Early Muslims were able to embellish their civilization with great achievements in the areas of science and
technology. The Holy Qur‟an not only speaks about spirituality but also on science and the natural world. The
Qur‟an was the driving force in encouraging the Muslim scholars to go into science and research. The zeal to
understand the hidden message of Allah, in the natural world, made them learn from contributions made by earlier
civilizations. In taking knowledge from others, early Muslims used the methodology of adopt, adapt and integrate.
During their heydays, Muslim scholars were pioneers in many areas of knowledge and sciences; natural and
social. The peak of Islamic civilization drew Europeans scholars to their centers of learning. In modern times, the
European renaissance movement which started in the 14
th
century got the impetus from the culture of learning,
doing research and exploration that was shown by the Muslim scholars of the Golden Age of Islam (750-1258).
The decline of the Islamic empires and the internal conflicts within the Ummah in some ways made the Muslims
to lag behind others in science and technology. This paper intends to explore the ideas of Iqbal (1873 -1938) on
science and what are the obstacles highlighted by him that hindered the Muslims‟ march towards making this
world a better place for them and others as well.
Islam seeks to develop the human minds to a total submission to Allah the
Almighty. Through its divine guidance, the Qur’an ushered a large section of
the masses in Arabia from the darkness of ignorance into knowledge and
enlightenment of their souls. Islam grew from a humble beginning into a
mighty civilizational force. Islamic civilization like all other civilizations,
started to decline after reaching its pinnacle of success. Ever since the fall of
Baghdad in 1258, the Muslim world has been confronted with endless
problems in all fields of life. Colonization of Muslim lands by the West had
created the knowledge and technological gap between them and their
colonizers. Being subjected to colonization, neo-colonization, and now
globalization, Muslims are lagging behind other communities of the world. The
Muslim minds which once came up with great ideas, discoveries, innovation
and inventions, at the moment somehow become less prolific, and experiencing
a state of lethargy and malaise. In realizing the great challenges faced by the
Muslims in the modern world, this research intends to re-visit Iqbal’s ideas to
remedy the awful situations experienced by the Ummah.
Study about the intellectual and philosophical challenges faced byaism hafeez
Students today face various intellectual and philosophical challenges. These include religious fanaticism, Islamophobia, materialism, secularism influences on education. Historically, Muslim students flourished during the Islamic Golden Age but then declined due to colonialism. Western concepts like nationalism replaced Islamic transnationalism. Now, students must address these challenges through understanding the Quran and promoting moderate Islamic teachings of patience, mutual respect among cultures, and not judging all by the actions of a few. This research aims to identify challenges faced by secondary students and ways to resolve them based on Quranic guidance and scholarship.
An examination on the contributions of islam to sciences and civilizationAlexander Decker
This document discusses the contributions of Islam to science and civilization. It begins by noting that Islam places a high value on the acquisition of knowledge, both spiritual and material. It then discusses how early Muslims established the House of Wisdom in Baghdad as a center for science. The document provides examples of scientific concepts discussed in the Quran, including the creation of the heavens and earth. It also examines the evolution of science in the Islamic world from the 8th to 16th centuries, when major advances were made in fields like mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and agriculture. In conclusion, the document argues that seeking knowledge is obligatory in Islam and that the early Muslims helped incorporate science and culture from other civilizations to advance humanity.
This document provides a history of internationalization in higher education from ancient times to the present. It discusses:
- Early examples of internationalization dating back to universities in ancient Greece, India, the Middle East in the 7th-9th centuries that attracted students from across Asia and Europe.
- The spread of knowledge through translation of texts into Arabic and Latin, and the influence of ancient Greek and Eastern texts on the development of science in Europe.
- The role of learned societies and universities in establishing norms of scholarly cooperation and institutionalizing scientific communication through academic journals from the 17th century onward.
- The intertwining of science and imperialism/colonialism from the 18th century,
This document discusses world history from an Islamic perspective based on a presentation given at the International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities. It outlines some key differences between traditional Western and Islamic schemes for periodizing world history, and proposes a unified modern framework. The document also discusses concepts like the creation of man, periodization of history, and the tripartite dimensions of historical events from Islamic and Darwinist paradigms. Further, it outlines the Islamization of knowledge movement and efforts at the International Islamic University Malaysia to reorient social sciences using an Islamic worldview.
Globalization and its Impact on Education and Cultur (journal paper)Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
In the history of Islam, the fall of Baghdad in 1258 indicates the decline of the Islamic empires.
The fall of the empires also marked the fall of the Islamic civilization and intellectualism. As the Islamic empires
fell one after another, starting with Baghdad, this left the Muslims in a pathetic condition, hardly able to regain
the prestigious position once they held on the world stage. The internal conflicts within the Ummah, also in a
way failed them in making any significant contribution during the great Industrial Revolution that happened
in the West. After that, Western colonization of Muslim lands, to some extent deprived them the success of
reconstructing and regaining the great civilization once they had during their heydays. Ever since the fall of
Baghdad,the Muslims are constantly bombarded with challenges they have to face in maintaining their faith,
culture and heritage. In modern times, after their independence, one of the serious problems they have to face is globalization. Globalization which started sometime ago is an ongoing thing that cannot be stopped. It is a
multifaceted phenomenon which ramifies into all areas of the human life. Since the idea of globalization is a
thing that comes from the rich and affluent countries of the West, many in the developing and third world
countries welcome it with much delight as it offers them a great deal in terms of capital flow which promises
prosperity.Others perceive it with a doubtful and skeptical attitude by questioning as to what are the hidden
agendas of globalization. To them, globalization is a new agenda of the West to re-colonize the East. It is seen
as a new approach of how the Western hegemony can be imposed on the political, economic, social, cultural
and other aspects of the people in the East, particularly in the Muslim world. In the light of the present world
scenario,this paper intends to explore what globalization is all about, what sort of impact it has on the Islamic
civilization, very particularly in the areas of education and culture. Since globalization is irreversible, the paper
also aims at discussing on how the Muslim countries should strategize in facing the ferocious onslaught of
the tidal waves of globalization that have touched their shores.
Long before the coming of the modern era of globalization from the West, the Muslim world had seen and enjoyed its own era of globalization. The Muslim era of globalization happened exactly during the peak of the Islamic civilization (750-1258). Around that era, there appeared a great multitude of Muslim scholars and scientists. The openness of the Islamic civilization led early Muslims scholars to borrow ideas from the earlier civilizations; like the Greeks, Persians and Indians. Many pioneering works produced by early Muslims scholars in the areas of science, technology and philosophy later immensely benefited scholars in the West. Concurrent to modern globalization was the era of European colonization of the East and Africa. Since then, Western globalization has been influencing every part of the globe. In the last few decades with the advent of the internet and now social media, knowledge and information sharing have become a lot easier than before. At times, however, the internet and social media have negatively impacted on the masses living in the East, nevertheless their positive impact challenges governments and local authorities in many countries to practice good governance in the day-to-day running of their countries. Through this paper, the researchers intend to explore globalization from the Islamic perspective and discuss issues related to the practice of good governance, politics and the phenomenon of brain drain in the Muslim world. As a qualitative study, this research employs the library research method that uses the textual and content analysis techniques. Pertinent data related to the study will be gathered from print and internet sources.
PhD Students in Educational Leadership at Prairie View A&M University/Member of the Texas A&M University System
William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
Professor & Faculty Mentor,
PVAMU - The Texas A&M University System
Islam seeks to develop the human minds to a total submission to Allah the
Almighty. Through its divine guidance, the Qur’an ushered a large section of
the masses in Arabia from the darkness of ignorance into knowledge and
enlightenment of their souls. Islam grew from a humble beginning into a
mighty civilizational force. Islamic civilization like all other civilizations,
started to decline after reaching its pinnacle of success. Ever since the fall of
Baghdad in 1258, the Muslim world has been confronted with endless
problems in all fields of life. Colonization of Muslim lands by the West had
created the knowledge and technological gap between them and their
colonizers. Being subjected to colonization, neo-colonization, and now
globalization, Muslims are lagging behind other communities of the world. The
Muslim minds which once came up with great ideas, discoveries, innovation
and inventions, at the moment somehow become less prolific, and experiencing
a state of lethargy and malaise. In realizing the great challenges faced by the
Muslims in the modern world, this research intends to re-visit Iqbal’s ideas to
remedy the awful situations experienced by the Ummah.
Study about the intellectual and philosophical challenges faced byaism hafeez
Students today face various intellectual and philosophical challenges. These include religious fanaticism, Islamophobia, materialism, secularism influences on education. Historically, Muslim students flourished during the Islamic Golden Age but then declined due to colonialism. Western concepts like nationalism replaced Islamic transnationalism. Now, students must address these challenges through understanding the Quran and promoting moderate Islamic teachings of patience, mutual respect among cultures, and not judging all by the actions of a few. This research aims to identify challenges faced by secondary students and ways to resolve them based on Quranic guidance and scholarship.
An examination on the contributions of islam to sciences and civilizationAlexander Decker
This document discusses the contributions of Islam to science and civilization. It begins by noting that Islam places a high value on the acquisition of knowledge, both spiritual and material. It then discusses how early Muslims established the House of Wisdom in Baghdad as a center for science. The document provides examples of scientific concepts discussed in the Quran, including the creation of the heavens and earth. It also examines the evolution of science in the Islamic world from the 8th to 16th centuries, when major advances were made in fields like mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and agriculture. In conclusion, the document argues that seeking knowledge is obligatory in Islam and that the early Muslims helped incorporate science and culture from other civilizations to advance humanity.
This document provides a history of internationalization in higher education from ancient times to the present. It discusses:
- Early examples of internationalization dating back to universities in ancient Greece, India, the Middle East in the 7th-9th centuries that attracted students from across Asia and Europe.
- The spread of knowledge through translation of texts into Arabic and Latin, and the influence of ancient Greek and Eastern texts on the development of science in Europe.
- The role of learned societies and universities in establishing norms of scholarly cooperation and institutionalizing scientific communication through academic journals from the 17th century onward.
- The intertwining of science and imperialism/colonialism from the 18th century,
This document discusses world history from an Islamic perspective based on a presentation given at the International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities. It outlines some key differences between traditional Western and Islamic schemes for periodizing world history, and proposes a unified modern framework. The document also discusses concepts like the creation of man, periodization of history, and the tripartite dimensions of historical events from Islamic and Darwinist paradigms. Further, it outlines the Islamization of knowledge movement and efforts at the International Islamic University Malaysia to reorient social sciences using an Islamic worldview.
Globalization and its Impact on Education and Cultur (journal paper)Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
In the history of Islam, the fall of Baghdad in 1258 indicates the decline of the Islamic empires.
The fall of the empires also marked the fall of the Islamic civilization and intellectualism. As the Islamic empires
fell one after another, starting with Baghdad, this left the Muslims in a pathetic condition, hardly able to regain
the prestigious position once they held on the world stage. The internal conflicts within the Ummah, also in a
way failed them in making any significant contribution during the great Industrial Revolution that happened
in the West. After that, Western colonization of Muslim lands, to some extent deprived them the success of
reconstructing and regaining the great civilization once they had during their heydays. Ever since the fall of
Baghdad,the Muslims are constantly bombarded with challenges they have to face in maintaining their faith,
culture and heritage. In modern times, after their independence, one of the serious problems they have to face is globalization. Globalization which started sometime ago is an ongoing thing that cannot be stopped. It is a
multifaceted phenomenon which ramifies into all areas of the human life. Since the idea of globalization is a
thing that comes from the rich and affluent countries of the West, many in the developing and third world
countries welcome it with much delight as it offers them a great deal in terms of capital flow which promises
prosperity.Others perceive it with a doubtful and skeptical attitude by questioning as to what are the hidden
agendas of globalization. To them, globalization is a new agenda of the West to re-colonize the East. It is seen
as a new approach of how the Western hegemony can be imposed on the political, economic, social, cultural
and other aspects of the people in the East, particularly in the Muslim world. In the light of the present world
scenario,this paper intends to explore what globalization is all about, what sort of impact it has on the Islamic
civilization, very particularly in the areas of education and culture. Since globalization is irreversible, the paper
also aims at discussing on how the Muslim countries should strategize in facing the ferocious onslaught of
the tidal waves of globalization that have touched their shores.
Long before the coming of the modern era of globalization from the West, the Muslim world had seen and enjoyed its own era of globalization. The Muslim era of globalization happened exactly during the peak of the Islamic civilization (750-1258). Around that era, there appeared a great multitude of Muslim scholars and scientists. The openness of the Islamic civilization led early Muslims scholars to borrow ideas from the earlier civilizations; like the Greeks, Persians and Indians. Many pioneering works produced by early Muslims scholars in the areas of science, technology and philosophy later immensely benefited scholars in the West. Concurrent to modern globalization was the era of European colonization of the East and Africa. Since then, Western globalization has been influencing every part of the globe. In the last few decades with the advent of the internet and now social media, knowledge and information sharing have become a lot easier than before. At times, however, the internet and social media have negatively impacted on the masses living in the East, nevertheless their positive impact challenges governments and local authorities in many countries to practice good governance in the day-to-day running of their countries. Through this paper, the researchers intend to explore globalization from the Islamic perspective and discuss issues related to the practice of good governance, politics and the phenomenon of brain drain in the Muslim world. As a qualitative study, this research employs the library research method that uses the textual and content analysis techniques. Pertinent data related to the study will be gathered from print and internet sources.
