Muhsin S. Mahdi is currently professor emeritus professor of Arabic James Richard Jewett, Department of Languages and Civilizations of the Middle East, Harvard University. He was president of the International Society for the History of Arabic and Islamic Sciences and Philosophy (1989-1992) and has served on the Committee of the Institut Culturel Consultatif du Monde Arabe de France (1990-1993) and the American Research Center in Egypt (1971-1996), among other positions. It is one of the leading experts in the work of Al-Farabi and has published critical editions of most works of the philosopher.