What would a science be without principles?

You fill up your arithmetics quiz, answering each question as fast as you can: 4+4=8…4-4=0…4 x 4= 16…. 4÷4=1

Wiping a drop of sweat off of your forehead, you hand in the paper to your teacher, who immediately grades it: you get a big fat zero! How can it be? The teacher answers: “Don’t you know what those signs mean? Here, a “+” means a multiplication, a “-” means a division… and she goes on to re-interpret the different mathematical operations to another meaning which you didn’t learn.

Using a scientific method is using a set of universal principles and a set methodology in order to derive results. So one cannot progress in advanced algebra if 1+1 is not understood to be equal to 2.

The domain of Islamic Theology is no different in the sense that there are set principles and methodologies which must be adhered to, just as one can’t differ on the basics of mathematics, like the definition of an addition. Any science which does not have set principles to refer to is bound to dissolve, since its application will differ according to the one who defines the science in his own way.

Methodologies (manaahij) were imperative in the History of Islam in order to clearly establish the way of the People of the Sunnah, especially when the non-Arabs came to Islam. This is because of their ignorance in the Arabic language, whereas the people were able to derive the rulings on many of their situations through the knowledge they had of the Arabic language. For example, they were able to determine whether a specific act was mustahabb or wajib with their simple knowledge of Arabic, like the use of fi’l amr and other such techniques. And if they were unable to do so, then they asked the ‘ulemaa amongst themselves and amongst the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘aleyhi wa sallam).

As a side point, its not surprising that the first thing the colonizing powers did when they took over the Muslim world was abolish the use of the Arabic language, handicapping millions of Muslims and effectively pushing them away from their deen.

May Allah make us all from amongst those who speak, understand, read and write the beautiful Arabic language.