Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul: The Pertinence of Islamic Cosmology in the Modern World

by William C. Chittick

Islamic Intellectualism is or so argues William Chittick in this radical new book challenging modern trends in religious thought. Whilst many may say that Islamic studies thrives as a subject, Chittick points to the words of one of his former Professors when describing young "they know everything one can possibly know about a text, except what it says". Indeed, Chittick states that it is impossible to understand ancient Islamic texts without the years of contemplative study that are anathema to the modern education system. While the modern intellectual with faith often treats their studies and faith in two seperate spheres, Chittick argues that it is essential to return to the ways of the ancient Sufis, who viewed knowledge of the soul, the world, and God as an extension of the same thing, and he bemoans the loss of the spiritual and intellectual highs of the Medieval Islamic period.

Genres: Islam, Religion, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Philosophy, Theology, Science

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

is a philosopher, writer, translator and interpreter of classical Islamic philosophical and mystical texts. He is best known for his work on Rumi and Ibn 'Arabi, and has written extensively on the school of Ibn 'Arabi, Islamic philosophy, and Islamic cosmology.

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knowledge from one viewpoint must become a vocation to be authentic and as portrayed in the Islamic worldview this authenticity represents a return to our primordial state. William Chittick is challenging the modern Islamic world to re-evaluate what knowledge means in light of ultimate truth, and as an illustration of how this has been lived out in the past, he utilizes the practices of classical Islamic philosophy and Sufism. Knowledge must be realized and internalized, owned in a sense, for it to qualify as knowledge. What this ultimately means is that we come to know the Real, which is manifested both in the universe and in ourselves. The essence of who we are is where the Real can be found on the microcosmic level, just as it can also be found "out there" - in the macrocosmic - in the underlying foundations of existence or in what is usually termed as the "invisible realm".

The term knowledge itself can be used to signify various levels of what we might call learning. According to Chittick, learning as we know it has only two methods of acquisition. These are transmitted "knowledge" and what he calls intellectual "knowledge". Revelation as a metaphysical concept then comprises both which leads to the most authentic form of knowledge. Chittick argues that the vast majority of what we learn is simply transmitted knowledge. This certainly applies to knowledge in the world of forms, both existentially and metaphysically, as the world of forms is everything outside ourselves, and therefore must be transmitted to us to be understood. Application here can be seen in everything from our acquired job skills to scientific facts up to and including how we perceive our religious practices.

The problem as Chittick sees it is that religion as we know it has de-evolved into a form of transmitted knowledge that is not internalized. Understanding the Qur'an is different than reading the Qur'an or hearing the Qur'an or even relying on interpretations of the Qur'an. To understand, we must actually unlearn much of what we consider knowledge. In that sense, this book is a form of the traditional call to undo the veils of modernity in order to find the heart where knowledge resides.

Never has God endowed any man with two hearts in one body... Qur'an 33:4 We cannot serve both reality and illusion at once, but this verse also signifies that we have been created with only one true essence. To find that essence we must unblock the paths to the heart, and that can only be done through knowledge of the self, which is knowledge of the Absolute. The surest path to that knowledge - in the Islamic tradition - is through the Qur'an and Sunnah, but we must go beyond simple rote learning of those primary sources. We must contemplate, internalize, personalize, realize the message therein. This is an ongoing process that will consume our entire lives, as our hearts are unlimited in their potential for knowledge. Yet to truly know, we must also own, the knowledge must be authentically internal.

Chittick's call is to get past the various temporal manifestations of Islam to the timeless reality of the Essence. It's a call to get past duality in manifestation and see that there is only ONE underlying reality. Perhaps most importantly for our time, it's a call to disengage from allowing others to dictate our religion to us and to understand that the only authentic way of living the Islamic faith is to know who we are in relation to the Real, and that this is a process that can only come from inside, away from distractions and dogmatic voices.

