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The Worldview of
Islam
A worldview is that vision of reality
and truth, which, as an
architectonic mental unity, acts as
the non-observable foundation of all
human conduct, including scientific
and technological activities.

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The Worldview of
Islam

Foundation

The reasons and intentions underlying the act, disposition of

the agent and whatever justification may be given for his
action.

Observable foundation

Whatever preceding action behaviour, disposition and events

given as either reason or condition for the action performed.

Non-observable foundation

All the mental operations leading to that action considered as

either justification for it or causes of it.

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The Worldview of
Islam

Discussion on worldviews
normally centre on the
following concepts:
The

Concept
The Concept
The Concept
The Concept

of
of
of
of

God
Man
Universe
Prophethood

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The Worldview of
Islam
The Concept of God

Ontologically

the Quran & Islam

are Theo centric because the only
true reality is the One God, Allah,
the Necessary Being.
Teleologically the Quran & Islam
are anthropocentric as Man, his
nature, conduct, psychology,
duties and destiny are, in fact, as
much a central preoccupation of
the Quranic thought as the
problem of God Himself.

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The Worldview of
Islam

The Concept of God

The

Idea of Allah is not new to the Islamic

Arabs.
God, according to the Quran, is Absolute
Real (al-Haqq). The exact nature of God is
not knowable for his beyond
comprehension.
The most important aspect of God in the
Quran is His Oneness (Tawhid)
One humanity, unity of knowledge
Personal relation with God
Prohibition of all form of superstitious
The Idea of God Immanence

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The Worldview of
Islam

The Concept of Man

The Quran, being a guidance for mankind,

is logically aimed directly at man. The
cosmos of the Quran is intensely human
and even social with a strong sense of
common human destiny.
One of mans unique position is his capacity
for creative knowledge and acceptance of
the Amanah.
The Quran talks two level of mans creation:
1. The ghayb unseen level which occurred in
primordial time.
2. The natural biological process level that man
knows through experience as well as science.

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The Worldview of
Islam

The Concept of Man

A closer study of the verses dealing with the

creation of man indicates that the primary
intention of the Quran is not scientific.
The primary motives of the Quran concerning
mans creation can be generally stated as :
1. To refute the Christians attribution of divinity of
Jesus.
2. To inform the man of his uniqueness and purpose of
creation and duties.
3. To affirm that God, who first created man certainly
can, and shall, raise him again for accountability.
4. To develop a higher sense of God-consciousness,
taqwa, and relate it to humility.

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The Worldview of
Islam

The Concept of Man

The discussion concerning mans nature

from the perspective of the Quran is
necessarily linked to the idea of the trust
which man accepted in the primordial
time, and the idea of his freedom which
is fundamental to his nature and destiny.
Volitional and intellectual faculties are
part of the essential definition of man.
The consequences of these two powers
with their limitless possibilities for good
and evil are the reasons neither the earth
nor the heavens nor the mountains were
willing or capable of accepting it.

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The Worldview of
Islam
The Concept of Man

The question of human volition and freedom,

unfortunately, has been much debated
outside the Quranic imperative.
This message is no less than a reminder to all
mankind, to anyone of you who wills to walk a
straight way. But you cannot will it unless God
will

The motive of the Quran is to enhance the

human relationship with his Lord, and not to
be overly anxious of the opposition and
rebellions of certain people because of these
are part of the will of God. The attitude of
reliance on God will produce personalities
that are ever-optimistic and courageous.

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The Worldview of
Islam
The Concept of the Universe

The concept of Universe in the Quran is

conveyed by the phrase the heavens and
the earth and whatever lies between them.
Sama- applied to anything that is spread like a

canopy above any other thing as in the case of our

visible skies.. It also connotes the cosmic
system

Al-Ard- is not only the planet Earth, but the

entire inorganic universe including the planet

Earth.

Shahada- the visible phenomena.

Ghuyub- represent all that is beyond human

perception including not only the jinn and angels

but also past historical events such as Day of
Judgement, Heaven and Hell

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The Worldview of
Islam
The Concept of the Universe

The Quran considers several avenues to

guidance, to an understanding of the higher
purpose and laws of life and existence.
The is the verbal-scriptural guidance revealed in
a specific language addressed to the whole
mankind.
The universal guidance in natural phenomena,
history and human psychology.

History has seen that Muslims became

backward when they held steadfastly only
to the first guidance, while modern man
became unhappy and lost using only the
second type of guidance.

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The Worldview of
Islam
The
Concept of the Universe

The Quran repeatedly condemns; The corruption on

earth, on the land and in the sea is due to mens
actions

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Even though the entire universe is made to be

utilised by man, this utilization is for the
enhancement of mans true purpose in
creation: to perform ibadah to Allah.
Man should use the entire cosmos NOT merely
for his physical and intellectual needs but more
importantly, for his moral spiritual
advancement.

Ibada in the Quran is a very general and

comprehensive concept which is frequently to
other key ethical terms like shukr and to
taqwa in numerous places.

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The Worldview of
Islam

The Concept of the Prophethood

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In Islamic world view the knowledge about God, the

ghaib, the purpose of human existence, mans
destiny and that the universe id conveyed through
out history by a special group of human beings
known as messengers (rusul) or prophets (anbiya)
The knowledge pertaining directly to their duties
was revealed to them from behind veil. The
contents of these revelations are variously
described as guidance (huda), truth (haqq), light
(nur) and the criterion for judging berween
righteousness and falsehood (furqan).
Prophets are exemplary human beings whose
conduct, sayings and virtues are enjoined to be
obeyed upon their followers.

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The Worldview of
Islam

Definition of Islamic Science

Islamic Science is that scientific activity which

takes place ultimately within the Islamic worldview
(which can be identified also as Islamic conceptual
environment); but as an extension of it directly
within the Islamic scientific conceptual scheme
(which can be identified also as the Islamic context
of science).