ISLAMIC ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

Islamic Epistemology: Does it exist Islamic Epistemology: Does it exist in Islam?in Islam?

Islamic theory of knowledge: free Islamic theory of knowledge: free inquiry, rational scientific thinking, inquiry, rational scientific thinking, theory and practice.theory and practice.

DEFINITION OF DEFINITION OF KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

Rosenthal: ‘Knowledge versus ‘Rosenthal: ‘Knowledge versus ‘IlmIlm’.’. Knowledge: mere informationKnowledge: mere information ‘‘IlmIlm: theory, practice and education.: theory, practice and education.

In the West, knowledge of Divine In the West, knowledge of Divine Being, and physical world. Being, and physical world. Secularization of knowledge. Secularization of knowledge.

Religion has no role in science.Religion has no role in science. Islamic stand. Unity of knowledge.Islamic stand. Unity of knowledge. Ma`rifah,Ma`rifah, ultimate knowledge, ultimate knowledge,

springs from the knowledge of self.springs from the knowledge of self.. ربه عرف فقد نفسه عرف .من ربه عرف فقد نفسه عرف من

MA`RIFAHMA`RIFAH Ma'rifahMa'rifah: against : against NukrNukr. To know, to . To know, to

realize, identify. realize, identify. األمر األمر عرفه� .he informed him the matter.: he informed him the matter : عرفه� TECHNICALLY, TECHNICALLY,

. ألثره وتدبر بتفكر الشيء .إدراك ألثره وتدبر بتفكر الشيء إدراك Preceded by ignorance. Not for Allah.Preceded by ignorance. Not for Allah. Imam Razi:Imam Razi:

االلتباس حصول حصول بعد االلتباس العلم بعد العلم

Modern writersModern writers define it: define it:عن إإ حقيقتها على لألشياء� إدراك عملية عن نها حقيقتها على لألشياء� إدراك عملية نها

. المعرفة ووسائل مصادر .طريق المعرفة ووسائل مصادر طريق

DISTINCTIONS BETWEENDISTINCTIONS BETWEEN‘ILM AND MA`RIFAH‘ILM AND MA`RIFAH

In the Qur’an, ‘In the Qur’an, ‘IlmIlm and and Ma`rifah:Ma`rifah: knowledge.knowledge.

Used interchangeably.Used interchangeably. Objective knowledge with reality / Objective knowledge with reality /

no reality.no reality. Empirical or scientific /meta-Empirical or scientific /meta-

empirical: Attributes of Allah, empirical: Attributes of Allah, AkhirahAkhirah etc. etc.

Scientific or general/ knowledge Scientific or general/ knowledge about God.about God.

Realities/ outer appearance. Realities/ outer appearance. عرفت عرفتصالحا وعلمته صالحا زيدا وعلمته ..زيدا

For Allah/ for humans. For Allah/ for humans. . : كذا يعرف نقول وال كذا، يعلم .الله : كذا يعرف نقول وال كذا، يعلم الله

Raghib al-Isfahani: Raghib al-Isfahani: A) general conception/ detailed A) general conception/ detailed

information.information. B) through B) through tafakkurtafakkur and and tadabburtadabbur / /

through this and without.through this and without. JurjaniJurjani says:says:

وهي المعرفة المعرفة عليه، هو ما على الشيء وهي إدراك عليه، هو ما على الشيء إدراك. العلم بخالف بجهل، .مسبوقة العلم بخالف بجهل، مسبوقة

ThanawiThanawi: Ma`rifah: : Ma`rifah: Tasawwurat,Tasawwurat, and ‘Ilm: and ‘Ilm: Tasdeeqat.Tasdeeqat.

Abu SulaimanAbu Sulaiman says: says: Ma`rifah: Ma`rifah: Juz’iyyatJuz’iyyat through senses; through senses;

‘Ilm: general principles through ‘‘Ilm: general principles through ‘aqlaql. .

What is Knowledge?What is Knowledge? ‘‘Ilm, Ma`rifah = knowledge.Ilm, Ma`rifah = knowledge. Through revelation, observation, Through revelation, observation,

studying, reasoning, and experience.studying, reasoning, and experience. Confident understanding with the Confident understanding with the

ability to apply.ability to apply.

Epistemology/Theory of Epistemology/Theory of KnowledgeKnowledge

(Greek (Greek epistemeepisteme = “knowledge”; = “knowledge”; logoslogos = “theory”). = “theory”).

The nature and scope, definition, The nature and scope, definition, sources, criteria, classification etc.sources, criteria, classification etc.

"What is knowledge?", "How is "What is knowledge?", "How is knowledge acquired?", and "What do knowledge acquired?", and "What do people know?".people know?".