[Mojtaba · Rating 5 out of 5]

بيشتر بهشتيان ابلهان اند. (رسول اكرم)

همه ما حتما تا كنون به حالتي گرفتار آمده ايم كه كسي حال ما را نمي فهمد هر چقدر هم توضيح بدهيم. چيتيك در اين كتاب ما را دعوت مي كند تا در اين خصوص تعمق بيشتري نشان دهيم. تعمق بيشتر ما را به اين نتيجه مي رساند كه آگاهي ما از آگاهي به آگاهي ما متفاوت است. آگاهي را مي توان از ديگران به صورت نقلي آموخت و حفظ كرد و انتقال داد ولي آگاهي به آگاهي را نه مي توان به كسي انتقال داد و نه مي شود از كسي دريافت كنيم. اگاهي به آگاهي را نام عقل است. چيتيك براي توضيح بيشتر به رياضي ارجاع مي دهد كه علمي شبيه به علم عقلي به حساب مي آيد. يعني 2+2=4 را مي توان از ديگران آموخت ولي تا وقتي اين كيفيت نقلي، دروني و عقلي نشود، نمي توان از آن استفاده ديگري كرد. با اين حساب علوم نقلي و علوم عقلي پديدار مي شوند. علوم نقلي هر آنچه است كه از ديگران مي آموزيم، از فقه، كلام اسلامي بگير تا جامعه شناسي و علوم سياسي و حتي فلسفه و ...ولي همين فلسفه را اگر به صورت تقليدي دنبال نكنيم و بتوان تمام مفاهيم آن را در كل سازگار فهميد و به صورت دروني درك كرد و مطالب را طوطي وار تكرار نكرد، علم عقلي به حساب مي آيد. اصلي ترين تفاوت نقل و عقل نگاه به بيرون و درون است. نقل علم جهان است و عقل علم جان. نقل، علم تقليد از ديگران است و عقل، علم تحقيق در درون خود

اين كتاب ضمن توضيح عقل و نقل، از زاويه اي مشابه سنت گرايان، به علم مدرن نقلي تقليدي پرداخته و ارزشهاي هاي غربي متعاقب مثل دموكراسي، ليبراليسم، ماركسيسم، توسعه و رفاه را كلمه هاي پلاستيكي مي داند كه دلالتهاي ضمني بسياري بر آنها بار مي شود ولي دلالت مستقيم هرگز و اصولا اين کلمات را خدايان دنياي مدرن می داند که هيچ تعريف مشخص و شفافي حتي بيروني ندارند.
اما فهم عقلي دنيايي جديد به روي انسان مي گشايد که به توحيد، شناختن تو (_خدا_شعر زیر) و به ابلهي و دیوانگی در امور دنيایی مي انجامد.
و سر حدیث پیامبر هم در همین نکته است که می فرماید ابلهان دنيا از نگاه عموم، همان عاقلانند كه جايگاه بهشت از آن آنان است.

آن كس كه تو را شناخت جان را چه كند
فرزند عيال و خانمان را چه كند
ديوانه تو هر دو جهانش بخشند
ديوانه تو هردو جهان را چه كند

انتهاي كتاب به داستان زيباي مولوي مزين شده است.
یکی از داستان‌های مورد علاقه من که قضیه تقلید را به خوبی مطرح می‌کند داستان «خر برفت» مثنوی است. مسافری که در راه، شبی بر خانقاه درویشان وارد شد. الاغش را به دربان سپرد. دراویش گرسنه بودند و غذایی در بساط نداشتند. به ناچار تصمیم به فروش الاغ مسافر و تهیه غذا با پول آن گرفتند. پس با این نقشه سماعی ترتیب دادند. مسافر هم در سماع و ذکر آنها هم آواز بود. آنگاه که سماع به اوج رسید، رئیس درویشان ترجیع بند ذکر را «خر برفت و خربرفت» نهاد. مسافر که در شوق سماع افتاده بود به تقلید از درویشان با ولع بیشتری ذکر می‌گفت. صبح هنگام وقتی همه درویشان قصد رفتن به مقاصد خود کردند بر او محقق شد که خرش را از دست داده است!
در این داستان خر نماد حیات انسان است. سماعی که مسافر از دراویش می‌گیرد و آن را با ولع بیشتری می‌خواند، به سان علم و دانشی است که آن را بدون فهم اهمیت آن فرا می‌گیریم. صبح نماد مرگ است؛ زمانی که مردم با معرفت نسبت به حق اشیا بیدار می‌شوند. رومی در نتیجه‌گیری اخلاقی از زبان مسافر، آواز خود را سر می‌دهد، چونان که به‌نظر می‌رسد این فریاد برای روشن کردن خطر چشم پوشی از میراث اسطوره‌ای شمس تبریزی است.

خلق را تقلیدشان بر باد داد
‌ای دو صد لعنت بر این تقلید باد

[Ali Zarezade · Rating 5 out of 5]

خلاصه کتاب "علم جان علم جهان":

۱) علم بشر یا عقلی است یا نقلی. قسمت اول شهادتین به علم عقلی اشاره دارد و قسمت دوم به علم نقلی.

