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preferred and written 21 February 2014 by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule Sr. MB
ChB (MUK), MPH (Harvard), DrPH (Harvard)
SUMMARY (1)
- Islamic civilization started as a knowledge revolution in Makkah (2): Islamic dawa in the Arabian peninsula was a knowledge and methodology revolution that underlay the Islamic civilization
- Qur’anic methodology inspired the empirical method and inductive logic (3). Muslim scientists inspired by the Qur’anic methodology experimented and corrected mistakes in Greek science
- Muslim empiricism triggered the European renaissance (4): the crusades in the East and interactions in the West Europeans learned the empirical method from Muslims that the knowledge renaissance in the 12th century and the 14-17th centuries.
- Knowledge renaissance was the basis of modern western power (5). Renaissance was followed by a religious revolution (reformation), a thought revolution (enlightenment and rationality), scientific revolution, agricultural revolution, industrial / technological revolution, political revolutions, communication and information revolution
- The expected Muslim world renaissance (6): Muslim world today is backward technologically, politically, socially etc. Reform of society starts with reform of education.15th century Islamic renaissance faces the crisis of duality in the education system; it requires epistemological reform leading to integration of knowledge. We need an epistemological revolution to pioneer social reform.
EPISTEMOLOGY
(6b):
·
Definition
of epistemology (7):
Epistemology, a major branch of philosophy, is the science of knowledge, ‘ilm al ‘ilm. It is the study of the
origin, nature, methods, and limits of knowledge. The aim of epistemology is certainty,
yaqeen. The scope of epistemology:
distinguish reality from appearance & perception from reality, evidence for
truth of a claim
·
Islamic
epistemology (8)
has fixed parameters from Qur’ an andsunnat within the tauhid paradigm and
space-time variables. It is characterized by objectivity and its sources of
knowledge.
·
Objectivity
(9)
comes only next to iman, as the
Prophet said 'qulamantu bi al
laahithummaistaqim'.
·
Sources
of knowledge (10):
wahy, ‘aql, and kawn (‘ilmtajriibi) related to causality, sababiyyat
QUR’ANIC
TERMINOLOGY FOR KNOWLEDGE (10b)
·
Terms
referring to knowledge (11): ‘ilm, ma’arifat, hikmat, basiirat, ra’ay,
dhann, yaqeen, tadhkirat, shu’ur, lubb, nabau, burhan, dirayat, haqq, and
tasawwur.
·
Disciplines
of knowledge (12):
human life, animal life, the earth, the seas and the oceans, astronomy,
agriculture, numbers, counting, addition, multiplication, subtraction, division
·
Terms
for lack of knowledge (13): jahal, raib, dhann, shakk, and yaqeen.
·
Supremacy
of knowledge (14)
and its basis for leadership. Those who know are a grade higher than those who
do not know.
·
Grades
of knowledge (15):
'Ilm al yaqeen,'ayn al yaqeen,haqq al yaqeen.
·
Evidence-based
knowledge (16)
challenge to prove allegations by evidence and the story of Ibrahim searching
for empirical proofs
METHODOLOGY OF
KNOWLEDGE (17)
·
Ummatic methodological heritage(18): ‘uluum al Qur’an, uluum al hadith,‘ilm al usuul al fiqh,
·
Research
to expand knowledge (19): Ijtihad
and knowledge renewal and expansion
·
Greek
scientific methodology (20): on logic, istidlaal, and definitions, ta’ariif,
deductive > inductive
·
Islamic
methodology (21)inspired
by the Qur’an: inductive logic and empirical
·
Impact
of Greek encounter (22): Positive: new knowledge but knowledge changes and
grows. Muslims corrected many mistakes in Greek science and made fresh
observations of their own. Negativeimpact on the empirical methodology from the
Qur’an was a greater loss.
