TRADITIONAL VERSUS CREATIVE MINDSETS
Closed- and Open-Mindedness
HUMAN minds fall into two categories: Traditional or taqlidi (imitative of past precedent) and Creative or ijtihadi (creative reinterpretation). The former denotes a closed mind; the latter: its opposite, an open mind. The traditional mind attains a certain level and then stagnates, while the creative mind keeps travelling ahead, stopping only at death.
The traditional mind attains a certain level and then stagnates, while the creative mind keeps travelling ahead, stopping only at death.
The difference between traditional and creative mind-sets can be illustrated with the help of an example. Shakespeare was a famous English writer, and so was George Bernard Shaw, who was born some two hundred and fifty years after the former's death. Shaw's contribution to English literature was less than that of Shakespeare, and he himself admitted this when he said, 'I am smaller in stature than Shakespeare, but I stand upon his shoulders'. This is an example of a creative way of thinking, and a society characterised by such people constantly progresses in terms of creative thinking. Each new generation in such a society builds on the contributions of its predecessors, adds to them and then transmits its legacy to the generations that come after it.
But contemporary Muslim societies present a completely different picture. In modern times, their intellectual development has almost come to a standstill. This is because they have developed a traditional, as opposed to a creative way of thinking, and consider ijtihad—creative reinterpretation of religious concepts or the exercise of judgement with reasoning on such issues—to be almost a sin. Many Muslims mistakenly believe that in terms of scholarly study, the ulema of the past have already accomplished all that was possible to do, and that today our task is simply to study their books and strictly follow them.
This approach is a major hurdle in the path of our intellectual progress. In this regard, Muslims can adopt one of two positions: to recognise, as Shaw did with regard to Shakespeare, that their stature might be less than that of the ulema of the past, but that, despite this, they are standing on the latter's shoulders; or to believe that because their stature is less than that of the ulema of the past, they must remain forever at the latter's feet.
The first of these two approaches represents a creative way of thinking, one conducive to constant intellectual development. In a society characterised by such an approach, each new generation fully respects those that went before it and, building, on the contributions of its predecessors, makes even more progress.
In a creative society, each new generation builds on the contributions of its predecessors, adds to them and then transmits its legacy to the generations that come after it.
In contrast, the second approach represents a traditional way of thinking, which stagnates Muslim thought, preventing it from moving in the direction of the constantly progressive stages of the higher level of thinking that Islam stands for. It also causes Muslims to fall behind other communities in the intellectual field, killing their intellectual faculties. This matter can be further elaborated with the help of some Hadith of the Prophet.
Respect for Humanity
Several narrators of Hadith have recorded that once, in Medina, when a procession carrying a dead body for burial passed by the Prophet, he stood up in deference on seeing it. When his companions who were with him pointed out to him that the deceased was a Jew, the Prophet simply remarked: “Was he not a human being?”
This incident is included in the Hadith collection of Imam Bukhari, who made an immense contribution to Hadith studies by collecting over 7000 reports that he considered authentic from several hundred thousand reports that had been attributed to the Prophet. He mentioned this Hadith in the chapter on burial in his Sahih Bukhari. Now, if we were to adopt a traditional approach and consider this Hadith as simply relating to burial, and nothing more, we will not be able to learn anything new from it and would simply go on parroting what the earlier commentators on Hadith have said about it. While we must respect the intellectual contributions of the earlier exegetes of Hadith, we cannot accept all that they have written as gospel truth. Many ulema of the past have commented on this Hadith, offering various theories for the Prophet's action, with some claiming that this practice [of standing up when the funeral procession of a non-Muslim passed by] was later abrogated, or that the Prophet did so because he did not want the body of a Jew to be at a level higher than that of his head, and so on. Now, all these explanations are based on personal speculation and lack adequate proof. This Hadith very clearly indicates that the Prophet stood up out of respect for the dead man [and not for any of the reasons that these Hadith commentators had suggested]. In other words, this Hadith is not simply about burial, as those with a traditional mindset would imagine. Rather, it is a fine example of having respect for humankind, irrespective of religion, as those with a creative mind-set would be able to perceive. It could be offered as a counter to those who claim that while Islam preaches respect for fellow Muslims, it does not do so with regard to people of other faiths. This Hadith, if approached in a creative manner, can be presented as evidence of the Islamic principle that all human beings are worthy of respect, no matter their religion or community.