PhD Students in Educational Leadership at Prairie View A&M University/Member of the Texas A&M University System
William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
Professor & Faculty Mentor,
PVAMU - The Texas A&M University System
The contribution of scholars in islamic civilizationAbu eL IQram
This document provides an overview of Islamic civilization as discussed in the book "The contribution of scholars in Islamic civilization" by Ghazali Darusalam. It covers topics like the basics of Islamic civilization, sources of Islamic civilization, contributions in fields of knowledge, economics, education, philosophy, architecture, and technology/engineering. Key Islamic scholars who contributed to advances in these fields are also mentioned, such as Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Sina, Al-Farabi, Al-Ghazali, and Ibn Rushd in philosophy and the sciences.
This document provides an overview of the Golden Ages of Islamic civilization between 600-1600 CE. Key points include:
- The rise of Islam and revelations in the Quran transformed Arabian society and sparked new interest in knowledge. Cities like Baghdad became centers of learning.
- Major advances and contributions were made in many fields including mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, medicine, geography, and physics. Muslim scientists introduced concepts like algorithms and algebra and advanced understanding in areas like optics and motion.
- Libraries and universities were established which helped translate Greek and Roman works and promote further discovery. Hospitals separated patients by disease.
- Figures like Ibn Sina, Ibn al-Haytham,
The document provides an overview of scientific and cultural achievements during the Golden Age of Islam between 750-1350 CE. Major advances were made in fields like mathematics, astronomy, medicine, architecture, art, literature and agriculture. Cities like Baghdad, Damascus, and Cordoba thrived as centers of learning and innovation. Scientists like Ibn Sina, Ibn al-Haytham, and al-Khwarizmi made significant contributions in areas such as optics, astronomy, algebra, and the scientific method. Innovations included the modern hospital, numerical system, and advances in astronomy, chemistry, geography and more. The Islamic world facilitated cross-cultural exchange and a period of intellectual growth.
The islamic contributions to the world civilizationgreatest man
The document discusses the contributions of Islamic civilization and Muslim scholars to various fields including knowledge, science, and medicine. It provides examples of several prominent Muslim scholars from history like al-Khwarizmi (who founded algebra and algorithms), al-Biruni (who made contributions to astronomy, mathematics, geography and other fields), Ibn Sina, Ibn Rushd, Ibn al-Nafis (who discovered pulmonary circulation centuries before Western scientists), and al-Hasan Ibn al-Haytham (a pioneer in optics, engineering and astronomy). The document also discusses how Muslim scholars' works were foundational texts for Western universities and how many scientific advances were initially made by Muslims but later wrongly attributed to Western
This document discusses the Islamic tradition of classifying knowledge. It begins by welcoming the reader to the world of Islamic architecture of knowledge. Next, it provides a historical overview of how Muslims classified knowledge from the 3rd century AH/9th century CE until the 12th century AH/18th century CE. Major Muslim scholars developed systems to categorize knowledge in order to organize education and promote unity within sciences. However, classification of knowledge declined after the 10th century as knowledge production began to stagnate. The document argues that reviving Islamic classification of knowledge can help address issues in modern education like disorganization and lack of principles guiding the relationship between different fields.
This document provides an overview of a lecture by Seyyid Hossein Nasr on the relationship between Islam and modern science. [1] Nasr outlines three main positions that exist in the Islamic world on this issue: those who see no problem with studying science while maintaining religious beliefs, modernists who equate Western science with Islamic science and believe acquiring it will restore Islamic power, and fundamentalists/apocalyptic groups. [2] Nasr then discusses how Jamaluddin Al-Afghani's views in the 19th century influenced modernists to adopt Western science without considering its philosophical implications. [3] As a result over the last 150 years, the Islamic world produced few historians or philosophers of science
The document discusses the relationship between Islam and science. It describes how science was an integral part of Islamic civilization from the 8th-16th centuries, as nature was seen as a sign from God. Muslim scientists like Ibn al-Haytham pioneered the scientific method. However, some argue traditional interpretations of Islam hindered further scientific advancement after the 15th century. Modern views among Muslims range from complete rejection to full acceptance of science. Interpreting scientific discoveries in the Quran remains controversial.
Scholasticism was a method of learning taught at medieval universities between 1100-1500 CE that was based on Aristotelian logic and Catholic tradition. It emphasized the study of the seven liberal arts, particularly dialectic. Scholastics would study texts from Church councils, papal letters, and ancient commentaries in order to debate theological issues between different orders like the Franciscans and Dominicans. Key figures included Anselm of Canterbury, Peter Abélard, Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, and William of Ockham.
During the Golden Age of Islam from 750-1050 AD, centers of learning flourished in the Islamic world where the pursuit of knowledge was encouraged. Major cities like Baghdad, Cairo, and Damascus established large libraries and advanced research in fields like astronomy, chemistry, medicine, and technology. Islamic scholars translated and built upon ancient Greek and Indian scientific works, making new contributions and discoveries. Observatories were built and instruments like the astrolabe were developed. Advances were made in areas like navigation, cartography, irrigation, and manufacturing that supported trade and improved lives.
Education involves facilitating learning and acquiring knowledge, skills, and habits through both formal and informal means. Formal education is commonly divided into stages such as preschool/kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, and college/university. A right to education has been recognized in many places. Education aims to teach both practical skills and social values from one generation to the next.
Life And Learning Assignment By Nishat DilawarNishatDilawar
1. The document discusses the promotion of scientific knowledge in the Middle Ages within the Islamic world.
2. It notes that modern sciences either originated from or were advanced significantly by Muslim scientists during this period in fields like astronomy, math, physics, optics, botany, medicine, pharmacology, and more.
3. Examples of contributions are provided, such as the Arab origins of many star and technical terms in European languages, and the pioneering work of figures like Abu Al-Qasim Zahrawi in medicine and surgery.
Al Ghazali (11th Century Muslim Philosopher)Rehan Shaikh
Abu Hamid al-Ghazzali was an influential 11th century Islamic scholar who made contributions across several fields including philosophy, law, theology, and Sufism. He sought to address divisions between rationalists and traditionalists by finding a middle ground. His major work, The Revival of Religious Sciences, aimed to balance different trends in Islamic thought. Later in life, Ghazzali took a more mystical approach like Sheikh Rabbani, balancing religious law and mysticism. He challenged philosophers' views on reason and the universe, and cleansed Sufism of excesses while upholding orthodox religion and the importance of genuine mysticism. Ghazzali was one of Islam's greatest theologians and his
Movement education aims to develop motor skills through physical movement. It was pioneered in the 1800s-early 1900s by Francois Delsarte, Liselott Diem, and Rudolf von Laban. Laban is considered the true pioneer as he developed the theory of movement and distinguished between expressive and functional movement. Movement education grew in popularity through the 1960s-1980s but then faded as fitness became a larger focus. It saw a revival in the late 1990s-2000s with the emphasis on students understanding basic movement concepts.
ROLE OF ISLAM IN SCIENCE BY RABIYA KHANrabiyakhan29
Islam has contributed greatly to scientific discoveries throughout history. Muslim scientists in early Islamic civilization not only made new discoveries but related them to concepts in the Quran and Sunnah. Several Quranic verses reference natural phenomena like rain, wind, clouds, plants and their growth - showing Islam's encouragement of studying nature and the signs of God within it. Genetics is also referenced, with the Quran noting humanity's diversity in languages and colors which stem from dominant genes passed down from parents. The document argues that science and technology ultimately derive from principles found in Islam, as revealed in the Quran's messages for those seeking knowledge.
Iqbal's Ideas for the Restoration of Muslim Dynamism(Journal Paper)Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
Islam seeks to develop the human minds to a total submission to Allah the Almighty. Through its divine guidance, the Qur’an ushered a large section of the masses in Arabia from the darkness of ignorance into knowledge and enlightenment of their souls. Islam grew from a humble beginning into a mighty civilizational force. Islamic civilization like all other civilizations, started to decline after reaching its pinnacle of success. Ever since the fall of Baghdad in 1258, the Muslim world has been confronted with endless
problems in all fields of life. Colonization of Muslim lands by the West had created the knowledge and technological gap between them and their colonizers. Being subjected to colonization, neo-colonization, and now globalization, Muslims are lagging behind other communities of the world. The Muslim minds which once came up with great ideas, discoveries, innovation and inventions, at the moment somehow become less prolific, and experiencing a state of lethargy and malaise. In realizing the great challenges faced by the Muslims in the modern world, this research intends to re-visit Iqbal’s ideas to remedy the awful situations experienced by the Ummah.
History indicates that before the coming of modern globalization, the Muslims
had their own version of globalization. During the Muslim era of globalization
which coincides with the Golden Age of the Muslims, the West benefited
immensely from the scholastic works produced by Muslim scientists and
scholars. Modern globalization which started during the era of Western
colonization of the East has now gone to every nook and cranny of the world.
The usage of internet and other modern electronic media directly or indirectly
has speed up the process of transporting modern globalization to the world
community. Modern globalization has brought about radical change in aims of
education; it has marginalized local culture and language; it has caused brain
drain everywhere in the world. Muslims, it seems, are perceiving globalization as
identical to re-colonization. This paper intends to explore and investigate how
modern globalization heralded by the west is different from Muslim
globalization in the past.
History indicates that before the coming of modern globalization, the Muslims had their own version of globalization. During the Muslim era of globalization which coincides with the Golden Age of the Muslims, the West benefited immensely from the scholastic works produced by Muslim scientists and scholars. Modern globalization which started during the era of Western colonization of the East has now gone to every nook and cranny of the world. The usage of internet and other modern electronic media directly or indirectly has speeded up the process of transporting modern globalization to the world community. Modern globalization has brought about radical change in aims of education; it has marginalized local culture and language; it has caused brain drain everywhere in the world. Muslims, it seems, are perceiving globalization as identical to re-colonization. This paper intends to explore and investigate how modern globalization heralded by the west is different from Muslim globalization in the past.
History indicates that before the coming of modern globalization, the Muslims
had their own version of globalization. During the Muslim era of globalization
which coincides with the Golden Age of the Muslims, the West benefited
immensely from the scholastic works produced by Muslim scientists and
scholars. Modern globalization which started during the era of Western
colonization of the East has now gone to every nook and cranny of the world.
The usage of internet and other modern electronic media directly or indirectly
has speeded up the process of transporting modern globalization to the world
community. Modern globalization has brought about radical change in aims of
education; it has marginalized local culture and language; it has caused brain
drain everywhere in the world. Muslims, it seems, are perceiving globalization as
identical to re-colonization. This paper intends to explore and investigate how
modern globalization heralded by the west is different from Muslim
globalization in the past.
Globalization has impacted education and culture in Muslim countries in several ways. It has changed the aims of education from transmitting cultural values to a focus on material gains. Technology-mediated learning has increased access to information but reduced community interaction and inculcation of social values. While globalization has benefits, it also risks undermining national identity and imposing Western culture on Eastern societies. Muslim countries must strategize to benefit from globalization without losing their unique culture and heritage.
In the history of Islam, the fall of Baghdad in 1258 indicates the decline of the Islamic empires.
The fall of the empires also marked the fall of the Islamic civilization and intellectualism. As the Islamic empires
fell one after another, starting with Baghdad, this left the Muslims in a pathetic condition, hardly able to regain
the prestigious position once they held on the world stage. The internal conflicts within the Ummah, also in a
way failed them in making any significant contribution during the great Industrial Revolution that happened
in the West. After that, Western colonization of Muslim lands, to some extent deprived them the success of
reconstructing and regaining the great civilization once they had during their heydays. Evers since the fall of
Baghdad, the Muslims are constantly bombarded with challenges they have to face in maintaining their faith,
culture and heritage. In modern times, after their independence, one of the serious problems they have to face
is globalization. Globalization which started some time ago is an ongoing thing that cannot be stopped. It is a
multi-faceted phenomenon which ramifies into all areas of the human life. Since the idea of globalization is a
thing that comes from the rich and affluent countries of the West, many in the developing and third world
countries welcome it with much delight as it offers them a great deal in terms of capital flow which promises
prosperity. Others perceive it with a doubtful and skeptical attitude by questioning as to what are the hidden
agendas of globalization. To them, globalization is a new agenda of the West to re-colonize the East. It is seen
as a new approach of how the Western hegemony can be imposed on the political, economic, social, cultural
and other aspects of the people in the East, particularly in the Muslim world. In the light of the present world
scenario, this paper intends to explore what globalization is all about, what sort of impact it has on the Islamic
civilization, very particularly in the areas of education and culture. Since globalization is irreversible, the paper
also aims at discussing on how the Muslim countries should strategize in facing the ferocious onslaught of
the tidal waves of globalization that have touched their shores
The document discusses the historical contributions of Muslims to science and intellectual development. It notes that Muslims made significant advances in fields like mathematics, astronomy, optics, mechanics, geography, and more between the 8th-16th centuries. However, Muslims have since experienced a decline and "brain drain" where talented individuals leave Muslim-majority countries. The document aims to analyze factors for this downturn and recommend solutions to promote education reform and highlight Islam's historical role in advancing scientific knowledge.