·
Muslim
pioneers of the empirical method (23): Al Hasan Ibn Haytham, Jabir Ibn
Hayyan,
·
Usul
al fiqh as a methodological discipline (24): Ulamausul al fiqh used
inductive logic as illustrated by the concepts of takhriij al manaat and tard
THE EMPIRICAL
METHODOLOGY OF THE QUR’AN (25):
·
The tauhidi paradigm (tauhid al
rubuubbiyyat)(26): basis for unity, causal
relations, and a rational predictable universe within one tauhidi frame of reference
·
Physical
laws, sunanllah fi al kawn(27): sunan explain the
complex world. Sunan are uniformly,
consistent, and explain causality. They cover relative unseen, ghaibnisbi and not the absolute unseen, ghaibmutlaq.
·
Inductive
methodology (28): The
Qur’an uses mostly the inductive. Interaction with Greek science did actually
hamper methodological development in the ummat for centuries.
·
Empirical
observation and interpretation in ayatkawniyyat(29):nadhar,tabassur,tadabbur, tafakkur, i’itibaar, tafaquhu, bayyinat,burhan. Rejection
of taqliidand dhann.
·
Objectivity (30): istiqimat&siratmustaqim,
equilibrium: ’adl,wasatiyyat, tawazun, hikmat, and i’itidaal. Rejection of hiwa al
nafs, dhann,usturat, khurafat, kadhb, lahw, and wahm,taqlid.
·
Evidence
based knowledge (31):
burhan, daliil, bayyinat, tathabbut, andsidq, and hujjat. The Qur’an teaches checking information (32):al
tahaqquqmin al khabar.
·
Basis
for technology (‘ilmnafei) (33):istikhlaf, taskhir,isti’imar.
QUR’ANIC
SCIENTIFIC TARBIYYAT: basic (34)
·
The Qur’anic methodology (1): a methodological inspiration to observe and
interpret the physical world, ‘aalam al
shahadat, while providing information about the unseen world, ‘aalam al ghaib.
·
The intellect (35): Intellect
is correlated with signs, al ‘aqlwa al aayaat and with knowledge,
al ‘aqlwa al ‘ilm. Condemnation of not using the intellect, dhammta’atiil
al ‘aqlCondemnation of blind following, dhamm al taqliid al a’ama. The
prophet forewarned the blind following of Jews and Christians.
·
Knowledge (36): Human
knowledge is limited, mahdudiyat ‘ilm al insaan. Humans can only know
some unseen things by empirical observations, ghaibnisbi. The keys to
the unseen are with Allah, mafatiih al ghaib ‘inda al llaah. Knowledge
by itself is not useful unless it is associated with work, la ‘ilmbiduun
‘amal.
·
Understanding (37): The
Qur’an has used the term fiqh to refer to understanding which is deeper than
knowing. Mu’adh bin Jabal was considered to have high understanding of the
ddiin, fiqhmu’adh fi a ddiin. He will be the prince of scholars on the
day of resurrection, mu’adhsayyid al ‘ulamayawm al khashr. Aisha had
high undertanding of the ddiin, tafaqquhaishah fi al ddiin and she was the
most knowledgeable person, kaanata’lam al naas.
·
Thinking (38): The Qur’an
puts emphasis on thinking, al hatth ‘ala al tafakkur. The intellect can
reach a conclusion, al hukm al ‘aqli. Thinking by looking at
space/horizons, al tafakkur bi al nadhar fi al aafaaq. Thinking by
looking at humans, al tafakkur bi al nadhar fi al anfus. Thinking by
looking at the signs of allah, al tafakkur bi al nadhar fi ayaat al allaah. Thinking
about Allah’s creation, al tafakkur fi khalqllaah. The Qur’an emphasizes
freedom of thought in the form of freedom of belief, hurriyat al aqidat.
·
Innovation & creativity (39): bid’at vs ibdaa’u: Innovations are prohibited, nahyu al bid’at.
All innovations are a misguidance, kullubid’atdhalaalat.
QUR’ANIC
SCIENTIFIC TARBIYYAT: Descriptive knowledge (39)
·
Description of things in the environment (40):The Qur’an described mountains as elevated, stable,
refuge, colored, powdered dust, mobile, erect. The Qur’an described the barrier
between two oceans. Iron was described as beneficial to humans. Its manufacture
and softening were also described. The wind, riih, was described
as a necessity for life, dharurat al riih li al hayat, raising clouds,
turning in direction of blowing, tasrif al riyaah, seeding clouds to
cause rain, talqiih al sihaab, pushing boats in the water, daf’u al
safinat. Plants, al zara’u, were described as of different kinds.
