The religious knowledge (Ilm-ud-deen) encompases naql and reformed aql

Abstract

The knowledge in Islam is not isolated, inaccessible, unapproachable set of facts and information as it embraces a complete and undiluted information, facts and evidence which human beings could seize and embrace to discover the true goal of the life and realize it. The life goal in Islam is not defined in a narrow sense as it encompasses both the material and spiritual needs of human beings. It does not appear only to seek facts and information on how to create material benefits for the worldly needs without setting out the equilibrium between the material needs and spiritual needs which are indispensably important for human beings to achieve maximum satisfaction in terms of satisfying both physical and spiritual needs. Islam strikes a right balance between human beings’ physical and spiritual needs by requiring them to seek knowledge to achieve them, so that they could become closer to their Creator who is the origin of all knowledge. For this purpose, acquiring of both revealed knowledge (Nakl) and acquired knowledge (Akl) which includes both physical and non-physical sciences, are indispensably necessary. Two essential factors which are necessary for acquiring Aql are the human’ ingenuity and availably of natural and productive resources. Both these factors are creations of Allah and His great blessing for human beings. Hence, Nakl and Aql together must be regarded and grabbed as the great combination to establish a prosperous, just and equitable human society in this world as commanded by the preaching of Islam through Nakl.