SEBELUM PELAJARAN SETERUSNYA

• Sebelum aku meneruskan pelajaran seterusnya, kamu hafal dan fahamilah dengan betul-betul segala pelajaran yang telah ku ajarkan pada posting yang lepas-lepas.

• Juga kamu harus sentiasa membaca posting-posting yang lepas kerana walaupun aku tidak membuat sebarang posting yang baru namun setiap hari aku akan membuat 'up-date" terhadap posting-postingku yang terdahulu dengan menambah isi kandungannya. Di sanalah adanya ilmu-ilmu baru untuk kamu semua.
  

• PANDAIKAH KITA?

• Apakah life skills?


• Apakah ilmu-ilmu yang berkaitan dengan life skills?


• Sudahkah kita menguasainya?


• Apakah kita sudah boleh dikatakan telah menguasai ilmu-ilmu yang berkaitan dengan life skills?

• Berapa banyakkah ilmu yang harus kita kuasai sebelum kita boleh dikatakan sebagai seorang yang telah mahir tentang aspek-aspek yang berkaitan dengan life skills?


• Tanyalah diri kamu tentang soalan-soalan di atas dan jawablah dengan ikhlas.
  

• LIFE SKILLS
  

• Life skills bukanlah ilmu yang boleh diwarisi. Ianya tidak lahir bersama-sama kamu semasa kamu dilahirkan ke dunia ini dahulu dan yang paling penting, ilmu yang berkaitan dengan life skills tidak akan kamu dapati secara otomatis tanpa proses-proses pembelajaran.
  

• Ianya adalah satu gabungan ilmu-ilmu yang bersifat sistematis dan harus dipelajari secara teratur. Di bawah adalah gambarajah yang berkenaan dengan jenis-jenis ilmu yang berkaitan dengan life skills. Jika kamu belum pernah melihat gambarajah dibawah dan belum pernah mendengar tentangnya, maka kamu bukanlah seorang yang mempunyai dan menguasai ilmu-ilmu yang berkaitan dengan life skills. Besarkanlah gambarajah dibawah dan pelajari ia satu persatu.

Jika kamu masih gagal membacanya maka gunakan Google, search image untuk perkataan "Life Skill Wheel".

REFLEKSI

• Setitik dakwat, dipanjangkan akan menjadi satu garisan. Jika dibulatkan akan menjadi satu bulatan. Sebagai asasnya, hanya terdapat tiga bentuk yang utama, iaitu TITIK, GARISAN dan BULATAN. Beberapa garisan disatukan akan membentuk segi tiga, segi empat, segi lima dan seterusnya. Beberapa garisan dan bulatan juga bisa disatukan. Semua ini akan membentuk apa yang dipanggil sebagai FORMS and SHAPES.
  
  Forms and Shapes, tergantung kepada bagaimana ianya dibentukkan, akan mempunyai saiz-saiz yang berbeza ; besar, sederhana atau kecil. Namun saiz ini adalah sesuatu yang RELATIF, besar atau kecil mesti diperbandingkan, jika tiada perbandingan maka kita tidak akan menemukan MAKNA besar, sederhana dan kecil.
  
  Perbandingan ini pula akan menerbitkan satu konsep baru yang dikenali sebagai "DEGREE". Apakah DEGREE perbandingan yang dibuat? apakah yang besar? apakah yang kecil? apakah yang terkecil antara yang kecil? apakah yang terbesar antara yang terbesar? dikalangan yang besar, manakah yang terkecil? dikalangan yang kecil, manakah yang terbesar? dan sebagainya.
  
  Seperti yang kita lihat dari soalan-soalan di atas, DEGREE menuntut adanya KONTEKS. Apakah konteks perbandingan yang dibuat? Perbandingan di kalangan yang KECIL? atau Perbandingan di kalangan yang BESAR?
  
  Namun, walaupun apapun KONTEKS perbandingan yang dibuat, apakah hal-hal yang ingin dicari melalui perbandingan yang dibuat?
  
  Terdapat tiga poin utama yang dicari, pertama adalah satu titik yang terkecil, kedua satu titik yang terbesar dan ketiga adalah satu titik TENGAH antara kedua-duanya. Ketiga-tiga titik ini adalah satu KONSEP yang dikenali sebagai THE DEGREE OF RELATIVITY CONCEPT.
  
  Dengan mengetahui TITIK TENGAH antara dua titik yang bertentangan, maka kita akan mengetahui DEGREE sifat dan saiz bagi sesuatu perkara yang sedang kita renungkan. Sama ada sesuatu itu lebih besar sedikit dari KECIL atau lebih kecil sedikit dari BESAR. Semua perkara yang berSAIZ akan terangkum di dalam DEGREE-DEGREEnya yang tersendiri.
  
  Bagi tujuan memudahkan pemahaman, bolehlah kita katakan sebagai berikut, setiap FORMS AND SHAPES asalnya terbentuk dari satu TITIK. TITIK ini pula bisa diubah kepada dua bentuk asas sahaja iaitu bentuk GARISAN dan BULATAN. Gabungan antara garisan-garisan dan bulatan-bulatan inilah yang akhirnya akan menjelmakan FORMS and SHAPES.
  
  FORMS and SHAPES ini pula mempunyai SAIZ-SAIZnya yang tersendiri, SAIZ-SAIZ ini pula tergantung kepada KONTEKS perbandingannya, adalah merupakah satu KONSEP yang bersifat RELATIF.
  
  Sesuatu KONSEP yang bersifat RELATIF mahu tidak mahu akan mempunyai DEGREES OF RELATIVITYnya yang tersendiri. DEGREES OF RELATIVITY ini pula menuntut adanya SATU TITIK TENGAH antara DUA POIN yang bertentangan. Hubungan antara TITIK TENGAH dan DUA POIN yang bertentangan inilah yang akan mengungkapkan MAKNA-MAKNA di sebalik sesuatu SHAPES and FORMS.
  
  Dengan MENYEDARI, MENGETAHUI, MENYELIDIKI dan MEMAHAMI natijah-natijah DEGREES OF RELATIVITY dan hubungan antara TITIK TENGAH dengan DUA POIN yang bertentangan tersebut, maka barulah kita akan memahami SIFAT dan AF'AL sesebuah FORM and SHAPE.
  
  Namun di dalam dunia yang kita diami sekarang, FORMS and SHAPES adalah terjelma dalam kepelbagaian warna-warna. WARNA ini juga adalah merupakan simbol MAKNA-MAKNA yang dibawa oleh sesuatu FORMS and SHAPES. Namun walau apapun hubungan antara WARNA dan MAKNA ini, ianya adalah tetap berkaitan dengan makna-makna yang dibawa oleh DEGREE OF RELATIVITY dan TITIK TENGAH antara DUA POIN yang bertentangan bagi sesuatu SHAPE and FORM.
  
  WARNA, dari satu segi menentukan DEGREE KEKUATAN sesuatu MAKNA yang dibawa oleh sesuatu SHAPES and FORMS.
  
  Aku benar-benar berharap agar kamu semua bisa memahami perkara ini.

PELAJARAN KE-13: KONSEP - INTEGRATED SYSTEM

• Apabila sesebuah KONSEP telah cukup segala ELEMENnya dan setiap ELEMENnya itu berFUNGSI dan disusun mengikut tempat letaknya yang sesuai serta telah diHUBUNGkan antara satu sama lain mengikut aturan-aturannya maka sesebuah KONSEP itu akan menjadi sebuah KONSEP yang"WORKABLE". Setiap "WORKABLE CONCEPT" tidak dapat tidak mestilah mempunyai satu sitem kerjanya yang tersendiri. Sistem kerja ini tidak akan berubah sampai bila-bila selagi setiap ELEMEN yang ada padanya masih berFUNGSI dan tersusun pada tempat yang sepatutnya dan dihubungkan oleh CONNECTOR-CONNECTOR yang sesuai dengannya, antara satu sama lain.

• Sistem kerja (WORKING SYSTEM) inilah yang dikenali sebagai INTEGRATED SYSTEM kepada sesebuah KONSEP. Berikut adalah beberapa prinsip yang berkaitan dengan INTEGRATED SYSTEM sesebuah KONSEP:-

• 1) Setiap "WORKABLE CONCEPT" hanya mempunyai satu sahaja INTEGRATED SYSTEM.

