Through philosophy, people are able to explore for the concept like meaning of life, knowledge, morality, reality, the existence of god, consciousness, politics, religion, economics, art, linguistics. philosophy has no bounds. I think here stated words meaningfully described the philosophy.
As we recognized from the above passage, we knew that philosophy has no bounds and limits. Even though there are many types of philosophy viz Islāmic philosophy, Greek philosophy, western philosophy etc. among them aspects of Islāmic philosophies are scattered into other like mystic philosophy, social philosophy.
Philosophers and Sufis added and counted Ibn Arabi in this first stage i;e mystic philosophy. Mystical philosophy discusses in past and present alike. Jalaludheen Rumi also has salient level in this mystical hierarchy. The philosophy also discussed in east and west, usually called oriental philosophy for eastern philosophy.
In this gesture, more Muslim scholars and non- Muslim scholars have researched in this specific area alike. At this time i have to discuss about Toshiko Izutsu, who is closely related to topic.
Toshihiko Izutsu
May 4, 1914 was the great non- Muslim Islāmic philosophical scholar's birth. After his all studies he specially focused on semantic study, so that he becomes professor in various linguistic universities. His life-long discussed through Islāmic philosophy and other. And specially focused in metaphysics. In brief, here drags out his intellectual biography.
Toshihiko Izutsu is one of the eminent figures of Japanese Muslim scholars. He also known as Izutsu Toshihiko. He was a professor Emeritus at Keio University in Japan and a well-known author of many books those are deeply embedded in Islāmic theology and other religions. For a long time, he was the professor at the institute of Cultural and Linguistic studies at Keio University in Tokyo, and was taught at the Iranian institute of Philosophy in Tehran, and McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He was expert in more than 30 languages.
Life and Academic Career
Toshihiko Izutsu was a talented professor at Keio University in Japan and he was an outstanding authority in the metaphysical and philosophical wisdom schools of Islāmic Sufism, Hindu Advaita Vedanta, Mahayana Buddhism, and specially in Zen Buddhism and Philosophical Taoism. He was mastered in the field of foreign languages and he is fluent in more than 30 languages; including Persian, Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese, Russian and Greek.
His traveling research was mainly focused in such places as the Middle East (especially Iran) India, Europe, North America, and Asia were undertaken with a view to developing a meta-philosophical approach to comparative religion based upon an accurate linguistic study of traditional metaphysical texts. Izutsu often stated his beliefs that harmony could be encouraged between peoples by demonstrating that many beliefs with which a community identified itself. And another salient feature of his works is that he usually used semantic methodology in his works.
The world of the Izutsu is more intellectually discussed in his work "God and man in Qurʾān semantics of the Qurʾānic weltanschauung" . He begins with the historically and empirically given; he doesn't have direct access to any religious experience except his own. However, Joachin Wach and others have insisted, there is a possibility of understanding the nature and content of religious experience by an empathetic, probing and systematic examination of its expressions. When he completed his work "God and man in Qurʾān ; semantics of the Qurʾānic weltanschauung" some non-secular intellectuals and rigid intellectuals have critically approached to it. My main purpose in this piece of work of Izutsu's ethical approach on Qurʾān is not to criticize him as some Islamists had done. For example Montgommery watts’ review on god and man Qurʾān and the concept of belief in Islāmic theology.
In his other book "Sufism and Taoism" he dragged the structural comparison between the world of sufism represented by mystic philosophical scholar Ibn Arabi and the world view of taoism represented by Lao-Tzu. izutsu aslo stressed that Islam wasn't the religion of desert and it was based on a truly urban understanding of the world.
Methodology used in Qurʾān studies
The book ‘god and man in Qurʾān’ firstly published in 1964. He used the semantic methodology to interpret the Qurʾānic key words in this work. At the outset, Dr. Izutsu gives us his idea of the science of linguistics or semantics through which he wishes to understand the Qur'an, "Semantics as I understand it is an analytic study of the key terms of a language with a view to arriving eventually at a conceptual grasp of the weltanschauung or world-view of the people who use that language".
