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Abaqat of Hazrat Maulana Shah ismail Shaheed (rah) & Epistemology (knowledge)

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#1 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 04:51
(bism1)


The following was a discussion here which i thought of restoring for those with appetite.

The thread began with Bro Abu Zakir defining Knowledge (Epistemology) from wiki and the lowly self contributing from Abaqat of Hazrat Maulana Shah Ismail Shaheed رحمة الله عليه.

Topics such as these arent seen as an everyday discussion, but those having taste for such may benefit إن شاء الله.

Bro Abu Zakir begins...

What is Knowledge (epistemology)?



Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something, which can include facts, information, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.

It can be implicit (as with practical skill or expertise) or explicit (as with the theoretical understanding of a subject); and it can be more or less formal or systematic.[1] In philosophy, the study of knowledge is called epistemology, and the philosopher Plato famously defined knowledge as "justified true belief."

However no single agreed upon definition of knowledge exists, and there are numerous theories to explain it. The following quote from Bertrand Russell's "Theory of Knowledge" illustrates the difficulty in defining knowledge. "The question how knowledge should be defined is perhaps the most important and difficult of the three with which we shall deal.

This may seem surprising: at first sight it might be thought that knowledge might be defined as belief which is in agreement with the facts. The trouble is that no one knows what a belief is, no one knows what a fact is, and no one knows what sort of agreement between them would make a belief true. Let us begin with belief."

Knowledge acquisition involves complex cognitive processes: perception, communication, association and reasoning; while knowledge is also said to be related to the capacity of acknowledgment in human beings.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge

"Another question is how do we gain knowledge, what faculties do we have which make knowledge possible. Do we need to examine our assumptions?"

contd..
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#2 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 04:58
(bism1)





Lets see what Hazrat Maulana Shah Ismail Shaheed sahab رحمة الله عليه has to say in this regard..
in his book Abaqat (being an exposition of Hazrat Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi رحمة الله عليه 's Sat’aat and Lam’aat).

Translated by Prof. G.N Jalbani of Sindh university. Provides an interesting info on this subject. Shall type out a few pages إن شاء الله.

Pg. 7-9


Preface



Abaqat (diffusions of Perfume) is the nearest source towards the understanding of the philosophy of Hazrat Shah waliullah Muhaddith dehlviرحمة الله عليه. The author has attempted successfully at explaining clearly some of the mystical and philosophical points which had been summarily mentioned by Hazrat Shah sahib رحمة الله عليه whom he considers as the “best of investigators ( Afdhal –ul- Muhaqqiqin)”.

He was deeply impressed by his two famous treatises ‘Lamahaat’ and ‘Sat’aat’ which cover two third of his field of philosophy.

In consequence, he prepared his ‘Abaqat’ which more or less is an elucidation of their substance. On the strength of these two works in particular, He has given preference to him over Shaikh Akbar Ibn ul Arabi رحمة الله عليه and Hazrat Imam Rabbani رحمة الله عليه.

Though Shah Shaheed رحمة الله عليه was not a mystic but at times, the mystical revelations were made to him. His discussions on the esoteric science in his book are an indication to the vast knowledge he possessed about mysticism, philosophy and the traditional literature. He had written this book in the form of a text with an intention to follow it with a commentary but he did not live to do so. This is the reason why it is difficult to understand certain points without elaboration.

The translator had before him two urdu translations of the ‘Abaqat’, the printed one by Hazrat Maulana Manazir Ahsan Geelani sahab رحمة الله عليه and the other in the shape of a manuscript once dictated by the late Maulana Ubaidullah sindhi sahab رحمة الله عليه in Mecca when he was in exile.

If these translations had not been there, it would have been impossible for him to undertake such a hard task. Though this English rendering may not be claimed as completely free from defects, but inspite of that it will be found interesting and instructive particularly for those persons inclined towards mysticism and philosophy.

contd..
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#3 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:00
Foreword


Some months back, Professor G.N Jalbani wrote to me a touching letter, asking me to see the book in hand through Press, should he not live long enough to do so. The letter brought back the memories of the great kindness and interest with which professor Jalbani taught Arabic to me and others like me in dire need of help inside the college, and later on at his residence.

The deep reverence and respect that he inspired in his students did not abate with the passage of time. I recall in late 40’s when I was a student of Professor Jalbani, he was working on his first book on life and thought of Hazrat Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi رحمة الله عليه .

