Monday, December 24, 2007

al-Quran as a Primary source of knowledge



 Definition of al-Quran
 The Characteristic of the Quran
 The Nature and Authority of the Qur’an
 Ulum Al-Qur’an and its Significance
 Al-Quran As the Source of (Scientific) Knowledge

 Quran is infinitive noun from ( قرأ ) means he collected together things or read and recited. Allah says :

 إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْآنَهُ(17)فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْآنَهُ(18)

 “ It is for Us to collect it and to recite it . But when We have recited it, follow thou its recital (as promulgated).” (75 : 17-18)
Definition of al-Quran
Definition of al-Quran:

“The Quran is miraculous, inimitable, indestructible, preserved and intelligible word of Allah, revealed to the prophet Muhammad s.a.w (the last prophet and his messenger through the archangel Jibril, preserved in masahif, transmitted to us gradually and by mutawatir (continuously unbroken chains of numerous narrators)”.

 The Quran can be also defined as follows:


 It was revealed to prophet Muhammad s.a.w which very truth from his Lord. Allah says :

 وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَآمَنُوا بِمَا نُزِّلَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ كَفَّرَ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَأَصْلَحَ بَالَهُمْ(2)

 “ But those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, and believe in the (revelation) sent down to Muhammad s.a.w -for it is the truth from their Lord,- He will remove from them their ills and improve their condition.” (47 : 2 )

 It was not the prophet who spoke under the influence of the holy spirit, it was divine message brought by the holy spirit and delivered it to mankind. Allah says :

 وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنْزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ(192)نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ(193)عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنْ الْمُنذِرِينَ(194) بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُبِينٍ(195)

 “ Verily this is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds. With it came down the Truthful spirit. To thy heart that thou mayest admonish. In the perspicuous Arabic tongue.” (26 : 192 – 195)

The Characteristic of the Quran

 1. Al-Quran is the book of guidance, sure without doubt for those who fear Allah swt. He says :

 ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ(2)

 “ A.L.M , This is the Book , in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah.” (2: 1-2)

 2. It is the word of Allah revealed to the prophet Muhammad s.a.w with His wording, Allah challenged the Arabs with it and they became important to produce a work similar to it or ten chapters or even a single chapter.

 This challenge still continues and this eternal miracle will continue until the day of judgement. Allah says:

 أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَيَاتٍ وَادْعُوا مَنْ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ(13)
 “ Or they may say: “He forged it.” Say: “Bring ye then ten suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever ye can, other than Allah ! If ye speak the truth !” (11: 13)

 In the other verse , Allah s.w.t says :

 قُلْ لَئِنْ اجْتَمَعَتْ الْإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا(88)

 “ Say: “If the whole of mankind and jinns were gather together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.” (17: 88)

 3. The Quran is from Allah by wording and meaning.

 It is the source of constitution for the entire Muslim ummah in particular and for mankind in general. It is a guide for all humanity and message for all worlds. Allah says :

 فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ(26)إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِلْعَالَمِينَ(27)لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ(28)وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ(29)
 “ Then whither go ye? Verily this is no less than a Message to (all) the worlds. (With profit) to whoever among you wills to go straight. But ye shall not will except as Allah wills, The Cherisher of the worlds.” (81: 26-29)

 4. It has been kept absolutely unchanged through the contents in its original language.

 Other religions have deviated from their original message and have been influenced by human thoughts and desires. As a result, many people consider religion to be false accounts.
 (2: 23-24)
 وَإِنْ كُنتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِنْ مِثْلِهِ وَادْعُوا شُهَدَاءَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ(23)فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَلَنْ تَفْعَلُوا فَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَ(24)

 The Quran is protected and safeguarded by Allah swt. Allah says :

 إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ(9)


 5. The Quran refers to many fields such as aqidah, syar’iat and akhlak.

 That is why individuals of various backgrounds can understand its arguments, evaluate and credibility. Allah says:
 إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ ... (18)
 “ The religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His Will).” (3: 19)

 It provides many facts regarding the physical world, astronomical world and others.

 6. Islam encourages mankind to seek knowledge and study the Quran in our discoveries, promising as a grate reward and these efforts are considered part of our worship since they are made.

وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنفِرُوا كَافَّةً فَلَوْلا نَفَرَ مِنْ كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ (122)
10 : 122

The Nature and Authority of the Quran

 There are many proofs that the Quran is Allah’s revelation :

 First,
 Prophet Muhammad distinguished clearly and sharply between his own words and the words of Allah.

 At no time did he ascribe the Quran to himself, although it would have been an honor to be able to claim the authorship of such a unique book.

 Second,
 The Prophet was keen to write down the text of the Qur’an immediately after he received it from Allah.

 To ensure the distinction between his own words and the word of Allah, he warned people not to write down his own prophetic utterances so that they would not become mixed with Allah’s words.

 Muhammad even commanded people to erase anything they had written of his own sayings that was not part of the Qur’an.

 Third,

 When the Quran was revealed to him from Allah, it was accompanied by psychological and physical changes in himself: his face flushed and his body trembled and sweated. This was observed by those present. But, in contrast, when he spoke of his own accord, no such things occurred.

 If he were an ordinary author, there would not have been this contrast in the effect on his mind and body according to what he was writing.

 A man could change from writing prose to writing poetry without such visible effects.

 And if we look back at the Prophet’s life before he was given the revelation, he did not experience any such changes.

 In this context, that some who are interested in analyzing these changes in the Prophet diagnosed him as an epileptic.

 They forgot that the Prophet was fully aware of what he was saying and could recall the whole experience afterwards.

 We do not need to dwell on their theory, since it is now wholly discounted.

 Fourth,
 Allah’s speech is distinctive and does not resemble Muhammad’s own words if we compare the two.

 Even when Muhammad’s words reach the zenith of human rhetoric, they do not compare with the words of the Quran.

 The Quran compared to them is like the sun compared to the stars.

 Fifth,
 The Quran is miraculous, unlike Muhammad’s own sayings. All people, even demons, were challenged to produce anything equal to the Quran but nobody was challenged to equal Muhammad’s hadith.

 From the very beginning, Muslims were fully aware of the distinction between Allah’s words and Muhammad’s words.

 They introduce Allah’s words with, “Allah says..” and Muhammad’s hadiths with, “The Prophet says..”

 Sixth,
 Muslims distinguish between the words of Allah and the words of the Prophet when they read them aloud. They use a different tone for the words of Allah.

 The Prophet described some of his companions as “sweet- voiced” when they read the Qur’an, and he himself often asked them to read to him.

 Once he was passing by Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari’s house and heard him reading the Quran. He stopped to listen. The Prophet was attracted by his voice. During morning Prayer when they met, the Prophet told him he had listened to his recitation the previous night. The man said, “If I had known that you were listening I could have read even more beautifully for you.”
 The man’s voice was naturally sweet.

 Once, the Prophet asked Ibn Mas`ud to read the Qur’an for him. The latter said to the Prophet, “Should I read it to you when it was revealed to you?” The Prophet replied, “I love to hear it from the lips of others.”

 Ibn Mas`ud read Surat An-Nisaa’ for the Prophet. When he read the following verse meaning "How then shall it be, when We bring forward from every nation a witness, and bring thee (O Muhammad) to witness against those?" (An-Nisaa': 41), the Prophet asked him to stop, saying, “That is enough.” Then the reciter looked at the Prophet’s face and saw that his eyes were full of tears.

 This clearly demonstrates not only the distinction between the Quran and the hadith of the Prophet, but also the exact way that Muslims learned the Quran.

 See also these articles :

 Narratives in the Qur'an (Sayyid Qutb)
 Living by the Qur’an (Harun Yahya)
 The Nature and Authority of the Qur’an (text) (Dr. Muhammad Abu Laylah)

Ulum Al-Qur’an and its Significance

The message of the Qur’an contains guidance and wisdom in the form of laws, stories, parables, and arguments for those who have an intellect.

 Hence, it is essential for the believer to deeply understand the meanings and implications of the Book of the Creator in order to truly reflect and correctly act upon it.

 For this purpose, ever since the Muslims received the Quran, they have not only dedicated themselves to its message, but also to its setting and framework that serve to facilitate its understanding and implication.

 Their application and preoccupation with issues related to the understanding of the Quran led to the development of disciplines and branches of knowledge that are known as `Ulum Al-Qur’an (the sciences of the Quran).

 `Ulum al-Quran has become an inseparable part of Quranic education because it has indispensable knowledge for correctly understanding and internalizing the Quran.