• 2) Setiap INTEGRATED SYSTEM mempunyai aturan-aturan yang tetap tentang bagaimana ianya berkerja.

• 3) Aturan kerja setiap INTEGRATED SYSTEM adalah dalam bentuk yang teratur sistem kerjanya dan mempunyai PATTERN-PATTERN yang tertentu. Kemungkinan sesebuah INTEGRATED SYSTEM itu mempunyai sistem kerja yang "CHAOS" namun jika diteliti kembali maka kita akan dapati ianya adalah mengikuti sesuatu "PATTERN" yang teratur.

• 4) Setiap INTEGRATED SYSTEM sesuatu KONSEP adalah merupakan "THE RULES & REGULATIONS" kepada sesebuah KONSEP tersebut.

• 5) Jika sesuatu ELEMEN di dalam sesebuah KONSEP berubah samada dari segi FUNGSI atau tempat letaknya, perkara ini akan memberikan kesan secara keseluruhan terhadap '"THE WORKING SYSTEM" atau INTEGRATED SYSTEM kepada sesebuah KONSEP tersebut.

• 6) WORKING SYSTEM setiap INTEGRATED SYSTEM boleh diubah cara kerjanya dengan cara mengurang atau menambah ELEMEN kepada sesebuah KONSEP atau dengan cara meningkat atau mengurangkan tahap kecekapan FUNGSI-FUNGSI kepada setiap ELEMEN atau menyusun kembali STRUKTUR SUSUN ATUR (PRIORITY ARRANGEMENT) setiap ELEMEN yang ada di dalam sesebuah KONSEP atau juga dengan mengubah cara hubungan dan/atau jenis-jenis CONNECTOR yang digunapakai di dalam sesebuah KONSEP yang tersebut.

Aku akan menyambungnya lagi kemudian.

PELAJARAN KE-12: KONSEP - CONNECTOR

• Apabila terdapat dua atau lebih ELEMEN di dalam sesuatu KONSEP maka sesuatu KONSEP tersebut memerlukan CONNECTOR untuk menghubungkan setiap ELEMEN yang wujud padanya, di antara satu ELEMEN dengan ELEMEN-ELEMENnya yang lain.

• CONNECTOR, pada menjalankan tugasnya sebagai penghubung mempunyai kaitan dengan kesemua ELEMEN-ELEMEN yang ada di dalam sesebuah KONSEP secara terpadu.

• CONNECTOR adalah merupakan NERVOUS SYSTEM kepada sesuatu KONSEP. Tanpa CONNECTOR, sesuatu KONSEP tidak akan berupaya untuk wujud secara berkesan.

• Dari sisi yang lain, CONNECTOR adalah merupakan PENTERJEMAH yang mampu untuk menterjemahkan sesuatu KONSEP yang bersifat Teori kepada sebuah KONSEP yang bersifat Praktikal atau Realiti. Tanpanya sesebuah konsep hanya akan kekal sebagai sebuah Teori sahaja.

• Apakah pada pandangan kamu yang membolehkan sebuah Teori diterjemahkan sebagai sebuah KONSEP yang bersifat Praktikal atau Realiti?

• Dari TEORI kepada PRAKTIKALITI atau REALITI; Apakah yang bisa menghubungkan antara kedua-duanya sehingga sebuah Teori mampu diubah ke sebuah Praktikaliti atau Realiti?

• Jawapannya adalah VIABILITY. "Viability"lah yang merupakan jambatan utama yang membolehkan sebuah Teori ditukarkan kepada sebuah Pratikaliti atau Realiti. Tanpa Viability sebuah Teori akan terus kekal sebagai sebuah Teori sahaja.

• Walaupun sebanyak mana idea yang mampu kita ciptakan, ianya hanya akan tinggal sebagai idea-idea (teori) sahaja jika idea-idea itu tidak VIABLE untuk diterjemahkan kepada sebuah Realiti.

• Dari sudut yang lain dapat kita katakan bahawa Praktikal atau tidaknya sesebuah Teori itu tergantung kepada sejauh mana ianya VIABLE untuk diterjemahkan sebagai sebuah Realiti. Di sini VIABILITY adalah merupakan CONNECTOR antara TEORI dan PRAKTIKALITI.

• Secara umumnya CONNECTOR boleh dikatakan sebagai unsur utama kepada sesebuah KONSEP. Ianya merupakan sebuah NERVOUS SYSTEM kepada sesuatu KONSEP. Dengan kehadirannya, sesebuah KONSEP yang masih lagi di tahap Teoritis akan menjadi VIABLE untuk diterjemahkan kepada sebuah KONSEP yang bersifat PARKTIKALITI atau REALITI.

• Kamu mesti ingat bahawa terdapat tiga karetristik utama kepada sesebuah CONNECTOR iaitu:-

• 1. Ianya bersifat sebagai sebuah NERVOUS SYSTEM kepada sesebuah KONSEP.

• 2. Ianya memberikan nilai-nilai yang bersifat VIABILITY kepada sesebuah KONSEP dan dengan itu menjadikan sesebuah KONSEP yang bersifat Teoritis berupaya untuk diterjemahkan kepada sebuah KONSEP yang bersifat Realiti.

• 3. CONNECTOR dari segi keberadaanya, adalah merupakan TOOLS (ALAT-ALAT) yang perlu untuk menterjemahkan sesuatu Teori kepada satu Realiti yang Praktikal.

PELAJARAN KE-11: KONSEP-PRIORITY ARRANGEMENT

Untuk membolehkan sesuatu KONSEP berFUNGSI, ELEMEN-ELEMENnya mestilah diletakkan pada tempat yang sepatutnya ia berada.

Prinsip-prinsipnya adalah bahawa:-

• "Setiap sesuatu mempunyai tempat kedudukannya yang tersendiri."

• "Setiap sesuatu mestilah diletakkan pada tempat kedudukannya yang telah dikhaskan untuknya."

• "Yang dahulu mesti di dahulukan dan yang kemudian mesti dikemudiankan."

• "Setiap sesuatu adalah tergolong dalam kategori-kategorinya yang tertentu."

• "Setiap sesuatu mempunyai aturan-aturan tertentu berkenaan dengan kewujudannya."

• "Setiap sesuatu mempunyai kaitan-kaitan tertentu dengan sesuatu yang lain."

• "Setiap sesuatu mempunyai pengaruh-pengaruh tertentu ke atas sesuatu yang lain."

Inilah yang dikenali sebagai prinsip-prinsip Keadilan.

Yang berkaitan dangan sifir ini adalah bahawa:-

1. Setiap sesuatu adalah merupakan PASANGAN kepada sesuatu yang lain.
2. Setiap sesuatu adalah merupakan LAWAN kepada sesuatu yang lain.
3. Setiap sesuatu adalah merupakan PELENGKAP kepada sesuatu yang lain.
4. Setiap sesuatu adalah merupakan BAHAGIAN-BAHAGIAN kepada sesuatu yang lain.

Hubung-kait antara sesuatu kewujudan dengan sesuatu kewujudan yang lain boleh wujud daripada beberapa segi, seperti:-

1. RUPA
2. BENTUK
3. SIFAT
4. SAIZ
5. FORMAT
6. KEDUDUKAN
7. NISBAH/RELATIVITI
8. WARNA
9. DIMENSI

Lihat di sekitar kamu bagaimana Tuhan meletakkan segala sesuatu tepat-tepat pada tempatnya. Belajarlah dari perbuatan Tuhan ini.

PELAJARAN KE-10 : KONSEP-FUNGSI-METAFIZIK, APA ITU METAFIZIK?

• Kamu mestilah sentiasa mengetahui dengan jelas apakah yang dimaksudkan dengan istilah-istilah yang disebut di dalam pelajaran-pelajaran yang aku ajarkan kepada kamu. Di bawah adalah berkenaan dengan METAFIZIK.

• WHAT IS METAPHYSIC?

• It is most important that you learn early and learn well the precise meaning of this term metaphysics. For there are many, even among the learned, who use the word amiss, and misuse gives us reason to suspect the presence of misunderstanding.

• Metaphysics literally means after-physics. And physics here means no laboratory science of bodies with mass and inertia. It means natures. The Greek physis is the same as the Latin natura or the English nature, and it means a working essence.

