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On Justice and the Nature of Man: A Commentary on Surah al-Nisa (4):58 and Surah al-Mu'minun (23):13-14
From scholarly giant Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas comes his brand new commentary on two of the most well known chapters of the Qur'an; Surah Al-Nisa and Al-Mu'min. An engrossing and informative account done in the authors own inimitable style. CONTENTS PREFACE On Justice Remarks The Nature of Man
- GenresIslamNonfictionReligion
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First published January 1, 2015
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About the author
Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas
37 books590 followersSyed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, born September 5, 1931 in Bogor, Java, is a prominent contemporary Muslim thinker. He is one of the few contemporary scholars who is thoroughly rooted in the traditional Islamic sciences and who is equally competent in theology, philosophy, metaphysics, history, and literature. His thought is integrated, multifaceted and creative. Al-Attas’ philosophy and methodology of education have one goal: Islamization of the mind, body and soul and its effects on the personal and collective life on Muslims as well as others, including the spiritual and physical non-human environment. He is the author of twenty-seven authoritative works on various aspects of Islamic thought and civilization, particularly on Sufism, cosmology, metaphysics, philosophy and Malay language and literature.
Al-Attas was born into a family with a history of illustrious ancestors, saints, and scholars. He received a thorough education in Islamic sciences, Malay language, literature and culture. His formal primary education began at age 5 in Johor, Malaysia, but during the Japanese occupation of Malaysia, he went to school in Java, in Madrasah Al-`Urwatu’l-wuthqa, studying in Arabic. After World War II in 1946 he returned to Johor to complete his secondary education. He was exposed to Malay literature, history, religion, and western classics in English, and in a cultured social atmosphere developed a keen aesthetic sensitivity. This nurtured in al-Attas an exquisite style and precise vocabulary that were unique to his Malay writings and language. After al-Attas finished secondary school in 1951, he entered the Malay Regiment as cadet officer no. 6675. There he was selected to study at Eton Hall, Chester, Wales and later at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, England (952 -55). This gave him insight into the spirit and style of British society. During this time he was drawn to the metaphysics of the Sufis, especially works of Jami, which he found in the library of the Academy. He traveled widely, drawn especially to Spain and North Africa where Islamic heritage had a profound influence on him. Al-Attas felt the need to study, and voluntarily resigned from the King’s Commission to serve in the Royal Malay Regiment, in order to pursue studies at the University of Malaya in Singapore 1957-59. While undergraduate at University of Malay, he wrote Rangkaian Ruba`iyat, a literary work, and Some Aspects of Sufism as Understood and Practised among the Malays. He was awarded the Canada Council Fellowship for three years of study at the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University in Montreal. He received the M.A. degree with distinction in Islamic philosophy in 1962, with his thesis “Raniri and the Wujudiyyah of 17th Century Acheh” . Al-Attas went on to the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London where he worked with Professor A. J. Arberry of Cambridge and Dr. Martin Lings. His doctoral thesis (1962) was a two-volume work on the mysticism of Hamzah Fansuri.
In 1965, Dr. al-Attas returned to Malaysia and became Head of the Division of Literature in the Department of Malay Studies at the University of Malay, Kuala Lumpur. He was Dean of the Faculty of Arts from 1968-70. Thereafter he moved to the new National University of Malaysia, as Head of the Department of Malay Language and Literature and then Dean of the Faculty of Arts. He strongly advocated the use of Malay as the language of instruction at the university level and proposed an integrated method of studying Malay language, literature and culture so that the role and influence of Islam and its relationship with other languages and cultures would be studied with clarity. He founded and directed the Institute of Malay Language, Literature, and Culture (IBKKM) at the National University of Malaysia in 1973 to carry out his vision.
