Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya-i Ulûm id-Din) (goodness) is more virtuous than something desired for another reason (goodness). Something desired for another reason can be exemplified by dinar and dirham (money). Dinar and dirham are essentially metals of little value. If Allah the Almighty had not willed that trade be conducted with these metals, they would have no value at all as mere metals. Something desired for its own sake can be exemplified by the pleasure of witnessing the beauty of Allah the Almighty in the hereafter. When it comes to something desired for both its own sake and for another reason, the example can be the absence of a physical ailment (being healthy).
Because, for example, having strong feet ensures both the body’s distance from death and the ability to reach the desired place by walking. Indeed, mankind fulfills their needs by walking with their feet. When you look at knowledge from this perspective, you can clearly see how important a virtue it is. Thus, knowledge is a virtue desired for its own sake! Likewise, you can clearly see that the most important means to the blessings of the hereafter is knowledge; for only through knowledge can one approach the presence of Allah the Almighty. Since the greatest honor for mankind is eternal happiness, the means to this happiness is also the greatest virtue! For without knowledge and deeds related to knowledge, it is impossible for mankind to reach any of these blessings!
Deeds can only be attained with the knowledge that describes the quality of the deed. In this regard, knowledge is the key to both worldly and hereafter happiness. Therefore, it is undoubtedly established that knowledge is the most virtuous of deeds. How could it not be? The virtue of something is determined by knowing the goodness of its result. We have previously mentioned the positive results of knowledge in the afterlife, and it has been understood that knowledge is the means to approach the Lord of the worlds, reach the horizon of the angels, and attain the level of the highest community. As for the positive results of knowledge in this world; these include honor, happiness, authority, being able to speak on behalf of kings, bringing them under one’s influence, and even having the people of the world respect the scholar.
Book of Knowledge/Part I
Even fools and people with hearts harder than stone are compelled to show respect to scholars. For they have this quality in their nature. They have acquired sufficient understanding through trials and experiences in this regard. Going further, we can say that even animals sense that humans are superior in terms of perfection, and thus they hide from them and seek their help, approaching them with a mixture of fear and respect. This is the absolute virtue of knowledge! As we will mention later, knowledge is diverse. We will classify knowledge according to its degrees and levels, and you will clearly see this.
Regarding the virtue of teaching knowledge and learning knowledge, their virtues should now be clear from our previous explanations. Since knowledge is the most virtuous of blessings, acquiring knowledge is equivalent to obtaining the most virtuous of blessings. Teaching knowledge is equivalent to passing on the most virtuous of blessings to others. We can explain this judgment as follows: The people’s desires are limited to religion and the world. Religion can only be established when it is practiced in this world; for this world is the field of the hereafter. For those who use this world as a tool or a temporary residence, this world is the beginning and the means of the way to Allah. • This world is ordered by the deeds of people. The deeds and crafts of people can be grouped into three categories: 1.
Some instructions set up to maintain the order of this world. These instructions are divided into four parts: a) Agriculture. (Because gathering food for eating is related to agriculture). b) Weaving. (This is for clothing). c) Building. (For housing). d) Politics. (For uniting, finding common ground, securing the causes of livelihood, and fostering mutual assistance). There are other ways for these crafts. For example, blacksmithing. The tools obtained from this craft are used in agriculture as well as in other branches of work.
Such as the craft of making a halter and a bridle. These are branches of work that prepare the materials needed for weaving. The main crafts that prepare and decorate. For example, grinding the agricultural produce, making bread, washing and sewing the woven fabric. These are like parts of the whole, and the earth is divided in this way according to its needs. Human limbs are also divided into three parts. The main organs; heart, lungs, brain. Organs that serve these; stomach, blood vessels, other elements related to blood vessels, nerves that connect the joints, and heart vessels. Organs that complete and decorate these; fingernails, fingers, and muscles. The most honorable of all crafts is the main one.
The most honorable of the main ones is politics, which unites people, corrects and organizes all aspects of their economic, social, religious, and worldly lives. Based on this wisdom, no qualities that are not sought in any profession are sought in those who establish order; for those who possess the craft of politics govern all other craft practitioners; all craft practitioners are compelled to work in the direction shown by the politicians. Politics that corrects the people and ensures their good conduct can be summarized into four groups: 1. The politics of the prophets, which is the most virtuous (superior) politics. Because the prophets have authority over both the inner and outer aspects of all people; they have authority over people in both aspects.
The politics of caliphs, kings, and sultans, who rule over all the people, but their authority is only related to the outer aspects of people; they have no authority over people in terms of their inner aspects!
Book of Knowledge/Part I
3. The politics of the scholars who know Allah and His religion and are the successors of the prophets. These scholars only rule over the inner world (inner self) of the elite (upper class) of the people. The common people cannot benefit from them because they do not have the power to do so. These scholars do not have the power to compel the people to refrain from bad deeds, to prevent them from doing evil, or to force them to comply with the laws. They are deprived of such authority. The politics of the preachers, whose politics can only address the inner self of the simple people. (There is no other authority over the people!) The most honorable of these four types of politics is undoubtedly the politics of the prophets. This politics is followed by the politics of the scholars.
Because they rid the people of the corrupt morals that destroy them by teaching knowledge and guide them towards good morals. This is the politics of the scholars, and one of the most important benefits of education is to achieve this good result. We said that the politics of teaching is superior to other politics and crafts; for the honor of a craft is known by the presence of three things. A) The thing that leads to the purpose of the craft forms the very matter of the craft. As an example, we can say that the intellectual sciences are superior to all other sciences related to language and literature. This is the best example; for all wisdom is solved through the mind. Language and literature can be learned through hearing. It is obvious that the mind is far superior to the sense of hearing.
B) It is suitable for the benefit of the community; that is, the honor of the thing that provides greater benefit to the people is elevated in proportion to that benefit. For example, agriculture is superior to goldsmithing based on this wisdom. C) The value of the matter on which work is done. When viewed in this way, goldsmithing is superior to tanning. Because the goldsmith works with a very precious metal like gold, while the tanner works with the skins of dirty and smelly animals. It is well known that religious sciences are the means to illuminate the path to the hereafter. This science is only known through the clarity of the mind and the purity of the intellect. The mind is the most
Revival of the Religious Sciences honorable of the gifts given to mankind. Indeed, we will try to explain this matter in great detail in the later sections of our book. The main reason why the mind is the most honorable of gifts is that the trust of Allah (religious commands) can only be understood and performed through the mind. By fulfilling these commands, one can approach Allah. The general benefit of the mind is endless. For the mind is the means to all happiness and perfection. Regarding the matter on which work is done, this is well known; for a teacher has control over a person’s heart and body. The most honorable of all creatures living on earth is man. The most honorable organ of man is the heart. A teacher is the person who knows how to rule over this most valuable limb.
A teacher is the person who removes all bad qualities from man and elevates him to the spiritual presence of Allah. Therefore, the teaching of knowledge is, on one hand, the duty of worship to Allah, and on the other hand, the duty of being the vicegerent of Allah. This quality makes man the vicegerent of Allah. For Allah the Almighty has opened the door of the most excellent gift, knowledge, in the heart of the scholar. Thus, a scholar is like a treasurer who waits for precious jewels. Moreover, this is such a treasure that the treasurer has the authority to distribute the treasure to people. Can there be a greater rank than for a servant to intercede between Allah and His creation and bring the creation closer to Allah? What rank can be attained from the reward of the servants entering Paradise?
O my Lord! Make us among these blessed servants! Send blessings and peace upon our servant and messenger Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him), and upon his family and companions, and do not withhold Your mercy from them!
SECOND PART
Praiseworthy (Mahmûd) and Blameworthy (Mezmum) Sciences and
Parts and Rulings of These Sciences, Obligatory (Farz-ı Ayn) and
Obligatory for the Community (Farz-ı Kifâye) Sciences, Religious (Şer‘î) Sciences from Fiqh and
The Boundaries and Explanation of Kelâm, and the Proof that
Hereafter Sciences are Superior to All Other Sciences
Obligatory (Farz-ı Ayn) Sciences
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Seeking knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim.64
Seek knowledge even if it is in China.65
Scholars have put forward various opinions regarding the knowledge that is obligatory for every Muslim, and more than twenty views have been put forward on this matter. It is unnecessary to mention all these views in detail. However, we will briefly mention the views of the scholars below.
Each school of thought has claimed that the knowledge they are concerned with and wish to spread is obligatory and necessary. For example, if we ask the theologians (Kelâmcılar), they will say that the science of Kelâm is obligatory, and when you ask them why, they will say that only through this science can the knowledge of Allah’s essence and attributes be obtained.
64) Ibn Mâce, (from Enes b. Mâlik)
65) Ibn Adiy and Beyhakî, (from Enes); Taberânî, (from Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mesüd)
Revival of the Religious Sciences According to the jurists, the obligatory knowledge is the science of Fiqh; for they also claim that the science of Fiqh provides information about the halal and haram parts of worship and transactions, as well as matters of absolute halal and haram. However, the Fiqh science that the jurists say is obligatory is the knowledge that Muslims need during their daily lives. Fiqh issues that rarely occur are outside of this. According to the interpreters and hadith scholars, the knowledge that is obligatory for a Muslim is the Book and the Sunnah; for if these two sciences are known, all other sciences are known. All sciences can only be reached through these two sciences. The Sufis claim that the obligatory knowledge for every Muslim is the science of Tasavvuf.
Other various opinions have also been put forward. Some say that the knowledge that informs about the condition of the servant and his rank before Allah is obligatory for every Muslim, while others say that the knowledge that informs about the sincerity, the states of the soul, and the dangers, and distinguishes what comes from the angel from what comes from the devil is obligatory for every Muslim. A group also claims that the obligatory knowledge for every Muslim is the science of the inner self (Bâtın İlmi), and they also state that this knowledge is only obligatory for those who are its practitioners. In this way, they have distanced the general term of knowledge mentioned in the noble hadith from its universal meaning. Ebu Tâlib el-Mekkî says: The knowledge that is obligatory for every Muslim is the sciences that contain the truths mentioned in this hadith that explains the pillars of Islam: .^>1 ^İ Jl …
İl ^l İ >1 ûl »l^İ :pJJJp f^^i ^ Islam is based on five fundamental principles: Testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, performing prayers, giving zakat, making pilgrimage, and fasting. These five principles are obligatory for every Muslim. In this regard, it is also obligatory for every Muslim to know the nature of these obligations and how they should be implemented.) Buharî, Müslim, Tirmizî, (from Ibn Ömer)
Book of Knowledge/Part II
We are convinced that the essence of all these statements and the definite conclusion is the following truth, which we will mention: As we also expressed at the beginning of our book, knowledge is divided into two categories: the science of transactions and the science of interaction. The knowledge that is obligatory for Muslims is only the science of transactions. There are three matters that the mentally mature (âkil-bâliğ) individuals are obligated to perform: 1. Belief (faith) 2. Action (deeds that must be done) 3. Abstention (behavior that must be avoided) A mentally mature person is first obligated to know and understand the declaration of faith before anything else, when he reaches the age of maturity through dreaming or age, for example, at the time of puberty. However, it is not obligatory for an âkil-bâliğ person to think, investigate, and work to obtain the meaning of the declaration of faith.
However, it is necessary to believe absolutely and without doubt in the meaning expressed by these words and to confirm it as true without any doubt. This level is obtained only by hearing and imitating, and there is no need for investigation or collecting evidence. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) accepted the confessions of the Bedouins, who had no knowledge of civilization, modern etiquette, or evidence, as proof of their faith without asking for any other evidence to strengthen their faith. After doing this much, the servant has fulfilled the obligation of the time, and at that time (when he is âkil and bâligh), the knowledge that is obligatory for him is to learn the declaration of faith and understand its meaning.
It is not obligatory to know anything beyond this at first. The evidence for this ruling is as follows: If that person dies after understanding and reciting the declaration of faith, he will have died as a servant who obeyed Allah. Other obligations, apart from learning the declaration of faith and its meaning, are subject to other conditions. These conditions do not necessarily apply to everyone. Perhaps a person may be far from most of these conditions!
Revival of the Religious Sciences These conditions are divided into three categories: belief, abstention, and action. The conditions related to action are as follows: If the mentioned person lives until noon, it becomes obligatory for him to learn how to perform ablution and how to pray, as the time of noon has arrived. If he is physically healthy at the time of puberty, and if he delays learning ablution and prayer until noon, it becomes obligatory for him to learn ablution and prayer from the time of puberty, as it is known that this time does not have enough opportunity to teach these things. Therefore, it is obligatory for him to learn ablution and prayer before the time. Another possibility is that the knowledge related to the condition of the action is only obligatory after the existence of the action. In that case, it would not be obligatory to learn ablution and prayer for the noon time before the noon time arrives.
At this point, other prayers can also be compared to the noon prayer. If this person lives until the month of Ramadan, it becomes obligatory for him to know the fasting ritual that must be performed during this month. The matter that must be learned for Ramadan is knowing that the time of Ramadan is from sunrise to sunset. The intention for the obligatory fasting in Ramadan is to intend to avoid eating, drinking, and sexual relations. In this case, Ramadan ends with the sighting of the hilal of the month of Shawwal by two reliable witnesses. If this person later becomes wealthy or reaches the age of maturity with a possession, it becomes obligatory for him to know the amount of zakat that is due on him.
However, he does not have to give the zakat immediately; for only after a year has passed over his wealth does it become obligatory for him to give zakat. If he has no other possessions except a camel, it becomes obligatory for him to know the measure of zakat applicable to the camel. The ruling is the same for other possessions. If this person enters the months of Hajj, it is not necessary for him to hurry to learn the conditions of Hajj. For Hajj is an obligatory act that can be performed with the possibility of purification. Therefore, there is no need to hurry in knowing its conditions. 67) Imam Ghazali, due to his affiliation with the Shafi’i school, expressed the Hajj worship as a purifiable obligation and stated that there is no need to hurry in knowing its conditions. Indeed, the Hanafi school’s Imam