Arts and Culture

The Story Of Knowledge

AbdulLatiff Junid, Malaysia, Thursday 22 November 2007

The story of knowledge.

There are three part of the story from Surah Al-Kahfi, of Prophet Musa and Khidir a.s. In my study it is actually the similar exact account as having to do with the gift of Muslims of the past, namely Knowledge. These include all knowledge and understandings of Science and its branches, Mathematics etc whose basic roots are invented by Muslims and form the foundation of all modern science and technology, and giving the world the light of civilization.

Ibn Rushd has been held as one of the greatest thinkers and scientists of the twelfth century. According to Philip Hitti, Ibn Rushd influenced Western thought from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries.

Khidr and Prophet Musa a.s.

The first, second and third part of the story are explianed by Khidir to Prophet Musa in verse(79) "As for the boat, it belonged to certain men in dire want: they plied on the water: I but wished to render it unserviceable, for there was after them a certain king who seized on every boat by force.

(That Muslims were the basic pioneers of knowledge in various fields, and that it would be given to the ahli Kitab and that in the actual sense the basis of world civilization.)

Phillip Hitti in 'Short History of the Arabs.'
For centuries, Arabic was the language of learning, culture and intellectual progress for the whole of the civilized world with the exception of the Far East. From the IXth to the XIIth century there were more philosophical, medical, historical, religious, astronomical and geographical works written in Arabic than in any other human tongue."

(80) "As for the youth, his parents were people of Faith, and we feared that he would grieve them by obstinate rebellion and ingratitude (to Allah and man).

( that all knowledge in various fields were at its best to be discoverd by the past Muslims but it has its reason to be passed on to the West and the world at large in later years after the Islamic Renaissance)

(81) "So we desired that their Lord would give them in exchange (a son) better in purity (of conduct) and closer in affection.

( that this is very clear as that the recipients of knowledge must be among one who knows the giver Of Knowledge, ALLAH, because the breakthrough that will gives mankind the knowledge later in many years to come.)

(82) "As for the wall, it belonged to two youths, orphans, in the Town; there was, beneath it, a buried treasure, to which they were entitled: their father had been a righteous man: So thy Lord desired that they should attain their age of full strength and get out their treasure - a mercy (and favour) from thy Lord. I did it not of my own accord. Such is the interpretation of (those things) over which thou wast unable to hold patience."

( that in general all the past works done by Muslim became a treasures for Muslims in the future after they were given to the Ahli Kitab....so that civilization of the world would be fulfilled, and that it is a Maslahat and a safeguard that Allah alone has provided for us.

And so the expansion of worldly knowledge and for the advancement of mankind on earth as the vicerents, the real Khalifah came to be fulfilled...that all the discoveries, inventions have all the basic factors from the the Muslim Scholars, Scientists, Mathematicians...etc, that only came to be established in total that gave the Western World its very on Civilization, the Modern Civilization....the Renaissance.

Perhaps Allah would have that way in the canopy that people, especially the intellectuals would come to the understanding that Allah is the Giver of Knowledge.

If we read back the verse, we will come to mind that there are factors not understandable by us, why is it that some Muslims and others thought that we are that way backwards in the field of Science and Technology....Its rather embarrassing to inform them, thought it would give them the light of understanding, that the very lessons in their classes are from the very hearts of Muslim Scholars! Even to this very day! And that too reminds me that the application of Logarithm ( Sine and Cosine, Tangent etc), is the essential features in the microchips of our very own computers. But perfection must be the direct application, and Allah is the Giver of Knowledge.

It is essentially important to understand that we have not known any of the basic discoveries, inventions etc... before the arrival of Islam and the their great Scientists.

Allah Knows the Best.

But Knowledge must be passed onto far distances, and for the further developments, especially so if there are for the great usage for all men concern. These are the general breakthrough...and the all began several hundred years ago by Muslim Scholars. I bring here the written verse which I will signify the reality of things..... "As for the boat, it belonged to certain men in dire want: they plied on the water: I but wished to render it unserviceable, for there was after them a certain king who seized on every boat by force.

That Muslims were the basic pioneers of knowledge in various fields, and that it would be given to the ahli Kitab and that in the actual sense the basis of world civilization.) Initially it is for the best of mankind that Allah has set such a course that for the advancement of man the breakthrough of discoveries and inventions would have to come to a standstill....and to be passed on to the next generations and so on.

And the next verse tells us in parable form: (80) "As for the youth, his parents were people of Faith, and we feared that he would grieve them by obstinate rebellion and ingratitude (to Allah and man).

( that all knowledge in various fields were at its best to be discovered by the past Muslims but it has its reason to be passed on to the West and the world at large in later years after the Islamic Renaissance).

Sideo wrote:

"During the middle ages, the Arabs alone were the standard-bearers of a civilization." "When the Arabs gained expertise in Astronomy, they paid special attention to Mathematical sciences and gained a high degree of excellence and they were really our teachers in this field

(81) "So we desired that their Lord would give them in exchange (a son) better in purity (of conduct) and closer in affection.

( that this is very clear as that the recipients of knowledge must be among one who knows the giver Of Knowledge, ALLAH, because the breakthrough that will gives mankind the knowledge later in many years to come.)

It is only at this point that the whole truth came to view....meaning the standing order of the day was that the breakthrough in all worldly knowledge were like the parents...and that it has to be given a new breathing space so to speak, that other inventions in their own rightful places would be continued.And verse 82 of Surah AlKahfi tells in parable:

(81) "So we desired that their Lord would give them in exchange (a son) better in purity (of conduct) and closer in affection.

( that this is very clear as that the recipients of knowledge must be among one who knows the giver Of Knowledge, ALLAH, because the breakthrough that will gives mankind the knowledge later in many years to come.)

The next verse 82 of Surah alKahfi tells in parable exact truth behind the secrets and the story of Knowledge: (82) "As for the wall, it belonged to two youths, orphans, in the Town; there was, beneath it, a buried treasure, to which they were entitled: their father had been a righteous man: So thy Lord desired that they should attain their age of full strength and get out their treasure - a mercy (and favour) from thy Lord. I did it not of my own accord. Such is the interpretation of (those things) over which thou wast unable to hold patience."

( that in general all the past works done by Muslim became a treasures for Muslims in the future after they were given to the Ahli Kitab....so that civilization of the world would be fulfilled, and that it is a Maslahat and a safeguard that Allah alone has provided for us.) The two youths that inherited the vast fortunes left by their religious parents could be you and me....or all mankind in the East and the West.

In conclusion I gathered here the facts as shown: (a)...that Muslims were the basic pioneers of knowledge in various fields, and that it would be given to the ahli Kitab and that in the actual sense is the basis of the world civilization. (c)....that the recipients of knowledge must be among one who knows the giver Of Knowledge, ALLAH, because the breakthrough that will gives mankind the knowledge later in many years to come.
(d)....that in general all the past works done by Muslim became like treasures for Muslims in the future after they were given to the Ahli Kitab and the world....so that civilization of the world would be fulfilled, and that it is a Maslahat and a safeguard that Allah alone has provided for us.