Al-Ghazali's attitude towards Kalam (Scholastic theology)

Al-GhazÉlÊ and KalÉm


1.0 Introduction

AbË ×Émid al-GhazÉlÊ (450-505 AH/1058-1111 AD) is one of the great Muslim jurist, theologian and mystics of the Muslim world. He lived in the 12th Century. He was a polymath who wrote on a wide range of topics including jurisprudence, theology, mysticism and philosophy. He was famously known as hujjah al-IslÉm as he contributed greatly to the development of the Muslim ummah especially in theology and Sufism.
Al-GhazÉlÊ was not only of his time but also of all times, he stands out prominently as the most representative spirit of his era. Whatever he wrote bears the stamp of the age in which he lived. A knowledge of the spirit of his age will, therefore, give us a true and proper understanding of the philosophy of this remarkable man who after assimilating whatever he took from the past and from his time, bequeathed to humanity a system of thought which bears so unique an impress of his own spiritual character that it will always remain a source of inspiration to those who yearn for communication with God. The works of al-GhazÉlÊ represent a very thoughtful exposition of Islam and at the same time a critique of the anti-Islamic elements of his times.
Al-GhazÉlÊ mastered philosophy and then criticized it in order to protect religion from being innovated. Among the issues of philosophical thought which were critically discussed between al-GhazÉlÊ with other Muslim scholars and philosophers is about his criticisms on the kalÉm.

2.0 Al-GhazÉlÊ’s Background and Scholarly Life

2.1 Educational Background
AbË ×Émid MuÍammad ibn MuÍammad ibn MuÍammad al-ÙËsi al-GhazÉlÊ, an outstanding Jurist, theologian and ØËfÊ, was born in 450 AH /1058 AD at ÙËs, near the modern Mashad in KhurasÉn which prior to his time had already produced so many prominent Sufis. The District of ÙËs itself was the birthplace of many outstanding personalities and men of learning in Islam, including the poet FirdawsÊ (d.416/1025) and the state man NiÐÉm al-Muluk ( d. 485/1092), who was destined to play a significant role in the intellectual life of al-GhazÉlÊ. Among its distinguished religious scholars, al-Ghazali’s uncle al-FÉrmadhÊ (d. 477/ 1084) was also one of his famous teachers in Sufism.
Al-GhazÉlÊ received his early education in Ùus itself not long before he died, his father entrusted the education of al-GhazÉlÊ and his younger brother AÍmad (d.1126) to a pious friend. Al-GhazÉlÊ’s education included learning the Qur’Én and ÍadÊth, listening to the stories about saints, and memorizing mystical love poems. After his educational trust fund was exhausted, he was sent to a madrasah where he first learned jurisprudence from Ahmad al-RÉdhkÉnÊ.
Later, before he was fifteen years old, al-GhazÉlÊ went to JurjÉn in Mazardaran to continue his studies in jurisprudence under AbË NaÎr al-IsmÉÑÊlÊ. At seventeen, he returned home to Ùus. Before his twentieth birthday he went to Naishapur to study fiqh and kalam under al-JuwaynÊ. At this time al-GhazÉlÊ composed his first work, entitled al-MankhËl min ÑIlm al-UÎËl (A Resume of Science of Principles), on legal theory and methodology. He was appointed al-JuwaynÊ’s teaching assistant and continued to teach at NiÐÉmiyah in Naishapur until the latter died in 505/1111.
It is important to note that al-GhazÉlÊ studied kalÉm with al-JuwaynÊ (d. 478/1085). The latter played a significant role in the philosophization of AshÑarite kalÉm. This philosophization influenced al-GhazÉlÊ’s own vision and treatment of kalÉm as a discipline. Al-SubkÊ claims that al-JuwaynÊ introduced al-GhazÉlÊ to study of philosophy including logic and natural philosophy. Since al-JuwaynÊ was theologian (mutakallim), not a philosopher, he must have imparted his knowledge of philosophy through the discipline of kalÉm. Al-GhazÉlÊ was not satisfied with what he had learned from his teacher. He later wrote al-munqidh that not a single Muslim religious scholar before him had directed his attention and endeavour to a through study of philosophy. The knowledge of falsafah that he gained through his study of al-JuwaynÊ’s discourse on kalÉm and possibly through other writings as well was sufficient, however, to acquaint him with the methodological claim of the philosophers that they are the people of logic and demonstration (ahl al-manÏiq wa al-burhÉn). This is because that claim had been current since al-FÉrÉbÊ and could not have been unknown to al-JuwaynÊ, a leading intellectual opponent of the philosophers.
Another area of study which engaged al-GhazÉlÊ’s mind during his stay in Naishapur was Sufism. He studied its theory and practice under the guidance of al-FÉrmadhÊ. Al-GhazÉlÊ actually managed to unite those who were in constant discord namely the theologians and the Sufis. Thus al-GhazÉlÊ became the faqÊh of the Sufis and the most learned ØËfÊ of the fuqahÉ’. He event acquired the distinguished title of hujjah al-IslÉm and become the innovator of the whole fifth century .
Thus al-GhazÉlÊ put an end to his seclusion and resumed his lectures and his preaching. He also sought to reconcile between external and hidden matters until he died in 505 AH, in Taws, where he was buried and where his mausoleum still exist today.

2.2 Al-Ghazali’s Works
Al-GhazÉlÊ applied himself first to kalÉm while still at Naishapur. In considering al-GhazÉlÊ’s statement about kalÉm in al-Munqidh, he claims that he wrote some works on the subject during this period. He tells us that he began his quest after knowledge by the study of kalÉm, for which he contributed written works. Other major works of al-GhazÉlÊ in kalÉm are al-IqtiÎÉd fÊ al-IÑtiqÉd, al-Munqidh min al-ÖalÉl, IÍyÉ’ ÑUlËm al-DÊn and IljÉm al-ÑAwwÉm Ñan ÑIlm al-KalÉm.
During his stay in Baghdad al-GhazÉlÊ completes his promised in-depth study of the four classes of knowers. This was also his most prolific perios of writing. Having studied kalÉm and written several works on discipline, al-GhazÉlÊ devoted himself to the study of philosophy. He tells us that he studied thoroughly the writings of the philosophers without the help of a master during his hours of free time when he was not writing and lecturing on the religious sciences.
This al-GhazÉlÊ’s work, short in term of the years he actually lived (55 years) but so rich in scientific achievements. It is said that he left some 230 books most of them in religion, philosophy, Sufism and history. Among his famous ones are:
1. IÍyÉ’ ÑUlËm al-DÊn
2. Al-Munqidh min al-ÖalÉl
3. Al-IqtiÎÉd fÊ al-IÑtiqÉd
4. IljÉm al-ÑAwwÉm Ñan ÑIlm al-KalÉm
5. TahÉfut al-FalÉsifah
6. MinhÉj al-ÑÓbidÊn
7. AdÉb al-ØËfiyah
8. KitÉb al-MadnËni bihi ÑalÉ Ghairi Ahlihi
9. BidÉyah al-HidÉyah
10. TahdhÊb al-Nufus bi al-AdÉb al-SharÊÑah
11. Jawhar al-Qur’Én wa Öuraruh
12. KhulÉÎah al-TaÎnÊf
13. Al-RasÉ’il al-Qudusiyyah fÊ QawÉÑid al-ÑAqad
14. FaÌÉ’ih al-BaÏiniyyah wa FadÉ’il al-Mustadhariyyah
15. Mi’yÉr al-Haq fÊ al-ManÏiq

3.0 ÑIlm al-KalÉm
According to Corbin’s History of Islamic Philosophy, the Arabic word kalÉm signifies word or speech . The word mutakallim designates him who speaks, the orator (in grammar, the first person). It is not possible here to trace the evolution whereby the word kalÉm came to mean simply theology. And the word mutakallimËn came to mean the theologians. This would involve a more detailed analysis of the genesis of the problem, touched on below, of the Qur’Én as kalÉm Allah, the Word of God.
Al-FÉrÉbÊ defines kalÉm as a religious science which arose in a religious tradition at some point in its history out of need to formulate a systematic defense of the tenet of that religion from various attacks from various sources as he says:
KalÉm enables man to support certain ideas and acts which has been stated by God (Allah) in order to refute the contradictory.

Meanwhile al-GhazÉlÊ describes kalÉm as a tool to protect Muslim faith from innovations, as saying:
For its aim is simply to conserve the creed of the orthodox (ahl al-Sunnah) for the orthodox and to guard it from the confusion introduced by the innovators.
Therefore according to al-GhazÉlÊ, a group of the mutakallimËn did indeed perform the task assigned to the God by defending the creed which had been revealed through revelation from philosophers or atheists who against the Islamic traditions specifically in tawÍÊd and divinity (ulËhiyyÉt).
Since kalÉm contributes as an important tool in tawÍÊd specifically in Abbasid Empire, the discussions of kalÉm are critically based on the attributes of Allah, His acts, the universe, prophet hood and the science of hereafter and unseen (samÑiyyÉt).


4.0 Al-GhazÉlÊ and KalÉm

4.1 Al-GhazÉlÊ’s Criticism of KalÉm
Al-GhazÉlÊ’s criticism of kalÉm is significant. For his authority in that discipline was widely recognized. He had studied under the greatest AshÑarite theologian and mastered the works of kalÉm. He himself became the leading theologian of his time with several excellent works on the subject to his credit. According to Osman Bakar, in al-GhazÉlÊ’s criticism of the mutakallimËn, he did not deal with the different school of kalÉm in matters of its doctrine but rather the common methodological stand that they had adopted . Al-GhazÉlÊ’s criticism of kalÉm will be discussed in several points emphasizing on his comments in his works and some distinctions with other theologians in this regard.
4.1.1 KalÉm and the Degree of Knowledge
Al-GhazÉlÊ in the Book of Knowledge of the IÍyÉ’, describes seeking knowledge is an ordinance obligatory on every Muslim (farÌ Ñayn) and he criticizes the mutakallimËn who claim that study of kalÉm falls under farÌ Ñayn as saying :
People, however, disagreed as to what branch of knowledge man is obliged to acquire, and as a result split up into about twenty groups. We shall not go into details but simply summarize the matter by saying that each group insisted on the necessity of acquiring that branch of knowledge to every Muslim (farÌ Ñayn) which happened to be its specialty. The scholastic theologians (mutakallimËn) insisted on scholastic theology because the unity of Allah, as well as His essence and attributes, is known through it.