• Now, the essence of a thing is its fundamental make-up, its basic character as such a thing. And when this essence is looked upon as the source and font of activities or operations, it is called a nature. Thus, if you want to know the essence of a thing, you look up its definition; its definition tells you what it is. But when you know its nature, you know what is does or can do.

• The essence of a human being, for instance, is a substantial compound of body and soul. The nature of a human being makes this substantial compound of body and soul the source of all activities that properly belong to a human being: growing, sensing, thinking, willing, etc. We do not say that it is essential to man to think; we do say that is natural to man to think. Nature is essence as the source of operations.

• Now, there are many essences in the world around us -- plants, animals, human beings, lifeless things. Each of these essences has its proper activities, and, in view of these, each essence is a nature or physis. And, since it is this bodily world that first engages our attention and is the scene of our immediate experience, we speak of the things in this world as belonging to the physical order. This, be it understood, is a cramped use of the term physical, for physical, taken literally, refers to any physis (or nature or working essence) whether it be bodily or non-bodily. But, as we say, the phrase the physical order is employed to designate this world of bodily things. Hence any study, any science, of things in this bodily universe is called a physical study, a physical science.

• Now, there are things which the mind notices here in the bodily world which are manifestly not limited to this world but belong to the non-bodily world as well, that is, to the world of spiritual things and to the world as abstractly known. For instance, the term substance (which means a reality that is existible as itself, and not as a mere mark or qualifier of some other thing) is not necessarily limited to bodies. We can conceive of spiritual substance as easily as of bodily substance.

• Again, a thing which is understood is transferred, so to speak, into the knowing mind; it is represented there in idea or concept; that is, it is re-present there. The idea itself is a mental image; we are not talking of the idea itself, however. We are now considering the thing as it exists in the knowing mind through the instrumentality of the idea.

• Manifestly this cognitional existence (or intentional existence, as it is called) is not the same as the physical existence of a thing known; but it is a real existence none the less. My idea of tree, as an idea, is in and from the mind; it is a logical being, not a real being. But my knowledge of tree in and through the idea tree is knowledge of reality; it is real knowledge; I know real being; and I know it by reason of the fact that tree is stripped by mental abstraction of all limitation which makes each tree the one individual bodily thing it is.

• For my knowledge of tree holds good of any tree, of every tree, regardless of size, botanical kind, location, or even actual existence since it holds good of every possible tree. In a word, though a tree is bodily in the physical order (or the order of bodily things) and though it is sheerly mental in the logical order (or order of ideas) it is real in the order of things or realities abstractly known.

• Now, the realities (and hold hard to that term realities) which can be found not only in the bodily world or the physical order, but also in the supra-physical order, whether this be the spiritual order of substances, or the order of realities known in a supra-material way, are said to belong to the metaphysical order. And a science of these things is a metaphysical science.

• Metaphysics, as the name of a science, means the science of nonmaterial real being. We have seen that such being is either a spiritual substance, or a bodily thing which is stripped of materiality by abstraction; it may also be any being, substantial or accidental, which exists or has influence in the field of bodies and non-bodies alike and hence is not limited to the material.

• Substance is a metaphysical term; cause is a metaphysical term; such terms also are essence, accident, relation, and many, many others. For substance can be material or it can be spiritual and is still a substance; thus substance is not held exclusively to the material or physical order, and is, in so far, nonmaterial; and it indicates reality, not a mode of being in the mind; hence it is both nonmaterial and real, and is, in itself, a metaphysical term and concept.

• Cause can have place among bodily realities, spiritual realities, and can be traced also in mathematical relations, and in mental relations which are non-mathematical; cause can exist among substances, among accidents. It is not held down, therefore, to the order of things material; that is, it is nonmaterial. Yet it is real; it is conceived as a reality, and where it exists, it exists as a reality. It belongs to the order, not of this physis, or of that physis, or of the other physis, but sweeps up and over and inclusively upon all. It comes after the limited physes; it is meta-physical; it is metaphysical.

• And so with the other examples mentioned. All the terms noted are not so inclusive as the term cause, but it is clear that all of them are free from the limitations which would hold them exclusively applicable in the realm of bodies; hence we say they are nonmaterial; and they indicate reality; they are nonmaterial and real, and therefore they are metaphysical.

• Metaphysics, therefore, is the science of nonmaterial real being. Now, the Greek word on (stem, onto-) means being; and the termination -logy suggests science. And so the fundamental part of metaphysics, which deals with being as such, has been given the name which means "the science of being," that is, the name ontology.

PELAJARAN KESEMBILAN: KONSEP-FUNGSI

• Bahagian kedua dari sebuah KONSEP adalah FUNGSI. Setiap ELEMEN di dalam sebuah KONSEP mempunyai FUNGSI-FUNGSInya yang tersendiri.

• FUNGSI-FUNGSI bagi setiap ELEMEN terbahagi kepada pelbagai jenis kategori, namun antara kategori yang terpenting adalah, ELEMEN yang mempunyai:-

1. Fungsi Utama/Vital
2. Fungsi Sokongan
3. Fungsi Pelengkap
4. Fungsi Katalis/Pemangkin
5. Fungsi Antagonis/Antikatalis
6. Fungsi Pengganda
7. Fungsi Pengumpul
8. Fungsi Pembahagi
9. Fungsi Pendistribusi
10. Fungsi Penghubung
11. Fungsi Peneutral
12. Fungsi Pasangan
13. Fungsi Penyatu
14. Fungsi Pemisah
15. Fungsi Penghalang
16. Fungsi Penggabung
17. Fungsi Penimbal balik
18. Fungsi Penggerak
19. Fungsi Khas
20. Fungsi Am
21. Fungsi Camouflage

• Setiap ELEMEN mungkin saja mempunyai lebih dari satu FUNGSI pada sesuatu masa. FUNGSI bagi setiap ELEMEN juga mungkin berubah-berubah mengikut KONTEKS-KONTEKS yang tertentu.

• Fahamilah akan perkara ini.

• Kemudian fikirlah ke dalam kategori FUNGSI apakah lagi setiap ELEMEN kepada sesuatu KONSEP itu bisa dikategorikan? dan, Mengapa?

PELAJARAN KELAPAN: ELEMEN-ELEMEN

• Bahagian pertama daripada sifir KONSEP adalah ELEMEN.

• Pada setiap kewujudan terdapat sekurang-kurangnya dua jenis ELEMEN yang saling berinteraksi antara sama lain, ianya berpasangan dan sebegitu rapat sehingga mana-mana satu jenis ELEMEN ini tidak bisa terus hidup tanpa pasangannya yang lain.

• Jika pada manusia dua jenis ELEMEN tersebut adalah:-

1) ELEMEN FIZIKAL
2) ELEMEN META-FIZIKAL

atau elemen yang bersifat jasadi dan ruhi.

• Jasad dan Ruh merupakan dua jenis pasangan ELEMEN yang ada pada setiap kewujudan manusia di alam ini. Hasil INTERAKSI antara 2 jenis ELEMEN ini maka timbullah SUB-SUB ELEMEN yang lain pada diri seseorang manusia seperti EMOSI, KEHENDAK, NAFSU, HAWA dan SEMANGAT atau AMMARAH.

• Yang di atas jika kita ambil manusia sebagai subjek kajian, jika misalnya pada kereta, selain daripada ELEMEN yang bersifat FIZIKAL, juga terdapat ELEMEN yang bersifat META-FIZIKAL padanya. Tenaga Elektrik yang terhasil daripada tindakbalas bahan api yang menggerakkan sesebuah kereta contohnya adalah merupakan ELEMEN yang bersifat META-FIZIKAL. Hasil tindakbalas antara ELEMEN FIZIKAL dan META-FIZIKAL pada kereta ini akan pula menerbitkan SUB-SUB ELEMEN yang lain pada kereta, seperti habanya, asapnya, deruman enjinya, kuasa kudanya dan lain-lain.

• Tanpa Ruh Jasad tidak bisa terus hidup begitulah sebaliknya, pada manusia.

• Tanpa "Ruh"Tenaga Elektrik yang terhasil daripada tindak balas bahan api pada sesebuah kereta, "jasad" kereta tentunya tidak akan bisa kemana-mana.

• Fahamilah perkara ini dengan sebaiknya. Ingatlah sifir di bawah:-

• ELEMEN = FIZIKAL + META-FIZIKAL (=) SUB ELEMEN.

