Islamization of Knowledge – Uncut Version
admin on 05 23, 2009
I wrote this for AMP Karyawan Magazine. This is the unedited version of it, which of course is too wordy and will be a victom of a massive cut down. Just sharing..
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What is “Islamic”? How do we consider something to be “Islamic”? How can we “Islamize” certain aspects of our life? Is it by comparison with a glorious “Islamic” past that is to be treated as a sort of a standard? Or is “Islamization” performed by assimilating some components or aspects found in the religion of Islam, for instance, some rituals, laws or values? Is there an “Islamic” science or an act of “Islamizing” science? How about “Islamizing” schools?
These are some of the questions that we grapple with when we talk about a big word known as “Islamization”; a term that is widely discussed within academia circles especially in the Malay world. It is a term that has a huge bearing in the shaping of national education systems and institutions, yet at the same time a term that is easily misunderstood as an anti-West discourse or as a regressive revolutionary idea.
There are primarily two schools of thought associated with the notion of Islamization; the first spearheaded by the late scholar of Islam, Ismail Faruqi and his IIIT (International Institute of Islamic Thought), and one initiated by Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas using ISTAC (International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization)as his propagation centre. To some, the former is a plagiarised, superficial version of the latter, whereas to others the former is but a marketing tool or platform necessary to popularize the latter, and as such performs a complementary role in reinforcing the latter. However, both versions agree that the term “Islamization” is originally Al-Attas to claim, and as such this article will focus on Al-Attas’ idea of Islamization.
At the very heart of this concept of Islamization is the concept of an Islamic metaphysical worldview. As an analogy, a worldview is a spectacle or window through which one sees the world. And as such, one’s outlook and perception of life is very much dependant on the worldview through which one lives his or her life through, and this perception is dynamically shaped by one’s education and environment. A worldview gives meaning and purpose in our actions; it gives the answers to questions dealing with why and how we exist. It defines what ethical or moral values that we should partake in, and what type of behaviour or actions we should consider as right or wrong. Relating back to Islamization, the Islamic metaphysical worldview is found in our aqidah (theology and cosmology), tasawwuf (psychology) and syariah (jurisprudence) derived from the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
Because a worldview determines how one sees the world, information is interpreted in the light of one’s worldview too. Hence, value is attached to knowledge that one receives, because the information is processed by the knowledge-giver first before it is passed down to the knowledge-recipient. This so-called knowledge, together with the value attached to it, is then assimilated into one’s mental framework and worldview.
Due to the impact of worldviews (in particular the secular worldview) and of the values attached to knowledge that would impact one’s perspective of life, Al-Attas views the fundamental crisis of the modern-day Ummah to be epistemological in nature brought about by the contents of their education, as opposed to it being political or economic in nature. With this, Al-Attas can be regarded as the modern day Al-Ghazali, who also similarly argues about the epistemological challenge faced by the medieval Muslims with the onslaught of Greek philosophy. The difference is that this time around, the Muslims are faced with the challenge of Secularism, which he defines as the modern day manifestation of Greek philosophy.
He identifies the “confusion of knowledge” brought about by Modernist interpretation of Islam as the centre of this problem, leading to a “loss of adab” and subsequently the “rise of false leaders” who would consciously or unconsciously propagate the ongoing “confusion of knowledge” and vehemently defend this vicious cycle using their power.
What Al-Attas mean by adab is related again to the concept of worldviews, because a worldview arranges information and knowledge into ‘places’ in the mind. As such, adab according to Al-Attas is the recognition and acknowledgement of the right and proper places of things, the acquisition of good qualities and attributes as well as actions to discipline the mind and the soul, and the performance of correct and proper action as opposed to erroneous and improper ones. Adab therefore implies the knowledge and right methods of knowing which should preserve man from errors of judgement and disgrace, and by which the condition of being in the right and proper place is actualized. The proper knowledge which produces these requisite actions is wisdom (hikmah), resulting in justice (‘adl) in the individual self as well as in the state, society and natural environment.
In a nutshell, Al-Attas asserts that everything has a place that is relative to one another; which is why eagles do not fly at the level of the sparrows and why grasshoppers and eagles have their own specific role to play. Grasshoppers cannot play the role of eagles and vice-versa, hence the ignorant is not at the same level as the learned, and the words of God is not the same as the words of man. This act of knowing and the discipline in constantly putting things in their proper places is called adab. The condition brought about by the loss of adab; by playing improper roles or being ignorant of one’s proper place is defined as an injustice (zulm). As such, Al-Attas calls for the reformation of the educational philosophy and institutes of the Muslims based on the metaphysical worldview of Islam. In line with the reformation of the philosophy of education, Al-Attas also calls for sincerity in the pursuit of knowledge as well as the recognition of the proper authorities of knowledge. In the same light, Al-Attas argues against the levelling down of the classical scholars to the same same level as that of the modern day scholars. He believes that the traditional scholars are closer to the truth and hence regards the tafsir as a more reliable science as opposed to a modern hermeneutic approach to the Qur’an.