In contrast, al-GhazÉlÊ himself treated kalÉm as farÌ kifÉyah, when defining kalÉm as a tool to protect religion from innovations not an end. He says:
….then know that all that theology offers in the way of useful evidence is contained in the Qur’Én and tradition. Whatever evidence is not contained therein is either reprehensible argumentation [which, as will be seen, is an innovation] or mere wrangling by dwelling on distinctions or amplification through the array of different opinions, most of which are derived and nonsense, despised by the mind and rejected by the ears, while others are ramblings into things unrelated to religion and not customary during the first period of Islam. To enter, into such discussions at all was then regarded heresy, but things have now changed. Innovations which turn people from the dictates of the Qur’Én and the tradition have arisen and a group has emerged who made imitations of the Book and the ÍadÊth and based upon it false speculation, so that certain dangerous things have necessarily become permissible; they have become as binding as the farÌ kifÉyah. To such an extent would an innovator go whenever he purposes to preach a heresy.

Al-GhazÉlÊ accepts kalÉm as is not an end in itself and it is error to think that the mere engagement in it constitutes the experientially religious or that it is always needed for attaining salvation in the hereafter. Its role is very much akin to that of the armed guards protecting the pilgrims’ caravan against Bedouins marauders. It is needed, but only as a means to an end. Again, it is like medicine, which at times is certainly needed. But when not needed, or when needed but not properly administered, it can be very harmful. Thus it is not incumbent on all Muslims. It is a farÌ kifÉyah. Hence every region should have a mutakallimËn, a theologian, to defend Muslim faith.
Al-GhazÉlÊ also divides knowledge into religious and intellectual knowledge . All religious knowledge is praiseworthy which falls under two categories: farÌ Ñayn and farÌ kifÉyah. According to him, the category of farÌ kifÉyah religious knowledge includes: (1) the science of the sources of religious knowledge and (2) the science of jurisprudence which forms a part of the science of the branches. Therefore, sciences like ÑulËm al-Qur’Én (the science of Quranic interpretation), ÑulËm al-ÍadÊth, uÎËl al-fiqh belong to this category. Another important example of farÌ kifÉyah religious knowledge is kalÉm. FarÌ kifÉyah in this category is only within a certain limit which al-GhazÉlÊ calls “the limit of sufficiency”. He says:
The sciences whose knowledge is praiseworthy up to a certain limit are those which we have already mentioned under the sciences the acquisition of whose knowledge is farÌ kifÉyah.

Al-GhazÉlÊ at the same time puts also kalÉm in intellectual knowledge along with philosophy which comprises four chapters. The second and third are included under kalÉm as he says:
The second is logic which is a study of the nature of evidence and its conditions as well as the nature of a definition and its conditions. Both of these are included under theology. The third is divinity which is the science of the being and attributes of Allah. This also is included under theology.

The above discussion shows the significant of kalÉm in ÑaqÊdah as has been described by al-GhazÉlÊ according to his observation on that matter in terms of its function and the methodological concept which will be discussed later. It is clearly can be understood of his statement “farÌ kifÉyah in this category only within a certain limit which is called the limit of sufficiency” which differs one to another.

4.1.2 The Aim of KalÉm
Al-GhazÉlÊ approves the aim of kalÉm and its role in society, namely the defense of the common religious beliefs of the community by repelling errors and heresies and removing doubt and confusion relating to those beliefs. He even praised the mutakallimËn, describing them as people who had been inspired by God to champion orthodoxy by kalÉm designed to disclose the deceptions introduced by the contriving innovators contrary to traditional orthodoxy. KalÉm has its root in the Qur’Én and ÍadÊth. He says:
For its aim is simply to conserve the creed of the orthodox (ahl al-Sunnah) for the orthodox and to guard it from the confusion introduced by the innovators.

However, al-GhazÉlÊ was highly critical of certain aspects of the methodology of kalÉm. He considers the methods of kalÉm to be defective both to satisfy his thirst for knowledge of the reality of things and to inflict intellectual defeat opponents of kalÉm. He says:
But since that was the aim of their own science, their discussion of the subject was not the aim of their own science, their discussion of the subject was not thoroughgoing; therefore it did not provide an effective means of dispelling entirely the darkness due to the bewilderment about the differences dividing man.

Al-GhazÉlÊ clearly indicates that kalÉm is not the only way to protect religion because it’s only considered as a mean to an end and the above shows that al-Ghazali’s attitude towards kalÉm seems that this did not necessarily have to be so. It might be said that since kalÉm involves in philosophical discussions, the aim of kalÉm cannot be achieved for all community and logical arguments will only tend to be applicable to the level of taqlÊd. But for al-GhazÉlÊ it is supposed to be practical for all community.
Therefore al-GhazÉlÊ concludes that kalÉm did not provide him with the certainty in knowledge he was seeking, instead other factor can be utilized in order to obtain the aim of protecting religion (ÑaqÊdah) from being deviated. Moreover, according to al-GhazÉlÊ’s experience in dealing with kalÉm and Sufism, he believes that kalÉm partially fulfilled its aim but did not satisfy what he was striving after, but Sufism (kashÉf) is the proper way to that aim because it consists of the theory and practical as well. He says:
I knew with certainty that the Sufis were masters of states, not purveyors of words, and that I had learned all I could by way of theory. There remained, then only what was attainable, not by hearing and study, but by fruitional experience and actually engaging in the way. From the sciences which I had practiced and the method which I had followed in my inquiry into the two kinds of knowledge, revealed and rational, I had already acquired a sure and certain faith in God most high, in prophetic mediation of revelation and in the Last Day.

In fact, al-GhazÉlÊ affirmed the important and a need for kalÉm within the Islamic community to the end of his life, but he also believed that the scope of its relevance and usefulness was limited only for the case dictates under necessity. One would successfully strengthen his ÑaqÊdah without it.

4.1.3 Methodological basis of KalÉm
Al-GhazÉlÊ criticizes the methodology of kalÉm from two points of view. First, he accepts school of kalÉm and even affirms its necessity (as farÌ kifÉyah). But he criticizes the inadequacy its methodological tools to confront its intellectual opponents. Second, he criticizes kalÉm from the point of view of a seeker after a direct spiritual experience of God and inner reality of things.
According to al-GhazÉlÊ, the mutakallimËn were orthodox because they subordinated reason to revelation. But the use of reason in kalÉm had not been exercised to the fullest extent possible. He saw much scope for improvement in kalÉm’s methodology. He was not against the borrowing premises from the opponents of kalÉm, but in so doing the mutakallimËn relied on premises which they took over from their adversaries, being compelled to admit them either by uncritical acceptance, or because of the community’s consensus, or by simple acceptance deriving from the Qur’Én or traditions (ÍadÊths). Most of their polemic was devoted to bringing out the inconsistencies of their adversaries and criticizing them for the logically absurd consequences of what they conceded. But this approach for al-GhazÉlÊ is of little use for one who admits only necessary truths. He goes on:
So kalÉm was not sufficient in my case, nor was it remedy for the malady of which I was complaining.

Then al-GhazÉlÊ continues :
To be sure, when the discipline of kalÉm acquired some status and had been engages in for some length of time, the mutakallimËn showed an earnest desire for attempting to defend orthodoxy by the study of the true natures of things. They plunged into the study of substances and accident and their principles. But since that was the aim of their own science, their discussion of the subject was not the aim of their own science, their discussion of the subject was not thoroughgoing; therefore it did not provide an effective means of dispelling entirely the darkness due to the bewilderment about the differences dividing man.

The above statement indicates the usage the philosophical terminologies of mutakallimËn such as haqÉ’iq al-umËr, jawhar and ÑaraÌ had been involved in the discussion which lead to further discussions and debates on that terms without focusing on the aim of kalÉm itself. Hence, al-GhazÉlÊ says, “They plunged into the study of substances and accident and their principles”.
By the adversaries of kalÉm, al-GhazÉlÊ means the philosophers. Osman Bakar states, al-GhazÉlÊ’s patroyal of kalÉm as a discipline that had become influenced by falsafah was confirmed later authorities like ShahrastÉnÊ, Maimonides and Ibn KhladËn. Concerning premises borrowed from philosophers, could be referred to atomism and also reason and faith. He then criticized his contemporary mutakallimËn for being too closed bound in their views to previous authorities in kalÉm, like al-AshÑarÊ and al-BÉqilÉnÊ, even in matters relating to premises and proofs.

Al-GhazÉlÊ found defects in the mutakallimËn’s use of syllogism. To remedy this defect, he wrote several works on Aristotelian logic in a manner that had not been attempt before by any jurist or theologian. Al-GhazÉlÊ also considered undesirable the mutakallimËn’s emphasis on the logical inconsistencies in the arguments of their opponents, instead, says al-GhazÉlÊ, they should concentrate on the refutation of the fundamental doctrines of their opponents, insofar as these doctrines were viewed as heretical. The TahÉfut was seen as advocating this new approach of kalÉm. Referring to al-GhazÉlÊ’s view, the methodology of kalÉm was comprised of faith (ÊmÉn) and ratiocination tainted by false syllogism.
Thus, al-GhazÉlÊ describes the Sufis as those who claim that they alone enter into the Divine Presence, and as men of mystic vision (mushÉhadah) and illumination (mukÉshafah). The ØËfÊ is thus presented as an intimate witness of God. The ØËfÊ way of witness is described as authentic vision and the unveiling of the mysteries. According to al-GhazÉlÊ, to witness the Divine Presence is to attain the highest possible state of spiritual experience. He says :
From the very start of the way revelations (al-mukÉshafah) and visions (al-MushÉhadah) begin, so that, even when awake, the Sufis see the angels and the spirits of the prophets and hear voices coming from them and learn useful thing from them. Then their “state” ascends from the vision of forms and likenesses to stages beyond the narrow range or words: so if anyone tries to express them, his word contain evident error against which he cannot guard himself.

Since al-GhazÉlÊ was himself a distinguished ØËfÊ, he was able to give an authentic and authoritative account of the ØËfÊ methodology. He considers the Sufis method is the most excellent of methods and the Sufis the most excellent of the knowers of the truth. He himself found the light of certainty in the spiritual path of the Sufis. In Sufism there is a whole knowledge associated with this goal comprising theory as well as practical.
In a nutshell, al-GhazÉlÊ accepts the role of kalÉm in which it suitable for some people particularly the common ones, but the inadequacy of kalÉm still prevails. As far as he is concerned, kalÉm did not provide certitude knowledge (Ñilm al-yaqÊn) rather than Sufism.