The contribution of scholars in islamic civilizationAbu eL IQram
This document provides an overview of Islamic civilization as discussed in the book "The contribution of scholars in Islamic civilization" by Ghazali Darusalam. It covers topics like the basics of Islamic civilization, sources of Islamic civilization, contributions in fields of knowledge, economics, education, philosophy, architecture, and technology/engineering. Key Islamic scholars who contributed to advances in these fields are also mentioned, such as Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Sina, Al-Farabi, Al-Ghazali, and Ibn Rushd in philosophy and the sciences.
This document provides an overview of the Golden Ages of Islamic civilization between 600-1600 CE. Key points include:
- The rise of Islam and revelations in the Quran transformed Arabian society and sparked new interest in knowledge. Cities like Baghdad became centers of learning.
- Major advances and contributions were made in many fields including mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, medicine, geography, and physics. Muslim scientists introduced concepts like algorithms and algebra and advanced understanding in areas like optics and motion.
- Libraries and universities were established which helped translate Greek and Roman works and promote further discovery. Hospitals separated patients by disease.
- Figures like Ibn Sina, Ibn al-Haytham,
The document provides an overview of scientific and cultural achievements during the Golden Age of Islam between 750-1350 CE. Major advances were made in fields like mathematics, astronomy, medicine, architecture, art, literature and agriculture. Cities like Baghdad, Damascus, and Cordoba thrived as centers of learning and innovation. Scientists like Ibn Sina, Ibn al-Haytham, and al-Khwarizmi made significant contributions in areas such as optics, astronomy, algebra, and the scientific method. Innovations included the modern hospital, numerical system, and advances in astronomy, chemistry, geography and more. The Islamic world facilitated cross-cultural exchange and a period of intellectual growth.
The islamic contributions to the world civilizationgreatest man
The document discusses the contributions of Islamic civilization and Muslim scholars to various fields including knowledge, science, and medicine. It provides examples of several prominent Muslim scholars from history like al-Khwarizmi (who founded algebra and algorithms), al-Biruni (who made contributions to astronomy, mathematics, geography and other fields), Ibn Sina, Ibn Rushd, Ibn al-Nafis (who discovered pulmonary circulation centuries before Western scientists), and al-Hasan Ibn al-Haytham (a pioneer in optics, engineering and astronomy). The document also discusses how Muslim scholars' works were foundational texts for Western universities and how many scientific advances were initially made by Muslims but later wrongly attributed to Western
This document discusses the Islamic tradition of classifying knowledge. It begins by welcoming the reader to the world of Islamic architecture of knowledge. Next, it provides a historical overview of how Muslims classified knowledge from the 3rd century AH/9th century CE until the 12th century AH/18th century CE. Major Muslim scholars developed systems to categorize knowledge in order to organize education and promote unity within sciences. However, classification of knowledge declined after the 10th century as knowledge production began to stagnate. The document argues that reviving Islamic classification of knowledge can help address issues in modern education like disorganization and lack of principles guiding the relationship between different fields.
This document provides an overview of a lecture by Seyyid Hossein Nasr on the relationship between Islam and modern science. [1] Nasr outlines three main positions that exist in the Islamic world on this issue: those who see no problem with studying science while maintaining religious beliefs, modernists who equate Western science with Islamic science and believe acquiring it will restore Islamic power, and fundamentalists/apocalyptic groups. [2] Nasr then discusses how Jamaluddin Al-Afghani's views in the 19th century influenced modernists to adopt Western science without considering its philosophical implications. [3] As a result over the last 150 years, the Islamic world produced few historians or philosophers of science
The document discusses the relationship between Islam and science. It describes how science was an integral part of Islamic civilization from the 8th-16th centuries, as nature was seen as a sign from God. Muslim scientists like Ibn al-Haytham pioneered the scientific method. However, some argue traditional interpretations of Islam hindered further scientific advancement after the 15th century. Modern views among Muslims range from complete rejection to full acceptance of science. Interpreting scientific discoveries in the Quran remains controversial.
Scholasticism was a method of learning taught at medieval universities between 1100-1500 CE that was based on Aristotelian logic and Catholic tradition. It emphasized the study of the seven liberal arts, particularly dialectic. Scholastics would study texts from Church councils, papal letters, and ancient commentaries in order to debate theological issues between different orders like the Franciscans and Dominicans. Key figures included Anselm of Canterbury, Peter Abélard, Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, and William of Ockham.
During the Golden Age of Islam from 750-1050 AD, centers of learning flourished in the Islamic world where the pursuit of knowledge was encouraged. Major cities like Baghdad, Cairo, and Damascus established large libraries and advanced research in fields like astronomy, chemistry, medicine, and technology. Islamic scholars translated and built upon ancient Greek and Indian scientific works, making new contributions and discoveries. Observatories were built and instruments like the astrolabe were developed. Advances were made in areas like navigation, cartography, irrigation, and manufacturing that supported trade and improved lives.
Education involves facilitating learning and acquiring knowledge, skills, and habits through both formal and informal means. Formal education is commonly divided into stages such as preschool/kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, and college/university. A right to education has been recognized in many places. Education aims to teach both practical skills and social values from one generation to the next.
Life And Learning Assignment By Nishat DilawarNishatDilawar
1. The document discusses the promotion of scientific knowledge in the Middle Ages within the Islamic world.
2. It notes that modern sciences either originated from or were advanced significantly by Muslim scientists during this period in fields like astronomy, math, physics, optics, botany, medicine, pharmacology, and more.
3. Examples of contributions are provided, such as the Arab origins of many star and technical terms in European languages, and the pioneering work of figures like Abu Al-Qasim Zahrawi in medicine and surgery.
Al Ghazali (11th Century Muslim Philosopher)Rehan Shaikh
Abu Hamid al-Ghazzali was an influential 11th century Islamic scholar who made contributions across several fields including philosophy, law, theology, and Sufism. He sought to address divisions between rationalists and traditionalists by finding a middle ground. His major work, The Revival of Religious Sciences, aimed to balance different trends in Islamic thought. Later in life, Ghazzali took a more mystical approach like Sheikh Rabbani, balancing religious law and mysticism. He challenged philosophers' views on reason and the universe, and cleansed Sufism of excesses while upholding orthodox religion and the importance of genuine mysticism. Ghazzali was one of Islam's greatest theologians and his
Movement education aims to develop motor skills through physical movement. It was pioneered in the 1800s-early 1900s by Francois Delsarte, Liselott Diem, and Rudolf von Laban. Laban is considered the true pioneer as he developed the theory of movement and distinguished between expressive and functional movement. Movement education grew in popularity through the 1960s-1980s but then faded as fitness became a larger focus. It saw a revival in the late 1990s-2000s with the emphasis on students understanding basic movement concepts.
ROLE OF ISLAM IN SCIENCE BY RABIYA KHANrabiyakhan29
Islam has contributed greatly to scientific discoveries throughout history. Muslim scientists in early Islamic civilization not only made new discoveries but related them to concepts in the Quran and Sunnah. Several Quranic verses reference natural phenomena like rain, wind, clouds, plants and their growth - showing Islam's encouragement of studying nature and the signs of God within it. Genetics is also referenced, with the Quran noting humanity's diversity in languages and colors which stem from dominant genes passed down from parents. The document argues that science and technology ultimately derive from principles found in Islam, as revealed in the Quran's messages for those seeking knowledge.
Iqbal's Ideas for the Restoration of Muslim Dynamism(Journal Paper)Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
Islam seeks to develop the human minds to a total submission to Allah the Almighty. Through its divine guidance, the Qur’an ushered a large section of the masses in Arabia from the darkness of ignorance into knowledge and enlightenment of their souls. Islam grew from a humble beginning into a mighty civilizational force. Islamic civilization like all other civilizations, started to decline after reaching its pinnacle of success. Ever since the fall of Baghdad in 1258, the Muslim world has been confronted with endless
problems in all fields of life. Colonization of Muslim lands by the West had created the knowledge and technological gap between them and their colonizers. Being subjected to colonization, neo-colonization, and now globalization, Muslims are lagging behind other communities of the world. The Muslim minds which once came up with great ideas, discoveries, innovation and inventions, at the moment somehow become less prolific, and experiencing a state of lethargy and malaise. In realizing the great challenges faced by the Muslims in the modern world, this research intends to re-visit Iqbal’s ideas to remedy the awful situations experienced by the Ummah.
History indicates that before the coming of modern globalization, the Muslims
had their own version of globalization. During the Muslim era of globalization
which coincides with the Golden Age of the Muslims, the West benefited
immensely from the scholastic works produced by Muslim scientists and
scholars. Modern globalization which started during the era of Western
colonization of the East has now gone to every nook and cranny of the world.
The usage of internet and other modern electronic media directly or indirectly
has speed up the process of transporting modern globalization to the world
community. Modern globalization has brought about radical change in aims of
education; it has marginalized local culture and language; it has caused brain
drain everywhere in the world. Muslims, it seems, are perceiving globalization as
identical to re-colonization. This paper intends to explore and investigate how
modern globalization heralded by the west is different from Muslim
globalization in the past.
History indicates that before the coming of modern globalization, the Muslims had their own version of globalization. During the Muslim era of globalization which coincides with the Golden Age of the Muslims, the West benefited immensely from the scholastic works produced by Muslim scientists and scholars. Modern globalization which started during the era of Western colonization of the East has now gone to every nook and cranny of the world. The usage of internet and other modern electronic media directly or indirectly has speeded up the process of transporting modern globalization to the world community. Modern globalization has brought about radical change in aims of education; it has marginalized local culture and language; it has caused brain drain everywhere in the world. Muslims, it seems, are perceiving globalization as identical to re-colonization. This paper intends to explore and investigate how modern globalization heralded by the west is different from Muslim globalization in the past.
History indicates that before the coming of modern globalization, the Muslims
had their own version of globalization. During the Muslim era of globalization
which coincides with the Golden Age of the Muslims, the West benefited
immensely from the scholastic works produced by Muslim scientists and
scholars. Modern globalization which started during the era of Western
colonization of the East has now gone to every nook and cranny of the world.
The usage of internet and other modern electronic media directly or indirectly
has speeded up the process of transporting modern globalization to the world
community. Modern globalization has brought about radical change in aims of
education; it has marginalized local culture and language; it has caused brain
drain everywhere in the world. Muslims, it seems, are perceiving globalization as
identical to re-colonization. This paper intends to explore and investigate how
modern globalization heralded by the west is different from Muslim
globalization in the past.
Globalization has impacted education and culture in Muslim countries in several ways. It has changed the aims of education from transmitting cultural values to a focus on material gains. Technology-mediated learning has increased access to information but reduced community interaction and inculcation of social values. While globalization has benefits, it also risks undermining national identity and imposing Western culture on Eastern societies. Muslim countries must strategize to benefit from globalization without losing their unique culture and heritage.
In the history of Islam, the fall of Baghdad in 1258 indicates the decline of the Islamic empires.
The fall of the empires also marked the fall of the Islamic civilization and intellectualism. As the Islamic empires
fell one after another, starting with Baghdad, this left the Muslims in a pathetic condition, hardly able to regain
the prestigious position once they held on the world stage. The internal conflicts within the Ummah, also in a
way failed them in making any significant contribution during the great Industrial Revolution that happened
in the West. After that, Western colonization of Muslim lands, to some extent deprived them the success of
reconstructing and regaining the great civilization once they had during their heydays. Evers since the fall of
Baghdad, the Muslims are constantly bombarded with challenges they have to face in maintaining their faith,
culture and heritage. In modern times, after their independence, one of the serious problems they have to face
is globalization. Globalization which started some time ago is an ongoing thing that cannot be stopped. It is a
multi-faceted phenomenon which ramifies into all areas of the human life. Since the idea of globalization is a
thing that comes from the rich and affluent countries of the West, many in the developing and third world
countries welcome it with much delight as it offers them a great deal in terms of capital flow which promises
prosperity. Others perceive it with a doubtful and skeptical attitude by questioning as to what are the hidden
agendas of globalization. To them, globalization is a new agenda of the West to re-colonize the East. It is seen
as a new approach of how the Western hegemony can be imposed on the political, economic, social, cultural
and other aspects of the people in the East, particularly in the Muslim world. In the light of the present world
scenario, this paper intends to explore what globalization is all about, what sort of impact it has on the Islamic
civilization, very particularly in the areas of education and culture. Since globalization is irreversible, the paper
also aims at discussing on how the Muslim countries should strategize in facing the ferocious onslaught of
the tidal waves of globalization that have touched their shores
The document discusses the historical contributions of Muslims to science and intellectual development. It notes that Muslims made significant advances in fields like mathematics, astronomy, optics, mechanics, geography, and more between the 8th-16th centuries. However, Muslims have since experienced a decline and "brain drain" where talented individuals leave Muslim-majority countries. The document aims to analyze factors for this downturn and recommend solutions to promote education reform and highlight Islam's historical role in advancing scientific knowledge.
