Presentation at the 1st International
Islamic Epistemology and Curriculum Development Conference held at the Muslim
University of Morogoro 9-11 August, 2014 by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule Sr MB
ChB (MUK), MPH (Harvard), DrPH (Harvard)
OVERVIEW
·
We have a crisis in education: dichotomy
and motivation to achieve quality
·
Crisis of dichotomy addressed by
curricula emphasizing integration of knowledge (IOK)
·
Motivation to excel is from our
basic beliefs and the philosophy of knowledge and education
·
Addressing challenges of Islamic
Universities: curricula, teachers, books
CRISIS OF KNOWLEDGE, azmat
al marifat
·
Manifestations of the Crisis:
Dichotomy, Quantity & Duality
·
Ummatic Malaise due to the
Knowledge Crises
·
Historical Background of the
knowledge crisis
·
Knowledge, a Pre Requisite for Tajdid
& Islah
·
The Knowledge Strategy:
integration, internationalization, quest for excellence
MANIFESTATIONS OF THE
KNOWLEDGE CRISIS
·
There is pervasive ignorance of uluum al diin and uluum al dunia.
·
There is little respect for
scholarship. Wealth and power are considered more important than scholarship.
·
There is neglect of the empirical
sciences.
·
There is a dichotomy in the
education system: traditional Islamic vs. imported European, ulum al diin vs ulum al dunia. Integration of the 2 systems has failed or has been
difficult because it has been mechanical and not conceptual.
·
The process of secularization in
education has removed the moral dimension from the education and
violated the aim of education to produce an integrated and perfect
individual,
·
The brain drain from Muslim
countries has compounded the educational crisis.
UMMATIC MALAISE DUE TO THE
KNOWLEDGE CRISES
·
Knowledge deficiency and
intellectual weakness are the most significant manifestation of ummat’s decadence.
·
The intellectual crisis is
worsened by consuming and not producing innovative ideas
·
The lizard-hole phenomenon in
which the ummat in later times would follow its enemies unquestionably like the
lizard running into its hole.
·
Among the manifestations of the
ummatic malaise are: action deficiency, economic dependency, dependence in
science and technology etc
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE
KNOWLEDGE CRISIS
·
The generation of the Prophet
(pbuh) was the best generation. The best teacher met the best students and
excellent results were obtained. Companions had excellent knowledge and
understanding.
·
Seeds of the current crisis
appeared towards the end of the khilafat
rashidat. When intellectual stagnation set in: widespread ignorance and
illiteracy became common.
·
Scholar-reformers in each
generation tried to reform society by education
·
Reactions to western education:
full acceptance, rejection, integration
KNOWLEDGE, A PRE REQUISITE FOR
TAJDID
·
Reform and revival of the ummat
will occur through educational and knowledge reform. Tajdid is a recurring phenomenon in the ummat and is a sign of its health and dynamism. It is a basic
characteristic of the ummat that
periods of reform/revival alternate with periods of decay and return to jahiliyyat.
·
Tajdid requires knowledge, ideas and action related by the
following mathematical equation: tajdid
= idea + action. Action without knowledge and guiding ideas will not lead to
true change. Ideas without action are not change at all.
·
Tajdid requires and is preceded by a reform in knowledge to provide
ideas and motivation on which to build. All successful societal reform starts
with change in knowledge. The ideal society cannot be created without a
knowledge base.
·
That knowledge base must be
correct, relevant, and useful. Successful revival movements throughout history
have always been led by scholars.
KNOWLEDGE: STRATEGY,
OBLIGATIONS, AND ETIQUETTE
·
The contemporary tajdid movement has a lot of strengths
but also has basic deficiencies that must be corrected. The knowledge and
intellectual crises are still a barrier.
·
Reform movements unguided by
correct knowledge and understanding will falter and fail or will be deviated
from their paths.
·
Social change requires change in
attitudes, values, convictions and behavior of a critical mass of the
population.
·
Attitudes, values, convictions,
and behaviors are determined by the knowledge base. The vision of the knowledge
strategy is an upright balanced person who understands the creator, knows his
place, his roles, his rights, and his responsibilities in the cosmic order.