4.1.4 KalÉm, TaqlÊd and MaÑrifah (kashÉf)
Al-GhazÉlÊ argues, the one who is obedient who controls his appetites, directing his thought solely to attaining one of reality (ÍaqÊqah min ÍaqÉ’iq) may not have this reality revealed to him. This is because of his being veiled from it by a previous belief that has come to him from youth, by way of taqlÊd and the reception from others in good faith (Íusn al-Ðann). This is also, he goes on, “is a great veil by which the majority of the theologians (akthar al-mutakallimÊn) and partisan of sectarian doctrines (al-mutaÑaÎÎibÊn li al-madhÉhib) are veiled”. This is because they are veiled by “imitative beliefs (iÑtiqÉd al-taqlÊdiyyah) that solidified in their souls, and became fixed in their heart, becoming a veil between them and the apprehension of realities (al-haqÉÑiq).
Al-GhazÉlÊ goes on with his discussion, it becomes even more explicit that the realities, the objects of knowledge that yield certainty, belong to the world of the unseen, the divine realm (ÑÉlam al-malakËt) as distinct from the domain of the seen (ÑÉlam al-mulk). Al-GhazÉlÊ however, also then speaks of both ÑÉlam al-mulk and ÑÉlam al-malakËt, when taken together. This, for al-GhazÉlÊ, constitutes the lordly, divine, presence (al-haÌrah al-rubËbiyyah) which encompasses all the existence, since there is nothing in existence except God, exalted be He, and His acts, His kingdom and servants being among His acts. For some people, what is revealed of this to the heart constitutes paradise itself. For those who follow the truth, however, the revelation (al-tajallÊ) is the cause for deserving paradise in hereafter. Moreover, the degree to which this tajallÊ is attained in this life determines the measure of reward in the hereafter. This tajallÊ and belief (imÉn), al-GhazÉlÊ states this is the first of three levels:
The first is belief of the commonality (al-ÑawwÉm). This is belief based on pure taqlÊd. The second is the belief of the theologians (mutakallimËn) which is mixed with some kind of inference. Its level is close to the belief of the common people. The third is the belief of the Gnostics (ÊmÉn al-ÑÉrifÊn). This consists of seeing with the light of certainty (kashÉf).

Al-GhazÉlÊ illustrates these levels of belief by an example, namely, that “your belief that Zayd is in the house which has three levels”, the first, as he says :
The first is that you are informed by you and you have always experienced to be truthful. Your heart acquiesces to him, and you are assured by the information simple by hearing it. This is belief by sheer taqlÊd, exemplifies the belief of the common people. For when they arrived at the age of discernment, they would have heard from their fathers and mothers about the existence of God, exalted be He, His knowledge, will, power and the rest of His attributes, the sending of His messengers, their verasity and what they have conveyed. This becomes a belief firmly established in their hearts and in which they become rest assured. What is contrary to what their mothers, fathers and teachers have taught them never crosses their mind. This belief is cause of salvation (al-najÉ) in the hereafter. The adherers of his belief are among the first of the ranks of the people of the right (aÎÍÉb al-yamÊn) but not among those drawn close to God (al-muqarrabËn), because in this belief there is no unveiling, insight and the opening of the breast by the light of certainty.

According to the above, clearly mentions the position of taqlÊd among common people (al-ÑawwÉm) represents the least level in ÑaqÊdah. For the second level of belief that is mutakallimËn, he describes:
The second is for you to hear the speech and voice of Zayd (for instance) from inside in the house, but from behind a wall. You would infer from this that he is in the house. Thus your assent, belief and certainty that he is the house would be stronger than your assent due to the sheer hearing (from that Zayd’s is in the house). For, if you are told that he is in the house and then you hear his voice, you would then become more certain (that he is in the house) because voices at a time when he has seen the visage. His heart then judges that is the voice of that individual. This is belief mixed with inference. It is possible, however, for error to enter into this. For one voice may be similar to another and this can be artificially undertaken by way of imitation.

For the second level i.e mutakallimËn, al-GhazÉlÊ indicates kalÉm plays important part for commonality in protecting ÑaqÊdah and more assured than the first, but for him the true knowledge can be achieved by maÑrifah Allah i.e kashÉf. For that, he gives his analogy:
The third level is for you to enter house and look at (Zayd) with your eye and see him. This is true knowledge and seeing with certitude. This is similar to the gnosis (maÑrifah) of those drawn close to God and the ardently veracious (tushbih maÑrifah al-muqarrabÊn wa al-ÎiddiqÊn). Within their belief is enveloped the belief of the commonality and mutakallimËn but is differentiated from it by a clear characteristic that renders the possibility of error not possible.

According to the above, al-GhazÉlÊ’s Ihya’ explains that belief of kalÉm is lower than gnosis (maÑrifah). This is based on al-GhazÉlÊ’s experience as theologian and ØËfÊ. M.E. Marmura clarifies that the same discussion also can be found in KitÉb al-ArbaÑÊn fÊ UÎËl al-DÊn which gives frank expression of the knowledge (maÑrifah) of the truth of the ÑaqÊdah.
Al-GhazÉlÊ maintains that maÑrifah is true knowledge and applicable to achieve the highest level in the kind of certitude, which is mentioned in the Qur’Én as haqq al-yaqÊn. It seems that al-GhazÉlÊ subordinates reason to intuition (kashÉf or maÑrifah) which indicates that religious knowledge (revelation) is superior than the intellectual knowledge (reason).

4.1.5 MutakallimËn and Salaf
Before turning to al-Ghazali’s attitude towards mutakallimun and Salaf, we have to have a clear vision about Salaf (or Salafiyyah) and mutakallimun, hence, we have to refer to some terminologies in it. According to Salaf (the Pious Ancestor), theology is designated by the term uÎËl al-dÊn meaning literally the sources or principles of religion, on the analogy of uÎËl fiqh meaning the sources or principles of law, and hence legal theory and methodology. However another term which came to designate theology is kalÉm. But this term is reserved by traditionalist theologian (Salafiyyah) to designate only that type of theology indulged in by rationalist (mutakallimËn). Whereas the mutakallimËn uses both terms interchangeably, equating kalÉm with uÎËl al-dÊn, the Salafiyyah regards uÎËl al-dÊn as the only legitimate king of theology, and condemns kalÉm and its partisans as outside the pale of orthodoxy. Anti- kalÉm literature abounds in the writings of Salafiyyah. To a Salafiyyah, a legitimate theologian is who one belongs to ahl al-ÍadÊth, the partisans of tradition, who set themselves against ahl al-kalÉm, the partisans of kalÉm, singly designated as mutakallim, that is a kalÉm expert.
The distinction between a traditionalist and rationalist may best be illustrated in their respective attitude with regard to divine attributes. The MuÑtazilites, who have been called the first rationalist of Islam, denied the divine attributes: thus they were called muÑaÏillah or partisans of taÑÏÊl, meaning the denudation of God of His attributes. The MuÑtazilites were the first users of kalÉm. They did away with the divine attributes by the use of metaphorical interpretation (ta’wÊl). The Salafiyyah, who upheld the divine attributes were called Îifatiyyah, because they affirmed the attributes (ithbÉt al-ÎifÉt). They opposed and censured kalÉm and ta’wÊl.
AshÑarite, as the MutakallimËn even though denied MuÑtazilites’s kalam, but still apply ta’wil as an approach in kalÉm in different way. AshÑarite school was founded in the middle of fourth/ten century by AbË al-×asan al-AshÑarÊ. He made up of many followers who admired his exemplary life, his thinking steeped in religious values. His followers found him a refuge both against the narrow literalism of the man of ÍadÊth and against the excessive rationalism of the MuÑtazilies. In this way, AshÑarism began to shape in the life of master.
In the seventh/thirteenth century, AshÑarism came up against adversaries of considerable stature in the person of Ibn Taymiyah who over the centuries became the father of Salafiyyah movement, denied that AshÑarism had a valid Sunni reform. He proclaimed an integral reform of Sunism, based principally on the absolute value of the literal text of the Qur’an and ÍadÊth. They were also known as ahl al-ÍadÊth consider kalÉm is unlawful such as MÉlik bin Anas, AÍmad ibn ×anbal, SufyÉn al-ThaurÊ and al-ShÉfiÑÊ.
Concerning al-GhazÉlÊ’s discussion on kalÉm, Makdisi observed that al-GhazÉlÊ’s hostile towards kalÉm is well-known. His work entitled IljÉm al-‘AwwÉm ‘am ‘Ilm al- KalÉm was the source of embarrassment to Ash’arite kalÉm. It could be seen in his reference to ShÉfiÑÊ in the Ihya’ as prohibiting kalÉm is evident and evolves from a desire to be conciliatory to s deep feeling of vindictiveness. He reported that al-KarÉbisÊ says:
Al- ShÉfiÑÊ says: “If men but knew what predilections lurk in scholastic theology they would have run away from it as they would run away from a lion.” And again he says: “Whenever I hear a man say that the name is the thing named, I testify that he is a scholastic theologian and has no religion.”
Al-GhazÉlÊ accepts the fact that some people might find their thirst for knowledge and certitude quenched by the science of kalÉm. But as far as he is concerned, kalÉm could not deliver the certitude that he sought. Al-GhazÉlÊ seems to be asserting that the spiritual and intellectual needs of man are not the same for all individuals.
There is some validity in the claim that the mutakallimËn were man of sound reasoning if they are contrasted with those who had been collectively called the ahl al-taqlÊd. These later groups were opposed to the use of reason in explaining religious belief. They condemned rational discussion in matters of faith as innovation (bidÑah) and sin. . That is what al-GhazÉlÊ understood from his own examanation of the Salaf sayings. Furthermore, al-GhazÉlÊ makes it quite clear that ShÉfiÑÊ himself was against kalÉm.
Then al-GhazÉlÊ accepts the way of truth towards aqidah is the methodology of Salaf which is taken directly from the Qur’Én and ÍadÊth, He says:
The truth is clearly what has been brought by al-Salaf (i.e referring to al-ØahÉbah and al-TÉbiÑÊn) those who demonstrate views and evidences (based on revelation) are absolutely truth.

Al-GhazÉlÊ’s IljÉm al-‘AwwÉm explains the purpose of his writing is to elaborate the methodology of Salaf and those who against them (bidÑah). Salaf’s methodology is referring to methodology of ØahÉbah and TÉbi’Ên in ÑaqÊdah which consists of seven requirements (i.e al-taqdÊs (sanctification), al-taÎdÊq (affirmative), al-‘itirÉf (recognition), al-sukËt (silenceness), al-imsÉk (evasion), al-kaff (prevention) and al-taslÊm (submission). For example, al-GhazÉlÊ explain al-taqdÊs as he says:
Al-taqdÊs (sanctification) means to deny everything which Allah has denied Himself (in the Qur’Én or ÍadÊth), whilst believing its fully perfect opposite with His Attributes like describing Him in a manner or attributes equal to Human or other creatures like Allah has body as human being’s.

