INTRODUCTORY SESSION

■ GENERAL INTRODUCTION
■ There were two collectivities working for the religious growth of a Muslim
in Islamic tradition and history, Family and Shaykh/Ustaz. In present days,
both collectivities are in destructive condition.
■ I will discuss here only Saykh/Ustaz because It is related to us. In Islamic
tradition, the Shaikh and the Ustaz supervised two different organizations,
Madrasa and Khan’qah (Monastery). Both organization worked under the
Islamic Worldview.
■ In the Madrassa, the ustaz taught Shariah and Religion to the students
while in Khan’aqah, shaykh focused on the self purification and tarbiyyah
of the disciple.
 EDUCATION

■ EDUCATION IS NOT KNOWLEDGE

■ Education is not a struggle to gain knowledge. It is a selected bundle of
knowledge which imposes on future generation without their permission to
get desired results.

■ EDUCATION IS MODEL OF SYSTEM INTEGRATION

■ Schools & colleges are not built to produce knowledgeable person rather he
is being prepared to adjust in the system under the conditions of system.

■ ONLY BEST ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE SYSTEM

■ Education is also a model of system correction where the best ones are
integrated into the system and scrap is discarded.
 EDUCATION

■ EDUCATION IS ABOUT PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE

■ Education is about practical knowledge which mostly depends on different
types of industries, laboratories and equipment to exercise.

■ EDUCATION IS ORGANIZED ACCORDING TO MARKET

■ Before a century, the state governed all the systems of a country but in the
modern era, these systems including education drive by the global market.
■ The archetype of the system in which an individual may be integrated is
market only.
■ Because market is compatible with human mind. Just as the human state of
mind changes after a while, the market changes after a while too.
 EDUCATION

■ Therefore, education system is organized according to the market interest.

and education becomes popular in the direction in which the market flows.

■ KNOWLEDGE IS ONLY CONSIDERED TO BE IN INTEREST OF

THE MARKET
■ A knowledge that is against the market requirements is neither considered
knowledge nor their teachers are considered intellectuals.
■ Social & physical sciences are very essential part of the education because
these sciences are in accordance to the market interests.
■ But there is no space for religious knowledge in education because it is in
contradiction to the market requirements.
THE WORLDVIEW
 THE WORLDVIEW

■ DEFINITIONS
■ A collection of values & believes about the conception of the world held
by society is called ‘The Worldview’.
■ It is lens through which a person or a society perceives the world and
establishes his connection with it.
■ Worldview defines the relationship between the observer and the objects
of the world.
 THE WORLDVIEW

■ BUILDING BLOCKS OF WORLDVIEW

■ Concept of knowledge

■ Concept of Man

■ Concept of Universe

■ Concept of Morality
CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE
 KNOWLEDGE

■ SUBJECT-OBJECT RELATIONSHIP
■ Knowledge is a relationship between a subject & an object.
■ ‘Subject’ is a person who wants to know something and a thing that is
being known by ‘Subject’ is called ‘Object’. ‘

■ SUBJECTIVIZATION OF THE OBJECT

■ An actual, real & true form of the object can be known, when the object
defines itself which is impossible. This makes it very difficult to access
the actual & real form of the object.
■ Subjectivization of the object mean to perceive the object through the
subject perspective.
 KNOWLEDGE

■ The subject creates a knowledge by subjectivizing the object. It is the

subject who apply his mind on the object actively, gives a name to it &
defines it.
■ The knowledge creates through an active involvement of the subject mind
is called ‘Subjective Knowledge’.

■ CONSCIOUS FORM OF THE OBJECT

■ Knowledge is a conscious form of the object in the subject mind not an
actual or real form of the object.
■ The subject consciousness dominates the actual object. The knowledge
develops through conscious domination is called Acquired knowledge.
 KNOWLEDGE

■ KNOWLEDGE WITH THE PASSIVITY OF MIND

■ Sometimes a knowledge of an object is revealed to the subject by its
creator. In the process of the revelation of knowledge, a subject mind
remains in passive condition.
■ Revealed knowledge is also stated as objective knowledge. It has two
types, Wahi (Prophetic Revelation) and Ilham (Personal Revelation).
WESTERN CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE
 WESTERN CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE

■ ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE [SCIENCE]

■ Science is acquired knowledge of the World (object) by Human (subject).
■ Science depends on the physical existence of the object. It means that the
subject-object relationship can be only developed, when the object has
physical existence or appearance.
■ Science is the knowledge of horizontality. It cannot transcend to the object.
■ Science cannot prove metaphysical truths like the God, therefore these
concepts are regarded as non scientific.
■ A method is used to acquire knowledge (science) is called scientific method.
 WESTERN CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE

■ CHARACTERISTICS OF SCIENCE
■ Science as an explanation is ‘How’ explanation like working, mechanics of
an object. It can not indicate the purpose & tilos of an object.
■ Science is a temporal and spatial knowledge of an object. It cannot perceive
the truth beyond space & time.
 WESTERN CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE

■ IS SCIENCE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF AN OBJECT?