·
The mission of the knowledge
strategy is conceptual transformation of the education system from kindergarten
to post graduate studies to reflect positive moral values, objectivity,
universality, and serving the larger causes of humanity.
INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE: CONCEPT and PRACTICE
·
The Concept of Integration:
·
History of Integration
·
Reform of Disciplines:
·
Misunderstanding the Reform
Process
·
Practical Steps / Tasks of The
Reform Process
THE CONCEPT OF ISLAMIZATION:
·
Islamization is a process of
recasting the corpus of human knowledge to conform to the basic tenets of ‘aqidat al tauhid.
·
The process of Islamization does
not call for re-invention of the wheel of knowledge but calls for reform,
correction, and re-orientation.
·
It is evolutionary and not
revolutionary.
·
It is corrective and reformative.
·
It is the first step in the
islamization and reform of the education system as a prelude to islamization
and reform of society.
HISTORY OF INTEGRATION
·
The 2-3rd centuries H
witnessed a failed effort at Islamization of knowledge because knowledge was
transferred with the world view and philosophy of the society that produced it
·
Greek scientific knowledge was transferred to
Muslims together with Greek philosophy and ideas that caused confusions in ‘aqiidat.
·
Greek science depended more on
philosophical deduction than experimentally-based induction. It discouraged the
scientific tarbiyat of the Qur’an which emphasized observation of nature
as a basis for conclusions.
·
Transfer of Muslim science to
Europe was positive: knowledge and also the empirical spirit
·
The recent Islamisation movement
towards the close of the 14th century H aimed at de-europeanizing
education systems and building an education system based on tauhid.
·
Problem of rejection of modern
knowledge
INTEGRATION OF DISCIPLINES:
Islamization has to start with
reforming the epistemology, methodology, and corpus of knowledge of each
discipline. It must be pro-active, academic, methodological, objective, and
practical. Its vision is objective, universal, and beneficial knowledge in the
context of a harmonious interaction of humans with their physical, social, and
spiritual environment. Its practical mission is transformation of the
paradigms, methodologies, and uses of disciplines of knowledge to conform to tauhid. Its immediate goals are: (a)
de-Europeanizing paradigms of existing disciplines to change them from
parochiality to universal objectivity, (b) reconstruction of the paradigms
using Islamic universal guidelines, (c) re-classifying disciplines to reflect
universal tauhidi values, (d) reforming research methodology to become
objective, purposeful, and comprehensive (e) growth of knowledge by research,
and (f) inculcating morally correct application of knowledge. The Qur’an gives
general principles that establish objectivity and protect against biased
research methodology. It creates a world-view that encourages research to
extend the frontiers of knowledge and its use for the benefit of the whole
universe. Scientists are encouraged to work within these Qur’anic parameters to
expand the frontiers of knowledge through research, basic and applied.
MISUNDERSTANDING THE REFORM
PROCESS
Islamization has been
misunderstood as rejection of the corpus of existing human knowledge and
disciplines. It has been misunderstood as creation of knowledge exclusive to
Muslims. It has been misconstrued as rewriting existing text-books to reflect
Islamic themes without deep thought about the paradigms and methodology. It has
also been confined to spiritual reform of the student, scholar, or researcher.
The following superficial approaches to civilization have been tried and
failed: ‘Insertion’ of Qur’anic verses and hadiths in an otherwise European
piece of writing, searching for scientific facts in the Qur’an, searching for
Qur’anic proof of scientific facts, establishing Qur’anic scientific miracles,
searching for parallels between Islamic and European concepts, using Islamic in
place of European terminologies, and adding supplementary ideas to the European
corpus of knowledge.
PRACTICAL STEPS / TASKS OF THE
REFORM PROCESS:
The first step is a good
grounding in Islamic methodological sciences of of usul al fiqh, ‘uluum al
Qur’an, ulum al hadith, and 'uluum al
llughat. This is followed by reading the Qur’an and sunnat with understanding of the changing time-space dimensions.
