Theology and Philosophy

MJ: You used the word "theology." Can we talk about theology?  What is theology?

Imam Mohammed: Theology, in my understanding, is a non-Muslim or non-Islamic term. It is a Western term or of religions of the West, of Christianity. I don't think it is a Jewish term. I don't think Jews would want to use the term theology, for different reasons except to present something to the Western mind. You have to speak to the Western mind in their own language.

For me, theology literally says "the study of Allah," for "theo" means G-d and "ology" means study the study of Allah. Now we don't make Allah a subject for study. Rather we study the Ways of Allah, the Sunnah of Allah. Allah speaks in Qur'an of the "Sunnatullah." And in the Bible is that expression too, the Way of G-d. We study the Way of Allah, not Allah in "His Nafs" or in His existing as a Being or as an Entity. The wisdom is given to us in The Light. There are some who fasten their eyes to The Light and become blinded by the Light. You know the sun is not made to look at; the sun is made to see by.

So Muslims should know that theology can be bad, if we are really trying to "see G-d" and examine G-d and know G-d better and disclose His Nature. We cannot do that. G-d reveals Himself to us. We cannot explore Him and discover anything of Him. That will put our eyes out. And that is the bad meaning of theology. The other meaning of theology is more general and just means the study of matters in religion that are directly tied to Allah. These matters have no importance, except as they are directly related to Allah. That branch of knowledge we can embrace.

MJ: This is the last. There is also the word "philosophy."  Do we have a philosophy?

Imam Mohammed: I have always had a philosophy. Philosophy is beautiful, as I understand it. Really, I think it comes from love. The word literally means the "love of knowledge." I have a great love for knowledge and of knowledge.

Philosophy is only bad, if we are not guided by what Muhammed was addressing, when he said, "Don't seek knowledge that has no use." You are not seeking it to use it in man's life; you are seeking it only because you are fascinated by it. That kind of seeking is not acceptable in Islam.

But if you are seeking knowledge that we know will benefit our society or benefit humanity, then it is encouraged. A philosopher is a person who is in love with research and in love with knowledge. And a true philosopher has as his motive to bring what he finds to his people, to the society, so that it benefits the society.

We have philosophy in Islam and in many areas, there are philosophies in Islam. There is the philosophy of the Qur'an. We love the Qur'an and love the knowledge of the Qur'an. So many of the things that we may see and reason to be rational and supportive of Qur'anic teachings or to be included in Qur'anic teachings and identified as Qur'anic teaching may not be what Allah revealed directly.

The knowledge in Qur'an may inspire this in me, and I express it and I feel that it should be shared with others because of its beauty, its purity, its goodness, its eye openers, etc., so it will be a statement I would say is philosophical.

And I have made philosophical statements on the knowledge of Qur'an, the teachings of Qur'an and I love it. I tend to be somewhat of a philosopher.

MJ: Thank you. Imam Mohammed.

Imam Mohammed: Thank you, and I would like to say, 
As-Salaam-Alaikum. Ramadan Mubarak