Book Review Islamization of Knowledge: A Methodology By ' h a d a1 Din Khalil. Herndon, VA & London, UK: IIIT, 1991, 28 pp., Occasional Papers Series. This well-written book comprehensively outlines the basic precepts on which a concept and a program of Islamization of knowledge must, according to the author, rest. In his attempt to outline these directions, the author first defines the concept of Islamization as " ... practising (i.e., discovering, com- piling, piecing together, communicating and publishing) intellectual activity based on the Islamic concept of the universe" (p. 5). He further states that "'Islamization' covers everything within the realm of the true belief in the existence of Allah (SWT)" (p. 5). This definition is enhanced by Khalil's un- equivocal reference to the Shari'ah and fiqh, the derivative of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, as being the principal background for the Islamization process. Another important aspect of Islamization, according to the author, is the absence of dualism in this framework. He says that in the quest for establish- ing the Islamic dimensions of belief in the diversity of human acquisitions, all "that might lead to dualism between the Divine orientation and its absolute knowledge and the conflicting relativism of human efforts" (p. 6 ) must be avoided. The author correctly points out that Islamization must be carried out on both the theoretical (normative) and the practical (positive) aspects of the sci- ences. It is here, however, that a series of questions arise and which, in turn, lead to a critical analysis that seemingly does not support the author's thesis on the modus operandi and worldview of Islamization. Internal inconsistencies within the arguments presented also lead to several difficulties. In my analysis of some of these problematic points, I will use the tuwhfdfprecept that ten- ters the Islamization process. Islamizing the Natural and the Social Sciences Khalil says that the natutal and the social sciences are not amenable to the same degtee of Islamization. In his view, the social sciences will be Is- lamized before the natural sciences: "... sciences such as civil engineering, al- gebra, trigonometry or mathematics in general, as well as other disciplines like statistics, chemistry and possibly geology, may not be related to the pro- cess" (p. 7). Book Reviews 41 1 In regards to the abovementioned approach, it is clear that the mech- anistic aspects of these disciplines ate seen to shield them from any Islam- izing cause and effect. But are such sciences really independent of the hard- core essence of Islamization? To answer this question, two possible epis- temological mattes must be considered. Fitst, it is necessaty to investigate whether the Western ptecepts of the sciences were f n x of the fundamental concept of material dualism. When Kant outlined his principle of mathema- tical logic, it was made dependent upon the epistemological precept of Teason alone-the a priori condition of the mind that lends itself to teason alone. Kant expressed this argument as follows: "Now it is easy to show that them actually are in human knowledge judgements which are necessary and in the strictest sense universal, and which are therefore pure a p i o n judgments. If an example from the sciences be desited, we have only to look to any of the propositions of mathematics..."' On this a priori epistemological basis, Kant separated the a priori mason premise from what he claimed to be the empir- ical and unsubstantive basis of the a posteriori. Thus dualism became inherent in the foundation of mathematical logic in Western philosophy. The consequence of this dualism was felt in the treatment of finite and infinite mathematical systems. Hilbert held that all mathematics must describe measurable systems. This principle gives his system the mathematical condi- tion of boundedness and measurability.2 Meanwhile, G a e l argued that the mathematical system is inc~rnplete.~ Thus the boundedness of Hilbert spaces, similar to ideas presented by Whitehead and Russell: become open systems of topological "covers," each supplementing the other through infinite q u e n - ces of evolutions? Which of these two conceptions of mathematical fomda- tiom represents Unique truth? In Euclidean and Cartesian geometries, filbert spaces would apply as approximation. However, in Minkowski, Relativistic, and higher dimensional spaces, Gael's theorems become more profound.6 Let us tum to the tuwhidiprecept that centers the Islamization p m e s s and examine it in the light of the above-mentioned dualistic concept of math- ematics. Khalil correctly states that Islamization must mean the purposeful 'I. Kant, "Critique of Pure Reason," in llre Philosophy of Kmf, ed. C. J. Friedrich (New *R. Rucker, "Robots and Souls," in Infinity Md the Mind, ed. R. Rucker (New York Ban- 3K. Giidel, The Consistency of the Continuum Hypothesis (-ton, NJ: Rinceton Univer- 'B. Russell and A. N. Whitehead, Principia Muthernatica (New York Cambridge Univer- York Random House, 1977). tam Book, 1983). sity Press, 1940). sity Press, 1910-13). q. Maddox, Elemenfs of Functional Anutysis (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UniverSity Press, 1973). %. Giidel, A R e w k on-the R e l a t i e p between Relativi Theory and Idealist Phile sophy," m Albert Einstein: Philosopher Sczennst, vol. 2, ed. P. Sc8lpp (New York Harper and Row, 1959). 