This is followed by clarification of basic epistemological issues and
relations: wahy and aql, ghaib
and shahada, ‘ilm and iman. This is
followed by an Islamic critique of basic paradigms, basic assumptions, and
basic concepts of various disciplines using criteria of Islamic methodology and
Islamic epistemology. Islamic reviews of existing text-books and teaching
materials are then undertaken to identify deviations from the tauhidi episteme and the Islamic
methodology. The initial output of the islamization process will be Islamic
introductions to disciplines, muqaddimat
al ‘uluum, establishing basic Islamic principles and paradigms that
determine and regulate the methodology, content, and teaching of disciplines.
This parallels Ibn Khaldun’s Introduction to History, muqaddimat presented generalizing and methodological concepts on
historical events. Publication and testing of new text-books and other teaching
materials is a necessary step towards reform by putting into the hands of
teachers and students reformed material. Developing applied knowledge in
science and technology from basic knowledge will be the last stage of the
reform process. This is because in the end it is science and technology that
actually lead to changes in society.
THE UNIVERSITY TEXTBOOK
PROJECT
KNOWLEDGE, ‘ilm
OUTLINES
1.0 NATURE OF KNOWLEDGE, tabi’at
al ma’arifat
1.1 Basic
Terminology/Concepts, Mustalahat/Mafahiim Asasiyyat:
1.2 History of
Human Knowledge, Tarikh Al Ma’rifat Al
Insaniyat
1.3 Sources of
Knowledge, Masadir Al Ma’arifat:
1.4
Classification of Knowledge, Tasnif Al
Marifat
1.5 Limitations
of Human Knowledge, Mahdudiyat Al Marifat
Al Bashariyyat
2.0 METHODOLOGY OF KNOWLEDGE, manhaj al ma’arifat
2.1 Concepts
2.2 Methodology
from the Quran, Manhaj Qur’ani
2.3 Methodology
from the Classical Islamic Sciences
2.4 Islamic
Critique of the Empirical Method, Naqd Al
Manhaj Al Tajribi
2.5 Towards an
Islamic Methodology
3.0 CLASSICAL ISLAMIC SCIENCES, al
‘uluum al islamiyat al taqlidiyyat
3.1 Sciences of
the Qur’an, Uluum Al Qur’an
3.2 Sciences of
Hadith, ‘Uluum Al Hadith
3.3 Biography
of the Prophet, ‘Uluum Al Siirat
3.4 Sciences of
Theology, 'Uluum Usul Al Ddiin
3.5 Sciences of
the Law & Its Fundamentals, Uluum Al
Fiqh Wa Usulihi
4.0 TARBIYYAT ‘ILMIYYAT QUR’ANIYYAT
4.1 Basic Concepts
4.2 Descriptive Knowledge
4.3 Analytic Knowledge
4.4 Etquette Of Scientific Discourse
4.5 Problem-Based Learning in the Qur’an (Sabab Al
Nuzuul)
1.0 NATURE OF KNOWLEDGE, tabi’at al ma’rifat
1.1 Basic
Terminology/Concepts, Mustalahat/Mafahiim Asasiyyat:
The Qur’anic terms for knowledge are: ‘ilm, ma’arifat, hikmat, basiirat,
ra’ay, dhann, yaqeen, tadhkirat, shu’ur, lubb, naba’, burhan, dirayat, haqq,
and tasawwur. The terms for lack of knowledge are: jahl, raib, shakk,
dhann, and ghalabat al dhann. Grades of knowledge are ‘ilm al
yaqeen, ‘ayn al yaqeen, and haqq al yaqeen. Knowledge is correlated
with iman, ‘aql, qalb, and taqwah. Knowledge must be evidence-based knowledge,
hujjiyat al burhan. The seat of knowledge is the ‘aql, and qalb. Allah’s knowledge is
limitless but human knowledge is limited. Humans vary in knowledge. Knowledge is public property that cannot be
hidden or monopolized. Humans, angels, jinn, and other living things
have varying amounts of knowledge. Islamic epistemology, nadhariyyat ma’rifiyyat Islamiyyat, is Qur’ an-based within the tauhidi
paradigm and is guided by objectivity, istiqamat. Knowledge can be
absolute for example revealed knowledge. Other types of knowledge are relative,
nisbiyat al haqiqat. The
probabilistic nature of knowledge arises out of limitations of human
observation and interpretation of physical phenomena.
