Our Creed
On Knowledge
& Knowing
by Dr. Maulana Mateen A. Khan
Islam provides a holistic approach to understanding
knowledge and therefore does not separate between
the religious and the secular knowledge. According
to Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, knowledge (al-`ilm) is
a trait by which a thing is made apparent to the one who
possesses knowledge of that thing. According to others, it
is to grasp what is known in the way it exists (al-Kifayah).
In other words, knowledge is a trait of the seeker by which
he attempts to grasp reality as it truly is and not some
imagined, false construct. Thus, knowledge is the term
that defines a firm conviction that corresponds to how
something truly exists. Consequently, it is not applied to
falsities and inaccuracies. The importance of knowledge
is widely appreciated, but knowledge itself is rarely
examined. As a part of ‘Our Creed’ series, I would like
to turn our attention to knowledge and its sources. The
importance of this subject cannot be overstated. Many
of our scholarly works begin with this crucial topic so that
the student has a single frame of mind to comprehend
knowledge in its religious and secular forms. An Islamically
educated mind does not suffer the ills of cognitive
dissonance. Instead, it understands itself and the rest of
6 January - February 2020 | AL-MADINAH