Introduction

The definition of Islamic Worldview is a metaphysical survey of the visible as well as the invisible worlds including the perspective of life as a whole. World view is not merely what we can see through our eyes. It is also something which is permanent and forever not temporary. The current definition nazrat al-islam li al-kawn is not the proper meaning because it only explains which is tangible and can only be seen through our eyes.Maybe the term ruqyat al-islam li al wujud is more accurate because it shows the existence of god. The world view of Islam is not based upon philosophical speculation formulated mainly from observation of the data of sensible experience, of what is visible to the eye. Nor is it restricted to kawn, which is the world of sensible experience, the world of created things. Islamic worldview encompasses both the al-dunya and al-akhirah. in which the dunya aspect must be related in a profound and inseparable way to the Akhirah-aspect, in which the latter has the ultimate and final significance. Specifically, it means that while we are doing our ibadah we also must do the best in our work in this world without implying any attitude of neglect or being unmindful of the dunya aspect. All our happiness in this world is related to the Akhirah and we must be confident in the promise of Allah that whatever we do we will be rewarded or punished. Reality is not what is often defined as waqiyyah in modern Arabic dictionaries; reality is haqiqah a factual occurrence while waqiyyah is only a point to factual occurrences. Furthermore, a factual occurrence may be an actualization of something false (batil), whereas reality is the actualization of something true (haqq). Comprehensively, world view according to the perspective of Islam is then the vision of reality and truth that appears before our minds eye revealing what existence is all about; for it is the world of existence in totality that Islam is projecting.

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The Main Issue in Discussion

Islamic Worldview has been misunderstood by the Western countries, especially the Americans. They frequently viewed Islam as necessarily violent, anti-Western, and politically and socially reactionary. As such the article main issue is to provide the true knowledge and explanation about the Islamic Worldview as the essentially a theistic and ethical worldview which contrasts with the secularistic or atheistic alternatives. The main important element discussed in the article are the concept of God, the creation of man, the creation of the Universe/Nature, Religion as deen and finally the falah or Aim of Life. As for the assignment, I have selected two elements to be reviewed. The first one is the concept of God in Islamic Worldview and the second element is the creation of man and nature.

The Concept of God in Islamic Worldview

In the Islamic worldview, the central or core concept which permeates all aspects of life is Tawhid or the unity of God. To be a Muslim is to believe in the Oneness of God. Say He is Allah, the One. Allah-us-Samad (the self-sufficient master, whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He begotten; And there is none co-equal or comparable unto him. (Qur an 112) Tawhid has three aspects:

Tawhid a! Rububiya: To believe that there is only one lord for the entire universe; its Creator, Organizer, Planner, Sustainer, the Giver of Security, etc., and that is Allah. Tawhid a! uluhiya: To believe that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Tawhid a! Asma was Sifat: None can be named or qualified with the Names or Qualifications of Allah, e.g. Al-Kareem. We must also believe in all of these qualifications.

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The foundation stone of the Islamic faith is Tawhid. The Islamic worldview fundamentally rests on this concept. Everything else is a logical extension. To the Muslim, God talks of Himself in the Holy Quran as the One God who has no partners (17:111; 112:1); the God who is living, eternal, self-subsisting (Quran 3:2; 112:2); the God who created all other creations (6:1214) with the sole purpose of worshipping Him ( 7:54; 24:41; 51:56); the God who created man as the best of creations and gave him knowledge (2:30; 96:45); the God who created the universe in perfect order ( 13:24); the God who is the Cherisher, the Sustainer, the Gracious, the Merciful, the Omnipotent, Omniscient, the Owner of everything.

Man in the Islamic Worldview Man is at once the khalifahkhal (vicegerent) on earth and abdcabd (slave) of God. While the role of khalkhalifah implies that nature, the universe and other creations, are entrusted to man for his utilization, the role of abdcabd means that man does not have any ultimate authority or absolute rights other than to follow the will of God. Both these roles have to be lived simultaneously and any neglect of either one would not enable man to function as his true self. The Reference of this forgetfulness is to the covenant that man made with his Lord, as identified in the Quran: And remember when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their loins, their seed and made them testify as to themselves (saying): 'Am I not your Lord? they said: Yes! We testify, lest you should say on the day of resurrection: verily, we have been unaware of this. SurahAlAraf 173 Verily, We created man of the best stature (mould) Surah Al Teen: 4. And remember when your Lord said to the angels: I am going to create a vicegerent on earth Surah al-Baqarah: 30 I created not the finns and human except to worship Me. Surah a Dhariyat: 56.

