Knowledge?! Where is it?

Talking about Man is not just physical being but there is another important faculties which should be give an intention to. Physical being is something we could get it through our senses. Let me simplify it, we see the stones as a physic/material and we touch it with our hand while the hand itself also refer physically. Understanding man physically and discussing about a sensible object doesn't mean anything without knowing the meaning of thing. Man has a dual nature, he is both body (jism) and soul (nafs), he is at once physical being (jism) and spirit (ruh). How does it work? let me explain briefly.

Allah has taught Adam the names (asma') of everything (Al-Baqarah (2): 31). By the "names" we infer it means the knowledge (ilm) of everthing (al-ashya'). This knowledge doesn't encompass knowledge of specific nature of the essense (ad-dhat) or the inmost ground (al-sirr) of a thing (shay'). So where is Knowledge (ilm)? because all the things in this world are the object of knowledge from God. I think we understood already the physic and the object that able to discern in this world (all of them are His sign).

The seat of knowledge in man is a spiritual substance which is variously referred to in the Holly Qur'an sometimes as his heart (al-qalb), or his soul or self (al-nafs), or his spirit (al-ruh) or his intellect (al-aql).

Thus when it is involved in Intellection and apprehension and also abstraction of object of the external world it is called "Intellect (aql)". that is why man has the power of faculties to indicate right and wrong to attain bright destiny. So, we have also the choice for better (ikhtiyar) left to some one. When it is engaged in receiving intuitive illumination it is called "Hearth (qalb)"

When it governs the body it is called "Soul (nafs)". Soul also has hierarchy there are; tranquil soul (al-nafs al-muthmainnah) is when inclines itself towards the right direction until it achieves tranquility in the remembrance of God. Secondly, the soul that censures itself (al-nasf al-lawwamah), it is the soul that sometimes his intellectual power and encounters the intelligible whereby thier their eternal truths cause it to affirm its loyalty to God; and sometimes its animal pwoers drag it down to the lowest foothills of the bestial nature. and lastly the soul that incites to evil (al-nafs al-amarah bi 'al-su'), it is bestial nature and remains captive in that condition.

when it reverts to its own world of abstract entities it is called "Spirit (Ruh)", When human is passed away it causes the death of the external senses involving that of the body as a whole. As I sad earlier, these fourth are the seat of knowledge in man that are a spiritual substance while the body as whole is used to give the conception from these spiritual substances and give the images to the other human being or man.

Analogically, I am Zakki. One day, I went to my lecturer's room for consultation then I zakki as a student. I am Zakki, when I was with my parent I must be Zakki as her kid while I was in front of my sisters, I still Zakki but I as his brother. The same person (zakki) but different names or function accordingly.

I just write down here the brief understanding the seat of knowledge. May Allah Guide us to understand His sign in the world so that we can His amanah (responsibility) in this world properly.

For further reading, you may read; Prof. Dr. Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas, Prolegomena to the metaphysics of Islam.

Do Read This Book, plz..

All praises to Allah..I have finished reading "Risalah Kaum Muslimin" written by Syed Muhammad Naquib (SMN) al-Attas. this book actually written in Malay, for those who are incapable in malay language, you can read in English version "Islam and Secularism". The contents are mostly the same as Risalah Untuk Kaum Muslimin.

There are several impressions after reading this book. Firstly, this book is a serious book, I mean, this book not just for relaxing as the books I shared before but reading on it is required a specific time, energy and even venue from worldly crowded. After fixing all these things then I can enjoy myself diving through his words. This is common known that reading philosophical words is not easy therefore, I should deal with such circumstances before going through the book.

Secondly, while the reader like me seemed so serious, I thought the author must be more serious than the readers to come up with the ideas. Thirdly, the book is not thick enough, it just 209 pages but the contents is very comprehensive in considering the words and explaining in detail especially about Islam and the West. Fourthly, this book is not a novel but we have to read like reading such a novel to understand the words explaining or we cannot jump into sub-topic we like otherwise we fail to understand the essence of the contents.

When we go through into deep down of the contents you will find who are we in the world? so, what is the viruses in the Muslims' mind? He brought us into brief history of Western, Christian and Muslim civilization. Surely, every one must read this book.

Some Muslims are against philosophy or even ignoring at all, while other religions are familiar enough with our philosophy through an ancient Muslim Scholars. There is a negative assumption on reading a book of philosophy, they think of being corrupting their belief (Aqidah). However, When reading SMN Al-Attas thought through his book, it is enlighten and clarify us the meaning of religion and what is to be a man in the world and how we deal with all His creation. He has done a good contribution to the Muslim Ummah because SMN Al-Attas really understand history of other civilizations and the meaning of Islam clearly. One should be a good Muslim and a good scholar at the same time. lastly, Oh My Lord, Let me thirst with Your knowledge....

Chip of Stories

Let us take a look at simple story which is written by Paulo Coelho (PC). PC is well-known as a novelist which is enchanting the readers all over the world. One of the books that have been written by PC is "Like the Flowing River". When we read its contents eventually we realize why the is so.

Personally, I wonder that the words that have been used could be like water flowing into downstream with gentle wind. If we read some of the contents, likely, everyone could write such PC's stories. But it seems not easy work. I do believe that never reached such a book unless a writer revise and rewrite each sentence many times.

I have been reading it randomly since months ago and sometimes I always reread in its contents according to my mood in that time. This book is just for relaxing...nothing topic seems seriously to read because it is just daily stories which were occurring among people by then he turned it down into some sentences and ending with some other experiences that we could to be taken as a lesson.

I don't really suggest you to read this book unless you are headache in reading a serious book while you need some break stories with the smooth flowing... :)

Islam and Its Richness

Let us take a look at simple story which is written by Khaled M. Abou El Fadl (KMAF). He is recognized as a academics and one of the most important and influential Islamic thinkers in the modern age. One of his books is "Conference of the Books the Search for Beauty in Islam". The contents of the book are about sort essays which was dictated by the types of issues raised by the the people and also the author's spiritual and moral development. Each essay was written in the context of an imagined conference of the books that occurs every night.

As author said in his preface of that book that the book represented in this conference are mostly classical texts and these engage their readers in reflection about the contemporary Muslim reality. What is the meaning of classical texts? Frankly, It is repository of the intellects of the past. The Author confidently attach the verses of Qur'an and Hadist as well as mention many Muslims Scholars in the past that could be take as an examples for us.

The impression of this book is the ability of the author to transform its intellects into flowing sort stories that eventually could be addressing the intellects of the present. Furthermore, this book seeks to create a nexus and bond between the Islamic intellectual heritage of the past and contemporary Muslim thoughts. As Muslims today are uprooted from their intellectual tradition, and the result has been that Muslims have lost the ethos of knowledge, as well as their moral and intellectual grounding.

Undoubtedly, a Muslim may read these essays as the testament of a Muslim jurist on the problem that confront us today. What about a non-Muslim? of course as The Islamic message was addressed to human beings at large, therefore, a non-Muslim may read these essays for their sociological significance and their relevance to comparative insight on law and theology.

For bookish people, just enjoy yourself with such a profound knowledge with flowing stories happening and grounded with appropriate Islamic intellectual heritage and His Divine Knowledge attaching through His verses and Prophetic tradition (Hadist).