In 1987, with al-Attas as founder and director, the International Institute of Islamic Thought a
Al-Attas was born into a family with a history of illustrious ancestors, saints, and scholars. He received a thorough education in Islamic sciences, Malay language, literature and culture. His formal primary education began at age 5 in Johor, Malaysia, but during the Japanese occupation of Malaysia, he went to school in Java, in Madrasah Al-`Urwatu’l-wuthqa, studying in Arabic. After World War II in 1946 he returned to Johor to complete his secondary education. He was exposed to Malay literature, history, religion, and western classics in English, and in a cultured social atmosphere developed a keen aesthetic sensitivity. This nurtured in al-Attas an exquisite style and precise vocabulary that were unique to his Malay writings and language. After al-Attas finished secondary school in 1951, he entered the Malay Regiment as cadet officer no. 6675. There he was selected to study at Eton Hall, Chester, Wales and later at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, England (952 -55). This gave him insight into the spirit and style of British society. During this time he was drawn to the metaphysics of the Sufis, especially works of Jami, which he found in the library of the Academy. He traveled widely, drawn especially to Spain and North Africa where Islamic heritage had a profound influence on him. Al-Attas felt the need to study, and voluntarily resigned from the King’s Commission to serve in the Royal Malay Regiment, in order to pursue studies at the University of Malaya in Singapore 1957-59. While undergraduate at University of Malay, he wrote Rangkaian Ruba`iyat, a literary work, and Some Aspects of Sufism as Understood and Practised among the Malays. He was awarded the Canada Council Fellowship for three years of study at the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University in Montreal. He received the M.A. degree with distinction in Islamic philosophy in 1962, with his thesis “Raniri and the Wujudiyyah of 17th Century Acheh” . Al-Attas went on to the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London where he worked with Professor A. J. Arberry of Cambridge and Dr. Martin Lings. His doctoral thesis (1962) was a two-volume work on the mysticism of Hamzah Fansuri.
In 1965, Dr. al-Attas returned to Malaysia and became Head of the Division of Literature in the Department of Malay Studies at the University of Malay, Kuala Lumpur. He was Dean of the Faculty of Arts from 1968-70. Thereafter he moved to the new National University of Malaysia, as Head of the Department of Malay Language and Literature and then Dean of the Faculty of Arts. He strongly advocated the use of Malay as the language of instruction at the university level and proposed an integrated method of studying Malay language, literature and culture so that the role and influence of Islam and its relationship with other languages and cultures would be studied with clarity. He founded and directed the Institute of Malay Language, Literature, and Culture (IBKKM) at the National University of Malaysia in 1973 to carry out his vision.
In 1987, with al-Attas as founder and director, the International Institute of Islamic Thought a
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 25, 2016
Tidak ada ragu lagi, buku ini adalah buku paling penting untuk penerbitan tahun ini, iaitu 2015. Malah lebih penting lagi adalah untuk dibaca.
Ada dua perkara yang penting menggetarkan hati ketika membaca karya mutakhir Prof Naquib al-Attas ini; pertama tentang konsep keadilan berdasarkan makna kata kunci seperti amr, amanah, ahl, hakam dan adl yang sangat tepat dan padat dihuraikan dengan bermuarakan ayat ke-56 Surah Al-Nisa' ini. Al-Attas memang sangat mementingkan kefahaman terhadap makna yang sebenar itu, membawa kita untuk lebih memahami keadilan yang dimaksudkan dalam ayat berkenaan jauh melebihi kefahaman kita sekitar keadilan material yang lazimnya disuarakan pada masa kini.
Kedua, Al-Attas menetapkan anggaran umur usia umat manusia sebagai satu bentuk hujah dalam menenangkan umat Islam yang dikelirukan dengan idea evolusi oleh Barat terhadap makna insan yang berasal dari Nabi Adam. Sangat menggetarkan hati apabila Al-Attas menetapkan anggaran hayat keseluruhan umat manusia sekitar 7,000 hingga 8,000 tahun saja berdasarkan sumber wahyu dan juga sejarah dan arkeologi yang sebenarnya turut diakui oleh sejarawan Barat sendiri terhadap usia peradaban manusia.
Pada Syarahan Khas Prof al-Attas di Menara Razak, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Kuala Lumpur pada 24 Januari 2016 bagaimanapun mengingatkan hadirin bahawa tempoh yang kurang daripada 10,000 tahun itu bukanlah singkat bagi peradaban dan kemanusiaan kerana pelbagai perkara berlaku dalam period berkenaan, selain umat Bani Adam cepat berkembang.
Sekali lagi, beliau menegaskan manusia bukanlah berada dalam kumpulan spesis atau genus dengan homo sebelumnya yang ditemui dalam proses eskavuasi yang turut dimasukkan elemen imaginasi Barat seperti warna kulit atau bentuk luaran yang memang sudah hancur. Justeru, tulisan mengenai umur kemanusiaan ini bukanlah sesuatu yang saja-saja dilakukan, sebaliknya bertujuan memperbetulkan pemikiran khususnya umat Islam yang terpengaruh dengan pemikiran evolusi sama ada secara sedar atau tidak, secara kecil atau utama.