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By this it is meant that if man forgets who he is in relation to his Creator, he would be potentially guilty of great crimes due to his arrogance. By being the leader in this world but with responsibility and accountability to God, mans actions then become part of his worship and submission to God. There seems to be a trend in contemporary Islamic scholarship, especially in the social sciences, to overstress the khalifahkhila fah aspect with little or only implicit reference to mans primary role of being the abd of God. Man, as mentioned in the Quran, is the best of creations (95: 4), having been imbued with Gods spirit (15:2829). Man is at once endowed with physical, intellectual and spiritual potentialities which must all be nurtured and developed. This acceptance of the spiritual aspect of man is of fundamental importance in the Islamic economic vision and has far reaching implications for the epistemology and methodology of Islamic economics and on human welfare and needs. In addition, only man has been endowed with aql (intellect), considered in Islam to be essentially a spiritual substance. It is this intellect aql , when used to its full potential, that enables man to understand his position and to act accordingly.

Universe in the Islamic Worldview

Another element very important in the economic vision is nature/universe. In Islam, nature/ universe comprises of the heavens and the earth and all in between, a phrase which is repeated numerous times in the Quran. The nature/universe is basically another sign given to man to direct him to worship God, the Creator. In addition, besides the visible/material world, there is also the world of the gha ghayb (invisible) which is equally real and existing to the Muslim. Nature is in natural submission to God (7:54; 22:18; 24:41) in ways known only to God and is meant for man to utilize as khal and cabd (2:60; 6:95103; 15:1623; 16:321). On the other hand, man the khal and cabd, is asked to reflect on the majesty and orderliness of nature, to see these signs of Gods existence and mercy to man ( 2:2122; 116117; 14:3234), and thus to submit himself to God. Thus, nature is not seen as something that must be overcome or conquered in mans pursuit for development in this world. It is, rather, a bounty from God that must be utilized in the best way possible for all, in accordance with Gods will, remembering that it is part of Gods creation.
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Other Issues Discussed

The writer also discussed on the impact of not practicing the Islamic Worldview. The collapse of nations is a result of Mans ingratitude to God. For example, the Kingdom of Sheba in South Western Arabia and Parable of an Ungrateful Nation. The Islamic Worldview postulates mans life as being subjected to perpetual test by God in regard to his behavior and utilization of all nature or God given bounties and resources. The corruption that happens today is due to mans disregards of Gods messages and guidance as how to manage God given resources. Balance and harmony must be maintained in life just as God had implanted them in nature.

Conclusion
The Islamic vision of reality and truth, which is a metaphysical survey of the visible as well as the invisible worlds including the perspective of life as a whole, is not a worldview that is formed merely by the gathering together of various cultural objects, values and phenomena into artificial coherence. As such the worldview of Islam is characterized by an authenticity and a finality that points to what is ultimate, and it projects a view of reality and truth that encompasses existence and life altogether in total perspective whose fundamental elements are permanently established. These are, to mention the most salient ones, the nature of God; of Revelation (i.e., the Quran); of His creation; of man and the psychology of the human soul; of knowledge; of religion; of freedom; of values and virtues; of happiness all of which, together with the key terms and concepts that they unfold, have profound bearing upon our ideas about change, development, and progress.

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References

1. M. Akram Khan (1989), An Introduction to Islamic Economics, Chapter 2, esp pp. 34-44, IIIT and Institute for Policy Studies, Islamabad. 2. S.M.N. Al-Attas (1975), Islam and Secularism (Chap. 3,esp. pp. 47-69), ABIM, Kuala Lumpur. 3. Sayyid Qutb; Rami David , Basic Principles of the Islamic Worldview, North Haledon, N.J. : Islamic Publications International, 2006 4. Wikipedia Search Engine 5. Google Search Engine 6. Yahoo Search Engine

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