Al-Isharat wa al-Tanbihat

What it is

Al-Isharat wa al-Tanbihat ('The Book of Directives and Remarks') is one of the last works written by Avicenna, in Arabic, covering logic and philosophy including physics, metaphysics and mysticism. The image shows a printed edition with a Persian title page.

Why it matters

Considered by some scholars his greatest and most mature work, it became the main channel through which later Islamic philosophers, including commentators such as Nasir al-Din al-Tusi and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, engaged with Avicenna's thought. It shows Avicenna not just as a physician but as a demanding philosopher writing for other specialists.

Look closer

• Why might Avicenna have written a book he himself said was not meant for non-philosophers?
• What does the long history of commentaries on this book suggest about its difficulty and importance?
• How might a book organized into signs and warnings differ from a straightforward textbook?