15.09.2009 was another day filled with commitments.
i) to attend a meeting scheduled to take place in the morning - a brainstorming session on Pusat Pendidikan Al-Amin's innovation(s) in Islamic Education System, which is to be evaluated at the state level.
ii) to accompany a mother-to-be (a daughter)for the arrival of her first born
iii)to fulfill the appointment arranged a few days earlier with my co-supervisor on the final version of the thesis for publication.
iv) to be a gracious host to a group for iftar and tarawwih.
Alhamdulillah, Allah SWT has eased things for me, which enabled me to still play a part on each occasion directly or indirectly. I was committed to meeting the co-supervisor (owing to his tight schedule) and consequently was gladly informed of the 'very good' grade of the submitted thesis. The prior intention of committing myself to the simplest and the least demanding of all thesis has turned out the finished product otherwise. Indeed, in every ease and pain there is a test, may Allah SWT help me in this one.
Today, 27.09.2009 wanummi and tok ki have Allah SWT to thank for the 33 years of blissful married life and His never ending bounties, Alhamdulillahi Rabbil 'Alamin.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Peradaban : Hari Ini dan Masa Hadapan
Satu Anjakan
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan tidak boleh lagi dilihat sebagai lemah, lesu, mundur dan ketinggalan zaman.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan tidak boleh lagi bergantung semata-mata kepada slogan dan kekuatan emosi.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan menuntut Islam diterjemah dan diamalkan menjangkau agama, budaya, dan cara hidup.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan perlu diperjuangkan bukan sahaja sebagai agenda politik dan sosial semata-mata.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan memerlukan intelektual-intelektual untuk melaksanakan agenda perubahan pemikiran.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan perlu dibina di atas kekuatan pemikiran Islam yang merangkumi ilmu-ilmu kalam, tasawwuf, falsafah, dan shari‘ah.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan menuntut pemahaman fard ‘ayn yang berkembang selari dengan kematangan, pemikiran, kedudukan, status, dan pertanggungjawaban.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan menuntut pemahaman menegakkan fard kifayah adalah lebih diutamakan dalam suasana dan persekitaran yang asing
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan memerlukan ilmuan-ilmuan yang berupaya melaksanakan ijtihad untuk menterjemahkan prinsip dan konsep dari tasawwur al Islam kepada situasi yang berubah-ubah (‘contemporary Islamic’ Asalah)
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan memerlukan fiqh al haraki untuk menyokong fiqh al hadharah ke arah merealisasikan satu peradaban.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan mesti diterjemahkan sebagai satu peradaban yang dinamik dan hidup dengan mengamalkan ciri, prinsip, dan nilai yang unik dan agung dalam struktur hidup beragama dan kemasyarakatan, pemerintahan dan politik, ekonomi dan kewangan, keutamaan serta penekanan saintifik dan teknologi, senibina dan pelan perbandaran, pendidikan dan pembangunan insan, serta kesenian dan kesusasteraan.
Hanya dengan cara memahami dan mengkaji Islam sebagai satu peradaban masa hadapan yang hidup dan dinamik, barulah keadilan sepenuhnya berlaku kepada din al Islam di atas keyakinan dan keimanan bahawa Islam adalah sempurna dan lengkap yang membawa kesejahteraan kepada kehidupan di dunia dan akhirah di atas sifatnya sebagai rahmah li al ‘alamin.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan tidak boleh lagi dilihat sebagai lemah, lesu, mundur dan ketinggalan zaman.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan tidak boleh lagi bergantung semata-mata kepada slogan dan kekuatan emosi.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan menuntut Islam diterjemah dan diamalkan menjangkau agama, budaya, dan cara hidup.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan perlu diperjuangkan bukan sahaja sebagai agenda politik dan sosial semata-mata.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan memerlukan intelektual-intelektual untuk melaksanakan agenda perubahan pemikiran.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan perlu dibina di atas kekuatan pemikiran Islam yang merangkumi ilmu-ilmu kalam, tasawwuf, falsafah, dan shari‘ah.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan menuntut pemahaman fard ‘ayn yang berkembang selari dengan kematangan, pemikiran, kedudukan, status, dan pertanggungjawaban.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan menuntut pemahaman menegakkan fard kifayah adalah lebih diutamakan dalam suasana dan persekitaran yang asing
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan memerlukan ilmuan-ilmuan yang berupaya melaksanakan ijtihad untuk menterjemahkan prinsip dan konsep dari tasawwur al Islam kepada situasi yang berubah-ubah (‘contemporary Islamic’ Asalah)
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan memerlukan fiqh al haraki untuk menyokong fiqh al hadharah ke arah merealisasikan satu peradaban.
Islam hari ini dan masa hadapan mesti diterjemahkan sebagai satu peradaban yang dinamik dan hidup dengan mengamalkan ciri, prinsip, dan nilai yang unik dan agung dalam struktur hidup beragama dan kemasyarakatan, pemerintahan dan politik, ekonomi dan kewangan, keutamaan serta penekanan saintifik dan teknologi, senibina dan pelan perbandaran, pendidikan dan pembangunan insan, serta kesenian dan kesusasteraan.