"Semantics, also called semiotics, semology, or semasiology, the philosophical and scientific study of meaning in natural and artificial languages. The term is one of a group of English words formed from the various derivatives of the Greek verb sēmainō (“to mean” or “to signify”). The noun semantics and the adjective semantic are derived from sēmantikos (“significant”); semiotics (adjective and noun) comes from sēmeiōtikos (“pertaining to signs”); semiology from sēma (“sign”) + logos (“account”); and semasiology from sēmasia (“signification”) + logos" (Britannica dictionary)
Izutsu’s approach to Qurʾān is like a philosophical perspective that blends with anthropology and leads to linguistic methodological tools.
Semantic study of the Qur'an would, therefore, be an analytical study of the key-terms of the Qur'an. Dr. Izutsu makes it abundantly clear that by a study of the key-terms is not merely meant just a mechanical analysis of these terms or concepts in isolation or as static units but even more importantly includes their living, contextual import, as they are used in the Qur'an.
Izutsu, Orientalism, and Qurʾānic Studies
Some Arab researchers have identified four factors in this temptation to give consideration to orientalist studies. One, they considered it to stem from curiosity to know the opinions of non-Muslim thinkers regarding Islam, its scripture and prophet. Two, they thought that it aimed to answer arguments stemming from those who were prejudiced against Islam, against the prophecy of its prophet and his connection with the Qurʾān, in addition to refuting and disclosing their allegations, and showing the truth behind their so-called religious, scientific or historical surveys which hide colonialist and crusading tendencies. Third, they considered it in order to draw attention to linguistic, scientific or historical mistakes, some of which were made out of ignorance, misunderstanding, narrow-mindedness, or far-fetched assumptions. Four, they wished to make use of their research, especially those studies which show freedom from the ideological pressures of the colonialist church, and are characterized by a scientific approach free from emotion and preconceived judgments.
Arab perspective in Izutsu's studies
Many Arab researches had studied about the theoretical method which Izutsu used to approach Qurʾānic studies. Some are done it in a good and other criticized Izutsu's thus studies, but it is not to looking his semantic methodology rather he is a non- Muslim.
The year 2007 witnessed the release of two translations of Izutsu’s book God and Man in the Qurʾān, one published by al-Munaẓẓama al-ʿArabiyya li’l-Tarjama in Beirut, and the other by Dār al-Multaqā in Aleppo. This was followed in 2009 by the release of the Arabic translation of Izutsu’s book Ethico-religious Concepts in the Qurʾān. 2010 witnessed the release of the Arabic translation of The Concept of Belief in Islāmic Theology. These two latter works were also published by Dār al-Multaqā. This late translation was the great sorrowful thing to Arab academicians.
Toshihiko Izutsu had introduced his Qurʾānic view more in his work God and Man in Qurʾān which has translated to Arabic (Allah val Insan fil Qurʾān- 2005). He also believed, after avoiding the pre- concept on Allah, that Allah is the focus word in the holly Qurʾān. So, he semantically analyzed this word Allah.
Firstly he says in the fourth chapter of ‘God and man in Quran’ that the first problem of prophet (pbuh) was to face jahili who were believed 'the God', word god was usually used in pre- Islāmic era. Beside of this, in greek it is used as 'he theos' which means ‘the god’. So, when the Qurʾān describes about Allah by using the word 'the God' (ilah), they were recognized that it is ours (jahili) god. So Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) specially focused in this controversial thing to change that concept and to teach that the Qurʾān is teaching Allah, the creator,. While Islam mentioned Allah in a particular meaning, Jew and Christians similarly thought the word 'Allah' for their God. So, if prophet (pbuh) described about Allah to pagan Arab, they recognized as their lord. In this term, if we ask who is the creator of the world to pagan arabs they would say 'Allah'. But semantically the inner meaning is utterly different. Izutsu called this kind of people as "Temporary monotheists"
I think such kind of temporary monotheism was the great bias of pre- Islāmic Arabs to Islam. Because i think in this term prophet have only to change their misunderstanding. Toshihiko Izutsu was believed that Allah is the important and being existence in all time.
From the responses of a number of researchers of the Qurʾān over the last years, it has become apparent that Izutsu’s studies have a great importance because, through their theoretical and applied principles. He forms the basis of a new and scientific approach to studying the Qurʾān. This essay will shed light in details.