The Hadith in which the Prophet stood up when the funeral procession of a non-Muslim passed by, is a fine example of respect for humankind.
On the other hand, if this Hadith were approached in a traditional fashion and were interpreted in the same way as those traditionalist commentators referred to, this Islamic principle would be completely lost to posterity.
Practical Wisdom
According to a tradition also contained in the Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet told his wife, Aisha, that when the Quraysh rebuilt the Kabah they did not do so on its original foundation as laid down by the Prophet Abraham, but had chosen to erect it on a different site. Hearing this, Aisha asked the Prophet why he could not restructure the Kabah on its original foundation. To this the Prophet replied that the Quraysh were newcomers to the fold of Islam and it was possible that if he were to do so, it might cause them to agitate. He added that, had there been no danger of that happening, he would certainly have done what Aisha had suggested.
Imam Bukhari has included this Hadith in his chapter on Hajj. Now, if we were to consider the Hadith simply in this manner, reflecting a traditional approach, all that we would gain from it would be some information about the glories of Makkah. If, on the other hand, we adopted a creative approach to this Hadith, we would be able to have a new understanding of what may be called the wisdom of practical living. To leave the Kabah on the foundations laid down by the Quraysh, instead of reconstructing it on the foundation laid by the Prophet Abraham, might appear to have been incorrect. But, despite this, the Prophet chose not to reconstruct it in the latter way because, in the given circumstances, this would have posed additional problems.
Some Muslim leaders have sought to impose Shariah laws on society without first seeking to prepare society to willingly accept them, in total contrast to what the Hadith suggests is the right way.
From this practice of the Prophet we can derive the principle that, in life when sometimes faced with certain challenges, for the moment we should look not at what is right and what is wrong, but, instead, at what is possible and what is not.
Abiding by this principle is a key to succeeding in this world. In today's world, many of the failures of Muslims have been because they have not abided by this principle. They have not looked at problems or challenges from the point of view of what is possible and what is not, but have rather considered them only from the perspective of what is right and what is not. Accordingly, they have rushed into action, hoping to attain what they thought was ideal, although, in the given circumstances, achieving it was not actually possible. Many of the sacrifices that Muslims in modern times have made, but that have not borne any fruits, have been the result of disregarding the principle that this Hadith refers to. The major cause of this attitude is the traditional mind-set of the people
Gradualism in the Revelation of Islamic Commandments According to another Hadith in the Sahih Bukhari, Aisha once mentioned that many of the earliest chapters of the Quran dealt with the subject of heaven and hell and that only after people's faith in Islam had become strong, were the verses dealing with issues that are permissible (halal) and forbidden (haram) sent down. She added that had the commandments forbidding the consumption of alcohol and adultery been revealed in the beginning, instead of at a later stage, people would have refused to obey them.
Imam Bukhari has included this Hadith in his chapter on the compilation of the Quran. Now if, from a traditional perspective, we were to view this Hadith simply from the point of view of its being related to the compilation of the Quran, we would not be able to derive any other knowledge from it. On the other hand, by engaging in creativity and reflecting on the wider implications of this Hadith, going beyond its relevance to the question of the compilation of the Quran, we can discover that this Hadith suggests a very important Islamic principle— that with regard to the enforcement of the rules of the Shariah, a certain wisdom is required: it must be a gradual process, as it was in early Islamic times. In the beginning, peoples' faith was made firm so that they would be receptive to obeying Divine commands, and only then were various laws introduced.
If in a certain place conditions are inappropriate, one should shift to another place. If conflict is likely to prove useless, one should seek to achieve one's objectives through peaceful dialogue.