The sky, samaau, was descibed as layers, al samaautibaaqan, held
in place, imsaak al samaau, raised without pillars, rafa’u al
smaaubiduun ‘imad, of wide expanse, si’at al samaau, and having
smoke, dukhaan al samaau. Honey was described as a cure, al
‘asalshafau. Water, maau, was described as the source of
life, al maauasl al hayat.
·
Description of changes and motion (41):The Qur’an described the attractive force of the
earth, jadhibiyyat al ardh. It described the motion of the earth, the
boats, the sun, the moon, the water, and of the wind. Air pressure, dhaghtjawwi.
·
Description of processes (42):Making
of iron, sina’at al hadiid, armor, sina’at al durru’u, dams, boats. Creation of the human from dust,
khalq al insaan min tiin. The Human was created from water, khalq al
insaanmin al maau.
·
Description of the constant laws of nature (43):The laws are fixed and stable, thabaatsunnat al llaah. The laws operate in various situations: in
change, sunnat al llaah fi al taghyiir, in the offspring, sunnat al
laah fi al dhuriyat, in parity, sunnat al allah fi al zawjiyat, in
the past generations, sunnat al allah fi al saabiqiin. Order was
mentioned as a law of nature.
·
Recording of observations (44):The
first creation was the pen, awalmakhluuq al qalam. The collection of the
Qur’an was an exercise in careful documentation. Recording of hadith was
forbidden because of possible confusion with the Qur’an; later Omar changed his
opinion on the matter.
QUR’ANIC
SCIENTIFIC TARBIYYAT: Analytic knowledge (45)
·
Evidence-based knowledge and action (46):The Qur’an calls for evidence, al burhan. It
called for establishment of evidence, iqamat al hujjat. False evidence
is rejected. There are conditions for accepting evidence, shuruutqubuul al
shahadat.
·
Condemnation of non-evidence-based
knowledge (47): Sorcery was
prohibited as a form of shirk. Consulting fortune tellers was prohibited, nahyuistisharatkaahin.
Speculation or conjecture, al dhann, were forbidden as they are the most
untruthful discourse, al dhannakdhaba al hadiith. Speculative or
hypothetical thinking was condemned. Human thought is a tool and not an
end in itself. It operates on the basis of empirical observations and
revelation, both objective sources of information, Thought that is not based on
an empirical basis or revelation is speculative and leads to wrong conclusions.
Hypothetical thinking, ra ay, was
discouraged especially if it contradicts Qur’an andsunnat. It is however allowed in situations in which there is not
authoritative text. Care should be taken in giving opinions on matters for
which there is no evidence in the Qur’an and sunnat.
·
Objectivity (48):The
Qur’an calls for objectivity in measurement. It condemns turning away from
truth, i’iraadh ‘an al haqq. Truth must be revealed, idhaar al haqq.
Subjective feelings should not be followed, nahyitibau al hawa fi al ‘adl.
The unbelievers hate the truth, kurh al kafirin li al haqq. They follow
their subjective feelings, itibau al hawa li al kafirin. The prophet
condemned hiwa because it blinds and deafens. The people of hiwa
must be avoided.
·
Drawing conclusions from empirical observation (49):Reliance of observation and not speculation was
emphasized in the prophet’s hadith about the start of the fasting when he said
that we were an illiterate society that did not count or calculate and that the
start of the fasting should be based on sighting the crescent. Learning a
lesson from phenomena, al ‘ibrat. The Qur’an calls upon humans to
observe Allah’s signs of Allah in the universe and in humans. Ibrahim by his
empirical observation of the sun and the moon was able to reach true knowledge
of Allah. His heart was calmed in his belief in resurrection when Allah showed
him the revival of birds that he had killed. The Qur’an has described many
natural phenomena in detail for example the earth’s gravitational attraction, jaadhibiyat
al ardh. Mountains were also described in detail: height, iritifa’u al
jibaal. The Qur’an however made it clear that human senses have
limitations. For example human vision is limited and can be deceived when it
confuses a mirage for water. Human hearing is also limited.