412 The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences 9 3 unification of the relationships between God, humanity, and nature. Substan- tively, this must mean that the divine laws guiding our understanding of the epistemological domain (a priori) must be one with the sensed domain (a pos- teriori or ontological). This integrated concept of mathematics must exist in order to explain how the unique tuw&Wlaw translates itself into the teality of undemtanding, say, with regards to the mathematics of evolutionary infinite spaces (tuwhfdz-space in the sense of Giidel's incompleteness theorem) as bounded contractions, to use a topological concept.' Here, we find the same open cormpondace of tuwhfd at once explains mlity in the cosmic order as well as in the limited domain of sensed phenomena. If such a continuity does not exist in the domain of mathematical concep- tion, it would be tantamount to asserting that the tawhiiff ptecept remains neutral in some areas of mathematics, sciences, and technology, that is, in some prehensions of knowledge.' This invalidates the very foundations of uni- vetsality, continuity, and unification, all of which c o d t u t e the tuwhfd-real- ity in the Islamization pmess. Such an argument reveals a basic flaw in the author's characterization of a differentiated disciplinary emphasis which he holds must be placed on the Islamization of the n a t d and the social sci- ences. Consequently, there exists a misunderstanding in his following state ment: "We shall realize that the different branches and subjects of these sciences are all linked in one way ot anothet with the Qur'an's flexible, comprehensive view, which is b m d enough to accommodate all different aspects of science including aims, methodologies, facts and application. However, ... we must recognize that the humanities ... will be the fitst in line of Islamization." The above criticism with respect to the author's discussions on Islamization of the sciences, FendeTs much of pages 7-10 had to accept. Directions for the Islamization of Knowledge l X s conception of Islamization has led Khalil to state that "the Islam- ization program cannot start from scratch..." While this is certainly meaning- ful as regards p m t v i n g "shari'atically" acceptable facts over time, such facts must be sifted from any mistaken leaning on taqlid? Conceptions on science, even those offered by Islamic scholats and those conceived under the human understanding of the tawWfprecept, ate bound to change. Such changes will bring about revisions, dundancy, and even the rejection of earlier doc- 'I Maddox, Elements. 'A. N. Whitehead, "The Categorical Scheme," in Proces and Realify, eds. D. R. Griffin %iii J. al 'Alwhi, "TqIid and the Stagnation of the Muslim Mind," The American Jour- and D. W. Sherbume (New Yorlc The Free Press. 1979). nal oflslanic Social Sciences 8, no. 3 (December 1991). Book Reviews 413 trines. For instance, the idea of the roundns of the earth's topography and the ohiting of celestial bodies, as established by the Qur'an, could only dawn gradually on the human mind. Such scientific dialectics, as well as those per- ceived by our tawhidi w d e e d i n g , does not render the tawhfifi law refut- able over time. The incompleteness of our undetstanding of the t u w b d t p r e cept means the incremental M e r a n c e of human volitions in this direction. It is thus a misnomer to view any phase of history, be it Islamic or other- wise, as a final determinant of established knowledge, even though these may be based on certain momentary Islamic undestandings of tawbidflaw. An example here is the way in which such mutakaUirnCn as al G M i , al Rh-, a1 Kina, and Ibn al 'Arabi defined and conceptualized tuwbfd- reality or, for that matter, the questionable Islamic basis of 'ilm al k a k (i.e., Ibn S-hii, Ibn Rushd, and al Fariibi). The author's ptescription of negating a start fmm scratch leaves a regimentative note that may have serious c o t l ~ e ~ u e n c e ~ to the otherwise open-ended limits of inquiry that must be left to the human mind in the Islamization process. Furtslermore, it is my view that the intellectual legacy of Islam has not been tesolved over time. In fact, there are still great gaps of itreconciliation and misunderstanding between the intellectual traditions coming ptedominant- ly from Shi'i thought and the legal traditions coming mainly fmm Sunni thought." The above tmxtment of the investigative question in Islamization leads to two conflicting statements by the author. He states "As a general principle it should be clear to us that we must avoid accepting one of the two fol- lowing generalizations: (a) 'Ihe entire Islamic legacy expresses the Islamic concept of the universe, the world, life and man, and (b) The Islamic legacy does not necessarily represent an extension of this concept" @. 11). Let us examine these statements critically. For this purpose, let me designate the set in which (a) belongs as set A, and the set in which (b) belongs as a subset, B. The complement of A means the set comprehending the statement "the entire Islamic legacy expresses a non-Islamic concepf of the universe." Equivalently, this statement can be restated as "none of the Is- lamic legacy expresses the Islamic concept of the universe." Let this com- plementary set to A in the "Universal set" be denoted A'. Then, clearly A n A' = 0, while A U A' = "Universal set." However, since A and B are mutu- ally exclusive, as the author implies, then A n B = 0. Hence B must be a subset of A'. This leads to a contradiction in terms of Khalil's above- mentioned statement. There must therefore exist a unique way of realizing the Islamization process. This is simply to retain condition (b), subject to umtin- ''A. Ali, l"he Spirit of I s h (Lahore: Islamic Book Seavice, 1989). 