Ibn Taymiyyah’s concept of fiÏrah is
important to discuss here, as he believes that logical reasoning is an
instinctive capacity of the human beings and for this reason he advances the
instinctive method (al-Ïuruq al-fiÏriyyah) as a fundamental aspect
of logical inference.[1]
In this part we shall examine his ideas on how logical inference works in
relation to fiÏrah.
The term is originated from a Qur’Énic verse read:”Set
your face to the dÊn truly and steadily, which is
Allah’s fiÏrah, upon which He created mankind (faÏÏara
al-nÉs).[2] This
Qur’Énic statement is general, but there is a further explanation in the saying
of the Prophet that:”Every new-born child is born in a state of fiÏrah. Then
his parents make him a Jew, a Christian or a Magian, just as an animal is born
intact. Do you observe any among them that are maimed (at birth).”[3] While the Qur’Én
speaks of the pattern on which God has created mankind, the HadÊth pertains
to the possession of fiÏrah of a new born child. However,
according to Ibn Taymiyyah these two statements, the Qur’Én and the HadÊth, indicate
two kinds of God’s guidance, namely al-wahy (revelation) and al-fiÏrah (human
instinct). The two are interrelated and we will see this in the next discussion.
FiÏrah according to Ibn
Taymiyyah reflects the sound nature of a human beings, by which an individual
knows intuitively what is wrong and what is right.[4]
However, he underlines that it does not necessarily mean that by possessing fiÏrah, one
does not need guidance (al-hudÉ), for it would be unrealistic and
contrary to the Qur’Énic teachings, because the Qur’Én says
that human beings know nothing when they are born, though
they already possess fiÏrah. [5]
By possessing fiÏrah the mind of
the human being inclines to the truth rather than to falsehood.[6]
It is a pro-active drive that purposefully seeks to realise true
belief and practice. Therefore, it is not merely a dormant potential that
should be awakened from without, but rather the source of awakening itself,
within the individual. [7]
Man possesses a rational faculty (naÐar) that
consists of the power of cognisance, perception and comprehension.
Alongside this he also has the faculty of volition (al-irÉdah) that
encompasses the power of discernment and emotion. By the first faculty
man accepts truth and rejects falsehood, while by the second he
innately inclines towards the knowable actions (al-ma‘rËfÉt) and
intuitively side-steps the objectionable actions (al-munkarÉt).
Therefore, when he finds the truth, his fiÏrah, would naturally accepts it and feel secure with
it. When he encounters falsehood, the fiÏrah naturally
avoids it. [8]
In addition, Ibn Taymiyyah says that since man is a
sensory creature (ÍassÉs) and is moved by volition (mutaÍarrik
bi-l-irÉdah), he is naturally an inquisitive and solicitous creature.[9]
Therefore, man should seek the truth by action (‘amal), movement (harakah),
and volition (irÉdah), through which he will know that in
his fiÏrah there is a power that leads to true belief
and useful volition. When he comes across the question of the existence of the
Creator, knowledge of the Creator and belief in Him, he will decide by his fiÏrah to
accept rather than to deny. [10]
Moreover, as far as the perception of knowledge is
concerned Ibn Taymiyyah believes that it comes from God into the mind through
angels, although the human mind perceives it directly. It is also through
them that God bestows upon man cognitive capacities. However, despite the
fact that man’s capacity to perceive is implanted in the mind with his
inclination to truth, there is still the possibility of making mistakes in
his decision and activities, because of his false assumptions about the goal or
about the method of attaining that goal.[11]
Falsehoods come from satanic forces, while truth
comes from angels.[12]
Thus, for him, Satan and the angels possess an equal chance of having access
to the human being through all sources of knowledge, including his
capacity to attain knowledge (‘ilm) and practise it (‘amal),
in emotions (shu‘Ër) and volition (irÉdah).[13]
In this context, the source of the mind’s perception is either the touch
of the angels, (lammat al-malak), who inspire the truth, sound volition
and a desire to act morally, or that of Satan who encourages false belief
and immoral desire.[14]
The angels urge virtue and the recognition of truth, while Satan tempts us to
reject the truth. The recognition and the rejection of truth are in consonance
with man’s faculty of reasoning (naÐar), and the drive to command good
or forbid evil is related to his faculty of volition (irÉdah).[15]
Regarding the relationship between God and human beings
leading to the acquisition of knowledge and truth, Ibn Taymiyyah posited God as
the highest truth, the Lord of all existence, the Teacher and the Bestower of
all knowledge, as he is the genesis of all existence. Knowledge about Him
is the origin of all knowledge and the source of guidance. Therefore, man
should seek knowledge and believe that true knowledge is knowledge sought
from God. He should do so by remembering (dhikr) God and feeling
the need of Him by which God will give him guidance.[16]
Remembrance (dhikr) of God is the fountain of all
wisdom, the spring of knowledge, and the source of guidance. This is encouraged
in sharʑah so as to guide men to truth and forewarn them of
falsehood. Yet Ibn Taymiyyah does not restrict dhikr simply to
remembering God, but also includes such activities as readings, studying holy
books and studying religious sciences. He quotes Mu’Édh ibn
Jabal:”Studying religious sciences is a glorification of God (tasbÊh)”.[17]
As dhikr is the spring of knowledge and
the source of all wisdom, the sound reasoning that results in true knowledge is
a kind of fiÏrah of the human being. Beside dhikr, which is the
source of all wisdom, perception is the instrument of naÐar (reflection) or tafakkur which
is the very source of human knowledge, especially about external realities.