 It is regrettable to note that there are very few texts available for the Muslim English reader to assist him or her in learning the Quran.

 The aim of this column is to fill this gap and help towards understanding the Quranic message by introducing disciplines related to its circumstances, setting, and framework.

 `Ulum al-Quran is, defined as the branch of knowledge concerned with investigating and studying the Quran.
 Its subjects involve the following:

 The evolution and development of this discipline
 The various names and lexical meanings of the Quran
 Nature of revelation (wahi)
 Method of collection (jam`) and preservation (hifzh) of the Quran
 Oral and written transmission of the Quranic revelation

 Exegesis (tafseer)

 Schools of tafseer
 Methods of tafseer
 Ta’weel and deviant exegeses
 Conditions required of the exegete (mufassir)
 The scholars of tafseer and their books

 Recitations (qir’aat)
 The Seven Forms (sab`at ahruf)
 The dialects of Quraysh
 Tajweed

 Reasons and occasions of revelation (asbab an-nuzul)

 Makkan and Madinan surahs

 Abrogation (an-nasikh) and abrogated (al-mansukh) verses

 The muhkamat and mutashabihat verses (clear and ambiguous verses)

 The muhkamat and mutashabihat verses (clear and ambiguous verses)

 Form, language, and style of the Quran

 The virtues of the Quran and the etiquettes of its recitation

 The distinctive features and miraculous nature of the Quran

 Other issues related to Quranic studies of special importance today

 The scientific trends in the Quran: a contemporary miracle

 The stance of orientalists, colonialists, and missionaries towards the Quran

 Translation and interpretation of the Quran

 Refer to further info about Ulum al-Qur’an :

 Ulum Al-Qur’an and its Significance
 An Introduction to the Sciences of the Quran
 The Quran and Revelation
 Understanding the Text (Makkiyah&Madaniyyah , Asbab Nuzul , Nasakh Mansukh & Sab’ab Ahruf)
 Interpreting the Text (Tafseer)

Al-Quran As the Source of Scientific Knowledge

 1. al-Quran contains many facts about the scientific knowledge

 The Quran also contains many facts and information about the science knowledge, phenomena and many of which come to be known very recently.

 The facts which no one could even imagine during the time of prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

 The Quran speaks about spiritual dimension and it emphasizes reflection on science and laws of nature with example from cosmology, physics, biology and medicine as signs for all men.
 Allah says :

 أَفَلَا يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى الْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ(17)وَإِلَى السَّمَاءِ كَيْفَ رُفِعَتْ(18)وَإِلَى الْجِبَالِ كَيْفَ نُصِبَتْ(19)وَإِلَى الْأَرْضِ كَيْفَ سُطِحَتْ(20)
 “ Do they not look at the camels, how they are made? And at the sky, how it is raised high? And the mountains, how they are fixed firm? And at the Earth , how is spread out? ” (88 : 17- 20)

 Allah says:

 “Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of Night and Day, there are indeed Signs for men of understanding.” (3: 190)

 Many scientists of today after discovering those facts in the Quran acknowledge and confirm that this knowledge must have come to Muhammad s.a.w from Allah s.w.t
2. Al-Quran encourages human mind to study nature and universe
 Seven hundred verses of the Quran appeal to human mind to study nature, to reflect, to make the best use of reason in their search for the ultimate goal and to make acquiring knowledge and scientific comprehension part of the community’s life.
 (see = 3: 190)
3. al-Quran invites human intelligence to develop the science attitude.
 The Quran invites human intelligence to develop the science attitude which promotes him to raise question his surroundings and base his inference upon solid and legitimate grounds.
 Allah s.w.t says:
 وَفِي الْأَرْضِ آيَاتٌ لِلْمُوقِنِينَ(20)وَفِي أَنفُسِكُمْ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ(21)وَفِي السَّمَاءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ(22)

 “On the earth are signs for those of assured Faith. As also in your own selves, will yet not then see? And in heaven is your sustenance, as (also) that which ye are promised.” (51 : 20 –22)

 a. To exercise more common sense than dogma, observation than blind faith.

 b. It invites human intelligence to react with the process of cause and effect.

 وَفِي الأَرْضِ آيَاتٌ لِلْمُوقِنِينَ (20)
 “On the earth are Signs for those of assured Faith” (51:20)

 c. The Quran even challenges human intellect and experience to find any flaw in the universe and assured man that such will not happen.
 Allah s.w.t says:

 الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقاً مَا تَرَى فِي خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَنِ مِنْ تَفَاوُتٍ فَارْجِعْ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَى مِنْ فُطُورٍ (3)


 d. It instructs human mind to speak with others in such reasonable manner that it shall reach their soul of understanding.

 Allah s.w.t says:

 أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَعِظْهُمْ وَقُلْ لَهُمْ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلاً بَلِيغاً (63)

 “Those men, Allah knows what is in their hearts; so keep clear of them, but admonish them, and speak to them a word to reach their very souls.” (4:63)

 e. It invites to use the power of human ‘tadabbur’ about the Quran itself ,

 The Quran says:

 أَفَلا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِنْدِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلافاً كَثِيراً (82)
 “Do they not consider the Qur-an (with care)? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy.” (4:82)

Human intelligence in the Quran.
 Human intelligence means distinctly human thought ability or human skill which possessed by no other creation, it has gradually come to mean the higher-level abstract thought processes.
 Allah says :

 وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُمْ مِنْ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلاً (70)

 The phrases ‘honoured the sons of Adam’, ‘conferred on them special favours’ and ‘a great part of Our Creation’ all appear to refer to human intellect.
 * human intelligence is one of the sources of scientific knowledge.

 Allah has created human brain in the best of moulds / best stature / best form / best nature / best constitution. The Quran says:

 لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ (4)

 In anthropological term, ‘the best stature’ means human brain and humanity is superior upon all other creations because of human brain.

 The Quran specifies human intelligence’s root and its very nature given by Allah to man as “amanah” to use it according to the will of Allah.
 Allah says :

 إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنْسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولًا(72)

 “ We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains, but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof, but man undertook it. He was indeed unjust and foolish.” (33: 72)

 The trust is something given to a person, over which he has the power of disposition.

 This also refers to human intelligence because man accepted offer from Allah s.w.t after his realization.

 The source of human intelligence is from divine and metaphysical not from the result of sensory or other factors.

Thinking and human intelligence
 The Quran emphasizes on human intelligence to think for modern research and modern science. Allah says :

 الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَاماً وَقُعُوداً وَعَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذَا بَاطِلاً سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ (191)
 “Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (with the thought): "Our Lord! not for naught hast thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the Penalty of the Fire.” (3: 191)
 see : (16: 11, 22: 46)

Human intelligence, language and learning.
 Allah taught languages and also writing and learning by pen for man.
 Allah says:

 وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الأَسْمَاءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَلائِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنْبِئُونِي بِأَسْمَاءِ هَؤُلاء إِنْ كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ (31)

 “And He taught Adam the names of all things; then He placed them before the angels, and said: "Tell Me the names of these if ye are right." (2: 31)
 see: ( 55: 4 , 30: 22, and 96: 4-5)
Human intelligence and the act of creating.
 The capacity to create and invent is seen in the Quran as a strong manifestation of intelligence.
 Allah says:

 أَمْ تَسْأَلُهُمْ خَرْجاً فَخَرَاجُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ (72)

 “Or is it that thou askest them for some recompense? But the recompense of thy Lord is best: He is the Best of those who give sustenance.” (23: 72)

 From a Quranic outlook, the act of creating must be viewed as a fundamental and crucial component of intelligent.

 An articulate understanding of the differences among the divine, the human, the animal and artificial machines cannot be achieved without human intelligence.