PLATO’S THEORY OF PLATO’S THEORY OF KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

Besides Besides truthtruth and and beliefbelief, knowledge , knowledge should also be should also be justifiedjustified..

THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE: THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE: ISLAMIC AND WESTERNISLAMIC AND WESTERN

Islamic: sacred, revealed and spiritual Islamic: sacred, revealed and spiritual conception of man and universe.conception of man and universe.

Comprehensive. revelation, reason, Comprehensive. revelation, reason, experimentation and senses.experimentation and senses.

Harmonious concept of life and Harmonious concept of life and universe.universe.

Ibn TaymiyahIbn Taymiyah: divine knowledge.: divine knowledge.( العلم من جاءك ما بعد من فيه حاجك )فمن العلم من جاءك ما بعد من فيه حاجك آل�( آل�( 6161فمن

عمران.عمران.

Western: secular, not sacred.Western: secular, not sacred. Reductionist: depends on experiment, Reductionist: depends on experiment,

reason and senses.reason and senses. Rejected revelation, metaphysical Rejected revelation, metaphysical

sources.sources. AUGUSTE COMTEAUGUSTE COMTE: ‘objective learning : ‘objective learning

of information in its true reality; of information in its true reality; through experiment and observation.’through experiment and observation.’

AMIEL PATROAMIEL PATRO: collection of human : collection of human ‘positive’ ‘positive’ knowledgeknowledge..

Doubt, skepticism, agnosticism.Doubt, skepticism, agnosticism. Is it value free?Is it value free? Partial from Western worldview. No Partial from Western worldview. No

harmonious conception of life.harmonious conception of life. Mind-body conflict. Ultimately body prevailed.Mind-body conflict. Ultimately body prevailed. Scientism and mechanization.Scientism and mechanization. Problematic, temporal and changing.Problematic, temporal and changing. Hossein NasrHossein Nasr: The West did not take : The West did not take

spiritual aspect from Avicenna (980-1037) and spiritual aspect from Avicenna (980-1037) and Averroes (1126-1198). Averroes (1126-1198).

Imam Ghazali’s Imam Ghazali’s definitiondefinition

Information that leads to successful Information that leads to successful attainment of the true goal of life.attainment of the true goal of life.

Allah, the Light of the heavens and Allah, the Light of the heavens and the earth. [Nur: 35]the earth. [Nur: 35]

كمشكاة نوره مثل واألرض ماوات الس نور ه كمشكاة الل نوره مثل واألرض ماوات الس نور ه الللنوره .... ه الل يهدي نور على نور مصباح لنوره .... فيها ه الل يهدي نور على نور مصباح فيها

بكل ه والل اس للن األمثال ه الل ويضرب يشاء بكل من ه والل اس للن األمثال ه الل ويضرب يشاء من( عليم )شيء� عليم ((3535شيء�

Isma`il Raji FaruqiIsma`il Raji Faruqi TawhidicTawhidic concept of knowledge is based on concept of knowledge is based on

recognition of Allah as recognition of Allah as al-Haqqal-Haqq, and that He , and that He is One. is One.

A) Anything contrary to reality be rejected,A) Anything contrary to reality be rejected, B) No contradiction with ultimate reality, B) No contradiction with ultimate reality,

andand C) Open to new or contrary ideas.C) Open to new or contrary ideas. E.g. Ibrahim’s observation on sun, moon, E.g. Ibrahim’s observation on sun, moon,

stars.stars.

Naqib al-`Attas says:Naqib al-`Attas says: Knowledge refers to the Qur’an, Knowledge refers to the Qur’an, shari`ahshari`ah, faith, spiritual knowledge, , faith, spiritual knowledge, ma`rifahma`rifah and others. and others.

A system of learning which A system of learning which recognizes Allah as Master of the recognizes Allah as Master of the universe and man as Caliph.universe and man as Caliph.

SARDAR: ISLAMIC SARDAR: ISLAMIC EPISTEMOLOGYEPISTEMOLOGY

Islamic Epistemology: a holistic Islamic Epistemology: a holistic concept of knowledge and values. concept of knowledge and values.

Knowledge is related to its social Knowledge is related to its social function. function.

Unity between man and his knowledge.Unity between man and his knowledge. No specialized, value-free information.No specialized, value-free information. No dehumanization, isolation or No dehumanization, isolation or

alienation.alienation.

Knowledge, a tree, and sciences are Knowledge, a tree, and sciences are branches.branches.

Grows leaves and fruits with the Grows leaves and fruits with the nature of the tree.nature of the tree.

As the branches do not continue to As the branches do not continue to grow indefinitely, so is a discipline, grow indefinitely, so is a discipline, not to be pursued beyond a limit.not to be pursued beyond a limit.