabi's ethics is integrated in his project of making “virtuos city”. The commentary also elucidates the meanings of al-Farabi’s therms.