4. Methods / Tools for studying natural sciences and physical sciences
 i. The general tools for studying natural sciences and physical sciences are our senses and intelligence.
 The Quran says:

 وَاللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُمْ مِنْ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئاً وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ السَّمْعَ وَالأَبْصَارَ وَالأَفْئِدَةَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ (78)

 “It is He Who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when ye knew nothing; and He gave you hearing and sight and intelligence and affection: that ye may give thanks (to Allah).” (16: 78)

 ii. Through experiment and observation.
 The Quran says:

 قُلْ سِيرُوا فِي الأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ بَدَأَ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ اللَّهُ يُنشِئُ النَّشْأَةَ الآخِرَةَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (20)

 “Say: "Travel through the earth and see how Allah did originate creation; so will Allah produce a later creation: for Allah has power over all things.” (29: 20)

 أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الأَرْضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَا أَوْ آذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا فَإِنَّهَا لا تَعْمَى الأَبْصَارُ وَلَكِنْ تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ (46)


 iii. There are many realities in the physical world that we do not perceive through our senses.
 Allah says:

 فَلا أُقْسِمُ بِمَا تُبْصِرُونَ (38)
 “So I do call to witness what ye see” (69: 38)

 خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا وَأَلْقَى فِي الأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَنْ تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَنْبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ (10)


5. The universe is Allah’s creation
 The universe is Allah’s creation and His dominion over all created things and beings is absolute. Allah says:

 وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (189)
 “To Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth; and Allah hath power over all things.” (3: 189)
 see : 39:44 , 2: 284, 30: 26, 7: 185 …)
6. The Quran mentions the foundation of knowledge in different forms

 The Quran mentions the foundation of knowledge in different forms, such as the process of the creation of the universe which is called in arabic “al-kawn” means universe or phenomena, “ulum al-tabi’iyyah” means natural sciences.

 The process of creation of human beings which later emerged the concept of science of biology, the growth of plantation which is called botany, animals, astronomy, medicine, engineering, economy, politic, legal system and others.

Heavens in the Quran
 The Quran says:

 إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ

 “Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, ……” (7: 54)

 Days means ‘long periods’ or ‘ages’ rather than periods of 24 hours.

 Heaven was smoke.

 Allah says:
 ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَهِيَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلأَرْضِ اِئْتِيَا طَوْعاً فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلأَرْضِ اِئْتِيَا طَوْعاً أَوْ كَرْهاً قَالَتَا أَتَيْنَا طَائِعِينَ (11)


 The word “dukhan” means smoke, the fundamental data concerning the existence of an initial gaseous mass which id unique.

 أَوَلَمْ يَرَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقاً فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ أَفَلا يُؤْمِنُونَ (30)


 In this ayah, “ratqun” means join together and “fatqun” means separation / open. The separation process resulted in the information of multiple worlds.

 To scientists, heaven is space or empty place, but the Quran says that it has existence. Allah says:

 أَلَمْ تَرَوْا كَيْفَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقاً (15)
 "`See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another,” (71: 15)
 see (21: 32)

 In the first heaven from earth, there are stars. The Quran says:
 إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِزِينَةٍ الْكَوَاكِبِ (6)
 “We have indeed decked the lower heaven with beauty (in) the stars” (37:6)

 Heaven will be perished,
 Allah says:

 يَوْمَ نَطْوِي السَّمَاءَ كَطَيِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ كَمَا بَدَأْنَا أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُعِيدُهُ وَعْداً عَلَيْنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ (104)

 “The Day that We roll up the heavens like a scroll rolled up for books (completed), even as We produced the first Creation, so shall We produce a new one: a promise We have undertaken: truly shall We fulfill it”. (21: 104)

Astronomy in the Quran
 This means the science concerns regarding the observation and interpretation of the radiation received in the vicinity of the earth from the components of the universe.

 This includes such as the sun, the moon, the stars, the planets and others.
 (see = 10: 101)

The Sun
 The sun is (wahhaj and siraj) a lamp / the star that shine in the sky during the day and gives the earth the heat and light. It has its own light. It is the dominant body of solar system.

 Allah is the creator of the sun. Allah says:

 إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِي اللَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثاً وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ أَلا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالأَمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ (54)
 “Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He established Himself on the Throne (of authority): He draweth the night as a veil O’er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: He created the sun, the moon, and the stars, (all) governed by laws under His Command. Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed be Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds!” (7: 54)
 see : (16: 40, 55:5 , 16: 12)

 The sun follows its own way by the command of Allah s.w.t.

 وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَهَا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ (38)
 “And the sun runs its course for a period determined for it; that is the decree of (Him), the Exalted in Might, the All-Knowing.” (36: 38)

 For a long time, European philosophers and scientists believed that the earth stood still in the center of the universe and every other body including the sun is moved around it.

 The sun is located in the outer part of the galaxy. The Quran furnishes the following information.
 Allah says :

 وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَهَا ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ(38)وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَاهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّى عَادَ كَالْعُرْجُونِ الْقَدِيمِ(39)لَا الشَّمْسُ يَنْبَغِي لَهَا أَنْ تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ(40)

 “ And the Sun runs unto a resting place, for him : that is the decree of (Him), the Exalted in might, the All-Knowing. And the Moon, We have measured for her station (to traverse) till she returns like the old (and withered) lower part of date-stalk. It is not permitted to the Sun to catch up the moon, nor can the night outstrip the Day: Each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to Law).” (36 : 38-40)

Purposes of the creation of the sun

 To brighten this world

 هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ ضِيَاءً وَالْقَمَرَ نُوراً وَقَدَّرَهُ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُوا عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ يُفَصِّلُ الآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ (5)

 To balance this world ( having the day and night/hot and cool)

 وَآيَةٌ لَهُمْ اللَّيْلُ نَسْلَخُ مِنْهُ النَّهَارَ فَإِذَا هُمْ مُظْلِمُونَ (37)
 ‘And a Sign for them is the Night: We withdraw therefrom the Day, and behold they are plunged in darkness;” (36: 37)

 To serve for mankind
 وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمْ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دَائِبَيْنِ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمْ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ (33)
 “And He hath made subject to you the sun and the moon, both diligently pursuing their courses: and the Night and the Day hath He (also) made subject to you.” (14:33)

 To calculate the day/date, month and year

 الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍ (5)
 “The sun and the moon follow courses (exactly) computed;” (55:5)

 To provide the energy
 وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعاً شِدَاداً (12) وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجاً وَهَّاجاً (13)
 And (have We not) built over you the seven Firmaments, And placed (therein) a Light of Splendour? (78: 12-13)

The Moon
 The moon is one of the galaxies. It does not have own light gives borrowed light. It is called munir. The Quran says:
 تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي السَّمَاءِ بُرُوجاً وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا سِرَاجاً وَقَمَراً مُنِيراً (61)
 “Blessed is He Who made constellations in the skies, and placed therein a Lamp and a Moon giving light;” (25: 61)

 Purposes
 To provide the light at night
 To reckoning the time, day, night, month and year.

The Star
 The word ‘star’ (al-Najm) burns and consumes itself. The Quran uses the term as “najm” (star), “kawkab” (planet) and “buruj” (the zodiacal signs/stars/planets/comet/shooting star.)

 Purposes

 They are the mark and sign for the dark on earth.
 The Quran says:
 فَالِقُ الإِصْبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ اللَّيْلَ سَكَناً وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ حُسْبَاناً ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ (96)
 “He it is that cleaveth the daybreak (from the dark): He makes the night for rest and tranquillity, and the sun and moon for the reckoning (of time): such is the judgment and ordering of (Him), the Exalted in Power, the Omniscient.” (6:96)

 They can be good guidance the ways at night on earth and in the seas.

About the day and night
 Allah says:

 وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ (33

 خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ يُكَوِّرُ اللَّيْلَ عَلَى النَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ النَّهَارَ عَلَى اللَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي لأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى أَلا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ (5)

The Earth
 Allah created the earth in two days.
 The Quran says:

 قُلْ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَ الأَرْضَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَندَاداً ذَلِكَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ (9)

 “Say: "Is it that ye deny Him Who created the earth in two Days? and do ye join equals with Him? He is the Lord of (all) the Worlds."(41:9)

 The earth and its parts in four days.

 The Quran says:

 وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ مِنْ فَوْقِهَا وَبَارَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَا أَقْوَاتَهَا فِي أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَاءً لِلسَّائِلِينَ (10)


 The earth is like a carpet spread out for His creation.