■ Science is a probable knowledge of an object because through scientific
method, the true and certain knowledge of an object is impossible due to its
some methodological problems.
■ PROBLEM OF INDUCTIVE LOGIC
■ Scientific method is based on inductive logic in which general conclusion
draws from specific observational data. [example of black crows]
■ Problem of inductive logic is that, the knowledge of Reality or Truth of an
object may be falsify by just a new different observation.
 WESTERN CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE

■ PROBLEM OF UNDERDETERMINATION
■ When different conclusions are drawn from the same observational data,
then it is quite difficult to determine true conclusion because both of which
can’t be true at the same time.
■ Scientific theories can be valid even they contradict each other. [Both
Einsteinian & Quantum mechanics are valid at the same time].
 WESTERN CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE

■ PROBLEM OF UNCONCEIVED ALTERNATIVES

■ It is possible to draw conclusion from an event that is not conceived yet.
[Newtonian and Einsteinian explanation about Space-Time & Gravity]
■ So there are alternatives equally well confirmed by evidence, even when
scientists are unable to conceive of them at the time. [Philosopher of Science Kyle Stanford]
 WESTERN CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE

■ SCIENTIFIC ATTITUDE TOWARDS TRUTH [TRUE KNOWLEDGE]

■ Science begins with a method and has a commitment with truth that is
derived or created through method.
■ Only methodologically driven knowledge of an object is true in the context
of science. It means methodology is prior, permanent & uncompromised.
■ Any religious Truth which science can not access methodologically, It
suspended it until a methodological explanation is not available.
 WESTERN CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE

■ IS SCIENTIFIC METHOD VALUE-NEUTRAL?

■ Autonomy and progress are the fundamental dogmatic values of the west
which govern the whole society.
■ An immediate restriction that restricts autonomy & progress are the forces
of nature, therefore it is necessary to control them by exploration.
■ The scientific method is used to maximize autonomy as well as progress at
the cosmic level.
ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE
 ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE

■ REVEALED KNOWLEDGE [PROPHET REVELATION]

■ According to the Islamic concept of knowledge, here is a horizon - the
horizon of transcendent truth - which is beyond the object.
■ This transcendence is only possible through extraordinary experience and
only the chosen experience it.
■ Through extraordinary experience, the knowledge of an object is revealed to
the subject (Prophets) from higher dimension.
■ Prophetic revelation is the knowledge of verticality.
 ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE

■ CHARACTERISTICS OF PROPHETIC REVELATION

■ Prophetic revelation is a non-temporal & non-spatial knowledge.
■ Prophet revelation as an explanation is ‘Why’ explanation of an object. It
defines the purpose & tilos of an object.
 WESTERN CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE

■ ISLAMIC ATTITUDE TOWARDS TRUTH [TRUE KNOWLEDGE]

■ Religion requires acceptance of Truth first, arguments or methodological
analysis to perceive truth are secondary.
■ According to Islamic attitude towards truth (true knowledge) of an object is
that everything with their mechanics & mechanism is the signs of God.
■ Each of its analysis must preserve Truth. The priority or validity of the
Truth is never compromised. There may be a problem in methodological
analysis but never in Truth.
■ Therefore the Quran, wants to make its statement, a belief rather than idea
or doctrine. So a person who studies it in order to believe it, is the original
& actual addressee of the Qur'an.
CONCEPT OF MAN
 CONCEPT OF MAN

■ RELATION OF INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIETY

■ Society consists on the mutual relationships of individuals.
■ Individuals establish a society to achieve major & common interest and this
interest is determined according to the concept of man of the society.
■ If a man is ‘man of God’ then his major interest of relationships is to
exercise the will of God. If a man is ‘man of autonomy’ then his interest of
relationships is to accumulate capital for the maximization of autonomy.
 CONCEPT OF MAN

■ RELATION OF SOCIETY AND STATE

■ When the society develops its political sense to the stage that all the
individuals of that society show obedience to a sovereign among them, the
state is formed.
■ To achieve common interest easily, state legislate some rules & regulations:
1. Determining rights & duties of individuals,
2. Making rules to preventing mutual disputes,
3. making policies to run the society in the right direction,
4. making institutions to enforcing rules & policies.
 CONCEPT OF MAN

■ If the major interest of society is to worship God, then the legislated rules
and regulations provide an environment in which the will of God can be
easily exercised.
■ Similarly, If the common interest of society is to accumulate capital for the
maximization of autonomy, then the legislated rules & regulations provide
an environment in which the major interest can be achieved easily.
■ In Islamic society, these rules & regulations are made under the guidance
of Quran & Sunnah while in a western society, these policies are derived
from social sciences.
WESTERN CONCEPT OF MAN
 WESTERN CONCEPT OF MAN

■ HUMAN BEING
■ It has been discussed above that there are two fundamental governing
values of the western society, ‘Autonomy’ & ‘Progress’.
■ Man that is constructed on the bases of these values is called Human being.
 AUTONOMY