Hanya dengan cara memahami dan mengkaji Islam sebagai satu peradaban masa hadapan yang hidup dan dinamik, barulah keadilan sepenuhnya berlaku kepada din al Islam di atas keyakinan dan keimanan bahawa Islam adalah sempurna dan lengkap yang membawa kesejahteraan kepada kehidupan di dunia dan akhirah di atas sifatnya sebagai rahmah li al ‘alamin.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Perubahan : Di Sini Bermula
Pendidikan Islam bertujuan untuk membekalkan murid dan pelajar dengan pandangan alam yang sahih. Pandangan alam yang sahih akan membimbing mereka dalam menentukan arah tuju kehidupan di dunia yang inshÉAllah akan membuahkan kebahagiaan di akhirah. Pandangan alam yang sahih berkisar di sekitar pemahaman dan penghayatan sebenar tentang hakikat Allah SWT, kenabian, kehidupan manusia, dan kehidupan di Akhirah. Pandangan alam Islam yang merangkum perkara-perkara utama ini menjadi benteng yang kukuh untuk menepis segala macam kecelaruan serta kekeliruan yang terhasil dari pandangan alam Barat yang berjaya menguasai pemahaman dan pemikiran sebilangan besar Ummah hari ini. Kefahaman hari ini tentang agama; ilmu; adab dan pendidikan; sains dan teknologi; serta tradisi, kemodenan, dan pembangunan rata-rata dicorakkan oleh pandangan alam asing ini yang telah berjaya menguasai kerangka pemikiran manusia. Satu ‘philosophical program’ yang berlaku secara senyap ini telah menghasilkan nilai, budaya, pemikiran, dan malah pegangan yang asing di kalangan generasi Muslim hari ini.
Sistem pendidikan hari ini terutama pendidikan tinggi mesti mengambil tanggung jawab untuk menanam kefahaman sebenar tentang pandangan alam Islam yang berorientasikan masa hadapan. Ini hanya boleh berlaku sekiranya penggerak dan pendokong sesebuah sistem pendidikan mengambil langkah untuk mereorientasikan:
i) Falsafah
- usaha pendidikan yang menyeluruh, seimbang, dinamik dan berterusan
- bersandarkan prinsip dan konsep tasawwur al Islam yang terkandung dalam al Qur’an dan Sunnah.
- membangun seluruh potensi insan : jasmani, emosi, rohani, intelek, sosial
- menjadi ‘abd dan khalifah : mengabdikan diri kepada Allah SWT dan memberi khidmat kepada alam dan ummah menurut bidang yang dipertanggungjawabkan ke atasnya.
- mewujudkan kesejahteraan di dunia dan mencapai kebahagian di akhirah.
ii) Matlamat – melahirkan insan salih wa muslih
iii) Kurikulum
- ada kesepaduan : menyediakan dua aliran kurikulum yang bukan sahaja terdiri daripada ilmu ‘aqli dan ilmu naqli secara selari tetapi memastikan ada usaha untuk menyepadukan antara kedua-duanya. Usaha ini bermaksud kurikulum ilmu naqli dan aplikasinya diterjemahkan ke dalam suasana yang berubah-ubah manakala kurikulum ilmu ‘aqli dan penyampaiannya diolah supaya menepati pandangan alam Islam (usaha jangka pendek)
- bersifat inter dan multi disiplin – menekankan kepada proses berbanding kronologi
- tiada pemetakkan yang ketara kecuali untuk pengkhususan (pengajian tinggi) untuk mendapatkan fahaman kesyumulan, dinamika dan getaran Islam serta mengelak dari pertindihan dan pengulangan.
- Fard ‘Ayn : berkembang selari dengan tahap umur, kematangan, pemikiran, kedudukan, status, dan pertanggungjawaban ini bermakna ianya tidak terhenti di peringkat menengah.
- Fard Kifayah : al qiamu bifardi al-kifayah ahammu min fard al-'ayn (kaedah yang dimulakan oleh ayah Imam al-Juwayni dimana al Juwayni ialah guru kepada Imam al-Ghazzali) - jika sekiranya menegakkan fard al-kifayah itu lebih penting, maka mempelajari ilmu-ilmu yang berkaitan adalah dituntut dan menjadi fard 'ayn bagi yang boleh memenuhinya (dialah satu-satunya yang dipertanggungjawabkan dalam bidang itu).
iv) pengajaran dan pembelajaran
- menyerlahkan hikmah serta melahirkan ‘izzah berbanding fakta : pendedahan kepada prinsip dan konsep seperti yang diterjemah dalam kehidupan al Rasul SAW dan para sahabah
- kreatif, inovatif dan kritis (perlu dapat membezakan di antara pemikiran yang dihasilkan dengan prinsip-prinsip yang kekal
- penghafalan diutamakan kepada nas dan dalil sahaja.
v) penilaian dan pentaksiran
- menyeluruh : kognitif, afektif dan psikomotor
: formatif dan summatif
: di dalam dan di luar institusi
: kumpulan penilai : guru/pensyarah, ibubapa/penjaga, rakan
sebaya/kuliah
- pemikiran tahap tinggi diperbanyakkan (kenapa, mengapa, dan bagaimana)
- mempraktikkan muhasabah, muraqabah, dan ihsan.
vi) pendidikan guru
- kurikulum pendidikan guru bersifat integrated : ilmu pendidikan moden diintegrasikan dengan amalan dan falsafah pendidikan ilmuan Islam terdahulu seperti epistemologi, dan falsafah pendidikan al Farabi; epistemologi, falsafah, psikologi pendidikan Ibn Sina; epistemologi, falsafah, psikologi, dan methodologi pendidikan al Ghazali; epistemologi, falsafah dan methodologi pendidikan Ibn Khaldun dan lain-lain.