1.2 HISTORY OF
HUMAN KNOWLEDGE, tarikh al ma’rifat al
insaniyat
Adam was the
first human to learn actively when he was taught the names. Human knowledge
after that grew by empirical trial and error or through revelations.
Development of language and writing played a big role in knowledge development.
Publication and telecommunication are responsible for the current knowledge
revolution.
1.3 SOURCES OF
KNOWLEDGE, masadir al ma’arifat:
All knowledge
is from Allah. Humans can get it in a passive way from revelations or in an
active way by empirical observation and experimentation. Whatever knowledge
they get is ultimately from Allah. Knowledge may be innate of acquired. Humans
have knowledge of the creator even before birth. Some human knowledge is
instinct. Most human knowledge is learned as observation, ‘ilm tajriibi;
transmission, 'ilm naqli; or analysis and understanding, 'ilm 'aqli. Seeking to know is an inner
human need that satisfies curiosity. Revelation, wahy, inference, ‘aql,
and empirical observation of the universe, kaun,
are major sources of acquired knowledge accepted by believers. In terms of
quantity, empirical knowledge, ‘ilm
tajriibi, comes first. In terms of quality revealed knowledge, ‘ilm al
wahy, comes first. There is close interaction and inter-dependence between
revelation, inference, and empirical observation. ‘Aql is needed to understand wahy
and reach conclusions from empirical observations. Wahy protects ‘aql from mistakes and provides it with
information about the unseen. ‘Aql
cannot, unaided, fully understand the empirical world. There is lack of
unanimity on the following as additional sources of knowledge: ‘ilm laduniy; inspiration, ilham; intuition, hadas; instinct, jabillat; geomancy, firasat; dreams, ru’uyat; and kashf. The controversy is
not whether they are sources of knowledge but whether they are sources
independent of the three mentioned before. Magic & sorcery, sihr; astrology, tanjiim; foretelling, kahanat
& tatayur; and other forms of superstition are not sources of true knowledge.
They may lead to correct and verifiable facts but only by chance and
coincidence. They most often lead to wrong and misguiding facts.
1.4
CLASSIFICATION OF KNOWLEDGE, tasnif al
marifat
Knowledge can
be innate of acquired. It can be ‘aqli and naqli. It can be
knowledge of the seen, ‘ilm al shahadat, and
knowledge of the unseen, ‘ilm al ghaib.
The unseen can be absolute, ghaib mutlaq,
or relative, ghaib nisbi. Some knowledge is individually obligatory, fard ‘ain, whereas other knowledge is collectively obligatory, fard kifayat.Knowledge can be useful, nafiu. Knowledge can be basic or
applied. There are many different disciplines of knowledge.
1.5 LIMITATIONS
OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE, mahdudiyat al marifat
al bashariyyat
The Qur'an in
many verses has reminded humans that their knowledge in all spheres and
disciplines of knowledge is limited. Human senses can be easily deceived. Human
intellect has limitations in interpreting correct sensory perceptions. Humans
cannot know the unseen, ghaib. Humans
can operate in limited time frames. The past and the future are unknowable with
certainty. Humans operate in a limited speed frame at both the conceptual and
sensory levels. Ideas can not be digested and processed if they are generated
too slowly or too quickly. Humans cannot visually perceive very slow or very
rapid events. Very slow events like the revolution of the earth or its rotation
are perceived as if they are not happening. Human memory is limited. Knowledge
acquired decays or may be lost altogether. Humans would have been more
knowledgeable if they had perfect memory.
2.0 METHODOLOGY OF KNOWLEDGE, manhaj al ma’arifat
2.1 CONCEPTS
Methodology
started with Adam naming and classifying all things followed by trial and error
discoveries and later by systematic methodological investigation. Inspired by
the Qur’an, Muslims developed the empirical scientific methodology that
triggered the European reformation, renaissance, and scientific and
technological revolution starting in the early 16th century CE.
