Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

11.l. DEFINITION OF KNOWLEDGE AND ITS FIRST DIVISIONS

That we acquire a ‘knowledge’ of things is self-evident, and so is the concept of it. In this section our purpose is to identify its salient properties in order to differentiate between its various forms and their characteristics.

It was stated in the discussion on mental existence that we possess a certain knowledge of external things, in the sense that we cognize them and they are present for us with their quiddities , though not with their external existence and its accompanying external properties. This is one of the kinds of knowledge, called ‘mediated knowledge’ (‘ilm hushûlî, lit. acquired knowledge).

Another kind of knowledge is the knowledge that each of us has of his own self, to which he refers as his ‘I’ One cannot fail to be conscious of his own self in any circumstance, in solitude or in company, in sleep or in wakefulness, or in any other state.

This consciousness is not by virtue of the presence of the quiddity of the self for us; it is not present as a concept, or known through mediated knowledge. That is because a mental concept, of whatever kind, is always capable of corresponding to a multiplicity of objects, and [when considered as referring to a particular object] its individuality is only due to the external existent [to which it corresponds]. Now what we cognize in relation to ourselves - i.e., what we refer to as ‘I’ - is something essentially individuated, incapable of corresponding to multiple things. Individuality is a property of existence; hence our knowledge of our selves is by virtue of their presence for us with their very external existence, which is the ground of individuation and external properties. This is another kind of knowledge, called ‘immediate’ knowledge (‘Ilm hudhûrî, lit., ‘knowledge by presence’).

These two divisions of knowledge are exhaustive, for the cognition of the known by the knower is either through the former’s quiddity or by its existence. The first is ‘mediated’ and the second is ‘immediate’ knowledge.

Furthermore, attainment of knowledge means apprehension (hushûl) of the known by the knower; for knowledge is identical with that which is known by itself, because we do not mean anything by knowledge except the apprehension of the known by us. The apprehension of a thing and its presence is nothing except its existence, and its existence is itself.

The apprehension of the known by the knower does not mean anything except its union (ittihâd) with the knower, whether the known is immediate or mediated. Thus if the immediately known is a substance subsisting by itself, its existence is for-itself (wujûd li nafsihi) while at the same time it is for-the-knower, and hence the knower is united with it. If the immediately known is something existent-for-its-subject, as the known’s existence is existence-for-the-knower, the knower is united with its subject. Moreover, an accident is one of the planes of the existence of its subject, no-something extraneous to it. Hence it is likewise in relation to something united with its subject. Similarly, the mediated known is existent-for-the-knower, irrespective of whether it is a substance existing-for-itself or something existent-for-other-than-itself. An implication of its existence for the knower is the knower’s union with it.

This is because, as will be explained later on,’ mediated knowledge in fact involves immediate knowledge.

Accordingly, apprehension (hushûl) by the knower is a property of knowledge, though not every kind of apprehension, but an apprehension of something that is in pure actuality and absolutely devoid of all potentiality. That is because we know intuitively that the known qua known has no potentiality to become another thing; it is not susceptible to change, nor can it become something diet than what it is. Accordingly, it involves the apprehension of something that is immaterial and free from all traces of potentiality. This we call ‘immediacy’ (hudhûr, lit. ‘presence’).

The immediacy of the known requires it to be something possessing complete actuality, free from any association with matter and potentiality that may make it deficient and incomplete in relation to its potential perfections.

Further, the immediacy of the known requires that the knower rearing its knowledge should also possess complete actuality, not being deficient in any respect arising from association with matter. Hence, the knower is also immaterial and free from potentiality.

From the above discussion it becomes clear that knowledge is the ‘presence’ of an immaterial existent for an immaterial existent, nether what is apprehended is the same as that which apprehends - as in the case of a thing’s knowledge of itself- - or is something else, as in the case of thing’s knowledge of quiddities external to it.

It also becomes clear, in the first place, that the known, to which knowledge pertains, must necessarily be something immaterial. The meaning of knowledge of material things shall be explained below.

Second, the knower, through whom knowledge subsists, must also necessarily be immaterial.

الفصل الثاني ينقسم العلم الحصولي إلى كلي و جزئي

و الكلي ما لا يمتنع فرض صدقه على كثيرين كالعلم بماهية الإنسان و يسمى عقلا و تعقلا و الجزئي ما يمتنع فرض صدقه على كثيرين كالعلم بهذا الإنسان بنوع من الاتصال بمادته الحاضرة و يسمى علما إحساسيا و كالعلم بالإنسان الفرد من غير حضور مادته و يسمى علما خياليا و عد هذين القسمين ممتنع الصدق على كثيرين إنما هو من جهة اتصال أدوات الإحساس بالمعلوم الخارجي في العلم الإحساسي و توقف العلم الخيالي على العلم الإحساسي و إلا فالصورة الذهنية كيفما فرضت لا تأبى أن تصدق على كثيرين.

و القسمان جميعا مجردان عن المادة لما تقدم: من فعلية الصورة العلمية في ذاتها و عدم قبولها للتغير.

و أيضا: الصورة العلمية كيفما فرضت لا تمتنع عن الصدق على كثيرين و كل أمر مادي متشخص ممتنع الصدق على أزيد من شخص واحد.

و أيضا: لو كانت الصورة الحسية أو الخيالية مادية منطبعة بنوع من الانطباع في جزء بدني لكانت منقسمة بانقسام محلها و لكان في مكان و زمان و ليس كذلك فالعلم لا يقبل القسمة و لا يشار إليه إشارة وضعية مكانية و لا أنه مقيد بزمان لصحة تصورنا الصورة المحسوسة في وقت بعد أمد بعيد على ما كانت عليه من غير تغير فيها و لو كانت مقيدة بالزمان لتغيرت بتقضيه.

و ما يتوهم: من مقارنة حصول العلم للزمان إنما هو مقارنة شرائط حصول الاستعداد له لا نفس العلم.

و أما توسط أدوات الحس في حصول الصورة المحسوسة و توقف الصورة الخيالية على ذلك فإنما هو لحصول الاستعداد الخاص للنفس لتقوى به على تمثيل الصورة العلمية و تفصيل القول في علم النفس و مما تقدم يظهر أن قولهم : إن التعقل إنما هو بتقشير المعلوم عن المادة و الأعراض المشخصة له حتى لا يبقى إلا الماهية المعراة عن القشور كالإنسان المجرد عن المادة الجسمية و المشخصات الزمانية و المكانية و الوضعية و غيرها بخلاف الإحساس المشروط بحضور المادة و اكتناف الأعراض و الهيئات الشخصية و الخيال المشروط ببقاء الأعراض و الهيئات المشخصة من دون حضور المادة قول على سبيل التمثيل للتقريب و إلا فالمحسوس صورة مجردة علمية و اشتراط حضور المادة و الاكتناف بالأعراض المشخصة لحصول الاستعداد في النفس للإحساس و كذا اشتراط الاكتناف بالمشخصات للتخيل و

كذا اشتراط التقشير في التعقل للدلالة على اشتراط تخيل أزيد من فرد واحد في حصول استعداد النفس لتعقل الماهية الكلية المعبر عنه بانتزاع الكلي من الأفراد.

و تبين مما تقدم أيضا: أن الوجود ينقسم من حيث التجرد عن المادة و عدمه إلى ثلاثة عوالم كلية أحدها عالم المادة و القوة و الثاني عالم التجرد عن المادة دون آثارها من الشكل و المقدار و الوضع و غيرها ففيه الصور الجسمانية و أعراضها و هيئاتها الكمالية من غير مادة تحمل القوة و الانفعال و يسمى عالم المثال و البرزخ بين عالم العقل و عالم المادة و الثالث عالم التجرد عن المادة و آثارها و يسمى عالم العقل.

و قد قسموا عالم المثال إلى :المثال الأعظم القائم بذاته و المثال الأصغر القائم بالنفس الذي تتصرف فيه النفس كيف تشاء بحسب الدواعي المختلفة الحقة و الجزافية فتأتي أحيانا بصور حقة صالحة و أحيانا بصور جزافية تعبث بها.

و العوالم الثلاثة المذكورة مترتبة طولا: فأعلاها مرتبة و أقواها و أقدمها وجودا و أقربها من المبدإ الأول تعالى عالم العقول المجردة لتمام فعليتها و تنزه ذواتها عن شوب المادة و القوة و يليه عالم المثال المتنزه عن المادة دون آثارها و يليه عالم المادة موطن كل نقص و شر و لا يتعلق بما فيه علم إلا من جهة ما يحاذيه من المثال و العقل.

11.2. THE DIVISION OF MEDIATED KNOWLEDGE INTO UNIVERSAL AND PARTICULAR

A universal (kullî) is that which is capable of corresponding to a multiplicity of instances, such as the knowledge of the quiddity of man. This kind of knowledge is called ‘aql or ta’aqqul (intellection). A particular (juz’î) is that which is incapable of corresponding to a multiplicity of things, such as the knowledge of a particular person with some kind of association with a present matter, which called ‘sensory’ knowledge (al-’ilm al-ihsâsî), or the knowledge a human individual without there being any present matter. The latter kind is called ‘imaginary’ knowledge (al-’ilm al-khâyalî). These two kinds are considered incapable of corresponding to a multiplicity of referents only from the aspect of connection between the sense organs and the external object of knowledge, in the ca, of sensory knowledge, and for the reason of dependence ‘imaginary’ knowledge on sensory knowledge. Otherwise. the mental impression itself (al-shûrat al-dzihniyyah), of whatever kind not incapable of corresponding to a multiplicity of objects.

On the basis of that which has been said above, both kinds are immaterial due to the essential actuality of the cognitive form (al-shûrat al-’ilmiyyah) and its being unsusceptible to change.

