European scholars reclaim ibn rushd as a core figure in philosophy history

European cultural and academic institutions are preparing for the 900th anniversary of the birth of Ibn Rushd, an Andalusian philosopher, physician, and jurist.

In 2026, the continent will mark the birth of the scholar who lived from 1126 to 1198. This milestone has sparked a wave of new translations, historical research, and international conferences in countries like France and Spain to re-evaluate his role in shaping European thought.

New French translations are providing scholars with direct access to Ibn Rushd’s original Arabic reasoning. Jean Baptiste Prénelle released a complete French translation of his work "The Great Commentary on Aristotle's Book on the Soul." Because the original Arabic text of this work was lost and only a 13th-century Latin translation survived, this new release allows readers to see his arguments without the medieval Latin filter.

Additionally, the publication of his earlier works, such as "The Summary," allows researchers to track his intellectual development from his thirties onward. Historians and researchers are challenging the narrative that European philosophy developed solely through Greek and Christian lineages. Belgian historian Kurt Deboe argues that Latin Europe primarily encountered Aristotle through Ibn Rushd’s commentaries, which served as essential tools for university debates.

Deboe suggests that Ibn Rushd was later marginalized from history books due to religious and political tensions rather than a lack of influence. Meanwhile, in Cordoba, the city of his birth, local authorities and researchers are organizing events to move beyond viewing him as a simple symbol of interfaith dialogue, instead highlighting his complex career as a judge and physician.