Ali Shariati - Islamology 1

‫ ﻋﻠﯽ ﺷﺮﯾﻌﺘﯽ‬Ali ShariatiIslamology The Basic Design for a School of Thought and Action Part 1 Dr. Ali Shariati Biography I present a geometrical figure of a school of thought and an ideology which Shariati in a Glance every Islamologist and aware Muslim should have of Islam, not only as explanation of their religious belief but as a logo of a school of thought and ideology. List of Collections Books Speeches Publications Photos Gaston Bachelard, one of the greatest thinkers of our age, comparable to Descartes and Plato, who, unfortunately died a few years ago being quite unknown, believed that when an idea can be conceptualized in a geometric form, it has found its proper language in which to express and explain itself. That is, when an idea finds geometrical expression, this idea has found the best language of its expression. Videos and Films Guest Book Search Contact Page Main Page ‫سايت فارسى‬ Any idea which can be conceptualized and then expressed through a geometric form, is itself proof of its being both valid and sound. The most exact scientific concepts in the world are mathematical ones. If we are able to express our philosophical or ideological ideas in mathematical or geometrical language, we have both found the best language to express our concepts as well as the best proof of the fact that intellectual ideas are logical as opposed to philosophies and religions which have to engage in discussion, argumentation, sophistry, debates and comparisons to prove their logic. There, one will have chosen the weakest language of expression from the view of reasoning and logic. If, instead, one could make use of mathematics as the language of expression for an intellectual, philosophical or religious school or even literary or artistic school, it is then that a school of thought will have succeeded in finding expression through logical reasoning, proving itself to be both logical and scientific. I wanted to add just one point. A school shows whether or not it is a natural form, whether or not its curve is normal or abnormal, whether or not its form is heterogeneous or homogeneous through the geometric form in which it is expressed. That is, one can understand the natural qualities of a school from its geometric expression...  http://www.shariati.com/english/islam/islam1.html[5.3.2015. 0:26:16] for instance. The same is true in regard to a person. with a simple exchange of ideas. They began at first with the masses and those who had genius. You may know people who are very knowledgeable about a famous person. writers and artists of the people understand a poem.3. feeling. It is to feel deeply towards a religion or an ideology. Understanding of a school of thought is not the same as having technical and detailed information about it.2015.‫ ﻋﻠﯽ ﺷﺮﯾﻌﺘﯽ‬Ali Shariati Scholars and Scholars There is a great difference between knowledge which has been understood and knowledge which has just been learned. then.html[5. There are some Islamic scholars who understand Islam and there are some Islamic scholars many. What is the difference between these two? If I succeed in expressing the difference between these two. and have very accurate information about him but not understand this person as a great thinker or artist. It is as the poets.com/english/islam/islam1. By Islamology I mean the understanding of the ideology of Islam. book or school. how many poems or which different ones are included in each edition and who know the names and attributes of all those who were praised by Hafiz. sense of movement. These 'Hafiz-ologists' have no spiritual or intellectual sympathy with Hafiz. http://www. Look at any thinker or artist. They know how many Persian or Arabic words exist in Hafiz's poems or they know all of the allusions and historical references made by Hafiz. not just Islamic sciences which are routinely taught in the schools and universities. Another person may come along and in just one meeting. etc. to find the spirit and meaning which is hidden in an idea. literature and art. Thus. what effect they had upon him. what their position was in relation to him. etc.shariati. have succeeded in explaining the difference between a real Islamic scholar and a person who has simply learned about Islam but does not understand it. how many manuscripts of the poems of Hafiz exist in the world. I will. there are some who understand Islam well but are not considered to be Islamic scholars. On the other hand. come to understand this person better and more deeply than the other with all of his scientific information. book or school but not understand the person. It is the same with knowing a school of thought. Someone may come along and take down all the physical characteristics of a person and define each cell in his body. the valuable aspects of Islamic culture and Islamic sciences which are important sources of Islamic civilization. 0:26:16] . Of course. in the case of some professors who know. what the weight or dimension of the volumes are. where each one is. as a matter of fact who have only learned about Islam. should be studied. understanding Hafiz differs from having learned some things about him. The same difference exists in literature. All of the French literary schools of the 19th and 20th centuries were formed in cafes. one encounter. It is to have a feeling about the orientation of this school to understand it as a whole and not just knowing parts or sections of it. not in the classrooms of the Sorbonne University. but they in no way understand Hafiz. know his complete physiology. This is what I mean by understanding Islam or Islamology not as a culture. Understanding Hafiz is something else. his age. not as those who are taught by professors of the Faculty of Letters. And. I will also explain what I mean when I say Islam should be viewed as an ideological school. Islam. Islam as Ideology Throughout the history of Islamic civilization. I will first give a general picture of a school of thought and will explain what a school of thought means. interpretative. Islam.shariati. But one comes to understand Islam in the sense of an ideology in another way. They have studied it and are university graduates. Two questions. in the sense of Islamic sciences. after a few years. as an ideology. then. It is the perceiving of Islam as an idea and not as a collection of sciences. literature or poetry . Islam as Culture vs. historical and intellectual movement. Islamology. They feel it and thus know and understand it better than the first group because the second group have come to know the 'spirit' and 'orientation' of that school or movement and not to simply know it scientifically. in the series of Islamic culture and Islam. historic thoughts and words combined together to form what is known as Islamic sciences and each has its own specialized field of study.com/english/islam/islam1. It imposed itself upon the university. has become a complex of theological. To further this end. it is the view of Islam as an ideology in the minds of an intellectual and not as ancient religious sciences in the mind of a religious scholar.html[5. They used the argument that the intention was to spoil art and literature and that the new ideas would impair the independence of their culture and literature. the new 'condemned' school found official acceptance. finally.2015. defeated and destroyed the old logic. should be taught in this way. It was then that the educated people of the universities began to oppose the new wave or school of thought referring to it as a deviation. The struggle and conflict began but the determinism of time and logic strengthened the new wave of thought and armed it with a new logic which weakened. One kind is seen in those who claim to be scholars of a school or a culture. should be answered: First. 