 Allah says:

 الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمْ الأَرْضَ مَهْداً وَسَلَكَ لَكُمْ فِيهَا سُبُلاً وَأَنزَلَ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجاً مِنْ نَبَاتٍ شَتَّى (53)

 There are many roads/ways/bridges, etc on earth. (20:53)

 Diverse pairs of plants, which spread from one another.(20:53)

 The earth is the sources of water, comes from the heaven, cultivate the earth to produce the vegetable life, (21: 30) and the fields of different colors of corns and foods (39:21).
 Allah says:


 أَلَمْ تَرَى أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنْزَلَ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ فِي الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعاً مُخْتَلِفاً أَلْوَانُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرّاً ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ حُطَاماً إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَذِكْرَى لأُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ (21)


 There is a lesson for man in cattle who provide drinks from the inside of their bodies, coming from a conjunction between the contents of the intestines and blood, a pure milk and pleasant for those who drink it.
 Allah says:

 وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِي الأَنْعَامِ لَعِبْرَةً نُسْقِيكُمْ مِمَّا فِي بُطُونِهِ مِنْ بَيْنِ فَرْثٍ وَدَمٍ لَبَناً خَالِصاً سَائِغاً لِلشَّارِبِينَ (66)
 “And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive Sign. From what is within their bodies, between excretions and blood, We produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it.” (16:66)

Animal in the Quran
 Allah is the creator of every animal from water.
 The Quran says:

 وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَابَّةٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَى بَطْنِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَى رِجْلَيْنِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَى أَرْبَعٍ يَخْلُقُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (45)


 There is a lesson for man in cattle who provide drinks from the inside of their bodies, coming from a conjunction between the contents of the intestines and blood, a pure milk and pleasant for those who drink it. (16:66: see Earth in the Quran)

 There are various colors of animals.
 The Quran says:

 وَمِنْ النَّاسِ وَالدَّوَابِّ وَالأَنْعَامِ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ كَذَلِكَ إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ (28)

 Allah subjected animals for human beings to survive and use them for getting benefit on earth.
 The Quran says:
 وَذَلَّلْنَاهَا لَهُمْ فَمِنْهَا رَكُوبُهُمْ وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُونَ (72)
 “And that We have subjected them to their (use)? Of them some do carry them and some they eat:” (36:72)

About birds
 Birds fly and spread their wings as signs of Allah in the sky and fold them, none can uphold them except Allah.
 The Quran says:

 أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى الطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَافَّاتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلاَّ الرَّحْمَنُ إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَصِيرٌ (19)


 There are animals who lives on earth and water such as fishes, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, as well as four footed beasts and a being that flies on its wings such as mammals like bats, all they live a life, social and individual like ourselves.
 Allah says:

 وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلا طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ (38)


 Spiders who build their houses and Allah is the protector or their houses. It is one of the wonderful signs of Allah’s creation for only those who understand with their knowledge.

 Allah says:

 مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتاً وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنْكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ (41)


Lifestyle and Communication of ants
 Allah s.w.t says about the communication of ants in the following ayats :

 وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيْمَانَ جُنُودُهُ مِنْ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ وَالطَّيْرِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ(17)حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَوْا عَلَى وَادِي النَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَاأَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ(18)

 “And before Solomon were marshaled his hosts, of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks. At length, when they came to a valley of ants, one of the ants said: “O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it”. ” (27: 17-18)

 Research has shown that the animals or insects whose lifestyle is closes in remembrance to the lifestyle of human beings are the ants.

 Some similarities with human beings :
 The ants bury their dead in a manner similar to the humans.
 Once in a while they meet among themselves to have a chat.
 They have a sophisticated system of division of labor, whereby they have managers, supervisors, foremen and others.
 They have advanced method of communication among themselves.
 They hold regular markets wherein they exchange goods.

 A few years ago, a group of Arab scholars collected all information concerning embryology from the Quran and followed the instruction of the Quran .
 Allah says :

 وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ(43)
 “ And before thee We sent none but men, to whom We granted inspiration, if ye realize this not, ask of those who possess the Message.” (16:43)

Mountains in the Quran
 Allah created mountains as pegs to maintain and to stable the earth.
 The Quran says:

 إِنَّ اللَّهَ فَالِقُ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَى يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنْ الْمَيِّتِ وَمُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتِ مِنْ الْحَيِّ ذَلِكُمْ اللَّهُ فَأَنَّا تُؤْفَكُونَ (95)

 “It is Allah who causeth the seed-grain and the date stone to split and sprout. He causeth the living to issue from the dead, and He is the One to cause the dead to issue from the living. That is Allah: then how are ye deluded away from the truth?” (6:95)

 Allah taught the bee to build its cells in mountains/hills on trees and in man’s habitations. (6:95)

 There are different shapes and colors of mountains such as rock mountain, soft land mountains and the highest mountain is 2900 from the sea level.(35:27), different colors, red clolors, white and black colors.
 The Quran says:

 أَلَمْ تَرَى أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنْزَلَ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ ثَمَرَاتٍ مُخْتَلِفاً أَلْوَانُهَا وَمِنْ الْجِبَالِ جُدَدٌ بِيضٌ وَحُمْرٌ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهَا وَغَرَابِيبُ سُودٌ (27)


 There are the white veins of marble and quartz, or chalk, the red laterite, the blue basaltic rocks, the ink-black flint and all the variety, shade and gradation of colors.

 They are also the source of mineral product, vegetations, waterfall and all kind of nature’s gorgeous pageantry.

 They are also signs of Allah as the part of natural phenomenon.
Botany/Plants in the Quran and the purpose of their creation.
 Allah is the creator of the seed grain (it includes botanical world/vegetable kingdom such as rice, barley, millet, beans, peas,gram, etc) and the date stone (includes both food and fruits for the Arabains) to split and sprout.
 The Quran says:



 He causes the living from the dead and the dead from the living through the evolutionary processes. (6:95)

 Allah created every living thing from water. (about 72 % of the surface of our globe is still covered with water). The Quran says:



 Allah produces from rain the wonderful variety of crops and fruits-golden, green, red, yellow and showing all the most beautiful tints as we can think. (see 35:27: mountain in Quran)

 Allah creates in pairs all things that the earth produces because the mystery of sex runs through all creations - in man, in animal life, in vegetable life and possibly in other things of which we have no knowledge.

 The Quran says:

 سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ الأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنْبِتُ الأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لا يَعْلَمُونَ (36)


 Wassalam

Sunday, December 16, 2007

The Concept of Knowledge in Islam


The Concept of knowledge

“ العلم ” as an Arabic word means to know, to understand, to perceive , to be familiar and acquainted with intensive knowledge.

It has been used in different form in the Quran.
i. Past tense ( الفعل الماضى ) :
وَإِذْ اسْتَسْقَى مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبْ بِعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ فَانفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَشْرَبَهُمْ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا مِنْ رِزْقِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ(60)
“And remember Moses prayed for water for his people, We said: “Strike the rock with thy staff.” Then gushed forth there from twelve springs. Each group knew its own place for water. So eat and drink of the sustenance provided by Allah, and do no evil nor mischief on the (face of the) earth.” (2: 60)

أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَى نِسَائِكُمْ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَهُنَّ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنْكُمْ (2: 187)

ii. Present Tense ( الفعل المضارع ) :
مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ(106) (2 :106)

وَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ تَعْلَمُ وَكَانَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ عَظِيمًا(113)
“For Allah hath sent down to thee the Book and Wisdom and taught thee what thou knew not (before), and great is the Grace of Allah unto thee.” (4: 113)

iii. Amr (الفعل الأمر ) :
فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنْبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَاكُمْ(19)
“Know, therefore, that there is no god but Allah, and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and for Allah knows how ye move about and how ye dwell in your homes.” ( 47: 19)

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ أَرِنِي كَيْفَ تُحْيِ الْمَوْتَى قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قَالَ بَلَى وَلَكِنْ لِيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي قَالَ فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةً مِنْ الطَّيْرِ فَصُرْهُنَّ إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَلَى كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا ثُمَّ ادْعُهُنَّ يَأْتِينَكَ سَعْيًا وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ(260) (2: 260)

Word “ ‘Ilm ” ( علم) was occurred in 140 places in Quran, while “al-‘Ilm”
(العلم) in 27 places. In All, the total number that was used in 704. There are also some relevant and different terms such as a book/al-Kitab (الكتاب) : in 230 verses , pen/al-Qalam (القلم) : in 2 verses, mind/al-‘Aql (العقل) : 49 verses , think/al-Fikr (الفكر) :18 verses , understand/al-Fiqh ( الفقه) and coming to know/al-Ma’rifah (المعرفة) : in 61 verses.

Al-Ma’rifah is another term used in the Quran to denote about knowledge. Al-Ma’rifah means to know, to explain, to confess, to comprehend a certain thing with the use of thinking.

Synonym of al-‘Ilm details
1 Al-Ma’rifah ( المعرفة) Coming to know by experiment or by reflection
2 Al-Fiqh (الفقه) Understanding
3 Tadabbur (تدبر ) Meditation / Observation
4 Basiran (بصيرا) Mental perception
5 Tazakkur (تذكر) Rememberance
6 Tafakkur (تفكر) Thought
7 Huda (هدى) Guidance
8 Syu’ur (شعور) Feeling

The antonym of al-‘Ilm (العلم) - Ignorance (الجهل) .