·
Rational thinking and assertions based
on reason (50):In many prohibitions
the Qur’an provides logical reasons. For example with regard to alcohol both
the benefits and the harms were mentioned and the reason for prohibition was
given.
·
Logical operations (51): The use of similitude, tashbiih, of
two things and phenomena is seen in the following verses: the earth and the
movement of the clouds, Islam and light, resurrection with revival of dead
earth, mountains in the hereafter with wool, the rebellious heart with the
rock. The unbeliever is described as the similitude of the mute, the deaf, the
blind, cattle, donkey, dog, the dead, foam, darkness. The hypocrite, munafiq,
is the similitude of the mute, the blind, blocks of wood. The believer is
described as the similitude of far-sightedness, basiir, the free, the hearer.
Humans on the Last day are described as the similitude of the bed, firaash.
Unity is described as the similitude of a strong building (61:4). Boy servants
in paradise are described as the similitude of pearls. The Qur’an also employed
many examples, mithl, to illustrate concepts.
·
Prudence in reaching conclusions (52):Al tawaqi fi al fitya
QUR’ANIC
SCIENTIFIC TARBIYYAT: Etiquette of scientific discourse (53)
·
Asking questions (54):Questions
can be for finding out information, suaalistifhaami.
The prophet prohibited too much speculative questioning on hypothetical
situations as in verses 5:101 and 2:108. The prophet allowed questions towards
the end of his life, ibahat al suaal fi
akhirhayatihi or even ordered it, al
amr bi al suaal.
·
Respecting the other opinion (55):One of the greatest lessons in respect for the opposing opinion is the
verbatim recording by the Qur’an of the false pronouncements of the worst
people on earth for example Fir’aun. He claimed that he was God, iddi’aufir’aun
al uluhiyyat, was arrogant, istikbaarfir’aun, batashfir’aun, takdhiibfir’aun,
fir’aun and the magicians.
·
Etiquette of discussion (56):Differences
on scientific matters can arise and are natural. Discussion and exchange of
views is a necessity for humans, dharurat
al hiwar. The Qur’an has taught the best methods of discussing with others
even in controversial matters. Discussion has its own etiquette, adab al
hiwar. Truth must be revealed. Contradictions must be avoided. Arrogance is
condemned. The following are attributes of good discussion: objectivity, tajarrud, truthfulness, asking for
evidence, and knowledge. Humans have a tendency to purposeless disputation,
jadal, is frowned upon. Jadal and differences were forbidden, al nahyu ‘an al jadalwa al ikhtilaaf
because it eventually destroys Islam and is a sign of being lost after
guidance.
·
Abandoning false premises (57):If
a person gives an opinion on a matter and then receives a contrary knowledge
from the prophet, he gives up his previous opinion
·
Truth (57b):Fear of people
should be no reaason for not revealing the truth. Deception is condemned, dhamm
al khida’u. The truth of any assertion must be checked, al taakkud min
sihat al khabar. Yaqeen is the basis of ‘ilm but dhann
is not. Hadiths of the prophet were at the beginning quoted without having to
provide the chain of transmitters. When the possibility of fraud was suspected,
it became necessary to provide a chain of transmitters before a hadith could be
accepted. Abu Hudaifah was very careful in his reports from the prophet. Abdullah
bin Masa’ud was very scared of narrating hadith.
PIONEERS OF THE
EMPIRICAL METHOD (58):
·
Greek
science was conjectural and hypothetical (59). Greeks preferred reasoning and
looked down upon perceptual knowledge. They would spend years in their comfortable
arm-chairs reasoning instead of going out of the room and making observation or
setting up a simple experiment to close the issue. Aristotle for example never
thought of testing his theory about the speed of fall of heavy and light
objects.
·
Muslims
criticized Greek logic (60): Greek logic was qiyaas al mantiqi. Muslim scientists in the golden era of Islam
were pioneers of the systematic use of the empirical method. Muslims developed
a complete empirical methodology in the form of qiyaasusuuli.
