The Opening
I read somewhere sometime ago, what the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, advised his companions, "Accept wisdom (hikmah) even if it is found in the languages of the Polytheists." True. Nobody has a complete ownership of wisdom. Wisdom does not belong to just one particular race, society, religion or country. Wisdom is like a bird - free , fast, flying and flowing farther and further and higher and higher. "Do not scorn the word of wisdom even though you hear it from a profligate," said Ibn Abbas, hundreds of years ago.
Wisdom is the prouncement of the truth. Knowledge is a tree and its fruits are words. Though is like the sea and its pearls are wisdom. The journey is long and the time is short - I must push on towards that elusive goal of contentment, harmony and peace - peace with self and everything else around self. My relentless quest for quality - quality of life and quality of living - continues.
Most of these nuggets of wisdom , I have extracted from a book, Wisdom Of Islamic Civilization", written by Mr. M.A.J. Beg (1986), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Every civilization in the world has its distinctive characteristic which differs from one another. It is a fact that Greek civilization differs from the Romans, the Moenjodaro...click civilization differs from the Chinese, and so forth. Civilizations differ from one another not only in their technical feats, but also in their
spiritual and intellectual perfections. Thus, for instance, the wisdom of ancient Moenjodaro or Indus Valley civilization crystallized in Veda and Arthasastra, the channels leading to mysticism and art...click; the Greek civilization excelled in the wisdom of philosophy; and the Romans excelled in the wisdom of Law. Similarly, the Chinese wisdom was enshrined in the Confucian literature.
On the other hand the wisdom of Islamic civilization emerges from Islamic literature which covers a wide spectrum of subjects ranging from theology and law to belles-lettres, economy and politics. Islamic wisdom is, therfore, vast and varied in scope and application.
'Ilm and Hikmah
'Ilm and Hikmah are both Qur'anic terms. 'Ilm, in the context of Islamic civilization, literally means knowledge, learning, science. It refers to theological thought - religious learning of the Holy Qur'an, Hadith (Prophet Muhammad's traditions), and Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) in early Islam.
Hikmah, in its widest sense, connotes the "scientific", empirical and secular knowledge. As an early Muslim savant puts it, " education makes possible understanding of knowledge, knowledge provides the correct action, and action secures wisdom."
According to the traditions of the Prophet of Islam, acquiring of knowledge ('Ilm) is a must - an obligation, a duty - for every Muslim. Pursuit of Hikmah, on the other hand, is only a voluntary duty of the Mu'min (the Believer). In theological parlance of Islam, 'Ilm is much more superior than hikmah. However, this belief changed, as the Islamic civilization devoped. With the advancement of Islamic civilization, Muslim scholars came in contact with the Greek philosophy, which took wisdom to be superior to knowledge. They argued that, 'every
wisdom is at the same time knowledge, but not every knowledge is wisdom.' Consequently, the external influences modified the Muslim concept of wisdom or hikmah.
Whilst sifting through the sands of time, I have collected some pearls, gems and nuggets, which, gladly, I would like to share here in these humble pages, with the world.
"When a person hears the words of wisdom but he refuses to accept it, he is an evildoer. On the other hand, when a person hears it but does not act upon it, he is a hypocrite(munfiq)."
"There are four sorts of men:
He who knows not and knows not he knows not : he is a fool - shun him;
He who knows not and knows he knows not : he is simple - teach him;
He who knows and knows not he knows : he is asleep - wake him;
He who knows and knows he knows : he is wise - follow him."
.......An Arabian Proverb (Lady Burton, 1890)
"Ultimate wisdom (hikmah) is knowing God Alone."
3Wisdom is the object of persevering quest of the Believer; wherever he finds it, grabs it."
....Ali al-Muttaqi, "Kanz al-ummal", Hyderabad (India), 1958
"Civility (rifq) is the supreme wisdom."
....Ali al-Muttaqi, "Kanz al-ummal", Hyderabad (India), 1958
Wisdom Of The Prophet : The Knowledge Seekers
Makhdoom's Quest For The Truth
Sufism : Journey Towards The Truth
Makhdoom's Quality Quest