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Islamic Concept of Knowledge
Tahir-ul-Qadri, Dr. Muhammad
Tahir-ul-Qadri, Dr. Muhammad
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Abstract
"Thi s paper r eflects on hi s wider and broader vi sion on the concept of knowledge. It el abor ates in the li ght of the Qur ’anic Sur ah a l-Ala q what is knowledge, its elements and i ts si x aspects that are contained in the fir st fi ve ver ses of the Sur ah. The paper also diff erenti ates knowledge from ignor ance and provides us with a new vision to see and scrutinize the i ssue. Ignor ance does not merely imply l ack of knowledge. A knowledgeable person may al so be i gnor ant because i gnor ance in f act ref ers to f ailure in recognizing the Di vine Truth and percei ving the power and might of the Creator of uni ver se manif est through Hi s creation. And i t i s the creation that forms the canvas of human studies. The subject of human learning is, in thi s way, all -inclusi ve r anging f rom physical and soci al sciences to studies of spiri tual and tr anscendental pursui ts. Isl am does not put any limi ts anywhere on seeking knowledge and consider s the entire uni verse as the syll abi of human learning. What i s condi tional to knowledge i s the Di vine Gnosi s and Nearness to All ah () which emanates and must emanate from all learning. But that is not the only condi tion Isl am stresses upon. The process of gaining knowledge invol ves a phenomenology whi ch by design influences the learner or a di sciple in two ways. Fir stly, he per si stently develops a sense of not knowing anything along with the gr adual increase in learning; the exposure to vastness of knowledge shrinks hi s self -consciousness as learner . So he star ts feeling humble Islami c Concept 16 of Kn owledge and at the same time gr ateful to All ah () for his infini te blessings showered on man. Secondly, he may prove to be a blockhead and f ail s to recognize hi s own exi stence as a tiny and worthl ess spot on the expanse of uni ver se. He starts feeling magnified and also f all s prey to megalomani a. Thi s phenomenon gi ves bir th to Phar aohs and tyr ants. Thi s i s Satanic and anti -human. All r adicalism, extremi sm and terrori sm gener ates from i t. This is ignor ance and cannot be called knowledge because as i ts outcome, knowledge humbles man and turns him into a moder ate, peaceful and loving per son. Feeling humble and lowly, therefore, i s one of the essenti als of learning process. Knowledge is ei ther acquired or gif ted by All ah (). The l atter refer s to the knowledge bestowed upon the Messengers of All ah. The Final Prophet of All ah () is the fountainhead of all knowledge in the uni ver se. The knowledge man has acqui red so f ar has been decl ared by All ah () as li ttle. But the Holy Prophet () is the city of knowledge. Yet he is humble and his life hi story leaves for us a stri king lesson of humility and modesty. We, therefore, can acquire maximum learning from the Prophetic source of knowledge which is hi s life conduct, the Seer ah and the Di vine Revel ation, the Qur ’an. Thi s leads us to understand the various sources of knowledge. Man i s extrocepti ve by design and make, and learns through sensory experience. But he i s introspecti ve at the same time and learns al so through the faculties of intellect and ecstasy. But revel ation is the supreme source which is beyond human perception and intelligibili ty. We can benefi t from thi s source, therefore, only through a strong l ink with the chain of l earning connecting us to the Holy Prophet (). So, the mi ssion of acquiring knowledge cannot be accompli shed wi thout seeking guidance from the Islami c Concept of Knowledge 17 Holy Prophet () may the humanity put all i ts ener gies to push the way through. As for the scope of knowledge, i t is infini te. There is no end to knowledge as there i s no end to All ah’s Lordship and Godship and the Holy Prophet’s Messengership. Knowledge has enveloped the enti re creation. One stri ves according to one’s potenti al and when he strikes the climax he gets amazed and this feeling can be expressed onl y through obser ving silence."(pg 15-17)
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2007
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With permission of the license/copyright holder