Then al-GhazÉlÊ describes al-taÎdÊq (affirmative), which affirms the attributes of Allah what He deserves without any distortion (taÍrÊf) or denial (taÑÏÊl). He says:
Al-taÎdÊq (affirmation) of everything that Allah affirmed for Himself in His Book, or which His Messenger, affirmed for Him without distorting (taÍrÊf), without denial (taÑÏÊl), and without saying how they are (takyÊf) and without making any resemblance with the creation (tamthÊl).

Al-GhazÉlÊ also describes that we have to confess the attributes of Allah. The Might and Magnificent are only to be spoken of in accordance with a text (tawfÊqiyyah). So nothing is affirmed or denied for Him accept what which Allah affirmed or denied for Himself or which was affirmed by His Messenger. Every name confirmed for Allah, the Might, Majestic, is inclusive of an attribute, but the opposite is not the case. We are also required to abstain ourselves with regard to vague terms which are not found to be affirmed or denied textually, in wording or meaning, so further explanation is sought. Then if something false is meant by it, then we declare Allah free of that and reject it, and if something that is true and not to be denied for Allah, then it is accepted and the correct terminology as found in the text is to be made clear.
However, al-Ghazali accepts kalÉm only for the case of necessity within a certain limit which al-GhazÉlÊ calls “the limit of sufficiency” which has been previously discussed in farÌ kifÉyah knowledge. He says:
…theology offers in the way of useful evidence is contained in the Qur’Én and tradition. Whatever evidence is not contained therein is either reprehensible argumentation [which, as will be seen, is an innovation] or mere wrangling by dwelling on distinctions or amplification through the array of different opinions, most of which are derived and nonsense, despised by the mind and rejected by the ears, while others are ramblings into things unrelated to religion and not customary during the first period of Islam. To enter, into such discussions at all was then regarded heresy, but things have now changed. Innovations which turn people from the dictates of the Qur’Én and the tradition have arisen and a group has emerged who made imitations of the Book and the ÍadÊth and based upon it false speculation, so that certain dangerous things have necessarily become permissible.

Regarding al-GhazÉlÊ attitude towards kalÉm, it seems al-GhazÉlÊ accepted the methodology of Salaf in dealing directly with the Qur’Én and ÍadÊth instead of using philosophical arguments and terminologies in ÑaqÊdah. However, it does not mean he rejected totally the approaches of kalÉm but it rather suitable in the case of necessity in which al-GhazÉlÊ himself learned deeply kalÉm for such integral purpose.


4.2 Conclusion
Al-GhazÉlÊ’s study of kalÉm affirms the superiority of Sufism over any other modes of maÑrifah but he remained attached to the kalÉm perspective. His internal criticism of kalÉm was aimed at refining the rational approaches towards ÑaqÊdah.
Al-GhazÉlÊ as a theologian he subordinates reason to the revelation and at the same time he as a ØËfÊ subordinates reason to a mystical intuition (kashÉf). As far as he is concerned, kalÉm did not provide certitude knowledge (Ñilm al-yaqÊn) rather than Sufism and its role plays only in the limit of sufficiency.


5.0 Conclusion
In al-GhazÉlÊ’s discussion on kalÉm, some arguments have been discussed in order to point out his attitude towards kalÉm and the justification lies behind it. As the authority scholar (theologian) in kalÉm, al-GhazÉlÊ tried to refine the rational method which subordinates to revelation in proper manner based on his observation and dealing with mutakallimËn , philosophers and the community.
According to al-GhazÉlÊ, a group of the mutakallimËn did indeed perform the task assigned to the God by defending the creed and protecting religion from being innovated. But as far as he was concerned, kalÉm is not an end, it is only a tool to protect religion. Hence, It is needed, but only as a means to an end, like medicine, which at times is certainly needed. But when not needed, or when needed but not properly administered, it can be very harmful. Therefore he considers kalÉm as farÌ kifÉyah knowledge.
Al-GhazÉlÊ observed that kalÉm did not provide him with the certainty in knowledge he was seeking, instead his experience in dealing with kalÉm and Sufism, he believes that kalÉm partially fulfilled its aim but did not satisfy what he was striving after, but Sufism (kashÉf) is the proper way to that aim because it consists of both; the theory and practical.
In term of the methodology of kalÉm al-GhazÉlÊ viewed it from two points of view. First, he accepts school of kalÉm and even affirms its necessity (as farÌ kifÉyah). But he criticizes the inadequacy its methodological tools to confront its intellectual opponents. Second, he criticizes kalÉm from the point of view of a seeker after a direct spiritual experience of God and inner reality of things (in Sufism).
Al-GhazÉlÊ accepts the role of kalÉm in which it suitable for some people particularly the common ones, but the inadequacy of kalÉm still prevails. For him, kalÉm did not provide certitude knowledge (Ñilm al-yaqÊn) rather than Sufism.
Then al-GhazÉlÊ described the level of people in ÑaqÊdah could be divided into three: (1) taqlÊd (for commonality), (2) mutakallimËn, (3) maÑrifah (kashÉf). For him, kalam is applicable for the first two of these levels, but not for maÑrifah which could be achieved in Sufism. Al-GhazÉlÊ maintains that maÑrifah is true knowledge and applicable to achieve the highest level in the kind of certitude, It seems that al-GhazÉlÊ subordinates reason to intuition (kashÉf or maÑrifah) which indicates that religious knowledge (revelation) is superior than the intellectual knowledge (reason).
Regarding al-GhazÉlÊ’s observation on kalÉm (mutakallimËn) and Salaf , it seems that al-GhazÉlÊ accepted the methodology of Salaf which dealing directly with the Qur’Én and ÍadÊth instead of using philosophical arguments and terminologies in ÑaqÊdah. However, it does not mean he rejected totally the approaches of kalÉm but it rather suitable in the case of necessity in the limit of sufficiency.
As a conclusion for the whole discussion on al-GhazÉlÊ and kalÉm, it shows the significant and the role of kalÉm in Islam over the centuries. In order to develop and strengthen Islamic faith, some questions can be aroused: (1) Is the discussion of kalÉm still significant (relevant) for the present time? (2) If relevant, does it need some changes in its methodology for instance or some contents in kalÉm? (3) If not relevant, what is the proper way to study ÑaqÊdah due to need of the community today?

Fiqh and Akhlaq

Relationship between fiqh (Syariat) and Akhlak (Ethics)

According to Imam al-Ghazali, character is an established state (of the soul) from which actions proceed easily without any need for reflection or deliberation.

 Ethics in Arabic is ‘ilm al-Akhlāq (science of morality), which is the branch of knowledge that studies akhlaq (morals).
 al-Akhlāq (the plural of khuluq/ خُلُق) refers to morality, which means a nature, or an innate disposition or temper.
 The proper signification of khuluq is the moral character; or the fashion of the inner man; his mind or soul and its peculiar qualities and attributes

Morality (Ethics) and law (syariah)
 Both law and morality are action-guiding.
 Law provides a series of public statements (a legal code), or system of dos and don’ts – to guide humans in their behavior and to prevent them from doing harm to others and violating their rights.
 Morality provides a similar system though might not be in written form.
 In addition to that, morality provides reasons behind any significant laws governing human beings and their institutions.

 Morality precedes law, whereas law sanctions morality; that is, law puts morality into a code or system that can then be enforced by punishment.

 Scope: In general, the law is taken to be concerned with acts, rather than attitudes.

The mere fact of having certain intentions is not really the sort of thing about which you can have a law.

In morality, by contrast, bad intentions may sometimes amount to a moral wrong. On the other hand, good intentions are in themselves good values.

 Morality is wider than law. What is moral in not necessarily enforced through law.
But there are some things which are governed by law (driving on the left or right side of road) which are presumably matters of indifference from a moral point of view.

 Conformity between morality and law:
= In Islamic law:
- Law should be a reflection of Islamic morals.
- Laws, rules and regulations are not supposed to be against Islamic moral principles
= In secular law
The relationship between law and morality is not entirely reciprocal. What is moral is not necessarily legal and vice versa.
Many practices have been inscribed in the law, that are clearly immoral (e.g., homosexuality, same sex marriage, mercy killing, abortion, usury, changing munkar …).


 Sanctions: If you break the law, you may be fined or imprisoned or executed. Various bureaucracies exist precisely to hand out legal sanctions.
If you do something that is morally wrong (but not also illegal), however, no similar bureaucracy is going to come after you.
Instead,
In divine religions you suffer a punishment on the Day of Judgment.
In non-religious world views you may suffer the sense of guilt in your own conscience, or your reputation may suffer, or you may be exposed to the blame of other people


Morality and Etiquette
 For the most part, “etiquette” pertains to norms that are of little ethical significance.
 It concerns form and style rather than the essence of social existence.
 Etiquette determines what is polite behavior rather than what is right behavior in a deeper sense. It represents society’s or religion’s decision about how we are to dress, greet one another, eat, celebrate festivals, express gratitude and appreciation etc.


In a nutshell : a comparison between fiqh (syariah) and ethics can be seen as follows ;

i. aim / goal - same ... to fullfil the needs of mankind as a servant and khalifah of Allah.

ii. scope / approach - different .... syariah emphasize more on external or bodily aspects ...in terms of validity or hukm, meanwhile akhlaq emphasize on internal aspects or values in human life such as purify the heart, intention ,truthworthy, justice, ihsan etc.

iii. Akhlaq is wider than syariah / fiqh in terms of its application / implementation all the time regardless condition, place, time, etc.

iv. As both are subjected to the will / command of Allah swt, both complement each other.


wassalam.

ISLAMIC WORLDVIEW : Sunnatullah

SUNNATULLAH


 Definition of Sunnatullah (nature)
 Islamic Concept of Sunnatullah
 Characteristics of Sunnatullah
 Sunnatullah in Men and Society
 Purposes and Implication of Sunnatullah


DEFINITION OF SUNNATULLAH

 Literally, the word sunnah means tradition way, method, custom.

 When it is attributed to Allah- SUNNATULLAH:
it refers to the way of ALLAH’S DEALING WITH His creation that governs or controls its movement.


 It also denotes the practice of Allah and His judgement on different creatures of the universe.