Francis Bacon (1561-1626) knew Arabic, learned from Muslims, and was the first
European to write about the empirical methodology. Europeans copied the
empirical methodology without its tauhidi
context, rejected wahy as a source of knowledge, and later imposed
badly-copied secularized science on the Muslim world. Ancient Muslim scientists
had shown that wahy, ‘aql, and empiricism were compatible and had used
methodological tools from the Qur’an to
correct deficiencies and improve Greek science before passing it on to
Europeans. They replaced Aristotelian deductive logic and definitions with an
Islamic inductive logic inspired by the Qur’an.
2.2 METHODOLOGY
FROM THE QURAN, manhaj qur’ani
The Qur’anic
provides general guiding principles and is not a substitute for empirical
research. It enjoins empirical observation; liberates the mind from
superstition, blind following, intellectual dependency, and whims. Its tauhidi
paradigm is the basis for causality, rationality, order, predictability,
innovation, objectivity, and natural laws. Laws can be known through wahy,
empirical observation and experimentation. The Qur’anic teaches the inductive
methodology, empirical observation, nadhar
and tabassur; interpretation, tadabbur, tafakkur, i’itibaar &
tafaquhu; and evidential
knowledge, bayyinat and burhan. It condemns blind following, taqliid, conjecture, dhann; and personal whims, hiwa al
nafs. The Qur’anic concept of istiqamat calls for valid and un-biased
knowledge. The Qur’anic concepts of istikhlaf,
taskhir, and isti’imar are a basis
for technology. The concept of ‘ilm
nafei underlies the imperative to transform basic knowledge into useful
technology.
2.3 METHODOLOGY
FROM THE CLASSICAL ISLAMIC SCIENCES
Classical
sciences and their concepts are applicable to S&T. Tafsir ‘ilmi and tafsir
mawdhu’e parallel data interpretation in empirical research. ‘Ilm al
nasakh explains how new data updates old theories without making them
complety useless. ‘Ilm al rijaalcan ascertain the trustworthiness of
researchers. ‘Ilm naqd al hadith can
inculcate attitudes of critical reading of scientific literature. Qiyaas is
analogical reasoning. Istihbaab
is continued application of a hypothesis or scientific laws until disproved. Istihsan is comparable to clinical
intuition. Istislah is use of public
interest to select among options for example medical technologies. Ijma is consensus-building among
empirical researchers. Maqasid al shariat are conceptual tools for balanced
use of S&T. Qawaid al shariat are axioms that simplify complex
logical operations by using established axioms without going through detailed
derivations.
2.4 ISLAMIC
CRITIQUE OF THE EMPIRICAL METHOD, naqd al
manhaj al tajribi
Using
methodological tools from the Qur’an and classical Islamic sciences, Muslims developed a new empirical and inductive
methodology in the form of qiyaas
usuuli and also pioneered
the empirical methods by experimentation and observation in a systematic way as
illustrated by the work on Ibn Hazm on optics. They criticize ancient Greek
methodology as conjectural, hypothetical, despising perceptual knowledge, and
based on deductive logic. They accept the European scientific method of
formulating and testing hypothesis but reject its philosophical presumptions:
materialism, pragmatism, atheism, rejection of wahy as a source of
knowledge, lack of balance, rejection of the duality between matter and spirit,
lack of human purpose, lacks of an integrating paradigm like tauhid, and
being Euro-centric and not universal. European claims to being open-minded,
methodological, accurate, precise, objective, and morally neutral have been
observed not to hold in practice. In its arrogance it treats as absolute
probabilistic and relativistic empirical knowledge based fallible human
observation and interpretation.
2.5 TOWARDS AN
ISLAMIC METHODOLOGY
A tauhidi
universal, objective and unbiased methodology must replace the Euro-centric and
philosophically biased context and not the practical experimental methods. The
precepts of tauhidi science are: unity of knowledge, comprehensiveness;
causality is the basis for human action, human knowledge is limited,
investigation of causal relations is based on constant and fixed natural laws,
harmony between the seen and the unseen, 3
sources of knowledge (wahy, aql & empirical observation); khilafat;
moral accountability; creation and
existence have a purpose, truth is both absolute and relative, human
free will is the basis of accountability, and tawakkul.