۲) هدف بشر شناخت خود، خدا و طبیعت است که هر سه در واقع همان شناخت خداست.

۳) هدف علوم جدید چیرگی بر طبیعت برای بهره بری هر چه بیشتر از طبیعت است نه شناخت طبیعت به ما هو طبیعت.

۴) شناخت هر پدیده‌ای باید از طریق خود آن پدیده صورت گیرد (!) نه از طریق تصویری که از آن در ذهن آدمی پدید می‌آید (نظریات مشاهده بار است، هر کس از منظر خود دنیا را می‌بیند و واقعیت فارغ از نگاه ما به آن حقیقتی مستقل است که شناخت کامل آن صرفا با مشاهده ناممکن می‌نماید).

۵) علوم طبیعی (همین علم در نظر ما) فرع است و هدف شناخت عقلی نسبت به خود و خداست. شناخت در حوزه علوم طبیعی باید از منظر خداشناسی صورت گیرد نه مانند علوم جدید که خدا را از معادلات حذف کرده و به تشریح دنیا می‌پردازند.

۶) عالم از دو بخش تشکیل شده عالم غیب و عالم شهادت که علم مدرن تنها با عالم شهادت سر و کار دارد (بماند که به مشاهده ایرادات فلسفی بسیار در فلسفه علم وارد می‌شود). اما در علوم طبیعی سنتی دایره مشاهدات را هر دو عالم در نظر می‌گرفتند.

۶) در حوزه علوم نقلی یا باید تقلید کرد (مثل تقلیدی که ما از بزرگان علم مدرن مثل نیوتون، گالیله و... می‌کنیم) یا مجتهد شد. و در حوزه علوم عقلی باید از درون به شناخت رسید که البته تحقیق در این راه سفارش شده اما نه تقلید.

۷) و خلاصه آنکه علوم مدرن با تکه تکه کردن و تکثر گرایی سعی در شناخت دنیایی واحد و یکپارچه دارند (بسی کوته نظریست شناخت کل از طریق شکستن آن به اجزا و شناخت دقیق اجزا). اما در تفکر سنتی اسلام اصل توحید اجازه تکثر به موحدان نمی‌داد و نگاهی کل‌نگر حتی در علومی چون نجوم و کیمیا داشتند.

[Habib Nobakht · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest books I have ever read in my life.
There is nothing to be said by me about this book more than it is already written by my friend Tim, whose comprehensive review appears at the top of the reviews for this book on Goodreads.

[Shaimaa Ali]

That was a difficult read! With a very iconic title, I expected a long journey in Cosmos and reflections on the Real, on God .. and on the soul.
The writer starts by differentiating the types of sciences as of transmitted and intellectual. He concludes that most of the sciences are received as (transmitted) and less and less knowledges is considered as intellectual or requires (tahqiq).
His idea about God of modern world that depends on (takthir) is much appalling to the current world situation. He considered that there are four ares to be considered as domains of realization: metaphysics, cosmology, spiritual psychology, and ethics.
Also, he clarified that the intellectual tradition has three main goals: breaking the shell of dogmatism, asserting the absoluteness of the Real, and resuscitating the mythic imagination.
His view about what he calls “Islamic Cosmology”, that it begins with the knowledge that the universe holds they keys to the immortality of our souls. It views the cosmos as instilled with meaning and purpose.
I couldn’t grasp his huge criticism to Sciences, considering that they all will be part of today’s many Gods or (takthir), that was the main part that I couldn’t accept from this book.

[Marc Manley · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most important books any Muslim should read. While some will be put off at Chittick's references to Sufism, Perennial philosophy and other philosophers/ies [esp. Ibn Arabi:], Chittick breaks down the dilemma they modern man faces: chocking on the crust of scientism. Modernity has reduced knowing down to the physical and mechanical senses/sciences. Chittick illustrates how this is at once preposterous and two, detrimental to our survival and prosperity. Muslim or non-Muslim alike, a must read.

[Hammad Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall this is a brilliant book. Though I had trouble reading more than a chapter in one go, since it carries a lot of stuff you need to process through and one other problem I had with the book I guess would be that as well as Chittick does in highlighting the problems we face, I wish he would dwell a little more on the solutions. But overall worth the read.

[bayaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

William C. Chittick explains in his book “Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul” the relevance of Islamic cosmology in the modern world.

