An article review on

“A RETURN TO THE QUR’ĀNIC PARADIGM OF

DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATED KNOWLEDGE: THE
ŪLŪ AL-ALBĀB MODEL” BY MOHD KAMAL HASAN

BY

Khaleeda bt Zahri (G1922286)

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Che Amnah bt Bahari

Department of Usuluddin and Comparative Religion

Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and

Human Sciences

Semester 2, 2020/2021

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In an article written by Mohd Kamal Hasan in 2010, a prominent concept was introduced as

one of the means to tackle the problems that lies within the Muslims society. The article in

brief is a useful source for Muslims to acknowledge as it touches on a familiar yet important

issue, development and modernity. However, it has distinct itself by providing an

understanding from the perspectives of Islam. In the article, the author had forwarded the idea

of returning to the Quranic paradigm of development and integrated knowledge through the

model of Ulu al-Albab. Along with it, Hasan as well highlighted few other ideas related to his

main idea. Such could be seen when he mentioned on the failure of the secular paradigm. As

mentioned, the secular and modernistic paradigm which missed the spiritual and ethical aspects

has somewhat led to serious setbacks including the 2009 global economic and social crisis.

Other ideas forwarded by Hasan is to view and understand development within the concept of

Tawhid or the Oneness of Allah. This is what he called as the Islamic perspective of

development.

Therefore, standing with the author, it is undeniable that Islam came with the

comprehensive and balanced concept of development. Islamic perspective of development is

one of the alternatives for the problems of perhaps, such as secular humanism that emerged as

one of the products of the secular and modernistic paradigm; where human is placed as the

centre along with the overthrow of the role and purpose of God. Thus, one can witness the

efforts of early Muslim thinkers in reconciling between two aspects, revelation and reason.

Such examples could be seen through Muhammad Abduh, Jamaluddin al-Afghani, Rashid Rida

or Sayyid Ahmad Khan. According to these scholars, Muslims should be able to balance

between religion and modernity without neglecting either of these two aspects. Therefore,

aligned with what has been elucidated by Hasan in his article, the concept of Ulu al-Albab is

one of the comprehensive models to instil the Quranic paradigm of integrated knowledge and

integrated intellectuals within the mind of modern and contemporary Muslims.

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 Three other alternatives will be explained to show the relevance of Ulu al-Albab in the

application in one’s life. Firstly, Ulu al-Albab suggested to emphasize on how to understand

the concept of sufferings in Islam through many means. For instance, one can know a proper

way of facing life difficulties through the stories of the prophets, just as mentioned by Hasan

in the article, one can reap a lot of benefits from the difficulties faced by Prophet Ayyub.

Having a proper perception towards life sufferings and difficulties has a strong connection with

one’s faith. One should acknowledge that one of the factors contributed to the cases of apostasy

is the misunderstanding or the failure of Muslims in interpreting their life struggles. In most

cases, Muslims who fail to understand the proper concept of suffering will begin to question

God as they had perceived their life struggles and difficulties solely as a punishment or God’s

abandonment.1 One might question as well the concept of God who is justice while it should

never be questioned when one has properly grasped the true meaning of life tribulation.

Therefore, Muslims who have the mind of Ulu al-Albab surely will contemplate and

ponder upon the struggle faced by Prophet Ayyub when he has suffered a serious disease that

he had patiently endured for 18 years. Prophet Ayyub’s disease however has affected him in 3

things; his body, his family and his wealth. However, throughout his suffering, never at once

Prophet Ayyub complained neither blaming Allah for what he faced. An example from today’s

context is the importance of Muslims in understanding the virus of Covid-19. A proper

understanding will guide one on how to respond properly. Muslims who maximize his thinking

ability will realize that no human being can escape any test, especially diseases as even prophets

too were tested. At the end, Allah will replace the hardship with pleasure and double one’s

sustenance and reward if one truly understand the proper concept of life tribulation. Through

it, Muslims can protect and strengthen their faith to Allah since one’s action is definitely be

1. Suleiman Hani, “The Problem of Evil: A Multifaceted Islamic Solution,” Yaqeen, Yaqeen Institute
for Islamic Research, April 20, 2020, accessed July 15, 2020, https://yaqeeninstitute.org/suleiman-hani/the-
problem-of-evil-a-multifaceted-islamic-solution/.

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directed by one’s thought. Hence, the cases of apostasy caused by facing life difficulties can

be avoided.

Secondly, the mind of Ulul al-Albab invited Muslims to see the beauty of Allah that

lies under His creations that surrounded one’s life. Discussing it in the current context, one

should see how the nature has been used at its fullest capacity without mercy by mankind. Of

which, it proves on the greedy of mankind to achieve one of the aims in the plan of secular

modernity and development as it demolished God from the context. Muslims by right, should

not fail to link the relationship between environment and God as Islam highly emphasizes and

concerns on the responsibility of man in protecting the nature. In fact, nature also plays it role

in reminding people on the contemporary state of what one is living in. Again however, the

ability to comprehend the beauty and wisdom behind the nature could only be accomplished

through the minds of Ulul al-Albab. Relying wholly to the secular paradigm of development

will lead to one’s broken relationship with nature. According to Sayyed Hossein Nasr, a

Muslim figure who actively engages with environmental issue, science is a tool for the

development and modernity that has endangered the nature.2 Thus, there comes religion in

reconciliating the relationship between man and nature which then lead to the discussion of

urging modern Muslims to go back to Islam.

When one fail to truly comprehend the creation of nature and the wisdom lies within it,

one will surely fail to preserve the beauty of it. Therefore, this will lead to destruction and

environmental crisis too. In relation with Ulul al-Albab as what has been elucidated by Allah

through many verses in al-Quran, it is the characteristic of Ulul al-Albab to be engaged with

the action of contemplating, reflecting and deep thinking on the creations of Allah. Therefore,

2. Md. Abu Sayem, “Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s Works on Environmental Issues: A Survey,” Islamic
Studies 58, no. 3 (2020): 439-51,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338657633_Seyyed_Hossein_Nasr's_Works_on_Environmental_Issue
s_A_Survey.

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by critically analyzing the nature, one will reach to the comprehension on the relationship

between man, nature and God.

Thirdly, Ulul al-Albab brought Muslims to defeat those who challenged Prophet

Muhammad and his teachings. Recently, in Malaysia, few Muslims were “taken” to believe the

claims of Ibu Yanti who interpreted the creeds of Islam peculiarly. Among her controversial

claims were doubting the originality of the current and present al-Quran, questioning the

apostleship of Prophet Muhammad and claiming that Surah al-Fatiha is not from the verses of

Allah. Clearly, the figure has challenged and was questioning Islamic creeds and thus, tried to

encourage Muslims to have the same path of her thinking. Hence, it is highly important for

Muslims to be able to distinguish between rights and falsities. It is in the characteristics of Ulul

al-Albab too, to firmly know and acknowledge whatever comes from Prophet is from Allah

and therefore, it is undeniably true. For example, Muslims by right should understand the

concept of al-Quran as the only miracle of Prophet Muhammad which will remain until today

and will be preserved by Allah until the Final Day.

Thinking with the minds of Ulul al-Albab will help Muslims nowadays to interpret a

certain issue meticulously and properly instead of just accepting it without any firm basis. This

is highly important especially if it concern on the issue of aqidah and ibadah.