Role Of Revelation As A Source Of Knowledge 4c226h

Role of Revelation As A Source of Knowledge As has been discussed before, revelation is of two types; firstly recital and secondly non-recital. In this chapter we would discuss the role of revelation as source of knowledge. The discussion will begin with defining the meaning of knowledge. Ilm and Ma`rifah: Definition There are two popular for knowledge in Islam. Firstly is ilm (knowledge) and secondly is ma`rifah (cognition). The derivatives of ‘ilm comes in the Qur’an in more than 400 places. It is the opposite of j-h-l. The collection of Qur’anic verses shows that ilm indicates a true knowledge of a thing. Al-Jurjani defines ilm as a strong belief that conforms with reality. (Abd al-Karim, 104, 2000) It can also be referred to also the process of knowing and identical with the knower and the known. (Rosenthal, 52) Ma’rifa is from the root word `-r-f the opposite of n-k-r. The derivatives of ma’rifah occurs in about 20 places in the Qur’an, e.g. Q.12:58, 22: 72, 2:146. These verses generally indicate that ma’rifah happens with the use of senses or generate knowledge by means of intellectual. It also can generate knowledge by means of heart as in Q.16:83. Thus, ma’rifah can be defined as “indicating something as it is preceded by ignorance”. According to al-Isfahani, it is “understanding of a thing by means of reflection and contemplation of its trace.” (Abd al-Karim, 102) Relation between Ilm and Ma`rifah According to school of Mu`tazilite, ilm is a synonymous of ma`rifah, `alim is `arif. Ahl al-Sunnah, onthe other hand, views that there is a different between them. According to them, the difference is as follows: ma`rifah is preceded by ignorance but not necessarily for ilm, ma`rifah could be preceded by carelessness but not so `ilm, ma`rifah is referred to as apparent knowledge but ilm is referred to as innate, ma`rifah is referred to as a knowledge of a thing based on reflection of its characteristics but ilm is referred to as knowledge of essence of a thing. (al-Kurdi, 50) The use of ma`rifah in the Qur’an shows that it covers the most important issue of faith in God and metaphysic, the laws governing the world and what can bring good to human being. These are followed by the issue of rules and the role of intellect pertinent to them. As for knowledge, the Qur’an stresses that a perfect knowledge should be free from ignorance as stated in Q.31:6-7, “…but most of the people do not know. They know what is apparent of the worldly life, but they, of the Hereafter, are unaware.” (Abd al-Karim, 102)

In the Qur’an, there are few words which can be considered as synonyms of ilm and ma`rifah. The words are syu`ur, idrak, tasawwur, hifz, tadhakkur, fahm, fiqh, `aql and hikmah. (al-Kurdi, 50) Qur’an and theory of knowledge Theory of knowledge deals mainly with four issues: possibility of knowledge, its sources, nature of knowledge that is a relation between knower and known, and virtue of knowledge. When these four elements are compared to the Qur’an we would see that the latter contains them. The Qur’an recognises senses as a means of knowledge (Q.32:9), ultimate source is God (Q.96:1-5), nature of knowledge as acquisitive (Q.16:78), and virtue of knowledge such as liberation of human mind (Q.22:46). The Qur’an also unites between three means of knowledge: revelation, intellect and senses and stresses that the highest quality of knowledge is certainty (yaqin). (al-Kurdi, 74)

Sources of Knowledge Reality in the Qur’an is divided into two; seen and unseen. The source of knowledge for these two realities is not identical. The Qur’an, thus, harmonises between these two in which it indicates that intellect and senses are the source of knowledge of a seen reality but not able to answer the question of unseen. As a result, revelation is a source of knowledge of unseen. Revelation The first revelation emphasises that God taught man what he does not know. (Abd al-Karim, 110). “Hence the role of the Prophets was to guide the intellect to the knowledge of what is behind the sense and natural” (Subhi Salih in Abd al-Karim, 110) Revelation through the Qur’an answers most of the important questions such as the Creator, principle of life, the Resurrection, universe and the basis of right and wrong. The Qur’an explains that it is God who provides for human being a necessary tool for knowledge (Q.16:78). The tool is from Him and it by itself does not produce knowledge but by the virtue of power of learning, therefore, indicates that knowledge is indeed originally from Him. (Abd alKarim, 110) The second part of revelation is a non-recital revelation represented in nature and universe. They become a source of many type of knowledge:

mathematical, metaphysical and physical; qualitative and quantitative; practical and aesthetical Intellect (`aql) The Qur’an calls intellect to do contemplation (tafakkur) over the reality in the universe (kawn), Q.51:22. Several in the form of present tense indicating of continuous activity have been used such as ta`qilun, tubsirun, tatadhakkrun, tatafakkarun. The aim is to produce knowledge based on deductive and inductive methods. It relates the finding of senses with wisdom. Seeing could see a fire for example but it is intellect which concludes that a fire produces heat and blister.

Senses (Hawas) “Qur’an is the basis not only of religion and spiritual knowledge but all kinds of knowledge…Man gains knowledge from different kinds of sources and through various ways and means. But all knowledge ultimately comes from God who is theall-knowing” says Osman Bakar (Tawhid and Science, 62-63). According to him although the Qur’an is not the book of science it does provide knowledge of the principles of science. The principle of science will be discussed later. The Qur’an emphasises the importance of senses as means of knowledge. Senses even are able to produce certainty. According to the Qur’an, senses precede intellect in the activity of thinking. Consistently the Qur’an mentions hearing and seeing before intellect. According to Ibn alQayyim, “what is ascertained by hearing is more general, what is ascertained by seeing is more perfect, for hearing is generality, for seeing is perfection.” (Miftah Dar al-Sa`adah, 1/135, in Abd al-Karim, 118) There are a number of Qur’anic verses that are referring to the importance of senses such as Q.16:76, Q.17:36 and Q.7:179. It even describes for us the regret of the dwellers of the Hell for not using the senses as a means of knowledge, Q.67:10 Although intellect able to acknowledge the existence and possibility of unseen, it cannot be a main source of exploring it. Because of this limitation intellect alone is not sufficient to give a true knowledge. Therefore intellect needs revelation to ascertain the reliability of what is understood through it. From foregoing discussion it can be said that the sources of knowledge are three; revelation, intellect and senses. Knowledge obtained through

revelation is considered as the highest quality since it comes from God. Understanding of revelation, however, relies on intellect. Thus, intellect or rational thinking is given a great consideration in the Qur’an. Senses through hearing, feeling, smelling, seeing and tasting form what is known as experience or empiricism. They also have limitation like rational as they cannot perceive unseen and thus need confirmation by revelation. Thus rational and experience must not contradict revelation rather they should be in harmony with it. Classification of Knowledge

Principles of doing science Tawhid The first revelation was a command to read in the name of God as the Lord. It has been understood to mean that “the acquisition of knowledge should be based on the foundation of our knowledge of God’s reality.” Knowledge including science must be related to the knowledge of God and the world of spiritual character. According to Osman Bakar, a fundamental knowledge of God is the knowledge of the universe and the most important sources of this type of knowledge are the Qur’an and hadiths, both of which are revelation.