Slides on Human nature(2015)

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1. Man has been subjected to a never-ending research and investigation

2. Religious scholars, philosophers, biologists, psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists,

& others

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1. Beginning with the Greek philosophers2. Muslim philosophers3. Wise men in almost all religions4. From the ancient to the scientific age5. This study is perennial in nature6. New information emerge from time to

time

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1. Being perennial in nature, the old and new studies conducted on man, try to unearth and bring to light many of man’s potentials, which were not known previously

2. Researchers believe that any latest finding on man will be added information to the existing knowledge and science on man

( Mohd Abbas, 1997 & 2011)

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Nye(1986), states that although at times many of the ideas on man in the Western paradigms complement one another in answering the intricate questions on human nature, there are also times when they contradict each other

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Painted a negative image of man There is no difference between man and

other members of the animal kingdom Man is an intellectual beast doomed for

destruction Man is enslaved to his sexual impulses Man has no freedom to cut loose from the

shackles of his psychosexual development Freud’s concept on man is a pessimistic and

deterministic one Man is driven by two psychic forces; Eros (Life Instinct) and Thanatos (Death Insticnt) 7

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Pavlov(1849-1936)

J.B.Watson(1878-1958)

B.F.Skinner(1904-1990)

Based on the ‘tabula rasa’ theory, man is neither good nor bad

Man is nothing more than an outcome of his environment

Radical Behaviorism: Man and animals can be conditioned by stimulus and response and reinforcement

Man becomes a mechanical being. They emphasized on man’s learning

experience They do not believe that man is born with

innate knowledge 9

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Maslow(1908-1970)

Carl Rogers(1902-1987)

Man is born with a good nature but reacts negatively due to situations which he gets into

They did not believe that all human actions can be reduced to a stimulus-response type of action

They believe, man has a subjective inner dimension

Man has the freedom to choose either to respond or not to the demands of the environment

Man’s state of consciousness is more important than his unconscious

Man has the tendency for growth to experience ‘Self-Actualization’ and ‘Fully-functioning Person’

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Many scholars in the West were and are influenced by what has been conceptualized by Charles Darwin (1809-1882).

Darwin’s idea that states the origin of man goes back to the ape family is lurking in the ideas of Western scholars who appeared later on the intellectual stage of Europe

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• Man has a pre-existed before he came to this world

• Human beings are the progeny of Adam• Man is the Khalifah/vicegerent of God on earth• Man was taught by Allah - as such, he possesses

the creative intelligence • Man was created in the best of moulds• Man was given the natural disposition• Man is placed on the highest pedestal in the

hierarchy of creations• Man was not the First Creation of Allah SWT• The world was prepared for Man before his

coming 13

At times man’s position can go higher than the angels and lower than animals

Man is forgetful Man is given the freedom of choice to choose

his way, either to be thankful or ungrateful to Allah

Man is given the ‘Amanah’ Man has a dual nature; soul and body The spiritual dimension of man

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And when your Lord said to the angels: “Indeed, I will make a vicegerent upon the earth.” They said: “Will you place upon it one who will cause corruption therein, and will shed blood, while we glorify Your praise and sanctify You.” He said: “Surely, I know that which you know not.”

Surah Al-Baqarah 2:30

He is known in the Qur’an as:

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Soul/ Spirit/ Mind

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Born in the primordial nature/ born with his natural disposition

Born without any stain of sin In Islam, man is not born with the ‘Original Sin’

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So set you your face (O Muhammad) towards (this) Faith, inclining to truth. The nature of Allah that upon which He has created mankind. There is no altering in (the laws of) Allah’s creation. That is the right religion, but most of the people do not know

[ Surah Rum30: 30 ]

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“We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof. But man undertook it (the Trust);- he was indeed unjust and foolish...”  (Surah Al-Ahzab:72)          

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The word Amanah in Surah Ahzab:72 has several meanings to it

Scholars say Amanah can be the sum total of all the injunctions found in the Qur’an

The Qur’an can be the Amanah The human intellect or Aql’ can be the

Amanah The Vicegerency can be the Amanah The covenant between Allah and the whole of

humanity in the realm of soul, prior to his coming to this world

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We have certainly created man in the finest of moulds (Surah Al-Tin 95:4)

And indeed, We have honored the children of Adam, and We have carried them on the land and the sea, and We have provided them with good things, and We have preferred them above many of those whom We created, (a sure) preference (Surah Al-Isra’:70)

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Indeed, We guided him to the way, whether be he grateful or be he ungrateful (rests on his will)

Surah Al-Insan76:3)

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And indeed, We made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We did not find in him determination

Surah Ta Ha 20: 115

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And He taught Adam all the names, then He showed them to the angels and said: “Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful.” They said: “Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except that which You have taught us. Indeed, it is You, the All Knower, the All Wise.”

Surah Baqarah2: 31-32

Al-Ruh Al-Qalb Al-Nafs Al-Aql’

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The Spiritual Journey of Man:

An Islamic Perspective

Jahan-nam(Hell)

Jahan-nam(Hell)

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Syukran JazilanThank you

Terima Kasih

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