·
Muslim
pioneers of empiricism (61): Allama Muhammad Iqbal in his ‘Reconstruction of
Religious Thought in Islam’ argued that the empirical method was not a European
discovery. He quoted contributions of Ghazzali, Ibn Taymiyyat, Abubakr al Razi,
and Ibn Hazm. Other pioneers of the empirical method were: Ibn Sina, Al Biruni,
al Kindi (d. 260H), Jabir Ibn Hayyan (d. 200H), Ibn Haytham (d. 340H), al
Khawarizmi (d. 387H).
·
European
pioneers of the empiricism (62): European history ascribes ‘discovery’
of the empirical method to Roger Bacon (1561-1626H). Roger Bacon learned the
empirical method from Arabs?.Francis Bacon was inspired by Ibn Taymiyyat.
IBN HYTHAM AND
THE SCIENTIFIC EMPIRICAL METHOD (63)
·
Hypotheses
(64):
Scientific investigation starts with hypothesis formulation. The hypotheses are
tested by empirical observation and deductions/inductions are made.
·
Ibn
Hytham and the scientific empirical method (64): Ibn Haytham,
in his ‘Book of Optics’, kitaab al
Manadhir[1],
illustrates the use of the empirical method. He did a lot of experiments
and interpreted the findings. He realized the importance of mathematics. He
used a combination of both inductive and deductive logic. Ibn Hytham formulated
hypotheses in 2 way: observation and analogy.
·
Light
travels in straight lines (65): In his observation of natural
phenomena, he observed that that light passing through a hole has the shape of
that hole and therefore formed a hypothesis that light travels in straight
lines.
·
Stars
emit their light (66):
He concluded by analogy that since the moon gets its light from the sun, the
stars cannot get light from the sun. To verify the hypotheses about the stars
above, Ibn Hytham made the observation that unlike the moon, the shapes of the
stars did not change with distance from the sun. He concluded that the stars
must emit light of their own.
·
Generalization
from observation (65):
Ibn Hytham moved from experiment to generalize into a law by making 2
conclusions. The first was that light of whatever type travels in straight
lines. The second was that the incident ray, the reflected ray, and the normal
are in the same plane.
TRANSFER OF THE
EMPIRICAL METHODOLOGY TO EUROPE (66)
·
Golden
era of Muslim science (67): Early centuries H translation and selective
absorption as well as correction of Greek knowledge. Correction based on Qur’an
inspired empirical methodology. Explosion of scientific knowledge in the Muslim
world.
·
Transfer
of empirical methodology to Europe (68): during the Crusades and contacts in
Andalusia and Southern Europe triggered the 12th century European
scientific renaissance. Translation of books by Muslim authors: Ibn Hytham, Ibn
SIna, Al Zahrawi. 14-17th European renaissance built on empirical
foundations that started in the 12th century renaissance. Roger
Bacon, the founder of the European empirical methodology ?plagiarized. Francis
Bacon.
·
Collapse
of Muslim science (69): The golden era of Muslim science was during the
early Abassid period. Mongol invasion in the East (conquest of Baghdad 1258G)
and catholic invasions in the West (reconquisita 1491G) contributed to collapse
of Muslim societies and of science
·
Colonization
of the Muslim world (70): In the colonial and post-colonial period, 13-15th
centuries H, the Muslims were only consumers and not producers of S&T
because they had lost their methodology and could not make original
contributions. Lack of methodological originality led to neglect of pure
sciences.
·
The
new empiricism from Europe (71): the imported empirical method came in a
‘European philosophical context’ away from its ‘tauhidi context’. Example of a
bad copy from a good product.
12th
CENTURY SCIENTIFIC RENAISSANCE (72)
·
Renaissance
triggered by translation of Arabic manuscripts(73) manuscripts of natural science, philosophy and mathematics. Europe reconnected with ancient Greek and Roman knowledge preserved by
the Muslims as well as additions by Muslim researchers. The most significant
Muslim contribution was the empirical method.
