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حي بن يقظان

حي بن يقظان

By,&
ClassicsFolklore
Pages
160
Published
1160
Language
Arabic

Synopsis

This Arabic philosophical allegory tells the story of Hayy ibn Yaqdhan, a man raised alone on a deserted island. Through his solitary journey, he seeks to understand the universe, humanity, and religion. This classic work, famously penned by Ibn Tufail, has inspired Western tales like Robinson Crusoe and Tarzan.

Prose complexity
10/10

Vibe

Thought-ProvokingIntellectualPhilosophicalReflective
SurvivalComing of AgeQuest

Genres

Classics Folklore Literary Fiction Philosophy & Religion Islam Philosophy Religion

About the author

I
Ibn Tufail

Ibn Tufail (Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Tufail, c. 1105–1185) was an Andalusian Muslim polymath — physician, philosopher, and vizier — born near Guadix in the province of Granada. He served as court physician and adviser to the Almohad caliph Abu Yaqub Yusuf in Marrakesh, and later recommended the philosopher Ibn Rushd (Averroes) as his successor before his death in 1185. He is best known for his philosophical novel Hayy ibn Yaqzan, a foundational work of Arabic literature depicting a child's self-tau...

Frequently asked questions

  • What does the title "Hayy ibn Yaqzan" mean?

    The name is Arabic for "Living, son of Awake" (or "Alive, son of Awakening"). It names the book's protagonist, a boy who grows up alone on an uninhabited island and reasons his way to knowledge of nature and God purely through observation, without any teacher, book, or society.

  • Is Hayy ibn Yaqzan based on a true story?

    No. It is a philosophical allegory written by the 12th-century Andalusian philosopher Ibn Tufail to illustrate how unaided human reason can arrive at truths about the universe and the divine. It is widely considered one of the earliest Arabic novels, and it later influenced European works such as Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.

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