Working from this spiritual and psychological precept, Ibn Taymiyyah contends
that religious truth cannot be in contradiction with sound perception (hiss),
be it internal (bÉÏin) or external (zÉhir). Therefore, knowledge
is founded on fiÏrah, and
acquired through religious instruction (khabar), sensory perception (Íiss)
and rational reflection (naÐar).[18]
It is in the above context that Ibn Taymiyyah rejects
the opinion that knowledge is not from God but merely the result of a human’s
own endeavour. Knowledge, he argues, is the result of two things: human power
and power like that latent in an arrow, which includes the potentiality of the
target. Undoubtedly, every process of reasoning (naÐar) always
derives from of a cause (sabab), but the conclusiveness of knowledge
attained will be determined by the extent to which the condition of involving
this cause is conducive to achieving the target.[19]
In addition, Ibn Taymiyyah offers a further description
of sound reasoning. He believes that one who acquires knowledge through
reasoning (naÐar), logical inference (istidlÉl), reflection (tafakkur)
and contemplation (tadabbur) will not succeed until he refers to the
proof (dalÊl) that provides knowledge of the thing indicated (al-madlËl).
Therefore, he suggests, in all knowledge that employs reasoning, the thinker
must have a permanent perception of that knowledge in his mind, which is
without need of reasoning. This object to be known (al-ma‘lËm),
which is God Himself, becomes the source of other knowledge and permit us to
reflect on it. Thus, God is the true object to be known (al-haqq al-ma‘lËm)
and He is known through fiÏrah, while reflection is a means for
seeking any other knowledge, which is His creature.[20]
Looking at this delineations, it would seem that Ibn
Taymiyyah is exaggerating in his description of the ability of fiÏrah as
single instrument for knowing God. However, close examination shows that
it has three stages. In the first
stage, the fiÏrah is the faculty of
natural intelligence, or the innate faculty of perception which stands in contrast
to the acquired methods of reasoning that cause perception in the human mind.
For the next stage, Ibn Taymiyyah endows this concept
with additional meaning that makes it capable of functioning as a source or
mechanism of acquiring knowledge. The highest stage is
that by fiÏrah man could acquire knowledge apart from
reasoning process. However, in relation to logical reasoning, the concept
of fiÏrah refers to the first stage; it is a natural
human faculty of reasoning that can lead to sound reasoning or sound
judgement.
[1]Vide
supra, ‘On Syllogism’, chapter II, 3.
[2] The
Qur’Én, 30: 30.
[3] al-BÉnÊ, M.N, ØahÊh
al-JÉmi’ al-ØaghÊr, vol. II, al-Maktab al-IslÉmÊ, Beirut,
1987, p. 837. See also al-Jalayand, M.S., DaqÉ’iq al-TafsÊr al-JÉmi’ li
TafsÊr al-ImÉm Ibn Taymiyyah, DÉr al-AnØÉr, Cairo, 1978, vol. II,
p. 196.
[4] NaqÌ
al-ManÏiq p.29; al-Radd ( ed) ‘Abd Øamad,
p. 428; c f. The
Qur’Én, 30: 30.
[5] "It
is Allah who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when you knew
nothing; and He gave you hearing and sight and intelligence and affection that
you may give thanks (to Allah).” The Qur’Én, 16:78.
[6] Dar’ Ta‘ÉruÌ, vol.
VIII, pp. 456-468.
[7] Ibid,
p. 385.
[8] NaqÌ }
al-ManÏiq, p.29; al-Radd, ed. ‘Abd Øamad,
p. 381.
[9] This
notion is based on his understanding of prophetic tradition that
once he said that “the truest of all personal names are
HÉrith (cultivator) and HammÉm (solicitous). And the most loved by
God is ‘Abd Allah (the servant of Allah) and ‘Abd
al-RahmÉn (the servant of the Merciful).” Hadith narrated from AbË Wahb
al-JashmÊ and Ibn ‘Umar. The authenticity of the HadÊth is traced by
R.SÉlim from ØahÊh Muslim, see Dar’ Ta‘ÉruÌ, vol.VIII,
see editor’s note, no. 2, p. 457.
[10] Dar’ Ta‘ÉruÌ, vol.VIII,
pp. 457-8.
[11] Ibid, pp.
28-29.
[12] Ibid, p.
33; Ibn Taymiyyah at this point refers to the verses in the SËrahs of the
Qur’Én: 18: 82; 2: 26; 9:124-125; 41: 44; 3:
138.
[13]
Supporting this idea Ibn Taymiyyah quotes the statement of ‘Abd Allah Ibn
Mas’Ëd (d. 33 A.H./653), a famous Meccan companion of the Prophet. Ibn Mas‘Ëd said
that:“ The
angelic touch is the drive for virtue and attestation of truth, and the Satanic
touch is the temptation to malevolence and the rejection of truth.” This
statement, to Ibn Taymiyyah, is authentic and was even ascribed to the Prophet.
See NaqÌ al-ManÏiq, p. 29.
[14] Ibid, p.
30.
[15] Ibid,
p. 32.
[16]
To support this idea Ibn Taymiyyah quotes the saying of the Prophet:” Oh
My worshippers, everyone is misguided except those who were
guided by Me, therefore seek My guidance and I will guide you.” Ibid,
p.34; See also, al-Jalayand, M.S. DaqÉ’iq al-TafsÊr, pp.
196-198.
[17] NaqÌ
al-ManÏiq, p. 31.
[18] al-FurqÉn
Bayn al-Haqq wa al-BÉÏil, ed.
Muhammad AbË al-WafÉ’, MaÏba’ah al-’ÓØimah, Cairo, 1966,
p. 55.
[19] Ibid, p.
32.
[20] Ibid, p.
35.