·
Robert Grosseteste (ca. 1168–1253) (74):Was the first to make extensive use of the thought of Aristotle, Ibn Sina and Ibn Rushd. He is thought to be the
first in the Latin West to develop an account of an experimental method in
science and to use make systematic use of a method of experimental verification
and falsification.
·
Roger Bacon (c.
1214–1294)(75) was inspired by the
writings of Grosseteste. He mastered Arabic texts on the science of optics. In
his account of a method, Bacon described a repeating cycle of observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and the need for independent verification.
·
Return
to the Greco-Roman roots (76): Reconnection with past after wasted
years of the Middle Ages. Roman revival (Latin classics, Latin poetry, Roman
law)
·
Start
of European universities (77): Arabic books in translation were used.
14-17th
CENTURY CENTURY RENAISSANCE (78)
·
Renaissance and the empirical method (77): (a) Francis Bacon (1561-1626) called the creator of
empiricism, popularised inductive methods for scientific inquiry also Baconian
method or scientific method. He emphasized experimentation and observation and
advocated methodology – planned procedure of investigating all things natural.
Influenced by Ibn Taymiyah. (b) Rene Descartes (1596-1650) emphasized
reasoning.
·
Renaissance
as a scientific revolution (78): Nicolas Corpenicus (1473-1543)
proposed a heliocentric view of the cosmos that was proved by telescopic
observation by Tycho Brahe (1546-1601).Galileo Galilei(1564-1642) proposed the theory that the earth moves. Johannes Kepler
(1571-1630) proposed laws of planetary movements. Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564)
and anatomy. Ambroise Pare (1510-1590) and medicine. William Harvey (1578-1657)
and blood circulation. Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) and the microscope.
Robert Boyle (1627-1691) and atomistic view. Isaac Newton (1642-1727) gravity
and laws of motion
·
Renaissance
as cultural movement (79): Started in Italy as a cultural movement and spread
to the rest of Europewhen Johann Gutenberg discovered printing in 1455.
Developments in literature, philosophy, art, architecture, and music.
Artist-scientists like Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) MichangeloBuonarroti
(1475-1564). Writers such as Baldassare Castiglione (), Niccolo Machiavelli
(1469-1527)
·
Renaissance
as a religious movement (80) : Protestant protest against the
Catholic Church and reformation: Martin
Luther (1483-1546), John Calvin (1509-1564), Henry VIII (1491-1547)
·
Renaissance
as a philosophical
movement (81): Humanism put the human in the center. It was the forerunner of
secularism. Humanist thinkers like Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (1466 –1536), Sir Thomas Moore (1478-1535), Francois Rabelais (1483 –1553), William Shakespeare (1564-1616).
AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT (81)
·
The age of reason (82): The scientific revolution of 1500s and 1600s sparked the age of
enlightenment. Scientific discoveries showed that natural laws existed and that
these laws could be discovered by reasoning.
·
Enlightenment thinkers (83): Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), John Locke
(1632-1704), Montesquieu (1689-1755), Francois-Marie Arouet akaVoltaire
(1694-1778), Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), Adam Smith (1723-1790).
·
Major political and social revolutions (84): French Revolution, American Independence and democracy
·
Age of exploration (85): Spread enlightenment ideas overseas. Colonial domination that persists
until today
AGRICULTURAL and INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (starting 1750-)
(86)
·
1750 Agricultural revolution (87): improved farming methods and equipment. More food
bigger population.
·
Energy revolution (88): coal in 1700s and steam power in 1712. Late 1800s electric power replaced
steam power
·
Iron and Steel (89): Improved iron smelting, 1856 Bessemer discovered new ways of making
steel.
·
Transport revolution (90): turnpikes, canals, trains, automobile, the plane
·
Production (91): Factory
system of production and urbanization. New methods of production: assembly line
·
Communication revolution (92): telegraph, telephone, radio, internet
·
Medical revolution (93): population explosion?
·
The Industrial age and new imperialism 1800-1914 (94)
CRITIQUE OF THE
EMPIRICAL METHOD (95)
·
The major strength of the empirical methodology (96) is that it
enables rapid growth of knowledge.