PELAJARAN KETUJUH: REFLEKSI

• Alam ini dipenuhi oleh "kewujudan-kewujudan". Setiap kewujudan yang ada di alam ini mempunyai "universe-universe"nya masing-masing. Setiap "universe" yang wujud mempunyai STRUKTUR, SISTEM, PROSES, ATURAN dan TINDAKBALAS-TINDAKBALAS (INTERACTION)nya masing-masing. Semua karekteristik ini menjadikan sesebuah "universe kewujudan" yang ada di serata alam ini sebagai sebuah KONSEP yang tersendiri namun mempunyai kepelbagaian hubungkait dengan lain-lain "universe kewujudan" yang ada pada alam ini. Hubungkait antara sesebuah "universe kewujudan" dengan sesebuah "universe kewujudan" yang lain (contohnya dengan MASA dan RUANG {TIME-SPACE}) inilah yang menciptakan KONTEKS-KONTEKS bagi sesebuah KONSEP yang lantas mempengaruhi pula SIFAT dan AF'AL setiap KONSEP tersebut.

• Bagi memahami setiap "universe kewujudan" dan melihat bagaimana interaksinya dengan lain-lain "universe kewujudan" maka kita memerlukan sifir-sifir tertentu bagi menguraikan terlebih dahulu unsur-unsur yang membentuk sesebuah "universe kewujudan" tersebut. Sifir yang berkaitan dengan KONSEP adalah "TOOLS" untuk menguraikan masalah ini.

• Setelah unsur-unsur sesebuah "universe kewujudan" itu telah kita kenali dan fahami dengan sebenar-benarnya, maka kita perlu pula mengetahui dan memahami tentang interaksi antara sesebuah universe tersebut dengan "ruang" dan "masa" di mana ianya BERTEMPAT atau DITEMPATKAN. Interaksi sesebuah "universe kewujudan" dengan "ruang" dan "masa" nya inilah yang dinamakan KONTEKS, dan pada setiap KONTEKS yang berlainan di mana sesebuah "universe kewujudan" itu BERTEMPAT atau DITEMPATKAN, akan pastinya mewujudkan kepelbagaian kesan interaksi, sama ada kesan yang SERAGAM mahupun yang TIDAK SERAGAM terhadap sesebuah "universe kewujudan" tersebut. Kesan- kesan interaksi SERAGAM dan TIDAK SERAGAM inilah yang akhirnya akan menerbitkan SIFAT dan AF'AL sesebuah 'universe kewujudan". Sifir KONSEP + KONTEKS = SIFAT + AF'AL (KONSEP) adalah "TOOLS" bagi menguraikan masalah ini.

• Setelah kita memahami segala sesuatu yang berkaitan dengan KONSEP, KONTEKS, SIFAT dan AF'AL sesebuah "universe kewujudan", maka barulah kita akan mampu menguasai atau memanipulasikan sesebuah "universe kewujudan" tersebut. Sifir yang berkaitan dengan ALTERNATIVE adalah merupakan "TOOLS" bagi membolehkan kita menguraikan persoalan-persoalan yang berkaitan.

• Kesemua sifir-sifir yang disebut di atas dan seperti yang telah dipelajari di dalam pelajaran-pelajaran yang sebelum ini adalah merupakan gabungan bagi:-

• 1. TOOLS FOR KNOWLEDGE
• 2. TOOLS FOR THINKING
• 3. TOOLS FOR UNDERSTANDING, setiap 'universe kewujudan" yang wujud di alam ini.

• Oleh itu fahami dan kuasailah kesemua sifir-sifir tersebut sepenuhnya dan praktikkanlah di dalam kehidupan kamu sehari-hari untuk apa jua tujuan sekalipun.

• Aku benar-benar berharap kamu sudah memahami apa yang telah aku ajarkan, kerana selepas ini aku akan memperincikan pula setiap bahagian dari sifir-sifir tersebut agar kamu boleh memanfaatkannya untuk segala "universe kewujudan" yang mempunyai gabungan unsur-unsur FIZIKAL dan METAFIZIKAL di dalam nya seperti MANUSIA dan lain-lain yang seumpamanya.

• Pelajaran yang akan datang akan memerlukan HIMMAH yang tinggi dari kamu untuk memahaminya. Dan jikapun kamu gagal untuk memahaminya maka sifir-sifir umum yang telah aku ajarkan kepada kamu sebelum ini, sudah cukup untuk membentuk kamu sebagai seorang manusia mempunyai PENGETAHUAN, mampu BERFIKIR dan mempunyai DAYA KEFAHAMAN yang tinggi terhadap segala sesuatu yang berkaitan dengan setiap "universe kewujudan" yang dicipta di alam ini.

TOOLS FOR THINKING VS CONCEPT AND METHOD OF THINKING

Aku sebenarnya mahu meneruskan Pelajaran Ketujuh untuk kamu semua, namun terlalu banyak e-mail yang aku terima berkenaan dengan pelajaran-pelajaran yang lalu yang menunjukkan bahawa di antara kamu masih ada mereka yang "kabur" tentang konsep asas sifir-sifir tersebut.

Sekarang akan aku terangkan tentang asas-asas kewujudan sifir-sifir tersebut, kenapa ianya dicipta dan untuk apa ianya dicipta.

1. Kamu harus mengetahui bahawa terdapat perbezaan yang besar antara ilmu tentang KONSEP DAN METODOLOGI BERFIKIR dengan ilmu tentang ALAT UNTUK BERFIKIR.

2. Apa yang aku ajarkan kamu adalah berkenaan dengan ALAT UNTUK BERFIKIR dan bukan tentang KONSEP DAN METODOLOGI BERFIKIR.

3. Jika kamu ingin membuat rumah lalu kamu membaca satu artikel tentang Konsep dan Kaedah untuk membuat rumah, maka sudah tentu kamu akan mendapat pengetahuan tentang konsep dan kaedah bagaimana sesebuah rumah itu akan dibangunkan. NAMUN ini tidak semestinya menjadikan kamu mampu untuk membina sebuah rumah.

4. Untuk kamu mampu membina sebuah rumah maka kamu harus belajar untuk mengenali apakah ALAT-ALAT yang kamu perlukan untuk membina sebuah rumah dan kamu juga perlu belajar untuk menggunakan segala ALAT-ALAT untuk membuat rumah tersebut seperti tukulnya, pemahatnya, sesikunya, alat pembancuh simennya, pemutar skrunya dan lain-lain. Setelah kamu mengenali dan tahu bagaimana caranya untuk menggunakan ALAT-ALAT untuk membuat sebuah rumah, maka barulah kamu akan berjaya untuk membina sebuah rumah yang kamu inginkan . Jika ini tidak kamu kuasai, maka kamu hanya akan tahu untuk membina rumah dari segi TEORINYA sahaja dan TIDAK dari segi PRAKTIKALNYA.

Jika ini keadaan kamu, maka kamu tidak usah membina rumah tersebut dengan tangan kamu sendiri, adalah lebih baik untuk kamu mengupah orang-orang yang menguasai ilmu-ilmu PRAKTIKAL tentang pembuatan rumah, bagi membina rumah kamu tersebut, sebelum apa-apa bencana menimpa kamu, akibat kejahilan kamu tentang proses pembuatan rumah tersebut secara PRAKTIKALNYA.

5. Apa yang aku ajarkan kepada kamu adalah berkenaan dengan apakah ALAT-ALAT yang kamu perlukan untuk BERFIKIR dan bagaimanakah cara untuk menggunakanya. Ianya TOOLS FOR THINKING. Ianya ibarat sebatang tukul dan pemahat yang mesti ada untuk kamu bagi tujuan membangunkan dinding sebuah rumah. Atau alat pembancuh simen yang perlu kamu gunakan bagi membancuh simen bagi membina dinding sebuah rumah yang lain.

6. Jika kamu hanya membaca sebuah artikel, misalnya tentang "Kepentingan Berfikir Secara Kreatif Bagi Mereka Yang Ingin Berjaya " kamu tidak semestinya secara otomatis bisa berfikir secara Kreatif. Apa kaitannya pengetahuan tentang "Kepentingan" berfikir secara kreatif dengan "Keupayaan" kamu untuk berfikir secara Kreatif? Jawapannya TIADA apa-apa kaitan.

