TAHA JABIR ALWANI

BY HAMZA SULEIMAN DANLADI & MOHAMED SOFWAN AHMED ADHIL

BIOGRAPHY OF TAHA JABIR AL ALAWANI Born in Iraq 1935Received early education in Iraq, then

graduated with an Honors Degree at Azhar university 1959 Obtained Master (1968) and PHD (1973) in same university

Lectured in Usul Figh(1975-1985)at Imam Muhammed Saudi University in Riyadh

Participated in the founding of the international institute of Islamic thought and was the president of IIT

SOME PUBLISHED WORKS

Toward an islamic alternative in thought and knowledge

The islamization of knowledge yesterday and today

Issues in contemporary Islamic thought

The islamisation of methodology of behavioural sciences

DEFINITION OF IOK

“The islamization of knowledge may be brought about by the combined readings of the two books and the establishment, on the basis of their similarity and complementary of a methodology for research and discovery”

(Taha Jabir 1995 IOK Yesterday and Today) (Abdul Rashid Moten 2008, Taha Jabir al-Alawanis Approach to

islamisation: Combining the two readings)

PRESENT STATE OF ISLAMIC THOUGHT Traditionalist- They believe that

ummah can be revived through this approach

Western – There views are emphasis on rationality. They believe that only with the western approach can we attained development

Thus ascribing partners to Allah is the greatest injustice!

Cont…

Elecentric approach- One must select from the traditional approach what is sound and from modern sciencees which is considered to be modern

PRESENT STATE OF MUSLIM EDUCATION The education we have is a dual

education system The traditional “ Islamic System”, which

offers students a program consisting of shari’ah sciences

This system confined to preparing and enabling graduates to deal with personal affairs, meet some educational needs, and lead to prayers in mosques

Cont… This system remains a private affair that

has limited access to public funds The second is the secular system, which

present all kinds of contemporary knowledge and science during the student’s educational career

It advocates un-islamic orientations and elbows out the islamic system

Consequently, the un-islamic system secular system produces the ummah’s intellectual, political, and social leaders as well magers of the means of production

TOWARDS AN ISLAMIC ALTERNATIVE

We must reform muslim thought as a hole and reassess its methodologies

We must understand the position regional and nationalistic thought, as well as western thought, both Maxist and Liberal

We must revise and correct the ummah’s inherited historical and cultural structure and rid it of weakness, dichotomy and lack of reality that hampers its efficiency and effectiveness

Cont…

We must reexamine all the prevalent concepts and works to achieve the correct perspective on life, the universe, humanity and all other related issues

In addition, we must agree on these perspectives, sources and design islamic system and institutions that can define a role for each of them.

Book of Revelation

Book of Real Existence

Book of Revelation

Book of Real Existence

BASIS OF KNOWLEDGE Cont…

Book of Real Existence

Book of Revelation

HINDRANCES FOR REFORM

1) Confusing Doctrine with thought Thought might be correct or incorrect 2) The belief that knowledge has no

religion Thought has a tendency that he would

think without any limits 3)Limiting the treatment to the classes of

extra subject Revival can be achieved if more quran

classes are held

FACTORS THAT LED TO ACCEPTING OF WESTERN CULTURE 4) Belief In the Universal Applicability of

Contemporary Western Culture. Number of factors led to this university

A)Victory and defeat, and the effects of western victory on the mentality of those who have been defeated

B) Widespread of media promotion of Western Culture and values employing a variety of methods

C) Excessive expansion of number of muslims being sent to the west to study social sciences

D) Establishment of Western and theological universities in in the capitals of islamic countries and entrusting them to educate the local populationE) Imitation of the western educational system in form and in content, importation of the western social sciences, and conformity to the west in all related areasF)Abandonment of originality, creativity and thinking by the Muslims