Also, the cognitive form, of whatever kind, is not incapable of corresponding to a multiplicity of objects; anything that is mater and individuated is incapable of corresponding to more than one individual.

Furthermore, had the sensory or the imaginal form been something material, impressed in some manner in a part of the body, would have been divisible due to the divisibility of its location and would have been in space and time. However, such is not the case. Hence knowledge is neither susceptible to division nor capable of attribution to a physical location. Also, it is not subject to time, for a sensory form cognized at a certain time remains valid and unchanged even after the passage of a long period of time and had it been time-bound it would change with the passage time.

There has been a misconception arising from the contiguity the acquisition of knowledge to time. This contiguity (muqâranah) merely relates to the conditions for the attainment of the potential (isti’dâd) for receiving knowledge, not to knowledge itself.

As for the mediating role of the sense organs in the apprehension of the sensible form and the dependence of the imaginary form on it, that merely pertains to the attainment of a specific capacity in the soul enabling it to evoke the cognitive form. T related details are to be found in works on traditional psychology (‘ilm al-nafs).

There is a theory according to which the formation of concepts occurs through a process in which the known object is divested of matter and its characteristic material accidents, until there remains nothing except a quiddity stripped of its material shell (e.g. the concept of man stripped of all physical matter and its accompanying characteristics relating to time, space, position, and so on). This process is different from sense perception, wherein matter and its accompanying accidents and individuating features are present. It is also different from imagination, wherein the accidents associated with matter and its individuating features survive without the

presence of matter itself. However, from the above discussion it becomes clear that such a theory can be justified only as a metaphorical aid to understanding. Otherwise, the perceived form is also immaterial; the requirement of the presence of matter and its accompanying individuating accidents is in order to prepare the soul for perception. The same applies to the requirement of accompanying particular features in imagination, as well as the requirement of ‘divesting’ in conception, wherein the imagination of more than an individual prepares the soul for conceiving the universal quiddity - a process referred to as ‘the abstraction of the universal from individuals.’

From what has been said it also becomes clear that existence is divisible into three realms in respect of freedom from matter and its absence. One of them is the world of matter and potentiality. The second realm is the one in which matter is absent, though not some of its properties such as shape, quantity, position, etc. It contains physical forms and their accidents and features of perfection without the presence of any matter possessing potentiality and passivity. It is called the ‘imaginal’ or the ‘intermediate’ world (‘âlam al-mitsâl, or al-barzakh), which lies between the world of the Intellect (‘âlam al-’aql) and the world of matter (‘âlam al-mâddah). The third is the immaterial world (‘âlam al-tajarrud), which is absolutely free from matter and its properties. It is called the world of the Intellect (‘âlam al-’aql).

The metaphysicians have further divided the imaginal world into the ‘macrocosmic’ (or objective) imaginal world (al-mitsâl al-a’zham), which is a self-subsisting realm by itself, and the ‘microcosmic’ (or subjective) imaginal world (al-mitsâl al-asghar), which subsists through the soul and governs it in any manner it wishes according to its motives, rightful or extravagant, producing s times real and healthy forms and at other times fantastic form, which the soul creates for the sake of diversion.

These three worlds constitute a hierarchy. Amongst them the highest of them in rank and, existentially, the strongest and the prior-most, as well as nearest to the First Source, is the world of the immaterial Intellects (‘âlam al-’uqûl al-mujarradah), due to the completeness of their actuality and freedom of their essences from all traces of matter and potentiality. Below it lies the (macrocosmic or objective) imaginal world, which is free from matter though not some of its properties. Further below is the world o matter, the abode of all deficiency and evil. Knowledge does not pertain to that which is in it except through what corresponds it in the imaginal world and the world of the Intellect.

الفصل الثالث ينقسم العلم انقساما آخر إلى كلي و جزئي

و المراد بالكلي ما لا يتغير بتغير المعلوم بالعرض كصورة البناء التي يتصورها البناء في نفسه ليبنى عليها فالصورة عنده على حالها قبل البناء و مع البناء و بعد البناء و إن خرب و انهدم و يسمى علم ما قبل الكثرة و العلوم الحاصلة من طريق العلل كلية من هذا القبيل دائما كعلم المنجم بأن القمر منخسف يوم كذا ساعة كذا إلى مدة كذا يعود فيه الوضع السماوي بحيث يوجب حيلولة الأرض بينه و بين الشمس فعلمه ثابت على حاله قبل الخسوف و معه و بعده.

و المراد بالجزئي :ما يتغير بتغير المعلوم بالعرض كما إذا علمنا من طريق الإبصار بحركة زيد ثم إذا وقف عن الحركة تغيرت الصورة العلمية من الحركة إلى السكون و يسمى علم ما بعد الكثرة.

فإن قلت: التغير لا يكون إلا بقوة سابقة و حاملها المادة و لازمه كون العلوم الجزئية مادية لا مجردة.

قلنا : العلم بالتغير غير تغير العلم و المتغير ثابت في تغيره لا متغير و تعلق العلم به أعني حضوره عند العالم من حيث ثباته لا تغيره و إلا لم يكن حاضرا فلم يكن العلم حضور شي‏ء لشي‏ء هذا خلف.

11.3. ANOTHER DIVISION OF KNOWLEDGE INTO UNIVERSAL AND PARTICULAR

That which is meant by ‘universal’ knowledge here is the knowledge that does not change with the accidental object of knowledge (al-ma’lûm bi al-’arad). An instance of it is the form of a structure conceived by an architect in order to build an actual one similar to it. The conceived form remains as it was before, during, and after the structure’s construction, even though the actual structure should collapse or be razed to the ground. This kind of knowledge is called ‘knowledge prior to multiplicity’ (‘ilrn mâ qabl al katsrah) The knowledge acquired through the means of universal causes is of this kind, such as an astronomer’s knowledge that lunar eclipse would occur on a certain day at a certain time for certain period during which there would occur an astronomical configuration in which the earth will intervene between the sui and the moon. In this case, his knowledge remains unchanged before, during, and after the eclipse.

By ‘particular’ knowledge here is meant the knowledge that changes with the change in the accidental object of knowledge. An example of it is our knowledge obtained through eyesight of Zayd’s movements: when Zayd stops moving, the perceived impression changes from motion to rest. This kind of knowledge is called ‘knowledge posterior to multiplicity’ (‘ilm mâ ba’da al-katsrah).

Here someone may say that change does not occur without prior potentiality, which is borne by matter, and that requires that the object of particular knowledge be material, not immaterial. The answer is that knowledge of change is not change of knowledge. The changing object undergoes a fixed course of change, which does not change itself. The knowledge of it - that is, its presence before the knower - is from the aspect of its fixity not its change, for otherwise it would not be present and knowledge would not be the presence of an entity for another entity. This involves a contradiction.

الفصل الرابع في أنواع التعقل

ذكروا أن التعقل على ثلاثة أنواع:

أحدها : أن يكون العقل بالقوة أي لا يكون شيئا من المعقولات بالفعل و لا له شي‏ء من المعقولات بالفعل لخلو النفس عن عامة المعقولات.

الثاني: أن يعقل معقولا أو معقولات كثيرة بالفعل مميزا لبعضها من بعض مرتبا لها و هو العقل التفصيلي.

الثالث: أن يعقل معقولات كثيرة عقلا بالفعل من غير أن يتميز بعضها من بعض و إنما هو عقل بسيط إجمالي فيه كل التفاصيل و مثلوا له بما إذا سألك سائل عن عدة من المسائل التي لك علم بها فحضرك الجواب في الوقت فأنت في أول لحظة تأخذ في الجواب تعلم بها جميعا علما يقينيا بالفعل لكن لا تميز لبعضها من بعض و لا تفصيل و إنما يحصل التميز و التفصيل بالجواب كان ما عندك منبع تنبع و تجري منه التفاصيل و يسمى عقلا إجماليا.

11.4. KINDS OF INTELLECTION

The metaphysicians mention three kinds of intellection (ta’aqqul ).

One of them is potential intellection (al-’aql bi al-quwwah ), wherein the ‘intellect’ neither actually cognizes the intelligibles, nor does it apprehend any ‘intelligibles in act’ due to the soul’s being devoid of all intelligibles.

The second is wherein the intellect intellects one or many intelligibles in act differentiating them from one another and conceiving them in an orderly manner. This is called ‘detailed intellection’ (al-’aql al-tafshîlî ).

In the third kind of intellection, the mind intellects many intelligibles in act without differentiating them from one another. It is a simple, undifferentiated form of intellection wherein all the details are contained. An example that has been given of it is when one is asked concerning several issues of which one has knowledge. The answer immediately comes to one’s mind. At the very first moment one has the answer wherein one actually knows all of them for certain without sorting them out or their details from one another. The sorting out and the details come only in the process of answering, as if one had a store from which the details flow out. This kind of intellection is called ‘non-differentiated intellection’ (al-’aql al-ijmâlî ).

الفصل الخامس في مراتب العقل

ذكروا أن مراتب العقل أربع:

إحداها: كونه بالقوة بالنسبة إلى جميع المعقولات و يسمى عقلا هيولانيا لشباهته في خلوه عن المعقولات الهيولى في كونها بالقوة بالنسبة إلى جميع الصور

و ثانيتها: العقل بالملكة و هي المرتبة التي تعقل فيها الأمور البديهية من التصورات و التصديقات فإن تعلق العلم بالبديهيات أقدم من تعلقه بالنظريات.

و ثالثتها :العقل بالفعل و هو تعلقه النظريات بتوسيط البديهيات و إن كانت مرتبة بعضها على بعض.

و رابعتها :عقله لجيمع ما استفاده من المعقولات البديهية و النظرية المطابقة لحقائق العالم العلوى و السفلى باستحضاره الجميع و التفاته إليها بالفعل فيكون عالما علميا مضاهيا للعالم العيني و يسمى العقل المستفاد.