Another salient feature of the Al-Attas concept of Islamization is his careful analysis and usage of language, because language is an exposition of one’s worldview. In other words, language being the vehicle or medium which expresses the meaning of things is ultimately tied to the worldview from which it is developed from. Hence, Al-Attas calls for the careful definition of terms, and as such defines specific terms using Qur’anic terminology as understood by the classical scholars. Science according to the Islamic worldview is not the same as that which is understood by the Secular West. The same way goes for other terms like justice which is somewhat equated to equality in the West but is not understood the same way from an Islamic perspective. The Muslim world’s understanding of democracy is different from the West, because the concept of syura does not treat the learned’s vote and opinion the same way as that coming from a fool. Thus Al-Attas seeks a redefinition and reconceptualization of terms coming out of other worldviews in the Muslim’s attitude towards learning knowledge from other worldviews, as well as the correct and accurate usage of terms in expressing the meaning of things. In addition Al-Attas states that the Islamization process begins with the Islamization of languages where Qur’anic terms, which reflect the metaphysical worldview of Islam, is incorporated into languages. According to Al-Attas, this was how Islam was brought into the Malay world; by incorporating Qur’anic terms into the Malay language to bring about the Islamic metaphysical worldview in their mental framework. This is why we have approximately 100,000 Arabic terms that relate to the Islamic worldview in the Malay language.
Interestingly, Al-Attas idea of an Islamic science is often misunderstood as a fundamentalist, anti-West approach towards science. Bringing in religious elements into the scientific method seem to bring back those old memories of the oppression of science by the Church, whereby scientific endeavour is claimed to be forcefully submitted to religious dogma. Al-Attas responds to this by stating that such experiences are only unique to the West; there are no instances in the history of Islam whereby scientific endeavour is treated the same way. Al-Attas extends his argument by stating that modern science is not objective and neutral either; it is laden with the values defined by a secularist worldview that is reactionary towards the oppression of the Church. This dualism between science and religion only exists in the West due to its secularization experiences; it has no roots in Islam. In fact, Al-Attas argues that there exists a unity and harmony between science and religion within a Tauhidic framework. In other words, science as understood from the Islamic worldview is but a means to acknowledge the Omnipotence and Magnificence of the One God. Science defined by the Islamic worldview is the pursuit or unveiling of haqiqah or of truth and reality as described in our aqidah and tasawwuf. With this given definition of Islamic Science, the existence of paradise and hellfire is scientific because they are both true and real, though confined to the spiritual dimension.
However, Islamic Science is not to be understood as ridiculous empirical attempts to find out the temperature of hellfire or the speed of angels. Rather, these preposterous experiments are products of confusion, because the confused scientist reduces everything including the alam ghayb to be empirical or measurable, trapped in a Kantian framework of secular science that denies the existence of a world other than one which is empirical. On the contrary, according to the Islamic worldview, there exists a distinction between the alam syahadah or the empirical world and the alam ghayb which is confined to the spiritual dimension and therefore is not measurable. As such, Al-Attas idea of an Islamic science conforms to that which is understood by the classical scholars; an empirical study of the alam syahadah such that it would bring the scientist closer to the ultimate realization of Allah’s Existence, Names and Attributes. This would mean that science is never separated from its ultimate spiritual goal; which is why Al-Attas criticizes modern science as an obsession with the road signs, while forgetting the end destination.
Contrary to some claims that the concept of Islamization is anti-West, it is helpful to recall that Al-Attas calls for the recognition of the proper authorities of knowledge. This means that since the West are at the forefront of science and technology and hence the current authorities in that field, Muslims are urged to learn from the West. The only catch is that the Muslim should possess the metaphysical worldview necessary to filter out those theories that are not in line with our aqidah and tasawwuf. For instance, the Muslim should display particular sensitivity towards modern psychology which denies the existence of the spirit. This does not mean that modern psychology should be rejected in totality. Rather this would mean that the Muslim should acquire some form of intellectual mechanism that would filter out those theories that are not in line with the Islamic metaphysical worldview and accept those that are within the boundaries of truth. In fact, the pursuit of knowledge does not just stop at the reinterpretation of secular knowledge; the Muslim should also possess the ability to form new theories and solutions that support the Islamic metaphysical worldview. And lastly, the Muslim should realize that the ultimate purpose for knowledge is spiritual and immaterial in nature, not one that is done for employability sake only.
Conclusively, Islamization is done at a deep philosophical and epistemological level. It is preposterous to consider Islamization as a physical, superficial process, performed by incorporating certain Islamic features to make it appear Islamic; Islamization deals with the mind and the heart’s attitude towards knowledge, truth and reality. Islamization starts from within, by disciplining the heart, mind and soul with the correct philosophy, values and actions, and with the careful usage and treatment of language. Islamization deals with the unity of knowledge; all knowledge should always relate to its metaphysical foundation and to its ultimate spiritual goal. Hence there exists no dualism, no dichotomy, between religion and science.
Food for thought- With the given definition of “Islamic” and “Islamization”, are our madrasahs, while incorporating Islamic rules, regulations and rituals, but at the same time trapped in the secular dualism and dichotomy of “duniawi” sciences and “ukhrawi” sciences, be considered as a truly Islamic-learning environment? Some types of food, or rather, cold hard truths are rather difficult to digest, I think.
Hasanul Arifin is the current Vice-President of the NUS Muslim Society. His views are personal and not representative of any group or organization.
References:
The Prolegomena to the Metaphysics of Islam by Syed Naquib Al-Attas
The Educational Philosophy and Practice of Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas by Wan Mohd Nor
Islamic Science: Towards a definition by Alpsarlan Acikgenc