The Impact of Early Muslim Thoughts on the Renaissance Movement in the WestMohd Abbas Abdul Razak
This presentation intends to explain that there was a time in the history of the Muslims known as the ‘Golden Age of Islam’. During that period of time (750-1258), Muslims built their great civilization by merging science and spirituality. They were prepared to learn all that are positive and non-contradictory to their Muslim faith from others; particularly from the Greeks, Persians and Indians. At the peak of their civilization, Europeans came to learn at the Islamic centers for leaning and scientific investigation. In modern times, the West not only failed to acknowledge the contribution of the early Muslim scholars to the Renaissance movement, but also its obsession and passion for science took the masses away from God and spirituality. Looking into the present condition of the world, this presentation calls for an ideal situation that can solve violence, backwardness and moral decadence. It calls upon the West and the Muslim world to share with one another what they have. The West needs spirituality and the Muslim world needs science and technology. It is believed that through such an exchange and sharing between the two, a better world free of violence, hatred and moral decadence can be created.
A Lecture presented at the Video Conference jointly organized by Mutiara International Grammar School & Choate Rosemary Hall, United States. Held at MIGS, Ampang, Selangor, Malaysia, on the 28th of May, 2015
An examination on the contributions of islam to sciences and civilizationAlexander Decker
This document discusses the contributions of Islam to science and civilization. It begins by establishing that seeking knowledge is obligatory in Islam and the Quran encourages the acquisition of scientific knowledge. It then examines how the early Muslims established the House of Wisdom in Baghdad as a center for science and learning. The document provides examples of scientific fields addressed in the Quran like biology, botany, and physics. It analyzes how the Islamic Golden Age saw advances made by Muslim scientists in fields like mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and geography. The summary concludes that Islam played a central role in developing early intellectual and scientific progress.
1001 Inventions Muslim Heritage in Our World.pdfccccccccdddddd
This document provides an introduction and overview of the book "1001 Inventions: Muslim Heritage in Our World". It discusses how the book came to be written to help fill a 1000 year gap in history textbooks regarding scientific and technological developments during the Islamic Golden Age. The introduction describes the book's goal of highlighting important Muslim contributions in fields like mathematics, astronomy, agriculture, medicine, architecture, and more that helped lay the foundations for modern science and technology. It expresses hope that the book will help inspire people of all faiths and provide a better understanding between cultures.
This document discusses the contributions of Islamic civilization to various fields including engineering. It notes that Islamic civilization spanned a wide geographic region and incorporated many cultures. Engineering was highly valued in Islamic civilization as a way to improve lives with minimal effort. Muslims made significant advances in fields like architectural, acoustic, industrial, hydraulic, and mechanical engineering hundreds of years ago. They combined functionality with aesthetics. Some of their achievements included advanced water supply systems, architectural techniques in mosques, mechanical devices, and automated machines. Their work incorporated ethical values of respecting human dignity and avoiding forced labor.
This document discusses the role of linguistic theory in countering violent extremism in the context of political Islam and the Arab-Islamic discourse. It argues that ongoing conflicts in the Middle East are centered around debates over how much Islam should structure societies and governance. It analyzes this issue from the perspectives of medieval Islamic scholars, modern philosophers of language, and suggests that promoting rigorous instruction in Islamic exegetical traditions combined with modern linguistic theory could help prevent violent extremism by addressing the existential crisis felt by many Muslims in the post-colonial era.
Similar to Iqbal's Ideas on Science(Journal Paper) (13)
This presentation on ‘The Call for Islamization of Modern Psychology’ elucidates the nature and focus of psychology in the West and Muslim world. Since the West has gone through a period of shifting of paradigms in its views on man and psychology, and the fact that there exist a myriad of schools in psychology, the presenters would like to restrict their scope of analysis to only three schools from the western mainstream psychology. Among others that include psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanistic psychology. In a contrastive manner ideas on Man from the three schools will be compared with what has been conceptualized in Islamic psychology. Due to the fact that at times western schools of psychology agree and complement one another in matters related to man and at other times they are at loggerhead with one another, has created an opportunity for the introduction of Islamic psychology. It is the conviction of the presenters that Islamic ideas on man which are comprehensive and all-encompassing can act as a ‘peace-maker’ to the polemical issues that are prevalent in western schools of psychology. It is believed that ideas provided by Islamic psychology can harmonize many of the differences found in western mainstream psychology.
Muslim Ummah in Facing the Challenges of Globalization (Presented in Tehran)Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
This presentation on globalization among others discusses the nature and differences that exist between the modern and Muslim concepts of globalization. Since it is not possible for the Muslims to live in total isolation from the things that are happening in a globalized world, they can at least come up with a strategic plan in how to position themselves in dealing with the issues and problems related to globalization. Besides that, this presentation also highlights the ideal scenario that should be prevalent in the Muslim world that can be beneficial for the Muslims as well as for others who share the space with them in this world. In realizing how the internet and social media have been wrongfully used in a globalized world, the presenters suggest on how the Muslims can use them in a productive and ethical manner. The last thing that this presentation intends to highlight is the philosophy of co-existence which should be given due consideration by people of different civilizations that live on this planet. It is the conviction of the presenters that people of different civilizations can learn all that are positive from one another and can live in peace and harmony.
Mental Health: A Contrastive Analysis between Western and Islamic Psychologie...Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
The alarming statistics on the many reported cases of mental health in the media has drawn the attention of the researchers towards this area of psychology. Driven by the passion to understand what mental health is, this small scale research is directed towards understanding some of the existing concepts on mental health. Very precisely, it explored the ideas on mental health showcased to the world by Western mainstream psychology, namely; Freudian Psychoanalysis, Radical Behaviourism and Humanistic Psychology. Upon analysing Western concepts on mental health, the researchers ventured on to compare them with ideas presented by Islamic Psychology. It is the contention of the researchers that topics on human nature, mental health and psychotherapy are interrelated and inseparable. As such, any discussion on mental health should also incorporate some ideas on human nature and psychotherapy.
This presentation examines on extremism and act of terror committed at the global level. Since extremism is an age-old phenomenon that existed all throughout in the history of mankind, the presentation will focus on the many forms of extremism that happen during this modern age of globalization and telecommunication. The crux of the presentation will focus on the root causes of extremism and how to remedy the ever increasing rate of terror attacks that happens all over the world. The researchers have also highlighted that it is unfair to associate extremism carried out by people to their religions. This sort of an unfair judgment has been done in the case of a Muslim to Islam, while the non-Muslim is associated to mental illness. Last but not least, the researchers call for a concerted effort from all, regardless race and religion to join force to eradicate extremism and make this world a safe place for all to live.
Mental Health: A Contrastive Analysis between Western and Islamic Psychologie...Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
Advancement in the way of life and urbanization has brought many great changes in the psychological well-being of people in many parts of the world. Driven by the need to be materially affluent has pushed people in the urban to unnecessary stress, anxiety, conflict, dilemma and a whole lot of other adverse psychological state of mind. Due to these psychological problems, at times, people mainly living in the cities respond in a negative way without considering the religious and ethical principles in life. In the light of this situation, this small scale research would like to explore the concept of mental health held by some selected schools in the Western mainstream psychology and Islamic psychology. It is hoped that a proper understanding of the concept of mental health and its maintenance could help people to lead a meaningful life: finding peace and harmony within themselves and in the external surrounding.
Mental Health: A Contrastive Analysis between Western and Islamic PsychologiesMohd Abbas Abdul Razak
Urbanization, Modernization, Industrialization and Globalization, all in one way or another have brought many changes to human lives. They transformed people’s lives from simple to a more advanced standard of living. In some cases, human lives changed from primitive to a cultured one. Besides the positive changes in the areas of transportation, communication and the use of technology in education and in human health care services, there exist scores of negative impacts that deteriorated the quality of human lives. Though the negative impacts are obviously felt at all places that allow human habitation, but none feels it more seriously than the ones who live in the metropolis. Technology and mechanization of human lives in many parts of the world have caused undue pressure on the psychological wellbeing of people. As a result of economic problems and fast pace lifestyle in the urban areas of the world have greatly contributed to common mental health problems like; stress, anxiety, frustration, depression, grief, etc. The other more serious cases of mental health problem can be like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, bulimia, anorexia, obsessive-compulsive disorders, etc
THE IMPACT OF RELIGIOUS IDENTITY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORKPLACE STRESS...Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
As the nature of today organizational work setting is becoming more challenging, it could easily be said that stress is commonly experienced among staffs due to high demand of service quality in higher citadel of learning. Coupled with serious concerns as to how it affects psychological well-being, this study examines the impact of religious identity on the relationship between workplace stress and inner meaning fulfillment among non-academic staff in a public university in Malaysia. 148 participants were selected and data were collected and analyzed through quantitative and correlational methods respectively. Results revealed as hypothesized as it was found that workers with high inner meaning fulfillment do experience lower level of workplace stress. Also, results revealed that there is significant positive relationship between religious identity and inner meaning fulfillment. These results confirmed the link between religiosity and mental health among Muslim participants as it has been reported among their counterparts in previous studies.
Keywords: Inner Meaning Fulfillment, stress, workplace, psychological well-being.
Impact of Multicultural Environment of Islamic Educational Institutes on Stud...Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
The study focuses on the effect of exposure to Multicultural and international environment of an Islamic educational institution on the acculturation of its students. Acculturation has been used in this study with a wide sense of meaning that underscores the sense of co-existence and feeling of unity. This study investigated whether the Internationalization process of the International Islamic University, Malaysia, with intergroup contact taking place under optimal conditions helps its students to, appreciate the differences that other cultures bring, be comfortable with differences and also seek diversity of contact. The study employed Miville-Guzman Universality – Diversity Scale, (M-GUDS-S) to collect data by survey method from 400 IIUM undergraduate students selected using Quota sampling. 200 of them were the first year students and the rest were fourth-year students. The result showed that there is a significant improvement in the feeling of unity among the students. The fourth year students showed more appreciation for other cultures and comfort with differences. Based on the finding it has been suggested that if efforts are made to establish optimal conditions for positive intergroup contact to take place, intergroup prejudice can be reduced and problems of co-existence in the Muslim countries and communities can thus be addressed.
Index Terms—Appreciation of other cultures, comfort with differences, diversity of contact, intergroup contact, Multicultural environment, unity feeling, prejudice.
Philosophically Speaking, the Whole World Belongs to Me and
I Belong to the Whole World.
All Countries are My Country.
For This Reason, I Call Myself the Citizen of the World.
If Humanity can be Analogically Described like the Colours of the Rainbow,
Then I am just a Colour in the Whole Spectrum. Nothing More and Nothing Less.
I am Just a Drop in the Ocean of People.
All Good Citizens of the World are My Brothers.
In My Faith, I am a Muslim.
In My Generosity, I am an Arab.
In My Taste for Food, I am an Indian.
In My Spirit of Togetherness with others, I am a Malaysian.
In My Common Courtesy, I am a Malay.
In My Work Ethics, I am a Japanese.
In My Adoration Towards Nature, I am a European.
All in all, I am a Universal Man.
One Who believes in the Spirit of Loving, Caring and Sharing.
A Man who Stands for World Peace and Aspires to Create a Better World.
The Spiritual and Social Aspects of Eid ul-Fitr Celebration in MalaysiaMohd Abbas Abdul Razak
Malaysia is one of the unique countries in the world. It is a country diverse in its ethnicity, religion, culture, language, etc. People of different faith groups coexist in a harmonious manner by acknowledging the rights of others to practice their faith and observe their days of festive. When it comes to festivals celebrated in the country, Eid-ul-Fitr becomes the most grandest with all its significance.
The claim made by some that Freud’s ideas have been wholly rejected by the modern West is not true. ‘Freud is not dead’. He lives, lives beyond the pages of history and psychology. The evidential proof of this can be seen in the sexual revolution that has taken place all over the world, particularly in the West.
Internet and social media provide information & good communication tools. But our lives should not be enslaved to them. At times we have to pause and see the world through our own eyes and not through a borrowed vision. Seeing things as they are promises the birth of wisdom.
This article intents to draw the attention of the developing countries in Africa and Asia to pay attention to the preservation and conservation of the natural world/environment. It also identifies some of the reasons as to why it is not possible for some countries to join the campaign that calls for the friendly co-existence with nature.
This motivation program was organized for students who will be sitting for their Pre-University Examination this year (2016). It talks about anything can be a learning experience under the sun. People learn not only from school, textbooks and within the four walls of the classroom, but also from the home and nature. The presentation is also lays importance on reading habits as a way of enriching one's knowledge and understanding of the world.
This motivation program was conducted for students who will be sitting for their SPM (Year 11) Examinations in Malaysia this year(2016).The slides were designed to explain the holistic concept of education. Besides that, they are meant to motivate the students to learn from varied sources. The outlets for education and learning were also explained quite extensively.
