The tawhidi epistemology is constructed from Islamic sources.    It grounds the reconstructed disciplines.

1. Wahy is usually translated as ‘revelation’ and confounded with ‘inspiration.’ In what way can this be problematic from an Islamic point of view ? Can you define "Wahy" and explain whether and in what way it can be a valid source of knowledge. What kind of knowledge does Wahy provide? What do you understand by an epistemology that conjoins revealed knowledge and empirical knowledge? ‘manhaj al jam’ bayn-al-qira-atain’?
   
2. An integrated and holistic perspective on life calls for a paradigm shift that brings with it a radical revaluation of the sources of knowledge in the modern world as well as the purpose of knowledge. In what way does the tawhidi episteme fulfill this condition?
   
3. In the absence of the vertical bearings of a culture, all sense of direction, orientation and measure founders. Discuss the notion of culture-types and the bearings of a culture in a practical context.
   
4. Skepticism is the inevitable outcome of a "self-sufficient knowledge": In what ways are some of our conventional Qur'anic insights on the human condition deepened by a critical study of our human intellectual legacy? Conversely, how does a familiarity with trends in a perennial debate on knowledge and values point us to revealed knowledge as necessary arbiter and ultimate source of guidance?
   
5. The "cosmic orphan" is the logical endpoint for ‘man’ in a culture that takes for its center the ideal of the autonomous individual. Comment. (Cue: The ‘ultimate questions’ in light of different world views)
   
6. The idea of tawhid as nodal nexus is rooted in an understanding of knowledge and action embedded in the Quran, exemplified in the Sunnah, and reinforced in the practice of daily Muslim life by virtue of the ‘pillars of the faith.’ It takes a conscious, critical reflection to see the connections, and draw on their implications for renewing our lives as individuals and as a community.

•             Comment in light of your experience.
•             How can you relate this meaning to your own work or profession?

Choose three of the above questions. Read carefully and think before you answer. Wherever a term is underlined you are expected to define it, or elaborate on the concept and meaning. Examples, practical and from the literature you have been assigned, as well as other literature, should be incorporated in your answers. Answers should be between 3 – 5 double spaced pages.

 

General Guidelines on the Film Review

("CONTACT" (Jody Foster) BASED ON THE BOOK BY CARL SAGAN)*

The objective of this exercise is to see how far you can read a ‘visual text’ in the light of the perspectives we have addressed during the Course. It is a practical test of how much we have learned, and how we are able to apply what we learned. The purpose of this course is to make us more aware: more conscious of what we know, how we know, and how we relate what we know, or use our knowledge. It also aimed at introducing us to new and critical perspectives drawing on the epistemology of tawhid. How far have we become sensitized to what tawhid means and how far has our awareness of tawhid made us more sensitive / and more aware of the prevailing world view identified with "modernity"?

While throughout this Course you have worked on ideas and concepts mainly in an abstract context, on the basis of reading printed material, and while we may have occasionally referred to examples from life, a film brings to life these ideas in its plot, action, characters. This is particularly so, if the film addresses itself to some of the ‘perennial’ questions or throws light on some of the high points of an age. The film chosen for this exercise meets these conditions, while at the same time, it is not too difficult to follow.

For every film there is a text and a ‘subtext’. The subtext provides a window on the worldview and horizons of its times. The film designated for this exercise belongs to the category of science fiction, a selection made in view of the need to test some of the basic epistemological themes and propositions raised during the Course. Your review will be evaluated in the light of how far you identify these issues, as well as on your general presentation of the theme/ themes and arguments you make and how you can apply course perspectives in this review.