11.5. PLANES OF THE INTELLECT

The metaphysicians mention four planes of the intellect.

One of them is that which is in a state of potentiality in relation to all intelligibles. It is called the material intellect (al-’aql al-hayûlânî ) on account of its similarity to prime matter (hayûlâ ) in being devoid of intelligibles and with respect to its potentiality in relation to all forms.

The second is the ‘intellect by proficiency’ (al-’aql bi al-malakah which is the plane wherein it intellects self-evident concepts (tasawwurât) and judgements (tashdîqât ); for the knowledge of self-evident matters (badîhiyyât ) precedes the knowledge of ‘speculative’ matters (nazhariyyât ).

The third is the ‘intellect in act’ which intellects speculative matters through the mediation of self-evident concepts and judgements, though some of them are based on the others.

The fourth is the intellect that partakes of all self-evident and speculative intelligibles corresponding to the realities of the higher and lower realms of existence by virtue of having all of them present before it and its actual consciousness of them. Thus it is a ‘knowing world’ similar to the external world, and is called the ‘acquired intellect’ (al-’aql al-mustafâd ).

الفصل السادس في مفيض هذه الصور العلمية

أما الصور العقلية الكلية فإن مفيضها المخرج للإنسان مثلا من القوة إلى الفعل عقل مفارق للمادة عنده جميع الصور العقلية الكلية و ذلك أنك قد عرفت أن هذه الصور بما أنها علم مجردة عن المادة على أنها كلية تقبل الاشتراك بين كثيرين و كل أمر حال في المادة واحد شخصي لا يقبل الاشتراك فالصورة العقلية مجردة عن المادة ففاعلها المفيض لها أمر مجرد عن المادة لأن الأمر المادي ضعيف الوجود فلا يصدر عنه ما هو أقوى منه وجودا على أن فعل المادة مشروط بالوضع الخاص و لا وضع للمجرد.

و ليس هذا المفيض المجرد هو النفس العاقلة لهذه الصور المجردة العلمية لأنها بعد بالقوة بالنسبة إليها و حيثيتها حيثية القبول دون الفعل و من المحال أن يخرج ما بالقوة نفسه من القوة إلى الفعل.

فمفيض الصورة العقلية جوهر عقلي مفارق للمادة فيه جميع الصور العقلية الكلية على نحو ما تقدم من العلم الإجمالي العقلي تتحد معه النفس المستعدة للتعقل على قدر استعدادها الخاص فيفيض عليها ما تستعد له من الصور العقلية و هو المطلوب.

و بنظير البيان السابق يتبين أن مفيض الصور العليمة الجزئية جوهر مثالي مفارق فيه جميع الصور المثالية الجزئية على نحو العلم الإجمالي تتحد معه النفس على قدر ما لها من الاستعداد.

11.6. THE EMANATING SOURCE OF THE INTELLIGIBLE FORMS

As to the universal intelligible forms, which bring man, for instance, from potentiality to actuality, its source of emanation (mufîdh) is an immaterial Intellect which possesses all the universal intelligible forms. That is because, as we have seen, these forms constitute knowledge and are immaterial. Moreover, by virtue of their universality they are capable of corresponding to a multiplicity of objects, whereas everything impressed in matter is an individual incapable of such correspondence. Therefore, the intelligible forms are immaterial, created by an agent that is an immaterial source, for a material entity is existentially weak and incapable of producing something existentially stronger. In addition, the action of matter is conditioned by a particular [physical] configuration (wadh’) and an immaterial entity does not have a [physical] position or location.

This immaterial source is not the soul itself, which intellects these immaterial cognitive forms, for it is still in potentiality in relation to these forms and its mode is passive, not active; it is impossible that something in potentiality should by itself make the transition from potentiality to actuality.

Therefore, the source of the intelligible form is an immaterial intelligent substance that possesses all the universal intelligible ::ms in the manner of non-differentiated knowledge. The soul assessing potential unites with it in order to intellect in accordance with its particular potential, whereupon the source of emanation creates in it the intelligible form for whose reception it possesses the potential.

A similar explanation in relation to particular intelligible forms would make clear that their source is an imaginal immaterial substance which possesses all the particular imaginal forms in the manner of non-differentiated knowledge, and that the soul unites pith them in accordance with its potential.

الفصل السابع ينقسم العلم الحصولي إلى تصور و تصديق

لأنه إما صورة حاصلة من معلوم واحد أو كثير من غير إيجاب أو سلب و يسمى تصورا كتصور الإنسان و الجسم و الجوهر و إما صورة حاصلة من معلوم معها إيجاب شي‏ء لشي‏ء أو سلب شي‏ء عن شي‏ء كقولنا الإنسان ضاحك و قولنا ليس الإنسان بحجر و يسمى تصديقا و باعتبار حكمه قضية.

ثم إن القضية بما تشتمل على إثبات شي‏ء لشي‏ء أو نفي شي‏ء عن شي‏ء مركبة من أجزاء فوق الواحد.

و المشهور أن القضية الموجبة مؤلفة من الموضوع و المحمول و النسبة الحكمية و هي نسبة المحمول إلى الموضوع و الحكم باتحاد الموضوع مع المحمول هذا في الهليات المركبة التي محمولاتها غير وجود الموضوع و أما الهليات البسيطة التي محمولها وجود الموضوع كقولنا الإنسان موجود فأجزاؤها ثلاثة الموضوع و المحمول و الحكم إذ لا معنى لتخلل النسبة و هي الوجود الرابط بين الشي‏ء و نفسه.

و: أن القضية السالبة مؤلفة من الموضوع و المحمول و النسبة الحكمية الإيجابية و لا حكم فيها لا أن فيها حكما عدميا لأن الحكم جعل شي‏ء شيئا و سلب الحكم عدم جعله لا جعل عدمه.

و الحق: أن الحاجة إلى تصور النسبة الحكمية إنما هي من جهة الحكم بما هو فعل النفس لا بما هو جزء القضية أي إن القضية إنما هي الموضوع و المحمول و الحكم و لا حاجة في تحقق القضية بما هي قضية إلى تصور النسبة الحكمية و إنما الحاجة إلى تصورها لتحقق الحكم من النفس و جعلها الموضوع هو المحمول و يدل على ذلك تحقق القضية في الهليات البسيطة بدون النسبة الحكمية التي تربط المحمول بالموضوع.

فقد تبين بهذا البيان :أولا أن القضية الموجبة ذات أجزاء ثلاثة الموضوع و المحمول و الحكم و السالبة ذات جزءين الموضوع و المحمول و أن النسبة الحكمية تحتاج إليها النفس في فعلها الحكم لا القضية بما هي قضية في انعقادها.

و ثانيا :أن الحكم فعل من النفس في ظرف الإدراك الذهني و ليس من الانفعال التصوري في شي‏ء و حقيقة الحكم في قولنا زيد قائم مثلا أن النفس تنال من طريق الحس موجودا واحدا هو زيد القائم ثم تجزئه إلى مفهومي زيد و القائم و تخزنهما عندها ثم إذا أرادت حكاية ما وجدته في الخارج أخذت صورتي زيد و القائم من خزانتها و هما اثنتان ثم

جعلتهما واحدا ذا وجود واحد و هذا هو الحكم الذي ذكرنا أنه فعل للنفس تحكى به الخارج على ما كان.

فالحكم :فعل للنفس و هو مع ذلك من الصور الذهنية الحاكية لما وراءها و لو كان الحكم تصورا مأخوذا من الخارج كانت القضية غير مفيدة لصحة السكوت كما في كل من المقدم و التالي في القضية الشرطية و لو كان تصورا أنشأته النفس من عندها من غير استعانة من الخارج لم يحك الخارج

و ثالثا :أن التصديق يتوقف على تصور الموضوع و المحمول فلا تصديق إلا عن تصور.

11.7. THE DIVISION OF MEDIATED KNOWLEDGE INTO CONCEPTION AND JUDGEMENT

The mere knowledge of the form (shûrah) of the known object, whether one or multiple, regardless of affirmation or negation, is ailed conception (tashawwur), such as the concepts of ‘man,’ ‘body’ and ‘substance.’ If the form of the known is accompanied by an affirmation or negation of something concerning something, such s in the sentence, ‘Man is risible’ or ‘Man is not stone,’ it is an assertion’ (tashdîq; lit. affirmation), and in consideration of the judgement that it contains is called ‘qadhiyyah’ (proposition). Further, a proposition comprises more than one part as it contains the affirmation or negation of something concerning something.

According to the prevalent view among metaphysicians, an affirmative proposition comprises a subject (mawdhû’), a predicate (mahmûl) and the ‘relation of judgement’ (al-nisbah al-hukmiyyah), which is the predicate’s relation to the subject and the judgement (hukm) of the subject’s oneness with the predicate. This is the case in ‘composite statements’ (al-halliyyat al-murakkabah) wherein the predicate is not the existence of the subject. But in ‘simple statements’ (al-halliyyat al-basîthah), in which the predicate is the existence of the subject - such as in the statement ‘Man is existent’ -  there are three parts: the subject, the predicate and the judgemenr there is no sense in a relation - which is a copulative existent -  intervening between a thing and itself.

Furthermore, a negative proposition is made up of a subject, a predicate and an affirmative relation of judgement (al-nisbah ai-hukmiyyah al-îjâbiyyah). There is no judgement in it, and no negative judgement, for a judgement consists of affirming something of something; the withholding of judgement is the absence of it, not the positing of its absence.