7. Atau jika kamu membaca satu artikel tentang Pemikiran Kreatif, lalu penulis itu menyarankan kepada kamu bahawa untuk mencapai pemikiran kreatif kamu mestilah terlebih dahulu menenangkan minda kamu, duduk di satu ruang yang selesa kemudian cuba tarik nafas dalam-dalam, apakah itu akan membantu keupayaan kamu untuk menjadi seorang yang berfikiran kreatif? Jawabannya TIDAK sekali-kali.

8. Apa yang kamu perlukan adalah TOOLS FOR CREATIVE THINKING bukannya artikel-artikel tentang kepentingan pemikiran kreatif ataupun artikel-artikel tentang kejayaan orang-orang lain dalam menjana pemikiran kreatif.

9. Kamu sudah tentu banyak membaca artikel dari segala orang tentang pemikiran kreatif dan kamu mengetahui tentang segala konsep-konsepnya dengan terperinci namun jika aku tanyakan kepada kamu tentang apakah ALAT-ALAT pemikiran kreatif yang boleh kamu gunakan bagi menjana pemikiran kreatif, maka apakah jawaban kamu? Kena cukup tidur? Lebihkan makanan berkhasiat? Atau belajar cara bernafas? APAKAH JAWABAN KAMU?


10. Ketahuilah bahawa terdapat perbezaan yang amat besar antara ilmu berkenaan dengan THINKING CONCEPT AND METHOD dengan ilmu berkenaan dengan TOOLS FOR THINKING. Apa yang kamu ketahui adalah tentang konsep dan methodologi berfikir bukan tentang TOOLS FOR THINKING. Sesiapa yang tahu tentang TOOLS FOR THINKING lansung akan berupaya untuk berfikir tapi sesiapa yang hanya tahu tentang KONSEP ATAU METHOD untuk berfikir tidak semestinya berupaya untuk berfikir.

11. Pengetahuan tentang THINKING CONCEPT AND METHOD adalah pengetahuan tentang TEORI berfikir, sedangkan pengetahuan tentang TOOLS FOR THINKING adalah pengetahuan tentang "THE PRACTICAL ASPECT OF THINKING".

12. Terdapat perbezaan yang besar antara Edward De Bono dengan Tony Buzan. Edward bercakap tentang TOOLS FOR THINKING manakala Tony bercakap tentang METHOD OF THINKING. Itu sebabnya Tony Buzan hanya terkenal dengan sistem MIND MAPPINGnya sedangkan Edward De Bono mempunyai lebih 60 Tools For Thinking seperti CoRT THINKING TOOLS, Six Hat's Thinking Tools dan sebagainya

13. Jika kamu tidak pandai berfikir secara kreatif maka bagaimana kamu akan mampu untuk mengisi "Mind Map" kamu? Sedangkan MIND MAPPING hanyalah satu kaedah untuk meng ORGANISASIKAN pemikiran kamu kedalam satu GAMBARAN yang BESAR sahaja dan bukan merupakan ALAT untuk BERFIKIR atau satu ALAT untuk membantu kamu bagi menjana pemikiran kreatif. Aku harap kamu memahami perkara ini dengan jelas sekarang.

Secara ringkasnya BERFIKIR mempunyai banyak cabang Ilmu, antaranya ilmu tentang:-

1. KONSEP BERFIKIR
2. METODOLOGI BERFIKIR
3. GAYA BERFIKIR
4. JENIS PEMIKIRAN
5. DAN LAIN-LAIN.

14. Semua ILMU di atas adalah berkenaan dengan soalan "APAKAH DAN BAGAIMANAKAH BERFIKIR?" Manakala Ilmu tentang TOOLS FOR THINKING adalah berkenaan dengan soalan "APAKAH ALAT-ALAT YANG BOLEH DIGUNAKAN BAGI MEMBANTU MENJANA PEMIKIRAN?"

Fahamilah perkara ini dengan benar.

TUHAN

aku menangis

dan menangis
menjadikan ruang ini
sebuah lautan
yang mengantarkan aku
ke arah-Mu

apakah Engkau

masih di langit?

• reza...

RELAKS SEKEJAP: GUNS N ROSES

• Sesetengah lagu sukar untuk kamu lupakan akan keindahannya. Gabungan suara, lirik dan semangat yang tepat namun bersahaja.

Told you once about your friends and neighbours

They were always seeking but they'll never find it

It's alright, it's alright

Where to go and where to see

It's always been that way and it can never be

Well it's alright, it's alright

Give it all and ask for no return

And very soon you'll see

and you'll begin to learn

That's it's alright, it's alright

Don't you know that it's so good for you

You can be making love and see it all go through

Well it's alright, it's alright

PELAJARAN KEENAM: KEGUNAAN SIFIR-SIFIR

Jika kamu sudah memahami dan menghafal sifir-sifir yang telah aku ajarkan kepada kamu, maka sekarang aku akan menerangkan kepada kamu darihal kegunaan sifir-sifir tersebut.

• SIFIR KONSEP

• KONSEP = Elements + Functions + Priority Arrangement + Connector + Integrated System + Process + Effects

• Guna sifir ini adalah untuk memperincikan sesuatu KONSEP mengikut juzuk-juzuknya yang tertentu (dari juzuk yang terbesar sehinggalah kepada juzuknya yang terkecil) bagi tujuan memahami SUSUN ATUR, STRUKTUR, PROSES dan SISTEM KERJA sesuatu KONSEP yang sedang diamati. Sifir ini bukan sahaja membolehkan kita memahami sesuatu KONSEP secara terperinci malah juga membolehkan kita untuk melihat sesuatu KONSEP yang sedang diamati secara GAMBARAN BESAR dari kepelbagaian sudutnya dengan setepat yang mungkin.

• Penggunaan Sifir ini adalah secara INDUCTIVE-DEDUCTIVE CIRCULARITY.

• SIFIR KONTEKS

• KONTEKS = RUANG + MASA + TEMPAT + SITUASI + DIMENSI + JARAK + KADAR (DEGREE)

• Guna sifir ini adalah untuk meneliti SIFAT dan AF'AL setiap juzuk yang wujud pada sesebuah KONSEP, tentang bagaimana ianya boleh berubah-berubah SIFAT dan AF'ALnya berdasarkan kepada KONTEKS-KONTEKS dimana setiap juzuk kepada sesebuah KONSEP itu ditempatkan. Perubahan kepada juzuk-juzuk KONSEP inilah yang akhirnya akan membawa kepada perubahan SIFAT dan AF'AL sesebuah KONSEP secara umum dan menyeluruh.

• Sifir ini membolehkan kita memahami dengan jelas dan tepat segala SIFAT dan AF'AL sesebuah KONSEP secara JUZ'I dan KULLI di dalam KONTEKS-KONTEKSnya yang tertentu. Jika kamu mampu menguasai keseluruhan sifir ini, kamu akan mampu untuk meramalkan SIFAT dan AF'AL sesebuah KONSEP secara terperinci dan menyeluruh sepanjang kewujudan KONSEP tersebut.

• SIFIR KETIGA

• ALTERNATIVE = PROCESS
  PROCESS of ALTERNATIVE = MODIFY + AMEND + TRANSFORM + CHANGE +DESIGN

• Setelah kamu memahami sesebuah KONSEP berserta dengan segala SIFAT dan AF'ALnya secara JUZ'I dan KULLI maka sekarang bolehlah kamu memulakan proses-proses PERUBAHAN terhadap sesuatu KONSEP sebagaimana yang kamu inginkan. Lihatlah kepada ELEMEN-ELEMEN sesebuah KONSEP dan bagaimana ianya berFUNGSI. Fikirkanlah bagaimana kamu bisa untuk meningkatkan keupayaan FUNGSI-FUNGSI sesuatu ELEMEN di dalam sesebuah KONSEP tersebut. Ataupun bagaimana kamu bisa memperbaiki SIFAT dan AF'AL sesuatu KONSEP supaya ianya mampu berFUNGSI secara optima di dalam pelbagai KONTEKS yang kamu tempatkannya.

• Fikirlah ELEMEN APA kepada sesebuah KONSEP yang sepatutnya kamu TAMBAH, PERBAIKI, BINA-SEMULA, TUKAR atau GANTI bagi membolehkan sesebuah KONSEP itu dapat berFUNGSI secara OPTIMA di dalam kepelbagaian KONTEKnya.