A Critical Appraisal of Freud's Ideas on Man and Personality (pre-publication...Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
This paper is the pre-publication work on Freud. In its published version the paper lost many vital information due to limitation of space. Since the paper has caught the attention of many researchers in Asia and Europe, I have uploaded the actual version of the paper before it went through editing. A more comprehensive analysis of Freud can be read in " Iqbal's Theory of Personality: A Contrastive Analysis with Freud" by Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak.
A home is built not through physical materials like bricks and tiles but through love, care and a sense of belonging shared between family members. It provides a sanctuary where individuals can find peace, security and comfort.
God created the Grand Universe with all its celestial bodies at the Macro- level and Man as a universe at the Micro-level. Man too created a universe aided by technology. That is the INTERNET
People tend to eat less when feeling sad and more when happy. A study found that mood impacts how much food one consumes, with those feeling sad eating little and those feeling happy eating lavishly. Mood affects appetite and food intake.
In Malaysia there is no meeting without eating. When two people meet, the next thing that comes to their mind is food. In Malaysia food is in the variety and people have good taste for food
ESR spectroscopy in liquid food and beverages.pptxPRIYANKA PATEL
With increasing population, people need to rely on packaged food stuffs. Packaging of food materials requires the preservation of food. There are various methods for the treatment of food to preserve them and irradiation treatment of food is one of them. It is the most common and the most harmless method for the food preservation as it does not alter the necessary micronutrients of food materials. Although irradiated food doesn’t cause any harm to the human health but still the quality assessment of food is required to provide consumers with necessary information about the food. ESR spectroscopy is the most sophisticated way to investigate the quality of the food and the free radicals induced during the processing of the food. ESR spin trapping technique is useful for the detection of highly unstable radicals in the food. The antioxidant capability of liquid food and beverages in mainly performed by spin trapping technique.
The technology uses reclaimed CO₂ as the dyeing medium in a closed loop process. When pressurized, CO₂ becomes supercritical (SC-CO₂). In this state CO₂ has a very high solvent power, allowing the dye to dissolve easily.
The ability to recreate computational results with minimal effort and actionable metrics provides a solid foundation for scientific research and software development. When people can replicate an analysis at the touch of a button using open-source software, open data, and methods to assess and compare proposals, it significantly eases verification of results, engagement with a diverse range of contributors, and progress. However, we have yet to fully achieve this; there are still many sociotechnical frictions.
Inspired by David Donoho's vision, this talk aims to revisit the three crucial pillars of frictionless reproducibility (data sharing, code sharing, and competitive challenges) with the perspective of deep software variability.
Our observation is that multiple layers — hardware, operating systems, third-party libraries, software versions, input data, compile-time options, and parameters — are subject to variability that exacerbates frictions but is also essential for achieving robust, generalizable results and fostering innovation. I will first review the literature, providing evidence of how the complex variability interactions across these layers affect qualitative and quantitative software properties, thereby complicating the reproduction and replication of scientific studies in various fields.
I will then present some software engineering and AI techniques that can support the strategic exploration of variability spaces. These include the use of abstractions and models (e.g., feature models), sampling strategies (e.g., uniform, random), cost-effective measurements (e.g., incremental build of software configurations), and dimensionality reduction methods (e.g., transfer learning, feature selection, software debloating).
I will finally argue that deep variability is both the problem and solution of frictionless reproducibility, calling the software science community to develop new methods and tools to manage variability and foster reproducibility in software systems.
Exposé invité Journées Nationales du GDR GPL 2024
ESPP presentation to EU Waste Water Network, 4th June 2024 “EU policies driving nutrient removal and recycling
and the revised UWWTD (Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive)”
The binding of cosmological structures by massless topological defectsSérgio Sacani
Assuming spherical symmetry and weak field, it is shown that if one solves the Poisson equation or the Einstein field
equations sourced by a topological defect, i.e. a singularity of a very specific form, the result is a localized gravitational
field capable of driving flat rotation (i.e. Keplerian circular orbits at a constant speed for all radii) of test masses on a thin
spherical shell without any underlying mass. Moreover, a large-scale structure which exploits this solution by assembling
concentrically a number of such topological defects can establish a flat stellar or galactic rotation curve, and can also deflect
light in the same manner as an equipotential (isothermal) sphere. Thus, the need for dark matter or modified gravity theory is
mitigated, at least in part.
The debris of the ‘last major merger’ is dynamically youngSérgio Sacani
The Milky Way’s (MW) inner stellar halo contains an [Fe/H]-rich component with highly eccentric orbits, often referred to as the
‘last major merger.’ Hypotheses for the origin of this component include Gaia-Sausage/Enceladus (GSE), where the progenitor
collided with the MW proto-disc 8–11 Gyr ago, and the Virgo Radial Merger (VRM), where the progenitor collided with the
MW disc within the last 3 Gyr. These two scenarios make different predictions about observable structure in local phase space,
because the morphology of debris depends on how long it has had to phase mix. The recently identified phase-space folds in Gaia
DR3 have positive caustic velocities, making them fundamentally different than the phase-mixed chevrons found in simulations
at late times. Roughly 20 per cent of the stars in the prograde local stellar halo are associated with the observed caustics. Based
on a simple phase-mixing model, the observed number of caustics are consistent with a merger that occurred 1–2 Gyr ago.
We also compare the observed phase-space distribution to FIRE-2 Latte simulations of GSE-like mergers, using a quantitative
measurement of phase mixing (2D causticality). The observed local phase-space distribution best matches the simulated data
1–2 Gyr after collision, and certainly not later than 3 Gyr. This is further evidence that the progenitor of the ‘last major merger’
did not collide with the MW proto-disc at early times, as is thought for the GSE, but instead collided with the MW disc within
the last few Gyr, consistent with the body of work surrounding the VRM.
Unlocking the mysteries of reproduction: Exploring fecundity and gonadosomati...AbdullaAlAsif1
The pygmy halfbeak Dermogenys colletei, is known for its viviparous nature, this presents an intriguing case of relatively low fecundity, raising questions about potential compensatory reproductive strategies employed by this species. Our study delves into the examination of fecundity and the Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) in the Pygmy Halfbeak, D. colletei (Meisner, 2001), an intriguing viviparous fish indigenous to Sarawak, Borneo. We hypothesize that the Pygmy halfbeak, D. colletei, may exhibit unique reproductive adaptations to offset its low fecundity, thus enhancing its survival and fitness. To address this, we conducted a comprehensive study utilizing 28 mature female specimens of D. colletei, carefully measuring fecundity and GSI to shed light on the reproductive adaptations of this species. Our findings reveal that D. colletei indeed exhibits low fecundity, with a mean of 16.76 ± 2.01, and a mean GSI of 12.83 ± 1.27, providing crucial insights into the reproductive mechanisms at play in this species. These results underscore the existence of unique reproductive strategies in D. colletei, enabling its adaptation and persistence in Borneo's diverse aquatic ecosystems, and call for further ecological research to elucidate these mechanisms. This study lends to a better understanding of viviparous fish in Borneo and contributes to the broader field of aquatic ecology, enhancing our knowledge of species adaptations to unique ecological challenges.
Or: Beyond linear.
Abstract: Equivariant neural networks are neural networks that incorporate symmetries. The nonlinear activation functions in these networks result in interesting nonlinear equivariant maps between simple representations, and motivate the key player of this talk: piecewise linear representation theory.
Disclaimer: No one is perfect, so please mind that there might be mistakes and typos.
dtubbenhauer@gmail.com
Corrected slides: dtubbenhauer.com/talks.html
Authoring a personal GPT for your research and practice: How we created the Q...Leonel Morgado
Thematic analysis in qualitative research is a time-consuming and systematic task, typically done using teams. Team members must ground their activities on common understandings of the major concepts underlying the thematic analysis, and define criteria for its development. However, conceptual misunderstandings, equivocations, and lack of adherence to criteria are challenges to the quality and speed of this process. Given the distributed and uncertain nature of this process, we wondered if the tasks in thematic analysis could be supported by readily available artificial intelligence chatbots. Our early efforts point to potential benefits: not just saving time in the coding process but better adherence to criteria and grounding, by increasing triangulation between humans and artificial intelligence. This tutorial will provide a description and demonstration of the process we followed, as two academic researchers, to develop a custom ChatGPT to assist with qualitative coding in the thematic data analysis process of immersive learning accounts in a survey of the academic literature: QUAL-E Immersive Learning Thematic Analysis Helper. In the hands-on time, participants will try out QUAL-E and develop their ideas for their own qualitative coding ChatGPT. Participants that have the paid ChatGPT Plus subscription can create a draft of their assistants. The organizers will provide course materials and slide deck that participants will be able to utilize to continue development of their custom GPT. The paid subscription to ChatGPT Plus is not required to participate in this workshop, just for trying out personal GPTs during it.
Authoring a personal GPT for your research and practice: How we created the Q...
Iqbal's Ideas on Science(Journal Paper)
1. Revelation and Science
Vol. 01, No.03 (1433H/2011) 85-96
Iqbal’s ideas on Science and the Muslims
Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak*
Department of General Studies
Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences
International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)
Abstract
Early Muslims were able to embellish their civilization with great achievements in the areas of science and
technology. The Holy Qur‟an not only speaks about spirituality but also on science and the natural world. The
Qur‟an was the driving force in encouraging the Muslim scholars to go into science and research. The zeal to
understand the hidden message of Allah, in the natural world, made them learn from contributions made by earlier
civilizations. In taking knowledge from others, early Muslims used the methodology of adopt, adapt and integrate.
During their heydays, Muslim scholars were pioneers in many areas of knowledge and sciences; natural and
social. The peak of Islamic civilization drew Europeans scholars to their centers of learning. In modern times, the
European renaissance movement which started in the 14th
century got the impetus from the culture of learning,
doing research and exploration that was shown by the Muslim scholars of the Golden Age of Islam (750-1258).
The decline of the Islamic empires and the internal conflicts within the Ummah in some ways made the Muslims
to lag behind others in science and technology. This paper intends to explore the ideas of Iqbal (1873-1938) on
science and what are the obstacles highlighted by him that hindered the Muslims‟ march towards making this
world a better place for them and others as well.
Keywords: Iqbal‟s Ideas, Science, Muslim Ummah
Abstrak
Muslim dahulu berupaya memartabatkan tamadun mereka dengan pencapaian dan kejayaan yang gemilang dalam
bidang sains dan teknologi. Kitab suci Al-Qur‟an bukan hanya menyentuh hal-hal spiritual malah meliputi sains
dan alam semula jadi. Al-Qur‟an menjadi daya penggerak kepada sarjana Muslim untuk menceburi bidang sains
dan penyelidikan. Semangat untuk memahami mesej tersirat Allah s.a.w dalam dunia tabii menyebabkan mereka
belajar daripada kemajuan dan sumbangan tamadun awal. Muslim dahulu belajar dengan kaedah menerima,
menyesuaikan dan menyatukan ilmu yang diperoleh itu. Pada zaman kegemilangan, sarjana Muslim merupakan
pelopor dalam pelbagai bidang ilmu dan sains serta alam tabii dan sosial. Pada zaman kemuncak kegemilangan,
ramai sarjana Eropah berkunjung ke pusat pengajian di kota-kota Islam. Pada zaman pertengahan, gerakan
renaissance Eropah yang bermula pada kurun ke-14 mendapat dorongan daripada gedung ilmu dan para sarjana
Muslim yang menjalankan penyelidikan dan penerokaan pada Zaman Keagungan Islam (750-1258M).
Kemerosotan empayar Islam dan konflik dalaman ummah adalah antara punca yang menyebabkan Muslim
ketinggalan dalam bidang sains dan teknologi. Kertas ini akan meninjau idea-dea Iqbal (1873-1938) tentang sains
dan menggariskan kekangan yang menghalang Muslim daripada mara ke hadapan untuk membangunkan dunia ini
agar menjadi lebih aman, sentosa dan makmur untuk didiami oleh Muslim dan bukan Muslim.
Kata kunci: Idea-idea Iqbal, Sains, ummah Muslim
Introduction
This paper exposes the past glory of the Muslims, the
sort of attitude they had towards science and learning,
and what happened to them after the decline of the
*Corresponding author: Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
Department of General Studies, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed
Knowledge, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM),
P.O. Box 10, 50728 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
E-mail: maarji2020@yahoo.com
2. Iqbal‟s ideas on Science and the Muslims / Abdul Razak M.A
Revelation and Science | Vol. 01, No.03 (1433H/2011) | 86
Islamic civilization, which started with the fall of
Baghdad in 1258. By stating the past glory of the
Muslims as a point of departure, this paper focuses on
the ideas of Allama Mohammad Iqbal with regards to
science and the condition of the Muslim Ummah.
Finally, the paper offers critical remarks on the
present state of the Muslims in the light of ideas put
forward by Allama Mohammad Iqbal. The criticism
raised in this paper, on the present state of the
Muslims, should be interpreted as a way forward in
restoring the lost dynamism of the Ummah.
