Islamic Worldview: View on Knowledge

In Islam, there are two sources of knowledge. The first one is known as the primary sources of knowledge. In the methodology of deriving any knowledge in Islam, the Qur’an and the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad SAW are the main references for guidance. These two sources are authentic and must be accepted even if the wisdom behind the rulings sometimes is inconspicuous.

The second source of knowledge is known as the acquired knowledge. Here we have to exert our reasoning to understand the wisdom of God’s creations. The knowledge here can be established through inductive or deductive frameworks. Part of the processes would involve observation, collection of data, experiment and hypothesis testing before certain conclusive principles, laws or theorem can be established. However, the empirical evident or fact derived from those process must not go against the primary sources of knowledge in Islam.

Many theories in science such as physics, chemistry and biology come from acquired knowledge. This also applies in social science like economics.

Another important note to make is that, ijtihad is categorized under the second source of knowledge which deals with the process of deriving the shari’ah law. Ijtihad is part of method of developing knowledge through reasoning which is very important next to Qur’an and Sunnah.

Ijtihad literally means striving or self-exertion in any activity which entails a measure of hardship. Technically, ijtihad is the total expenditure of effort made by a jurist in order to infer, with a degree of probability, the rules of shari’ah from their sources – al-Qur’an and as-sunnah.

Ijtihad is important because it is a continuous process of development whereas divine revelation and Prophetic legislation discontinued upon the demise of the Prophet SAW. In this sense, ijtihad continues to be the main instrument of interpreting the divine message and relating it to the changing conditions of the Muslim community.