• CONTOH:-

• Mata manusia tidak dapat melihat di dalam kegelapan malam. Namun, mata seekor kucing dapat melihat dengan jelas di dalam kegelapan malam. Tentunya pada mata si kucing terdapat satu atau beberapa ELEMEN yang tiada pada mata manusia sehingga membolehkannya melihat pada gelap malam. Perhatikanlah APAKAH ELEMEN-ELEMEN pada mata kucing tersebut, yang tiada pada manusia sehingga membolehkannya melihat pada malam hari.

• Setelah kamu mengetahui ELEMEN-ELEMEN tersebut, sekarang cubalah kamu cari, cipta atau inovasikan ELEMEN-ELEMEN ALTERNATIVE yang sama FUNGSInya dengan ELEMEN-ELEMEN yang ada pada mata si kucing yang boleh kamu adaptasikan pada mata manusia, supaya mata manusia juga mampu BERFUNGSI untuk melihat di dalam gelap malam seperti yang mampu dilakukan pada mata kucing tersebut.

• Sifir ini mestilah digabungkan secara serentak dengan kedua-dua sifir di atas dan gunanya adalah untuk MENGUBAH sesuatu KONSEP sama ada kearah yang lebih baik atau sebaliknya sekehendak hati kamu. Namun ingatlah akan pelajaran tentang "RAHMATAN FIL ALAMIN" yang telah aku ajarkan kepada kamu sebelum ini. PILIHLAH dan buatlah KEPUTUSAN kamu dengan TUJUAN "RAHMATAN FIL ALAMIN".

• Semoga kamu mendapat anugerah ILMU dari ALLAH.

IBNU ARABI : THE PERSON

• SHAYKH MUHYIDDIN IBN ARABI AND HIS SCHOOL

• IBNU ARABI - SHORE OF AN ENDLESS SEA

• Abū 'Abdullāh Muḥammad ibn 'Alī ibn Muḥammad ibn al-`Arabī al-Hāṭimī al-Ṭā'ī (July 28, 1165 - November 10, 1240)

• Speaking about Ibnu Arabi, we now come to the shore of an endless sea, to the foot of a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds: all these metaphors are appropriate to the gigantic scope of the work of Ibn al-'Arabi, one of the greatest visionary theosophers of all time. We must radically alter the false perspective, which stems from some unadmitted prejudice, according to which Ibn al-'Arabi's work signals the end of the golden age of Sufism. Far from this being the case, we may say that this work marks the beginning of something novel and original—so original that it could have occurred only at the heart of Abrahamic esotericism, and, of the three branches of this esotericism, only at the heart of the Islamic.

"O Marvel! a garden amidst the flames. My heart has become capable of every form: it is a pasture for gazelles and a convent for Christian monks, and a temple for idols and the pilgrim's Kaa'ba, and the tables of the Torah and the book of the Quran. I follow the religion of Love: whatever way Love's camels take, that is my religion and my faith. "
'Tarjuman al-Ashwaq'. Theosophical Publishing House, 1911. Poem XI.

• Muhammed Ibn 'Ali Ibn 'Arabi was born in Murcia in southern Spain in 1165 AD (560AH), at the time of the flowering of the Hispano-Arab culture. Since the invasion of the Iberian peninsula by the Moors in 711 AD, the southern half of Spain had been 'arabised' under Islamic rule, and Arabic became the common language of all educated people.

• Here in 'al-Andalus' the three major traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam flourished side by side in some measure of harmony, and there were many who regarded them as different roads to the same end. It was an immensely rich and talented world, as we can still see today in buildings like the Alhambra in Granada, or the Great Mosque at Cordoba; a world where the great classics of Greek literature, especially Aristotle and Plato, were translated (first into Arabic and then into Latin) and studied alongside the spiritual teachings of the three Abrahamic religions.

• Ibn 'Arabi grew up in an atmosphere steeped in the most important ideas - scientific, religious and philosophical - of his day. At a time when mass communication was non-existent, this was an essential ingredient in the formation of one of the most brilliant minds in the Western world. As the poem above demonstrates, Ibn 'Arabi was not content with simply knowing about things, nor with following a particular way.

• Although many writers have characterised him as a great Sufi teacher firmly rooted in the Islamic world, it would be wrong to limit his appeal to a muslim audience or to see him simply as a great medieval thinker. His sole and overriding aim was to know reality as it is, in whatever way it is depicted. Naturally he expresses himself within the cultural context he knew, but he takes for granted that his readers will have the same unflinching, one-pointed attitude of passion for the truth, and his writings have a very contemporary ring. "All that is left to us by tradition", he writes, "is mere words. It is up to us to find out what they mean".

• This passion manifested itself at a very early age. During his teens, like many adolescents before him and no doubt since, he used to divide his time between being a serious student - studying the Quran, Islamic law and so on - and having a good time with his friends. In the middle of one of these nightly parties in Seville he heard a voice calling to him, "O Muhammed, it was not for this that you were created". In consternation he fled and went into retreat for several days in a cemetery.

• It was here that he had his seminal triple vision in which he met, and received instruction from, Jesus, Moses and Muhammed - an illumination that simultaneously started him upon the spiritual way and established him as a master of it. This vision took place in the mundus imaginalis, the imaginative presence where God reveals Himself directly to the spiritual aspirant; and throughout his life Ibn 'Arabi was to receive many illuminations of this kind. From this initiating insight he embarked upon the journey of his life; a journey that would not only take him from one end of the Arab-speaking world to the other, but would also reveal the full intensity of the most remarkable spiritual life, which through his writings has affected, shaped, transformed all who come into contact with it.

• Principle of Unity

• It is difficult to convey anything but inklings of Ibn 'Arabi's teachings, since from whatever point of entry one begins, with whatever point of view one holds to be true, it is like stepping into an ocean. As in the case of Bach, even the quantity of his literary output is staggering - some 700 books, treatises and collections of poetry, of which perhaps 400 still survive (one, the 'Futuhat al-Makkiyah' (The Meccan Openings) is estimated to run to 17,000 pages in its new edition!). But the problem is not really the sheer volume of work, which would require a lifetime or more to study - it is the extraordinarily high quality of the material which makes tremendous demands upon the reader.

• We are given a key to understanding, however, in the triple vision of the three great prophets of the Western world - for to Ibn 'Arabi these three bring the same message, the same essential religion of love.

• He considers all prophets and saints to be explainers of this primordial religion:

• There is no knowledge except that taken from God, for He alone is the Knower... the prophets, in spite of their great number and the long periods of time which separate them, had no disagreement in knowledge of God, since they took it from God.
  'Futuhat al Makkiyah' II. 290. Trans. W. Chittick, 'The Sufi Path of Knowledge'.

• Ibn 'Arabi's vision points precisely to this direct taking from God, in which there is unanimity across all traditions. In the West, this has sometimes been referred to as the Abrahamic tradition, since it is from the revelation given to the prophet Abraham that the three religions of the Western world flow. (Note: The family of Abraham is meant both historically and spiritually; the Prophet Muhammed said that he had come to purify the religion of Abraham, and Jesus said "Before Abraham was, I am".). The cardinal point in the Abrahamic perspective is the meaning of monotheism, which has been much misunderstood and to which too little attention has been paid. In this tradition, God is not understood to be a Being, or even the Supreme Being above and beyond the universe, for both conceptions imply that there are other beings outside Him. What is meant by God is simply Being as such.

• This cannot ever become an object of knowledge or contemplation or thought; it can only be known as unknowable, but simultaneously it presents itself as both knower and known, contemplator and contemplated, lover and beloved. As Ibn 'Arabi puts it:

• ... the existence attributed to the created thing is the Being of God, since the possible has no existence. However, the essences of the possible are receptacles for the manifestation of this Being... For the verifiers it has been established that there is nothing in Being but God.
  Futuhat II. 69. Trans. W. Chittick.

• Thus the fundamental 'Semitic' insight is that ultimately the ground of all things, in whatever sphere, is one; and 'things', be they the largest mass or the tiniest subatomic particle, are a perpetual state of becoming of that One. There is immediate contact between each thing and its reality, so that each receives Being according to its degree of preparedness; a bee, therefore, determines its own creation as a bee.