The Golden Age of the Muslims
During the Golden Age of Islam (750-1258),
Muslims were in the forefront in conquering
knowledge through scientific research, exploration
and expeditions. In their pursuit of mastering new
knowledge and technology, Muslims were prepared
and open to the idea of learning all that is positive
from the earlier civilizations. As such, they borrowed
ideas from the Indians, Persians and Greeks as a way
of enriching their own civilization. Adopt, adapt and
assimilate or integrate was the approach used by early
Muslim scholars in taking knowledge from those
outside the Islamic faith (Rossidy, 1998). This
meticulous and selective approach in taking ideas
from others and adapting those ideas which are not
contradictory to the Islamic metaphysical framework
(aqa‟id) and Islamic worldview of the Muslims in the
modern terminology is known as Islamization of
knowledge (Mohd Abbas, 1997). While carrying out
many pioneering works in the areas of natural and
social sciences during their Golden Age, Muslims
scholars were equally interested in the philosophical
ideas of the ancient Greeks, namely; Socrates (469-
399BC), Plato (427-347BC), Aristotle (384-322BC)
and others.
Besides learning from earlier civilizations,
Muslims scholars went on further to expand and
come up with some original and innovative ideas of
their own. This was the spirit and culture of learning
that was prevalent during the early Muslim era of
knowledge expansion and exploration. There exist
evidences in the annals of the Islamic and Western
histories that deliberate the fact that early Muslim
scholars were the ones who introduced Western
scholars to some of the philosophical ideas of the
Greeks. Europeans learnt ideas of the Greek
philosophers through the translated and annotated
works done by the Muslim scholars. Moreover, they
also learnt from many pioneering works done by
Muslim scholars and scientists in the field of
medicine, astronomy, chemistry, mathematics,
algebra, trigonometry, alchemy, geography,
sociology etc. At the moment, only a few Western
scholars duly acknowledge the great contribution
made by the Muslims towards science and scientific
explorations (Langgulung, 1981).
Much of the scholastic works accomplished
during the Golden Age of the Muslims were either
diminished or came to a standstill during the Mongols
invasion of Baghdad led by Hulagu Khan in 1258.
During the Mongols invasion, not only great number
of Muslims was butchered, but also their libraries
with large volumes of books and original manuscripts
were burnt to ashes (Rossidy, 1998). The era
between the fall of Baghdad and the European
colonization of Muslim lands in the 18th
and 19th
centuries kept the Muslim scholars occupied in their
own polemics in the area of Islamic jurisprudence. In
addition to this, they were also busy bickering and
discrediting one another. This situation persisted for
very long in the Muslim world even during the dawn
of the Industrial Revolution in Britain. During the
Industrial Revolution, the West had managed to
advance many steps ahead in the areas of science and
research, leaving the Muslim world lagging behind.
The Muslims who earlier did many pioneering works
in the field of science either produced little or showed
no progress in their research works while the
Europeans made giant strides in the areas of science
and technology during the Industrial Revolution. The
impacts of internal conflicts, Western colonization
and later globalization have caused a huge
educational and technological gap in the Muslim
countries when compared to the countries in the
West. At the moment, all Muslim countries are
liberated from the clutches of colonial rule. However,
some even with their rich natural resources find it
hard to be on par with the advanced nations of the
world. One of the reasons for such a situation is due
to their neglect in developing their science and
technology (Mahathir Mohamed, 1986 & 2003).
The East and West Meet in Iqbal
Allama Iqbal was not only a Muslim thinker and
statesman; he was also a great poet and a mystic-
philosopher. As a Muslim scholar during the Western
era of colonization of the East, Iqbal‟s intellectual
ability and performance were not just meant for
finding solutions to the pressing issues of any one
particular group. As a poet-philosopher and a
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87 | Revelation and Science | Vol. 01, No.03 (1433H/2011)
humanist, he was interested in a wide spectrum of
issues that were very important for the survival of the
human race as a whole (Mohd Abbas, 2011). In
describing how passionate Iqbal was in analyzing the
problems and prescribing remedy to the human
issues, Mustansir Mir wrote:
Iqbal was deeply interested in the issues that have
exercised the best minds of the human race—the issues of
the meaning of life, change and constancy, freedom and
determinism, survival and progress, the relation between
the body and the soul, the conflict between reason and
emotion, evil and suffering, the position and role of human
beings in the universe—and in his poetry he deals with
these and other issues. He had also read widely in history,
philosophy, literature, mysticism, and politics, and, again,
his catholic interests are reflected in his poetry
(Mir, 2009:1)
As one who was well-grounded in religion and
well researched in the state of mind of the people of
the East and West, he was a brave scholar who spoke
his mind through his speeches, poetry and
philosophical writings. In assessing the boldness of
Iqbal in calling for a change in the East and West,
R.A. Nicholson who translated his Asrari-Khudi into
English very aptly wrote in his introduction to Iqbal‟s
work: “Iqbal is a man of his age and a man in
advance of his age; he is also a man in disagreement
with his age” (Iqbal, 1983: xxxi). Nicholson‟s words
well explain Iqbal‟s nature and philosophy in life. He
describes Iqbal as one who was critical of what he
read in the bygone history and of what he observed in
the unfolding of events during his lifetime. The
words too precisely befit Iqbal‟s personality as a
Muslim scholar who aspired to see change and
progress within the Muslim society of his time.
Iqbal‟s character which was averse to what was the
norm of his day had been admitted by him when he
boldly stated his ambition in life and his critical
nature in his poetry:
What can I do? My nature is averse to rest;
My heart is impatient like the breeze in the poppy field:
When the eye beholds an object of beauty
The heart yearns for something more beautiful still;
From the spark to the star, from the star to the sun
Is my quest;
I have no desire for a goal,
For me, rest spells death!
With an impatient eye and a hopeful heart
I seek for the end of that which is endless! (Iqbal and
Saiyidain, 1995: 11).
At the time when Iqbal first mooted his ideas on his
new philosophy related to the ego development
theory, some scholars from the Islamic circles
prevalent at that time in India criticized and scoffed at
his ideas. Although this was the case, Iqbal was
persistent with his ideas right from their inception
until the very end of his struggle in life. Iqbal as a
critical thinker who had mastered the Western
philosophy, and also as a man well versed in the
problems of the Islamic world was always in the
forefront, with his sharp criticism on the weaknesses
found in the societies of the East and the West. In his
much praised, although controversial, anthology of
poems known as the „Asrari Khudi‟, which was
published in 1915, this is what he said to his critics:
“I am the voice of the poet of To-morrow
My own age does not understand my deep meanings,
My Yusuf (Joseph) is not for this market
I despair of my old companions” (Iqbal, 1983:4).
As a Muslim philosopher of the modern age, Iqbal‟s
ideas or rather his philosophical way of thinking on
matters related to politics, social and religious
reforms and progress in life are all in line or rather
anchored in the true teachings of the two primary
sources of Islam, namely the Qur‟an and Sunnah.
Like the message of the Qur‟an, Iqbal‟s philosophy
too has the appeal of a universal message to the
whole of mankind. As such, in the process of
formulating his own pattern of philosophy, he has
eclectically combined the gist of philosophical ideas
taken from prominent philosophers of the West and
the East. In describing the ingenuity of Iqbal as a
scholar who has read well in the many areas of
knowledge, Munnawar (1985) said the following:
Iqbal had keenly studied philosophy of both the East and
the West. He was well versed in literature, history and law.
A student of science he perhaps never was, yet he kept a
keen eye on the latest scientific discoveries and theories.
Being thus equipped intellectually he was in a position to
pick up good points from different systems of polity,
philosophy, economics and what not, and weave them into
a new pattern (p.18).
Through the marriage of ideas borrowed from the
scholars of the East and the West, he created his own
philosophy, otherwise known as the philosophy of the
4. Iqbal‟s ideas on Science and the Muslims / Abdul Razak M.A
Revelation and Science | Vol. 01, No.03 (1433H/2011) | 88
Self or the Ego philosophy. In his philosophy, Iqbal
very much emphasized, on the existence of the ego
and its development; in relation to the human
personality development. As a Muslim scholar, Iqbal
was well read in Western philosophy. Among the
Western philosophers, Iqbal had immersed deeply
into the ideas of Immanuel Kant (1724-1804),
William James (1842-1910), Mc Taggart (1866-
1925), Goethe (1749-1832), and others. Any avid
reader of Iqbal‟s ides will come to realize that though
many philosophers and Sufis had influenced him in
his philosophical thoughts, the three great
philosophers who had significantly influenced Iqbal
in developing his ego philosophy were Mawlana
Jalaluddin Ar-Rumi (767-820), Nietzsche (1844-
1900) and Henri Bergson (1859-1941). In
formulating his philosophy of the ego through the
eclectic method, Iqbal did not find any problem
merging ideas taken from the good part of the
Western philosophy with that of the Islamic heritage
of the past. Iqbal strongly believed that sharing of
intellectual heritage between the West and the
Muslims was not something new in the history of
human civilization. To him, it had happened before
and can happen again and again. In defending this
view point he wrote:
There was a time when European thought received
inspiration from the world of Islam. The most remarkable
phenomenon of modern history, however, is the enormous
rapidity with which the world of Islam is spiritually
moving towards the West. There is nothing wrong in this
movement, for European culture, on its intellectual side, is
only a further development of some of the most important
phases of the culture of Islam. Our only fear is that the
dazzling exterior of European culture may arrest our
movement and we may fail to reach the true inwardness of
that culture (Iqbal, 1996: 6).
In analyzing the above statement made by Iqbal one
can deduce the understanding that what he liked
about the West was its dynamism and intellectual
advancement in the areas of science and technology,
and not of its social life that was cut loose from any
religious acquaintances. He cautioned the Muslims
not to fall trap into this part of the Western
civilization. In one of his poems, Iqbal gave the
following advice to the Muslims:
The East in imitating the West is deprived of its true self.
It should attempt, instead, a critical appraisal!
The power of the West springs not from her music
Nor from the dance of her unveiled daughters!
Her strength comes not from irreligion
Nor her progress from the adoption of the Latin script
The power of the West lies in her Arts and Sciences
At their fire, has it kindled its lamps
(Iqbal in Saiyidain, 1977: 20)
Among the scholars of the East, Iqbal liked
personalities like Imam Syafie (767-820), Imam Al-
Ghazali (1058-1111), Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi
(767-820), and Jamaluddin Al-Afghani (1838-1897).
As a man interested in Islamic mysticism
(Tasawwuf), Iqbal read deeply into the ideas of many
mystic scholars/Sufi scholars, namely of Hallaj (858-
922), Ibn Arabi (1165-1240) and Rumi. Of all the
mystics of the East, Iqbal liked Jalaluddin Rumi most
profoundly. Out of love for this scholar, Iqbal
immersed himself in reading into Rumi‟s celebrated
work known as the Mathnawi, which contains 25,700
lines of poems. After knowing Rumi through his
writings, Iqbal took this great sage as his spiritual
guide in mysticism even though this great teacher
lived 700 years earlier than his time. His relation with
his teacher was a spiritual one rather than a physical
and temporal one (Mohd Abbas: 1992 & 2011).
Iqbal claiming himself as the follower of Rumi,
praised his spiritual guide who inspired him in
finding solutions to the many spiritual matters. In one
of his poetries, he described his veneration towards
his teacher in these words:
Inspired by the genius of the Master of Rum.
I rehearse the sealed book of secret lore.
I am but as the spark that gleams for a moment.
His burning candle consumed me, the moth;
His wine overwhelmed my goblet.
The master of Rum transmuted my earth to gold
And set my ashes aflame.
The grain of sand set forth from the desert,
That it might win the radiance of the sun.
I am a wave and I will come to rest in his sea,
That I may make the glistening pearl mine own.
I who am drunken with the wine of his song.
Draw life from the breath of his words, (Iqbal, 1983: 9-10)
Iqbal in developing his ego philosophy assimilated
some of the dynamic teachings of Rumi. According
to Vahid (1976), in analyzing Rumi‟s influence on
Iqbal, some parallelism can be drawn between these
two mystic-poets. The following will be some of the
similarities highlighted by Vahid:
a) Their admiration for a life of ceaseless endeavour.
5. Iqbal‟s ideas on Science and the Muslims / Abdul Razak M.A
89 | Revelation and Science | Vol. 01, No.03 (1433H/2011)
b) Mysticism.
c) Faith in love
d) Conception of God.
e) Free-will.
f) Creative Evolution.
g) Production of Perfect or Ideal Man (Vahid, 1976: 95).
Reading Rumi‟s Mathnavi also in a way inspired
Iqbal in producing poetical works like Asrar-i-Khudi,
Rumuz-i- Bekhudi and Javid Namah. He had also
claimed that it was Rumi who appeared in his dream
and asked him to write the Asrar-i-Khudi. In the art
of poetry, both Rumi and Iqbal had many similarities.
Some of the similarities that can be traced are the
following:
a) They are both fond of introducing fables and apologues.
b) Both quote extracts from the verses of the Qur‟an.
c) Both achieve dramatic effect by the use of dialogues.
d) Both show admiration for the two Persian poets, Sanai
and Attar (Vahid, 1976: 94).
