KNOWLEDGE IN ISLAM
CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE
DEFINITIONS
'ILM
Al-Ma’rifah : knowing by experiment.
Al-Fiqh : Understanding
Tadabbur : Observation
Basiran : Mental perception
Tazakkur : Remembrance
Tafakkur : Thought
TECHNICALLY
AL-GHAZZALI
Realization of the meanings of things
AL-ATTAS
obtainment of the ma‘na (meaning) of an object in the soul & its arrival at the meaning
Realization of something in its true nature.
A firm belief that accords with the reality of things (47: 19(.
WESTERN
means information about something, divine or corporeal.
THE IMPORTANCE
first revelation to the Messenger of Allah (Al-’Alaq: 1- 5).
Parallel with the man’s obligation as a khalifah. (Al-Baqarah: 30-33).
Islam is a religion based upon knowledge.
The Quran is inviting man to ponder, think & learn.
The authenticity of prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ is the book of knowledge.
Seeking knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim.
Knowledge is a prerequisite for authentic peace
IT'S PURPOSE
To practice with it
To achieve the happiness of both worlds
To distinguish between right and wrong
To get Allah’s pleasure
KNOWLEDGE VS INFORMATION
KNOWLEDGE
Involves a personal experience
made up of factors such as beliefs and experiences
Can be shared but might be perceived differently
INFORMATION
General data expressed by numbers, words, images and sounds
Can be shared, much more easily understood by everyone
Perceived differently
ADAB & KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION
Purify soul from impure traits
blameworthy characteristics
Minimize affairs of the world
Be humble towards the teachers
Start learning what most important.
Master one knowledge before proceeding to the next
DEGREES OF KNOWLEDGE
Ilm al-Yaqin
Ayn al-Yaqin
Haqq al-Yaqin
TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE
QUR’AN & THE SUNNAH
IN AL-QUR'AN
Religious sciences
Physical and Natural
Sciences
Human and
social relations
Halal & haram
Laws & commandments
Economic systems
Prophecies
Political systems
Wisdom
History and Civilization
SUNNAH
TYPES
Worship (‘ibadah)
Halal and haram
Laws
Manner of conduct
Leadership
Da‘wah
Nation building and
social reformation
FUNCTION OF SUNNAH TO QUR'AN
The second source after the Qur’an
No Islam without the adoption
of the Sunnah
An elaboration & commentary
on the Qur’an
The concrete implementation &
actual embodiment of the Qur’an
May contain some unmentioned
rules in the Qur’an
CLASSIFICATION OF KNOWLEDGE
CLASSIFICATION OF IBN KHALDUN
Intellectual Knowledge
Logic
Natural sciences or Physics
Medicine
Agriculture
Sciences of beings beyond Nature/Metaphysics
Magic & talismans
Sciences dealing with quantity
Geometry
Arithmetic
Music
Astronomy
Transmitted Knowledge
Al-Quran
Al-Hadith
Jurisprudence (the sacred law)
Theology
Sufism
Linguistic sciences
CLASSIFICATION OF AL-GHAZALI
Theoretical and practical.
Presential and acquired
Religious and intellectual
Fard ‘ayn & Fard kifayah
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
ABSOLUTE KNOWLEDGE
LIMITED KNOWLEDGE
GIFTED KNOWLEDGE
SACRED
INSTINCT
ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE
PRAISEWORTHY
Fard ‘Ain
Fard Kifayah
BLAMEWORTHY
By itself
By external
influence
THE SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
NATURE/PHYSICAL WORLD
INTUITION
REVELATION
THE QURAN
DEFINITION
Book revealed from Allah to His Messenger Muhammad SAW as written in masahif & transmitted to us through an authentic continuous narration.
The pure speech
of Allah
The only revealed speech
of Allah to Muhammad
An exposition of
all things
As guidance
and mercy
Nothing is
neglected
CHARACTERISTICS
Guidance & mercy to
believers
An authentic book of Allah & the proof of prophethood
Spiritual/ social healer
Light
THE SUNNAH
DEFINITION
The acts, sayings & approvals of the Messenger of Allah
TYPE OF SUNNAH
Sunnah of binding law
The specific Sunnah of the Prophet
Normal physical acts of every human being
The acts based on human experience
REASON
FIVE SENSES
THE REASON & THE SENSES
Senses (Al-Hawwas)
Qur’an mentions some basic organs through which
reliable knowledge is obtained
Ears for hearing
Eyes for seeing
Heart for understanding
AL-'AQL ( REASON )
the noblest part of man
basis of taklif
humans can distinguish between ‘good’ and
‘bad’, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’
basis of Iman/ faith
authority to examine the authenticity of prophets
and the revelation they claim to bring from God
discovers unknown realities
from the known ones.
The Qur’an exhort people
to use their ‘Aql
as means to Knowledge
INTERNAL SENSES
common sense
representation
estimation
retention-recollection
imagination
NATURE AS A SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE
Science requires & indicates causality
for its certainty
Nature as Creation of God
Profanity
Createdness
Orderliness
Purposivenesspic
Subservience.