The definition of knowledge from the Islamic perspective

1. The opinions of Muslim philosophers
“Knowledge means the picture produced about something in the mind/intellect”

for example: when we picture a car in our mind: what will be pictured in our mind are the shape of the car, tyre, engine, steering, car seat and others. This means that we have knowledge about the car.

2. The group of sunnah (Ahl al-Sunnah) have the opinion, which is as follows:
“Knowledge is what one knows about something/ what makes one knowledgeable about something.”

3. Imam al-Haramain
“Way to visualize the purpose of knowledge about something by differentiating it with other things”
For example: differentiating between a horse with a car.
4. al-Qadhi al-Baqilani : knowledge is
”Knowing something known as the form and condition of itself in such a way”

5. Naquib al-Attas , said :
“Knowledge has been understood to mean the holy Quran, laws of the syariah, faith, spiritual knowledge, wisdom, ma’rifah and others.”

6. Al-Jurjani , has viewed that :
“al-Ma’rifah (المعرفة) and al-‘Ilm (العلم) mean to comprehend something as it appears with the use of senses from ignorance.”
Knowledge is the realization of something based on its true nature through different level of understanding such as application, comprehension, synthesis and judgement.

It is a product of learning about all kinds of things which requires mental apprehension or cognition.

7. Imam al-Ghazali :
“Knowledge is the acquisition of that information through which one can successfully attain the true goal of life”

He looked the knowledge as the picture about something in the heart. That means the knowledge known by the heart is more genuine and secure because it is from Allah. This is because Imam al-Ghazali, as a sufi, thought “kashaf” (the seeing of the pure heart) as a source of knowledge when it is guided by iman with the help of the sound mind”

The knowledge of Allah is the benefit for the end of life. Therefore, knowledge can guide man successfully in this world and hereafter. Al-Quran says :
اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
“Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth…” (24: 35)
And also He said in the same verse:
نُورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ
“Light upon light, Allah guide whom he will His light.”

In conclusion (about the definition of knowledge):

Knowledge is what we know about something, whether it is good or otherwise
In Islamic perspective, “ al-‘Ilm (العلم) is a system of learning to be developed and disseminated in a manner that recognizes Allah as the Lord and Creator of the universe and man His servant as well as vicegerent (khalifah of Allah) .

The knowledge of human being as beings as a gift of Allah in which they cannot excel his knowledge. Men are ignorant by nature. Later they were equipped with intellect and sence as tools to equire knowledge.

Allah is the only source of knowledge because he knows both the “ghaib” (unseen) and “zahir” (external). Man’s knowledge is limited. He knows only zahir but also limited. The Quran says:
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ الرُّوحِ قُلْ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنْ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا(85)
“They ask thee concerning the spirit (ruh), say: The spirit of the command of my Lord of knowledge. It is only a little that is communicated to you.” (17 : 85)

The Definition of knowledge from western perspective

1. Augusta Comte defines :
“Knowledge as the reality of roles, pertains to natural phenomena that can only be done through experiment.”

2. Emile Patro defines :
“Knowledge is only limited in positivistic ideas resulted from logical thinking”

3. Rousel viewed :
“Knowledge is as a process of learning that should be according to nature. By nature means natural ways or natural systems which lead the world and all creations such as activity by a child, his experience, exploration of is enviroment on the satisfaction of his present need and interest.”

The Conclusion (knowledge from western perspective)

Knowledge from the western perspective is a system that gains from effort of human being based on hypothesis, observation, natural laws and experiment.

The western theory of knowledge refutes the metaphysical world, unseen and all kind of knowledge which are derived from the revelation.

They only use ‘aql (intellect) and reason to recognize knowledge ( don’t recognize “wahy” (revelation) as a source of knowledge).

Differences between Islamic and western theory of knowledge

Islamic Perspective
Western Perspective
1. Based on revelation
Based on human mind and sensory
2. Both of revelation & intellectualism
Only intellectualism
3. Consider Allah as the original source of knowledge
Reject Allah as the source of knowledge
4. Discuss the existence of Allah, His attributes, the origin of man, universe, their purpose, final destiny, prophethood & responsibilities of Islam etc.
Ignores all these aspects.
5. Encompasses physical and metaphysical world. Only physical world.

The position of knowledge in Islam

i. Knowledge is the first revelation in Islam

It is well-known in Islam that the first revelation revealed by Allah swt to the Prophet saw is surah al-‘Alaq that deals with knowledge..
Allah says:
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ(1)خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ(2)اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ(3)الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ(4)عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ(5)
“Read ! In the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created- Created man, out of a leech-like clot. Read ! And thy Lord is most Bountiful. He who taught (the use of) the Pen, Taught man that which he knew not.” (96: 1-5)

This ayat shows the virtues/advantages of knowledge over other things. With knowledge, one will be able to do things perfectly.

Thus, a certain word is repeated 2 times. The word is Iqra’, that is
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ and اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ .The kalimah iqra’ ( اقرأ ) means read – which is the door for gaining knowledge.

ii. Make a practice of the knowledge gained

Furthermore, the second surah was revealed after surah iqra`, that is al-Muddathir (المدثر) :
يَاأَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ(1)قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ(2)وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ(3)وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ(4)وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ(5)وَلَا تَمْنُنْ تَسْتَكْثِرُ(6)وَلِرَبِّكَ فَاصْبِرْ(7)
“O thou wrapped up (in a mantle) ! Arise and deliver warning ! And thy Lord do thou magnify ! And garments keep free from stain ! And all abomination shun ! Nor expect, in giving, any increase (for thyself) ! But, for thy Lord’s (Cause) be patient and constant ! ” (74 : 1-7)

From this ayat, it can be understood that after gaining knowledge (in surah al-‘Alaq), Allah swt commands us to do good deeds, whether the deeds have something to do with mankind. The ayat is قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ – that commands us to do good deeds and forbid bad things.

- or the deeds have something to do with Allah, that is ayat وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ by performing ibadah, obeying His commandments and warding off His prohibitions.

- or actions/practices, which have something to do with oneself – like the ayat وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ that means self-cleanliness and warding off things that lead to damages/destructions.

Therefore, what we can comprehend from those ayats is: knowledge is required first before making a practice of something and it is a pre-requisite for one’s deeds to be accepted.

As such, it can be concluded that one obtains nobility in the eyes of Allah when he makes a practice of the knowledge he has gained in life.

iii. Knowledge as a pre-requisite for a deed to be accepted by Allah

Knowledge makes a deed/practice be accepted by Allah. Among the pre-requisites for a deed/practice to be accepted by Allah as a pious deed are two conditions:

i. Doing the deed with ikhlas (sincerity) – just to please Allah

ii. The deed is done according to the syariat – as set by allah. It requires knowledge to know the commandments, conditions for validness (sah) and invalidness (batal) and other things pertaining to it.

Rasulullah saw said:
1 حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ عَبْدُاللَّهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ ابْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيُّ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنَ وَقَّاصٍ اللَّيْثِيَّ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِي اللَّهم عَنْهم عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهم عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى دُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ إِلَى امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ *

" Indeed, every practice/deed is counted with intention (niat). And indeed every deed/practice is reckoned as a reward (pahala) or sin (dosa), based on intention (what was intended)." (al-Bukhari : Bad`u al-Khalq)

Knowledge is ibadah and it makes a person to be close to Allah swt.
As the Arabic saying goes: “Knowledge without practice is madness (fruitless) and practice without knowledge is in vain.”

iv. Knowledge elevates one’s nobility

Knowledge (that is beneficial especially Islamic knowledge) also elevates one’s nobility in the eyes of Allah swt. Verily those who fear (have taqwa) Allah most are those who have Knowledge (ulama). Allah says:
إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ
"Those truly fear Allah, among His servants who have knowledge (ulama)” (35: 28) .

The above ayat shows that those who have knowledge are nearer to Allah swt because with knowledge they are able to know Allah swt (as the Creator) and themselves as (Allah’s servants). Besides, they can differentiate between what is good and bad. By performing the commandments of Allah and warding off His prohibitions, mankind will have taqwa, which is a position/status that is highly valued by Allah swt..

