The place of music and its importance in the tradition of classification of sciences

Music is an instrument which is used for various purposes throughout history by humankind. Music, which appears in different variety by societies and cultures, is to live in every moment of human life such as rites, funerals, celebreties, weddings. As music became its systematic form in Chinese and Ancient Greek civilitazion, it also was started to use in education. At first, Pythagoras linked between music and mathematics, and then Plato thought that music was one of the first lesson which should be taught to children. Moreover, Aristoxenus was the first philosopher who wrotes books which cover only music topics. By means of these progresses, this art was considered as a science. Music was regarded as one of the Seven Liberal Arts with arithmetic, geometry and astronomy. Islamic civilization met these sciences through translation movements in House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikmah). They classified these sciences for several reasons including determining sciences topics, finding out relations with each other, and setting a curriculum. This process of classification, which was started by al-Kindī and proceeded by al-Fārābī, al-Khwārizmī, Ikhwan Al-Safā and Ibn al-Sīnā formed rooted traditions. In many classifications that was done by Islamic philosphers music was thought to be sub-branch of mathematics. And they also gave importance to musical science by writing books which cover musical topics and informations of instruments as well as their philosophy of music. In conclusion, classification of sciences of Islamic philosophers and importance and place of music have been evaluated. Keywords: Islamic Philosophy, Classification of Sciences, Music, al-Kindī, al-Fārābī, al-Khwārizmī, Ikhwān al-Safā, Ibn al-Sīnā