Acquiring Knowledge

The concept of knowledge and the principles of teaching Islam is to know Allah, to understand the purpose of creation, and the role as an ‘ummah’. Al-Farabi, Ibn-Sina and al- Ghazali take the same views in asserting that soul as the real essence of man. Therefore, the activity of the soul is to attain the truth about the existence of God through knowledge. Al-Ghazali classifies knowledge into four categories; (a) the knowledge of the self (related to the purpose of the creation of man in this world and what is the meaning of happiness and misery to him, this knowledge is the door to the knowledge of God, (b) the knowledge of the God (nurtures man to love God and lead one to the knowledge of Divine existence), (c) the knowledge of the world and (d) the knowledge of the world after death.

By knowing all these knowledge man can find happiness Man is weak in getting the knowledge of the Supreme Reality, therefore the only way to know Allah is through revelation. Through revelation, knowledge provides a resource for individuals facing uncertainties such as parenting issues, where it can nurture the inner spiritual lives and guidance to purpose, meaning and ethical action.