This
comprehensive idea about the universe (all that exists), the human and life
which is used to understand the meaning of the life of this world and which has
arisen from a comprehensive and examining view of the universe, man and life is
what has been called the Aqeedah. This is where the Aqeedah has been defined
as: ‘The comprehensive idea about the universe, man and life and about what is
before the life and what is after it, and their relationship altogether with
what is before the life and their relationship with what is after the life’.
Due to this the Aqeedah is the only path to generate the correct concepts about
the life of the world and to understand this period of time that the human
spends in the life, in addition to understanding the meaning of his existence
and what he must do. This means that it is the Aqeedah that defines for him his
viewpoint in life and from it the systems that regulate his life emanate, in addition
to the controls or principles that govern his conduct and behaviours. It is
therefore the Qaa’idah Al-Asaasiyah (The fundamental principle/basis) upon
which all of his thoughts are built as it has not left out anything that the
senses can fall upon except that it has been included by the comprehensive idea
which has arisen from a scrutinised and researched view. It has provided a
complete answer whether this relates to his conduct or his thoughts.
This
is because it is the fundamental principle and as we have stated thoughts
represent judgements upon things, realities or events. This comprehensive idea
covers everything that can fall upon the senses and as such is a fundamental
principle (basis) to judge upon anything or any matter in existence as these
matters are considered as being parts of this complete and comprehensive view
for everything that is in existence. As for his actions and behaviours which
must be in line with his viewpoint that he has formulated about life and the
meaning of his existence in it, then these are branches resulting from the knowledge
or understanding of his relationship with what was before the life and his
final destination after the life. It is therefore inevitable for all of his
actions and behaviours to be branches that have emanated from his knowledge and
understanding about his relationship as a human with that which was before the
life of the world i.e. the relationship of the human with what was before the
life meaning with the one who brought him into existence into the life upon
this universe.
An
issue remains: Is every Aqeedah suitable for Nahdah (revival)? And is every Aqeedah
correct? Every comprehensive thought about the universe, the human and the life,
what is before the life and what is after it and about the relationship of what
was before the life and the relationship of what is after it, meaning any
Aqeedah, is suitable to be a basis for revival because it comprises a
fundamental (basic) principle for things and matters, a fundamental principle
for relationships in addition to being the basis of a viewpoint in life in
addition to providing the answer to the meaning of life. Following from this it
draws out a path for the carrier of this thought to proceed in the way of
revival, meaning elevation from one state or condition to a better one for the individual
or society.
Therefore
the Aqeedah that encompasses all of these bases can act as a basis for revival
and indeed revival cannot be completed except by it and upon it. If however the
Aqeedah was deficient or restricted to a certain aspect to the exclusion of
another and neglected something that necessarily needed to be included, then in
that case it would not be suitable. Indeed it would not be valid to call it an
Aqeedah based upon the definition and if it has been called an Aqeedah then
this has only been done by way of Majaaz (metaphorical and not a true meaning
of its reality). As for the question of whether it is a correct thought or
correct principle that leads to a correct revival and the transferring of an individual
or society to a better condition or state, then this requires establishing a
Daleel (evidence) upon the correctness of the thought or principle and
establishing proof in relation to that.
Download the book An-Nahdah (Revival) from here
or here