4.0 TARBIYYAT ‘ILMIYYAT QUR’ANIYYAT
4.1 BASIC
CONCEPTS
Basic concepts
are the Qur’an, intellect, knowledge, fiqh, thinking, innovation and
creativity. The Qur’an is not a textbook of science. It however contains many
verses that train the mind to observe, analyze, think and act in a scientific
manner. The Qur’anic stories have lessons, many scientific, for those who
understand. Intellect is correlated with signs and with knowledge. Failure to
use the intellect and blind following are condemned. Knowledge is supreme. It
removes blind following. Human knowledge is limited. Knowledge is acquired by
study. Humans were ordained to read. Knowledge by itself is not useful unless
it is associated with work. The Qur’an has used the term fiqh to refer to
understanding which is deeper than knowing. The Qur’an puts emphasis on
thinking. Thinking is based on empirical observation. The Qur’an
emphasizes freedom of thought in the form of freedom of belief. Innovations in
religion are prohibited but creativity is encouraged.
4.2 DESCRIPTIVE
KNOWLEDGE
The Qur’an
described mountains, the barrier between two oceans, metal, the wind, plants,
the sky, honey, and water. It described the motion of the earth, the boats, the
sun, the moon, the water, and of the wind. It described processes such as
making of iron, armor, dams, and boats. It described the creation of the human
from dust. It describes the constant laws of nature, sunan al laah fi al
kawn. The laws are fixed and stable and operate in various situations.
Order is a law of nature. Recording of observations is emphasized.
4.3 ANALYTIC
KNOWLEDGE
The Qur’an
calls for evidence. It rejects false evidence and condemns non evidence-based
knowledge such as sorcery, consulting fortune tellers, speculation or
conjecture. Human thought is a tool and not an end in itself. It operates on
the basis of empirical observations and revelation, both objective sources of
information, Thought that is not based on an empirical basis or revelation is
speculative and leads to wrong conclusions. The Qur’an calls for objectivity.
It condemns following subjective feelings and turning away from the truth.
Reliance is on observation and not speculation. The Qur’an calls upon humans to
observe Allah’s signs in the universe and in humans. The Qur’an however made it
clear that human senses have limitations. Rational thinking and logical
operations were described. In many prohibitions the Qur’an provides logical
reasons. The use of similitude, tashbiih, of two things and phenomena is
seen several verses. The Qur’an also employed many examples, mithl, to
illustrate concepts. Prudence in reaching conclusions is emphasized.
4.4 ETIQUETTE
OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOURSE
Questions can
be for finding out information. The opposing opinion should be respected.
Differences on scientific matters can arise and are natural. Discussion and
exchange of views is a necessity for humans. Discussion has its own etiquette.
Truth must be revealed. Contradictions must be avoided. Arrogance is condemned.
The following are attributes of good discussion: objectivity, truthfulness,
asking for evidence, and knowledge. Purposeless disputation is frowned
upon. False premises should be abandoned
once discovered Fear of people should be no reason for not revealing the truth.
Deception is condemned. The truth of any assertion must be checked. Yaqeen
is the basis of ‘ilm but dhann is not.
4.5
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING
ISLAMIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE
1.0 ISLAMIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE: CONCEPT and PRACTICE
1.1 The Concept of Islamization:
1.2 History of
Islamization
1.3 Reform of
Disciplines:
1.4
Misunderstanding the Reform Process
1.5 Practical
Steps / Tasks of The Reform Process
2.0 ISLAMIZATION OF MEDICAL
SCIENCES
2.1 History of
Medicine, Tarikh Al Tibb
2.2 Prophetic
Medicine
2.3 Islamic
Medicine, Mafhum Al Tibb Al Islami
2.4
Islamization of Knowledge in Medicine
2.5 The Islamic
Input Curriculum
3.0 ISLAMIZATION OF BIOLOGICAL
and PHYSICAL SCIENCES
3.1 Biological
Sciences
3.2 Physical
Sciences
3.3 Mathematics
and Computer Sciences
3.4 Engineering
and Architecture
3.5 Information
and Communication Technology
4.0 ISLAMIZATION OF SOCIAL
SCIENCES and HUMANITIES
4.1 Economics
4.2
Anthropology and Sociology
4.3
Communication
4.4 Psychology
4.5 History
5.0 ISLAMIZATION OF THE ARTS
5.1 Language Arts
5.2 Fine arts
5.3 Music
5.4 Drama
5.5 Crafts
1.0
ISLAMIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE: CONCEPT & PRACTICE
1.1
THE CONCEPT OF ISLAMIZATION:
Islamization
is a process of recasting the corpus of human knowledge to conform to the basic
tenets of ‘aqidat al tauhid. The
process of Islamization does not call for re-invention of the wheel of
knowledge but calls for reform, correction, and re-orientation. It is
evolutionary and not revolutionary. It is corrective and reformative. It is the
first step in the islamization and reform of the education system as a prelude
to islamization and reform of society.