• This is not just an ontological fact, intellectually acceptable as a premise yet without application; there is also - and more importantly perhaps - common ground, in human experience, of discovering this to be true. Each and every life, whether consciously or not, is a voyage of discovery of what this unity of being really means.

• The whole of the spiritual life begins, Ibn 'Arabi would say, in the realisation of this fact, and ends in it. What lies between is the discovery of how this is so at every instant, in the intimate heart of each individual being. So the discovery of God is equally the ceaseless self-discovery of the individual. The world is no longer static, but the dynamic theatre of the Divine manifestation, and every movement in it is essentially a movement in love of God. It is simultaneously "here is no power save from God'. This was because he understood my allusion... After that he sought from my father to meet me in order to present what he himself had understood: he wanted to know if it conformed with or was different froHe and not He", as Ibn 'Arabi says, just like the image of a person in a mirror. The particular quality that he often employs in his writings is that of the constant interplay of paradox, similar to the Zen koan, to force the mind to reach its limit so that the truth may be seen without limitation.

• Philosophy and Insight

• It is this paradox which is beautifully described in a meeting between Ibn 'Arabi and the chief judge of Seville, the celebrated jurist and philosopher Ibn Rushd (known to the Latin West as Averroes, who wrote a famous commentary on Aristotle).

• I spent the day in Cordoba at the house of Abu al-Walid Ibn Rushd. He had expressed a desire to meet me in person, since he had heard of certain revelations I had received while in retreat and had shown considerable astonishment concerning them. In consequence my father, who was one of his closest friends, took me with him on the pretext of business, in order to give Ibn Rushd the opportunity of making my acquaintance."I was at the time a beardless youth. As I entered the house, the philosopher rose to greet me with all the signs of friendliness and affection, and embraced me.

• Then he said to me "Yes", and showed pleasure on seeing that I had understood him. I, on the other hand, being aware of the motive for his pleasure, replied "No". Upon this Ibn Rushd drew back from me, his colour changed and he seemed to doubt what he had thought of me. He then put to me the following question, "What solution have you found as a result of mystical illumination and divine inspiration? Does it coincide with what is arrived at by speculative thought?" I replied "Yes and no.

• Between the Yea and the Nay the spirits take their flight beyond matter, and the necks detach themselves from their bodies.At this Ibn Rushd became pale, and I saw him tremble as he muttered the formula 'tm what I had.

• He was one of the great masters of reflection and rational consideration. He thanked God that in his own time he had seen someone who had entered into the retreat ignorant and had come out like this - without study, discussion, investigation or reading.
  'Sufis of Andalusia' transl. by R. W. J. Austin, 1971. Reprint Beshara Publications, 1988. p23.

• The difference between Ibn 'Arabi and Ibn Rushd is not that between the unworldly, unlettered mystic and the erudite philosopher. Ibn 'Arabi was neither unworldly nor unlettered in any orthodox sense. (Note: The real 'unlettered' person, Ibn 'Arabi says, is someone who "does not use rational proofs to attain to the knowledge of divine things." (Futuhat I. 644)).

• He was extremely well-versed in the philosophical thinking of his time, and many of his books deal quite specifically with philosophical problems. The real difference lies in the way in which knowledge is reached, whether by reflective thinking or by mystical insight. This is graphically depicted in a second meeting, this time in a vision which Ibn 'Arabi had:
  A thin veil separated me and him in such a way that I was able to see him while he was unable to see me and ignorant of my presence.

• He was so absorbed that he paid me no attention and I said to myself 'He is not destined to follow the same path as me'.
  Futuhat I. 154. Trans. C. Addas, 'La Quete pour la Soufre Rouge'.

• Philosophical wisdom, it is implied, is based on reflection, and limited to the divided and personal realm of the 'Yes' and the 'No'; whereas mystical wisdom is founded on direct experience - often referred to as 'taste' - and is as incontrovertible as the acts of sense perception. The reality of the 'thin veil' between the two is only seen from the side of the mystical contemplation, although the possibility can be admitted philosophically. But Ibn 'Arabi would be the first to confirm that all human beings have this self-same capacity for mystical wisdom, just by the sheer fact of being human. It is not the privilege of a select few but open to all who choose it. What he strives for is the complete integration of the human being, with all his or her faculties, upon the task of fulfilling "that for which you were created".

• The Spiritual Path

• As a young man Ibn 'Arabi put himself under the direction of various spiritual masters, both in southern Spain and elsewhere, but always there was a slightly ambiguous relationship between master and pupil. In one way he was required to learn all he could from those whose experience of the spiritual path was greater; in another way, his innate spiritual understanding and ability to learn commanded tremendous respect.

• Among the many gnostics that he mentions in his book on the Sufis of Andalusia was a woman called Fatimah:

• She lived in Seville. When I met her, she was in her nineties. Looking at her in a purely superficial way, one might have thought she was a simpleton, to which she would have replied that he who knows not his Lord is the real simpleton.She used to say 'Of those who come to see me, I admire none more than Ibn 'Arabi'. When asked the reason for this, she replied 'The rest of you come with part of yourselves, leaving the other part of you occupied with your other concerns, while Ibn 'Arabi is a consolation to me, for he comes with all of himself. When he rises up, it is with all of himself, and when he sits it is with his whole self, leaving nothing of himself elsewhere. This is how it should be on the Way'
  'Sufis of Andalusia', p143.

• When reading this or other episodes of his life, one is immediately conscious that Ibn 'Arabi is not simply tossing out an anecdote about his own experience, but exhorting others to learn from it.

• By the time he left Spain in 1200 at the age of 35, never to return, Ibn 'Arabi was already renowned as a spiritual master, and his knowledge and state were of an extremely high order. The Andalusia that he left behind was gradually engulfed by the Christian reconquista, and even today little is understood or appreciated of the achievements of Moorish Spain. The Middle East into which he now travelled was struggling to consolidate the apparent stability that Saladin had snatched out of the chaos of the Third Crusade. Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Palestine were united somewhat flimsily under one flag.

• Ibn 'Arabi made his way via Cairo and Jerusalem to Mecca, where he performed the pilgrimage in 1202. There he spent some two years in the company of the most influential and learned families in the city, studying and writing. It was here that he was inspired to compose his famous collection of poems, the 'The Interpreter of Desires' - love poems that give astonishing insight into the moods and conditions of the spiritual path. Many people were scandalised by their apparently erotic and sensuous imagery, and he was compelled to write a commentary on them in his own defence. It is fortunate for us that he did so, since his comments do much to illuminate the extraordinary depth of meaning that he brings to bear on poetic images.

• Writings

• Much of his time in Mecca must have been occupied in writing - several major works were completed, and a start was made upon the enormous encyclopaedia of esoteric knowledge, the 'Futuhat al-Makkiyah'. Apparently while writing this he used to fill three notebooks a day, wherever he happened to be. This process must have gone on for the best part of 30 years, since the first edition or redaction was not finished until 1231. It is interesting that all his work seems to have sprung from the same maturity of vision.

• There is no sense of progression in understanding from one work to the next, simply a shift of focus according to the nature of the topic and the audience. His works therefore have the rich flavours of a master chef displaying the full range of tastes in his kitchen. This may in part be explained by the manner in which he wrote. As he himself describes:
  In what I have written, I have never had a set purpose, as other writers.

• Flashes of divine inspiration used to come upon me and almost overwhelm me, so that I could only put them from my mind by committing to paper what they revealed to me. If my works evince any form of composition, that form was unintentional. Some works I wrote at the command of God, sent to me in sleep or through a mystical revelation... My heart clings to the door of the Divine Presence, waiting mindfully for what comes when the door is opened. My heart is poor and needy, empty of every knowledge.

• When something appears to the heart from behind that curtain, the heart hurries to obey and sets it down in keeping with the prescribed limits.
  'Sufis of Andalusia', p48. And Futuhat I. 59. (Trans. Chittick)

• Nowhere is this principle more evident than in the 'Fusus al-Hikam' (Wisdom of the Prophets) which, though relatively short, has been called by one modern scholar 'the spiritual testament of the master'. It is an extended meditation upon the meaning of the major prophets as portrayed in the Quran.

• Ibn 'Arabi tells us in the introduction that he received the whole bo ok in a veridic dream from the Prophet Muhammed, who told him "This is the book of the Fusus al-Hikam; take it and bring it out to the people who will benefit by it".

