Social Institutions: Ibn Khaldun's Social Thought

This book deals with Ibn Khaldun's social perspective of the major institutions: the family, education, religion, politics, and economics. The family is seen in its association with city life. The role of the family and education in the development of human personality is emphasized. Ibn Khaldun dealt with the social dimension of knowledge in its many ramifications. Religion is discussed by stressing the social perspective rather than the theological, especially the reciprocal relationship between group solidarity and religion. Moreover, social solidarity plays a dynamic role in the formation and decline of political groups. Even economic activities are culturally defined. Such activities have a great impact upon social interaction, especially in dealing with the value of human labor and socioeconomic stratification. In spite of its highly innovative appearance, the Khaldunian theory was a product of a long series of the Islamic-Arabic movements of thought.