The Sound Culture in Islam: ‘Ilm and Ma‘rifa

Abstract

In the course of history, Islam has developed two kinds of knowledge, ‘ilm and ma‘rifa. In this article, I will examine the sound culture in Islam with reference to ‘ilm and ma‘rifa.

‘Ilm traditionaly means the knowledge and science related to the Qur’an and the Hadith; it designates today the general sciences as well. It is formal knowledge which can be acquired by learning and study. ‘Ulama’ are the scholars who have thus acquired ‘ilm. Ma‘rifa, on the other hand, is the gnosis or intuitive knowledge given directly by God to the Sufis or Muslim mystics, through their spiritual exercises or ascetic practices. The Sufi movement came into being from the mid eighth century, emphasizing the inner aspect of faith and protesting against the legalistic formalism of the ‘Ulama'.

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