Ada dua perkara yang penting menggetarkan hati ketika membaca karya mutakhir Prof Naquib al-Attas ini; pertama tentang konsep keadilan berdasarkan makna kata kunci seperti amr, amanah, ahl, hakam dan adl yang sangat tepat dan padat dihuraikan dengan bermuarakan ayat ke-56 Surah Al-Nisa' ini. Al-Attas memang sangat mementingkan kefahaman terhadap makna yang sebenar itu, membawa kita untuk lebih memahami keadilan yang dimaksudkan dalam ayat berkenaan jauh melebihi kefahaman kita sekitar keadilan material yang lazimnya disuarakan pada masa kini.
Kedua, Al-Attas menetapkan anggaran umur usia umat manusia sebagai satu bentuk hujah dalam menenangkan umat Islam yang dikelirukan dengan idea evolusi oleh Barat terhadap makna insan yang berasal dari Nabi Adam. Sangat menggetarkan hati apabila Al-Attas menetapkan anggaran hayat keseluruhan umat manusia sekitar 7,000 hingga 8,000 tahun saja berdasarkan sumber wahyu dan juga sejarah dan arkeologi yang sebenarnya turut diakui oleh sejarawan Barat sendiri terhadap usia peradaban manusia.
Pada Syarahan Khas Prof al-Attas di Menara Razak, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Kuala Lumpur pada 24 Januari 2016 bagaimanapun mengingatkan hadirin bahawa tempoh yang kurang daripada 10,000 tahun itu bukanlah singkat bagi peradaban dan kemanusiaan kerana pelbagai perkara berlaku dalam period berkenaan, selain umat Bani Adam cepat berkembang.
Sekali lagi, beliau menegaskan manusia bukanlah berada dalam kumpulan spesis atau genus dengan homo sebelumnya yang ditemui dalam proses eskavuasi yang turut dimasukkan elemen imaginasi Barat seperti warna kulit atau bentuk luaran yang memang sudah hancur. Justeru, tulisan mengenai umur kemanusiaan ini bukanlah sesuatu yang saja-saja dilakukan, sebaliknya bertujuan memperbetulkan pemikiran khususnya umat Islam yang terpengaruh dengan pemikiran evolusi sama ada secara sedar atau tidak, secara kecil atau utama.
March 27, 2016
This is the book where Prof Al-Attas' brings his Islamization discourses to it's full conclusion. As usual, the Professor didn't disappoint - despite some setbacks in the methodology he choses to use in the second part of the book pertaining to the correct Nature of Man.
Al-Attas begins the book in a premeditated manner with a seemingly calculated choice of words and sequenced steps of exposition - a style that has so long been the hallmark of Attasian discourse; before going full throttle from page 24 onwards where the Professor contemplated the secularization of the Intellect as perpetrated by the Western Civilization and the criminal consequences that it had wrought upon the meaning of Justice, reducing it solely to it's social and physical aspects. The final part of the book, where Al-Attas discusses, correctly in my opinion, the prevalent force of the idea of evolution in Western discourses upon the nature lf man is worthy of mention. The said theory that is currently being hold as an uncontested assumption by many of the Western scholars and intellectuals, is in the view of Al-Attas, incorrect. Here, Al-Attas' response to the conundrum is quite novel albeit far-fetched.
It's a fine book fitting as a parting gift to the Umma (if what I heard was correct; that this is his final work). However, I have to say that compared to his previous books, this book is where Al-Attas makes himself most vulnerable. This will be the work where his critics will be more than happy to pound on the opportunity to lay their critical blow to the esteemed Professor. Lets see what will happen.
Al-Attas begins the book in a premeditated manner with a seemingly calculated choice of words and sequenced steps of exposition - a style that has so long been the hallmark of Attasian discourse; before going full throttle from page 24 onwards where the Professor contemplated the secularization of the Intellect as perpetrated by the Western Civilization and the criminal consequences that it had wrought upon the meaning of Justice, reducing it solely to it's social and physical aspects. The final part of the book, where Al-Attas discusses, correctly in my opinion, the prevalent force of the idea of evolution in Western discourses upon the nature lf man is worthy of mention. The said theory that is currently being hold as an uncontested assumption by many of the Western scholars and intellectuals, is in the view of Al-Attas, incorrect. Here, Al-Attas' response to the conundrum is quite novel albeit far-fetched.
It's a fine book fitting as a parting gift to the Umma (if what I heard was correct; that this is his final work). However, I have to say that compared to his previous books, this book is where Al-Attas makes himself most vulnerable. This will be the work where his critics will be more than happy to pound on the opportunity to lay their critical blow to the esteemed Professor. Lets see what will happen.
