Kritik Abu Bakar Muhammad bin Zakariya al-Razi terhadap Etika Socrates, Plato, dan Aristoteles: Rekonstruksi Etika Islam

Abstract

The increasing complexity of moral problems in modern society has renewed scholarly interest in revisiting the intellectual legacy of Islamic philosophy as a source for ethical development. Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi is one of the prominent Muslim philosophers who proposed a moral framework based on the balance of the soul (ta'd?l al-af'?l al-nuf?s). Nevertheless, his critical engagement with Greek ethical philosophy has received limited scholarly attention. This study aims to analyze al-Razi's criticism of the ethical thought of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle and to explain how such criticism contributed to the formation of his moral philosophy. This research employs a qualitative library research method using a historical-philosophical approach. Primary data are derived from al-Razi's original works, while secondary data are collected from books, journal articles, and other relevant academic publications. The data are analyzed through content analysis involving data reduction, categorization, philosophical interpretation, and conceptual synthesis. The findings reveal that al-Razi did not reject the Greek philosophical tradition; rather, he reconstructed its ethical foundations because they did not adequately explain the complexity of human nature. Socrates is criticized for overemphasizing knowledge as the basis of virtue, Plato for presenting an excessively idealistic ethical system, and Aristotle for paying insufficient attention to the psychological dimensions underlying moral action. These criticisms led al-Razi to formulate the concept of ta'd?l al-af'?l al-nuf?s, which positions the balance of reason, soul, and action as the foundation of ethical life. This study argues that al-Razi should be recognized as an original Muslim moral philosopher who developed an independent ethical framework through a critical dialogue with Greek philosophy. The findings enrich the discourse of Islamic moral philosophy and demonstrate the continuing relevance of al-Razi's ethical thought for contemporary moral discussions.