He argues that only the premise of “tawḥīd” allows the achievement of the self’s full potential.
Since every search for meaning begins from a particular standpoint, and the meaning discovered is always shaped by that starting point, conclusions are inextricably linked to premises.
Thus, only a standpoint of “no standpoint” can transcend all perspectives and reach the meaning that lies beyond relative and situational meanings.

To fully realize and achieve the meaning of “tawḥīd”, man must pass through different stages of consciousness:

In the beginning, tawḥīd is merely an inchoate intuition. It is then awakened and articulated through transmitted knowledge. Gradually, it can grow into an actualized understanding, then into rational certainty, followed by a supra-rational comprehension of reality, and finally, into a vision that transcends ordinary sight—just as vision itself transcends blindness.

Chittick advocates for the rehabilitation of thought. He draws a clear distinction between “imitation” or “following authority” (taqlīd) and “realization” or “verification” (taḥqīq)—not only in religious contexts, but also in the so-called “scientism” of the modern world.

It was a truly unique read—especially the first chapters felt like a real slap in the face. Definitely worth rereading in the near future!!

4.5/5⭐️

[Marsha Altman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably would have liked it more if I wasn't speed-reading to finish it in time for class.

[Yasin Ramazan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though an inspiring book for the reader, the content is in ever repetition. The lack of a central theme and a well organization make it hard to appreciate comprehensive knowledge of the author on Sufism and Islamic philosophy.

[Andrew Boden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear, brilliant examination of aspects of epistemology I had never explored. Highly recommended.

[Rahell Omer]

I will behold my thoughts on the book (for now. Maybe).

[Amir]

I have translated this book into Persian.

[Noep · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tulisan Chittick kali ini banyak mengajak pembaca mengenali lebih jauh pemahaman tentang konsep pengetahuan dengan menilik berbagai aspek terkait kosmologi. Refleksi yang berusaha disampaikan oleh pemikir tersebut adalah bagaimana melihat kembali cara pandang kita dalam melihat pengetahuan yang sesungguhnya. Pengetahuan tersebut bukan semata-mata adalah pengetahuan saintifik modern yang melepaskan aspek-aspek batiniah; tetapi lebih jauh adalah bagaimana membawa nilai-nilai tersebut, menggali ke dalam diri sehingga membentuk paradigma berpikir yang utuh.

Rumit dan reflektif. Membaca dua atau tiga kali untuk ukuran saya, belum bisa menangkap secara keseluruhan maksud dari Prof. Chittick dalam menggambarkan hakikat pengetahuan dari sudut pandang Islam. Namun, buku tidak ada salahnya, terus dibaca dan dikaji untuk menjadi stimulan refleksi kita tentang keilmuan dan Islam.

[Quan Rjpt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. Although, being a generally easier read than my previous books this year. I found that Dr. Chittick's writing was very easy to grasp. To sum up the book in a few words, Dr. Chittick is a defender of Tawhid. I found that last chapters to be most interesting.

[Aidan Reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular book, speaks to the loss of mystical and spiritual tradition in the modern world and the subsequent fundamentalism that modernity supports. Even more relevant today than when it was published.

[Aadil Sohail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating. Eye-opening. Immersive.
Just Read it.

[Saneaah :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“People are diverse in their aptitudes for finding the divine light within themselves”