 Sunnatullah means: pattern of Allah, laws of Allah, the creation of Allah and the command of Allah

 Sunnatullah in the Quran
 17:77, 33:38,62, 35:43, 40:85, 48:23, and 3:137 and 4:26

 The Quran uses two method to explain sunnatullah which are directly, where the concept sunnatullah is mentioned such as;


 “There can be no difficulty to the Prophet in what Allah has indicated to him as a duty: It was the practice (approved) of Allah amongst those of old that have passed away, and the command of Allah is a decree determined.” (33: 38)

 Or indirectly whereby the context refers to sunnatullah without mentioning the word sunnatullah or using other words. Allah says;


 “ Already has Our word been passed before (this) to Our servants sent “by Us” that they world certainly be assisted and that Our forces they surely must conquer” (37: 171-173)


ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF SUNNATULLAH

 1. It is a complete and integral system of cause and effect and it runs systematically and perfectly in accordance with the command of Allah (Ismail R. al-Faruqi)

 2. It is a power which forms and orders things and matter according to the Divine plan with perfection and without any waste(al-Baruni)


 3. It is laws of Allah which have been manifested and commanded by Allah directly according to the will of the supreme authority. The Quran says:

 “ They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord is the sure Accomplisher of what He planned” (11:107)

 “ Doer of all that He intends” (85:16)

 Because
 Allah’s will is itself the word and deed. There is no interval between them. He does not His mind and plan.

 No circumstances can change or influence His mind.


 4. It is the Divine laws and perfect system. The Quran says:


 “He who created the seven heavens one above another. No want of proportion will you see in the creation of Allah most Gracious, so turn your vision again, do you see any flaw?
 Again turn your vision a second time, your vision will come back to you dull and discomfited in a state worn out” (67:3-4)

 5. His laws are in proportion and measure.

 -His creation is not haphazard
 -everything has its appointment time, place and occasion as well as its definite limitation
 -every word, deed and thought of man has its fullest consequences.
 -no body can interfere with Allah’s work and plane
 -no change in His creation

 Miqdar means:

 The thing, which cannot be increased and decreased for instance what occurs in the mother’s womb either male or female. Man does not have any influence or function in it. The Quran says:

 “It is He who created all things in due proportions(25:2)


 6. Sunnatullah is a creature of Allah and His commandments. It is controlled by Al-Mighty through His laws according to His design and plan.

 He is able to destroy all His creatures and create again in an instant by His own power. The Quran says:
 “Verily, When He intends a matter, He said to is “Be and It is”, so glory to Him in whose hands is the dominion of all things: and to Him will you be all brought back” ( 36:82-83)

 7. Every thing will be perished but His Face, Existence, and Power will be remained.

 The Quran say:
 “All that is on earth will perish but will abide forever the Face of your Lord-Full of Majesty, Bounty and Honor”(55:26-27)
 The meaning of The Face is His personality, Glory, Majesty, Inner Being, essence, Self, the noble qualities which we associate with the beautiful names of Allah (2:112, 7:180 and 17:110)

 The most important magnificent objects in outer nature-the mountains and valleys, the sun and the moon, etc will also pass a away.

 All things mean the most magnificent works of man, i.e. Fleeting, Ships, Empires, the Wonders of Science and Arts and the splendors of human glory and intellect will pass a away

 8. Laws of nature are unalterable as the Quran declares.

 Nothings can happen against the divine decrees or commands

 Man has been able to understand and comprehend all these and laws


 There are some exceptional or supernatural issues happened in human history by the command of Allah, because of His will and His absolute power. Such as the miracles during the time of all prophets and karamat by the followers of prophet Mohammad(SAW)


 It is true that there is no change in the creation of natural laws, even Allah will not interfere them but man has been given the authority to change his or her situation in life by using his capacity, intellect, knowledge and strife and the final fruits of the strife will be given by Allah (SAW).

CHARACTERISTIC OF SUNNATULLAH

 The main characteristic of sunnatullah are the following ;



 PERMANENT/ UNCHANGEABLE/ CONSTANT

 The practice of Allah whether in terms of punishment or reward is constant and does not change. It is not influenced by the factor of time or condition. Allah says;


 “Such was the practice approved of Allah among those who lived a foretime, no change will you find in the practice of Allah”(33: 62)


 “(Such has been) the practice (approved) of Allah already in the past: no change wilt thou find in the practice (approved) of Allah.” (48: 23)


 FIXED (La Tataghayyar)

 Allah’s law is fixed and his ways of dealing with those who disbelief and belay on prophets are the same in all ages.

 Allah’s will cannot be turned away by any cause whatever. Because if sunnatullah is not fixed or can be deviated or redirected there will be injustice whereas Allah never commit injustice


 “On account of their arrogance in the land and their plotting of Evil. But the plotting of Evil will hem in only the authors thereof. Now are they but looking for the way the ancients were dealt with? But no change wilt thou find in Allah's way (of dealing): no turning off wilt thou find in Allah's way (of dealing).” (35: 43)

 VALID AND EFFECTIVE (NAFIZAH)

 Nothing can stop sunnatullah of being effectively carried out. Allah says;


 “But their professing the Faith when they (actually) saw Our Punishment was not going to profit them. (Such has been) Allah's way of dealing with His servants (from the most ancient times). And even thus did the rejecters of Allah perish (utterly)!”(40: 85)

 The people of A’d, Thamud, and the Pharaoh, Quraish with all power and wealth they had could not stop sunnatullah.


EXAMPLE OF SUNNATULLAH IN MEN AND SOCIETY

 Sunnatullah is the punishment of Al- Mukadhibin ( المكذبين ) believers of prophets, the arrogant and corrupters etc.


 “Do they not travel throughout the earth and see what was the end of those before them. They were more numerous than those and superior in strength and the traces in the land”(40: 82)

 Sunnatullah is assisting the prophets and servants.


 “They then sought to harm and plot against him but We made them the ones most humiliated “(37: 98)


EXAMPLE OF SUNNATULAH IN NATURE.

 Nature is Allah’s creation, which function according to the laws and patterns of Allah.

 All components of nature such as earth, trees plants, heavens, mountain, seas and oceans etc are governed by sunnatullah.

 Scientist and scholars usually were hard to understand and discover the laws or patterns of nature and natural resources in their life and make sure of nature and natural resources in their industry, technology and scientific advancement. Allah invites people to think about it;


 “Do they not look at the sky above them how We have made it and there are no flaws in it. And the earth We have spread it out and set thereon mountains standing firm and produced therein every kind of beautiful growth (in pairs)” (50: 6-7)


SUNNATULLAH IN MEN AND SOCIETY

 The laws of Allah govern also men and society because they are Allah’s creatures like any other natural creature.

 Mankind’s life and all his activities; economic, political, cultural, etc. are subjugated to the patters of Allah.

 Social scientist like sociologist, historians, philosophers have always been attempting to discover the laws governing men’s behaviour and practice in order to develop human life and plan for a good life.

 Sunnatullah in man and society opens our minds and make us think objectively, wisely about anything we want to do.

 It helps us understand the past and present. It helps us understand our social atmosphere and everything around us.

 It also helps us to learn lessons from what happen to previous nations and generations and predict our future and take the appropriate measures and precautions.

Purposes and Implication of Sunnatullah

1. Human beings should observe natural beauty and discover the reality and the truth, the power and the glory of Allah. Allah has created every thing and assigned to it its measure, role, purpose and destiny for human understanding and uses. The Quran says:

 “Allah created every thing and assigned to its qadar, destiny, role and purpose” (25:2, 87:3)


In another verse, “We have not created heavens and earth and all that stands between them in sport”

 ‘Allah did not create the world in vain but for purpose, namely man may do the good works’ (11:7, 67:2 and 18:7)

 2. To Prove the existence of Allah through His created laws or natural laws

 3. All prophets came to realize the existence of Allah and His power through natural laws. For instance Prophet Ibrahim, prophet Musa etc. The Quran says:

 “When Moses came to the place appointed by us, and his Lord addressed him. He said: O my Lord, Show thyself to me, that I may look upon you. Allah said: By no means you can see Me directly, but look upon the mountain, if it abide in its place, then you shall see me. When his Lord manifested His glory on the mountain.


 He made it s dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon. When he recovered his senses he said:

 Glory be to you, to you I return in repentance. I am the first to believe” (7:143)



 -Prophet Moses observed and saw the true status of Allah and realized the distance between our grosser bodily senses and the true splendor of Allah’s glory.

 -He could not see Allah through his physical eyes but he fell down in a swoon


 -he realized the mysteries and hidden power of Allah.

 In another quranic verse,
 The dialogue between llah and prophet Ibrahim about Allah’s power over life and death.



 4. To develop and understand Allah’s mysteries and spiritual dimension of human life through the natural process and uniformity of the laws of the physical world (6:75-76) the Quran says:


 “We did show Ibrahim the power and the laws of the heavens and the earth, that he might with understanding have certitude” (6:75-76

 -to lead and cultivate the collective life of humanity through the gradual process of the creation of human beings because the process of human creation is one of signs of Allah’s power when he is in mother’s womb


 -Allah created his partner with love, affection, atmosphere and mercy

 -He made different colors, different faces, voices and different patterns and structures of his body

 -He created day for him for earning human subsistence and night for taking rest

 -He created male or female according to His will in the mother’s womb as a consequences of the wonderful mystery of sex, in the mother’s womb there are three veils of darkness (30:21)

 -Ears, sights, intelligence, hearts and understanding are created by His command.

 Allah breathes the spirit of man from Him into the body of man (38:72, 23:12)

 -The continuous process of human physical growth, i.e. child is born, he grows, he decays and he dies.


 5. The universe, the earth and its contents were made subservient to man(14:33-34)

 -Every thing in this world visible and invisible is subservient to man by Allah to be utilized by human beings in accordance with His laws

 -Allah has created the universe in purpose of providing all facilities and fulfilling all necessities to mankind

 -Every creature has his own role and it gives us thousands of benefits

 -Man is the best creature in the best form who will survive to get the pleasure of Allah by utilizing all facilities provided by Allah according to His measured laws


 -Man can also make dwelling and tents from the wool of sheep, the hair of goats and the soft hair of camels.

 6. To understand the sunnatullah through the understanding of human life, human intellect, human analogy, human heart and human thought.

