IDE ACADEMY 2021-2022 / LECTURE NOTES / 05 NOVEMBER 2021

• Islamic civilization, based on the Qur'an and the Sunnah, has introduced humanity with a comprehensive conception of knowledge. There have been many reasons that enable the emergence of revelation-oriented knowledge/sciences arising from this conception, and eventually, much knowledge /sciences have emerged. These knowledge /sciences have also been classified over time.
• In Islamic civilization, there is a close relationship between knowledge, scholar, and worldview. The modern time classifications of knowledge centered on ontology, epistemology, and methodology exist within our Islamic knowledge civilization. 
• In the Madrasas of the Ottoman Empire, this topic was explained with the metaphor of a tree. Accordingly, the fact that the tree is entrenched in the ground represents the nature of being/existence - ontology. The roots of the tree are revelation and reason that represent epistemology. The trunk based on these roots is also called "ulûmü'l-menâhic" which denotes Usul or Methodology. Each of the branches stretched from this trunk has been perceived as a branch of science. The fruits and crops harvested from these branches symbolize the rulings, truth, values, and morality. Through profound reflection, this tree metaphor can be enriched and offer us a deeper philosophical insight.
• The ontology of the science of Kalam (Islamic Theology) is being/existence, its epistemology is reason and revelation. Its methodology, on the other hand, is a method of reasoning (istidlal) and evidence/proof (Burhan) that combines Sharia and reason.
• The ontology of the science of Fiqh is human behavior, which is the outward manifestation of human deeds. Its epistemology is both reason and revelation. Its methodology, on the other hand, is to deal with Sharia thought through inference (istinbat).
• The ontology of the science of Tasawwuf (Islamic Mysticism) is the interior/background of the deeds. Its epistemology is inspiration (Ilham) and unveiling (Kashf) alongside reason and revelation. Tasawwuf adopts inspiration and unveiling if it conforms to reason and revelation. The point to be considered here is its compatibility with the Qur'an and Sunnah. Otherwise, it won't mean anything, it'll just be gradual destruction or inveigling (istidraj). The methodology of Tasawwuf, on the other hand, is both self-purification and insight/proof of conscience (istibsar).
• When we integrate the ontology, epistemology, and methodology of Kalam, Fiqh and Tasawwuf, a magnificent conception of knowledge emerges. This is exactly what the Islamic conception of knowledge is.
• Three concepts are used to categorize knowledge/sciences: Division (Taksim), Classification (Tasnif), and Order(Tertib). Division is to divide something into parts/sections/types. Classification, on the other hand, goes from individual to class, from classes to Species, from Species to genus. These categorizations are certainly not meant to separate sciences from each other. The separation of sciences leads to Fragmentation (Tefrik). Fragmentation, on the other hand, destroys our comprehensive conception of science. Although division and classification are sometimes used in the sense of fragmentation, this is not correct. Order, on the other hand, denotes organizing. But there is also a difference between order and levels (Meratib). There is no hierarchy in Tertib, there is the only order. But there is both order and hierarchy in levels.
• The main purpose of knowledge is to reach the truth. There are two ways to get to the truth. One is a multi-layered path; the other is a monolithic path. The Islamic civilization has offered humanity a multi-layered way to reach the truth and did not base finding the truth on a single issue. The materialist/positivist understanding, on the other hand, is a monist way and followed a single-layered path to reach the truth.
• Islamic civilization was built on Meratib (levels). This civilization offered a multi-layered way to reach the truth. When this method of levels is well understood, the comprehensive conception of knowledge that Islamic civilization has presented to humanity is also very well understood. These are; levels of existence (merâtibü’l-vücûd), levels of knowledge (merâtibü’l- ulûm), levels of truths (merâtibü’l-hakâik), levels of methodologies (merâtibü’l-menâhic), levels of objectives (merâtibü’l-makâsıd), levels of judgement and wisdom (merâtibü’l-ahkâmî ve’l-hikem), levels of values and morals (merâtibü’l-kıyem ve’l-ahlak).

1. Merâtibül’l-Vücûd: Levels of Existence

Although there are many different divisions of this concept in general, binary classification is accepted: Physics and metaphysics. Imam Ghazali has adopted the five-ways of classification as well as the other ones. That is the essential existence, the sensual existence, imaginary existence, rational existence, resembling existence.

2. Merâtibü’l-Ulûm: Levels of Knowledges

This concept can be divided into many different categories. The important thing, here, is to recognize the existence of different sciences. Universal sciences (kevnî), natural sciences, unseen sciences (gaybî), divine sciences are attached to levels of existence.  

3. Merâtibü’l-Hakâik: Levels of Truths

Truth in the sense of reality is the very (intrinsic) existence of something, i.e. the fact that something exists by virtue of itself. Absolute truth is the supreme truth that brings every being into existence. But apart from it, there is not only one truth, but many truths. 

4. Merâtibü'l-Usûl ve'l-Menâhic: Levels of Usul and Methodologies

The main topic of our course is Islamic knowledge and Usul. Fiqh, Kalam, and Tasawwuf have their own methodology, and they exist not to eliminate each other but to complement each other; enrich each other through diversified methodological tools such as induction (istiqra), reasoning (istidlal), inference (istinbat), insight (istibsar), and Burhan. Every sub-branch of science has its own unique methodology such as the Usul (methodlogy) of tafsir and the Usul(methodlogy) of Hadith. They are subject to a level within themselves. Methodology of Theology (Usûlü'd-Din) precedes the Methodology of Islamic Jurisprudence (Usûl-i Fiqh). Methodology of Islamic Jurisprudence precedes the method of Tasawwuf, insight (istibsar), and unveiling (mükaşefe), they complement each other, and rational proofs are not the opposite of revelation-based proofs.

5. Merâtibü'l-Makâsıd: Levels of Objectives
• Makâsıdü't-Tekvîn
• Makâsıdü't-Tenzîl
• Makâsıdü't-Teşrî’
• Makâsıdü't-Teklîf
• Makâsıdü'l-Umrân
• Makâsıdü'l-Kur'an
• Makâsıdü's-Sünne

6. Merâtibü'l-Ahkâm: Levels of Judgement

Regarding the orders of judgement, firstly, there are universal and local judgements, there are also constants/fixed (Sawabit) and variables (Mutagayirat) judgements. The famous classification of necessities (Daruriyyat) - needs(Hajiyyat) – luxuries (Tahsiniyyat) is a form of Levels of Judgement. The judgement of permissible (Mubahaht) and forbidden (Mahzurat), halal and haram categories are also included in Levels of Judgement.

7. Merâtibü'l-Ahlâk ve'l-Kıyem: Levels of Morals and Values

There are Levels of Morals and Values, in the levels of values, there are objective/end values and means/ instrumental values. Within the hierarchy of values, we found universal values, local values, individual and societal values. 

• Having a multi-layered understanding of existence/being, knowledge, methodology, judgement, wisdom, and value is one of the most outstanding virtues of Islamic civilization. The main reason for the problems that the Islamic world face today is that we have reduced Islam, influenced by modernism and positivism, to a monistic perspective. This is mainly because we left aside the understanding of Meratib (levels), the multi-layered and rich perspective, and stuck with only some monistic interpretations. The richness of our culture, civilization, and Islamic thought tradition emanates from these multi-layered classifications.
• When we carefully analyze the studies on the classification of the knowledge/sciences conducted in Turkey, it is noteworthy that there are 125 works and treatises on the Tasânîfu'l-Ulûm, Takâsîimü'l-Ulûm, Teratibü'l-Ulûm,Ebced'ül-Ulûm in Islamic civilization.