The journey of knowledge
"The journey of knowledge must begin with belief. The Western civilization began its with doubt (cf. cogito ergo sum) and to date it is still enmeshed in it."
Company - Ba-gul Nashistan
Company or more specifically suhbah is a phenomenon whose effects are difficult to describe. There is this teacher of mine who always says that 'environment is silent speech' and I always used to think how right he was... The effects and impacts are so subtle that one does not even notice how one gets transformed without noticing it ever. There are few verses by Shaykh Sa'adi (rahimahullah) that I came across in a book called, Bayt ki haqeeqat . I am compelled to write them on my blog. The poetry is extremely beautiful and rhythmic. Someone who has ever experienced such company would testify to the truth contained in the verses of this hikaayat . Gili khushbooi dar hamaam roozi Raseed az dast-e-mahboobi ba-dastam Be-oo guftam keh mushki ya 'abeeri Keh az boo-e dil-aaweez e tu mastam Be-oo gufta, man gil-e naacheez boodam Wa-leekin muddati ba-gul nashistam Jamaal-e hum-nasheen dar man asar kard Wa gar na man hamaan khaakam keh hastam [One day in a hamaam* , I g...
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Latay hain saroor awal, datay hain sharab akhir
However, the East took belief as the opium and forgot to traverse beyond the belief alone, towards reason and doubt - for the very belief asked for a balance between the two.
Let's hope this one day, Muslim Ummah attains the balance.
Nice post (:
Thank you, for liking the post. However, I think that the idea as to the religion being the opium of masses was itself thrust upon us by the thinkers of a civilization that has its foundation in reason alone. I am deliberately not using the term West over here. A more apt term could be Western civilization. Anyway, there is a tradition of teh Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wassallam which says, "al-aql fil qalb" ... so for us, 'qalb' is a holistic concept which includes reason too. It is not just a seat of emotions as described by many westernised thinkers. Our entire tradition of knowledge very well makes use of the balance you mentioned.
JazakAllah for commenting. :)
Asma:
Of course you know him. Remember, the eight-thirty morning sessions? :)
Haris:
JazakAllahu Khair.
Each point is worth repeating against such point of views.