Al-Isharat wa al-Tanbihat

Al-Isharat wa al-Tanbihat (The Book of Directives and Remarks) is apparently one of the last books Avicenna wrote in Arabic. He composed it at a time when some literary scholars were criticizing him, and the work serves to demonstrate his command of the Arabic language through a book of philosophy.

The work is divided into two parts: the first deals with logic, divided into ten sections, and the second with philosophy, also divided into ten sections. Avicenna calls the logic sections "nahj" (method) and the philosophy sections "namat" (mode). According to the sources, the word "isharat" signals Avicenna's own views, while "tanbihat" points out the errors of other philosophers. It is regarded as a mature and comprehensive book, and commentaries by authors such as Nasir al-Din al-Tusi and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi attest to its influence. It has been translated into Persian, English and other languages.