 See also :
 Pondering on the Signs of God
By Harun Yahya (Required reading)

 SIGNS OF GOD - Design in Nature
By Harun Yahya (Required reading)


 Islam and the Nature of the Universe
By Nehal El-Hadi (Required reading)


 Teachings and Reflections of Qur'an and Sunnah About Science, Engineering, Technology and Management
By Abdul Rashid Shaikh (Recommended reading)

 Wassalam


note: previously I have attached this topic in the title of Sunnatullah (UNGS2030)

Human and Nature in Sunnatullah

ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF HUMAN NATURE

Mohyuddin Hashimi

Physical and biological nature of man is, although, not the main concern of the Holy Qur’an, it does provide significant insight about man and his nature. A brief description of Islamic thought on the subject is mentioned below:
Islam does not presuppose any inherent wickedness of human nature. Any negative representation of man’s basic nature as a source of evil and wickedness is clearly rejected. According to Islam, the human being is born in the state of fitrah, the original inherent nature of the human being. At birth, the baby is totally innocent and is not responsible for the sin of his parents or any of his ancestors. Environmental and other external influences keep on modifying his blueprint. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said:
“Every child is created in the state of fitrah, it is the parents, culture, and society that make him a Christian, a Jew, or a fire-worshipper.”
Islam is the first religion to declare man as the most superior of the creatures and the masterpiece of the Creator. According to Islam, man is potentially capable of rising higher than the angels, that is why Allah has commanded angels to bow down before Adam. But, at the same time, he is equally capable of sinking lower than the animals. The Holy Qur’an says:
"We have indeed created man in the best shap, then We reduced him (to be) the lowest of the low, except those who believe and do righteous deeds: for they shall have a reward unfailing." (95:4¬6)
These verses indicate that Allah has given man the purest and best nature while man’s duty is to preserve the pattern on which God has made him. However, when he neglects his duty and goes in the wrong way, he will be reduced to the lowest possible position.
The Holy Qur’an asserts that inclination and attraction towards faith and virtue and repulsion from disobedience and corruption exists in man’s nature.
“But God has endeared to you faith and has beautified it in your hearts and has made disbelief and lewdness and rebellion hateful to you.” (49:7)
To sum up the point, man comes into the world with a pure and wholesome nature. Whereas sin and corruption in human being are merely accidental and violation of his original nature. The role of prophets and the scriptures is just to help human nature to flow in its true channel and to guide human nature to its ultimate goal of eternal felicity. This Qur’anic theory of human nature also implies the fact that if man consciously decides to submit himself to the will of Allah, he experiences no conflict in his personality. (10:62) while, on the other hand, if he misuses his freedom of choice by denying God and not submitting to His will, would be in a state of inner conflict and his personality gets disintegrated.
Man has been given the freedom of choice to do good or evil. This freewill gives him independence of intention, choice and action in various situations of moral conflict. Man is the only creature in this universe who has been given choice and discretion which accompany him through his life span. (The Qur’an, 15:36)
Man has also been granted potentialities to acquire knowledge of how everything else in the universe functions as well as the knowledge required for his felicity. (al-Qur’an, 2:33). This knowledge along with the faculty of reason and intellect, are man’s primary guide that distinguishes him from other animals and help him recognize the path of his ultimate felicity.
Man’s hopes are often related to various comforts and joys of physical and worldly kind while Islam does not deprive him of these. Islam, however, redirects him from false and transitory joys and values to real values and everlasting joys. The Holy Qur’an says:
“This life of the world is just a pastime and a game. And, indeed, the home of the Hereafter is the real life, if they know.” (29:64)
Since the topic of human nature and personality development is the central issue in the sufi thought, it would be unfair to avoid mentioning their views in this regard. According to the Sufi theory, man is the microcosm and a copy made in the image of God. Since man cannot know what is not in him, he could not know God and all the mysteries of the universe unless he founds them in himself. So God-consciousness and self-consciousness are interdependent and a true knowledge of one’s own self necessarily leads to the knowledge of God. According to Ibn Arabi, God’s breathing of His spirit into man, as described by the Holy Qur’an, (15:28-29) is of immense metaphysical significance. He believes that man is the perfect manifestation of divine attributes and names. (Nasr, Sayyed Hossain. (1988). Three Muslim Sages. Lahore: Sohail Academy.) He also refers to the saying of the Prophet (PBUH): “God created Adam in His form.” This conception of human nature reveals that man is inherited with unlimited capacity of development and perfection.
After mentioning the position of human nature in its basic and the pure form, it is necessary to point out how man’s nature gets corrupted.
The Unrefined Human Nature
Although man has been created with a natural tendency towards the righteousness, he (excluding the prophets) cannot be free from all sins and mistakes since his declared enemy, Satan, tries to divert his attention by all possible ways and means. He always encourages man to satisfy his urges and desires in an uncontrolled way, like animals, and to become submissive and a slave to these urges. Therefore, the human instinctive tendencies, unless refined and trained, could easily overwhelm any humanely cultivated qualities conducive to spiritual enhancement. This is because the uncontrolled and unrefined urges within him would weaken and subjugate the forces of reason and conscience.
Describing some aspects of the unrefined human nature, the Holy Qur’an says:
“Surely man was created anxious, fretful when evil visits him, and grudging when (some thing) good visits him, except the worshippers.” (70:19-21)
In another surah it says:
“As for man, whenever his Lord tries him by honouring and blessing him, he says: ‘My Lord has honoured me.’ But whenever he tries him by straitening his provision, he says: ‘My Lord has humiliated me.’ (89:15-16)
The Qur’an explains another weakness in human nature which impedes self development, is the weakness of will. While narrating the story of Adam, Allah informs:
And, indeed, long ago We made Our covenant with Adam; but he forgot and We found no firmness of purpose in him. ( 20:115]
God tells us in the Qur’an that the most honorable trust, that of knowledge of Allah the all Mighty, was offered to the heavens, the earth and the mountains but they refused it, recognizing that they could not take up such a weighty truth (33:72). Mankind, however, took it on, but since weakness and forgetfulness are part of the spectrum of human being, he sees himself at all times and forgets his source. This weakness which Allah has placed within human being is to make him remember Him who is Strong (al-Qawi).
Today it has been established, scientifically as well as philosophically that there does not exist an evil human being; there exist only sick human being. This is extremely a significant discovery in the history of humankind which has already been introduced by Islam. According to this theory, bad manners like injustice, stinginess, cunning, jealousy, greed, ingratitude and so on are considered as spiritual illness and should be treated exactly like any other disease. The Holy Qur’an considers the hypocrites as sick persons saying:
There is a sickness in their hearts. (2:10)
This Qur’anic theory requires people not to consider any one as evil person or show any hostility or resentment towards them. Instead, they should look upon them as sick human beings who deserve their sympathy.
The Components of Human Nature
While speaking about the nature of man, Qur’an uses words like nafs, ruh, Qalb etc. Spirit is transcendent and the center of man’s being. Whereas soul (nafs), in its downward or corporeal tendency, is attached to the body and in its upward or spiritual tendency, is attached to the spirit (al-ruh).
In order to understand the Islamic concept of human psyche and nature, one must understand these terms and their relationship to each other. These basic terms are explained here.
Nafs and its levels :
Nafs (pl. Anfus or Nufus) lexically means soul, the psyche, the ego, self, life, person, heart or mind. Tajul Uroos writes that this word is used normally to denote the total personality of a person. It also means knowledge and intellect. (Taj: Ibn-i-Faris). It is used for a person as well. It is further used to express greatness, superiority, courage, resolution, and punishment. (Taj and Lisanul Arab).
The term Nafs has different uses in the Holy Qur’an as well, and in most cases, it means the human being in reality, his self and his person. (see 3: 61; 12:54) It also means the human soul (see 6:93; 50:16 etc.)
The nafs is a basic element in the cosmology of existence. Al-Ghazali mentions the two dimensions of al-nafs: the upward dimension and the downward dimension. The upward dimension is the uppermost limit of psyche which connects it the spirit, whereas the downward dimension is represented by the sensory faculties which connect it to the body.
According to the Sufi understanding, nafs is the source the negative power of anger and sexual appetite in a human being which blinds his intellect. Sufis take "nafs" as the comprehensive word for all the evil attributes of a person. That is why they emphasize on doing battle with it and to break and inactivate it as it is referred to in the Hadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH):
“Your worst enemy is your nafs which lies between your sides.”
The nafs needs to be nourished and developed in the Divine guidance. The nafs starts its career in an undeveloped form but equipped with immense potentialities of corruption as well as the development and getting closer to the Most Perfect Self, Allah (SWT), Whose attributes serve as an objective standard for the human self.
Although some scholars have classified the Nafs up to 7 stages, the Qur’an has described 3 main types of nafs which are:
Nafs ammarah bi al-su’, (the self urging evil)
This nafs surrenders itself to lusts and allows itself to be seduced by the devil. This is the raw self of an untrained person. Al-Nafs al-Ammarah has Shaytan as its ally who falsely promises him great rewards and gains and always invites him and attracts the soul to do evil. He presents falsehood to him in a form that he accepts and admires it.
By its very nature, Al-Nafs al-Ammarah directs its owner towards every wrong action. Allah says:
“Surely the human self urges evil.” (12:53)
Al-Nafs al-Ammara paralyzes the cognitive process of human being. Describing this fatal effect of Al-Nafs al-Ammarah, the Holy Qur’an says:
“They have hearts wherewith they do not understand; have eyes wherewith they do not see; have ears wherewith they do not hear. These are like cattle – no, but they are worse! These are the neglectful.” (7-179)
Al-Ghazali has mentioned the following negative tendencies of this nafs naming tem with ‘spiritual diseases’:
1- Nifaq (hypocrisy)
2- Pride and arrogance
3- Hawa or desire
4- Self-beholding
5- Greediness
6- Negligence
7- Restlessness
8- Ri’a
These are the most harmful tendencies of al-nafs and greatest barriers to the growth of man. When these dominate the self, man loses his insight and his total energies are diverted towards unnecessary activities. As a result, he starts believing deception as truth, fiction as reality and self-glorification as his highest goal in life.
Nafs al-lawwama, (the blaming self)
The second level of nafs is nafs al-lawwama, the blameworthy self which blames its owner for his own shortcomings. At this level, nafs is in a state of constant awareness, self-observation and self-criticism. It recognises his shortcomings, his wrong actions, his disobedience and the neglect of his duties. It is referred to it in Sura Al¬-Qiyamah when Allah says:
"And I do call to witness the Nafs that blames" (75:2).
Nafs al-lawwama is the one which cannot rest in one state. It often changes and alters, remembers and forgets, submits and withdraws, loves and hates, rejoices and becomes sad, accepts and rejects, obeys and rebels. Actually nafs, at this stage, is in the mid of its journey towards its growth and perfection.
Nafs al-mutma’inna, (the Self at Peace)
Nafs al-mutma’inna is the third and the highest stage of nafs. A person when advanced to this stage, he achieves full rest and satisfaction while his personality gets equipped with the qualities of quietness, mildness, tolerance, forgiveness, and understanding of all beings. This stage of nafs ultimately leads to resolution of one’s inner conflicts and attainment of harmony with God. His personality is now dyed with His universal Colour while his behavior reflects the Absolute being and the Ultimate Reality. (Haq, Manzurul. (1984). Concept of personality development in the light of Islamic thoughts. The Bangladesh journal of Psychology, 7, 118-128.) (An abridged quotation)
This is the soul to whom it is said at the time of death:
“O soul at peace, return to your Lord, well pleased and well-pleasing. Enter with My servants, enter into My Garden.” (89:27-30)
Al-Qatadah says abut this stage of nafs: "It is the soul of the believer, made calm by what Allah has promised. Its owner is at rest and content with his knowledge of Allah’s Names and Attributes, and with what He has said about Himself and His Messenger (PBUH), and with what He has said about the Hereafter…. So much so that a believer can almost see them with his own eyes. So he submits to the will of Allah and surrenders to Him contentedly, never dissatisfied or complaining, and with his faith never wavering. He does not rejoice at his gains, nor do his sufferings make him despair." (Al-Tabari: Jami’ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, vol. 13, Bulaq 1323)
Ruh
Muslim theologians are divided on the issue that whether the terms “nafs” and “ruh” signify one and the same thing or are they two different entities and whether they are interchangeable?” (Ibn Al-Ālusi’s Jala’ al-‘Aynayn, pp. 142-143) Although these terms may be used interchangeably in relation to their essence, each one has clearly separate and restricted applications in certain contexts.
While the ruh spans the entire spectrum of existence - the seen as well as the unseen - the nafs is restricted to only that which may be experienced in the creational world. We may speak of the nafs as being greedy or unjust in some situations only because the light of the ruh highlights these qualities within the nafs. Indeed the nafs only exists because of the ruh which energizes it.
Ruh or spirit is the core of man’s being, yet it remains hidden. During human life on earth, the spirit and the body are united but then there is a temporary separation during death with the final union to take place in the life thereafter.
According to Muslim scholars, Ruh is the reflection of the Divine presence in man. The Holy Qur’an declares that Allah (SWT) has blown His spirit into human body:
“When I have made him and have breathed into him of My spirit, (I ordered the angles to) bow down, prostrating yourself before him. (15:29 also see 38:72 and 32:8)
The status of being the recipient of Divine spirit elevated man from his humble origin, enabled him to overcome the baser part of his nature, and made him worthy of being the vicegerent of God.
Since human body is from the earth while the spirit is from the heaven and Divine, it always longs to be united with Whom it was separated from. It is stated in Qur’an “to God we belong, to Him is our return.”
Rumi says in his book, Masnavi that the reason why a child cries the first moment after it is born on earth is because it realizes its exile from the higher place. It is unhappy because it seems captive in this worldly body. Explaining the idea of the captivity of the spirit, Rumi narrates a Qur’anic story. It says that God made a statue of Adam and asked the Ruh to enter into the body but it refused saying, ‘Lord, I do not want to be imprisoned in this physical body’. Then God told the angels to sing and dance, and on hearing their song and with the rhythm of the dance the soul went into delight, and in that condition it entered the body. Rumi says that the reason why every soul is longing to attain something is that it is in exile and a captive in this physical body.
Due to the captivity of the spirit and limitation of his physical body, man’s vision remains small and narrow. Man’s innermost being can not be satisfied except for a short time by outside factors. There always comes a time when every one finds that nothing pleases him even if he possesses all what he wants. His lack of freedom causes a continual longing for spiritual achievements. And when man reaches the stage of spiritual attainment and gets closer to its origin, he gets inner satisfaction, he develops the outlook of God and his manners become the manners of God.
Qalb
The qalb (heart) is an immaterial and formless spiritual entity or basic subtle element which has got connection with the material heart. The qalb has the capacities to acquire comprehensive intuition, to retain real knowledge, the gnosis (ma’rifa) of God and the Divine mysteries, (‘ilm al-batin) and to gain far greater insight than that of human intellect. The Qur’an considers al-Qalb as the seat of wisdom and intellect. It says:
“Do they not travel trough the land, so that their hearts may learn wisdom and their ears may learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes, rather it is their hearts which are in their chests are blind.” (22:46)
The qalb is nourished by dhikr (remembrance of God). Its health also depends on its purity and freedom. It is the organ of a perception which is both an experience and a taste (dhawq). Al-qalb is also the master of human body which controls its organic and physical functions. All external behavioral acts of man are actually the reflection of states and conditions of al-qalb.
According to a Hadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) the heart is owned mutually by an angel and a shaytan:
"There are two impulses in the soul, one from an angel which calls towards good and confirms truth; whoever finds this let him know it is from God and praise Him. Another impulse comes from the enemy which leads to doubt and denies truth and forbids good; whoever finds this, let him seek refuge in God from the accursed devil." Then he recited the verse: "The devil shows you fear of poverty and enjoins evil upon you" (2:268) (Sahih Tirmidhi)
The mutual resistance of the angels and the devils remains constant in the battle over the qalb, until it is conquered by one of the two.
The same position of al-qalb and its relationship with al-ruh and al-nafs has been interestingly explained by Maulana Thanwi:
“The spirit (al-ruh) and the soul (al-nafs) engage in the battle for the possession of their common son, the heart (al-qalb). This is a symbolical way of expressing the nature of the spirit, which is masculine and the nature of soul, which is feminine.” (Thanvi, Ashraf Ali, al-sihhat hukm al-waswasah, (Deoband 1365 A.H.), 225)
According to another writer, if the spirit wins the battle, the heart will be transformed into spirit and, at the same time, transmutes its soul, engulfing her with spiritual light. Then the heart reveals itself; it becomes the lamp (mishkat) of Divine Mystery (sirr) in man. (T. Burckhardt, An introduction to Sufi Doctrine, trans. D. M. Matheson (Lahore: M. Ashraf, 1983) 27.)
The Healthy Heart
It is a heart purified from any passion that challenges Allah’s commands and safeguarded against the worship of anything other than Him. It seeks the judgement of no one other than him and His Messenger. Its services are exclusively reserved for Allah, willingly and lovingly, with total reliance, relating all matters to Him, in fear, hope and sincere dedication. When it loves, its love is for the sake of Allah. If it hates, its hate is for the sake of Allah. When it gives, it gives for Allah. If it withholds, it withholds for Allah (SWT). The Holy Qur’an uses adjectives such as ‘healthy’, ‘wholesome’ ‘contented’ and so on to describe this kind of heart.
Allah (SWT) has declared that on the Day of Resurrection, only those would be saved who come with a healthy heart:
"The day on which neither wealth nor sons will be of any use, except for whoever brings to Allah a sound heart. (26:88-89)"
According to an authentic saying of the Holy Prophet (PBUH):
“Inside the human body there is a piece of flesh which, if it is healthy, the whole body is healthy and if it becomes unhealthy, the whole body gets unhealthy. That is al-qalb.” (Sahih Bukhari)
The heart can not be healthy i.e. successful, righteous, contented, pleased, assured except by the worship of Allah, love of Him and repentance to Him as it has an inherent need for its Lord. According to the Holy Qur’an, the heart will remain restless until it rests in God:
“For sure it is in the remembrance of God that the heart finds rest,” (13:28)
The Dead Heart
The dead or sealed heart is that which is veiled from higher inspiration for example the hearts of the hypocrites. There is little or nothing one can do to heal such hearts. This is the opposite of the healthy heart. It does not know its Lord and does not worship Him. It clings instead to its lusts and desires, even if these are likely to incur Allah’s displeasure and anger. It worships things other than Allah, and its loves and its hatreds, its giving and its withholding, arise from its whims, which are of paramount importance to it.
The Sick Heart
A large number of Qur’anic verses describe the ‘sick’ heart. The sick hearts are those that find whatever they do, attractive to them. These hearts dislike what turns them away from the course they are on. They are wrapped up in fantasies, they are contemptuous, and they follow routines and old patterns, doing ‘what their forefathers practiced’. The sick heart is also proud and hardened. It lacks real understanding because it is engulfed in desire.
This is a heart with life as well as illness in it. It has love for Allah, faith in Him, sincerity towards Him, and reliance upon Him. These are the qualities that give it life. It also has longing for lust and pleasure; it prefers them and strives to experience them. It is full of self-admiration, which can lead to its own destruction. It listens to two callers: one calling it to Allah and His Prophet; and the other calling it to the momentary pleasures. It responds to whichever one of the two happens to have most influence over it at the time.
A Hadith of the Holy Prophet explain the process of heart getting sickness. It is as follows:
“When a believer commits a sin, a dark spot appears on his heart. If he repents and seeks forgiveness (of Allah), his heart becomes spotless again. But if he persists in sin, the dark spot increases. This is the spot that has been mentioned in the Qur’an: “But on their hearts is the stain of (the ill) which they do.” (83:14) (Ibn Majah)
Other Ahadith mention that if the sinner does not repent, and instead keeps on committing sins, the stain on his heart increases and gets more darkened until it overwhelms the whole heart. Ultimately, the heart of sinner is sealed and he becomes spiritually dead.
For the purpose of simplification, nafs can be thought of as the outer man, ruh as the inner man, and qalb, the composite faculties of reasoning and decision-making, and a bridge between the two.
Conclusion
Man, being the vicegerent of God on earth and the theater wherein the Divine qualities are reflected, can reach felicity only by remaining faithful to his nature or by being truly himself. And this in turn implies that he must become integrated. Man is composed of body, mind, nafs and spirit, and each needs to be integrated on its own level. The integration of man, according to Syyed Hossain Nasr, (Sufi Essays, 51) means the realization of the One and the transmutation of the many in the light of the One. Integration and unity of man himself as well as of the whole humanity has always been the highest goal of Islam. It is also an essential part of basic Islamic belief of Tawhid. The same concept has been highlighted by a sufi poet as:
“See but One, say but One, know but One,
In this, the roots and branches of faith are summed up.”



