The concept of God in Abu?l Barakat al-Baghdadi

This study examines Abu?l Barakat al-Baghdadi?s understanding of God together with the concept of being and time. Since there is no enough study in Turkish on Baghdadi, and since his philosophy is not known enough, it is important to take such a topic fort his study.This study consists of two chapters. The first capter deals with the concepts of God, being and time in the philosophical tradition before Baghdadi. The second chapter examines Baghdadi?s approach to such concepts. The main conclusions of study can be summarised as follows: Existent can be divided into that which is in the external world and that which is in the mind. That which is in the external world can also be divided into necessary and contingent. This position is similar to those of Farabi and Ibn Sina. Baghdadi also follows them on the distinction between being and esence. But he also makes a distinction between being and existent and analyses the act of existence. He discusses the concept of being and examines the relation between being and understanding. Baghdadi also examines the relation between being and time. For him time is the measure of being. For him knowledge of being, time and self is apriori knowledge. Baghdadi accepts for God essential positive attributes, and thinks that His attributes and actions are posterior to His esence esssentially. Concerning God?s unity, Baghdadi thinks that He is one in every respect. On the issue of God?s knowledge, he criticise Aristotle and Ibn Sina. For God?s knowledge is from His perfection, hence He knows both universals and particulars, and this does not cause plurality in His esence. On the other hand God knows what exists.