Editing Early Islamic philosophy (section)

===Averroism===
{{Main|Averroes|Averroism}}

Averroes (Ibn Rushd) is most famous for his commentaries on [[Aristotle]]'s works and for writing ''[[The Incoherence of the Incoherence]]'' in which he defended the ''falasifa'' against [[al-Ghazali]]'s ''The Incoherence of the Philosophers''. While he had very little influence in the Islamic world, which was then dominated by Avicennian philosophy and [[Ash'ari]] theology, Averroism became very influential in [[medieval Europe]], especially among the [[Scholastics]]. Averroism eventually led to the development of modern [[secularism]],<ref name="Messeri">Abdel Wahab El Messeri. [http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/tvtk/ch21.htm Episode 21: Ibn Rushd] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330233004/http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/tvtk/ch21.htm |date=2019-03-30 }}, ''Everything you wanted to know about Islam but were afraid to ask'', ''Philosophia Islamica''.</ref><ref name="Najjar">Fauzi M. Najjar (Spring, 1996). [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2501/is_n2_v18/ai_18627295/pg_13 The debate on Islam and secularism in Egypt] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120629113116/findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2501/is_n2_v18/ai_18627295/pg_13 |date=2012-06-29 }}, ''Arab Studies Quarterly (ASQ)''.</ref> for which Ibn Rushd is considered as the founding father of secular thought in Western Europe.<ref name="Fakhry">Majid Fakhry (2001). ''Averroes: His Life, Works and Influence''. Oneworld Publications. {{ISBN|1-85168-269-4}}.</ref>

The concept of "[[existence precedes essence]]", a key foundational concept of [[existentialism]], can also be found in the works of Averroes, as a reaction to [[Avicenna]]'s concept of "[[essence]] precedes [[existence]]".<ref name=Irwin>{{citation|first=Jones|last=Irwin|title=Averroes' Reason: A Medieval Tale of Christianity and Islam|date=Autumn 2002|journal=The Philosopher|volume=LXXXX|issue=2}}</ref>