‘Ilm (Science) and understanding (Ma’arifah) OR (Abstract Understanding and Practical Science)
Prof. Hasan Yahya, Professor of Philosophy
Introduction Knowing other language or languages is often a benefit for human being. It is -I think- an critical factor to improve understanding amongst individuals as well as groups. Often, nonetheless, the second to mother tongue language reduces disability to understand the actual meaning of the written language. Because knowing languages without having understanding the culture behind that language gives occasionally misunderstanding of the meaning of the concepts utilized . In this paper, illustration of such misunderstanding is given, then the two Arabic concepts ” ‘ILM and Ma’arifah” are explained. What specifically was misconceived in translation, with no intention of generating that misconception. Some rules concludes the argument about the two concepts. ‘ILM (unlimited information) and Ma’arifah (practical restricted information about something)
The Issue of Translation: Rosenthal brought the following saying about understanding (Ilm) in the forward of his book “Information Triumph “, he says: “AL-’ILMU shay’un la yu’tika ba’dahu hatta tu’tiyahu kullaka, fa-idhá a’taytaho kullaka fa-antá min i’ta’ihi laka l-ba’da, ‘ala khatarin.” (an-Nazzam as quoted by al-Jahiz). Rosenthal Translated the above statement as follows: “KNOWLEDGE is something that will not give part of itself to you until you give your all to it. And when you give your all to it, then you stand a opportunity but you cannot be sure that it will give you that part.” . If you do not the original language, which is in this case Arabic, you might accept Rosenthal translation, and you may well understand what the translation indicates to you or you may possibly not if you do not understand the meaning, which knowledge do you believe was lacking? Yours or the translator’s? Which 1 you consider to be wrong? Is it the original writer or the reader? Believe of this? When I have read the Arabic saying five years ago, I did not comprehend it right away, even I have a degree in Arabic literature, I read it again slowly, and asked myself: What did the author means? The statement was written in English, as a result, I began to transform it into Arabic, I read it ten times, and each and every time I discovered a new broader meaning that that, the 1 just before it. At last I-Think- I understood the statement. Consequently, I want to explain it. Anyway, Rosenthal himself was guessing that he was wrong in the translation specifically the last part of the statement.
Explanation: The English translation have missed an crucial ingredient in the Arabic meaning. To explain what was missing, I will give the following basic question composed into mathematical equations, to illustrate the meaning.
IF exchanging sum of (‘ilm) = all man’s lifetime (1)
THEN All ( ‘ILM ) = (What?) (2)
It equals Sum + Sum + Sum + … or lifetime1 + Lifetime2 + L3 +…. (3)
OR 1000 sums (of ‘ILM) = 1000 lifetime (4)
BUT ‘ILM never comes to an end, which means that all human race lives from Adam to the Day of Judgment will not pay for a complete possession of the unlimited ‘ILM (such ‘ILM is only possessed by Allah-ST, which is the belief of the original author.)
THEN we can deduce the following equation:
All sums of ‘ILM = All human’s lifetime in all generations (5)
Furthermore, here is one more example: It is like an individual lived 100 years, and wanted to purchase a cat which price for example ( US0.00), how much ten bills he requirements to pay the full price of the cat? Suppose each piece of the ten bill, equals one’s lifetime, (in the above example), and the cat (as in the example-indicates ‘ILM). If you realize this reasoning, THEN you will recognize the statement. In conclusion to the above argument, Rosenthal’s translation was incomplete, and may possibly misleading to the point produced by the 1 who said that wisdom.
According to the above reasoning, it would be understood that the idea of ‘ILM can’t be obtained in one’s lifetime, due to the fact it requirements to be obtained in full not parts, so it will take a number of human lifetimes to be completed, and it will never will, due to the fact Human beings may discover some thing these days, or tomorrow, they will remain disabled to get to the end of knowledge-‘ILM. Such capacity far from achieving in one’s or several or all lifetimes .So, following this reasoning, I will present my own understanding for the above statement in Arabic to mean in English, the following:
‘Ilm is (like some thing does not give you some of it, unless you give him back your whole life – efforts and commitments-. When you acquire much more over your limits, (and are already give your lifetime for it, an additional some of ‘ILM needs one more person to continue getting an additional some of understanding-‘ILM. To acquire another chunk of ‘ILM you do not have your lifetime offered after your death, in this case another lifetime is required to continue with information, In such bargain , you want to have one more some, but you cannot get it, due to the fact you can’t offer your lifetime again, you are dead, as human who have only 1 lifetime – it is a weak position), THEN you are in danger, a person else will replace you to give his lifetime for another sum of knowledge.”
This saying can be explained as a wisdom supplied for human beings, to find out about their limitations in terms of time and capacity to acquire information-”ILM, as humans compared to the unlimited ‘ILM of Allah (SWT). ** [ From a long analysis paper on the idea of "Ilm (Science) by the author.]