January 11, 2025
This is my third time reading this masterpiece. My first read was during the covid lockdown, the second one was last year, and now, with this third read, I feel I’ve reached a level of personal satisfaction.
With each reread, I’ve noticed my understanding deepens. My first encounter with this book a few years ago felt like an introduction—an eye-opener to the understanding of man as a special and unique creation of God, placed on this earth as the Vicegerent of Trust. It also introduced me to the faculties of the soul and the human body.
One of the key discoveries that truly changed the way I view the world—and myself—was the explanation of the origin and nature of man, particularly how humanity is a relatively recent creation. The author proposes that humanity came into existence as a new creation through the first man, Adam (and his mate, Hawā’, i.e., Eve), only about 7,000–8,000 years ago.
This perspective, of man as a new and special creation, resolved my confusion and inner dilemmas regarding human evolution. Questions about anthropoids, evolutionary theories, and the progression of human civilization had lingered in my mind for quite some time before I encountered this book.
Despite being only 57 pages, the book is both brief and remarkably concise. This is why it demands multiple readings and time to truly absorb its profound content and achieve a fuller understanding.
The book explores its ideas using historical findings, sourced from other religious scriptures, archaeological evidence, artifacts, and, most importantly, the divine revelations from God in the Holy Quran. This combination gives the book a depth that can only be fully appreciated by reading it yourself. My explanation, limited by my linguistic abilities, cannot do justice to the brilliance of this work.
I highly recommend all book enthusiasts give it a try. Read it with an open heart and a fully focused intellect—you won't regret it, God willing.
With each reread, I’ve noticed my understanding deepens. My first encounter with this book a few years ago felt like an introduction—an eye-opener to the understanding of man as a special and unique creation of God, placed on this earth as the Vicegerent of Trust. It also introduced me to the faculties of the soul and the human body.
One of the key discoveries that truly changed the way I view the world—and myself—was the explanation of the origin and nature of man, particularly how humanity is a relatively recent creation. The author proposes that humanity came into existence as a new creation through the first man, Adam (and his mate, Hawā’, i.e., Eve), only about 7,000–8,000 years ago.
This perspective, of man as a new and special creation, resolved my confusion and inner dilemmas regarding human evolution. Questions about anthropoids, evolutionary theories, and the progression of human civilization had lingered in my mind for quite some time before I encountered this book.
Despite being only 57 pages, the book is both brief and remarkably concise. This is why it demands multiple readings and time to truly absorb its profound content and achieve a fuller understanding.
The book explores its ideas using historical findings, sourced from other religious scriptures, archaeological evidence, artifacts, and, most importantly, the divine revelations from God in the Holy Quran. This combination gives the book a depth that can only be fully appreciated by reading it yourself. My explanation, limited by my linguistic abilities, cannot do justice to the brilliance of this work.
I highly recommend all book enthusiasts give it a try. Read it with an open heart and a fully focused intellect—you won't regret it, God willing.
December 30, 2015
Perhaps this is my best book of 2015. It became personal due to my own internal conflict solved by this especially on the Nature of Man chapter. Syed Naquib provided convincing evidence to solve the conundrum of the age of human. What intrigued me is his refutation on human classification as homo sapiens. Although frankly I hope he elaborate more on those archeological evidence of pre homo sapiens skeleton as a different species from human with no link of evolution, it think it is sufficient. Moreover Syed Naquib doesn't outright reject evolution on other creatures but merely as a preparation of the Earth for our arrival.
To quote on page 45 "Since the beginning of its creation God caused the earth to evolve over immeasurable period to make it habitable for man when the proper time comes for him to inhabit it. The whole process of the evolution of the earth and of the creatures that inhabit it before the proper time comes for man is the working of God's plan preparing the earth and its denizen for the coming of man. The proper time comes with the announcement by God to the angels of His decision to create man and to make man His vicegerent on earth ".
There are tonnes other things to be discussed and pondered upon on age of man,concept of justice from An Nisa, and that beautiful khat and its commentary but I will leave it to others due to my own shortcoming. You can read Nazmi Yaakub excellent commentary of this book regarding justice.
To quote on page 45 "Since the beginning of its creation God caused the earth to evolve over immeasurable period to make it habitable for man when the proper time comes for him to inhabit it. The whole process of the evolution of the earth and of the creatures that inhabit it before the proper time comes for man is the working of God's plan preparing the earth and its denizen for the coming of man. The proper time comes with the announcement by God to the angels of His decision to create man and to make man His vicegerent on earth ".