Patiently and persistently he continued to work in this field and the present book is a befitting crowning glory of almost 35 years hard labour. Professor Jalbani is a humble and humane being.

He has never blown his own trumpet. And Iam sure he never will. He follows the footsteps of the great savants and sages of Islam who taught more by their example than by words.
Iam quite sure all the students of professor Jalbani share my sentiments and I fell privileged to be writing a foreword to this eminently scholarly work of my teacher being whose student has always been a matter of pride for me.

Abaqat is not an easy book to read, and is even harder to translate. It belongs to primarily to the field of Epistemology, but from a strict Muslim Sufistic point of View.

At a point in history, when (till quite recently), the very definition of truth implied scientific verifiability, when validity of all religious statements was suspect because these statements by nature were not verifiable facts in the field of Physics and Chemistry,

When faith in God was almost identified with second rate intellectual abilities, making available to an English reading audience the powerful and seminal work of Sayyid ismail Shaheed رحمة الله عليه, is indeed an act of courage.


Till quite recently the semantic-oriented Philosophical writings of Wittgenstein and Bertrand Russell dominated the European and English speaking worlds of philosophy.

However, it is only recently that the intellectual spell of a theistically oriented empiricism is breaking, and works of philosophers like Stanley L. Jafii, Richard Swimborne, P. Tillich and whitehead have turned the secular empiricist’s arguments against them.
The contemporary new debates are about the ‘Incoherence of disbelief’.

It can be asserted with full confidence that in a philosopohical mileu, wherein theism is being affirmed with a new sense of confidence, and the limits set be secular and materialistic empiricism are being disregarded, works like Abaqat have a double utility.
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#4 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:04
(bism1)


On one hand the author provides the reader an admirable insight into the Muslim-Sufistic approach to epistemology,on the other he does not speak as a mere theoretician but as a practical guide in the Sufistic path.

It should be recalled that Hazrat Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi رحمة الله عليه the acknowledged guide and mentor of Sayyid Ismail Shaheed رحمة الله عليه had in his time tried to find a common ground for a new synthesis of the Wahdat al Wujud of Shaikh Ibn e Arabi رحمة الله عليه, and the wahdat-al-Shuhood of Shaikh Ahmed Sirhindi رحمة الله عليه.

Abaqat is an exercise to proceed along the path lighted by Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi رحمة الله عليه in his works Lamahat and Sata’at (both already translated by Professor Jalbani).

For an audience lost in the empiricism of the logical-positivists, and sexism of Freud and Freud inspired psychologists, Abaqat will be a great eye opener about what is ‘soul’ and what transpires within, about and above it.

Abaqat guides a person to identify the innumerable channels through which one who created and creates the universe which encompasses every individual, guides the human soul. Abaqat is a door to a new dimension of knowledge and therefore of existence.

Time is ripe when the works of great but less well known Muslim philosophers be brought forth before a developing international audience.

In Pakistan Professor Jalbani has performed a great service in regard to the family of Hazrat Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi رحمة الله عليه and its contribution in the field.

New studies of another great muslim Mulla Sadra have also been done in Iran and U.S.A. The Firangi Mahal school in India stands in need of a new comprehensive introduction. Such exercises are necessary to belie the oft-repeated charge of western teachers of Islamic philosophy that it had no genius of its own, and that it never went beyond a few commentaries on early Greeks.

Upto Thomas Acquinas the West was not ashamed of liberally borrowing from Muslim teachers of philosophy and admitting this fact. Political and military rise of western states rendered the acknowledgement of this debt superfluous.

It is now in late seventies that it has been acknowledged once again that scientific development in the west took place not on the basis of denial of all religious, but on the basis of acceptance of the twin ( Islamic Themes) of religionality and contingency of the universe (The Road of Science and the ways of God by Stanley L.Jaki).

Islam has a great deal to say to the people of Science. It is a pity that all those ‘Ayat’ (signs) around us, to which Allah سبحانه وتعالى repeatedly invites our attention; tell a great deal to the scientists but not to Muslim Scholars.

No people according to Qur’an can really prosper if they forget ‘part of what they were taught’. Because the scientific world like the legal universe fall along the path of human soul..its ascent towards the One and Only.

Khalid M. Ishaque
Advocate
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#5 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:08
(bism1)


( I have omitted pages 10 – 13 which contained a short biography on Hazrat Maulana Shah Ismail shaheed Sahab رحمة الله عليه )


Pages:14 – 15.