In Qurʾānic philosophical weltanschauung or world view there is only one being essential existence in here that is Allah. Broadly he said in his work and which had presented at the fifth east- west philosophers' conference in Hawaii (June- July 1969) "the basic structure of metaphysical thinking in Islam" that from the viewpoint of the highest Mystic- philosopher, even the people of this type, when they experience the vision of the Absolute, are actually doing nothing but perceiving the Absolute as it ്is reflected in the phenomenal things. But dazzled by the excess of light issuing forth from the Absolute, they are not aware of the phenomenal things in which it is reflected. Just as, in the case of the people of the first class, the Absolute served as the mirror reflecting upon its polished surface all the phenomenal things, so in the present case the phenomenal things serve as mirrors reflecting the Absolute. In either case, man usually takes notice of the images in the mirror, and the mirror itself remains unnoticed.
Izutsu stated at the beginning of God and Man in the Qurʾān, when speaking about the main reason that prompted him to embark on the study: ‘I was guided by the hope that i might still be able to contribute something new to a better understanding of the Qurʾānic message to its own age and to us’.
In his book, He determined that the Islam is truth but psychologically the nature of the human is turning away from the truth. For this semantic
analysis of Allah he also used and dragged here some relevant Arabic poems of pagan- Arabs too. After he studied and learned Arabic language he didn't forget to translate the holly Qurʾān to Japanese. And it was the first translation in Japan from Asia as well as World.
View of Sāmir Rashwānī in Izutsu
Syrian researcher Sāmir Rashwānī, a lecturer in the Faculty of Sharīʿa at the University of Aleppo, in the context of an essay published on the internet entitled ‘“Allāh wa’l-insān fī’l-Qurʾān:” tajriba majhūla fī ʿilm al-dalāla’ (‘God and Man in the Qurʾān’: An Unfamiliar Experiment in Semantics’). When Rashwānī introduces Izutsu’s book God and Man in the Qurʾān, he summarizes the main idea of the book by saying: The Qurʾān’s message, its worldview, and philosophy about existence are found in its vocabulary – key-words, or more precisely in the connotations found in the vocabulary used by the Qurʾān to explain its message. A semantic study of these key-words will unveil the change in the connotations the Qurʾānic usage has introduced in pre-Islāmic Arabic, giving these key-words a new worldview and a different philosophy.
After reading the Qurʾān he divides the relations between man and man into 7 points as Qurʾān separately stated. These concepts may be conveniently classified into seven sub-fields: (1) marital relations comprising concepts that relate to marriage, divorce, adultery and fornication; (2) parents-children relations, comprising the duties of parents towards children, and the duties of children towards their parents, and regulations concerning adoption; (3) laws of inheritance; (4) criminal laws concerning particularly murder, theft, and retaliation; (5) commercial relations comprising concepts of contract, debt, usury, bribery, and justice in commercial dealings; (6) laws concerning charity, i.e., alms, legal and voluntary; (7) laws concerning slaves.
From the responses of a number of Arab researches of the Qurʾān over the last three years, it has become apparent that Izutsu's studies are of great importance and preference, because through their theoretical and applied principles they form the basis of a new and scientific approach to studying the Qurʾān.
By using specific poems and versus from Qurʾān and history Izutsu determined that Dunya is lower and comparably hereafter is great. Izutsu semantically analyzed about the meaning of Dunya, He analyzed the word 'Dunya', which constantly used in Qurʾān, from its beginning form. Dunya formed from 'Dunuvv' which refers to low or lower. So, he added that the Qurʾānic Weltanschauung is no giving any preference to dunya ie this phenomenal world. And it described as a theosophical concept of Qurʾān.
Returning to Izutsu, His English works including God and Man in the Qurʾān, Ethico -religious Concepts in the Qurʾān, The Concept of Belief in Islāmic Theology, Sufism and Taoism: A Comparative Study of Key Philosophical Concepts and The Concept and Reality of Existence are used semantic methodology. In Japanese, he wrote History of Islāmic Thought, Mystical Philosophy, Islāmic Culture, Consciousness and Essence, Cosmos and Anti-Cosmos and others. He also translated the Qurʾān into Japanese.
