Islamic Worldview in Comparative Perspective

Humanity's quest to understand the purpose of its existence and the meaning of life has led it in many directions in search of a philosophy that can offer a comprehensive explanation. Metaphorically, a worldview can be described as a lens through which humans perceive themselves and the world around them.

In other words, a worldview is a philosophy of life that guides an individual in how to conduct life in this world. When discussing worldviews, only God knows the exact number followed by people across the globe. Broadly speaking, all worldviews can be classified into three main categories: scientific, philosophical, and religious.

Scientific, Philosophical and Religious Worldviews

Inspired by the scientific maxim that "if a thing cannot be measured, it does not exist," those who adhere to the scientific worldview only recognize what is measurable, observable, visible, and tangible. As such, in the scientific worldview, truth and the realities of life are all that come under the purview of meter reading of all kinds, quantifiable measurement, PH values, etc.

In contrast to the scientific worldview, the philosophical worldview is grounded in the theories and ideas proposed by philosophers. Since it relies on philosophical reasoning, this worldview does not base its understanding of life on a divinely revealed book or the guidance of a prophet or prophets.

The philosophical worldview is mainly based on the speculative thinking of the philosophers, mainly from the West. The tool used by philosophers for arriving at a certain concept of life is through the process of thinking contemplatively and critically.

As the third category, the religious worldview is based on the fundamental teachings of religions. The followers of all major religions of the world follow what is mentioned in the scripture or heavenly book, revealed or not-revealed (like the Buddhist scripture). In the religious worldview, besides the revelation, the followers of such a religion follow the guidance and moral teachings of their prophets or spiritual masters.

Basically, in the religious worldview, you have the concept of God, a religious book which acts as a moral code. Upon outlining the three types of worldviews, I would like to draw the attention of the readers to a brief exploration of what the Islamic worldview encapsulates.

The Islamic Worldview

In all its comprehensiveness, it deals with subject matters such as the cosmology of the universe, the nature of God, angels, revelation, prophets, freedom, death, Sunnatullah (the system or grand design of Allah in the world of reaction), resurrection, eschatology, and the concepts of good and bad, among others. Compared to other worldviews, the Islamic worldview guides humanity in its role as the Khalifah of Allah (the vicegerent of God), as well as in how to conduct its personal and communal life. It outlines the duties man has to carry out in this world.

As a moderate worldview, the Islamic worldview strikes a balance between man's life in this world and his preparation for the afterlife (Akhirah). In Islam, the Dunya and Akhirah (afterlife) aspects of human life are intricately linked. Neglecting either one of the two will prevent the individual from achieving his mission as the Khalifah of Allah.

In the Islamic worldview, an individual Muslim is required to believe in both the physical and metaphysical realities of life. What comprises the unseen realities of man's life will be aspects like Allah, angels, life in the grave, doomsday, Day of Resurrection and Judgment, Paradise, hell-fire, etc. According to the Modern-day philosopher al-Attas (1996), the Islamic worldview is "A metaphysical survey of the visible as well as the invisible worlds, including the perspective of life as a whole."

As a worldview intended for the whole of humanity, the Islamic worldview is not the possession of any single Muslim community. Unlike the Western worldview, it did not arise as a reaction to changes in political, intellectual, or cultural milieus.

Therefore, it does not reflect any particular cultural identity, whether Arab, Indian, Malay, or any other ethnic group. With its universal outlook, the Islamic worldview provides space for every individual and community beneath its canopy. It possesses an inclusiveness that embraces the whole of humanity.

The Islamic worldview's other characteristics include rationality, comprehensiveness, balanced moderation, and monotheism. Since human life, and all other forms of life, begin with Allah's decree and ultimately end by His will, Tawheed stands as the cornerstone of the Islamic worldview. As a balanced and moderate worldview, it does not reject anything beneficial to humanity that emerges from world science and technology.

Rather, it only rejects aspects of modern science that contradict the fundamental and ethical teachings of the Qur'an, such as the Darwinian theory of evolution, the concept of designer babies, and surrogacy. Science and scientific inquiry that aim to improve human life on this planet, as well as to explore God's signs and magnificence in the universe, are fully in harmony with the spirit of the Islamic worldview. Moreover, in the Islamic perspective, science must adhere to divine moral principles; therefore, it is regarded as a value-laden endeavour rather than a value-free one.

Being a comprehensive worldview, the Islamic worldview explains the preexistence of man in his state as a soul, his life mission in this world, including his duties and responsibilities, and how he must prepare to face life in the hereafter. Since the Islamic worldview is centred on God, man is therefore required to embrace a God-centred philosophy of life. In fulfilling his duties and responsibilities in this world, man must uphold truth, fairness, and justice.

As the most honoured creation of Allah, man is obliged to maintain a good relationship with God, with the self, with nature, and with humanity. With an understanding of where he has come from and where he is heading upon completing his earthly mission, an individual becomes more prepared for and accepting of the various eventualities of life. By adopting the Islamic worldview, a person positions himself as one who loves peace and harmony and aspires for peace to prevail throughout the world.

Moreover, such an individual becomes "a man of God," demonstrating an attitude of loving, caring, and sharing toward humanity, as well as toward the flora and fauna.

The views expressed are those of Dr. Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak, Department of Fundamental and Interdisciplinary Studies, AHAS KIRKHS, IIUM, and do not necessarily reflect the views of IslamiCity.