(source : http://www.hssrd.org/journal/fallsu...)

Belief in hereafter

Belief in al-akhirah and its impacts on muslim’s life


Akhirah means life after death. Belief in Akhirah has a profound impact on the life of a believer. We are all accountable to Allah on the Day of Judgement, when we will be judged according to how we lived our lives. A person who obeys and worships Allah will be rewarded with a place of happiness in Paradise; the person who does not will be sent to Hell, a place of punishment and suffering.

Allah knows our every thought and innermost intention; angels are recording all our actions. If we always keeps in mind that we will be judged by our actions, we will try to make sure that we act according to the Will of Allah. Many of today's problems would disappear if we had this awareness and acted accordingly.

Belief in akhirah generates strong determination towards Allah in all circumstances of one's life. He only depends on Allah for everything. He absolutely believes that the Will of Allah cannot be stopped when He says be and it is. He not only emphasizes on the hereafter requirements but also pays full attention to worldly life. This is because he knows reward and sin will be rewarded based on his actions in this world as a bridge to hereafter. Therefore our action must follow all of the regulations which has been stated by the almighty God (Allah s.w.t).

Thus we become as a pious Muslim by performing all the commandments of Allah and refraining the forbidden deeds which shows the taqwa in the sight of Allah. We will consider and play our role as khalifah of Allah in the spirit of amanah by performing the trust in the best manner in order to obtain the pleasure of Allah in this world as well as hereafter.

In conclusion, belief in hereafter makes someone puts the fundamental concept of Tawheed - beleif in reward and punishment or paradise and hell- as a measurement or controller in making decision or doing something of his actions.

Pondering on the Signs of God

Pondering on the Signs of God

By Harun Yahya

In the Qur’an, it is stated that the unbeliever is one who neither recognizes nor appreciates the signs of God. The distinguishing mark of a believer is his ability to see those signs and proofs. He knows that these are not created in vain, and can realize the power and great art of God everywhere and find ways to revere Him. He is one of those men of sense, who  celebrate the praises of God, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (and say): ‘Our Lord! not for naught have You created (all) this! Glory be to You! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire.’(Surat Aal `Imran 3:191)**
At various points in the Qur’an, expressions like, “will you not take heed?”, “...there is a sign for thinking men,” lay stress on the importance of pondering upon the signs of God. God has created an endless list of subjects for reflection. Everything we see and sense in the heavens and on the earth and in between is indeed a manifestation of God’s creativity and, as such should be food for thought. One of the verses gives the example of these divine blessing of God:
With it He produces for you corn, olives, date palms, grapes and every kind of fruit: verily, in this is a sign for those who give thought. (Surat An-Nahl 16:11)
Let us think for a moment of one of the above mentioned items: the date palm. The tree, as is well known, grows up from a seed out of the earth. From this tiny seed (a seed is not even 1 cubic centimeter in size), arises an enormous wooden mass of 4-5 meters long and hundreds of kilograms in weight. The only thing that the seed can use while constituting this great mass is the earth in which it is buried.
Look around you… How many wonderful signs of God can you see?
For more on the vast diversity of God’s creation see
A Beautiful World

How can a seed know how to form a tree? How can it “reason” to decompose the necessary substances in the soil to create wood? How can it predict the required shape and structure? This last question is especially important, because it is not an ordinary wooden piece that emerges from the seed. It is a complex living organism with roots for assimilating substances from the earth, with veins and with branches that are perfectly organized. A human being has difficulty in drawing even a picture of a tree, while on the contrary a simple seed can produce such an extremely complex object by merely using the substances in the soil.
This observation concludes that a seed is extremely intelligent and wise, even more so than we are. Or to be more precise, there is an amazing intelligence in what a seed does. But what is the source of that intelligence? How can it be possible for a seed to have such intelligence and memory?
No doubt, this question has a single answer: the seed is created by being endowed with the ability to form a tree, that is, it is programmed so in advance. Every seed on earth is encompassed by God and grows within His knowledge. In one of the verses it is stated:
With Him are the keys of the unseen, the treasures that none knows but He. He knows whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is (inscribed) in a record clear. (Surat Al-An’am 6:59)
It is God who creates the seed and causes it to spring forth as a new plant. In another verse it is said:
It is God Who causes the seed-grain and the date-stone to split and sprout. He causes the living to issue from the dead, and He is the one to cause the dead to issue from the living. That is God: then how are you deluded away from the truth? (Surat Al-An’am 6:95)
The seed is merely one of the numerous signs that God has created in the universe. If men begin to think not only with their minds but also with their hearts, and ask of themselves, the questions “why” and “how”, they will be able to understand that entire universe is the proof of the existence and power of God.
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* Taken with permission from www.harunyahya.com
** The translation of the Qur’an used in this article is Yusuf Ali’s translation

MODERN CHALLENGES

MODERN CHALLENGES


Contents
The Challenges Nowadays

Steps to Re-Inventing Islamic civilization

Steps in the Creation of an Authentic Islamic Science
Challenges Nowadays


Obstacles or challenges which prevent Muslims in developing the Islamic Civilization and some aspects that prevent westerners adopting Islam :

1. Globalization
2. Western arrogance / attitude
3. The spirit of the crusades
4. Negative Image of Islam / fear of Islam
5. Muslim weakness
6. Attitude of Muslims toward other civilizations
7. Interference in Islamic Teachings
8. Western media


1. Globalization
It is not the one that encourages unity of all civilizations by the name of friendship, love and mutual trust.

Instead, it contains decisions that have been made by the western people without containing a single Islamic element (value) and being brought up for Muslims to follow

MORAL AND CULTURAL

The amount of information, news, values, manners, and worldview of the western countries which are characterized by materialism, secularism etc. flow into Muslim society without any permission through the internet, TV station, news broadcasting, travel etc.


This will create a religious, moral, and cultural monopoly, where non-western nations will share the same worldview, lifestyle, and culture with the west.

Its result is Westernization of Muslim life, brainwash of Muslims generation


POLITICAL AND MILITARY

Globalization is seemed to have become an instrument of political superiority and military domination and colonization.

Any country and society that close the door before globalization (western interest) will be forced to open the doors especially that the world now is unipolar and monopolized by the superpower.


There is many bad implication of globalization:

- Increase the domination and monopoly of the rich
- Create disunity and discrimination.
- Destroying local industry ,
- Internationalized crime of all kinds, etc


2. Western Arrogance / attitude
Looking to themselves with superiority and to others with disgust because the westerners inherited Roman civilization which divided them into 2 groups :
1st masters (western)
2nd barbers and slaves (immigrant, etc)


Racial discrimination according to colour, race etc - it was dispensable factor in building at western civilization.

The white race was superior one which deserved sovereignty and domination over others.


3. The Spirit of Crusades

Christian consider fighting with Muslim is crusades.
Crusade I : 1099 – Muslim lost Jerusalem
Crusade II : 1187 – Salahuddin al-Ayyubi recaptured Jerusalem
Crusade III : 1291 – fought with King Richard the Lion Heart
Crusade IV : 2001 – Bush declared war on “Islamic terrorist”

Christian always find the way to destroy and emasculate muslims in every aspect of life (colonization, missionary, orientalisation)


4. Negative Image of Islam / fear of Islam
Misconception about war in Islam – colonization / terrorism.

Muslim fight only for the sake of Allah / syahid

That’s why Christian fear with Islam because Islam fight just for one path – jihad.

Islam as a threat to western – because of the comprehensiveness and tawhidic (rabbani) religion.

Labeled Islam / Muslim as a “ Terrorist”


5. Muslim weakness
Muslims are not unite among them / conflicts.

So, Christian take this advantage to put down Islam in the world.

The West have been able to control the world through application of latest technology and modern science.

Conquest Islamic countries (British, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutchman, etc. )


6. Attitude of Muslims toward other civilizations
The Islamic civilization is labeled as having most bloody borders and most likely to lose in any confrontations with other civilizations.

Muslim often do not accept the challenges seriously and lack od preparation.

Many civilizations have no problem with Islam but the force from the west change that situation.


7. Interference in Islamic Teachings.
Westerners force Islam (Muslim) to follow their rules / values according to Secularism and logical positivistic.

Attack Islam for its attitude toward women ( - : woman liberation)

Interfere in Human Rights & freedom, all aspects including religious life.


8. Western Media

Condemn Islam and muslims.

Bias reporting.

Based on Secularism in broadcasting


Steps to Re-Inventing Islamic civilization

1. Unity (Tawhid)

(a) Removal of dualism in educational system.

Separates between religious studies and modern sciences (based on secularism)

The system that produces either religious scholars (with no science) or scientists ( with no religious knowledge)

This system should be replaced by adopting fard ayn and fard kifayah approach towards knowledge.

(b) Removal of dualism in the approach of life

There are people who reject the world affairs and concentrate only in Hereafter.

While others – otherwise (emphasized on worldly life only)
Should be balance

(c) Removal of internal conflicts

One of the main reasons for our downfall is the division among the Muslims.

They were not united – because of religious sects and belief such as mazhabs, political or economic ideologies, parties, etc .

They need to re-unite to become stronger.

2. Rationalism

(a) Muslim must be willing to reject old practices, ideas and opinions which do not have sound and solid arguments.

Blind imitations (taqlid) should be checked and stopped if necessary – khurafat , etc.

(b) Muslims must be willing to explore new ideas, approaches within the framework of shariah and should not be rigid.

3. Reawakening the spirit to improve oneself

Allah will not change the ummah / the state unless every individual exert his effort to improve himself.

Regain the glorious civilization that they used to achieve.

Strengthen the Ummah physically and spiritually..



Steps in the Creations of an Authentic Islamic Science

1. Stop the worship like attitude towards modern science and technology which is prevalent today in much of the Islamic world.

Long rejected (scientism) by many of physicists and philosophers of science in the west itself.

Should base on independent Islamic world view whose roots are sunk in Allah revelation.

Only by basing oneself on the authentic Islamic perspective can the inferiority complex so widespread among the Muslim intelligentsia today be overcome and the ground readied for creative scientific activity related to the Islamic world view

2. Must in-depth study the traditional Islamic sources, philosophy, theology, cosmology and the like to formulate the Islamic World view.

This necessary task must be carried out within the frame work of the Islamic intellectual tradition itself.

Only the revival of the traditional Islamic world view can provide on authentic alternative to the current western world view which itself is now undergoing profound transformations.

Islamic science must be seen and studied from the Islamic point of view.

There must be a proper Islamic philosophy of science.

with its own methodologies, definitions and purpose while integrating all non-Muslim scholarship on this subject.

3. A larger member of Muslim students should allowed to study on the highest level the modern sciences especially the basic sciences (pure science).

Must confront any other school or mod of thought which lays claim to the knowledge of reality.

Muslims who are scientists but not functioning at the boundary of their science, they can at least point out the theoretical limitations of their science, the danger of scientism, the divorce of modern science from ethics and necessity for Muslims to emphasize the significance of ethics as much as possible.

Islamic thinkers, must help open up a place in the current Islamic mental space for the study of other possibilities of studying nature.

To revive the traditional Islamic Sciences whenever and wherever possible.
Especially in such field as medicine, pharmacology, agriculture etc.

Such an act would not only give greater confident to Muslims in their own culture, but also have immense social and economic consequences.

5. To re-wed science and ethics.
Not through the person of scientists, but through the very theoretical structures and philosophical foundations of science.

What is needed is a knowledge of the cosmos which is congruous and shares the same universe of meaning with ethical norms, which are drawn in all civilizations from the religions which have founded them

End
Wassalam