Knowledge elevates the status or position of its bearer and differentiates between knowledgeable person and ignorant person. The Quran says:
قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُوا الْأَلْبَابِ(9)
“Say: “Are those equal, those who know and who do not know?” It is those who are endowed with understanding that receive admonition.” (39: 9)

Knowledge is needed to recognize and to introduce the existence of Allah as the Creator and Rabb (God) of universe. Allah says :

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ آزَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَامًا آلِهَةً إِنِّي أَرَاكَ وَقَوْمَكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ(74)
" Lo ! Abraham said to his father Azar: Takest thou idols for gods? For I see thee and thy people in manifest error.” (6: 74)

Knowledge distinguishes man from other creatures. Allah swt says in surah al-Baqarah :

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ(30)وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الْأَسْمَاءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنْبِئُونِي بِأَسْمَاءِ هَؤُلَاء إِنْ كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ(31)

“Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: “I will create a vicegerent (khalifah) on earth.” They said: “Wilt thou place therein one who will make Mischief therein and shed blood? Whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?” He said : “I know what ye know not.” And he taught Adam the names of all things, then He placed them before the angles, and said: “Tell Me the names of these if ye are right.” (2: 30-31)

Therefore, we are supposed to make doa to Allah asking Him to grant us beneficial knowledge as in this doa:

which means: “Oh Allah, teach us beneficial knowledge for us and make the knowledge Thou bestowest upon as the benefits for us and increase the knowledge for us.”

v. The intellect (‘aql) and thinking as the tool for gaining knowledge

Allah swt also dignifies the intellect as the tool for gaining knowledge. Allah has repeated many times the recommendations for thinking and observing things as in His words:
" أفلا تعقلون" – "أفلا ينطرون" – "لعلكم تعقلون" – " لعلكم تتفكرون" –
" أولم ينطروا " – " أولم يتفكرون " – " لآيات لقوم يتفكرون " ...
All of the above ayats show that thinking is one of the important mediums for gaining knowledge.
Therefore, Islam really cares for the intellect so that is will not be ruined by destructive things which are against the intellect’s normal functions that act by nature (fitrah). As such, Allah prohibits liquor since it prevents the intellect from functioning normally. When the intellect does not function normally, it damages many things – whether the person having the intellect himself or society/other people. Allah says:

يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ(90)
“O ye who believe ! Intoxicants and gambling, sacrificing to stones. And (divination by) arrows, are an abomination- of Satan’s (Syaitan) handiwork, eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper.” (5: 90)

vi. Rasulullah’s saw recommendations for us to seek knowledge

There are so many hadiths that recommend us to seek knowledge and whatever that has something to do with it.
Rasulullah saw said:
69 حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ قَالَ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِالرَّحْمَنِ سَمِعْتُ مُعَاوِيَةَ خَطِيبًا يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهم عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا قَاسِمٌ وَاللَّهُ يُعْطِي وَلَنْ تَزَالَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةُ قَائِمَةً عَلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ *
“Whoever Allah wants from him, goodness, Allah will grant him the understanding of knowledge about affairs of the religion (ad-Din)”

The word “ad-Din” means religion – that is the religion of Islam (the teachings of Islam) that must be implemented in our daily routines.

In another hadith, Rasulullah said:

4867 حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلَاءِ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ وَاللَّفْظُ لِيَحْيَى قَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا و قَالَ الْآخَرَانِ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهم عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ... وَمَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ ...
“Whoever walks (in a situation/in the state of doing something) for the affairs/gatherings of learning knowledge, Allah will ease his way to paradise.

In another hadith, Rasulullah said:
3084 حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ وَقُتَيْبَةُ يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَعِيدٍ وَابْنُ حُجْرٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَعِيلُ هُوَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهم عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ *

which means: When one dies, all his good practices (rewards for good deeds) are gone except for three things (the rewards are granted continuously): Knowledge that is beneficial, alms-giving (sadaqah – used by other people continuously) and pious children who prays for peace for their parents.

Therefore, we could see that among the specialties of knowledge is that the benefits are on-going even after death.

In conclusion, Islam has placed knowledge in a very high position as stated in the Quran and hadith and as the foundation for the “objective of the syariat” (al-Maqasid al-Syar”iyyah).

Classification of Knowledge

i. The Degrees of Knowledge in Quran

1. ‘Ilm al-yaqin :
- Means knowledge by inference resulting from man’s power of evaluation and judgement. It is logical, mathematical and empirical knowledge. Intellect is the principle of reason. Reason in relation to the intellect makes the ability to conduct a rational discourse. It depends on the truth of its assumptions as in deduction or on probabilities as in deduction. Allah says :
كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ(5)
“ Nay, were ye know with certainty of mind, (ye would beware)” (102 : 5)

2. ‘Ain al-yaqin :
- Means knowledge by one’s perception and observation. It refers to the five senses of human being. Sensory knowledge is the human physical self conciousness which is transtable into his mental self conciousness as well. Allah says :
ثُمَّ لَتَرَوْنَهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ(7)

“ Again, ye shall see it with certainty of sight !” . (102: 7)

3. Haqq al-yaqin :
- Means knowledge of absolute truth with not possibility or error. It is the divine revelation. Allah reveals His signs through the observation and contemplation of the outer world (Afaq) and also through the inner experience of the mind (Anfus) . Allah says :
إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ الْيَقِينِ(95)
” Verily, this is the very Truth of assured Certainty.” (56: 95)

- (Afaq) – may be gained by the natural phenomena and also historical events , Allah says :
قَالُوا يَاأَبَانَا مَا لَكَ لَا تَأْمَنَّا عَلَى يُوسُفَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَنَاصِحُونَ(11)
“They said : O our father! Why dost thou not trust us with Joseph, Seeing we are indeed his sincere well-wishers”(12:11)

(Afaq) wonders creation of Allah (natural phenomena) , Allah says:
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ(190)

- (Anfus) – the inner experience of mind which gives the higher / degree of certainty by means of the followings:
i. Instinct
ii. Intuition
iii. Inspiration
iv. Revelation

Instinct (Jabalat) :

A natural ability or tendency is a sacred knowledge. It is different from “Wahy” because this knowledge comes through spiritual vision or feeling in the heart, dream and intensive spiritual exercise. This kind of knowledge refers to only certain people who only are qualified.

Intuition (Wijdad) :

It is the power of understanding or knowing something without reasoning or learning skill. In fact the people gain this knowledge by natural way after they born. It happens between Allah and man or his creations. The Quran says :
وَأَوْحَى رَبُّكَ إِلَى النَّحْلِ أَنْ اتَّخِذِي مِنْ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا وَمِنْ الشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعْرِشُونَ(68)
“And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills. On trees and in (men’s) habitations” . (16: 68)

Inspiration (Ilham) :

Inspiration is ideas which spark out or develop in the mind of man after deep thinking and realization. Allah says :
وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى أُمِّ مُوسَى أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحْزَنِي إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنْ الْمُرْسَلِينَ(7)

“So we sent this inspiration to the mother of Moses: suckle (thy child), but when thou hast fears about him, cast him into the river, but fear not nor grieve. For We shall restore him to thee, and We shall make him one of Our messengers.” (28: 7)

Revelation (Wahy) :
“Wahy” is directly through Namusi Akbar (Jibriel) from Allah to His appointed prophets. It is the Holy Quran ( a guide book for all mankind). Allah says :
قُلْ مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَى قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ(97)
“ Say: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel for he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah’s will, a confirmation of what went before and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe”. (2 :97)

2. Al-Ghazali’s Classification of knowledge

Al-Ghazali’s classification of knowledge (the sciences) is based on two main sources : The Book of knowledge of the Ihya` and al-Risalat al-laduniyyah. Al-Ghazali refers in these work four different systems of classification :-
i. Division into theoretical and practical sciences .
ii. Presential (huduri) and attained (husuli) knowledge.
iii. Religious (syar’iyah) and intellectual (‘aqliyah)sciences.
iv. Fard ‘ayn (obligatory on every individual) and fard kifayah (abligatory on all) sciences.

* Of the four systems, the one receives the most extensive treatment from al-Ghazali is the division into religious and the intellectual.

According to al-Ghazali, all four systems of classifications are valid even though they do not have the same degree of validity. Each classification is based on a particular aspect of the relationship between man and knowledge as well as on a particular perspective of looking at that relationship.

i. Division into Theoretical and Practical parts

In the “Maqasid al-Ghazali” divides philosophy or science of wisdom (al-‘ilm al-hikmi) into its theoretical and practical parts.

The theoretical part makes known the states of being as they are.
The practical deals with man’s actions. It aims at finding out the human activities conducive to man’s well being in his life as well as in the next.

