IBN KHALDUN’S CONCEPT OF ʿASABIYYAH: SOCIAL COHESION, POLITICAL CYCLES, AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF CIVILIZATION
Keywords:
Ibn Khaldun, Muqaddimah, Asabiyyah, social philosophy, social cohesion, political cycles, Islamic thought, sociology of history, civilization, group solidarity.Abstract
This article explores the life, intellectual legacy, and social philosophy of Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406), a prominent Arab-Muslim thinker considered a forerunner of sociology and the philosophy of history. Particular attention is given to his seminal concept of ʿasabiyyah (social solidarity), which he employed to explain the rise and decline of civilizations. Drawing on Ibn Khaldun’s Muqaddimah, the study highlights the dual function of ʿasabiyyah: its positive role in fostering cooperation, cohesion, and state formation, as well as its limitations when compared to the Islamic notion of brotherhood. The article reviews both classical and contemporary scholarship—from Rosenthal’s philological analysis to modern sociological reinterpretations—demonstrating that Ibn Khaldun’s theory remains relevant for analyzing political cycles, demographic change, and social dynamics across civilizations. The discussion concludes that ʿasabiyyah serves as a universal principle of collective action and historical transformation, with enduring significance for modern social sciences.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
