ELUCIDATIONS OF SELECTED EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK BY HUJJATUL ISLAM IMAM ABU HAMID AL-GHAZALI R.A. --------------------------------------------------- Epistemelogy - what is knowledge ? - how do we learn ?

1. “ O MY CHILD! “ ELUCIDATIONS OF SELECTED EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK BY HUJJATUL ISLAM IMAM ABU HAMID AL-GHAZALI R.A. THE HERITAGE READING CLUB OF: BY : USTAZ ZHULKEFLEE HJ ISMAIL IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, MOST COMPASSIONATE, MOST MERCIFUL. All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) 1 ST SESSION (11 JUNE 2011)

6. All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) FOR MY FIRST SESSION (SATURDAY) 11 JUNE 2011)

7. MUQADDIMAH: (A senior student explained) : “I have acquired various disciplines of knowledge, spending the prime of my life in learning and accumulating this knowledge. Now I ought to find out, what knowledge will benefit me tomorrow and will be my companion in the grave, and what knowledge is useless to me, so that I may abandon it, as the Messenger of Allah – Allah’s blessings and Peace be upon him – has said: “ O Allah! I seek refuge with Thee from knowledge that does not benefit.” All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011)

10. The beginning of Wisdom is when you realize you do not know! *Extracted and elaborated from “Beginners’ Manual on Islam” by Ustaz Zhulkeflee Hj ismail (PERGAS) RED line (circumference) indicates our encounter with knowledge which we now realize we do not know; which motivates us to acquire them. The GREEN area represents whatever Knowledge that we have. BLACK space represents Infinite Knowledge “ We don’t even know that we don’t know them” All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011)

11. When knowledge grows, the circle will expand. But with this expansion the circumference (RED line) also increases. Remember : RED line (circumference) indicates our encounter with knowledge which we now realize we do not know. The GREEN area represents whatever Knowledge that we have. BLACK space represents Infinite Knowledge “ We don’t even know that we don’t know them” “ The more we know, the more will we encounter aspects of knowledge which we do not know. And only realization of this which motivates us to grow in learning” *Extracted and elaborated from “Beginners’ Manual on Islam” by Ustaz Zhulkeflee Hj ismail (PERGAS) All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) When you acquire them, your knowledge grows (DARK GREEN area )

12. “ Those who do not know that they do not know.” “ Those who know that they do not know.” “ Those who do not know that they know.” “ Those who know that they know.” And the wise (those who truly know), will always look at what they are ignorant of, maintaining humility , striving to continue learning, rather than become conceited with whatever little they had already learnt. THE HEEDLESS THE IGNORANT THE NEGLIGENT THE WISE All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRULY WISE

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25. Epistemology: from Greek ἐπιστήμη (epistēmē) , meaning "knowledge, science", and λόγος (logos) , meaning "study of" - is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope (limitations) of knowledge. It addresses the questions: What is knowledge? How is knowledge acquired? How do we know what we know? All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011)

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27. Knowledge is a collection of facts , information , and/or skills acquired through experience or education or (more generally) the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. It can be implicit (as with practical skill or expertise) or explicit (as with the theoretical understanding of a subject); and it can be more or less formal or systematic. OXFORD DICTIONARIES’ DEFINITION: All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011)

28. facts , information Skills Knowledge education MA’-LUMAT (information; facts) SINA’-AH (skills, industrious); FANNIYAH (artistry); ’ ILM – (science and knowledge) TA-ADDIB ; - which includes TA’-LIM ; TAR-BIYYAH ; TAZKIYYAH , etc. All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) EQUIVALENT TERMS USED IN ISLAM

29. Amongst the definitions: “ ....... Knowledge is the arrival * ( hu s ul - ) of the meaning ( ma’na - ) of a thing or object of knowledge in the soul of the subject; and simultaneously,..... Knowledge is the soul’s arrival ( wu s ul - ) at the meaning of that thing or the object of knowledge.” By “meaning” ( ma’na - ) is: “ the recognition of the proper place of anything in a system ...” : Prof. Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas * “ attainment; acquirement” is a better translation . All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) EPISTEMOLOGY

30. Thus, perspective of Education in Islam can be defined: “ ... Recognition and acknowledgement, progressively instilled into man, of the proper places of things in the order of creation, such that it leads to the recognition and acknowledgement of the proper place of God in the order of being and existence.” Quoted from: “The Educational Philosophy and Practice of Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas” by Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud (ISTAC publication). All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) EPISTEMOLOGY BUT WHAT IS THE REAL NATURE OF MAN?

31. WHEREAS ... THEY MAY SIMPLY BE OBSESSED ONLY WITH THE HARDWARE IN MAN (PHYSICAL). WHEREAS FOR ISLAM, REAL KNOWLEDGE IS SITUATED WITHIN MAN (THE SOFTWARE) WHICH IS IN HIS SOUL (SPIRITUAL). 20th century the developmental psychologist Howard Gardner proposed a theory of Multiple Intelligences. Left-brain right brain attribution All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011)

33. All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) EPISTEMOLOGY Seeking an Islamic perspective ...

34. “ “ Has there not been over Man a long period of Time, when he was nothing--(not even) mentioned?― Verily We created Man from a drop of mingled sperm, in order to try him: so We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight. We showed him the Way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).” ( Qur’an: al-Insan: 76:1-3 ) All Rights Reserved© Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) EPISTEMOLOGY

35. ( Allah) Most Gracious! It is He Who has taught ( ‘ALAMA ) the Qur'an. He has created man: He has taught him AL-BAYAAN : speech (and Intelligence) ( Qur’an: ar-Rahmaan: 55:1-4 ) All Rights Reserved© Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011)

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37. All Rights Reserved© Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) ” It is He (Allah) Who has sent amongst the Unlettered a messenger (Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.) from among themselves, to rehearse to them His Signs , to sanctify them , and to instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom― although they had been, before, in manifest error― “ ( Qur’an: Jumu’ah:62: 2 )

38. All Rights Reserved© Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) “ As well as ( to confer all these benefits upon ) others of them, who have not already joined them: and He is Exalted in Might, Wise. Such is the Bounty of Allah, which He bestows on whom He will: and Allah is the Lord of the highest bounty.” ( Qur’an: Jumu’ah: 63: 3-4 )

40. INPUT - PROCESSING - OUTPUT EPISTEMOLOGY All Rights Reserved© Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011)

41. KEYBOARD THUMB-DISK-DRIVES SCANNER MOUSE FEED TO CPU TO BE PROCESSED EPISTEMOLOGY All Rights Reserved© Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011)

43. EPISTEMOLOGY PROCESSING TAKES PLACE HERE INPUT OUTPUT (FEEDBACK) All Rights Reserved© Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011)

45. EPISTEMOLOGY SCREEN MONITOR PRINTER - SCANNER THUMB-DISK-DRIVES FROM CPU TO OUTPUT OR BE SAVED, PRINTED All Rights Reserved© Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011)

47. EPISTEMOLOGY All Rights Reserved© Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011)

49. All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail (2011) EPISTEMOLOGY TO BE CONTINUED ... INSHA-ALLAH

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