The truth is that the need for conceiving the relation of judgement is only from the aspect of the judgement being an act of the soul, not because it is part of the proposition. For a proposition consists only of the subject, the predicate, and the judgement, and the formation of a proposition as such does not require the conception of the relation of judgement. The need for conceiving it arises for the formation of judgement by the soul in identifying the subject with the predicate. This is also confirmed by the formation of the proposition in simple statements without the relation of judgement that relates the predicate to the subject.

It becomes clear from this discussion that, first, an affirmative proposition (al-qadhiyyah al-mûjibah) consists of three parts: subject, predicate, and judgement. A negative proposition consists of two parts: subject and predicate, and the relation of judgement is needed by the soul in making the judgement, not for the formation of the proposition as such.

Second, judgement is an act of the soul in the context of mental cognition, not a passive act of conception. When we say ‘Zayd is standing,’ for instance, the soul cognizes through sensory means a single entity which is ‘the standing Zayd.’ Then it analyzes it into two concepts ‘Zayd’ and ‘standing’ and stores them. Thereafter, when it wants to describe what it finds in external reality, it takes the forms of ‘Zayd’ and ‘standing’ from its memory as two different notions and combines them into a unity with a

single existence. This is judgement, which we have described as the act of the soul, by means of which it represents external reality as it is.

Hence, judgement is an act of the soul and, at the same time, a mental form that represent something beyond itself. Were judgement a conception abstracted from outside, the proposition would not make a complete statement to which nothing needs to be added, as in the case of each part of a hypothetical proposition. Also, were judgement a concept formulated by the soul without recourse to external reality, it would not represent external reality.

الفصل الثامن و ينقسم العلم الحصولي إلى بديهي و نظري

و البديهي منه: ما لا يحتاج في تصوره أو التصديق به إلى اكتساب و نظر كتصور مفهوم الشي‏ء و الوحدة و نحوهما و كالتصديق بأن الكل أعظم من جزئه و أن الأربعة زوج و النظري ما يتوقف في تصوره أو التصديق به على اكتساب و نظر كتصور ماهية الإنسان و الفرس و التصديق بأن الزوايا الثلاث من المثلث مساوية لقائمتين و أن الإنسان ذو نفس مجردة.

و العلوم النظرية تنتهي إلى العلوم البديهية و تتبين بها و إلا ذهب الأمر إلى غير النهاية ثم لم يفد علما على ما بين في المنطق.

و البديهيات كثيرة مبينة في المنطق و أولاها بالقبول الأوليات و هي القضايا التي يكفي في التصديق بها تصور الموضوع و المحمول كقولنا الكل أعظم من جزئه و قولنا الشي‏ء لا يسلب عن نفسه.

و أولى الأوليات بالقبول :قضية استحالة اجتماع النقيضين و ارتفاعهما و هي قضية منفصلة حقيقية إما أن يصدق الإيجاب أو يصدق السلب و لا تستغنى عنها في إفادة العلم قضية نظرية و لا بديهية حتى الأوليات فإن قولنا الكل أعظم من جزئه إنما يفيد علما إذا كان نقيضه و هو قولنا ليس الكل بأعظم من جزئه كاذبا.

فهي أول قضية مصدق بها لا يرتاب فيها ذو شعور و تبتنى عليها العلوم فلو وقع فيها شك سرى ذلك في جميع العلوم و التصديقات.

تتمة

السوفسطي المنكر لوجود العلم غير مسلم لقضية أولى الأوائل إذ في تسليمها اعتراف بأن كل قضيتين متناقضتين فإن إحداهما حقة صادقة.

ثم السوفسطي المدعي لانتفاء العلم و الشاك في كل شي‏ء إن اعترف بأنه يعلم أنه شاك فقد اعترف بعلم ما و سلم قضية أولى الأوائل فأمكن أن يلزم بعلوم كثيرة تماثل علمه بأنه شاك كعلمه بأنه يرى و يسمع و يلمس و يذوق و يشم و أنه ربما جاع فقصد ما يشبعه أو ظمأ فقصد ما يرويه و إذا ألزم بها ألزم بما دونها من العلوم لأن العلم ينتهي إلى الحس كما تقدم.

و إن لم يعترف بأنه يعلم أنه شاك بل أظهر أنه شاك في كل شي‏ء و شاك في شكه لا يدري شيئا سقطت معه المحاجة و لم ينجع فيه برهان و هذا الإنسان إما مبتلى بمرض أورثه اختلالا في الإدراك فليراجع الطبيب و إما معاند للحق يظهر ما يظهر لدحضه فليضرب و

ليؤلم و ليمنع مما يقصده و يريده و ليؤمر بما يبغضه و يكرهه إذ لا يرى حقيقة لشي‏ء من ذلك.

نعم ربما راجع بعضهم هذه العلوم العقلية و هو غير مسلح بالأصول المنطقية و لا متدرب في صناعة البرهان فشاهد اختلاف الباحثين في المسائل بين الإثبات و النفي و الحجج التي أقاموها على كل من طرفي النقيض و لم يقدر لقلة بضاعته على تمييز الحق من الباطل فتسلم طرفي النقيض في مسألة بعد مسألة فأساء الظن بالمنطق و زعم أن العلوم نسبية غير ثابتة و الحقيقة بالنسبة إلى كل باحث ما دلت عليه حجته.

و ليعالج أمثال هؤلاء بإيضاح القوانين المنطقية و إراءة قضايا بديهية لا تقبل الترديد في حال من الأحوال كضرورة ثبوت الشي‏ء لنفسه و استحالة سلبه عن نفسه و غير ذلك و ليبالغ في تفهيم معاني أجزاء القضايا و ليؤمروا أن يتعلموا العلوم الرياضية.

و هاهنا طائفتان أخريان من الشكاكين فطائفة يتسلمون الإنسان و إدراكاته و يظهرون الشك في ما وراء ذلك فيقولون نحن و إدراكاتنا و نشك فيما وراء ذلك و طائفة أخرى تفطنوا بما في قولهم نحن و إدراكاتنا من الاعتراف بحقائق كثيرة من أناسي و إدراكات لهم و تلك حقائق خارجية فبدلوا الكلام بقولهم أنا و إدراكاتي و ما وراء ذلك مشكوك.

و يدفعه: أن الإنسان ربما يخطي في إدراكاته كما في موارد أخطاء الباصرة و اللامسة و غيرها من أغلاط الفكر و لو لا أن هناك حقائق خارجة من الإنسان و إدراكاته تنطبق عليها إدراكاته أو لا تنطبق لم يستقم ذلك بالضرورة.

و ربما قيل :إن قول هؤلاء ليس من السفسطة في شي‏ء بل المراد أن من المحتمل أن لا تنطبق الصور الظاهرة للحواس بعينها على الأمور الخارجية بما لها من الحقيقة كما قيل إن الصوت بما له من الهوية الظاهرة على السمع ليس له وجود في خارجه بل السمع إذا اتصل بالارتعاش بعدد كذا ظهر في السمع في صورة الصوت و إذا بلغ عدد الارتعاش كذا ارتعاشا ظهر في البصر في صورة الضوء و اللون فالحواس التي هي مبادي الإدراك لا تكشف عما وراءها من الحقائق و سائر الإدراكات منتهية إلى الحواس.

و فيه :أن الإدراكات إذا فرضت غير كاشفة عما وراءها فمن أين علم أن هناك حقائق وراء الإدراك لا يكشف عنها الإدراك ثم من أدرك أن حقيقة الصوت في خارج السمع ارتعاش بعدد كذا و حقيقة المبصر في خارج البصر ارتعاش بعدد كذا و هل يصل الإنسان إلى الصواب الذي يخطى فيه الحواس إلا من طريق الإدراك الإنساني.

و بعد ذلك كله تجويز أن لا ينطبق مطلق الإدراك على ما وراءه لا يحتمل إلا السفسطة حتى أن قولنا يجوز أن لا ينطبق شي‏ء من إدراكاتنا على الخارج لا يؤمن أن لا يكشف بحسب مفاهيم مفرداته و التصديق الذي فيه عن شي‏ء.

Community Building, Part 3

This seriesis based on a nine-session course conducted by the author on Community Building at the Islamic Centre of England in London in 2009.

Abstract

It is crucial for a community to have a shared identity and to work towards a joint cause. Regardless of whether it is on a worldwide or lesser scale, establishing a community is currently becoming more crucial, and successful community involves specific requirements and qualities.

This series of papers studies the importance ofcommunity-building and Prophet Muhammad’s efforts to implement it. Prioritized qualities such as truthfulness, trustworthiness, justice, unity, persistence, moderation, humbleness, enjoining good and forbidding wrong, and maintaining a healthy balance in working for this worldto eventually lead to a blissful hereafter were expounded on.

This part further builds upon the concept of truthfulness in Islamic theology and is moral system; of Allah as the true being, revelation as the truth, the prophets’ mission to serve the truth, and the importance of communities striving to become truthful. Thusfar we have listed some of the major characteristics of an Islamic Community, a community which is pleasing to Allah (swt ), such as being balanced and moderate, calling towards good and in particular enjoining good and prohibiting bad. In what follows, we will refer to some other characteristics of an Islamic community.

Commitment to the truth

This is an immensely important quality both for individuals and for communities. The subject of truth is so important from theQur’anic perspective that firstly we will expand on it a little and then focus on the role of truth in the community. One of the notions on which great emphasishas been put in the Qur’an is the notion of truth and the True (al-Haqq ).