[Kaha Anwar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kebangkitan Islam tidak cukup hanya dengan ditegakkannya hukum syariat atau pelabelan bahasa Arab semata . Kebangkitan Islam adalah umat Islam bergerak ke dalam dirinya sendiri, merenungkan kembali kehadirannya di dunia ini, bagaimana mereka memahami kosmos yang begitu luas ini dan dengan apa mereka memahaminya. Apakah tugas kaum Islam hanya untuk umat Islam saja ataukah memang umat Islam benar-benar sebagai umat yang rahmatan lil ‘alamin, memahayu hayuning bawono?. Jika ya, berarti umat Islam harus mampu memahami jagad gede dan jagad cilik yang telah di ciptakan Tuhan. Umat Islam harus manjadi mizan, penyeimbang antar keduanya, dan tidak begitu saja menyerahkan urusan kosmos ini hanya pada sains-sains yang telah mapan tanpa ada tahqiq, koreksi ulang.
Bagaimana caranya? Berpikir, ya dengan berpikir manusia akan memahami esensi dirinya, mikrocosmos dan esensi alam semesta, makrokosmos ini. Tuhan telah memberi akal dan pikiran. Bukan hanya itu, banyak ayat-ayat al-Qur’an, Tuhan telah memerintahkan mereka untuk berpikir dan menggunakan akalnya. Agar dapat berpikir dengan benar-benar, seseorang harus benar-benar berpikir, yakni bahwa kesimpulan-kesimpulan harus dicapai dengan perjuangan intelektualnya sendiri, bukan melalui orang lain.
Kegiatan berpikir merupakan aktivitas yang membawa masa Islam mencapai masa keemasannya. Tetapi sangat disayangkan, aktivitas berpikir itu untuk sekarang ini cenderung mandek, kalaupun ada umumnya aktivitas yang sepotong-potong. Ada semacam perpecahan dalam memahami kosmos: kosmos dibedah hanya dengan “pisau sains” semata sedangkan “pisau agama” hanya sebatas pembedah kegiatan rutinitas ritual semata. Saat ini diperlukan benang untuk merajut mikrocosmos dan makrocosmos agar tercapainya kesatuan yang utuh, inilah yang disebut dengan konsep tauhid (adanya kesatuan).
Kiranya naif untuk membayangkan bahwa siapapun bisa mempelajari bagaimana cara berpikir Islami hanya dengan menghadiri kuliah-kuliah sekali dalam seminggu atau dengan membaca sejumlah buku yang ditulis dan disusun oleh para pemuka Muslim kontemporer, atau dengan mempelajari al-Qur’an atau dengan mendirikan shalat dan mempunyai keimanan yang teguh. Dalam dunia Islam pramodern, etos Islami ada di mana-mana, namun para pemikir dan intelektual besar tetap menghabiskan seluruh kehidupan mereka untuk mencari pengetahuan tentang Tuhan, kosmos, dan jiwa secara lebih mendalam. Menurut mereka, pencarian akan pemahaman adalah tugas yang tidak pernah berakhir.
Banyak ilmuwan Muslim mengatakan kepada kita bahwa sains-sains modern membantu mereka melihat keajaiban-keajaiban ciptaan Tuhan, dan jelas ini argumen untuk mengutamakan ilmu-ilmu alam di atas ilmu-ilmu sosial. Namun, apakah penting mempelajari fisika atau biokimia guna menyaksikan tanda-tanda Tuhan dalam semua makhlukNya?. Al-Qur’an terus menerus mengatakan kepada kaum muslim, “Apakah engkau tidak merenungkan, tidakkah engkau memikirkan, tidakkah engkau berpikir?” tentang tanda-tanda yang ditemukan, seperti dalam lebih dua ratus ayat al-Qur’an yang mengingatkan kita, dalam segala hal, terutama gejala-gejala alam. Tak perlu ilmuwan besar, ataupun ilmuwan apa saja, untuk memahami bahwa dunia berbicara lantang tentang keagungan Sang Penciptanya.
Willian C. Cittick menuliskan bahwa bahaya terbesar dari perlawanan terhadap yang sedimikian umum di kalangan Muslim modern adalah mereka menerima tuhan-tuhan kebaruan tanpa memberikan pemikiran atas apa yang tengah mereka pikirkan. Mereka ingin menetapkan identitas kemusliman mereka, tetapi mereka membayangkan bahwa untuk melakukan hal ini, cukuplah untuk bersumpah setia mereka pada al-Qur’an dan sunnah dan mengabaikan para penafsirnya.
Ada anggapan bahwa kita banyak tahu tentang dunia daripada orang-orang di masa dulu, karena ‘kita’ mempunyai sains. Celakanya kita tidak tahu tentang tujuan-tujuan dan metode-metode sains dan tidak tahu apa-apa tentang tradisi intelektual Islam. Kita hanya peniru buta dalam masaalah-masalah intelektual, yakni pada level yang kita seharusnya berjuang keras untuk pemahaman kita sendiri. Yang terburuk ini adalah peniruan selektif, karena hanya menerima otoritas para “saintis” dan para “pakar”, bukan otoritas para pemikir Muslim besar di masa lalu. Jika Einstein mengatakan A, itu pasti benar, namun jika al-Ghazali atau Mulla Sadra berkata A, maka itu belum tentu benar, karena tidak ilmiah.
Buku ini setidaknya menjadi pemantik api jiwa setiap muslim agar segera mengobarkan intelektual mereka yang selama ini padam. Predikat khoiru ummatin, umat terbaik, yang Allah sematkan perlu dibuktikan agar Tuhan tidak kecewa. Dan yang terpenting adalah aktivatas intelektual dalam memahami kosmos ini harus segera dibenahi, direvolusi paradigmanya: memahami kosmos tak cukup hanya dipahami dengan sains alam semata, tetapi juga dengan sains jiwa karena alam semesta dan isinya bersifat organismik bukan atomistik yang terbelah-belah.
Khoirul Anwar
Mahasiswa Pendidikan Kimia UIN Sunan Kalijaga dan penikmat buku-buku filsafat sains.

