This video lecture, the fourth in a series on Islamic theology for Muslim educators, delves into epistemology—the theory of knowledge. It explores the sources of knowledge (senses, intellect, transmitted knowledge, revelation, and reference) and how to prioritize them, emphasizing the importance of critical evaluation in decision-making and belief formation.
Sources of Knowledge: The lecture identifies five primary sources of knowledge: senses, intellect ('aql), transmitted knowledge (naql), revelation (wahi), and reference (marja'iyyah). A sixth, less discussed source, is "knowledge by presence."
Degrees of Knowledge: The lecture outlines different degrees of certainty associated with knowledge: yaqīn (certainty), ʾiṭminān (assurance), zann (speculation), šakk (doubt), and wahm (delusion).
Prioritizing Knowledge Sources: The video emphasizes the importance of critically evaluating the source of knowledge to determine its reliability and prioritize information accordingly. Revelation is considered the most powerful source due to its infallibility, followed by the intellect. Sensory knowledge, while valuable, is limited in scope and perspective. Transmitted knowledge is susceptible to error. Reference to experts is important but may involve conflicting opinions.
Intellect's Role: The intellect plays a crucial role in abstracting universal concepts from sensory data, analyzing information, making judgments, and constructing arguments. However, the intellect's judgments can be flawed if based on faulty information.
Knowledge by Presence: This unique type of knowledge refers to direct awareness of certain things, such as one's own existence or the performance of an action (like making a niyyah for prayer), without relying on sensory perception or mental imagery. It is considered infallible.
