UNGS 2090K

THE ISLAMIC WORLD VIEW, KNOWLEDGE AND

CIVILIZATION

TITLE: ARTICLE SUMMARY ON OPENING ADDRESS THE

WORLDVIEW OF ISLAM: AN OUTLINE
BY SYED MUHAMMAD NAQUIB AL-ATTAS

NAME: RAJWA ABDUL REZAK

MATRIC NUMBER: 1810720
LECTURER’S NAME: DR. NORZAKIAH BINTI SAPARMIN

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 Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas, a Muslim philosopher in “Opening Address The worldview
of Islam: An Outline” points out that the main focus of Islamic worldview is based on truth and
reality and is not influenced by the Western scientific or philosophical speculations. Islamic
worldview is derived from the Revelation, Al-Qur’an which is unchanged and true. The author
discusses the fundamental elements of this worldview and the confusions arising from it.
Al-Attas clearly states that the worldview of Islam is not based on philosophical supposition by
ruling out the phrase nazrat al-islam li al-kawn but instead he explains that al-dunya and al-
akhirah is related to each other where the akhirah aspect has the final significance and dunya –
aspect is the preparation for akhirah aspect. The author thus states that worldview is meant as
ru’yat al-islam li al-wujud.
Unlike the other worldviews, Islamic worldview has not changed depending on materialism or
idealism, rationalism, pragmatism etc. between the centuries. There has been no clash of
opinions between the scholars which the author calls the tawhid method of knowledge. Islam is a
truly revealed religion where all the essentials of the religion is given by Revelation and is
demonstrated by Prophet through his words and actions. Islamic worldview is characterized by
authenticity and finality where ‘development’ in religious acts is not applied. Al-Attas displays
realistically that modernity and post modernity is not coherent to be viewed as worldview
through an example of jigsaw puzzle. If modernity can be a picture depicted in a jigsaw puzzle
then it not only forms no coherent picture but also the pieces to form such a picture does not
even fit.
It is through Revelation, the nature of God is revealed in Islam. The speech of God concerning
Himself and His creation reaches the mankind through His chosen Prophet and Messenger. This
Revelation is final and rules out the rest of the inventions from the truth. Even though there are
similarities between different conceptions of God with nature of God in Islam, it cannot be
evidence for One Universal God as every one of them belongs to different conceptual systems.
As form of submission to God, along with the affirmation of Oneness of God (al-tawhid), one
should also verify his affirmation as shown by His last Prophet and since emphasizes the
definition of Islam which is submission to God.
The concept of nature of God is from what was revealed to the Prophets according to the Qur’an.
Allah is transcendent and is beyond everything that he is able to present everywhere at a time
and is immanent but the author reminds that it shouldn’t be confused with the paradigms of
pantheism which equates God with the forces and law of the universe. Quality and perfection
grows together with His essence in unity. Allah is far too exalted for the Platonic and Aristotelian
dualism of form and matter. His creating and His creation cannot be described in terms of the
Plotinian metaphysics of emanation.
Ethical and epistemological relativism made man the measure of all things which ultimately gave
rise to modernism and post modernism but Islam has never been affected by this. The writer
identifies the real challenge as the corruption of knowledge which arises due to confusion and
also influences from the Western culture and civilization. Intellectual confusion which has come
about as a result of restriction in understanding the key terms that shows worldview from