Glorification-Cum-Blessing



Glory be to Him who is veiled by the attribute of His appearance and is concealed by the curtain of his light. He is unique in respect of Being (wujud) and eternity. He originated the things from non-existence, created the heavens and the earths and administered all the worlds between them.

He put on the mantle of greatness and pride and enshrouded himself in the garment of power and exaltation. He made every existing thing to glorify him. The beauty of His Essence (wajh) shone out in the mirror of Being. By the perfection of His attributes, He is independent of the praises of the praisers, and by the dignity of His person (Dhat), is far above the description of the describers.

The deep thoughts are burnt by the Majesty of His Essence (wajh) and the hard speculations are vanished under the dominion of His Eminence. None is His co-partner in the attribute of Being and None is His co-sharer in the state of establishment (Thubut).

The most eloquent failed to cover the fields of His attributes and the master grammarians went astray in traversing the extensive regions of His person.

By vastness of His person he transcends both space (Ihtat) and limitedness (Taqyid). He is more near to us than our jugular vein.

Exalted art Thou in Thy person and blest art Thou in Thy names and attributes.

Thou appeared on the Throne (Arsh) and the Tur Mountain and veiled Thyself in darkness and light. Thou art not disobeyed but by Thy knowledge and Thou art not obeyed but by Thy permission.

Thou art absolutely independent of the aid of assistants, and helpers in the origination of the creation and art not in need of any consultation of the ministers and associates in the execution of Thy orders.

I beg Thee to bless Thy great name, the perfect light and Thy most honored beloved, through whom the worlds brightened and the humanity gloried in, a means for travelers (salikin) and a rest for the seekers (Talibin) Muhammed (saw) and his family all of them.

And bless Thy other servants who are like the suns rising on the speheres of prophecy, Thy full moons shining on the horizons of wisdom. Thy stars spreading rays on the pivots of saint-ship and Thy lights flashing on the marks of guidance.

Also bless them who founded the right path by their lights and followed the footsteps of those of them who were happy (Ahl-i-sadaat) and those who had attained the state of certainty , right up to the Day of Judgement , By the mercy count us from them and bless with them. Oh ! art Thou most Merciful One !

(Ameen)
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#6 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:10
(bism1)


Cause of composition



Now after this, Muhammad Ismail رحمة الله عليه, hopeful of the mercy of God the great, says that the knowledge of God in summary, is the seed of trees of obedience to Him and is the water of the meadows of goodness; and in details, this knowledge is the fruit of gardens of worship and the summit of the orchards of good deeds.

A band of devotees has stirred up for the achievement of that knowledge and the champions among the people competed with each other in a race of it. And why not, when the people always throng around the sweetest fountain?

Among them Sufis proper, are the foremost and supreme. No champions have ever succeeded in reaching their goal, even though they availed of a variety of means and sought the help of many a thousand.

Thus, whosoever likes to listen to their news and desires to follow their footsteps, then let him do so, because they are such people that he who sits by them does not go wretched nor their ally entertains any fear from them, as they do not break their word nor are they ever stigmatised in their course of conduct He who holds his hands out for rain will find them filled with it. Man is certainly found in the company of him whom he likes.

The true guide (God) led me to the ways by means of which certainty and truth are acquired. In consequence, I succeeded in studying two small books Al-lamahat and Al-Sata’at and other smaller books like them which were composed by Al-Shaykh Waliullah, may God shower on us from his blessings.

He is undoubtedly the best of investigators (Afdal-ul-muhaqqiqin), the pride of those who probe deep, a protection for the philosophers, a leader of Gnostics and one who is more informed of god than them.

I came to learn from those two books, Al-Lamahat and Al-Sata’at what the people like us are entitled to, and came to understand what men like our type are fit for.
I have derived diverse profits and various kinds of benefits and such useful points which Al-Shaikh Al-Akbar, the chief of the mystics, their leader, their head and their scout failed to catch hold of.

He (shaikh) is, no doubt, the swollen sea of knowledge, the most learned scholar and the illustrious imam. Even Imam Rabbani, that unique Al-Shaikh Ahmad, the chief saint lost sight of those points in the course of his search after the realities.

However, I availed of the truth which God made him to reveal. He has raised him to perform the duty of directing and guiding the people to the right path. Through him He illuminated the hearts of the devotees and by him He renovated the community and Religion.

contd..
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#7 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:14
(bism1)


It was indeed one of the favours of God on me that I was born among people who were marks of guidance, the great respected scholars and the noble chiefs. They were my paternal uncles in respect of relation, my fathers in respect of education, my means of leading me to God and my intercessors before Him.