There are tonnes other things to be discussed and pondered upon on age of man,concept of justice from An Nisa, and that beautiful khat and its commentary but I will leave it to others due to my own shortcoming. You can read Nazmi Yaakub excellent commentary of this book regarding justice.
November 5, 2017
There must be a great fruitful message that want to be delivered by scholars when they write at their mature age of their thoughts. Most of the important works of any scholars are usually produced at this peak period of their age. Imam Al-Ghazali didn't come with Ihya' until his late period of his life though some said that he once told that he had devoted the whole life for the sake of knowledge but he only get half of it.
Professor Al-Attas in his age of 84 (book was published recently in 2015) while writing this book completely does indicate the real meaning of lifelong learning itself besides completing his grand idea of the meaning of adab and refuting the Western concept of human evolution. Adab can be resembled by an entity which is surrounded by the three things forming a pyramid; justice (al-adl), wisdom (hikmah) and virtue. It always intermingle with these three aspects.
Professor Al-Attas in his recent Inaugural Lecture on The Worldview of Islam during 6 August 2017 said that Adab is not merely to put thing in the proper place, but it also means a civilisation according to lexicologist, Ibn Manzur in his 25 volumes of Lisan al-Arab. For instance, the derived word of Adab which is Ma'dabah (مأدبة) really indicates how the civilisation is. It is the proper way on how we eat, what source of food that we get it from, in a proper table, proper position and so on. This analogy can be used in all aspects of civilisation because the central idea of adab is how we used to put thing in its proper place which the majority of us nowadays failed to do it.
The environment will be polluted (like in the present day) if we didn't put our attitude in the proper way while interacting with the environment. The same goes to the sounds. If we didn't put it in the right place, it will become a noise. Otherwise, it will become a music, art and a form of knowledge.
The first part of this book discusses on the meaning of justice itself based on verse 58 of Surah An-Nisa'. It reminds me back what Dr. Zaidi said during the last WISE series at the beginning of 2017 in Egypt. He gave a brief timeline starting from the age of animism where people believe the nature is their god which is a form of extremism. When Islam comes, people start to (and should) believe that nature is a collection of signs of the Allah's Lordness. This is what justice (al-adl) means. When the modernism start to penetrate the whole chapters of human life, people start to confuse and view the nature not more than in its materialistic form. This is what we call the Disenchantment of Nature where we lose the feelings that the whole nature is great and also how great the Creator is! This modernistic view of nature is the other pole of extremism.
The same mesage is delivered in the second part of the book when he refutes the Western view of human evolution theory. Here, he blends philosophy with history which is one of his distinctive talent. The human being is seen only in the materialistic form in the Western view while according to Islam, human being also has to deal with the soul which is the king of our physical bodies. Prof. Al-Attas counts the lifespan of human being present in the earth from the beginning when prophet Adam is sends to the earth till now which is approximately between 7000 to 8000. The methodology that he uses is from the collection of verses in Quran which related to the prophets and he counts from present backwards till prophet Adam.
In summary, the chronological is:
Jonah 2700 years ago
Solomon 2989 years ago
David 3025 years ago
Moses 3500 years ago
Abaraham 4215 years ago
Noah 5565 years ago
Adam 7165 years ago
Though it will spark a controversy in the long run, but it's quite unjust to judge Al-Attas' strength on history as he has his own methodology of research and this can be seen in his previous book; Historical Fact and Fiction.
Professor Al-Attas in his age of 84 (book was published recently in 2015) while writing this book completely does indicate the real meaning of lifelong learning itself besides completing his grand idea of the meaning of adab and refuting the Western concept of human evolution. Adab can be resembled by an entity which is surrounded by the three things forming a pyramid; justice (al-adl), wisdom (hikmah) and virtue. It always intermingle with these three aspects.
Professor Al-Attas in his recent Inaugural Lecture on The Worldview of Islam during 6 August 2017 said that Adab is not merely to put thing in the proper place, but it also means a civilisation according to lexicologist, Ibn Manzur in his 25 volumes of Lisan al-Arab. For instance, the derived word of Adab which is Ma'dabah (مأدبة) really indicates how the civilisation is. It is the proper way on how we eat, what source of food that we get it from, in a proper table, proper position and so on. This analogy can be used in all aspects of civilisation because the central idea of adab is how we used to put thing in its proper place which the majority of us nowadays failed to do it.