Six Discours

es

1

Articulating the islamic paradigm of

knowledge2

Developing a Quranic

Methodology

3

Methodology for

dealing with Quran

4

Methodology for dealing with sunnah

6Dealing with the

Western Intellectual Heritage5Rexamining

the islamic intellectual

heritage

2nd Fundament : the elaboration of the

paradigms of knowledge

1st Fundament activation of the articles of faith

General Principles1)Affirmation the unity of God.2)The Unity of the created realm3) The Unity of Truth 4)The unity of life: There is no disparity between the revelation and truth of cosmos5)The unity of humanity: People are a single creation and no one is superior to anyone else6)The unity of complementarity of revelation and reason; There is no contradiction on which is revealed and God’s Contradiction7)Comprehensiveness of both means and method; Islam is a religion which is inclusive of all aspects of life

Goal The Goal is to achieve is to attain

enlightened Muslims. There are two paths which we can attain this

A)By reconstructing intellectual scheme based on the Quran and epistemological methodology

B) Basing the comprehensive Islamic epistemological and cultural paradigm on what was mentioned above

These two paths require action based on five fundamental focal points.

The First Focal point is thought: whereby bringing two pieces of knowledge in order to form a thirdThe first task is to define the features of the islamic thought. The second task is to deal with the issues and difficulties of the islamic thoughtThe Second Focal point is Methods: One Reconstructing an epistemological vision based on the components of Islamic conceptualisation 2)Rebuilding, reshaping and rebuilding the rules and the methods of Islamic methodology 3)Dealing with the Quran through the lenses provided by this vision on the view that quran is law 4) Constructing a method dealing with the sunnah based on methological vision giving a clarifying method

5) Constructing a method of dealing with the sunnah based on this methodological vision given that sunaah is givens a means to clarify law 6)Re-examining our islamic legacy by means of critical, analytical and epistemological reading which frees us from the three loops which govern the area a)total rejection b)total acceptance c) selective arbitrary education 6) Constructing a method for dealing with the contemporary human heritage in a way which frees the Muslim mind from the current approaches

The THIRD focal point is science and knowledge- To accommodate this there should be reading which should have the characteristics of including the revelation of knowledge and which is manifested in the creation of universe. The FOURTH Focal point is Culture and Civilisation : The people has the ability to refine it. The civilisation has to be combined with monotheism and affirmation of God’s sovereigntyThe FIFTH Focal point is The Islamic and human heritage: There are reasons for us to reinterpret our Islamic legacy and to read in a critical analytical and knowledge oriented manner.

Comparing Taha Jabir with Ismail FaruqiName Taha Jabir FaruqiIntellectual approach

Rationalist Rationalist

Field of study Islamic Jurisprudence

Comparative Religion

The Problem Worsening condition of the ummah

Worsening Condition of the ummah

Root Causes Bifurcation of education

Lack of vision in education

Reform process Thought and Knowledge

Thought & social life

Approach Six discourses 12 step approaches Reversal methodThe Undertaker Scholars who are endowed with

knowledge of revelation human efforts

Goal Producing Islamic paradigm of knowledge; A whole society who acts in an Islamic way

Producing text books

Comparing Taha Jabir with Sayyed Hussein NasrName Taha Jabir Hussein NasrIntellectual approach

Rationalist Western science

Field of study Islamic Jurisprudence

Natural sciences, philosophy and Islam

The Problem Worsening condition of the ummah

Loss of sacred science

Root Causes Bifurcation of western sciences

Secular Western science

Reform process Thought and Knowledge

Science

Approach 2) Six discourses Developing islamic communityThe Undertaker Scholars who are endowed with

knowledge of revelation human efforts

Goal Producing Islamic paradigm of knowledge; A whole society who acts in an Islamic way

References Shaykh Taha Jabir Alwani (2005) “Issues in

Contemporary islamic thought” The International Institute of Islamic thought

Aslam Haneef Mohamed (2009) ‘A critical survey of islamisation of knowledge” IIUM Press Kuala Lampur

Shaykh Taha Jabir Alawani (2006)” Islamic thought An approach to reform” The International Institute of Islamic thought

Rashid Moten Abdul (2008) “Taha Jabir Alawani’s Approach to islamisation: Combining the two readings” Kulliyah Research Bulletin Vol 3 No 2 pp 5-7

Seyyed Hossein Nasr (1981) “Islamic Life And thought” George Allen & UNWIN