Qur’an describes Allah as the True

In the Qur’an, Allah describes Himself as being ‘the True’ or the ‘the Truth’ (al-haqq ). The Qur’an tells us that the reason why God should befollowed, worshipped and obeyed is that ‘Allah is the True.’ Thus, we can understand that for Allah, to be the True is more important than to be, for example, Self-Sufficient,Self - Existent, etc. For example, the verse 22:62 reads as follows:

True, and what they invoke besides Him is nullity, and because Allah is the All-exalted, the All-great. (22:62)

Indeed, this is a sound argument for the necessity of worshipping Allah and not worshipping idols and false gods. Allah says that the reason for asking us to worship Him only isbecause He is al-Haqq , the True and the Real; and what they call on other than Him is false. The major deciding factor is whether something is true or false and so we worship Allah and follow Him because He is the True.

Two verses that expand on the meaning of being true are as follows:

1. The chapter al-Hajj, verse6 , Allah says:

That is because Allah is the True and it is HeWho revives the dead and He has power over all things. (22:6)

2. The chapterYunus , verse 32:

That, then, is Allah, your true Lord. So what is there after the truth except error? Then whereare you being led away? (10:32)

Allah is the True and real basis of everything

So Allah is al-Haqq , the True and the Real. However, we may say that we are also true and real and thateverything which exists is also true and real. For example, we could say that everyone and everything we know and everything in this world ishaqq . For example, inZiyarah AleYaseen weread “Heaven is true, hell is true, reward and punishment are true.” So if these are also true, then what is the difference between them and Allah beingTrue ?

The difference is clear. There are uncountable real things thatare all created . Allah is al-Haqq in the sense that not only is He True and Real but Heis also the Source and the Origin of everything else that is true and real. So ‘al-Haqq ’ means the ‘True One’Who is the Origin and the Source of everything else1 .

Allah alone is the True

Allah alone is al-Haqq ; we cannot say ‘I am al-haqq ’ or ‘you are al-haqq .’ Of course, some mystics likeHallaj said: ‘ana alhaqq ’. Although they meant something else e.g. being a manifestation ofGod which is al-Haqq , personally I think we should refrain from calling anyone ‘alhaqq ’ since this might be misleading. It is only AllahWho in reality is the One who is absolutely True in the fullest sense of this concept. Everything else in existence, including ourselvesare only true as far as we are related to Allah. This is similar to the concept of light. Allah is al-Noor , the real and original Light and the basis of every light such that every other light that is not Allah comes from Him2 .

The truth observed in the creation of the world

The creation of the world also takes place observing the Truth. For example, out of many verses dealing with this subject, inSurah An’am , verse 73, Allah says:

It is HeWho created the heavens and the earth with the truth. (6:73)

Allah has created the heavens and the earth with Truth, truthfully, or observing the Truth. There is no falsity in the creation of the skies and of the earth.

Revelation, divine books, and prophets are true Revelation

For example, inSurah Baqarah , verse 147, Allah says:

“This is the truth from your Lord; so do not be among thesceptics .” (2:147)

Similarly, inSurah AleImran , verse 60, we read:

This is the truth from your Lord, so do not be among thesceptics . (3:60)

Thus the Truth comes from our Lord, or the Truth is from our Lord, so we should not have doubts and should not be one of those who doubt. What isthis Truth that has come from our Lord? It is the Revelation, the Message, and because it comes fromAllah it is True.

Then again in verse 62 of the sameSurah we read:

“This is indeed the true account, for sure. There is no god but Allah, and indeed Allah is the All- Mighty, the All-Wise.” (3:62)

The Qur’an

This idea is expounded upon in the Qur’an, and in particular regarding its own revelation, the carrying of the Revelation by Angel Gabriel, and the reception of the Revelation by Prophet Muhammad, describing them as all true and truthful. For example, Allah says inSurah Israa , verse 105:

“With the truth didWe send it down, and with the truth did it descend, and We did not send you except as a bearer of good news and as awarner .” (17:105)

Thus, since the Qur’an comes from Allah, and when it is issued by and originates from Allah then it is complete Truth, containing no falsity (batil ) becauseit is initiated by Allah .

The Prophet

So when it reaches the Prophet it is still pure and true because Gabriel does not do any mischief nor does he make any mistake in between the truth being issued by Allah and received by the Prophet.So everything comes down in a pure and truthful form:

With the truth didWe send it down and with the truth did it descend. (17:105).”

Often it happens that a person sends a message and on theway the message is lost or distorted so that even if and when people receive the message it differs from the original. However, this is certainly not the case with Allah. When Allah sends a message, the messageis also received with purity and truthfully.

InSurah Nahl , verse 102, Allah says:

Say, the Spirit has brought it down duly from your Lord. (16:102)

So Allah sent down the Qur’an, Gabriel brought it down and the Prophet received it, all these things being done truthfully. Furthermore, in verses 41: 41 and 42, Allah says:

“Indeed it is an august Book: falsehood cannot approach it, from before itnor from behind it, a [gradually] sent down [revelation] from One all-wise, all-laudable.” (41:41-42)

Mission of Prophet to serve the Truth

In the Qur’an, Allah talks about the mission of the Prophet. What was that mission? We find that the mission of the Prophet was again to serve the truth.

InSurah al-Baqarah , verse 119, we read:

“IndeedWe have sent you with the truth, as a bearer of good news and as awarner and you will not be questioned concerning the inmates of hell.” (2:119)

Thus, Allah explains that He has commissioned, dispatched, and sent the Prophet to give good tidings and warnings and has reassured him that he is not responsible for the dwellers of Hell who will bear the consequences of their own deeds. The Prophet then conveyed and delivered the message of Allah truthfully, without adding or hiding a single word to the message.

Furthermore, inSurah Haqqah ,verses 44 to 46 Allah says :

“Had he faked any sayings in Our Name, We would have surely seized him by the right hand and then cut off his aorta.” (69:44-46)

Though the verse is specifically regarding the Prophet, it is indeed a warning to us;certainly the Prophet did not do this. This must be a warning to all of us; if the Prophet had fabricated something from himself, adding or deleting a few words and attributing that to Allah, then Allah would have seized him by force and cut the artery of his heart. Fromthis we understand that He would have destroyed him.Thus it is certain that not a single word was added by the Prophet, nor was it hidden by him.

Implementation of the divine message in a truthful manner

Implementation of the Qur’an inparticular, or of the divine message in general, must be done in a truthful manner. InSurah Saad , verse 26, we find the example of David, a prophet whowas then raised to the level of being the vicegerent of Allah (khalifatullah ):

“O David!Indeed We have made you a vicegerent on the earth. So judge between people with justice and do not follow desire, or it will lead you astray from the way of Allah.” (38:26)

Allah is telling Prophet David that He has appointed him a vicegerent, a deputy-like guardian on the earth. Prophet David is then advised to judge and rule truthfully amongst the people and avoid following his lower desires, lusts and appetites because as this would lead him away from the path of Allah.So he mustendeavour to discover who is in the right; that is, whose claim is justified and whose claim is not.

Thus we must not be biased and consider the claims of the people in ourfavour to be right because of our love for them whether they be brothers, friends, relatives, or people of same city or country. The only criterion thatmust be observed is the truth. Follow our desires and feelings will mislead us, taking us far from the path of Allah. We should also take care to hear both sides of a story, to gather evidence from all parties in a dispute so that we can judge truthfully in full knowledge of the facts.

This contrast between observing the truth and following one’s desires is of utmost importance. The historyof mankind is a history of conflict between the truth and peoples’ desires, whereby either people have been following and observing the truth, and humbled when confronting it, or they were following their personal desires.

Disregarding the truth leads to destruction of creation

InSurah Mu’minoon , verse 71, Allah states an important principle that could have far-reaching and devastating consequences:

“Had the Truth followed their desires, the heavens and the earth would have surely fallen apart (along) with those who are in them.” (23:71)

Allah says thatthe whole creation – the heavens, earth, and whoever lives in them, would be damaged and corrupted if the Truth were to depend on people’s desires. If it were the case that inreality there was no absolute Truth and people’s desires became the only criteria, then the entire creation would be destroyed.

This is why we mentioned that the whole of history is the history of the conflict between the Truth on the one hand and the desires, lusts, and appetites of people on the other. The historyof mankind is nothing other than this, whether it be in personal, social, national, or international sphere.

Individuals and communities must strive to be truthful

If Allah is indeed the True, the Book was revealed truthfully, the Prophet delivered the message truthfully, his words and actions was in compliance with the Truth, and everyjudgement is to be made observing the Truth, what should we do as individuals and as communities?

We are to try our utmost to be truthful, toobserve and commit ourselves to the Truth, which is not merely telling the truth. That is only one aspect of it. Truthfulness must become a quality of the heart and soul, rather than mere truthfulness as a quality of our speech.

What is a true or false statement? According to the commonly held view called the correspondence theory, this means that either the statement corresponds to an independentreality which exists outside the statement or it does not correspond. So, for example, if someone says that the weather is presently warm, the truth of that statement depends on a reality which is independent from the statement; therefore, we can compare what has been said with that independent reality to see whether it corresponds to that reality or not. If the statement corresponds to the independent reality, it is true. If not, it is false.

However, relatively speaking, this kind of truthfulness is very trivial. Being truthful in every sense of the word is actually much more than this. It is quite possible that sometimes people make a true statement but infact they are still liars. The Qur’an gives an example of this when Allah talks about the hypocrites (munafiqeen ):

“When the hypocrites come to you they say, ‘We bear witness that you are indeed the apostle of God.’ God knows that you are indeed His Apostle, and God bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars.” (63:1)

When the hypocrites visited the Prophet, they told him that they bore witness that hewas sent by Allah as the Apostle of Allah.But then Allah says:

“And surely Allah knows that you are His Apostle. But Allah bears witness that these people are liars.” (63:1)

Allah called them liars because although what they said was indeed true, they did not actually believe in what they were saying as they did not say it with honesty.

Thus, sometimes truth or truthfulness is the quality of the statement and sometimes it is the quality of the speaker. If we say something we believe, the statement may be correct although we are not being honest because we are deceiving others by telling them something we do not accept. This is not honesty because true honesty is to say what we actually believe and to say what we ourselves accept.