The environment will be polluted (like in the present day) if we didn't put our attitude in the proper way while interacting with the environment. The same goes to the sounds. If we didn't put it in the right place, it will become a noise. Otherwise, it will become a music, art and a form of knowledge.
The first part of this book discusses on the meaning of justice itself based on verse 58 of Surah An-Nisa'. It reminds me back what Dr. Zaidi said during the last WISE series at the beginning of 2017 in Egypt. He gave a brief timeline starting from the age of animism where people believe the nature is their god which is a form of extremism. When Islam comes, people start to (and should) believe that nature is a collection of signs of the Allah's Lordness. This is what justice (al-adl) means. When the modernism start to penetrate the whole chapters of human life, people start to confuse and view the nature not more than in its materialistic form. This is what we call the Disenchantment of Nature where we lose the feelings that the whole nature is great and also how great the Creator is! This modernistic view of nature is the other pole of extremism.
The same mesage is delivered in the second part of the book when he refutes the Western view of human evolution theory. Here, he blends philosophy with history which is one of his distinctive talent. The human being is seen only in the materialistic form in the Western view while according to Islam, human being also has to deal with the soul which is the king of our physical bodies. Prof. Al-Attas counts the lifespan of human being present in the earth from the beginning when prophet Adam is sends to the earth till now which is approximately between 7000 to 8000. The methodology that he uses is from the collection of verses in Quran which related to the prophets and he counts from present backwards till prophet Adam.
In summary, the chronological is:
Jonah 2700 years ago
Solomon 2989 years ago
David 3025 years ago
Moses 3500 years ago
Abaraham 4215 years ago
Noah 5565 years ago
Adam 7165 years ago
Though it will spark a controversy in the long run, but it's quite unjust to judge Al-Attas' strength on history as he has his own methodology of research and this can be seen in his previous book; Historical Fact and Fiction.
December 30, 2015
Profoundly fascinating. This book fills me with determination! What beauty, elegance, while also being utterly incomprehensible. The writer must have eons of time in his hands to think up such a thing.
Read this book and realise that it promises no added value to you because your soul have knowledge of all this before you were even born.
The book discusses the origin of justice and mankind, and here's the central tenet; the western conception of the origin of justice and of mankind is wrong.
Justice does not originate from the state and its constitution, but it is a part of the natural law of God, which is to put a thing in its proper place. The one issue I don't understand is when he said that things have limits to their truth; cannot be exceeded or reduced , or else it becomes false. Like parking a car; exactly in the box, or you fail the driving test?
Western naturalists proposed the origins of men from evolution spanning million of years, a theory of which dismisses a divine intervention, and puts humans as animals. Alattas argues that man is a special creation, above the other three kingdoms, recently created and sent to earth 7000-8000 years ago, as vicegerents, not a product of natural evolution. He used the timeline of the first civilizations and the line of prophets to estimate the first appearance of men.
How he estimated that there were ~40 descendants between Adam and Nūh, I have no idea.
What difference is there between a man composed of soul and body, and a man created from soul and body, to form a third entity, I have no idea. It seems very much similar. If it is different, does it even matter? Oh lord , why.
Read it, it's fun.
Read this book and realise that it promises no added value to you because your soul have knowledge of all this before you were even born.
The book discusses the origin of justice and mankind, and here's the central tenet; the western conception of the origin of justice and of mankind is wrong.
Justice does not originate from the state and its constitution, but it is a part of the natural law of God, which is to put a thing in its proper place. The one issue I don't understand is when he said that things have limits to their truth; cannot be exceeded or reduced , or else it becomes false. Like parking a car; exactly in the box, or you fail the driving test?
Western naturalists proposed the origins of men from evolution spanning million of years, a theory of which dismisses a divine intervention, and puts humans as animals. Alattas argues that man is a special creation, above the other three kingdoms, recently created and sent to earth 7000-8000 years ago, as vicegerents, not a product of natural evolution. He used the timeline of the first civilizations and the line of prophets to estimate the first appearance of men.
How he estimated that there were ~40 descendants between Adam and Nūh, I have no idea.
What difference is there between a man composed of soul and body, and a man created from soul and body, to form a third entity, I have no idea. It seems very much similar. If it is different, does it even matter? Oh lord , why.
Read it, it's fun.
February 11, 2016
Karya terbaru Tan Sri Prof Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas yang konsisten dengan wacana beliau dalam karya-karya terdahulu tapi dibincang dalam konteks yang baru.
