The Yassine Cognitive against the Nihilist Homo-erectus: Dimensions of Humans’ Centrality in Imam Abdessalam Yassine’s Vision of Prophetic Method.
Prof. Mohd. Sanaullah al-Nadawi
Abstract
The materialist-Scientism, Nihilism and positivist sociology postulated amid Darwinist-Marxist bandwagons (Charles Darwin 1809-1882, Karl Marx, 1843-1881, etc) and modern global consumerism while approaching the grand question of existence in ontological and sociological perspectives prefers definition of the Human in nihilist perspectives as to metamorphose him into an animal devoid of any extra-physicality and empiricism. On the contrary, Islam stands for ontological projection of humanity from values that make him to be the most venerable among all the creatures: a position enjoyed by him solely because of his faith and noble deeds in absence of which he gets pushed into abyss of disrespect.
Imam Abdessalam Yassine (1928-2012) in his grand mission to reconstruct religious, social and political thought of Islam has augmented the epistemological domains of being with centrality of the human, since it was man who holds the position of Allah’s vicegerent (khalifa:خليفة الله ). This khalifa neither enjoys the position of God nor the Angel nor the Demon. He is the recipient of “Names” (the onto-epistemological vision) from Allah (و علم آدم الأسماء ). Ontologically, he represents a sphere of existential hierarchy: creatio ex-nihilio (creation out of nothing), hence he is devoid of any substance of eternity, and therefore, is governed by the laws of nature and promulgations of cosmic theology best illustrated in Imān (Faith) Islām (Submission) as elaborated in all their cognitive, theological, social, moral, economic and political, even aesthetic aspects enumerated in ten characters (الخصال العشر ), from companion and group to action, beatific silence, economy (non-extravagance) , and finally jihad (strife in all its forms). The centrality of Man in Imam Yassine’s vision of Minhāj an-Nabawi becomes visible as early as man appears in this world in the cradle of his parents who along with society take care of his material bodily existence, imbibing in him a sense of affiliation to a community with a mission, to a faith amid a faithful and striving vigilant believer group. This single attribute is a combination of eleven provisions: love of God and His Messenger, mutual love in God, company and reverence of the faithful, representing the Prophetic model in relation to the people within and outside family, nice conduct with parents, relatives and friends, marriage as per Islamic rules and fulfillment of its obligations, Man’s familial headship and woman’s privacy, hospitality to peignoir and guest, safeguard of Muslims’ rights and reconciliation among peoples, and, finally, benevolence and ethical soundness.
The paper would endeavor to synchronize the onto-epistemological and social centrality of man in Imam Imam Yassine’s grand vision of Islamic worldview within parlance of Al-Minhāj an-Nabawi that accords him greater value while defining the praxis of all related to human individual and society from matter and extra-matter. It approaches the theme as chiefly illustrated in Imam’s books such as Method of Prophet-hood (منهاج النبوة ), Prolegomena on Method (مقدمات فى المنهاج), Leadership of the Muslims (إمامة الأمة ), and Islam and Modernity (الإسلام و الحداثة), Tract on Epistemology (الرسالة العلمية), etc.