414 The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences 9 3 uous taw&iiz-invdgation over time. Thus there is a fundamental error in the author's conceptualization and presentation of the modus operand of the Islamization process. System of Priorities By negating Khalil's statements on the dimAhm of Islamization, his sug- gested stemtyping of priorities also tums out to be unacceptable. If there re mains no particular significance for starting from scratch, then there must not be any need to give any priority to the Islamization of specific disciplines. In a b m d e r sense, there should not be any regimentation in disciplines and pro- grams of Islamization. The process of Islamization must be left to individuals and groups of committed Muslims, acting in accotd with their own interests and successes gained, when guided by Islamic institutional cof~seflsus on such fronts. For instance, an overcancentration and priority on Islamic economics as a branch of the Islamization of knowledge has yielded less-than-acceptable d t s as regards making this discipline paradigmatically different from main- stream econOmics. At best, it is only tempered by certain Islamic values within the broad mainstream framework.'' For this reason, Khalil's sugges- tions for a greater regimentation of the Islamization pmcess appears to be out of place. The author also remarks that writing on specific issues should be left to groups of authors specialized in the given disciplines (p. 20). In addition, he remarks that "To begin with we must dmw the broad outlines (or basic plans) for the methodology of the Islamization of each discipline. These basic plans should be the work of one or more academics who possess the qualities ..." @. 22). He then suggests that such a regimented Islamization plan be delivered to and through relevant teachers. These a~ directions that would seriously undermine, rather than enhance, the Islamization process. Regimentation in academic inquiry is a time-honored and unwelcome element that takes away individual and group initiative and fteedom to investigate. However coordination-as opposed to regimentation- in intellectual inquiry can be an i m p o m t facet of development. This would involve bringing about the c-tion of understanding and efforts within groups of researchets and acmss disciplines. It would also take the form of appropriate coordination within the framework of academic institutions in the light of the strengths, impress, and successes of specific disciplines without giving priority to any particular discipline. Such types of paradigmatic shifts would rest on the formulation and im- "V. Nienhaus, "Epistemology, Methodology and Economic Policy: Some Thoughts on Mainstream, Austrian and Islamic Economics," Humunomics, 5, no. 1 (1989). Book Reviews 415 plementation of a unique methodology. Khalil refers to this important topic, but it appears to him as distinct in the Sciences. He writes, "... the metho- dologies, orientations, materials, conclusions, nature, etc. of each of their dis- ciplines will differ from those of all the other disciplines" (p. 12). Such a differencing of methodologies at the basic and advanced levels of ScienWk putsuit is mistaken. The tuwlri?di?law, on the other hand, presents a unique methodology that binds all domains of knowledge together. It is only the mechanics of application and particular modes of analysis in different dis- ciplines that lend themselves to varied types of investigations. For example, there is now a keen analytical relationship between economics and mathe- matics. But while the process of mathematical logic is mostly discutsive and valueftee, economics remains a value-laden inquiry. The use of mathematics in economics should therefore sharpen the valueladen as well as the analy- tical contents of the latter. For this to happen, mathematics must have a meth- odology of a value-laden analysis in an Islamic perspective. Such a unique methodological orientation could be established between economics and math- ematics by Using the tuwhidicontinuity and u n i v e d correspondence, as dis- cussed above. The concept of methodology in the Islamization of knowledge must therefore be a uniquely unifying one and also be clearly differentiated from discipline-Specific analytical methods, goals, and applications. Khalil fails to note and clarify this important difference between concepts at all levels of a discipline's development (pp. 12-7). Conclusion In conclusion, three points may be noted. First, this book does not contri- bute anything new to the Islamization of knowledge. Second, it does not go deeper to critically examine some of these accepted views in order to present dynamically new ones for realizing the Islamization process. Third, although many of the points made by Khalil appear to be contmversial ones as ana- lyzed above, they still must be recognized as important contributions in the evolutionary phases of Islamic knowledge to which we all belong, and in which this review must also be placed. In this sense, the book is to be consi- dered as a contribution to the literature on the Islamization of knowledge. Masudul Alam Choudhury Associate Professor of Economics University College of Cape Breton Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada