اسلامی اور مغربی علمیات میں ذرائع علم کی بحث؛ ایک تجزیہ

Discussion of Sources of Knowledge in Islamic and Western Epistemology: An Analysis

Abstract

Epistemology deals with the philosophical study of the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge. Many of our intellectual and theoretical problems can be solved in a healthy way when the authenticity of the source of knowledge is appreciated by the opposition. There are usually four possible sources of human knowledge; Reasoning, Experimentation, Intuition and Divine Revelation. This essay examines the concept of knowledge in Islamic and Western Epistemologies, focusing particularly on the authenticity and significance of Divine Revelation as a source of knowledge. After establishing Revelation as the fundamental source of knowledge in Islamic scholarship, other means are also utilized to derive benefits. Through a comparative analysis of key thinkers and texts from both traditions, including the works of Shah Ismael Shah (Shaheed) and Imam Ibn Tamiya (R.A.) in Islamic philosophy, and the ideas of Pre-Socratic philosophers, Plato, Aristotle, Hegel and Descartes in Western philosophy, this essay examines the nature of knowledge, its sources, and the role of Divine Revelation in shaping human understanding. This essay argues that Divine Revelation is a legitimate and essential source of knowledge in Islamic epistemology, complementing and guiding the other three sources: Reason, Experience and Intuition. It highlights the differences and similarities between Islamic and Western thought on the sources of knowledge and demonstrates the significance of Divine Revelation in Islamic thought and its implications for contemporary debates in philosophy, theology, and interfaith dialogue.