- guru sebagai mu’addib (terkandung di dalamnya murabbi, dan mu‘allim)
- tugas mendidik adalah sumbangan khidmat kepakarannya untuk membangun ummah dan peradaban.
Produk sistem pendidikan hari ini dituntut supaya bukan sahaja mempunyai kemantapan aqidah serta mempamerkan sahsiah Islam tetapi mampu mengutarakan pemikiran yang boleh mengolah dan menterjemah dalam kerangka Islam bersandarkan pandangan alam Islam yang dikuasainya. Lebih daripada itu, mereka mesti berupaya untuk mengaplikasi dan menterjemah prinsip dan konsep Islam secara kreatif dan inovatif dalam suasana yang berubah-ubah.
p.s. Sebahagian besar dalam Berita Pendidikan di
http://www.al-amin.edu.my
Sistem pendidikan hari ini terutama pendidikan tinggi mesti mengambil tanggung jawab untuk menanam kefahaman sebenar tentang pandangan alam Islam yang berorientasikan masa hadapan. Ini hanya boleh berlaku sekiranya penggerak dan pendokong sesebuah sistem pendidikan mengambil langkah untuk mereorientasikan:
i) Falsafah
- usaha pendidikan yang menyeluruh, seimbang, dinamik dan berterusan
- bersandarkan prinsip dan konsep tasawwur al Islam yang terkandung dalam al Qur’an dan Sunnah.
- membangun seluruh potensi insan : jasmani, emosi, rohani, intelek, sosial
- menjadi ‘abd dan khalifah : mengabdikan diri kepada Allah SWT dan memberi khidmat kepada alam dan ummah menurut bidang yang dipertanggungjawabkan ke atasnya.
- mewujudkan kesejahteraan di dunia dan mencapai kebahagian di akhirah.
ii) Matlamat – melahirkan insan salih wa muslih
iii) Kurikulum
- ada kesepaduan : menyediakan dua aliran kurikulum yang bukan sahaja terdiri daripada ilmu ‘aqli dan ilmu naqli secara selari tetapi memastikan ada usaha untuk menyepadukan antara kedua-duanya. Usaha ini bermaksud kurikulum ilmu naqli dan aplikasinya diterjemahkan ke dalam suasana yang berubah-ubah manakala kurikulum ilmu ‘aqli dan penyampaiannya diolah supaya menepati pandangan alam Islam (usaha jangka pendek)
- bersifat inter dan multi disiplin – menekankan kepada proses berbanding kronologi
- tiada pemetakkan yang ketara kecuali untuk pengkhususan (pengajian tinggi) untuk mendapatkan fahaman kesyumulan, dinamika dan getaran Islam serta mengelak dari pertindihan dan pengulangan.
- Fard ‘Ayn : berkembang selari dengan tahap umur, kematangan, pemikiran, kedudukan, status, dan pertanggungjawaban ini bermakna ianya tidak terhenti di peringkat menengah.
- Fard Kifayah : al qiamu bifardi al-kifayah ahammu min fard al-'ayn (kaedah yang dimulakan oleh ayah Imam al-Juwayni dimana al Juwayni ialah guru kepada Imam al-Ghazzali) - jika sekiranya menegakkan fard al-kifayah itu lebih penting, maka mempelajari ilmu-ilmu yang berkaitan adalah dituntut dan menjadi fard 'ayn bagi yang boleh memenuhinya (dialah satu-satunya yang dipertanggungjawabkan dalam bidang itu).
iv) pengajaran dan pembelajaran
- menyerlahkan hikmah serta melahirkan ‘izzah berbanding fakta : pendedahan kepada prinsip dan konsep seperti yang diterjemah dalam kehidupan al Rasul SAW dan para sahabah
- kreatif, inovatif dan kritis (perlu dapat membezakan di antara pemikiran yang dihasilkan dengan prinsip-prinsip yang kekal
- penghafalan diutamakan kepada nas dan dalil sahaja.
v) penilaian dan pentaksiran
- menyeluruh : kognitif, afektif dan psikomotor
: formatif dan summatif
: di dalam dan di luar institusi
: kumpulan penilai : guru/pensyarah, ibubapa/penjaga, rakan
sebaya/kuliah
- pemikiran tahap tinggi diperbanyakkan (kenapa, mengapa, dan bagaimana)
- mempraktikkan muhasabah, muraqabah, dan ihsan.
vi) pendidikan guru
- kurikulum pendidikan guru bersifat integrated : ilmu pendidikan moden diintegrasikan dengan amalan dan falsafah pendidikan ilmuan Islam terdahulu seperti epistemologi, dan falsafah pendidikan al Farabi; epistemologi, falsafah, psikologi pendidikan Ibn Sina; epistemologi, falsafah, psikologi, dan methodologi pendidikan al Ghazali; epistemologi, falsafah dan methodologi pendidikan Ibn Khaldun dan lain-lain.