Al-Ghazali maintains that the above division is based on the corresponding distinction between theoretical and practical intellect.

ii. Division into “Presential” and “Attained” knowledge

Presential (huduri) knowledge is direct, immediate, supra-rational, intuitive and contemplative. Al-Ghazali refers to this knowledge under several names. Among them are “ilm ladunni” (knowledge from on high) and “ilm al-mukasyafah” (knowledge of unveiling of the divine mysteries).

Attained or acquired (husuli) is indirect, rational, logical and discursive.

Presential knowledge is superior to attained knowledge because it is free of error and doubt and it confers the highest certitude concerning spiritual truths.

Sensual knowledge is also direct and immediate but it pertains only to the physical world. The division of knowledge into the presential and the attained is therefore based on the distinction between immediate and indirect knowledge concerning the intelligible or spiritual world.

iii. Division into Religious and Intellectual Sciences

In the book of knowledge, al-Ghazali defines the religious sciences (al-‘ulum al-syar’iyah) as “those which have been acquired from the prophets and are not arrived at either by reason, like arithmetic, or by experimentation, like medicine or by hearing like language”.

Al-Ghazali’s definition makes the religious sciences more specific than the transmitted / intellectual sciences (al-‘ulum al-’aqliyah) that means “those sciences which are attained by the human intellect alone”.

Revelation and reason (intellect) are conceived as mutually exclusive sources of knowledge. Al-Ghazali maintains that the religious and intellectual sciences complement each other and are never contradictory. But the limitations of reason as a mode of knowing and hence the subordination of reason to revelation, are greatly emphasized. The source of religious knowledge is revelation. Reason alone could not attain that knowledge. The source of intellectual knowledge is intellect.
Therefore, that al-Ghazali had drawn the distinction between religious and intellectual knowledge on the basic of their sources, that is whether they are based on revelation or reason.
Classification of the religious and intellectual sciences :

1. The Religious Sciences

A. The science of fundamental principles (al-usul)
i. The science of divine unity ( ‘ilm al-tauhid)
ii. The science of prophethood.
iii. The science of the hereafter or eschatology.
iv. The science of the sources of religious knowledge.
- 2 primary sources ( al-Quran and al-Sunnah)
- 2 secondary sources (Ijma’ and athar al-sahabah)

The science of the sources falls under two categories:
- Preludes or auxiliary (muqaddimat) : These include the science of writing and the various branches of linguistic science.
- Supplementary sciences (mutammimat) : These comprise :
a. The Quranic sciences including the science of interpretation.
b. The sciences of prophetic tradition such as the science of transmission of hadiths.
c. The science of principles of jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh)
d. Biography – dealing with lives of the prophets, the companions and illustrious men.

B. The science of branches (furu’) or derived principles :
i. The science of man’s obligation to God. This is the science of religious rites and worship.
ii. The science of man’s obligations to society. This science comprises :
a. The science of transactions .
It deals mainly with business and financial transactions. Other kinds of transactions include “qisas” (just retaliation).

b. The science of contractual obligations
It deals mainly with family law.

iii. The science of man’s obligation to his own soul.
This is the science of moral qualities (‘ilm al-akhlaq)

2. The Intellectual Sciences

A. Mathematics
i. Arithmetic
ii. Geometry
iii. Astronomy and astrology
iv. Music

B. Logic

C. Physics or the natural sciences
i. Medicine
ii. Meteorology
iii. Mineralogy
iv. Alchemy

D. The sciences of beings beyond nature or metaphysics
i. Ontology
ii. Knowledge of the divine essence, attributes, and activities. Knowledge of God’s relation to the universe.
iii. Knowledge of simple substances, that is the intelligences and angelic substances.
iv. Knowledge of the subtle world
v. The science of prophecy and of the phenomenon of sainthood. The science of dreams.
vi. Theurgy (nairanjiyat) . This science employs terrestrial forces to produce effects which appear as supernatural.

The above classification is based on al-Ghazali’s enumeration of sciences in al-Risalat al-laduniyah and the “Book of Knowledge” (al’Ihya`).

iv. Division into “Fard ‘ayn” and “Fard kifayah” Sciences

The term “fard ‘ayn” refers to a religious obligation that is binding on every muslim.

The term “fard kifayah” refers to what is divinely ordained and binding for the muslim community as a whole but is not necessarily binding for each member of the community.

Al-Syafi’i defines it as “the obligation which if perform by a sufficient number of Muslim, then the remaining Muslim who did not perform it would not be sinful”.

The division of knowledge into the “fard ayn” and the “fard kifayah” is based on the distinction between two types of religious obligation pertaining to its acquisition.

There is a related classification based on the same legal principles. This is the tripartite division of knowledge into :
a. The praiseworthy (mahmud)
b. The blameworthy (Mazmum)
c. The permissible (Mubah)

The praiseworthy sciences comprise both the “fard ‘ayn” and “fard kifayah”. It is as a jurist that al-Ghazali deals with these two closely related classifications. The perspective of jurisprudence is assentially based on ethical considerations.


Muslim religious scholars do not reject the “intellectual sciences” as such but their attitude of “discounting them as not conducive to one’s spiritual welfare” could only be negative.

The basis of the division itself is epistemologically valid within a certain limit, insofar as it is true it is of a positive value.

Opposition to the intellectual sciences from among the religious scholars, especially the jurist, had been going on in Islamic society long before the explicit formulation of the religious intellectual division.

Many Muslim scientist and philosophers before as well as after al-Ghazali, accepted the validity of the division.

Al-Ghazali in reproaching his contemporaries for neglecting the “fard kifayah”, intellectual sciences, particularly medicine and for putting undue emphasis on jurisprudence, finds no contradiction in defending at the same time his religious-intellectual division of the sciences.

Ethics for Seeking knowledge

Ethics for seeking knowledge


1 – Patience
Another poet said:
Strive their utmost and roll up their sleeves for that purpose.
They strive hard but most of them become tired.
You cannot attain glory until you swallow the bitterest medicine.”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:200]

2 – Purity of intention in action

3 – Acting upon what you know
[al-Jumu’ah 62:5]

4 – Always being aware that Allaah is watching

5 – Make the best use of time

6 – Be cautious

7 – Precision and focus

8 – Studying books

9 – Choosing companions

10 – Finally, good manners towards the shaykh

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Who Insults Rasulullah sa.w aware

For Those who tend to insult Rasulullah s.a.w

The artist who drew the pictures of
The Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W) has died
in a fire. He was burned alive. Denmark
government is hiding the news from the
public and everyone has to know.. Plz
spread this... . (Its the price one
must pay 4 the insult of Allah's

Monday, October 29, 2007

UNGS 2030 : Sample final exam Question 2

Final Exam

Course code: UNGS 2030 Total Marks : 50 marks
Course Title : The Islamic Worldview Time : 2 ½ Hours

Instruction :
a. Answer Four questions only. Question One is compulsory
b. Support your answer with relevant Quranic verses when necessary.

Question One

Explain how to actualize the concept of Tawhid in order to improve a Muslim’s personality

( 14 marks)

Question Two

Write short notes on the following concepts:
a. Comprehensiveness (syumul)
b. Liberal Islam
(12 marks)

Question Three

“Al-Dunya aspect must be related in a profound and inseparable way to al-Akhirah, which is the ultimate and final phase of the life”.
Discuss the above statement according to your understanding of Islamic worldview.
(12 marks)

Question Four

Discuss the significance of prophethood in developing Muslim character.
(12 marks)

Question Five

Discuss the challenges of glabalization faced by the Muslim ummah and how to overcome them in the light of the Islamic worldview.
( 12 marks)

Friday, October 26, 2007



Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi

From 'Al-Hulul al Mustawradah wa Kayfa Jaat `alaa Ummatina'

("How the Imported Solutions Disastrously Affected Our Ummah"), pp 113-4

For Muslim societies, the acceptance of secularism means something totally different; i.e. as Islam is a comprehensive system of worship (`ibadah) and legislation (Shari`ah), the acceptance of secularism means abandonment of Shari`ah, a denial of the divine guidance and a rejection of Allah’s injunctions; It is indeed a false claim that Shariah is not proper to the requirements of the present age. The acceptance of a legislation formulated by humans means a preference of the humans’ limited knowledge and experiences to the divine guidance: "Say! Do you know better than Allah?" (2:140).