[Mohsin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This began as a very thought-provoking book with original insights from a very brilliant author, William Chittick. However, this book reads like a first draft, sometimes disjointed and eventually quite repetitive. In later chapters it seems to lose its focus. Overall, it becomes a bit frustrating to read. Nonetheless, there are certainly many important things to be learned from this book. I say read it, but just don't expect it to be a captivating read.

Also, the book doesn't seem to provide any really practical solutions, the author bashes Western society but fails to demonstrate how the reader can apply Islamic cosmology to the modern world beyond the realm of one's own thoughts and imagination. Maybe this wasn't the author's intention, but one wishes it would have been.

[Muhammad Ma'mun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebuah kritik yang tandas dan berani terhadap situasi pemikiran Islam kontemporer dari sudut pandang Islam tradisional. Buat mereka yang tidak akrab dengan tradisi ilmiah dan keulamaan tradisional, buku ini terasa berat; tapi buku ini membicarakan tema-tema yang akrab di mata para pengkaji kitab kuning atau pemikiran Islam di Abad Pertengahan. Salah kelebihan buku ini ialah William Chittick pandai membicarakan isu-isu klasik Islam dengan sudut pandang kontemporer dan mengontraskannya dengan pemikiran modern. Simpulan-simpulannya mengejutkan dan memaksa kita meninjau kembali cara pandang kita selama ini tentang pemikiran Islam di zaman modern.

[Sandra Sopian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penuh dengan nalar kritis mengenai bagaimana seharusnya seorang muslim menggunakan akal dan pikiran sebagai pijakan dan landasan dalam urusan yang berkaitan dengan masalah Ijtihad. Intinya sih agar jangan jumud dan stagnasi dengan pendapat yang ada.

Ada pembedaan antara Aql dan Naql. dengan wilayah yang masih berkemungkinan untuk menggunakan Aql, maka maksimalkan penggunaan fikiran tersebut. setelah saya baca, memang baca wawasan baru dan mengena. meskipun saya juga ketika membacanya harus penuh dengan kritis dan mempertanyakan gagasan awalnya. Bener-bener buku yang harus mikir ketika bacanya. :D

[Sandra Sopian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penuh dengan nalar kritis mengenai bagaimana seharusnya seorang muslim menggunakan akal dan pikiran sebagai pijakan dan landasan dalam urusan yang berkaitan dengan masalah Ijtihad. Intinya sih agar jangan jumud dan stagnasi dengan pendapat yang ada.

Ada pembedaan antara Aql dan Naql. dengan wilayah yang masih berkemungkinan untuk menggunakan Aql, maka maksimalkan penggunaan fikiran tersebut. setelah saya baca, memang baca wawasan baru dan mengena. meskipun saya juga ketika membacanya harus penuh dengan kritis dan mempertanyakan gagasan awalnya. Bener-bener buku yang harus mikir ketika bacanya. :D

[Julian Hadlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for those interested in this subject. Much of the book is based around lectures given by Chittick. The first few chapters were given before a Muslim audience, so use terminology appropriate to that. Having said that, if you are interested in this subject, then the terminology should not be difficult. Later chapters seem to be directed more towards a Western audience.

In essence, the book explains much, and increased my understanding considerably of particular aspects.

[Erdoan A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on Islamic Knowledge Tradition. Recommend to everyone that wants to have a smooth read and great debate. An elementary level of Islamic debates on knowledge and science would help to understand this book better, and like it more

[Hoda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beyond Muslims, anyone interested in academia should read this book. We are losing ourselves amidst the ever-expanding pile of information that we accumulate and we'll continue to do so unless we reorient ourselves toward the Origin.

[Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa. Islamic philosophers and Sufis were a lot smarter than the slugs we call scientists these days.

[Ali Abbas]

Very few works on Cosmological doctrines that focus on the Self, within the larger part of self Purification, and then also a World View within the larger Modernistic Experience

[Priyo Jatmiko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it over and over. A must have book in search of the meaning of muslim mind and reaction in the middle of modernism.

Neo-traditionalism genre.

[Ahsun · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting ideas...