Therefore, truthfulness is not only about factual statements about, forexample, the weather, the natural world, or about what others have said and done . It also concerns the advice that we give people and the way we preach. It is a true statement when we say it is good to be humble; however, if we do not believe that being humble is good, then we are not being honest, and even if we believe so withoutpractise , then we are not being honest.

Truthfulness is not a matter of making true statements or a matter of saying what we believe; it is most importantly a matter of saying what we ourselvesare whole-heartedly and sincerely committed to.As the English saying goes: “Practise what you preach.”

Examples of the most truthful people

Thus an honest person is not only someone who does not lie; his words, beliefs, and actions all confirm and conform to the truth, called ‘siddeeq ’ or ‘most truthful’ inQur’anic terminology, and is deeper than ‘sadiq ’ or ‘truthful’. It is such a high position that Allah praises Prophet Abraham for being ‘Siddeeq ’ and both Lady Fatimah and Lady Mary as ‘Siddeeqah ’, because everything that they believe, say, or do,is in compliance with the Truth. There is not an instance when they say something and act differently to their statements.

Neither will they say something whilst inactual fact they believe something else. Indeed these people would not even say they intended to do something while intending something else butwere prevented by circumstances from carrying out their intended action.

Their entire reality, soul, andspirit, is in compliance with – and committed to – the Truth.

Why be entirely committed and in compliance with Truth?

We should be entirely committed and in compliance with the Truth because Truth is nothing other than Allah, and all thatis created or legislated by Him .So anything True is either created by Allah or legislated by Him. True servants of Allah are those who are truly committed to the Truth. Servitude to Allah is nothing other than commitment to theTruth which in the first place is Allah Himself and in the second place is whatever is created or legislated by Allah.

Having said this, it now becomes clear why amu’min must be truthful. It is not simply a matter of how much we pray or fast although these are important duties as Allah asks us to do so. However, what is of utmost importance is how committed we are in giving up our own ideas, and ways of thinking and living to adapt ourselves to the Truth. If weare servants of Allah then no matter who tells us something true, we would accept it without hesitation.

For example, if we have said something wrong and someone tells us this, then we should accept it, no matter who is telling us, even if it is a child. Truth does not belong to the person who mentions that Truth. Truth comes from Allah Alone. We should not think that if we accept something true from someone that it means that we are somehow doing a service to that person.

On the contrary, we are in fact doing a service to ourselves because, wherever itmay be found , Truth is from Allah. In fact, even if our enemies tell us something true we must be able torecognise and decide whether it is true or not; and if it is true, we must accept it. This is the truemu’min .

The truemu’min searches for and welcomes truth and wisdom

A realmu’min is constantly in search for true ideas and wisdom. They do not wait for others to approach them with the true; they search for it. Some people simply continue with their daily lives and if someone comes along and tells them something, then finally think about whether to accept it or not. However, themu’min is constantly searching for the Truth, looking for people to come and correct him. They want to find people who can present their mistakes and errors to them to improve themselves.

ImamSadiq said: “My best brothers are those who offer to me, who present to me as gift, my faults, my mistakes, my deficiencies.” Of course, the Imam himself is ama’soom ; this for our benefit.So we must ask every brother, sister, or child to inform us if they observe any mistake in us or know anything about us that can assist in our self-improvement. Then, if someone for any reason mentions a negative trait, we are to appreciate it.

A long timeago I once read an interesting and informative story which I have not found in any other book. Apparently, in the early days of Islam, when people were sitting in themasjid in rows, before or after congregational prayers, one of the things some people did was walk up and down the rows, just as people do so today with a collection bag for donations. However, in those days, they did not ask for money; rather they asked everyone to tell them if they knew anything about them. This was the way theywere tried to improve themselves.

However we are usually far from behaving in a similar manner. Often we become angry even if someone very nicely and politely comes and tells something in private. In fact, even if we do not become angry, we may not take their words seriously.

One ofmy teachers gave a very beautiful example. He asked us what we would do if someone came and told us that we had a spot of mud or something similar on our face. Of course, we would immediately go and check in the mirror, try to remove it and thank that person for telling us. We would not think about things such as whether that person was our friend or not, whether they were young or old, rich or poor. We would appreciate and thank whoever had told us this, go in front of a mirror and try to remove that mud.

So what is it that prevents us from accepting and appreciating what people tell us about any bad quality or bad habit that they have seen in us, which is like a black spot on our heart?Indeed we should be more thankful for that information.

Real servitude is to give priority to Allah and the Truth that comes from Him

We cannot judge or measure whether someone is a good servant of Allah simply by seeing how muchthey pray, fast, or recite the Qur’an, although of course these are all very important. Real servitude is to give priority to Allah, to give priority to the Truth which comes from Allah and to be always ready to change oneself for the better, giving up our own ways of thinking or doing things for the sake of Allah. This is the real test and challenge.

Furthermore, we shouldendeavour to cultivate this habit when we are young because as one becomes older, and perhaps acquires more, whether it is talent, fame, wealth, and so forth, it becomes more difficult to do so.

Truthfulness and the community

It is obvious that a community must also implement truthfulness in the full sense of the word. Two verses from the Qur’an thatwere mentioned previously can now be reflected on:

Verse 159 ofSurah A’raf reads:

“Among the people of Moses is a group who guide (the people) by the truth and do justice thereby.” (7:159)

Allah is saying that amongst the nation of Musa there are people, a group or a community, who invite and guide people truthfully; they also rule, judge and make decisions truthfully.

In this verse, ‘bihi ’ means ‘bilhaqq ’ so the phrase means “yaduna bil haqq wa bil haqqi yadiloon .” ‘Yadiloon ’ means ‘to judge’ or ‘to rule’ but mostly itis interpreted as ‘to judge’.

When they judge, such people judge by observing the truth, and when they talk to and invitepeople they also observe the truth. They do not, for example, consider what they would like or what better serves their own selfish interests. Neither do they consider what would please their superiors, their group leaders, and so on. They only consider the Truth. Actually, this is one of the beauties of the Qur’an. The Qur’an contains no sense of rivalry in its words.

If it merely consisted of the words of a human being, then we would not expect to find passages where one religion gives credit to and praises another religion or the followers of another religion. However, the Qur’an is the divine Word of Allah; so in it Allah praises a group of followers of Prophet Musa for observing the truth.

InSurah A’raf , verse 181, Allah makes this into a generalprinciple which is no longer only about a group of Jewish people. Now we find something more general:

“Among thoseWe have created are a nation who guide by the truth and act justly thereby.” (7:181)

Allah is saying that amongst the people He has created, amongst His creation, there is such a group of people tobe found . Theycan be found in various different religious communities and throughout the ages. So there have always been some people who ‘yaduna bil haqq wa bihi adiloon ’, who guide truthfully and judge truthfully.

Who are these people?

The greatAllamah Tabatabai prefers the view that this group orcommunity who guides and judges truthfully are theMa’sumeen , that is, the Prophets and Imams. Another view is that ofAyatullah Makarim Shirazi , which maybe seems to be more acceptable, that such people are not necessarily only the Prophets and Imams; they could also be their true followers. Therefore, even amongstnonma’sumeen , amongst people who are not infallible, there can always be true followers of theMa’sumeen who try to observe the truth when they guide and judge.

Conclusion

So truthfulness must be our standard; and those who are the most truthful must be our role models. It is irrelevant whether we are a mere group of 5-10 members; or a larger organization such as an Islamic centre or an Islamic party; or if we are citizens of an Islamic state or are a Muslim community living as a minority in a non- Muslim country. Whatever our circumstances, we must continuously give priority to being truthful and to committing ourselves to following the truth in its fullest sense by following only what is really created and legislated by Allah.

Insha’Allah we can reach the state that every one of us and our communities would be so very truthful that when other people hear us, listen to us, and observe ourjudgements , they would have full trust in us. This is what a Muslim individual and community must be like. When people hear something from a Muslim, they must be able to be 100% sure and certain that that Muslim is speaking truthfully to the best of his or her knowledge.

Of course, we arenot infallible , but at least other people should be assured that to the best of our knowledge, we are speaking with full honesty. We cannot and should not accept being called Muslim if we are dishonest, orindeed if we do not have a full commitment to the Truth. This is notsomething which we can call Islamic.

Notes

1. In Islamic terminology we find something similar to this when, if we want to reach the core and the depth of an idea, we say that we want to reach thehaqq , meaning the foundation and the very real basis of the thing.

2. For further explanation, one may refer to the paper: “The Supreme Light and Created Lights: AQur’anic Perspective” in Message ofThaqalayn , vol. 14, no 4. Online at:

https://www.al-islam.org/message-thaqalayn/vol-14-no-4-winter-2014/supre...

www.alhassanain.org/english

Community Building, Part 3

This seriesis based on a nine-session course conducted by the author on Community Building at the Islamic Centre of England in London in 2009.

Abstract

It is crucial for a community to have a shared identity and to work towards a joint cause. Regardless of whether it is on a worldwide or lesser scale, establishing a community is currently becoming more crucial, and successful community involves specific requirements and qualities.

This series of papers studies the importance ofcommunity-building and Prophet Muhammad’s efforts to implement it. Prioritized qualities such as truthfulness, trustworthiness, justice, unity, persistence, moderation, humbleness, enjoining good and forbidding wrong, and maintaining a healthy balance in working for this worldto eventually lead to a blissful hereafter were expounded on.

This part further builds upon the concept of truthfulness in Islamic theology and is moral system; of Allah as the true being, revelation as the truth, the prophets’ mission to serve the truth, and the importance of communities striving to become truthful. Thusfar we have listed some of the major characteristics of an Islamic Community, a community which is pleasing to Allah (swt ), such as being balanced and moderate, calling towards good and in particular enjoining good and prohibiting bad. In what follows, we will refer to some other characteristics of an Islamic community.