Indeed they were my leaders, as I have followed them, and were my lights by which I found the right path. The Godly persons directed me to what was truth and certainty and were my chiefs who helped me in improving my worldly life and religion. May God bless those of them who have passed away and bless us by those who are still alive.

I derived advantage from these learned divines who were like oceans of knowledge as much as I could, and tried to receive their lights according to my capability. When God inspired and enlightened me by the knowledge of the Best of investigators (shah waliullah), the pride of those, who probe deep, and the benefit I gained from the men of learning and light, the best servants of God, I intended to light up a lamp for the way leading towards the principles of this science, so that, the travelers may find the right path.

Besides, I desired to say a few words by way of preliminaries in order that, the seekers may proceed further without difficulty and fear.

I therefore, composed a book which may be an intermediary between the manifest clear (Bayan) and that which is proved through demonstration (Tibyan), and may be a connecting link between the truth arrived at by the divine persons and the conclusions drawn by the rationalists.

Though what I have brought in this book may not be exactly the same which I have received from my imams, but what is taken from them is the root of this tree and the seed of this fruit.

In this way grows the palm,
The seed is its root,
The goodness of the earth plant is the result of the good seed.



But just as the quality of the earth works upon what grows out of it and the colour of mirror interferes in what is printed on it, similarly whatever in my book may be found in conformity with the lines of truth and righteousness, it may be taken from God and from my imams who were men of intelligence, and whatever may be found running counter to that, may be taken from the devil and as my work.

I have named it Abaqat (diffusions of perfume), as it has been mixed up with the aroma diffused from the sweet-basils of Al-Lamahat and Al-Sata’at. However I do not claim it (Abaqat) may be counted from those pearls (Lamahat and Sata’at), and how can I advance such a claim to what I have no right.

The relation, the Arabic literature has to the traditional science and the relation, the logical rules have to intellectual sciences, that same relation my book has to them (Lamahat and Sata’at).

I have written this book after the type of text, and if God willed, we will prepare a commentary on it which will cool the eyes of the readers. It has been arranged under an introduction four allusions (Isharat) and an epilogue.

God is enough for me, He is the best protector. There is neither might nor strength but in God, The High, The Great.

(Hazrat Maulana Shah Ismail Shaheed رحمة الله عليه did not live to write commentary on Abaqat)
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#8 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:17
Bhai Maripat sahab wrote:

جزاك الله خيرا Dr Sahab.

Philosophy, in my miserable assessment, is the least productive academic discipline.

And I am also irritated by the phrase Muslim Philosophers used by advocate Ishaque.
A Muslim is a believer while one has to break one's head to get any such information about a philosopher.
A philosopher by the most refined definition is a lover of wisdom.
Beloved Rasolallah (saw) told us that wisdom is to ponder over death a lot.
This unfortunately is no where near our our imagination when we talk about philosophy and philosophers.

It is not nice of a Muslim to ignore the reality so I have to put some things in the fore.
Present social, political, economic, financial and military environment is dominated by the materialist west.

They are there and that is the reality.
In their journey to their present position there enormous contribution of their philosophers.
It is difficult to ignore some thing that is successful.
People even say that nothing succeeds like success.

Then there is this statement of Mufti Muhammed Shafi Sahab رحمة الله عليه, quoted by Mufti Taqi Uthmani Sahab (DB).
Senior Mufti Sahab رحمة الله عليه said that when you see falsehood flourishing then be convinced that they must be doing some thing along the lines of Haq too for falsehood does not have the property to flourish.

If we apply this paradigm to the western success then we can attribute their success to their hard work.
Allah سبحانه وتعالى has rewarded them for that.
We can take an admonition to work hard and leave their philosophy to themselves.

I intend to visit the thread to read Dr76's posts.
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#9 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:19
dr76 replied:

very True Hazrat.. and that was the reason to put the (s)word of Hazrat Maulana Shah Ismail Shaheed sahab رحمة الله عليه at the other end.. إن شاء الله Haq shall always flourish..

duas..
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#10 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:24
(bism1)


Pages:19-20

Introduction



Abaqa 1


For man, the means of acquiring knowledge are three, and they are as under:

1.Acquisition through the perceptible object.

2.Shifting from the known to the unknown.

