HIKMAH - حكمة ‎

 

Literally: Knowledge, philosophy, the principles of personal and social life, an ultimate, occult cause or motive for existence or occurrence, a point of knowledge as to an ultimate cause, a point of wisdom. A system of philosophy; science.

As an Islamic Term: Knowledge about the essence, nature and fundamentals of everything. Knowledge about the universe and all things within it. Knowledge about the reasons and purposes of the existence of the universe and creatures. The mysteries and Ilahî purposes of the universe and creatures on which their creation and existence rely. The universal principles upon which events rely.

For example, when a person makes something, he makes it for certain purposes and aims. These purposes and aims can be known in two ways. One is to know these purposes and aims by being informed of the maker himself. The other way is to know them through personal understanding and material experiences without being mindful of its maker’s information. There are no doubts in the first way. But in the second way, staying away from doubts is impossible. The first is the Qur’anic way of hikmah, and the second is the way of philosophy.

(2:32,120) (3:61) (10:93) (13:37) (19:43) (22:54) (28:80) (29:49) (30:56) (34:6) (42:14) (45:17) (46:23) (58:11) (67:26)

We can understand and take instruction from the universal meanings of these and similar âyahs of the Qur’an that Allah is the only owner of the true, azalî and eternal ‘ilm, haqq and hikmah; He gives and sends from them to man as much as He wishes, and man’s duty is to learn this given true ‘ilm and act upon it with his particular will.

For man, hikmah is the wasat degree of quwwa al-aqliyyah in as-sirât al-mustaqîm. Knowledge and capability to distinguish between haqq and bâtil.

وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ اُو۫تِىَ خَيْرًا كَث۪يرًۜا

(He who has been given hikmah, has been given great khayr.) (2:269)

(Please refer to The Twelfth Word)