- guru sebagai mu’addib (terkandung di dalamnya murabbi, dan mu‘allim)
- tugas mendidik adalah sumbangan khidmat kepakarannya untuk membangun ummah dan peradaban.
Produk sistem pendidikan hari ini dituntut supaya bukan sahaja mempunyai kemantapan aqidah serta mempamerkan sahsiah Islam tetapi mampu mengutarakan pemikiran yang boleh mengolah dan menterjemah dalam kerangka Islam bersandarkan pandangan alam Islam yang dikuasainya. Lebih daripada itu, mereka mesti berupaya untuk mengaplikasi dan menterjemah prinsip dan konsep Islam secara kreatif dan inovatif dalam suasana yang berubah-ubah.
p.s. Sebahagian besar dalam Berita Pendidikan di
http://www.al-amin.edu.my
Sunday, September 6, 2009
The Motivating Factor
I am very much impressed with the attitude of the early Muslims towards knowledge and their scholarly accomplishment in terms of its breadth and scope. However, the same vigor is noticeably absent today among Muslims and Muslim countries. This may be due to alienating the real purpose of knowledge and education. Here's the reflection of what transpired then.
The Muslim intellectual and scientific traditions will always remain as the Muslim foremost and invaluable heritage and legacy. These rich traditions have not only fascinated and benefited the Muslims but others as well though seldom acknowledged. Right from the first verse, the Muslims of the pioneer generation were being furnished with the worldview of Islam, which after a series of stages, commencing with the early period in Makkah; the latter period; and then the period in Madinah; the Muslims had grasped and acquired sufficient vocabularies enough to form the Islamic knowledge structure. The latter in turn provided the Islamic scientific framework for the Muslims to embark on their intellectual and scientific activities, which after a series of expansion and enrichment by the later generations of Muslims; we inherit their rich and sometimes unsurpassed intellectual legacy. A number of them displayed originality of thoughts whilst some others brilliantly appropriated sources from other than their own. To top it all, they set a precedent in many fields of scholarship. It is from this fountain of intellectual and scientific traditions that the Europeans in the renaissance period quenched their thirst and inherited the Muslim legacy, which served as basis of their intellectual awakening.
It is important to note that ‘certain worldviews cannot lead to the rise of sciences’ and thus generate the unprecedented intellectual vigor and scholarly activities as exemplified by the Muslims of the formative period; the Graeco-Arabic translation movement period ; and the assimilation and transmission period . This is attested by the fact that, although Greek sciences were prevalent during the Roman Byzantine period among its subjects, and yet books, schools, and scholars were met with much indifference or hostilities, apart from the whole of Greek legacy becoming obsolete. In retrospective, it is therefore amazing that Muslim civilization of the past provided fertile ground for a staggering number of erudite figures of cosmopolitan background to engage seriously in knowledge, virtually covering all that of their time, whose treatment by two selected personalities, al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta, becomes the interest of my study.
The Muslim intellectual and scientific traditions will always remain as the Muslim foremost and invaluable heritage and legacy. These rich traditions have not only fascinated and benefited the Muslims but others as well though seldom acknowledged. Right from the first verse, the Muslims of the pioneer generation were being furnished with the worldview of Islam, which after a series of stages, commencing with the early period in Makkah; the latter period; and then the period in Madinah; the Muslims had grasped and acquired sufficient vocabularies enough to form the Islamic knowledge structure. The latter in turn provided the Islamic scientific framework for the Muslims to embark on their intellectual and scientific activities, which after a series of expansion and enrichment by the later generations of Muslims; we inherit their rich and sometimes unsurpassed intellectual legacy. A number of them displayed originality of thoughts whilst some others brilliantly appropriated sources from other than their own. To top it all, they set a precedent in many fields of scholarship. It is from this fountain of intellectual and scientific traditions that the Europeans in the renaissance period quenched their thirst and inherited the Muslim legacy, which served as basis of their intellectual awakening.
It is important to note that ‘certain worldviews cannot lead to the rise of sciences’ and thus generate the unprecedented intellectual vigor and scholarly activities as exemplified by the Muslims of the formative period; the Graeco-Arabic translation movement period ; and the assimilation and transmission period . This is attested by the fact that, although Greek sciences were prevalent during the Roman Byzantine period among its subjects, and yet books, schools, and scholars were met with much indifference or hostilities, apart from the whole of Greek legacy becoming obsolete. In retrospective, it is therefore amazing that Muslim civilization of the past provided fertile ground for a staggering number of erudite figures of cosmopolitan background to engage seriously in knowledge, virtually covering all that of their time, whose treatment by two selected personalities, al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta, becomes the interest of my study.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Sharing
Here's the presentation during viva for anyone of interest.
SUMMARY OF THE THESIS (1)
In the treatment of knowledge, al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta becomes the subject of this study.
