Machine summary:
How closely politics is linked with philosophy as a whole, in particular with metaphysics, ethics and psychology, is clear from the structure of the three more important of Al-Farabi's political treatises upon which this study is based: al-Madina al-Fadila, al-Siyasa al-Madaniya and Tohsilul-Sa'ada.
Whether the fact that Al-Farabi makes no mention of revelation and prophecy in the Tahsil has a special meaning or not can perhaps best be answered in the negative by the following consideration: it may be con• jectured that the Madina Fadila was written first, since it contains the most elaborate superstructure to politics proper, as stated in the begin• ning of this article.
The theoretical and practical virtues and arts which the Head of State must possess in order to rule the ideal political association for the attainment of the happiness and perfection of all its members, in accordance with their natural disposi• tion, can onI y be acquired by the study of philosophy.
It · appears probable that right beliefs and convictions and their contrast are understood by the Muslim philosopher both in their Platonic and in their Islamic meaning; the more so since he· follows up the description of these ignorant States by a statement in the Madina Fadila of the knowledge required of the citizens of the Ideal State, in terms similar to the detailed discussion in the Tahsil, which has been summarised earlier.