1.2
HISTORY OF ISLAMIZATION
The
2-3rd centuries H witnessed a failed effort at Islamization of
knowledge. Greek scientific knowledge was transferred to Muslims together with
Greek philosophy and ideas that caused confusions in ‘aqiidat. Greek
science depended more on philosophical deduction than experimentally-based
induction. It discouraged the scientific tarbiyat of the Qur’an which
emphasized observation of nature as a basis for conclusions. The recent
Islamisation movement towards the close of the 14th century H aimed
at de-europeanizing education systems and building an education system based on
tauhid.
1.3
REFORM OF DISCIPLINES:
Islamization
has to start with reforming the epistemology, methodology, and corpus of
knowledge of each discipline. It must be pro-active, academic, methodological,
objective, and practical. Its vision is objective, universal, and beneficial
knowledge in the context of a harmonious interaction of humans with their
physical, social, and spiritual environment. Its practical mission is
transformation of the paradigms, methodologies, and uses of disciplines of
knowledge to conform to tauhid. Its
immediate goals are: (a) de-Europeanizing paradigms of existing disciplines to
change them from parochiality to universal objectivity, (b) reconstruction of
the paradigms using Islamic universal guidelines, (c) re-classifying
disciplines to reflect universal tauhidi values, (d) reforming research
methodology to become objective, purposeful, and comprehensive (e) growth of
knowledge by research, and (f) inculcating morally correct application of
knowledge. The Qur’an gives general principles that establish objectivity and protect
against biased research methodology. It creates a world-view that encourages
research to extend the frontiers of knowledge and its use for the benefit of
the whole universe. Scientists are encouraged to work within these Qur’anic
parameters to expand the frontiers of knowledge through research, basic and
applied.
1.4
MISUNDERSTANDING THE REFORM PROCESS
Islamization
has been misunderstood as rejection of the corpus of existing human knowledge
and disciplines. It has been misunderstood as creation of knowledge exclusive
to Muslims. It has been misconstrued as rewriting existing text-books to
reflect Islamic themes without deep thought about the paradigms and
methodology. It has also been confined to spiritual reform of the student,
scholar, or researcher. The following superficial approaches to civilization
have been tried and failed: ‘Insertion’ of Qur’anic verses and hadiths in an
otherwise European piece of writing, searching for scientific facts in the
Qur’an, searching for Qur’anic proof of scientific facts, establishing Qur’anic
scientific miracles, searching for parallels between Islamic and European
concepts, using Islamic in place of European terminologies, and adding
supplementary ideas to the European corpus of knowledge.
1.5
PRACTICAL STEPS / TASKS OF THE REFORM PROCESS:
The
first step is a good grounding in Islamic methodological sciences of of usul al fiqh, ‘uluum al Qur’an, ulum al hadith, and 'uluum al llughat. This is followed by reading the Qur’an and sunnat with understanding of the
changing time-space dimensions. This is followed by clarification of basic
epistemological issues and relations: wahy
and aql, ghaib and shahada, ‘ilm and iman. This is followed by an Islamic critique of basic paradigms,
basic assumptions, and basic concepts of various disciplines using criteria of
Islamic methodology and Islamic epistemology. Islamic reviews of existing
text-books and teaching materials are then undertaken to identify deviations
from the tauhidi episteme and the
Islamic methodology. The initial output of the islamization process will be
Islamic introductions to disciplines, muqaddimat
al ‘uluum, establishing basic Islamic principles and paradigms that
determine and regulate the methodology, content, and teaching of disciplines.