They represented the Muslim traveler, geographer, and even scholar of the Middle Period (950 A.D. – 1500 A.D.). Al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta lived during the early and the later Middle Period respectively.
Studying the lives of these two personalities, indirectly unfurls the socio-culturo-political milieu of the Middle period, whose political, social, and intellectual order very much determined al-Biruni’s and Ibn Battuta’s treatment of knowledge.
Treatment of knowledge as the central theme of this thesis revolves around their philosophy, objective, attitude, epistemology, methodology, transmission, and contribution of knowledge.
(2)
Post 950 A.D. witnessed the political instability of the Central Asian region, which was caused by the rising of provincial governors to power in the faraway regions, thus reduced the Abbasid Caliphs to mere figureheads.
The development compelled al-Biruni to flee from one country to another as dynasties such as Banu Iraq at Kath, Buyid at Rayy, Samanid at Bukhara, Ziyarid at Gurgan, and Ma’munid at Jurjaniyya were threatened by wars and disorders. Al-Biruni finally settled and buried at Ghazna ruled by the Ghaznavid dynasty after spending approximately 30 years, serving the rulers.
The political chaos and instability did not in the least hamper cultural and intellectual growth. The rulers and their courts became the foci of cultural and learning activities as each of them competed in the accumulation of the greatest books, building of impressive libraries, and gathering or patronizing prominent and celebrated scholars and intellectuals.
As such, al-Biruni driven by his philosophy and attitude towards knowledge availed himself to these opportunities and saw the scope and depth of his knowledge expanded even during the years as ‘prisoner-scholar’ of Sultan Mahmud.
(3)
Ibn Battuta set out on his celebrated journey in 1329 A.D. almost a century after the Mongol invasion. Soon after being responsible for the second massive destruction of lives and properties in 1258 A.D., they established peace and stability in the regions they controlled, thus provided safe passages for merchants, traders, royal ambassadors, scholars, theologians, jurists, Sufi shaykhs and students, as well as officers looking for lucrative posts in the outlying regions under the Muslim rules.
The relative peace assured by the Mongols of Ilkhanid dynasty in Iraq and Persia, Kipchap dynasty in the province of Crimea (Golden Horde), and Chaghatay dynasty in Transoxiana was further enforced by the Marinid of Morocco, the Mamluk of Egypt, the Delhi Sultanate of India, and the Mali kingdom of Africa, some of which were commerce minded states.
The sea routes and caravan trails, which thronged with personalities with each of their definite purpose, became Ibn Battuta’s constant companions for the next three decades.
His knowledge of people, places, food, customs, culture, geography, plants, animals, sciences, and last but least religious sciences be they theology, Sufi practices and jurisprudence expanded as he interacted with them, lodged as madrasah, khanqah, zawiyah, attended halaqah and circles in mosques, as well as visited places, Sufi shaykhs, and tombs.
(4)
Al-Biruni’s travel was confined to the Central Asian region and parts of North Western India (actually Pakistan), whose part of the journey was retraced by Ibn Battuta as part of his 75,000 miles distance, which covered over 44 modern countries situated in 3 different continents.
They were both governed by the worldview of Islam, which helped determine their philosophy, attitude, objective, epistemology and methodology of knowledge aside from the socio-culturo-political order of the early and later Middle Period.
Al-Biruni’s philosophy embraces his belief that Allah is Omniscient and therefore does not justify ignorance, man has instinctive tendency to acquire knowledge, the quest for knowledge is the supreme goal in human life, and knowledge has almost a divine quality and very much in conformity with the fundamental tenets of Islam.
They both demonstrated determination, objectivity, passionate, and being observant in their educational pursuits.
(5)
Ibn Battuta’s philosophy maybe embodied in his determination to visit all the Muslim countries of his time, not to follow the same route twice, that to outdo what the others travelers had done.
Both religious and rational sciences were available during their time but somehow the emphasis differed. Two centuries after the acquisition and translation of foreign sciences, post 950 A.D. period was ready to venture into rigorous assimilation, appropriation, enrichment, and transmission movement, which introduced new fields of knowledge or the existing knowledge being molded in the worldview of Islam. The new excitement and the practicality of certain fields of knowledge, dominated the interest of scholars and intellectuals of the period.
Thus, al-Biruni’s preoccupation with as diverse a field as medicine and astronomy, mathematics and chronology, physics and history, anthropology and religion, geography and natural science, astrology and meteorology, history and sun clocks, ethics and geology, medicine and poetry seemed natural. Religious sciences though conspicuously absent, as the other Muslim scholars, al-Biruni worked within the confine of the framework of Islam.
(6)
When the Saljuqs assumed power in 1055 A.D. from the Buyids, they ensured that religious sciences in Sunni flavor became the central curriculum of the madaris, with the objective of neutralizing the Shi’i’s influence particularly in the regions under the Fatimids and the Buyids.
The Saljuqs pioneered in the madrasah establishment throughout the empire according to the Nizamiyah model in Baghdad. Sciences other than religious were taught outside the madrasah at the houses of the patrons and learned or other places. Thus, the situation remained until the time Ibn Battuta set foot to almost all the Muslim countries of his time.
