Series of Answers by the Eminent Scholar Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah, Ameer of Hizb ut-Tahrir, to Questions from Visitors to his Facebook Page "Fikri"
Answer to Question
To: Asad al-Dhahiri
Question:
It is mentioned in the book Concepts of Hizb ut-Tahrir (Al-Mafahim), page 35, lines 7 and 9, the term "Islamic philosophy." However, what is well-known to us in the Party is that there is no philosophy or philosophers in Islam.
May Allah reward you with all goodness.
Answer:
It stated in the book Concepts (Al-Mafahim), p. 35, the following:
"Accordingly, human action is a material endeavor performed by man physically. However, when he performs it, he perceives its connection with Allah in terms of whether this action is halal (permissible) or haram (prohibited). Thus, he performs it or refrains from it on this basis. This human perception of his connection with Allah is the Spirit (Ar-Ruh). It is this which compels man to know the Shari’ah of Allah to distinguish his actions; thus, he understands good from evil when he knows which actions please Allah and which provoke His anger, and he distinguishes the ugly from the beautiful when the Shari’ah defines for him the beautiful action and the ugly action, and so that he may see the values necessary for Islamic life in the Islamic society as defined by the Shari’ah. By this, when he performs an action and perceives his connection with Allah, he can proceed with the action or refrain from it based on this perception, because he knows the type of action, its description, and its value. Hence, the philosophy of Islam was the mixing of matter with spirit, i.e., making actions directed by the commands and prohibitions of Allah. This philosophy was permanent and necessary for every action, whether small or large, minute or grand. It was the depiction of life. Since the Islamic Aqeedah (Creed) is the basis of life, the basis of philosophy, and the basis of systems, the Islamic civilization—which is the total of concepts about life from the viewpoint of Islam—was built on a single spiritual basis, which is the Aqeedah. Its depiction of life was the mixing of matter with spirit, and the meaning of happiness in its view was the attainment of the Pleasure of Allah (Ridhwan Allah)."
Yes, this is philosophy in the Islamic sense (the mixing of matter with spirit), meaning the realization of the connection with the Creator; it is a correct term in this sense.
As for its use in the Greek technical sense or its like, i.e., (the study of what lies beyond existence or beyond matter), then Islam rejects this. It stated in the book Thinking (At-Tafkeer) itself, in its introduction, p. 4, which is before what was mentioned above:
"Humanity has traversed this long distance of life and time, concerning itself mostly with the products of the mind and the results of thinking, without concerning itself with the reality of the mind and the reality of thinking. It is true that some Muslim and non-Muslim scholars, in the past and present, attempted to perceive the reality of the mind, but they failed to perceive this reality. Some attempted to outline a method for thinking; although they succeeded in some aspects of the fruits of this method through scientific achievements, they were misled from knowing thinking in terms of what it is as thinking, and they misled others among the imitators who were dazzled by this scientific success. Previously, since the days of the Greeks and those after them, they rushed into reaching the nature of thinking and arrived at what is called logic. They succeeded in reaching some ideas, but they corrupted knowledge in its essence. Thus, logic became a curse upon knowledge instead of being—as intended for it—a way to reach it and a measure of its correctness. Also, those who rushed to reach the nature of thinking also arrived at what is called philosophy, or what is known as the love of wisdom and the deep study of what lies beyond existence, i.e., beyond matter. Thus, they created an inquiry with delightful knowledge and delightful results, but it was far from reality and far from truth. Consequently, it distanced itself from the truth and from reality, misleading many and diverting thinking from the correct path."
Therefore, a calm and careful study of what is mentioned in the book Thinking with reflection will, Insha'Allah, clarify the truth regarding the subject of philosophy.
I hope this is sufficient, and Allah is All-Knowing, Most Wise.
Your brother, Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah
03 Jumada al-Akhira 1443 AH Corresponding to 06/01/2022 CE
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