·
Problem
in use and not in essence (97): The empirical methodology is innately good but the manner
and context of its use lead to the following 4 problems:
·
Biases
(98):
due to a priori assumptions related to materialism and atheism
·
Limitations
of observation by human senses (99)
·
Limitations
of human intellect in interpreting empirical observations (100)
·
Lack
of an integrating paradigm like tauhid (101): leading to problems: (a) LACK OF BALANCE:
people of Thamud., (b) LACK OF PURPOSE: building structures for amusement only
with no underlying purpose.
·
CRISIS
OF KNOWLEDGE and EDUCATION (102)
·
Manifestations
of the crisis (103):
There is pervasive ignorance of uluum al
diin and uluum al dunia. There is
little respect for scholarship. There is neglect of the empirical sciences.
There is a dichotomy in the education system: traditional Islamic vs. imported
European, ulum al diin vs ulum al dunia. Integration of the 2
systems has failed or has been difficult because it has been mechanical and not
conceptual.The process of secularization in education has removedthe moral
dimension from the educationandviolated the aim of Islamic education to produce
an integrated and perfect individual, insankaamil. The brain drain from
Muslim countries has compounded the educational crisis.
·
Ummatic
malaise due to the knowledge crises (104): Knowledge deficiency and
intellectual weakness are the most significant manifestation of ummat’s decadence. The intellectual
crisis of the ummat is worsened by
copying and using poorly digested alien ideas and concepts. The prophet warned
the ummat about the lizard-hole
phenomenon in which the ummat in
later times would follow its enemies unquestionably like the lizard running
into its hole. Among the manifestations of the ummatic malaise are action deficiency, political weakness, economic
dependency, military weakness, dependence in science and technology, and
erosion of the Islamic identity in life-style.
·
Knowledge,
a pre requisite for tajdiid(105): Reform and
revival of the ummat will occur
through educational and knowledge reform. Tajdid
is a recurring phenomenon in the ummat
and is a sign of its health and dynamism. It is a basic characteristic of the ummat that periods of reform/revival
alternate with periods of decay and return to jahiliyyat.Tajdid requires knowledge, ideas and action related by
the following mathematical equation: tajdid
= idea + action. Action without knowledge and guiding ideas will not lead to
true change. Ideas without action are not change at all. Tajdid requires and is preceded by a reform in knowledge to provide
ideas and motivation on which to build. All successful societal reform starts
with change in knowledge. The ideal society cannot be created without a
knowledge base. That knowledge base must be correct, relevant, and useful.
Successful revival movements throughout Muslim history have always been led by
scholars.
·
New
knowledge strategy (106):The Muslim ummat is a potential economic and
political bloc whose potential is not
yet realized. The contemporary tajdid
movement has a lot of strengths but also has basic deficiencies that must be
corrected. The knowledge and intellectual crises are still a barrier. Reform
movements unguided by correct knowledge and understanding will falter and fail
or will be deviated from their paths. Social change requires change in attitudes,
values, convictions and behavior of a critical mass of the population.
Attitudes, values, convictions, and behaviors are determined by the knowledge
base. The vision of the knowledge strategy is an upright balanced person who
understands the creator, knows his place, his roles, his rights, and his
responsibilities in the cosmic order. The mission of the knowledge strategy is
conceptual transformation of the education system from kindergarten to post
graduate studies to reflect tauhid,
positive moral values, objectivity, universality, and serving the larger causes
of humanity.
·
Towards
an Islamic methodology (107):A tauhidi
universal, objective and unbiased methodology must replace the Euro-centric and
philosophically biased context and not the practical experimental methods. The
precepts of tauhidi science are: unity of knowledge, comprehensiveness;
causality is the basis for human action, human knowledge is limited,
investigation of causal relations is based on constant and fixed natural laws,
harmony between the seen and the unseen, 3
sources of knowledge (wahy, aql& empirical observation); khilafat;
moral accountability; creation and
existence have a purpose, truth is both absolute and relative, human
free will is the basis of accountability, and tawakkul.
NOTES