A cognitive necessity to deliver principles and ideology

By: Hussein Al-Rumaithi

Intellectual dialogue and scholarly deliberations require certain sets of rules and guidelines to qualify them as academic sources and information, which can be used for referential works and methods.  Bibliography, citation, glossary, writing style and structural foundation are among the necessities that an academic piece should consist of. However, the most important principle in academia, scholarly sources and researches is the notion of dispossession or debarment, which basically means observing and dissecting matters from above or outside. Although this notion might never be directly told or taught in academic institutions, the mutual understanding among all scholars has asserted and affirmed this principle as a basis for all academic works. Therefore, any individual who is observing or dissecting a certain ideology, group, information and sources, should study them without any pre-existing views or opinions.

Shia educational and intellectual circles are considered among the best, when it comes to intellectual dispossession regarding theological, jurisprudential, historical, traditional and social principles. Nonetheless, dispossession (Tajrid) is considered a separate science and knowledge when it comes to Islamic religious and educational extraction methods. Dispossession is used in theological sources and researches, as many Shia scholars use this methods to discuss the necessary existence or the divine higher entity or Prophecy and Imamate necessity for the universe. The jurisprudential aspect of dispossession is viewed in the extraction methods, which are derived and conducted through a very precise and detailed process. Even historical sources are dissected in a way that assures the observers are neutral and don’t enforce their experiences, grievances, opinions, views and personal judgements upon the sources and references.

Therefore, the actual implementation of this approach is witnesses in matters that help Muslims defend their Islamic principles and beliefs in a way that is acceptable and tolerated by outsiders. For instance, if a non-Muslim asks a Muslim: How can you approve the Quran has not been altered or fabricated, the answer cannot be within or from the Quran, as the non-Muslims doesn’t even believe the Quran and Islam in the first place. Therefore, Muslims are obligated to develop intellectual and logical methods that are universally accepted and utilized to prove the completeness and un-altered nature of the Quran. The same notion can be applied for prophecy¸ Imamate, judgement day and other principles that might not be accepted by non-Muslims or even by some Muslims as well.