Commitment to the truth

This is an immensely important quality both for individuals and for communities. The subject of truth is so important from theQur’anic perspective that firstly we will expand on it a little and then focus on the role of truth in the community. One of the notions on which great emphasishas been put in the Qur’an is the notion of truth and the True (al-Haqq ).

Qur’an describes Allah as the True

In the Qur’an, Allah describes Himself as being ‘the True’ or the ‘the Truth’ (al-haqq ). The Qur’an tells us that the reason why God should befollowed, worshipped and obeyed is that ‘Allah is the True.’ Thus, we can understand that for Allah, to be the True is more important than to be, for example, Self-Sufficient,Self - Existent, etc. For example, the verse 22:62 reads as follows:

True, and what they invoke besides Him is nullity, and because Allah is the All-exalted, the All-great. (22:62)

Indeed, this is a sound argument for the necessity of worshipping Allah and not worshipping idols and false gods. Allah says that the reason for asking us to worship Him only isbecause He is al-Haqq , the True and the Real; and what they call on other than Him is false. The major deciding factor is whether something is true or false and so we worship Allah and follow Him because He is the True.

Two verses that expand on the meaning of being true are as follows:

1. The chapter al-Hajj, verse6 , Allah says:

That is because Allah is the True and it is HeWho revives the dead and He has power over all things. (22:6)

2. The chapterYunus , verse 32:

That, then, is Allah, your true Lord. So what is there after the truth except error? Then whereare you being led away? (10:32)

Allah is the True and real basis of everything

So Allah is al-Haqq , the True and the Real. However, we may say that we are also true and real and thateverything which exists is also true and real. For example, we could say that everyone and everything we know and everything in this world ishaqq . For example, inZiyarah AleYaseen weread “Heaven is true, hell is true, reward and punishment are true.” So if these are also true, then what is the difference between them and Allah beingTrue ?

The difference is clear. There are uncountable real things thatare all created . Allah is al-Haqq in the sense that not only is He True and Real but Heis also the Source and the Origin of everything else that is true and real. So ‘al-Haqq ’ means the ‘True One’Who is the Origin and the Source of everything else1 .

Allah alone is the True

Allah alone is al-Haqq ; we cannot say ‘I am al-haqq ’ or ‘you are al-haqq .’ Of course, some mystics likeHallaj said: ‘ana alhaqq ’. Although they meant something else e.g. being a manifestation ofGod which is al-Haqq , personally I think we should refrain from calling anyone ‘alhaqq ’ since this might be misleading. It is only AllahWho in reality is the One who is absolutely True in the fullest sense of this concept. Everything else in existence, including ourselvesare only true as far as we are related to Allah. This is similar to the concept of light. Allah is al-Noor , the real and original Light and the basis of every light such that every other light that is not Allah comes from Him2 .

The truth observed in the creation of the world

The creation of the world also takes place observing the Truth. For example, out of many verses dealing with this subject, inSurah An’am , verse 73, Allah says:

It is HeWho created the heavens and the earth with the truth. (6:73)

Allah has created the heavens and the earth with Truth, truthfully, or observing the Truth. There is no falsity in the creation of the skies and of the earth.

Revelation, divine books, and prophets are true Revelation

For example, inSurah Baqarah , verse 147, Allah says:

“This is the truth from your Lord; so do not be among thesceptics .” (2:147)

Similarly, inSurah AleImran , verse 60, we read:

This is the truth from your Lord, so do not be among thesceptics . (3:60)

Thus the Truth comes from our Lord, or the Truth is from our Lord, so we should not have doubts and should not be one of those who doubt. What isthis Truth that has come from our Lord? It is the Revelation, the Message, and because it comes fromAllah it is True.

Then again in verse 62 of the sameSurah we read:

“This is indeed the true account, for sure. There is no god but Allah, and indeed Allah is the All- Mighty, the All-Wise.” (3:62)

The Qur’an

This idea is expounded upon in the Qur’an, and in particular regarding its own revelation, the carrying of the Revelation by Angel Gabriel, and the reception of the Revelation by Prophet Muhammad, describing them as all true and truthful. For example, Allah says inSurah Israa , verse 105:

“With the truth didWe send it down, and with the truth did it descend, and We did not send you except as a bearer of good news and as awarner .” (17:105)

Thus, since the Qur’an comes from Allah, and when it is issued by and originates from Allah then it is complete Truth, containing no falsity (batil ) becauseit is initiated by Allah .

The Prophet

So when it reaches the Prophet it is still pure and true because Gabriel does not do any mischief nor does he make any mistake in between the truth being issued by Allah and received by the Prophet.So everything comes down in a pure and truthful form:

With the truth didWe send it down and with the truth did it descend. (17:105).”

Often it happens that a person sends a message and on theway the message is lost or distorted so that even if and when people receive the message it differs from the original. However, this is certainly not the case with Allah. When Allah sends a message, the messageis also received with purity and truthfully.

InSurah Nahl , verse 102, Allah says:

Say, the Spirit has brought it down duly from your Lord. (16:102)

So Allah sent down the Qur’an, Gabriel brought it down and the Prophet received it, all these things being done truthfully. Furthermore, in verses 41: 41 and 42, Allah says:

“Indeed it is an august Book: falsehood cannot approach it, from before itnor from behind it, a [gradually] sent down [revelation] from One all-wise, all-laudable.” (41:41-42)

Mission of Prophet to serve the Truth

In the Qur’an, Allah talks about the mission of the Prophet. What was that mission? We find that the mission of the Prophet was again to serve the truth.

InSurah al-Baqarah , verse 119, we read:

“IndeedWe have sent you with the truth, as a bearer of good news and as awarner and you will not be questioned concerning the inmates of hell.” (2:119)

Thus, Allah explains that He has commissioned, dispatched, and sent the Prophet to give good tidings and warnings and has reassured him that he is not responsible for the dwellers of Hell who will bear the consequences of their own deeds. The Prophet then conveyed and delivered the message of Allah truthfully, without adding or hiding a single word to the message.

Furthermore, inSurah Haqqah ,verses 44 to 46 Allah says :

“Had he faked any sayings in Our Name, We would have surely seized him by the right hand and then cut off his aorta.” (69:44-46)

Though the verse is specifically regarding the Prophet, it is indeed a warning to us;certainly the Prophet did not do this. This must be a warning to all of us; if the Prophet had fabricated something from himself, adding or deleting a few words and attributing that to Allah, then Allah would have seized him by force and cut the artery of his heart. Fromthis we understand that He would have destroyed him.Thus it is certain that not a single word was added by the Prophet, nor was it hidden by him.

Implementation of the divine message in a truthful manner

Implementation of the Qur’an inparticular, or of the divine message in general, must be done in a truthful manner. InSurah Saad , verse 26, we find the example of David, a prophet whowas then raised to the level of being the vicegerent of Allah (khalifatullah ):

“O David!Indeed We have made you a vicegerent on the earth. So judge between people with justice and do not follow desire, or it will lead you astray from the way of Allah.” (38:26)

Allah is telling Prophet David that He has appointed him a vicegerent, a deputy-like guardian on the earth. Prophet David is then advised to judge and rule truthfully amongst the people and avoid following his lower desires, lusts and appetites because as this would lead him away from the path of Allah.So he mustendeavour to discover who is in the right; that is, whose claim is justified and whose claim is not.

Thus we must not be biased and consider the claims of the people in ourfavour to be right because of our love for them whether they be brothers, friends, relatives, or people of same city or country. The only criterion thatmust be observed is the truth. Follow our desires and feelings will mislead us, taking us far from the path of Allah. We should also take care to hear both sides of a story, to gather evidence from all parties in a dispute so that we can judge truthfully in full knowledge of the facts.

This contrast between observing the truth and following one’s desires is of utmost importance. The historyof mankind is a history of conflict between the truth and peoples’ desires, whereby either people have been following and observing the truth, and humbled when confronting it, or they were following their personal desires.

Disregarding the truth leads to destruction of creation

InSurah Mu’minoon , verse 71, Allah states an important principle that could have far-reaching and devastating consequences:

“Had the Truth followed their desires, the heavens and the earth would have surely fallen apart (along) with those who are in them.” (23:71)

Allah says thatthe whole creation – the heavens, earth, and whoever lives in them, would be damaged and corrupted if the Truth were to depend on people’s desires. If it were the case that inreality there was no absolute Truth and people’s desires became the only criteria, then the entire creation would be destroyed.

This is why we mentioned that the whole of history is the history of the conflict between the Truth on the one hand and the desires, lusts, and appetites of people on the other. The historyof mankind is nothing other than this, whether it be in personal, social, national, or international sphere.

Individuals and communities must strive to be truthful

If Allah is indeed the True, the Book was revealed truthfully, the Prophet delivered the message truthfully, his words and actions was in compliance with the Truth, and everyjudgement is to be made observing the Truth, what should we do as individuals and as communities?

We are to try our utmost to be truthful, toobserve and commit ourselves to the Truth, which is not merely telling the truth. That is only one aspect of it. Truthfulness must become a quality of the heart and soul, rather than mere truthfulness as a quality of our speech.

What is a true or false statement? According to the commonly held view called the correspondence theory, this means that either the statement corresponds to an independentreality which exists outside the statement or it does not correspond. So, for example, if someone says that the weather is presently warm, the truth of that statement depends on a reality which is independent from the statement; therefore, we can compare what has been said with that independent reality to see whether it corresponds to that reality or not. If the statement corresponds to the independent reality, it is true. If not, it is false.