If the approach of present-day Islamic leaders is examined in the light of this particular Hadith, it appears that they have failed to appreciate its underlying, broader implications with regards to the process of establishing Islamic laws in society. In many Muslim countries today, a number of movements and groups are actively engaged in the enforcement of the Shariah, but despite their many sacrifices this has not happened anywhere, in the true sense of the term. This is because the faith of Muslims has weakened, and their intellectual and emotional commitment has declined, and this means that many of them are no longer willing to accept Shariah laws. Despite their fervent attempts to enforce Shariah laws, these Muslim leaders are lacking in the necessary creative approach and insight. They have rushed into the political realm armed with their traditional baggage, and have thus failed to achieve their objectives. They have sought to impose Shariah laws on a society without first seeking to prepare that very society to willingly accept them, in total contrast to what the Hadith suggests is the right way.
Change in Field of Activity
According to another Hadith contained in the Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet is said to have remarked that he had been instructed to proceed to another town, Medina, which people then referred to as Yathrib. Imam Bukhari has included this Hadith in his chapter on the glories of Medina. Now, those with a traditional approach will view this Hadith as providing information about the glories of Medina, and indeed this is what most exegetes of Hadith in the past have done. Some have even seen this Hadith as indicating that to refer to Medina as Yathrib is disapproved off (makruh). However, the Quran itself refers to Medina as Yathrib, and so this explanation of the Hadith is incorrect. But, if one goes beyond the blind imitation of the past exegetes and ponders on this Hadith from a creative perspective, one learns that it speaks about a very important Islamic principle—that of changing one's field or arena of action. This Hadith indicates that when conditions became extremely severe and harsh for Muslims in Makkah, God commanded the Prophet to shift from there to another town, Yathrib, where he and his followers would find a more propitious atmosphere, so much so that it would become a centre of Islam and people would start referring to it as the 'City of the Prophet' or Madinat al-Rasul or the 'City of Islam' or Madinat al-Islam.
The present generation needs an encyclopaedia of genuine Hadith traditions written in a creative style that would enable a proper understanding of them.
This principle of shifting one's arena of activity—if conditions so demand—which this Hadith refers to, is important for success in various matters. It indicates that if in a certain place conditions are inappropriate, one should shift to another place, or that if conflict is likely to prove useless, one should seek to achieve one's objectives through peaceful dialogue. Unfortunately, today's Muslim leaders, burdened by their traditional mentality, have not been able to appreciate and act on this wisdom, because of which they have themselves suffered considerable damage and loss. For instance, in several countries today, violent movements involving conflict in the name of Islam have resulted in Muslims having to suffer massive loss of life and property. Because of their traditional approach, the leaders of these movements have been unable to appreciate the underlying message of this Hadith of the Prophet. They would have been able to understand the import of this Hadith if they had a creative approach. In that case, and in accordance with the principle enunciated by this Hadith, they would have abandoned the path of conflict and adopted peaceful means instead. Following that, in accordance with the law of nature, they would have succeeded.
From these above-mentioned examples it has been sought to clarify the distinction between the taqlidi (traditional) and ijtihadi (creative) approaches. The former stops at the initial stage and refuses to move ahead. In contrast, the latter proceeds through many stages, seeking a logical conclusion. The first step is the end in itself for those who abide by tradition, but for those inspired by and committed to creativity, it is a means, a path to the higher stages.
Stages of Studying the Hadith
The early scholars of Hadith made an immense contribution by collecting and compiling a vast number of traditions. This could be described as the first stage in the study of Hadith. In what could be called the second stage, the next generation of Hadith scholars prepared indices of Hadith in order to make the subject easier to understand. In the third stage of the development of the study of Hadith, the Companions of the Prophet and the two generations that succeeded them edited and compiled the commentaries on Hadith, thus preparing the necessary background material for a proper understanding of Hadith.
The fourth stage in the study of Hadith entails studying them in their particular temporal context in order to appreciate their broader meaning and implications. A sincere attempt at this has been made with regard to selected Hadith traditions dealt with above. The fifth stage in the study of Hadith could be to prepare an extensive encyclopaedia of all genuine Hadith traditions so as to enable people to properly understand them in a style with which they are familiar. These stages suggested in the study of Hadith are not categorical or final. Rather, these are offered simply for the purpose of indicating the differences between a traditional and a creative way of understanding, and to point out the benefits of the latter.