Apart from, maktab or kuttab, majalis, halaqah, madaris, there appeared zawiyah, khanqah and ribat, which were Sufi lodges and institutions along with the development of Sufi order thus added other avenues for learning mystical religious sciences. Being born into the family of jurists, Ibn Battuta’s inclination towards religious sciences particularly jurisprudence and theology apart from his interest in Sufi practices had the upper hand.
(7)
Early education of al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta must have been at maktab or kuttab, being responsible for the removal of illiteracy and the teaching of reckoning, grammar, poetry, history (akhbar), and above all al Qur’an..
Al-Biruni’s higher or advance education must have been sitting in the majalis in the court of rulers or houses of the learned or other institutions or even self instructed or individual instruction in the form of subhah, discipleship.
Likewise Ibn Battuta advanced his knowledge of religious sciences by sitting in halaqah in mosques or he could have attended lectures in madrasah as well as being a disciple to certain theologians, jurists or Sufi shaykhs.
Apart from these, his knowledge of other things was due to direct observation by being among the subjects understudy, which was also practiced by al-Biruni with respect to his study on the Hindus and their land.
(8)
Al-Biruni’s immense contribution is testified by the number of books, which as revealed by a number of sources is between 113 – 180 books of which only 22 survived. Out of these only 13 have been published most of which from Arabic and a handful in Persians had also seen the light.
Among the notables are Tahqiq Ma li’l Hind, al-Athar al-Baqiah, al-Qanun al-Mas’udi, Tahdid li’l Amakin, Tafhim, al-As’ilah wa al-Ajwibah, al-Jawahir, and al-Saydanah. Spread throughout these books is his knowledge of anthropology, astronomy, mathematics, natural sciences, astrology, geography, history, geology, minerals, et cetera.
Cultural contacts with the other religious communities and sects, and manuscripts of ancient nations were accessible in his home country and while living in India, provided first hand knowledge in their religious, philosophical, and sciences aspects.
Al-Biruni was a pioneer in many other sciences and some of his works are yet to find their match.
(9)
Tuhfat al-Nazar fi Ghara’ib al-Amsar wa ‘Aja’ib al-Asfar (The Gift of those Beholders on the Pecularities of the Cities and the Marvels of Journeys) or simply Rihla Ibn Battuta is the sole written document attributed to Ibn Battuta, which unfortunately was received with much incredulity.
That aside, Rihla provides a wealth of information on the culture-socio-political conditions of 14th Century Muslim Countries together with the non Muslim countries under the Christian King Andronicus III of Constantinople, the Hindu King Arya Chakravarti of Sri Lanka, and the Emperor Qan of Yuan Dynasty.
As some claimed, Rihla Ibn Battuta had also provided much of the only or surviving knowledge of the 14th century. His interest in people, food, celebration, clothes, manners, local practices, plants, animals et cetera has certainly add interests to his Rihla.
Most significant, al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta who lived to experience the hustle and bustle of the cosmopolitan and metropolitan Muslim cities of the Middle Period, and interacted with foreign cultures and elements were both objective with their views and reactions as opposed to their attitude towards fellow Muslims, who committed or inclined to acts of transgression.
(10)
Undoubtedly, al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta were two outstanding figures that Muslim civilization of the Middle Period had ever produced. Al-Biruni’s extensive scholarship and learning surpassed his reputation as a traveler whilst Ibn Battuta’s celebrated journey camouflaged his intellectual achievement. Irrespective of these facts, our study largely revolves around their treatment of knowledge.
In so doing, their educational and intellectual geography; philosophy, objective, epistemology, and methodology of knowledge; and their contribution to Muslim intellectual and scientific traditions dominate our discussion.
In the course of our analysis, similarities and differences surface much to our delight for the knowledge that they seemed worlds apart at the preliminary stage of this study. Al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta can be considered pioneers in their field. Up to the time of modern means of communication, Ibn Battuta surpassed others in his feat whilst al-Biruni’s major works still need to find their match.
(11)
The Muslims rejoice and celebrate their achievements but most importantly the positive attitude towards knowledge as exemplified by both and the early Muslims, must be upheld. The Muslim intellectual and scientific traditions should be the beacons, thereby help maneuvering in the uncharted grounds. In other words, Muslims of the past and their achievement should not be sidelined in the face of Western achievements.
Today’s challenge demands some original and creative thoughts in providing solutions to contemporary problems. This could only be achieved by embracing Islam as the Worldview replete with concepts and principles in building a real civilization, which include the real purpose of pursuing knowledge and education.
For this to materialize, our approach to the Muslim intellectual and scientific traditions must be that of contemporary Islamic Asalah. To again play our role of ‘abd and khalifah, the dynamic role of the towering Muslim figures of the past must be emulated and treatment of knowledge should result in ta’dib and thus formed the foundation and basis of future Muslim Civilization.
SUMMARY OF THE THESIS (1)
In the treatment of knowledge, al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta becomes the subject of this study.
They represented the Muslim traveler, geographer, and even scholar of the Middle Period (950 A.D. – 1500 A.D.). Al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta lived during the early and the later Middle Period respectively.
