Islamization of Knowledge A Methodology By 'Imad al Din Khalil. Herndon, VA & London, UK: IIIT, 1991, 28 pp., Occasional Papers Series.

Abstract

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, compiling,
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 unequivocal
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 establishing
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 sciences.
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 tawhidi precept that tenters
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 Islamized
before the natural sciences: "... sciences such as civil engineering, algebra,
trigonometry or mathematics in general, as well as other disciplines
like statistics, chemistry and possibly geology, may not be related to the process"
(p. 7) ...