3.Receiving from the unseen

The acquisition of knowledge through the perceptible object (Mahsus) is, that it is acquired through the particular form characterized by material accidents ( such as length, height, time and place) and that matter of form is also present.

This way of acquiring knowledge is called feeling (Ihsas). But, if the knowledge of the particular form is gained without the presence of matter, then that way of the acquisition of knowledge is called imagination (Takhayyul).

When the particular form is not characterised by the material accidents, then that way is termed fancy (Tawahhum).
But if the particular is characterised by a universal form then it is called perception (Ta’aqqul).

The judgments formed from the perceptive forms which were taken from the perceptibles are called the immediate perceptions (Badihiyat, self-evident facts).

The shifting from the known to the unknown is, that if the process of shifting is gradual, then that is named speculation (Nazr) and the unknown is termed speculative (Nazari);
But if the process of shifting is sudden, then it is named conjecture (Hads) and the result is called conjectural (Hadsi).

Acquiring knowledge by means of receiving from the unseen is of many kinds, such as, revelation (Wahy), occurrence (Tahith), instruction (Tafhim), taste (Zauq), cognition (Ma’arifat), divine knowledge (Ilm Laduni), contemplation (Mushahidah), intuition (Wijdan), spiritual manifestation (Tajalliyat Ma’nawi), mystical unveiling (Kashf), attachment with the similitudinary world ( ‘Alam mithal) and the external manifestations (Tajalliyat Suwariyah).

The detailed information which is gathered through intuition is called wisdom (Hikmat) and the detailed account gained through cognition is termed the science of realities (Funun Haqaiq).

Very soon a hint will be made towards the meanings of these technical terms. You better wait for it. All the forms of receiving from the unseen except revelation are called mystical unveiling and inspiration (Ilham).

contd..
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#11 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:28
(bism1)


P:20-22.


Abaqa 2



" The revealed science (‘Ilm Naql) is one which is acquired through the information given by the sinless (Ma’thum). It is included in the speculative sciences (Nazariyat), because the acknowledgement of it depends on the fact, that it (information) has been given by the sinless, and whatever is given by the sinless conforms to the real.

Thus, the things which are established by hearing (Sam’iyat, proofs to be believed on traditional authority) form the minor premises (Sughra) of a syllogism, while the major premises (Kubra) of it pertains to the deductive science (Istidlaliyat).

But as the information given by the sinless is the source of a great number of sciences, it has been set apart from the speculative sciences and has been reckoned quite a separate science.

When the knowledge of the particular things acquired through the perceptibles and the knowledge of the immediate judgments (Qadaya Badihiyah) are not a sign of perfection for man to be taken into account, the people have excluded that form of knowledge which is acquired through various kinds of perceptible, such as the feeling, the imagination, the fancy (Tawahhum) and the immediate perception from those forms of knowledge which are worth consideration.

By the death of the Holy prophet (saw) , the seal of prophets, the process of revelation came to an end, and there did not remain any other form of receiving from the unseen save the mystical unveiling; and here by mystical unveiling is meant its general meaning (which is applicable to all kinds of receiving from the unseen except revelation).

Thus there are three means of gaining knowledge worthy of consideration. The first one is perception and by it is meant the shifting from the known to the unknown, the second one is the Tradition (Naql) and the third one is the mystical unveiling (kashf).

Let it be remembered that all these means by which the knowledge is gained are not always free from one or the other defects.
In the case of perception, the defect may be in the form or in the matter of means which leads to the desired object.

As for the tradition which is also a means of knowledge, the defect may be found at different places.
For example, the transmission-chain which reaches the sinless may be weak or the narrator may have committed a mistake somewhere or his power of retention was bad, or he may have been noted for fabricating stories and such other causes which are mentioned at their proper place or the mistake in the Tradition is made in this way that the speech (Kalam) may be diverted from its outward meaning without the presence of any context allowing such diversion.

The defect in the mystical unveling is, that it may be influenced by the devils from the Jinn and men or by the habits of the man of mystical unveiling or due to his inability to encompass all the aspects of the mystery unveiled to him. The details of all this will be soon mentioned.

When all these ways are safe and free from causing confusion in their conveying the required knowledge, then there will be no opposition among them, or otherwise it will mean that there is an opposition even in the real and the actual.

It is however not possible that there may be any opposition between the convincing proof (Burhan Qati’), the unambiguous Tradition in an uninterrupted order (Muhkam Mutawatir) and the taste (Dhauq, intuituion) of the sages (Hukama).

