Al Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life

356 Pages·1992·8.056 MB·English

by  Ismail R. al-Faruqi

AL TAWHiD:
•
Its Implications for
Thought and Life
Isma'il Raji al Faruqi
International Institute of Islamic Thought
Herndon, Virginia, U.S.A.
In the Name of Allah,
the Compassionate, the Merciful,
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Universe,
and Peace and Prayers be upon
His Final Prophet and Messenger.
¢i~~~ir::~-o~~;,4~;:~1J,
~i~¢fa\~tSJ1¢;r5'11
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Read in the name of your Sustainer, Who has· Created man out of a
germ cell. Read-for your Sustainer is the Most bountiful One. Who
has taught (inan) the use of the pen. 'Taught Man ~hat he did qot know.
· ' (Qur'an 96:1-5)
And Allah has brought you forth from your mother's womb know
ing nothing-but He has endowed you with hearing, and sight, and
minds, so that you might have cause to be grateful.
(Qur'an 16:78)
-
AL TAWifID:
Its Implications for
Thought and Life
First Edition (1402/1982)
Second Edition (1412/1992)
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author acknowledges with deep gratitude the assistance and en
couragement extended to him by the International Islamic Federation
of Student Organizations, and the tireless effort of Angkatan Belia Islam
Malaysia (ABIM) toward production of this book.
Equally, the author acknowledges his enormous debt to Br. Wa'il
Shawkat al Khayri for his constant prodding to think through the rele
vant issues and for his inspiring criticism of the ideas here presented.
The author's obligation to his wife, Dr. Lois Lamya', his niece Maysam
Jawad, and his daughter Tayma' in the preparation of the manuscript can
hardly be expressed in words.
May Allah (SWT) reward them all.
iv
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© 1412/1992 by
The International Institute of Islamic Thought
555 Grove Street
Herndon, Virginia 22070-4705 U.S.A.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Al Fariiqi, lsrna'il R., (1339-1406 AH/1921-1986 AC)
Al Taw!Jid: its implications for thought and life/lsma'il Raji al Fariiqi.
p. cm. - (Issues in Islamic Thought: 4)
Originally published in 1982.
ISBN 0-912463-79-1 (HC). - ISBN 0-912463-80-5 (PB)
1. Islam. I. Interntional Institute of Islamic Thought.
II. Title. III. Series.
BPl61.2.A477 1992
2Cfl' 211-dc20
91-47175
CIP
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vi
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENT ........................................ iv
INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND EDITION .................. xi
PREFACE .............................. .-................... xiii
CHAPTER I
THE ESSENCE OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE .................. 1
I. AL TAWf[]D AS RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE ............... , . 1
II. AL TAWf[]D AS WORLDVIEW ....... , ................... 9
CHAPTER II
THE QUINTESSENCE OF ISLAM ........................... .. 17
I. THE IMPORTANCE OF AL TAWf[]D ............ '- ........ 17
II. DIVINE TRANSCENDENCE IN JUDAISM AND .
CHRISTIANITY ....................................... 20
III. DIVINE TRANSCENDENCE IN ISLAM ................... 23
IV. ISLAM'S SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION 10
WORLD CULTURE .................................... 29
CHAPTER III
THE PRINCIPLE OF IDSTORY ........... , ................... 33
THE. PRINCIPLE OF.KNOWLEDGE ......................... . 39
I. NEITHER SKEPTICISM NOR THE "FAITH"
OF CHRISTIANS ...................................... 39
II. lMAN:. A GNOSEOLOGICAL CATEGORY ......... : ..... .42
III. UNITY OF GOD AND UNITY OF TRUTH ............... 43
IV. IDLERANCE .......................... , ........ : .... .46
CHAPfERV
THE PRINCIPLE OF METAPHYSICS ........................ . 49
I. THE ORDERLY UNIVERSE ............................ 50
II. THE TELEOLOGICAL UNIVERSE ...................... 55
CHAPfER VI
THE PRINCIPLE OF ETHICS ................................ 61
I. THE HUMANISM OF ISLAM .......................... 62
II. PURPOSE OF MAN'S CREATION ....................... 65
III. MAN'S INNOCENCE .................................. 67
IV. IMAGO DEi .......................................... 70
V. ACTIONALISM ....................................... 74
VI. UMMATISM .......................................... 76
VII. UNIVERSALISM ...................................... 78
VIII. LIFE AND WORLD-AFFIRMATION ..................... 82
CHAPTER VII
THE PRINCIPLE OF SOCIAL ORDER ........................ 85
I. UNIQUENESS OF ISLAM .............................. 85
II. AL TAWf[ID AND SOCIETISM .......................... 91
III. THEORETICAL IMPLICATIONS ........................ 93
IV. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS ........................... 95
CHAPfER VIII
THE PRINCIPLE OF THE UMMAH ......................... . 103
I. TERMINOLOGY ..................................... 103
II. NATURE OF THE UMMAH ........................... 105
III. THE UMMAH'S INTERNAL DYNAMICS ................ 112
CHAPfER IX
THE PRINCIPLE OF THE FAMILY .......................... 129
I. DECLINE OF THE FAMILY INSTITUTION
IN THE WORLD ..................................... 129
viii
II. THE FAMILY AS CONSTITUTIVE UNIT
OF SOCIETY ........................................ 130
III. CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS ........................ 133
CHAPTERX
THE PRINCIPLE OF POLITICAL ORDER ................... . 141
I. AL "E4Wf[lD AND AL KHIIAFAH ....................... 142
II. AL "E4Wf{[D AND POLITICAL POWER .................. 153
CHAPTER XI
THE PRINCIPLE OF THE ECONOMIC ORDER ............... 157
I. JOINT ESSENTIAL PRIORITY OF THE
MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL .......................... 158
II. UNIVERSALISM OF THE ISLAMIC ECONOMIC
ORDER ............................................. 170
III. ETHICS OF PRODUCTION ............................ 173
IV. ETHICAL PRINCIPLES OF PRODUCTION .............. 176
V. ETHICS OF CONSUMPTION .......................... 180
CHAPTERXIl
THE PRINCIPLE OF WORLD ORDER ...................... . 185
I. THE UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD .................... 185
CHAPTER XIlI
THE PRINCIPLE OF FSTHETICS ........................... . 195
I. MUSLIM AITTISTIC UNITY AND ITS
CHALLENGERS ..................................... 195
II. TRANSCENDENCE IN ESTHETICS .................... 199
REFERENCES .............................................. 217
INDEX .................................................... 223
GLOSSARY OF TERMS OF FOREIGN ORIGIN .............. . 231