Studying the lives of these two personalities, indirectly unfurls the socio-culturo-political milieu of the Middle period, whose political, social, and intellectual order very much determined al-Biruni’s and Ibn Battuta’s treatment of knowledge.
Treatment of knowledge as the central theme of this thesis revolves around their philosophy, objective, attitude, epistemology, methodology, transmission, and contribution of knowledge.
(2)
Post 950 A.D. witnessed the political instability of the Central Asian region, which was caused by the rising of provincial governors to power in the faraway regions, thus reduced the Abbasid Caliphs to mere figureheads.
The development compelled al-Biruni to flee from one country to another as dynasties such as Banu Iraq at Kath, Buyid at Rayy, Samanid at Bukhara, Ziyarid at Gurgan, and Ma’munid at Jurjaniyya were threatened by wars and disorders. Al-Biruni finally settled and buried at Ghazna ruled by the Ghaznavid dynasty after spending approximately 30 years, serving the rulers.
The political chaos and instability did not in the least hamper cultural and intellectual growth. The rulers and their courts became the foci of cultural and learning activities as each of them competed in the accumulation of the greatest books, building of impressive libraries, and gathering or patronizing prominent and celebrated scholars and intellectuals.
As such, al-Biruni driven by his philosophy and attitude towards knowledge availed himself to these opportunities and saw the scope and depth of his knowledge expanded even during the years as ‘prisoner-scholar’ of Sultan Mahmud.
(3)
Ibn Battuta set out on his celebrated journey in 1329 A.D. almost a century after the Mongol invasion. Soon after being responsible for the second massive destruction of lives and properties in 1258 A.D., they established peace and stability in the regions they controlled, thus provided safe passages for merchants, traders, royal ambassadors, scholars, theologians, jurists, Sufi shaykhs and students, as well as officers looking for lucrative posts in the outlying regions under the Muslim rules.
The relative peace assured by the Mongols of Ilkhanid dynasty in Iraq and Persia, Kipchap dynasty in the province of Crimea (Golden Horde), and Chaghatay dynasty in Transoxiana was further enforced by the Marinid of Morocco, the Mamluk of Egypt, the Delhi Sultanate of India, and the Mali kingdom of Africa, some of which were commerce minded states.
The sea routes and caravan trails, which thronged with personalities with each of their definite purpose, became Ibn Battuta’s constant companions for the next three decades.
His knowledge of people, places, food, customs, culture, geography, plants, animals, sciences, and last but least religious sciences be they theology, Sufi practices and jurisprudence expanded as he interacted with them, lodged as madrasah, khanqah, zawiyah, attended halaqah and circles in mosques, as well as visited places, Sufi shaykhs, and tombs.
(4)
Al-Biruni’s travel was confined to the Central Asian region and parts of North Western India (actually Pakistan), whose part of the journey was retraced by Ibn Battuta as part of his 75,000 miles distance, which covered over 44 modern countries situated in 3 different continents.
They were both governed by the worldview of Islam, which helped determine their philosophy, attitude, objective, epistemology and methodology of knowledge aside from the socio-culturo-political order of the early and later Middle Period.
Al-Biruni’s philosophy embraces his belief that Allah is Omniscient and therefore does not justify ignorance, man has instinctive tendency to acquire knowledge, the quest for knowledge is the supreme goal in human life, and knowledge has almost a divine quality and very much in conformity with the fundamental tenets of Islam.
They both demonstrated determination, objectivity, passionate, and being observant in their educational pursuits.
(5)
Ibn Battuta’s philosophy maybe embodied in his determination to visit all the Muslim countries of his time, not to follow the same route twice, that to outdo what the others travelers had done.
Both religious and rational sciences were available during their time but somehow the emphasis differed. Two centuries after the acquisition and translation of foreign sciences, post 950 A.D. period was ready to venture into rigorous assimilation, appropriation, enrichment, and transmission movement, which introduced new fields of knowledge or the existing knowledge being molded in the worldview of Islam. The new excitement and the practicality of certain fields of knowledge, dominated the interest of scholars and intellectuals of the period.
Thus, al-Biruni’s preoccupation with as diverse a field as medicine and astronomy, mathematics and chronology, physics and history, anthropology and religion, geography and natural science, astrology and meteorology, history and sun clocks, ethics and geology, medicine and poetry seemed natural. Religious sciences though conspicuously absent, as the other Muslim scholars, al-Biruni worked within the confine of the framework of Islam.
(6)
When the Saljuqs assumed power in 1055 A.D. from the Buyids, they ensured that religious sciences in Sunni flavor became the central curriculum of the madaris, with the objective of neutralizing the Shi’i’s influence particularly in the regions under the Fatimids and the Buyids.
The Saljuqs pioneered in the madrasah establishment throughout the empire according to the Nizamiyah model in Baghdad. Sciences other than religious were taught outside the madrasah at the houses of the patrons and learned or other places. Thus, the situation remained until the time Ibn Battuta set foot to almost all the Muslim countries of his time.
