Islamization of Knowledge: Islamic Literature

     In Islamic Literature, we learn about literary works written by Muslim scholars. We chose this subject as our theme because we think that it is our responsibility as Muslim students learning literature to acknowledge and glorify the Muslim scholars, since they are not known amongst students specifically and Muslims generally. Some of these scholars are Ibn Hazm, Rumi, Jami, Sari Mehmed Pasha, Nizam al-Mulk, Ibn Batuttah and many others.

     After learning about Islamic Literature, we are exposed to many Islamic writers. All this while, we never thought that there are a large number of Islamic writers with good artworks out there. We've been so busy studying Western's literature. The degree of ignorance is very high among Muslim youth. Even Madonna acknowledges Rumi's work - one of the greatest Muslim love poets.

     We believe the reason for this enthusiasm in learning Islamic literature was born after realizing and reflecting on how we are too absorbed in anything Western that we abandon nearly everything Islam. We always look forward to the Western world, undeniably we memorize English literary works like William Shakespeare, John Keats, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf, Anne Bradstreet and etc. However, how many of us even know Firdawsi, Al-Ghazali, Ibn Khaldun and etc?

     After being exposed to so many great Muslim writers, it was hard to choose our favorite writers or works because all of these works are special in their own ways. For example, in Ibn Hazm's Falling in Love, he writes about the symptoms of falling in love. It is a very interesting work of Ibn Hazm. He simply writes about normal things that could happen to anyone and make it so beautiful. Sometimes, a great work of literature does not have to talk about complicated things, but just focus on things that are around us, and make it beautiful. An example from Falling in Love reads;

"The lover will direct his conversation to the beloved even when he purports, however earnestly, to address another: the affection is apparent to anyone with eyes to see. When the loved one speak, the lvoer listens with rapt attention to his every word; he marvels at everything the beloved says, however extraordinary and absurd his observations may be; he believes him implicitly even when he is clearly lying, agrees with him though he is obviously in the wrong, testifies on his behalf for all that he may be unjust, follows after him however he may proceed and whatever line of argument he may adopt."

     We had so much fun learning about it as most of us can relate to it ;) People are always experiencing love and when in love, there will be signs obvious to others' eyes but not ours. InsyaAllah, we hope this course will bring so much knowledge and joy to students who will be taking this subject and for those who have taken this course, let's reminisce what we have learnt and put it to practice.