This parallels Ibn Khaldun’s Introduction to History, muqaddimat presented generalizing and methodological concepts on
historical events. Publication and testing of new text-books and other teaching
materials is a necessary step towards reform by putting into the hands of
teachers and students reformed material. Developing applied knowledge in
science and technology from basic knowledge will be the last stage of the
reform process. This is because in the end it is science and technology that
actually lead to changes in society.
2.0 ISLAMIZATION OF MEDICAL SCIENCES
2.1 HISTORY OF
MEDICINE, tarikh al tibb
Pre-Islamic roots of medicine are found in ancient
Egyptian, Babylon, Chinese, Indian, Syriac, Persian, Arabian, and Greco-Roman
civilizations. Medical knowledge in the early Islamic period (0 – 132 H) was
based on traditional Arab medicine and medical teachings of the prophet.
Medicine in the golden era of the Abassid period (132 – 656 H) started with
translation of Greek and other medical texts. Muslims added the results of
their observations and experimentation. Following the Tatar invasion and
destruction of the capital of the khilafat in Baghdad, the Muslim world
went into a period of decline. Medicine and medical knowledge also declined. Medical
knowledge spread in Europe from Andalusia. Muslims made many contributions to
basic sciences and the various clinical disciplines.
2.2 PROPHETIC
MEDICINE, tibb nabawi
Tibb nabawi refers to words and actions
of the Prophet with a bearing on disease, treatment of disease, and care of
patients. The Prophet enunciated a basic
principle in medicine that for every disease there is cure. The sources of tibb nabawi are
revelation, empirical experience, and folk medicine of the Arabian Peninsula. Tibb nabawi can be spiritual, curative
or preventive. Most of tibb nabawi is
preventive medicine. Tibb nabawi is an authentic and valid medical
system. The general principles of this system are applicable at all times and
all places. The specific remedies taught by the Prophet (PBUH) are valid and
useful. They however can not be used today without undertaking further
empirical research because of changes in the human and physical environments.
2.3 ISLAMIC
MEDICINE, mafhum al tibb al islami
Islamic Medicine is defined as medicine whose basic paradigms,
concepts, values, and procedures conform to or to do not contradict the Qur’an
and Sunnah. It is not specific medical procedures or therapeutic agents used in
a particular place or a particular time. Islamic Medicine is universal,
all-embracing, flexible, and allows for growth and development of various
methods of investigating and treating diseases within the frame-work described
above. This definition calls for basic transformation of current medical
systems. Islamic Medicine thus becomes the result of an Islamic critique and
reformulation of the basic paradigms, research methodology, teaching, and
practice of medicine. This process is called Islamization of Medicine. The
end-result of the Islamization process will not be a medical system for Muslims
only but for the whole humanity because Islam is a set of universal and
objective values.
2.4 ISLAMIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE IN MEDICINE, islamiyyat
al tibb
Muslims failed to Islamize Greek medicine when they
neglected the empirical scientific method of the Qur’an and adopted negative
aspects of Greek philosophy that discouraged experimentation. Guided by
empirical scientific spirit of the Qur’an, Muslims must be innovative,
creative, and researchers in basic and applied medical sciences so that they
may become leaders of the disciplines. A medical student starts by commitment
to discipline reform process. He must master your discipline well. He should
then get basics of Islamic methodology from usul
al fiqh, ‘uluum al Qur’an and ‘uluum al hadith to be able to
critique the basic paradigms of your discipline on the basis of tauhid and the universal and perennial
values of Islam. This is followed by research, publishing, teaching,
networking, and inspiring others.
2.5 THE ISLAMIC INPUT CURRICULUM
The vision of the curriculum has two closely related
components: Islamization and legal medicine. Islamization deals with putting
medicine in an Islamic context in terms of epistemology, values, and attitudes.
Legal medicine deals with issues of application of the Law from a medical
perspective. The curriculum has 5 objectives: (a) Introduction of Islamic
paradigms and concepts in general and as they relate to medicine (b)
strengthening iman through study of
Allah’s sign in the human body (c) appreciating and understanding the
juridical, fiqh, aspects of health
and disease, al fiqh al tibbi (d) understanding the social issues in
medical practice and research (e) professional etiquette, adab al tabiib.