In another point, as an existential approach to Qurʾān he said that Allah is full time being as i early mentioned and he is the only being worthy to be called being in the full sense of the world. As the result of humble reading of the holly Qurʾān, Izutsu demonstrated that the Insan and God are completely dichotomy. Here a question arises that then how people could communicate to Allah. Because the people could only communicate and speak to people i;e man to man. And Allah couldn't speak to those who are lower position in sufi stage (sorry for attributes ‘couldn't’ to Allah, whereas Allah is in ‘could’).
In this discourse, how the Qurʾān revealed from Allah to prophet by saying prophet is man like us. Here, we say prophet is like a common man. But he had special stage, as prophet hood. In this gesture, Toshihiko Izutsu divided the nature of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) into two part, nature and super nature. A man can’t speak to the Angel of Allah in his natural form.
However, in the case of the Qur'anic Revelation, the first hindrance regarding a common sign-system was removed by the fact that the Arabic language was chosen by God Himself as the common sign-system between God and man. But the second, ontological, hindrance was not of such a nature that it could be removed so easily. For here genuine linguistic communication does occur between two levels of being that are worlds apart and between which lies an infinite distance of essential separation. And yet God speaks to man, and man hears the words and understands them. And that is Revelation. How should we account for this extraordinary phenomenon? Here, Toshihiko izutsu put forward about the system of nature and super nature. That at time of revelation prophet (pbuh) will be in super natural form, it would help him to hear the words of wahy, which Allah sends down through his Angel.
Izutsu's Qurʾānic approach studies aren’t lasting. But here i can’t drag that all because of word long. At last this article discusses about the four-fold relation between god and man. These four- fold relations were discussed exactly from his age to current. It is a principle point of Izutsu which he found from Qurʾān. In this part he described about jahili as there is no dramatic form because no spiritual tension running through the whole world. A jahili can't approach and find Allah, the absolute. Here these relations are;- (i) God is the creator of man; (ii) He communicates His Will to man through Revelation; (iii) there subsists a Lord-servant relationship between God and man and (iv) the concept of God as the God of goodness and mercy (for those who are thankful to Him) and the God of wrath (for those who reject Him). The believers in this fourfold relationship between Allah and man constitute a Community (Ummah Muslimah) by themselves and believe in the Last Day, Paradise and Hell. Dr. Izutsu's description of the historical evolution of these concepts in pre-Islāmic Arabia up to the appearance of Islam is quite rich and valuable.
According to the Qurʾān, Izutsu demonstrated about the form of communication to Allah. In communication relation to Allah there have two forms verbal and non- verbal, and it also have two types, above to below and below to above. The above to below system is in form of revelation and the Ayats. Simultaneously, below to above communication is in the form of supplication, other worship and reciting Qurʾān.
Conclusion
As we understand in this short write-up izutsu’s semantic approach of Qurʾān gave a serious consideration. And it helped more western
Points helpers;-
God and man Qurʾān; a semantic study of Qurʾān - toshihiko izutsu
Izutsu’s study of the Qurʾān from an arab perspective – Eisa al akaub- university of Aleppo
Semantics of the Qurʾān; a consideration of izutsu’s study- Harry b partin
How toshihko made me understand islam- Monira al qadiri
The basic structure of metaphysical thinking in islam- Toshiko izutsu – Hawai presentation
PG thesis; Essence and existence special reference to toshihiko izutsu- Hashir madappally- Darul huda Islāmic Univesity india
Al- yabani- izutsu wa’l- ru ya- al Qurʾāniyya lil- aalam (the japanese izutsu and the quranic world view)- Masjid- Dahir
Istikdam ilm- al- dalala fi fahm al- Qurʾān; qira;a fi tajribat al- bahit al- yabani toshihiko izutsu (using semantics in understanding the Qurʾān; a reading in the experience of the Japanese researcher toshihiko izutsu)- abd- al rahman hilali
Allah wa’l – insan- fil- Qurʾān; tajriba majhula fi- ilm al- dalala (god and man in the Qurʾān; an unfamiliar experiment in semantics)- samir rashwani
MOHAMMED JURAIS
COMMENTS