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 Revelation. The outcomes from this is moral and cultural dislocation. Due to the influence of
secularization, minds of people from different culture and traditions gets swayed which leads to
crisis of reality and identity which ultimately causes deviations. The recognition of right from
what is wrong can be achieved by means of right knowledge and right method of disseminating
it.
The acquisition of knowledge is complete only when the knowledge can be put into right action
(adab) by the moral instincts of the person. Knowledge is when one should recognize the right
place of anything and the relation a thing has with others in the Quranic conceptual system.
Thus, knowledge becomes education when this recognition is followed by confirmation and
affirmation of the self. Due to the corruption of knowledge there is disintegration of adab which
in turn creates a situation where false leaders arises thus creates inability to recognize and
acknowledge true leaders. This finally leads to inability to provide for right solutions.
The world of nature is another divine Revelation parallel to the Qur’an and is created as diverse
forms that depicts symbols. Al-Attas presents an instance where a car moving in a dark and
stormy night reaches a junction with a signpost. At the first instance, the sign post is plain with
clear and bold letters (al-muhkamat), the car follows the signpost and drives away. But at the
second instance, the sign post is made of marble and chiseled into letters of pure gold and
embedded with rare gems, the car stops to admire the beauty. The sign in this instance is not
clear and unambiguous (al-mutashabihat) and it points to itself than the object.
In this article, it is stated that knowledge is limitless but there is a limit of truth in every object of
knowledge, the knowledge of that limit is wisdom. There is a different limit of truth for every
object of truth. The allegorical interpretation (ta’wil) is the detecting, discovery and revealing of
the hidden meanings of the ambiguous signs and symbols in the Qur’an. But it is based on the
clear and established that the hidden meanings of ambiguous is grounded upon.
According to Islam, science is a ta’wil with firm base on obvious meanings of things in nature.
In some cases, there are things whose ultimate meaning cannot be understood but is accepted
through faith and true belief which is Iman. Limitation is not a shortcoming since humans has
only limited powers and potentials. If our powers were less limited, it would affect the very
existence of human culture and civilization. Therefore the setting of limits is a blessing from God
and will help us to recognize the Creator better.
The author, in this article acknowledges knowledge as his heart, his soul, his intellect, his spirit
which referred to in Qur’an. Man is considered to be a double associate, his body animal, his
soul rational, the former being physical aspect of man which is bodily powers and the latter
refers to the reality of man and to his essence. The soul reaches state of tranquil soul by inclining
towards what is true and good which affirms the loyalty to God but sometimes its animal powers
drag it down to bestial nature. By means of knowledge, moral excellence and good works it’s
possible for man to attain to angelic nature. Self is described as animal soul and rational soul.
Both aspects possess powers and align itself in preponderant way. The powers of animal soul are
motive and perceptive whereas the powers of rational soul are active and cognitive.

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 Virtue is classified under good character. Good character is achieved by learning and habituation
but sometimes it is inborn as a divine gift. The goal is to be happy in this world and the
Hereafter. To produce virtue and good character the faculty of animal soul should be
subordinated to faculty of rational soul by proper training and reflection. It is based on free
choice but it should be a choice inclined to be good otherwise it reflects the aspects of animal
powers. It is affirmed that relation of happiness to the hereafter has a close and considerable
bearing upon relation of happiness in worldly life. Therefore Islam do not agree with the
Aristotelian position that virtue and happiness is restricted only to this world.
Religious virtue can be divided into two: the external and the internal, the former being acts of
worship solely directed toward God whereas the latter refers to the activities of the heart. The
highest virtue for attaining happiness in this worldly life is love of God (mahabbah). Both the
virtues are interconnected to each other. The Arabic term shaqawah is a generic term for misery
or suffering. The constituent elements of shaqawah is used for those who turn away from God
and reject His guidance. Shaqawah is compared to the Aristotle Poetics tragedy in its dramatic
form. The misery is brought about by feeling of guilt due to a sin committed in the past. Man’s
common ancestor had a great downfall and so his descendants is now found in the middle of
violence and conflict. The Qur’an relates here to how Adam was tempted by Satan, disobeyed
God and was banished because of this. It is assured that God provides guidance to those who
follows him and misery to those who turns away from him.
Faith and remembrance of God is necessary for attainment of stable and peaceful calmness of
heart. No consciousness of certainty of the truth in the soul shall come when one forgets the God
and that soul itself. The experience of suffering in the worldly life to the people who are
conscious is not felt as misery in a tragic sense. Rather this suffering is taken as a test from the
Almighty. There are three levels of happiness in which third being the ultimate goal for the
hereafter.
Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas concludes his article “Opening address: The worldview of
Islam: An Outline” by emphasizing the fundamental elements along with the main concepts of
the systems and standards of life and values in a rational and logical order forming the
worldview of Islam. He points out that even though changes occur around yet it does not affect
the character and role of these fundamental elements and thereby keeping the Islamic worldview
intact throughout. Al-Attas discusses that this worldview is not like the others but is solely based
on reality and truth and ways to attain knowledge to get a better insight on the worldview.
Certain modernist Muslim scholars has confused the thought and belief thus creating challenges
in various forms. By accepting what is good and for the better which is relevant to our needs
while maintain our journey to the straight path, such an endeavor is when development takes
place and can be labelled as progress.

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