Of course, 'Islamic' has to be seen in a wider sense than just the Quran proper but as referring to the other monotheistic, holy books (note the plural in 'scriptures' and 'prophets'). So, unlike the philosophers' metaphysics, their political science is true. That is to say, according to Al-Ghalazi this tradition is indeed Islamic. In fact, according to Al-Ghazali, the political science of Al-Farabi and the philosophical tradition he inaugurates is to be found in the Quran. I hasten to add - in defense of all of us -that lacking in originality is compatible with truth, of course.

When it comes to political science, the main charge against the Islamic philosophers is that they are unoriginal and that they focus on mundane matters like public administration. At first sight the key charge against them is over metaphysics, where 'most of the errors are to be found,' including the three bits of (proto-Spinozistic) unbelief that violate core commitments of Islam ((i) denial of bodily resurrection (while allowing spiritual resurrection), (ii) the denial of creation and the embrace of eternity of the word, and (iii) the claim that God only knows universals not individuals).

The quoted passage occurs in an attack by Al-Ghazali on Islamic philosophy as developed, especially, by Al-Farabi and Ibn-Sina (or Avicenna). Al-Ghazali” 'Deliverance from Error' translated by Richard McCarthy (49). They simply took these over from the scriptures revealed to the prophets by God Most High and from the maxims handed down from the predecessors of the prophets. In the political sciences all that the philosophers have to say comes down to administrative maxims concerned with secular affairs and the government of rulers.

Al ghazali 2016