May be, sometimes, one of them be silent over what the other speaks on, but that is no opposition.

Among these three ways, perception is one to which greater need is felt. The reason being, that no branch of science can become complete but by use of conjecture and speculation.

The knowledge which is acquired through the way of tradition is more strong in benefitting, and it is so, because, it is easy to take notice of or do away with the wrong things likely to find their way in it.

Here the hope of gaining knowledge which is free from these defects is near, and the chances of confusion in it are rather slim.

The circle of mystical unveiling is very vast, as it relates to the Unseen and the Unseen as is known is a treasury of infinite sciences. It is possible for him whose attachment with it is strong, to receive sciences which could not be acquired by any other person."

contd..
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#12 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:38
Bro Malangi wrote:

Knowledge is a light/Noor which fills the chest of a Mu'min,through which he comprehends the reality more easily,and which guides him to prepare for Akhera ie his chest is opened up for wisdom.There is a difference between Maloomat and Ilm.As Baba Bhulle Shah رحمة الله عليه puts it:

Ilma bass Kari o yar
Teno hek Alif darker.


(Stop accumulating the ever increasing bookish knowledge,You just need to know Alif=Allah).


In a similar state Hazrat Maulana Rumi رحمة الله عليه says:

Sad kitab o sad waraq dar nar kun
Roye dil ra janebe dildar kun


(Put these bundles of books containing un-necessary knowledge into fire and focus your Qalb instead on Allah).


It is said that Ibne seena once went to meet a Sufi Shaikh,who in the course of discussion informed Ibne Seena that he ( Ibne seena) has no Akhlaq. When back home,Ibne seena wrote a whole book on Akhlaq and sent it to the Sufi.The Sufi smiled and replied : " I did not say you don't Know Akhlaq,I said you don't Have it."

This simple difference between Knowing and Having differentiates true Ilm from Maloomat.

May Allah سبحانه وتعالى open our chest for useful Ilm,the one which guide us on our journey to Akhera.

(Note: The incident of Hakeem Bu Ali Sina is mentioned in detail here )
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#13 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:47
dr76 wrote:

The difference between ilm (knowledge) and Maloomat (information)



The Golden words of Hazrat Mufti Muhammed Shafi sahab رحمة الله عليه on Ilm (knowledge) and Maloomat (information):

Once At a gathering of students (Talaba) Hazrat Mufti Muhammed Shafi sahab رحمة الله عليه posed a question to the students.. batao ilm kise kahte hain..? ( Tell me how do u define ilm (knowledge)...? )

Many answers came in.. someone said ilm is seeking knowledge..another replied ilm is Noor and so on.. Hazrat Mufti sahab رحمة الله عليه wasn't satisfied.. and at last they requested him.. Hazrat aap hi batayiye.. ( Hazrat plz inform us..).. the answer he gave is worth to be written in gold.. he said..

" Ilm vo Noor hai jise Haasil karne ke baad baghair amal kiye chain na aaye.. agar ye hai to ilm hai varna maloomat hai.. aur maloomat ki qayamat ke din pakad hai.. ke jitna hasil kiya uspe kitna amal kiya.. "



Ilm is a Noor gaining which should make one restless untill he acts upon it.. if so, then it is ilm, else it is information.. and information is liable to be questioned on the day of judgement.. that the amount of information acquired, how much was acted upon..

( The above was from a bayan of Hazrat Shaikh Zulfiqar Naqshbandi (db))

May Allah سبحانه وتعالى give us Taufeeq to act upon what we learn.. Ameen..
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#14 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:54
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Abaqa 3




"People who are not granted true understanding have said an unseemly thing. They say that the tradition does not give the benefit of certain knowledge.

Their argument is, that it will benefit only through the media of words, and the benefit of meaning which the words give depends upon the knowledge of those meanings for which the words have been placed.

And there is no way to know the proper meaning the word is placed for but through the narration of the masters of language. Thus, the knowledge of it depends upon knowing as as to how far the narrators were free from falsehood and mistake, and that is not proved.

Then again the difficulty is, that sometimes that meaning is taken from the word for which it was not placed, as it happens in what is handed down by tradition (Manqul, Matter of report), in the metaphor and in the allusion.

Therefore, what is understood by mind from the words of of the text at the outset is not known as certain, so as to say that, this was the intention of the sinless, as certain, while the knowledge of it depends on proving it as such.