For this reason, the call for secularism among Muslims is atheism and a rejection of Islam. Its acceptance as a basis for rule in place of Shari`ah is downright riddah. The silence of the masses in the Muslim world about this deviation has been a major transgression and a clear-cut instance of disobedience which have produces a sense of guilt, remorse, and inward resentment, all of which have generated discontent, insecurity, and hatred among committed Muslims because such deviation lacks legality. Secularism is compatible with the Western concept of God which maintains that after God had created the world, He left it to look after itself. In this sense, God’s relationship with the world is like that of a watchmaker with a watch: he makes it then leaves it to function without any need for him. This concept is inherited from Greek philosophy, especially that of Aristotle who argued that God neither controls nor knows anything about this world. This is a helpless God as described by Will Durant. There is no wonder that such a God leaves people to look after their own affairs. How can He legislate for them when He is ignorant of their affairs? This concept is totally different from that of Muslims. We Muslims believe that Allah (SWT) is the sole Creator and Sustainer of the Worlds. One Who "…takes account of every single thing) (72:28); that He is omnipotent and omniscient; that His mercy and bounties encompasses everyone and suffice for all. In that capacity, Allah (SWT) revealed His divine guidance to humanity, made certain things permissible and others prohibited, commanded people observe His injunctions and to judge according to them. If they do not do so, then they commit kufr, aggression, and transgression."

Thursday, October 25, 2007


The Foundation of Islamic Ethics *

By Dr. Jamal Badawi **
September 8, 2005

Morals can either be classified as secular or religious. Secular morality tries to establish a moral system that is independent of God and religious faiths. In terms of motives for morality, various explanations have been given. One explanation is that people are ethical in pursuit of happiness or perfection. Another suggests that pressure by political power or social means forces people to follow a certain code of conduct. Yet another explanation is that a feeling of duty makes people moral.
Another problem in this classification for morals is that it lacks clarity in defining ethical knowledge. For example, is happiness mental, physical, or spiritual?
As for religious morality, it is fundamentally based on two things; first is the belief in God as the Creator of the universe, and second is the belief in the Hereafter.
“Religious morality” is not a uniformly used term because the fundamentals of religious morality are not the same for all religions.

Islamic Concept of God

A Muslim believes in the absolute perfection, sovereignty and lordship of God, that He is the sole Lord, Creator and Sustainer of this universe. Some of God's divine attributes include; absolute and perfect knowledge, absolute life, perfection, wisdom, power, mercy, and justice. In Islam, the relationship of a Muslim with God is a loving, conscious, and voluntary submission to the will of God. One verse in the Qur'an describes this relationship: And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by our knowledge) (Qaf 50:16).

Unlike some Hellenic philosophical ideas, advocated by thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle, propose that God is both transcendent and remote from this universe, Islam teaches both the absolute transcendence and perfection of God alongside His direct relationship with mankind.

Differences from Other Religious Communities

The Muslim belief in a supreme and universal God whose divine attributes are not shared by any of His creatures, automatically leads to the belief in one single ultimate supreme will (God's will). This leads to stability and a sense of certitude because that there is only one ultimate ideal to look up to. For example, some people refer to phenomena in nature as "laws of Mother Nature". Muslims believe that God created laws in nature, and that nature has permanent laws that are not haphazard. This leads to the conclusion that there must be one single and uniform Will behind creation.

Polytheism is the belief in more than one ultimate God, or that other creatures of God share some or all of His divine attributes, or the belief in some minor gods that intercede between man and the Ultimate God. All this leads to the belief in more than one ideal or ultimate source of guidance which would cause chaos in the universe. That is why the Qur'an is very clear when it says what means: Had there been therein (in the heavens and earth) gods besides Allah, then verily both would have been ruined. Glorified be Allah, the lord of the throne, (High is He) above what they attribute to him! (Al-Anbiyaa' 21:22)

Comparison with Biblical Concept of God

The difference between Islamic monotheism and the concept of God as depicted in the Bible is definitely not as comparatively large as the difference between Islamic monotheism and other forms of polytheism. A very common error about the Islamic concept of monotheism is that it is simply an extension of the Biblical concept of God or is based on it.

The concept of God in Islam is the purest form of monotheism.

Many non-Muslim scholars have pointed out that among the early Israelites the nature of God seems to be like that of a super-human being. In the Book of Genesis you find the description of God as someone needing to rest after He created the heavens and earth. It describes Him as walking in the garden and Adam and Eve hearing the sound of his feet. It also depicts God making mistakes and people correcting him. God is portrayed as being jealous of the power of humans in the story of the Tower of Babel . When humans started building the Tower of Babel , God, according to the Bible, believed they were becoming very smart and powerful, so He changed their language so they would not understand each other. This is what caused the multiplicity of languages, according to the Bible. Many times the term "God of Israel" is used, giving the impression that He is a tribal God.

These descriptions that depict God as a super-human contradict Islam’s emphasis of God’s transcendence, His total freedom from all human defects, and that He is not human-like because He is not “physical” in the sense that He can be perceived.
If the Islamic concept of God is compared with Biblical concept of "God of Israel", we find that the first chapter in the Qur'an describes God as Lord of the universe (Al-Fatihah 1:2), and the last chapter of the Qur'an describes Him as Lord of mankind (An-Nas 114:1). The Qur'an does not say "God of Arabs" or "God of Muslims" or God of any ethnic group, but God is the God of all humanity.

In the New Testament, Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) is described as the intimate, sole son of God, who came to save humanity by shedding his blood on the cross. But from the Qur'anic point of view, this is not acceptable. A Muslim believes in Jesus as a righteous, noble prophet who is among the greatest prophets of God, and that he is only a human, in the same way that all other prophets of God are human. In addition, Muslims believe his relationship with God is metaphorical in a sense that all human beings are “children” of God, whom He provides for. The concept of God in Islam is the purest form of monotheism and is a consistent and coherent system of belief that is completely independent from any other belief.

Implication of Ethics

Self-discipline must be at the heart of any ethical or moral code of conduct.
The concept of God in Islam affects its ethical system in many ways. For example, when the pure monotheism of God and the conception of the highest ideal are mixed up with imperfections, errors, or inconsistencies as it is in other religions, then how can that be an ultimate, single and absolute source of ethics? In addition, acknowledging God as the sole Bestower of all that we have in this life leads to a feeling in the heart of a loving, conscious, and voluntary submission to God, which is the meaning of the word "Islam" as a faith. This in turn leads the individual to have a sense of ultimate loyalty to God alone.

By believing in God, His Perfection and divine attributes, that He is the sole power in this universe, and believing that He is the Ultimate God Who has the full, perfect and complete knowledge, it follows that God knows what is in our hearts and minds and we can not hide anything from Him or deceive him. This results in increased self-discipline by knowing that you can not get away with wrong-doing if you are not caught by humans because God is the All Encompassing. This self-discipline must be at the heart of any ethical or moral code of conduct.

Difference from Other Beliefs in the Hereafter

Muslims are told to prepare for the Hereafter by struggling in this life on earth to right wrongs, and to establish justice and peace.
Some of the views held by religions other than Islam on the Hereafter are quite different. Some “eastern” religions look at the pleasures and desires of this world as being temporary and conclude that because life is a passing pleasure, then there is no sense in trying to accomplish anything in this world. This leads to a renouncing of the body and of physical existence, and a focus on purifying the soul and saving it by getting it out of the shackle of the material world. In that sense, the life of meditation and religious exercise becomes what the ideal human being aspires to. This is not only limited to “eastern” religions. Ernest Findley Scott, in his book, The Ethical Teaching of Jesus, indicates that some early Christians, especially in the first, second and third centuries, upheld that somehow the kingdom of God is something that is going to take place only in the future miraculously, and that denouncing this world would be an act of piety because only then can you focus on self-purification.

Balancing This World and the Next

Muslims believe strongly in the Hereafter, but at the same time, Islam teaches that the belief in the Hereafter should not lead to the neglect of this life. For example the Qur'an says, when addressing Qarun, who was a wealthy contemporary of Moses:
But seek, with the (wealth) which God has bestowed on thee, the Home of the Hereafter, Nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou good, As God has been good to thee, and seek not (Occasion for) mischief in the land: For God loves not those who do mischief (Al-Qasas 28:77).

So when Islam teaches the belief in the Hereafter and the belief in punishment and reward, it does not mean that the ultimate piety or righteousness can be attained through the renunciation of this world. Rather, worldly life should be coordinated with the Hereafter. Muslims are told to prepare for it by accumulating “credit” for salvation by struggling in this life on earth to right wrongs, and to establish justice and peace.

* Adapted from a lecture in Dr. Jamal Badawi’s Islamic Teachings series.
** Dr. Jamal Badawi is a professor at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Canada where he currently teaches in the areas of Management and Religious Studies. He is the author of several works on various aspects of Islam.