Dalam karya ini,prof Syed Naquib membawa kita meletakkan penciptaan manusia ditempat yang sepatutnya sebagai khalifah yang dicipta oleh Allah swt di mukabumi ini.
Syed Naquib juga mengeluarkan idea tentang bermulanya tamadun manusia bermula dari Nabi Adam as sekitar 8000 tahun yang lalu,mencabar teori evolusi dan juga antropologi yang dipelopori oleh Barat.Sebagai manusia,menjadi tugas kita untuk mengkaji lebih mendalam akan idea yang dinyatakan oleh Syed Naquib agar ia dapat dibuktikan dengan lebih kukuh berdasarkan pandangan alam Islam.
Dalam karya ini,prof Syed Naquib membawa kita meletakkan penciptaan manusia ditempat yang sepatutnya sebagai khalifah yang dicipta oleh Allah swt di mukabumi ini.
Syed Naquib juga mengeluarkan idea tentang bermulanya tamadun manusia bermula dari Nabi Adam as sekitar 8000 tahun yang lalu,mencabar teori evolusi dan juga antropologi yang dipelopori oleh Barat.Sebagai manusia,menjadi tugas kita untuk mengkaji lebih mendalam akan idea yang dinyatakan oleh Syed Naquib agar ia dapat dibuktikan dengan lebih kukuh berdasarkan pandangan alam Islam.
May 7, 2020
When reading this book, it's like reading a kind of Continental Philosophy with highly literary approach. Of course there are many analysis and explanation in details about most of the terms and concepts, but at the same time, with some other terms having relatively vague and ambiguous context, I think, the book will be in a very difficult position to convince the "outsider" readers.
The most important thing to me is the lack of epistemologic and concrete explanations to justify how and why the ultimate source (divine revelation) can be a valid source of knowledge in the first place. After all, if this can be justified as it is (a form of circular reasoning being employed I presumed), then by using the same argument, the other ultimate sources from other religions also can be used as valid source of knowledge as well.
The most important thing to me is the lack of epistemologic and concrete explanations to justify how and why the ultimate source (divine revelation) can be a valid source of knowledge in the first place. After all, if this can be justified as it is (a form of circular reasoning being employed I presumed), then by using the same argument, the other ultimate sources from other religions also can be used as valid source of knowledge as well.
February 5, 2016
Prof Al-Attas continues to write about the running themes in his works, such as on how 'adl' is the maintenance of structure of order in the universe, how wisdom is a gift to only the selected men/women chosen by Allah, the importance of adab for the wellbeing of humanity etc. If you have read several of Prof Al-Attas's work before, you would encounter familiar concepts that may ease your reading experience.
What's new in this book is the Prof's rebuttal against Darwinists/positivists concept on the origin of mankind. At the end of this volume, the Prof attempts to estimate the dates of the Prophets in relation to the present time (the year 2015).
What's new in this book is the Prof's rebuttal against Darwinists/positivists concept on the origin of mankind. At the end of this volume, the Prof attempts to estimate the dates of the Prophets in relation to the present time (the year 2015).
March 2, 2016
Untuk memiliki buku terbaru beliau ini,juga mendengar syarahannya adalah suatu penghargaan dan nikmat buat saya.
Walaupun ada sesetengah pihak tidak bersetuju/merasakan hujah-hujah beliau dalam buku ini sukar diterima, tetapi hakikatnya, idea-idea yang dilontarkan ini membuahkan diskusi dan perbincangan yang berpanjangan dan membina.
secara tidak langsung, buku ini mencerdikkan lagi minda masyarakat kita.
semoga masyarakat kita menghargai karya seperti ini.
Walaupun ada sesetengah pihak tidak bersetuju/merasakan hujah-hujah beliau dalam buku ini sukar diterima, tetapi hakikatnya, idea-idea yang dilontarkan ini membuahkan diskusi dan perbincangan yang berpanjangan dan membina.
secara tidak langsung, buku ini mencerdikkan lagi minda masyarakat kita.
semoga masyarakat kita menghargai karya seperti ini.
January 24, 2016
“On Justice and The Nature of Man” ialah karya yang penting untuk ditelaah. Ianya mengenai pemaknaan semula manusia dalam erti kata yang sebenar mengikut kefahaman Prof Naquib yang didasari dengan Al Quran dan Sunnah dan menjawab semula teori evolusi dari mana asalnya manusia. Sebagai Muslim, kita sememangnya menolak fakta yg mengatakan manusia sebenarnya adalah hasil evolusi sejenis spesis dan hal ini dapat mengukuhkan fahaman kita lagi mengikut bukti emperikal hasil kajian beliau. Power!