Besides, the word employed, at times implies a particular meaning and the possibility of its having been abrogated is also there. This kind of possibility seriously affects the case of certainty.

It is not concealed from him who has some experience of the styles of speech that this kind of opinion has arisen out of gross ignorance. The reason being, that the placement of words for their meanings is a fact reported by numerous authorities.

As such, the question of the narrator’s being free from falsehood does not arise. Here we are speaking on that part of the text which is unambiguous, as it is what gives the advantage of certainty, and there is no room in it for any metaphor, allusion in tradition.

Among the unambiguous, there are cases which do not admit of any particularization (Takhsis) and abrogation, such as, the confirmed traditions which certainly give the advantage of a general meaning
( and it is that general meaning which is intended there as words of God. “Then all the angels prostrated except Iblis.” Surah Hijr:31.

The exception here also lends support to the view that the order (for prostration) included all from which the exception was made (by exception is proved that all the angels prostrated).

The proof that no such metaphor has been employed here is, that there is no such context suggestive of it. As such there is no need to establish a proof for the absence of its employment. When the word is free from the context of metaphorical meaning, then that is decidedly a sufficient reason to understand the fact that here the metaphorical meaning is not intended but rather the real one.

Then there is one thing to remember. What gives the advantage of certainty is applied to that which completely removes away the possibility of difference. It also removes the possibility to be proved by an argument and it is what is intended here. Thus the simple possibility in no way damages the intended purpose.

In short, there is no doubt that sometimes the word is associated with external context which rules out the possibility of any particularization, abrogation and the metaphor.

There it gives the advantage of fixing the intended meaning, as that is useful for pointing out what is the definite and certain.

Don’t you see that when you give something to a person and he praises you (for that) or give him a blow and he (in return) abuses you or if you question him and he answers you or when you tell him a news and he believes you or when you consult him and he in return commands or prohibits you, then there, are you not convinced by his praise, abuse, answer, acknowledgement, command and prohibition?

He who thinks otherwise has lost his mind and has admitted himself into the group of the sophisters."

continued..
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#15 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2014 05:56
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Abaqa 4




"He who is not acquainted with knowledge save an idle talk assumes that the inspiration does not give the benefit of knowledge. If by it he meant, that the knowledge cannot be gained but by means of Prophets only who receive the true thing from the Unseen conforming to the real, then he has denied the traditions of religion reported by numerous authorities.

God the great has said.” They then found one of Our servants on whom We had bestowed mercy from Ourselves and to whom We had taught knowledge from Our own presence”. (Surah Kahf:65)

And He has said,”ThenWe sent to her Our angel and he appeared before her in the shape of a full-grown young man. She said I seek refuge from you to God the most gracious, do not come near if you do fear God. He said, Iam a messenger from Your lord to annaounce to you the gift of a holy son”. (Surah Mariam:17-19)

Then His words are “When the angels said, O Mariam, verily God hath chosen thee and hath purified thee and hath chosen thee above the women of all nations. O, Mariam, worship thy Lord prostate thyself and bow down with thoese who bow down”. (surah:Al-Imran: 42-43)

He has also said” Behold ; the angels said, O Mariam; God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him, His name will be Isa, the son of Mariam, held in honour in this world and the hereafter, and of (the company of) those nearest to God”. (surah Al-Imran: 45)

He has said, “And We made an inspiration to the Disciples” (Surah Maida:114). God the great has said, “And verily We bestowed (in the past) wisdom on Luqman. Asking him tio show thy gratitude to God” (Surah Luqman: 12)

Again there are his words, “They were youths who believed in their Lord, and We advanced them in guidance, We gave strength to their hearts behold, they stood up and said, Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth, never shall we call any god other than Him, if we did we should indeed have uttered an enormity”. (Surah kahf:15-14)

Similarly, God has said, “So We sent this inspiration to the mother of Musa, suckle (thy child0 but when thou hast fear about his cast him into the river, but fear not nor grieve, for We shall restore him to thee, and We shall make him one of Our apostles”. (Surah Qasas: 7)

Again His words are “We said: O Dhul-qarnain , (thou hast authority) either to punish or to treat them with kindness” (Surah kahf: 86). And He says, “When Talut set forth with the armies, he said, God will test you at the stream”. (Surah Baqara: 249)

Then there is His saying “And He had put faith into their minds and had strengthened them through a spirit from Himself”. (Surah Mujadila: 22)"

contd..
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