Ibn Khaldun

Through my time here, I'm trying to learn more about Islamic culture and history so as to have a greater understanding of the customs of the Arab world while I'm living here. My first entry in this category is:

Ibn Khaldun

IBN KHALDUN

This guy was a hardcore intellectual from Tunisia in the 14th century.  According to Wikipedia, he is classified as an astronomer, economist, historian, Islamic jurist, Islamic lawyer, Islamic scholar, Islamic theologian, hafiz (someone who's memorized the Koran), mathematician, military strategist, nutritionist, philosopher, social scientist and statesman.  He is regarded as one of the founders of many intellectual disciplines before they were studied in the West, including historiography, economics, philosophy of history and sociology.  Much of his writing was based on observation of the dichotomy between nomadic and urban lifestyle and the economic and societal challenges that resulted.  His philosophy was highly practical, as per the following: 

Businesses owned by responsible and organized merchants shall eventually surpass those owned by wealthy rulers.[28]

Ibn Khaldun on economic growth and the ideals of Plato

Khaldun also observed that after a period of growth and great civilization (hegemony or suzerainty over a region), its high point will be followed by a period of decay.  Certainly this is an observation from which the United States could learn.  

British historian Arnold J. Toynbee called the Muqaddimah "a philosophy of history which is undoubtedly the greatest work of its kind that has ever yet been created by any mind in any time or place."^[35] Much of his own work on world history was inspired by Ibn Khaldun.

The British philosopher-anthropologist Ernest Gellner considered Ibn Khaldun's definition of government, "an institution which prevents injustice other than such as it commits itself", the best in the history of political theory.