OverviewA thinker who helped bring Greek philosophy into Arabic-language scholarship.CategoryScholarPeriodc. 801 – c. 866 CE
Life and settingAl-Kindi worked in the intellectual setting of Abbasid Baghdad. His scholarship brought philosophical questions into dialogue with Arabic scientific and religious learning.Source: TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam
Work and legacyHis writings cover philosophy, mathematics, music and other subjects. He is also associated with a surviving treatise on cryptanalysis using the frequency of letters.Source: TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam
SourcesOriginal concise biography based on the cited references. Historical reports, later devotional traditions and uncertain dates are distinguished where relevant.TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam
