Muhammad Al Fateh
THINKING FROM THE QUR’ANIC PERSPECTIVE
ABSTRACT
The Qur’an is the main reference and source of knowledge for Muslims. It is logically follows that understanding the concept of thinking should also be referred to the Qur’an. Even though the word intellect is mentioned 49 times in the Qur’an and there are hundreds of verses that urge Muslims to think, but the theory of thinking from the Qur’anic perspective is not extensively explored to guide Muslim educators and curriculum designers and developers. This paper attempts to explore the concept of good thinking from the Qur’anic perspective. It extensively examines verses of the Qur’an pertaining to the intellect and thinking to come up with a theory of good thinking. From the analysis of the relevant Qur’anic verses, the researcher found that the intellect is capable of rational and spiritual cognition as a result of applying critical, creative, ethical and spiritual thinking. Therefore, the researcher posits that good thinking from the Qur’anic perspective is multi-dimensional; and the dimensions are critical, creative, ethical and spiritual thinking. Further, according to the Qur’an, the aim of good thinking is to achieve wisdom. Hence, this paper also explicates the meaning of wisdom from the Qur’anic perspective. Implications for the curriculum of Muslim educations were also discussed.
Key words: the intellect, thinking in the Qur’an, good thinking, spiritual thinking, wisdom
INTRODUCTION
Muslim scholars agreed that Muslim mind is infected with blind imitiation. Blind imitation or taqlid is a sickness that has infected Muslim minds which is unnatural to the Muslims since the Qur’an repeatedly urges Muslims to think critically before accepting any idea as practicable solutions to predicaments of the ummah. Al-Alwani stresses that “increase in taqlid has caused a growing belief in fatalism”. It also has become a fertile breeding ground for rigid, narrow and superficial thinking; which are
ABSTRACT
The Qur’an is the main reference and source of knowledge for Muslims. It is logically follows that understanding the concept of thinking should also be referred to the Qur’an. Even though the word intellect is mentioned 49 times in the Qur’an and there are hundreds of verses that urge Muslims to think, but the theory of thinking from the Qur’anic perspective is not extensively explored to guide Muslim educators and curriculum designers and developers. This paper attempts to explore the concept of good thinking from the Qur’anic perspective. It extensively examines verses of the Qur’an pertaining to the intellect and thinking to come up with a theory of good thinking. From the analysis of the relevant Qur’anic verses, the researcher found that the intellect is capable of rational and spiritual cognition as a result of applying critical, creative, ethical and spiritual thinking. Therefore, the researcher posits that good thinking from the Qur’anic perspective is multi-dimensional; and the dimensions are critical, creative, ethical and spiritual thinking. Further, according to the Qur’an, the aim of good thinking is to achieve wisdom. Hence, this paper also explicates the meaning of wisdom from the Qur’anic perspective. Implications for the curriculum of Muslim educations were also discussed.
Key words: the intellect, thinking in the Qur’an, good thinking, spiritual thinking, wisdom
INTRODUCTION
Muslim scholars agreed that Muslim mind is infected with blind imitiation. Blind imitation or taqlid is a sickness that has infected Muslim minds which is unnatural to the Muslims since the Qur’an repeatedly urges Muslims to think critically before accepting any idea as practicable solutions to predicaments of the ummah. Al-Alwani stresses that “increase in taqlid has caused a growing belief in fatalism”. It also has become a fertile breeding ground for rigid, narrow and superficial thinking; which are