March 25, 2016
A very, very important read, especially for Muslims. Perhaps the most important book of the year.
May 8, 2017
Finished this book in half a day after being kept in my shelf for 2 years. I was privileged to attend the Saturday Night Lecture on 26.1.15 where Prof Syed Naquib Al Attas gave a commentary on this book at UTM Jalan Semarak. He appeared quite frail back then, but still was able to speak for about 40 minutes or so.
This is the latest publication from him. A short piece of about 50 pages but its content is very concise, summarising key concepts of the worldview of Islam about justice and the nature of man. This work directly confronts the Western concept of man based on theories of evolution. He argues that the coming of Adam to Earth was a recent event, about 8000 years ago. Similar methodology was used like his previous work, Historical Fact and Fiction where Prof made use of intellectual reason and empirical evidences to postulate a timeline from Adam, Nuh and the other prominent prophets, to our current age. Of course, this was presented at the end of the book.
Some important concepts to understand on the nature of man include: different states of creation (khalaqa, ja'ala, ansha'a), how the higher self: insan (al nafs al natiqah) relates to the lower bashar (al nafs al hayawaniyyah), the concept of the ruh and its different modes - aql, nafs, qalb.
On justice, he explains clearly about important key terms like 'adl, amn, iman, aman, adab, 'ilm, ma'rifah. Another point I found interesting was about being just to ourselves and within society.
I highly recommend this book once you are ready to delve into Prof Syed Naquib's metaphysical worldview of Islam, perhaps after reading his earlier works as this book presents itself as a summary of those works that precede it.
This is the latest publication from him. A short piece of about 50 pages but its content is very concise, summarising key concepts of the worldview of Islam about justice and the nature of man. This work directly confronts the Western concept of man based on theories of evolution. He argues that the coming of Adam to Earth was a recent event, about 8000 years ago. Similar methodology was used like his previous work, Historical Fact and Fiction where Prof made use of intellectual reason and empirical evidences to postulate a timeline from Adam, Nuh and the other prominent prophets, to our current age. Of course, this was presented at the end of the book.
Some important concepts to understand on the nature of man include: different states of creation (khalaqa, ja'ala, ansha'a), how the higher self: insan (al nafs al natiqah) relates to the lower bashar (al nafs al hayawaniyyah), the concept of the ruh and its different modes - aql, nafs, qalb.
On justice, he explains clearly about important key terms like 'adl, amn, iman, aman, adab, 'ilm, ma'rifah. Another point I found interesting was about being just to ourselves and within society.
I highly recommend this book once you are ready to delve into Prof Syed Naquib's metaphysical worldview of Islam, perhaps after reading his earlier works as this book presents itself as a summary of those works that precede it.
April 3, 2019
Penulis pada permulaanya memerihalkan makna tentang keadilan, hakam dan seumpamanya untuk menjelaskan hakikat kejadian manusia berdasarkan konsep Pencipta dan hamba-Nya. Seterusnya penulis menyusun susun galur manusia berdasarkan kajian merangkumi bidang biologi, sejarah, akeologi, silang agama dan kitab Al-Quran bermula kejadian Nabi Adam A.S. dan diikuti nabi-nabi seterusnya sehinggalah kepada Nabi Yunus A.S.
June 17, 2017
A very important book to me.
At first, it was not easy to read this book as it will show u the true nature of man, all those dark characters of man. However, after I finished reading this book, it helps me to understand and aware with the issues around us.
At first, it was not easy to read this book as it will show u the true nature of man, all those dark characters of man. However, after I finished reading this book, it helps me to understand and aware with the issues around us.
June 14, 2020
Came for his theory of the age of humanity, left in awe for his elaboration concerning justice & happiness, amazed by his explanation of the creation & nature of man.
April 4, 2016
Novel perspective on the historical of man tentatively, starting from the decent of Adam (PBUH) from the Paradise by God until the closure of Islamic prophet, Muhammad (PBUH). The author really taking such a new paradigm and renounced loudly the evolutionary theory of Man, putting them back at the exact position as a superior creation of God accordingly based on the divine revelation. All after all, this is the true justice to be made by man for they are different form of creation.
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May 4, 2016Simple yet astonishing explanation about human (insan) from Islamic perspective, which aligns with scientific findings.
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