Certain premises

Explanation

First principles (awwaliyyāt): the mind affirms them as soon as it conceives their terms, such as “the whole is greater than its part”.

Observations (mushāhadāt): known by the outer senses, such as “the sun is shining”, or by inner perception, such as “we are hungry”.

Experiential premises (mujarrabāt): known through repeated experience. Intuitive premises (ḥadsiyyāt): reached by a sudden insight of the mind, such as “the light of the moon comes from the sun”.

Widely transmitted premises (mutawātirāt): reported by so many that agreement on a lie is impossible, such as “Mecca exists”. Premises that carry their proof (qaḍāyā qiyāsātuhā maʿahā): such as “four is even”, since it divides into two equal halves.

Also written as: yaqiniyyat, certainties, six certain premises.

Examples

• الكُلُّ أَعْظَمُ مِنَ الجُزْءِThe whole is greater than its part (a first principle)

Related terms

• Demonstration
• Proposition

Practise

6 questions on this term, in the practice set for the five arts.