According to Vahid (1976), Iqbal as a modern
Muslim philosopher discovered in the mathnavi of
Rumi a great deal of information and issues already
mentioned in it long before the scholars and
philosophers in the West started their quest to look
for answers pertaining to questions on human nature,
his existence and his survival on earth. Vahid‟s
(1976) exact words on this point are:
In Rumi, Iqbal found Kant‟s Practical Reason, Fichte‟s
Ethical Monism, Schleimacher‟s Religious point of view,
Schopenhauer‟s urge for existence, Nietzsche‟s Will-to-
Power, Bergson‟s Intuition and William James‟s Pure
Experience. In fact, in Rumi, Iqbal found all that he had
learnt to admire in various Western thinkers as well as all
he had learnt from the Qur‟an, and so he naturally turned
to him as the Master (Vahid, 1976: 117-118).
In reflecting on his mission and challenges in life
with that of his spiritual guide (Rumi), Iqbal
acknowledged that they both had some
commonalities in wanting to contribute for the well-
being of the Muslim Ummah of their times. Both
these poet-philosophers were calling the Muslims of
their respective time to cast off all fatalistic
philosophy in life. At the same time they called the
masses to be bold and daring in facing the challenges
of life. These poets also called for the realization of
the power of the human ego and to use it for the
dynamic growth of man himself. Iqbal in the
following lines of his poetry stated that both Rumi
and he had a common duty of calling people to God‟s
way:
Like Rumi in the Harem, I called the people to piety;
From him I learnt the secrets of life.
In olden days when trouble arose he was there
To meet trouble in present times I am here (Iqbal in Qaiser,
1986: xviii).
Any research on Iqbal‟s philosophy will reveal the
undeniable fact that his philosophy is a fusion of
ideas taken from philosophers of the East and the
West. In his „Stray Reflection‟ (1992), Iqbal himself
had acknowledged and appreciated the fact that he
had gained from the poets and philosophers of the
East and the West. The following is one among the
many quotes found in that book whereby Iqbal
admitted the contribution of others to the structure of
his thoughts:
I confess I owe a great deal to Hegel, Goethe, Mirza
Ghalib, Mirza Abdul Qadir Bedil and Wordsworth. The
first two led me into the „inside‟ of things; the third and
fourth taught me how to remain oriental in spirit and
expression after having assimilated foreign ideals of
poetry, and the last saved me from atheism in my student
days (Iqbal, 1992: 61).
The reason why Iqbal liked these Western
philosophers was none other than for their research
oriented thinking, boldness, dynamism and creative
intelligence. By getting to know them, either through
their writings or in person, had created an impact in
Iqbal‟s scholarly life. Even though Iqbal admired and
emulated the good qualities seen in some of the
Western philosophers, without fail he highlighted to
them the faults and loopholes found in their system of
philosophy and education which are devoid of
religious and spiritual essence. Below here are a few
lines from his poetry that criticize the West:
The European man of wisdom does not possess a wakeful
heart, although he possesses a wakeful eye
(Bazm-i-Iqbal, 1969: 510)
Believe me, Europe to-day is the greatest hindrance in the
way of man‟s ethical advancement (Iqbal, 1953: xii).
Iqbal in his opinion on the Western culture felt that it
deprives the European man of his vision and soul for
a spiritual life. As such, Iqbal further ventured on to
think that this modern European culture has lost its
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Revelation and Science | Vol. 01, No.03 (1433H/2011) | 90
piety in the race for modernization. As a result, this
loss of piety, has caused his soul, purity of
conscience, high thinking and refined taste to
disappear from his life. In another place in his
poetry, Iqbal made the following statement:
The East perceived God and failed to
perceive the world
The West lost itself in the World and fled
from God!
To open the eyes on God is worship!
To see oneself unveiled is life
(Iqbal and Saiyidain, 1995: 19).
K.G. Saiyidain (1977) whom Iqbal acknowledged as
a scholar who had precisely captured his thoughts and
his philosophy of education in his book: Iqbal‟s
Educational Philosophy wrote the following
comments with regards to Iqbal‟s attitude towards the
West:
He readily welcomes their spirit of research, their sciences,
their strenuous striving to gain control of their
environment. But he would certainly repudiate the merely
superficial and sensational aspects of their civilization
because they tend to weaken our self-respect, run contrary
to some of our basic cultural values and give us an entirely
false sense of being modern and progressive
(Saiyidain,1977: 23).
Besides his criticism on the West, Iqbal felt disturbed
to witness the development that was taking place in
the Muslim world. It saddened him to see the
mushrooming of a kind of Sufism which preached to
the masses to indulge zealously in all spiritual
practices, and at the same time, either neglect or pay
little interest in calling people to perform their
worldly duties actively as mentioned in the Qur‟an.
It was clear to Iqbal that such a message was contrary
to what the Muslims have been told to do in carrying
out their duty as Allah‟s vicegerent. Iqbal‟s call for a
dynamic participation in worldly life is very relevant
to the following Qur‟anic message:
“But seek, with the wealth which Allah has bestowed
on you, the reward and happiness of the Hereafter.
Do not forget your share (of the needs and provision)
from this world, and be good (to others) as Allah has
been good to you (by giving you more than what you
needed), and do not seek mischief in the land. Allah
does not like the mischief-makers”
(Al-Qur‟ān, 28': 77)
In analyzing the reason as to why people during the
time of Iqbal thought that material world is a
hindrance to the spiritual growth of an individual, one
would discover that many analysts are of the opinion
it has its reason in the historical development that
took place in the Muslim world. Facts from the
annals of history reveal that the political situation
during Iqbal‟s time was not in favour of Muslims.
The era of European colonization in the Muslim
world robbed Muslims of their power to rule their
own countries. This situation which started with the
fall of the Ottoman and Mogul empires was later
experienced by many Muslims countries. Devastated
by the feeling of defeat, the morale of Muslims was
at the lowest abyss. This made them withdraw from
active participation in politics and social life. This
pathetic situation also made them lag behind in the
areas of economy and education. As a means of
escapism from active participation in social and
political life, the Muslim masses started to seek
solace and comfort for their hearts by going into
Sufism. By capitalizing on the state of helplessness
of the Muslim masses, some Sufi scholars called the
people to the spiritual path and for the purification of
their hearts and minds. What was contained in their
teaching was the subtle message to abandon this
worldly life in search of a blissful and honoured life
in the next world. Iqbal, who believed in the
philosophy of action, realized this situation of the
Muslims, who were unable to face the challenges of
the modern world.
In assessing what was happening to the Muslims,
Iqbal through his poems stressed that the teachings of
the medieval mysticism in the East was wrongfully
calling the Muslims to live a life of renunciation of
this world in order to gain merit in the next world.
Iqbal who could not find any justification for such
teachings in the Qur‟an and the life of the Prophet of
Islam called for vitality and dynamism through his
poems and philosophical writings. In particular, he
called for the banishment of the teachings of the
Wahdah al-Wujūd that preaches that the ideal status
of an individual in his highest level of spirituality is
to get his ego to gain union with the Ultimate Ego
(God).
In studying Iqbal, one would discover that, at one
point of his life before he left for Europe for his
postgraduate studies, he was a great admirer of Ibn
Al-Arabi and his teaching of the Wahdah al-Wujūd.
Iqbal in his doctorate dissertation, „The Development
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91 | Revelation and Science | Vol. 01, No.03 (1433H/2011)
of Metaphysics in Persia (1908)‟ had praised Ibn Al-
Arabi. Later in his intellectual life, he found out that
Al-Arabi‟s philosophy and theosophy was not
suitable to the philosophy of ego that he was
developing. Iqbal later realized that Al-Arabi had
been influenced by the Neo-Platonic teachings which
were more theosophical and showed less vitality
towards life. Moreover, Iqbal too felt that the
Wahdah al-Wujūd concept was not in line with the
basic teachings of Islam. This change in Iqbal‟s
attitude from an admirer to a critic towards the type
of Sufism brought by Ibn Al-Arabi can be seen
clearly from the following description given in the
Encyclopedia of Philosophy (1972):
Iqbal was for a long time an admirer of the Spanish Sufi
Philosopher Ibn-„Arabi (1165-1240), the most consistent
advocate of pantheism among Muslim thinkers. Very soon,
however, he realized that this philosophy was foreign to
the simple and invigorating message of Islam, as embodied
in the Qur‟an and as represented in the dynamic life of
Muhammad and his followers (p.212).
In Iqbal‟s view, the type of Tasawwuf practiced
during his days was not in line with the simple form
of Tasawwuf practiced by the Prophet and his
companions. Feeling disheartened with the type of
Sufism practiced by the later generation of Muslims,
Iqbal explained in his writing how and in what ways
the Sufis have gone overboard in their spiritual
practices contradicting themselves with what has
been explained in the Qur‟an.
Iqbal‟s criticism on the type of Tasawwuf practiced
by some quarters of Islamic Sufi movement was
mainly because he sensed that there were some
similarities found in the teachings of Tasawwuf with
that found in the Hellenistic, Vedantic and Buddhist
philosophies of life. Very particularly, the Sufi
teaching on „Fanā‟ Fillah‟ (self annihilation in God)
in order to attain spiritual union with God seems to
have some similarities with the Nirvana concept
preached in Hinduism and Buddhism. According to
Iqbal, the Sufi concept that preaches that at the
highest level of spirituality, the soul of a Muslim
reunites with Allah is a concept which is foreign to
Islam. Contrary to such Nirvana concept, Iqbal
believed in a concept which makes a distinction
between Allah as the creator and man as His creation.
Though the human soul originates from Him, the
demarcation line between the Creator and the created
(God and Man relationship) should be maintained
under all circumstances. In addition to that, Iqbal also
strongly believed that man in his highest level of
spirituality cannot be absorbed into Allah. On the
contrary, he believed that it is only possible for man
to assimilate Allah‟s Divine attributes into his
characters. This idea of Iqbal has its basis on what
has been stated by the Prophet, when he said:
„Takhallaqū-bi-akhlāq Allāh (Imbue yourselves with
the attributes of Allah). In giving a commentary on
this Hadith, El-Muhammady (2002) stated:
It is not that man imbibes the qualities of God within him,
for that would be unthinkable spiritually and theologically,
but that man struggles to build his character based on
lessons which he gets from contemplating on the meanings
of the Names of God. This is in accordance with the
famous remarks from spiritual masters: “The Lord remains
the Lord even though He descends (in self-manifestation)
and the servant remains a servant however high he ascends
(p.167).
In analyzing further the famous concept of the
Wahdah al-Wujūd that states, man in his relation to
God is like a Qatrah (drop) while God is the Bahr
(Ocean). According to the proponents of Wahdah al-
Wujūd, the highest achievement of man in his
spirituality is to get himself drown in the Ocean of
God and become one with Him as he is just a trivial
drop of water. As an antithesis to this teaching, Iqbal
came up with a new concept which is contrary to the
old idea of the Sufis. In his new concept, though he
still preferred the analogy of God being the Ocean,
and man being a drop slipping into it, he emphasized
that it is not in the moral or spiritual teachings of
Islam for man to go into a state of non-existence.
Instead of man effacing his personality by slipping
into the Ocean of God, man has to transform himself
into a „Shining Pearl‟ by having a more profound
personality. In other words, Iqbal does not want
man‟s individuality to lose its existence but rather
through the mercy and kindness of God, man should
become dynamic by having some of His Divine
attributes actualized in him. As a result of this, man
becomes stronger in his personality (Mohd Abbas,
2011). Besides his criticism on Sufism and its
doctrine on the Wahdah al-Wujūd that has
assimilated foreign elements into Sufi practices, Iqbal
also found other reasons for the shortcomings of the
Muslim Ummah of his time. Much of his observation
on the state of stagnation of the Ummah was seen
extensively described in his poetry and also in his
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philosophical writings. According to him, one of the
factors that contributed to the cause of non-
productivity, intellectual lethargy and backwardness
of the Ummah was due to the conservatism prevalent
in the intellectual circle. This condition which did
not take into consideration the modern and latest
developments in the fields of science and education
made the Muslims lag behind the West in terms of
intellectual achievement. Moreover, due to these
reasons, the Muslims who were not prepared to face
the challenges of the modern world failed to
strategize and avert the occupation of their lands by
the West. This condition of the Muslims caused them
dearly as they became the subjects of the West. This
pathetic condition made the Muslims lose their
freedom of speech and action. Iqbal also believed
that this state of being ruled by others also robbed the
Muslims of their dignity and self-esteem. Iqbal
(1996) once voiced up his displeasure on
conservatism which he thought could be damaging to
the growth of knowledge and human personality:
Conservatism is as bad in religion as in any other
department of human activity. It destroys the ego‟s
creative freedom and closes up the paths of fresh spiritual
enterprise. This is the main reason why our medieval
mystic technique can no longer produce original
discoveries of ancient Truth (Iqbal, 1996:145).
