Realism—in the sense of reality independent of cognition [ontological realism] and reality connected to cognition [epistemic realism]—constitutes a central principle in Islamic philosophy. Philosophical knowledge bases its fundamental premise on reality independent of cognition, understood through the general capacity of reason, and links both the necessity and definition of this knowledge to this principle and to the principle of reality connected to cognition. Epistemic realism, in turn, depends on ontological realism: an independent reality exists beyond the power of cognitive reason, and this power is capable of apprehending it. The scope of epistemic realism in Islamic philosophy is established on the representational fidelity of conceptions, judgments, and derived syllogisms, and their correspondence to the domain of independent reality. In all cognitive operations, the faculty of knowledge is never detached from independent reality, thus avoiding any drift toward subjectivism or idealism. Accordingly, every conception—including conventional (ta‘abbudī) concepts—every judgment—including those pertaining to intrinsic impossibilities—and every syllogism—including practical syllogisms—are ascribed to reason in Islamic philosophy only insofar as they relate to the apprehension of independent reality.