Apart from, maktab or kuttab, majalis, halaqah, madaris, there appeared zawiyah, khanqah and ribat, which were Sufi lodges and institutions along with the development of Sufi order thus added other avenues for learning mystical religious sciences. Being born into the family of jurists, Ibn Battuta’s inclination towards religious sciences particularly jurisprudence and theology apart from his interest in Sufi practices had the upper hand.
(7)
Early education of al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta must have been at maktab or kuttab, being responsible for the removal of illiteracy and the teaching of reckoning, grammar, poetry, history (akhbar), and above all al Qur’an..
Al-Biruni’s higher or advance education must have been sitting in the majalis in the court of rulers or houses of the learned or other institutions or even self instructed or individual instruction in the form of subhah, discipleship.
Likewise Ibn Battuta advanced his knowledge of religious sciences by sitting in halaqah in mosques or he could have attended lectures in madrasah as well as being a disciple to certain theologians, jurists or Sufi shaykhs.
Apart from these, his knowledge of other things was due to direct observation by being among the subjects understudy, which was also practiced by al-Biruni with respect to his study on the Hindus and their land.
(8)
Al-Biruni’s immense contribution is testified by the number of books, which as revealed by a number of sources is between 113 – 180 books of which only 22 survived. Out of these only 13 have been published most of which from Arabic and a handful in Persians had also seen the light.
Among the notables are Tahqiq Ma li’l Hind, al-Athar al-Baqiah, al-Qanun al-Mas’udi, Tahdid li’l Amakin, Tafhim, al-As’ilah wa al-Ajwibah, al-Jawahir, and al-Saydanah. Spread throughout these books is his knowledge of anthropology, astronomy, mathematics, natural sciences, astrology, geography, history, geology, minerals, et cetera.
Cultural contacts with the other religious communities and sects, and manuscripts of ancient nations were accessible in his home country and while living in India, provided first hand knowledge in their religious, philosophical, and sciences aspects.
Al-Biruni was a pioneer in many other sciences and some of his works are yet to find their match.
(9)
Tuhfat al-Nazar fi Ghara’ib al-Amsar wa ‘Aja’ib al-Asfar (The Gift of those Beholders on the Pecularities of the Cities and the Marvels of Journeys) or simply Rihla Ibn Battuta is the sole written document attributed to Ibn Battuta, which unfortunately was received with much incredulity.
That aside, Rihla provides a wealth of information on the culture-socio-political conditions of 14th Century Muslim Countries together with the non Muslim countries under the Christian King Andronicus III of Constantinople, the Hindu King Arya Chakravarti of Sri Lanka, and the Emperor Qan of Yuan Dynasty.
As some claimed, Rihla Ibn Battuta had also provided much of the only or surviving knowledge of the 14th century. His interest in people, food, celebration, clothes, manners, local practices, plants, animals et cetera has certainly add interests to his Rihla.
Most significant, al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta who lived to experience the hustle and bustle of the cosmopolitan and metropolitan Muslim cities of the Middle Period, and interacted with foreign cultures and elements were both objective with their views and reactions as opposed to their attitude towards fellow Muslims, who committed or inclined to acts of transgression.
(10)
Undoubtedly, al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta were two outstanding figures that Muslim civilization of the Middle Period had ever produced. Al-Biruni’s extensive scholarship and learning surpassed his reputation as a traveler whilst Ibn Battuta’s celebrated journey camouflaged his intellectual achievement. Irrespective of these facts, our study largely revolves around their treatment of knowledge.
In so doing, their educational and intellectual geography; philosophy, objective, epistemology, and methodology of knowledge; and their contribution to Muslim intellectual and scientific traditions dominate our discussion.
In the course of our analysis, similarities and differences surface much to our delight for the knowledge that they seemed worlds apart at the preliminary stage of this study. Al-Biruni and Ibn Battuta can be considered pioneers in their field. Up to the time of modern means of communication, Ibn Battuta surpassed others in his feat whilst al-Biruni’s major works still need to find their match.
(11)
The Muslims rejoice and celebrate their achievements but most importantly the positive attitude towards knowledge as exemplified by both and the early Muslims, must be upheld. The Muslim intellectual and scientific traditions should be the beacons, thereby help maneuvering in the uncharted grounds. In other words, Muslims of the past and their achievement should not be sidelined in the face of Western achievements.
Today’s challenge demands some original and creative thoughts in providing solutions to contemporary problems. This could only be achieved by embracing Islam as the Worldview replete with concepts and principles in building a real civilization, which include the real purpose of pursuing knowledge and education.
For this to materialize, our approach to the Muslim intellectual and scientific traditions must be that of contemporary Islamic Asalah. To again play our role of ‘abd and khalifah, the dynamic role of the towering Muslim figures of the past must be emulated and treatment of knowledge should result in ta’dib and thus formed the foundation and basis of future Muslim Civilization.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
D Day - Viva Voce
1.9.09 is indeed significant. My works over the years is presented before the experts. Alhamdulillah, due to the barakah of Ramadhan, it lasted in hardly an hour. It was indeed a surprise that my external examiner, a very prominent scholar in the area of Islamic Science recommends that my thesis is to be accepted without modifications or amendments. He further suggests the publication of the thesis. It is a real acknowledgment, praise be to Allah the Most Omniscient.
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