Improvement of Human Reason

Improvement of Human Reason, written by Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Malik Ibn Tufail in the 12th century, is a philosophical tale about Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān, a boy raised in isolation on an island. As he grows, he learns to communicate with animals and acquires knowledge in natural science, philosophy, and religion, ultimately concluding the existence of a creator. The work explores themes of self-discovery and the nature of knowledge, making it one of the earliest examples of philosophical fiction in the Islamic tradition.