However, relatively speaking, this kind of truthfulness is very trivial. Being truthful in every sense of the word is actually much more than this. It is quite possible that sometimes people make a true statement but infact they are still liars. The Qur’an gives an example of this when Allah talks about the hypocrites (munafiqeen ):

“When the hypocrites come to you they say, ‘We bear witness that you are indeed the apostle of God.’ God knows that you are indeed His Apostle, and God bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars.” (63:1)

When the hypocrites visited the Prophet, they told him that they bore witness that hewas sent by Allah as the Apostle of Allah.But then Allah says:

“And surely Allah knows that you are His Apostle. But Allah bears witness that these people are liars.” (63:1)

Allah called them liars because although what they said was indeed true, they did not actually believe in what they were saying as they did not say it with honesty.

Thus, sometimes truth or truthfulness is the quality of the statement and sometimes it is the quality of the speaker. If we say something we believe, the statement may be correct although we are not being honest because we are deceiving others by telling them something we do not accept. This is not honesty because true honesty is to say what we actually believe and to say what we ourselves accept.

Therefore, truthfulness is not only about factual statements about, forexample, the weather, the natural world, or about what others have said and done . It also concerns the advice that we give people and the way we preach. It is a true statement when we say it is good to be humble; however, if we do not believe that being humble is good, then we are not being honest, and even if we believe so withoutpractise , then we are not being honest.

Truthfulness is not a matter of making true statements or a matter of saying what we believe; it is most importantly a matter of saying what we ourselvesare whole-heartedly and sincerely committed to.As the English saying goes: “Practise what you preach.”

Examples of the most truthful people

Thus an honest person is not only someone who does not lie; his words, beliefs, and actions all confirm and conform to the truth, called ‘siddeeq ’ or ‘most truthful’ inQur’anic terminology, and is deeper than ‘sadiq ’ or ‘truthful’. It is such a high position that Allah praises Prophet Abraham for being ‘Siddeeq ’ and both Lady Fatimah and Lady Mary as ‘Siddeeqah ’, because everything that they believe, say, or do,is in compliance with the Truth. There is not an instance when they say something and act differently to their statements.

Neither will they say something whilst inactual fact they believe something else. Indeed these people would not even say they intended to do something while intending something else butwere prevented by circumstances from carrying out their intended action.

Their entire reality, soul, andspirit, is in compliance with – and committed to – the Truth.

Why be entirely committed and in compliance with Truth?

We should be entirely committed and in compliance with the Truth because Truth is nothing other than Allah, and all thatis created or legislated by Him .So anything True is either created by Allah or legislated by Him. True servants of Allah are those who are truly committed to the Truth. Servitude to Allah is nothing other than commitment to theTruth which in the first place is Allah Himself and in the second place is whatever is created or legislated by Allah.

Having said this, it now becomes clear why amu’min must be truthful. It is not simply a matter of how much we pray or fast although these are important duties as Allah asks us to do so. However, what is of utmost importance is how committed we are in giving up our own ideas, and ways of thinking and living to adapt ourselves to the Truth. If weare servants of Allah then no matter who tells us something true, we would accept it without hesitation.

For example, if we have said something wrong and someone tells us this, then we should accept it, no matter who is telling us, even if it is a child. Truth does not belong to the person who mentions that Truth. Truth comes from Allah Alone. We should not think that if we accept something true from someone that it means that we are somehow doing a service to that person.

On the contrary, we are in fact doing a service to ourselves because, wherever itmay be found , Truth is from Allah. In fact, even if our enemies tell us something true we must be able torecognise and decide whether it is true or not; and if it is true, we must accept it. This is the truemu’min .

The truemu’min searches for and welcomes truth and wisdom

A realmu’min is constantly in search for true ideas and wisdom. They do not wait for others to approach them with the true; they search for it. Some people simply continue with their daily lives and if someone comes along and tells them something, then finally think about whether to accept it or not. However, themu’min is constantly searching for the Truth, looking for people to come and correct him. They want to find people who can present their mistakes and errors to them to improve themselves.

ImamSadiq said: “My best brothers are those who offer to me, who present to me as gift, my faults, my mistakes, my deficiencies.” Of course, the Imam himself is ama’soom ; this for our benefit.So we must ask every brother, sister, or child to inform us if they observe any mistake in us or know anything about us that can assist in our self-improvement. Then, if someone for any reason mentions a negative trait, we are to appreciate it.

A long timeago I once read an interesting and informative story which I have not found in any other book. Apparently, in the early days of Islam, when people were sitting in themasjid in rows, before or after congregational prayers, one of the things some people did was walk up and down the rows, just as people do so today with a collection bag for donations. However, in those days, they did not ask for money; rather they asked everyone to tell them if they knew anything about them. This was the way theywere tried to improve themselves.

However we are usually far from behaving in a similar manner. Often we become angry even if someone very nicely and politely comes and tells something in private. In fact, even if we do not become angry, we may not take their words seriously.

One ofmy teachers gave a very beautiful example. He asked us what we would do if someone came and told us that we had a spot of mud or something similar on our face. Of course, we would immediately go and check in the mirror, try to remove it and thank that person for telling us. We would not think about things such as whether that person was our friend or not, whether they were young or old, rich or poor. We would appreciate and thank whoever had told us this, go in front of a mirror and try to remove that mud.

So what is it that prevents us from accepting and appreciating what people tell us about any bad quality or bad habit that they have seen in us, which is like a black spot on our heart?Indeed we should be more thankful for that information.

Real servitude is to give priority to Allah and the Truth that comes from Him

We cannot judge or measure whether someone is a good servant of Allah simply by seeing how muchthey pray, fast, or recite the Qur’an, although of course these are all very important. Real servitude is to give priority to Allah, to give priority to the Truth which comes from Allah and to be always ready to change oneself for the better, giving up our own ways of thinking or doing things for the sake of Allah. This is the real test and challenge.

Furthermore, we shouldendeavour to cultivate this habit when we are young because as one becomes older, and perhaps acquires more, whether it is talent, fame, wealth, and so forth, it becomes more difficult to do so.

Truthfulness and the community

It is obvious that a community must also implement truthfulness in the full sense of the word. Two verses from the Qur’an thatwere mentioned previously can now be reflected on:

Verse 159 ofSurah A’raf reads:

“Among the people of Moses is a group who guide (the people) by the truth and do justice thereby.” (7:159)

Allah is saying that amongst the nation of Musa there are people, a group or a community, who invite and guide people truthfully; they also rule, judge and make decisions truthfully.

In this verse, ‘bihi ’ means ‘bilhaqq ’ so the phrase means “yaduna bil haqq wa bil haqqi yadiloon .” ‘Yadiloon ’ means ‘to judge’ or ‘to rule’ but mostly itis interpreted as ‘to judge’.

When they judge, such people judge by observing the truth, and when they talk to and invitepeople they also observe the truth. They do not, for example, consider what they would like or what better serves their own selfish interests. Neither do they consider what would please their superiors, their group leaders, and so on. They only consider the Truth. Actually, this is one of the beauties of the Qur’an. The Qur’an contains no sense of rivalry in its words.

If it merely consisted of the words of a human being, then we would not expect to find passages where one religion gives credit to and praises another religion or the followers of another religion. However, the Qur’an is the divine Word of Allah; so in it Allah praises a group of followers of Prophet Musa for observing the truth.

InSurah A’raf , verse 181, Allah makes this into a generalprinciple which is no longer only about a group of Jewish people. Now we find something more general:

“Among thoseWe have created are a nation who guide by the truth and act justly thereby.” (7:181)

Allah is saying that amongst the people He has created, amongst His creation, there is such a group of people tobe found . Theycan be found in various different religious communities and throughout the ages. So there have always been some people who ‘yaduna bil haqq wa bihi adiloon ’, who guide truthfully and judge truthfully.

Who are these people?

The greatAllamah Tabatabai prefers the view that this group orcommunity who guides and judges truthfully are theMa’sumeen , that is, the Prophets and Imams. Another view is that ofAyatullah Makarim Shirazi , which maybe seems to be more acceptable, that such people are not necessarily only the Prophets and Imams; they could also be their true followers. Therefore, even amongstnonma’sumeen , amongst people who are not infallible, there can always be true followers of theMa’sumeen who try to observe the truth when they guide and judge.

Conclusion

So truthfulness must be our standard; and those who are the most truthful must be our role models. It is irrelevant whether we are a mere group of 5-10 members; or a larger organization such as an Islamic centre or an Islamic party; or if we are citizens of an Islamic state or are a Muslim community living as a minority in a non- Muslim country. Whatever our circumstances, we must continuously give priority to being truthful and to committing ourselves to following the truth in its fullest sense by following only what is really created and legislated by Allah.

Insha’Allah we can reach the state that every one of us and our communities would be so very truthful that when other people hear us, listen to us, and observe ourjudgements , they would have full trust in us. This is what a Muslim individual and community must be like. When people hear something from a Muslim, they must be able to be 100% sure and certain that that Muslim is speaking truthfully to the best of his or her knowledge.

Of course, we arenot infallible , but at least other people should be assured that to the best of our knowledge, we are speaking with full honesty. We cannot and should not accept being called Muslim if we are dishonest, orindeed if we do not have a full commitment to the Truth. This is notsomething which we can call Islamic.

Notes

1. In Islamic terminology we find something similar to this when, if we want to reach the core and the depth of an idea, we say that we want to reach thehaqq , meaning the foundation and the very real basis of the thing.

2. For further explanation, one may refer to the paper: “The Supreme Light and Created Lights: AQur’anic Perspective” in Message ofThaqalayn , vol. 14, no 4. Online at:

https://www.al-islam.org/message-thaqalayn/vol-14-no-4-winter-2014/supre...

www.alhassanain.org/english