Inspired by the reformation works done by Al-
Afghani (1838-1897), Iqbal too called for the
reformation of the Muslim mind. His clarion call to
the Ummah was to read the Holy Qur‟an with all
intensity and to produce action. According to him, the
holy book of the Muslims is a book that calls for
action/deed rather than a book of mere ideas. With
such understanding of how the Qur‟an should be
approached, he criticized the old idea of plain reading
for merits in the hereafter. Very particularly Iqbal
attacked on the type of mysticism followed by the
Muslims of his time. He was convinced that
mysticism that called for spiritual enlightenment at
the expense of the abandonment of active
participation in worldly things is against the true
spirit of the Qur‟anic teachings. Iqbal further
emphasized that religious seclusion that keeps one
from paying attention to the needs of the Ummah,
correcting the evils, injustices and imperfections that
happen within the society is an attitude which
contradicts to the philosophy of the life of a Khalifah
mentioned in the Qur‟an. In realizing the intellectual
lethargy prevalent in the Muslim world, Iqbal called
for a dynamic participation of the Muslims both in
the mundane and spiritual life. With this aim in
mind, he cautioned the Muslims not to fall prey to the
mystic and philosophical teachings that make them
act passively towards life. In line with such an idea,
Iqbal criticized Socrates, Plato and their Greek
philosophy which paid much attention to the ideal
than to the real life situation. Iqbal disagreed with
Plato, the great Greek philosopher, when the latter
despised the use of sense-perception in the pursuit of
knowledge. Plato by overly emphasizing the ideal
disregarded the importance of the real. By stating
this world is just an illusion, Plato only paid attention
to the ideal world. In Iqbal‟s view, disregarding the
role of the sense-perception is a view in direct
contradiction with the message of the Qur‟an. Iqbal
further emphasized that „hearing and sight‟ are
Allah‟s valuable gifts to mankind. Iqbal also
criticized those Muslim scholars of the past who tried
to interpret the Qur‟anic teaching from the
perspective of the Greek philosophy (Iqbal, 1996).
Further reading into Iqbal‟s ideas, will reveal the
fact that generally the Muslim Ummah of his time
was caught in the web of pseudo-mysticism and
failed to follow the true spirit of Islam found in the
dynamic teachings of the Qur‟an and Sunnah. Iqbal
who realized the problems of the Ummah, wanted to
bring upon an Islamic Renaissance by calling the
masses to relieve themselves from the meshes of
superstition, mental lethargy, immobility and
ignorance. His effort as a poet-philosopher and a
religious reformer was aimed at awakening the
Ummah from its deep slumber to a state of
consciousness in executing its mundane duties in a
more productive and dynamic manner. In addition to
this, he also opposed the Muslims for their state of
withdrawal, renunciation and feeling defeated in
facing the challenges of life. Iqbal vehemently
opposed those who took religion to be a sort of
escapism and plainly resign to the fatalistic concept
of life. As opposed to all these serious problems of
his time, Iqbal called for a true understanding of the
religion that calls for all individuals, male and female
to take the forward march in life towards the conquest
of the material world along with the spiritual
enlightenment (Kazmi, 1995).
It was brilliant of Iqbal, to capitalize on the use of
poetry as a medium to express his ideas towards
social reform because it was part of the culture of the
people living in the subcontinent at that time to pass
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their leisure reading and listening to poetry in the
media and in public gatherings. Iqbal‟s works in the
area of social and religious reforms are very much
similar to what have been done by Imam Muhammad
Abdul Wahhab (1703-1792), Al-Afghani (1838-
1897), Syeikh Muhammad Abduh (1849-1905) and
other great Muslim reformers in Islam. Propelled by
the zeal to witness progress within the Islamic
Ummah, Iqbal called for the banishment of all
superstitious beliefs that were misleading the masses
in the Islamic world, particularly in the Indian
subcontinent. By calling for the banishment of
superstitious beliefs, he also called the Muslims to
embark on the bandwagon of science which promises
progress. To Iqbal, Muslims living in the modern
world must learn to adapt themselves by utilizing
science but at the same time they should not severe
their relation with the past Islamic heritage. In other
words, Iqbal called the Muslims to interpret the
Qur‟an and Sunnah in the light of the scientific age in
which they were living. He also believed that, the
failure on the part of Muslims to do so will be a state
of stagnation and they would be left behind when
compared to the others in the world, particularly the
West. His exact words calling the Muslims to adapt
to the ever changing world were: “The task before the
modern Muslim is, therefore, immense. He has to
rethink the whole system of Islam without completely
breaking with the past” (Iqbal, 1996: 78).
Iqbal‟s philosophy also clearly portrays his
attitude which is very much in favour of science. To
him, in order for man to progress spiritually he must
look into the Qur‟an as the „revealed book‟ from God
and the universe as the „open book‟ of God. To him,
science is not opposed to the religious teachings in
Islam. Furthermore, he believed that scientific facts
and findings can complement religion in
strengthening one‟s faith. Iqbal highlighted this point
in the Reconstruction (1996) when he said:
“In our observation of nature, we are virtually seeking a
kind of intimacy with the Absolute Ego; and this is only
another form of worship” (p.45). “The scientific observer
of nature is a kind of mystic seeker in the act of prayer”
(p.73).
In his poetry, Iqbal called the Ummah to utilize
science for the betterment of their lives by using it to
extract the bounties that God has provided for them
in the material word. In his opinion, man must use
science and technology to bring out the hidden
potential from the belly of earth to be utilized for his
spiritual development:
Science is an instrument for the preservation of Life.
Science is a means of invigorating the Self.
Science and art are servants of Life (Iqbal, 1983:26).
Iqbal in further calling the Muslims to embrace a
positive attitude towards the learning and usage of
science and scientific research methods highlighted
the point that the message brought by the Prophet is
very much in harmony with the scientific revolution
that was taking place during the early twentieth
century. Iqbal in defending science also stated his
view that on the whole, the message of the Qur‟an is
anti-classical. By stating this he felt the message of
the Qur‟an is a call for a dynamic life which utilizes
scientific research and exploration:
The Prophet of Islam seems to stand between the ancient
and the modern world. In so far as the source of his
revelation is concerned he belongs to the ancient world; in
so far as the spirit of his revelation is concerned he belongs
to the modern world. In him life discovers other sources of
knowledge suitable to its new direction. The birth of Islam,
as I hope to be able presently to prove to your satisfaction,
is the birth of inductive intellect. In Islam prophecy
reaches its perfection in discovering the need of its
abolition (Iqbal, 1996: 100-101).
Dynamism and Sustainability of the Ummah
Going to Europe changed Iqbal in many ways. One
marked transformation that happened in him is that
he began to perceive humanity as a whole without
looking at it based on colour, caste, nationality and
geographical differences. This psychological makeup
of a new Iqbal can be seen in his philosophy and
poetry as he dedicated himself in highlighting the
great culture and spiritual heritage of man. It was
also around this time in Europe, that he started to
think of Islam as a universal religion that can provide
humanity with the much needed peace, security and
prosperity. In sharp contrast to his thoughts, he also
witnessed that the Muslim world had many
shortcomings which are related to its negligence in
not keeping up to the true spirit and teaching of the
Qur‟an and Sunnah. While assessing the situation in
Muslim countries, Iqbal found out that the people
were caught in the meshes of superstitions, inactivity
and ignorance. In his opinion, the prevalence of such
scenarios in a way caused the Muslims to dwindle in
their spirit towards a dynamic life in bringing
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Revelation and Science | Vol. 01, No.03 (1433H/2011) | 94
progress in their lives. In realizing the predicaments
of the Muslims, Iqbal wanted to bring an Islamic
Renaissance by directing his philosophy and poetry
aimed at awakening the Ummah from its deep
slumber towards realizing the demands of the modern
world. As a result of his visit to Europe, his message
to the Muslims was aimed at calling them to
renounce backwardness and to have a positive
attitude towards scientific learning and exploration in
broadening the horizon of their thinking. Iqbal
became an advocate for scientific research in the
Muslim world of his time. In many ways, his call
towards mastering science and technology he echoed
the call made earlier by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1871-
1898), the founder of the Aligarh University of India
(Kazmi, 1995).
After making a diagnosis of the problems
battering the Ummah, Iqbal without any self-
proclamation took on the role of a religious reformist.
It was his intention to revive the Ummah of its
religiosity towards Islam and to restore its dignity and
glory which were once enjoyed by it during the
Golden Days of Islam. This role of Iqbal as a
religious reformer was recognized by many scholars
in Iqbal. Attitudes of total belief and dedication for a
rightful cause and for a higher purpose in life was
seen in Iqbal as a preparation for the task of bringing
change. Bilgrami (1966), in his writing on Iqbal was
able to capture Iqbal‟s passion and compassion in
wanting to change the mindset of Muslims of his
time, when he wrote:
Iqbal has rightly been called the mainspring of Muslim
renaissance. He devoted the best part of his life to the
careful study of Islam, its laws, polity, culture, history and
literature. He was convinced of Islam „as a living force for
freeing the outlook of man from its geographical
limitations.‟ He firmly believed that „religion is a power of
utmost importance in the life of individuals as well as
states‟ and in order to convince the word of these eternal
truths he did not merely devote his life in giving
expression to his thoughts and feelings in his philosophy
and poetry but also passed many restless nights praying to
God (Bilgrami, 1966: iv-v).
Iqbal during his postgraduate studies in Europe in the
years 1905-1908, and later through his travel to the
European cities, felt fascinated by the scientific
development taking place there. His fascination for
scientific research is a further advancement to what
he read in the Qur‟an. As a religious book, the Qur‟an
contains many scientific data, and calls for the
observation and contemplation on the wonders found
in the creations of God in the universe, flora and
fauna. To Iqbal, the exploration, observation and
investigation done by the scientists is a kind of
mystic behaviour trying to establish an intimacy with
the Creator. Furthermore he believed that the
physical sciences provide a sort of spiritual meaning
to men who contemplate and ponder over God‟s
wisdom behind His creations. Iqbal also stated, that
on the spiritual and philosophical levels, the
observation of nature teaches him the behaviour of
God. In other words, nature which equates to God‟s
habit is the portrayal of His existence. Iqbal‟s
attitude towards science is the likeness shown by
scholars such as Ibn Sina (980-1037), Al-Khawarizmi
(780-850), Al-Biruni (973-1048) and others of the
medieval era. In modern times, Iqbal‟s emphasis on
scientific research is the echoing of what had been
said by Jamaluddin Al-Afghani (1838-1897) and
Muhammad Abduh (1849-1905).
In analyzing Iqbal‟s ideas and advice for the
Islamic Ummah, one would come to recognize that as
religious reformer all his works in poetry and
philosophy were aimed at bringing the Muslims out
of their backwardness, superstitious beliefs,
conservatism and passivity in life towards as state of
preparedness in facing the challenges of the modern
world. In his view, the message of the Qur‟an is not
all rituals (Zikr) but also scientific (Fikr). As
Muslims, we should possess both these two aspects
mentioned in the Qur‟an in order to fulfill our duties
in this world as Allah‟s vicegerents. In line with
Iqbal‟s vision for the survival of the Ummah, modern
day Muslims should be prepared to learn from others,
particularly from the West, the latest development in
the areas of science and technology for the betterment
of the Ummah and humanity at large.
Critique
The present condition of the Muslim Ummah when
viewed in the light of what has envisioned by Iqbal is
one which is pathetic. The scenario in the Muslim
world depicts that the Muslims have not moved very
far from the conditions they were in during the time
they were subjugated by the Western colonial
powers. Due to colonization or for other reasons, the
Ummah is still lagging behind the other nations in the
world in terms of science and technology. The riches
in many Muslim countries in the form of petro-
dollars given by Allah SWT is not put to good use in
bringing the sustainable development by employing
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science and technology. Many oil rich countries in
the Muslim world use billions of dollars for the
purchase of huge armaments from the West not only
for national defense purposes but at times to be used
to suppress and oppress their own citizens.
Due to the lack of infrastructure such as the
scientific research centers, scientists and scholars in
the Muslim world migrate to other European
countries which can cater for their advancement in
their areas of specialization. This brain drain
phenomenon that happens in the Muslim world
further hinders and delays the progress and
development in many Muslim countries. In realizing
this situation, governments in the Muslim countries
should try to regain this lost talented professionals by
giving them not only attractive incentives but also by
investing a great deal of money in providing the
much needed physical infrastructure to them. By
having such facilities will also allow Muslim
countries to practice „brain retention‟. Through the
„brain retention‟ programme, these countries can
withhold their young and talented citizens from
migrating to the First World countries in the West.
Besides that, Islamic centers for learning should not
only concentrate on the revealed knowledge but also
establish faculties for the study and research in the
areas of human and natural sciences. The study of
science should be given equal emphasis at all levels
of schooling in the Muslim world.
It is hoped that by making the changes stated
above, Muslims would be able to bring back the past
glory and fame once enjoyed by them. The Islamic
Ummah which was once the leader of other societies
in the world at present being led by others due to its
failure in understating the true message of the Qur‟an
which is the Zikr and Fikr.
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Article history
Received:07/11/2011
Accepted:28/12/2011