■ ORIGEN OF HUMAN BEING

■ Everything is evolving over the time from one species to another.
■ Man is a biological being also evolved over the time.
■ All the individuals including human are originated from one origin.
(Darwin evolutionary tree).
■ This evolution is based on the mechanism of natural selection through
some random consecutive coincidence , which explains how individual
evolves in such a way that they become adapted or better-suited, to their
natural environments over time. (Mechanism of Darwinian Evolution)
 AUTONOMY

■ With in any population, there is a natural variations. Some individuals have

more favorable variations than others.
■ The struggle for survival eliminates the unfit individuals. The fit individuals
having favorable variations survive and reproduce.
■ The individuals having favorable variations pass on these variations to
their progeny from generation to generation.
■ These variations when accumulated over a long period of time lead to
origin of new species.
 AUTONOMY

■ IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF DARWINISM

■ Humans are not a creation of any God. They evolved from one origin
over the time by means of the fight for survival and reproduction.
■ There is no ‘purpose of life’ and ‘absolute standard to determine good &
evil’ because the human like all other animals came into being by chance
not by choice or plan of any God.
 AUTONOMY

■ INDIVIDUAL DIMENSION - HUMAN BEING

■ Autonomy or principle of freedom means right to determine good and evil.
■ There is no absolute standard of good & evil. Every human being is free
to determine the standard of good & evil for him according to his will and
choice.
■ In simple words, nothing is valuable in itself, the will and the choice of
human being make it valuable.
 AUTONOMY

■ HUMAN RIGHTS
■ The legalized version of autonomy is stated as ‘Human Rights’.
■ These rights are between the gender and the state. So, there must be state
to exercise ‘Human Rights’.
■ ‘Human Right’ are universal, natural that belong to every Human being.
■ Basic human rights consist on:
1. Right to life,
2. Right of ownership,
3. Right to liberty/freedom,
 AUTONOMY

■ SOCIAL DIMENSION - CIVIL SOCIETY OR MARKET

■ Civil society or market works on the principle of demand & supply.
■ The market is profane & collapses all traditional relationships. Everyone
deals with other as anonymous individual in civil society or market.
■ Civil society is based on the mutual contract, in which the means &
resources of each other are used to acquire self interests.
■ In civil society, for the protection of self interests, everyone joins different
interest groups, like labor organizations, ‘students anjumans, traders unions,
women rights organization and other types of NGOs.
 AUTONOMY

■ POLITICAL DIMENSION - NATION STATE

■ POPULAR CONCEPT OF ‘NATION’
■ In nation state, most of its subjects are united also by factors which defined a
nation such as common blood link, language, land and religion .
■ The bloodline link among humans has always been considered the basis of
the family and society.
■ Common language is helpful both in expression, reception and transmission
of the ideas and feelings.
 AUTONOMY

■ Living in the same geographical region (common land) generates the urge
for protecting and guarding oneself and the fellows from the foreigners.
■ Common Religion is the most powerful and the most effective factor
involved in the process of formation of a nation.
■ CHARACTERISTICS OF ‘NATION STATE’
■ Nation state provides an environment in which ‘Human Rights’ can be
exercise easily & smoothly. Therefore, it is fundamental duty of a nation
state to accept & enforce ‘Human Rights’ as preamble of constitution.
■ It is a pluralistic state which gives equal right to determine the standard of
good & evil to all citizens. (Principle of equality)
 AUTONOMY

■ Nation-state formation on the principle of freedom is only possible, when

all standards of good & evil are respected & tolerated. (Doctrine of Tolerance)
■ It is also a neutral state which does not recognize the superiority of one
standard of good & evil over all other standards. (Neutrality)
■ All institutions of state like corporations, armed forces, police, courts, media,
education system etc. work jointly for domination & universalization of
‘Human Rights’.
■ STRUCTURE OF GOVERNANCE
■ The nation state has two different structures of governance, ‘Democracy’ &
‘Dictatorship’. The purpose of both structures are to protect, enforce and
universalize ‘Human Rights’.
 AUTONOMY

■ DEMOCRACY
■ In democracy, system is ruled by the citizens of the nation state. Therefore
legislation & polices making process are according to the will of citizens.
■ Every citizen is autonomous to choose his representative through vote and
majority elected representatives represent the will of citizens.
■ These representatives are bound to present only those concerns of citizens
which are inline with ‘Human Rights’.
■ Through democratic process, if ‘the will of all’ causes the suspension of
‘Human Rights’ then the democratic process is suspended, because due to
the acknowledgement of the universality of ‘Human Rights’, the citizens
are given to right to vote.
 AUTONOMY

■ DICTATORSHIP
■ Dictatorship is also a structure of governance in which a ruler or a small
group rulers with almost unlimited power. The ruler of a dictatorship is
called a dictator.
■ Dictator use this power to enforce ‘Human Right’ in society.
■ Secularism ensures neutrality at state level because secular state remains
neutral in all religious matters.
■ Secularism is a the principle of separation of the State from Religion.