0:26:16] . what is Islam itself as an ideological school? I will try to give an accurate description of ideological concepts. then. And. gain technical knowledge and become an expert in one field. is not a scientific specialization but is the feeling one has in regard to a school of thought as a belief system and not as a culture. who have specialized in the sciences and cultural ideas of that school. What one does is to study. not as a storehouse of scientific and technical information. The Idea of a School of Thought http://www. not as a culture or complex of sciences. Thus there are two kinds of understanding or knowing. Then it is spread to groups and gatherings in the cafes as well as through the intellectual and spiritual relationships of people here and there and on the streets. It is the understanding of Islam as a human. The professors of the universities were then proud that they taught the 'new poetry' and 'new art'.3.‫ ﻋﻠﯽ ﺷﺮﯾﻌﺘﯽ‬Ali Shariati enthusiasm and the courage to create a new school in music. painting. what is a school of thought or doctrine? Second. then. The other kind is seen in those who may or may not be specialists of that school of thought but they sense it. he has none. As he has a school of thought. you know that he does not believe in literature for literature's sake. You have to ask him. You have to first listen to his discussions to see what his opinion is and then conclude that his view is this or that because it is possible that in every area. From the political point of view. historic. directed and united body which is alive. Why? Because all of the views on economics. He has no opinion.shariati. An expert may or may not have a school of thought but if he has one. I mean a harmonious collection of philosophical concepts. he believes in the authenticity of the family. whatever. you can guess the other dimensions of his intellectual concepts or his intuitions. You may know a physicist who is. his political. If he be an economist. a fascist. artistic.3. way of life. he be a physicist. economic or even literary beliefs are in harmony. When I say 'maktab'. philosophy and even on art and literature of a person who believes in a particular school of thought. religion. coordinated and united. school of thought. social views. you can guess what his views are in regard to economic or class issues before he says anything about what he thinks. and have a school of thought. In that case. existentialist or Marxist has a school of thought. what is it? Does he move on the left.html[5. sociology. meaningful. but he most certainly believes that art and literature must be at the service of social struggle because he believes in a school of social commitment. for instance. emotions. These develop a general form and this form is called 'ideological school'. A person who has a 'maktab' thinks about all issues of life ideological. For example. They are alive with one spirit. politics. Thus. What is his orientation? From the economic point of view. he believes in nationalism and realism and from the social point of view. by knowing one dimension of his views.2015. Such a person discusses issues from all sides. all parts of it being nourished by one spirit. he take a different approach. intellectual. he believes in the psychology of racism and racial discrimination. literary. a particular belief because he does not believe in a school of thought. On the other hand. one's beliefs. If one believes in a school of thought. existing harmoniously in one form. religious and ethical concepts are not separate but interrelated. http://www. 0:26:16] . have a cause and effect relationship to each other. say. create a moving. or. A fascist. His conclusion about issues is coordinated and in harmony with his ideology and beliefs. because he belongs to a committed social school of thought. right or center? You do not know. you may see a man who believes in a committed social school. if he has. take a physicist who has no school of thought. art for art's sake or poetry for poetry's sake or in 1iterature as a language for personal feelings'. Although he has not said a single word about literature or art. you can say that from the psychological point of view. you can foresee what his philosophical views are in regard to nature. ethical values and practical methods which. even if. religious beliefs.‫ ﻋﻠﯽ ﺷﺮﯾﻌﺘﯽ‬Ali Shariati I will first explain a school of thought as an idea and then offer it in the form of a geometric design.com/english/islam/islam1. through a rational relationship. not only as a form. This is the school of thought which creates movement. religious and social idea of a person. It is this which gives a mission. It is based on the theory that a perfect ideological school which includes all of the intellectual forms of a school of thought has such a complete form. I have designed a form which is not only useful from the point of view of expressing an idea. philosophical.2015. in particular. it lost its ability and power for creating 'movement'. I have made it from my studies on different ideologies and research on ideas and beliefs and ideological. a galaxy moving in one direction and coordinated in movement. This is the mental image of a person who believes in a school of thought.2013 http://www. religious and social schools. but it is also helpful as a means for teaching and explaining what is called 'an ideological school of thought'.‫ ﻋﻠﯽ ﺷﺮﯾﻌﺘﯽ‬Ali Shariati Thus. Expertise and science do not have the same effect From the time when Islam turned from an 'ideological school' to 'cultural knowledge' and a 'collection of religious sciences'. what is that form? I have not taken this very simple figure from anywhere.html[5. commitment and responsibility to a person. 'commitment'. a school of thought and action is like a galaxy in which every individual sensation. meaningful galaxy. builds and brings about social power. but as a means of expression from the view of its contents which itself is of special concern in a 'maktab'. When we say that 'a school of thought is a complete intellectual form of a person who believes in an idea'. social behavior. 'responsibility' and 'social awareness' and it was held back from having any effect or influence upon the fate of human society.3. are each like a planet which revolves around one sun in a coordinated.com/english/islam/islam1. 0:26:16] . which is simple.   All Rights are Reserved Copyright © 1997 . ethical character and.shariati.