• If the 560 chapters of the 'Futuhat' can be compared to an encyclopaedia, which details every aspect of the spiritual life - the meaning of Islam, events in the life of the Prophet, the Quran and Hadith, principles of jurisprudence, the constitution of the human being, the path by which human perfection may be realised, cosmology, the role of political institutions, etc, etc - then the 'Fusus' can be seen as a single world map of Divine Wisdom, where each prophetic country is displayed in its global setting. Obviously the book treats of the Semitic heritage from Adam (who is considered in Islamic esotericism as the prototype of the human being) to Muhammed, without venturing into the teachings of the Far East.

• Here there is certainly a rich area of study for future generations, to see what Ibn 'Arabi has to offer in terms of the wider ecumenism of world spirituality.

• Influence

• The 'Fusus al-Hikam' in particular played a central role in the succeeding Islamic tradition, and inspired several commentaries which are classics of mystical literature in their own right. Through his stepson and disciple, Sadruddin Konevi, his teachings flowed into Eastern Sufism, notably to Fakhruddin 'Iraqi, Jelaluddin Rumi and Abdul Karim al-Jili. According to some scholars, much of Dante Alighieri's writing was influenced by Ibn 'Arabi's exposition of the spiritual quest, whilst in recent times, with the advent of several translations, his work has begun to be read more widely in the West.

• As Dr Austin of Durham University, a student and translator of Ibn 'Arabi's works, has put it:

• "Ibn 'Arabi gave expression to the teachings and insights of the generations of Sufis who preceded him, recording for the first time, systematically and in detail, the vast fund of Sufi experience and oral tradition, by drawing on a treasury of technical terms and symbols greatly enriched by centuries of intercourse between the Muslim and Neo-Hellenistic worlds... all who came after him received it through the filter of his synthetic expression."
  'Sufis of Andalusia', p48.

• The fact that his work is situated on such a universal level is especially relevant in our own time where there is, on the one hand, a great danger of 'throwing the baby out with the bath water', of abandoning all religious tradition and practice in the striving for an understanding appropriate to the modern world; while on the other hand there is a tendency to remain in the bath for too long, in the apparent security of a form or belief.

• "The man of wisdom," Ibn 'Arabi reminds us, "will never allow himself to be caught up in any one form or belief, because he is wise unto himself". (From 'The Kernel of the Kernel', Beshara Publications.)

• Later Years

• Having travelled extensively for nearly twenty years, visiting Jerusalem, Baghdad, Konya, Aleppo, Ibn 'Arabi finally settled in Damascus in 1223 and made it his home for the last 17 years of his life. His influence and fame had spread far and wide throughout the Arab world, and he was named as the Shaykh al-Akbar, the Greatest Master.

• His students included people from all walks of life, including kings and beggars. One particular man lived in Egypt, but found the conditions there unbearable, so he walked all the way to Damascus, a distance of some 500 miles. When he arrived, he was addressed by the Shaykh with the following poem:
• 
  There are places which offer but scant consolation while others offer one great delight. However, make the Lord the mainstay and refuge of your soul, wherever and however you may be.
  An unpublished poem from Ibn 'Arabi's 'Diwan', courtesy of Dr Austin.

• Ibn 'Arabi was by no means afraid to get involved in the social and political life around him. Not all was plain sailing, however, as he often came into conflict with the religious authorities and once was even forced to leave Egypt to avoid accusations of heresy and possible execution. Indeed this attitude has lasted until our own time as well - the Egyptian government banned his works in the 1970s, and in many Islamic countries they remain quite inaccessible.

• But in his own day he formed good and influential relationships with several notable rulers. One of them, Zahir the king of Aleppo, had wanted to execute a man of his court for revealing a state secret, and when Ibn 'Arabi heard about it, he said to the king: "You imagine you have the dignity of kingship and that you are a Sultan! By God, I know of no sin in the world which is too much for me to forgive, and I am only one of your subjects. How is it then that you cannot bring yourself to forgive a crime which is no transgression according to God's Law? Indeed your kingly magnaminity is meagre indeed". At this the king was overcome with shame and set the man free.

• Ibn 'Arabi died in Damascus on November 16th 1240 AD (638AH), aged seventy-six. His vast achievement has had enormous repercussions throughout the Islamic world and beyond. It would belittle his greatness to limit his message to Muslims in any strict sense, unless we were to take the word Muslim in its literal meaning - as Ibn 'Arabi so often encourages us to do - ie. those who have surrendered their will to the will of God.

• The universal character of his teachings makes them superlatively appropriate to the present day. As one eminent professor of semitic studies remarked to me recently, after reading Ibn 'Arabi you read the Greeks differently. One might add without fear of exaggeration that for any sincere seeker after truth, after you read Ibn 'Arabi you read all things differently.

• The religion of Love that he so ardently professes is founded on reason, but it is not just a brilliant metaphysical exposition, as some people have characterised it, nor a theory to rival or supersede other theories. It is, for Ibn 'Arabi, the essential human birthright and prerogative, and his whole life was dedicated to the verification and explanation of what it means to be truly human. In his own words:

God appeared to me in the inmost heart of my being and said to me "Make known to My servants that which you have verified of My generosity... Why do My servants despair of My Mercy when My Mercy embraces everything?
Futuhat I. 709. Trans. Addas.

POST SCRIPT:-

• Ibnu Arabi merupakan seorang Ulamak Sunni bermazhab Hanafi yang mendapat pengiktirafan dan penghargaan yang meluas daripada ulamak-ulamak Sunni dan Syiah. Terdapat lebih daripada 70 Ulamak besar Sunni yang mengiktiraf kepakaran dan keilmuan Ibnu Arabi. Antara ulamak Islam Sunni yang menyokong pendapat Ibnu Arabi adalah:-

• 1. Imam As Sayuthi
• 2. Imam Izzudin Abd. Salam, dikenali sebagai Sultanul Ulamak dikalangan ulamak-ulamak Islam.
• 3. Imam As-Subki
• 4. Imam Fakrurazi
• 5. Imam Fairuzbadi
• 6. As-Syuhrawardi
• 7. Imam Ibnu Atho'illah As-Sakandari, pengarang kitab Tasauf Sunni yang terkenal iaitu Kitab Al-Hikam .

• Antara Imam yang telah menarik balik kata-kata kritikan mereka terhadap Ibnu Arabi:-
• 1. Ibnu Hajar
• 2. Ibnu Taimiyah dan lain-lain.

• Di Malaysia ulamak yang pernah menterjemah karangan Ibnu Arabi adalah Syeikh Uthman El-Muhammadi.

• Manakala Syed Naquib Al-Attas telah menulis sebuah buku yang bertajuk "Degree of Existence" dan "On Quiddity and Essence" yang banyak dipengaruhi oleh pemikiran-pemikiran Ibnu Arabi.

• Ibnu Arabi belajar tasauf di Mekah, Madinah, Mesir dan beberapa tempat lagi. Nasab gurunya termasuklah Syeikh Abdul Qadir Jailani, Syeikh Junaid Al Baghdadi, Syeikh Sirri As Saqati dan lain-lain nama besar. Ibnu Arabi mempunyai 99 orang guru kesemuanya daripada pelbagai bidang keilmuan Islam.

• Ibnu Arabi hafal Al Quran semasa umurnya 7 tahun lagi. Kitab Futuhat Al-Makiyahnya ditulis di Mekah di hadapan Kaabah.

• Isi kitab Ibnu Arabi banyak dipengaruhi oleh method-method Imam Al Ghazali dan Imam Al-Hakim At-Tirmidzi. Ibnu Arabi mengikuti method-method Ilmu Al Ghazali dalam membicarakan tentang cara-cara mencapai makrifat dan mengikuti method-method Imam Al-Hakim At-Tirmizi dalam membicaran isi-isi makrifat.

• Cukuplah informasi ini bagi orang-orang yang kerjanya ikhlas mencari kebenaran. Semoga Allah memberikan pemahaman kepada kita tentang perkara ini.

BACALAH ARTIKEL INI : IBNU ARABI ON TRUE KNOWLEDGE

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• IBN 'ARABI On True Knowledge

• How can true knowledge be obtained? What do we usually depend on when we want to know things, especially the reality of existence, and what is the role of sense perception and rational consideration? Can the spiritual seeker gain insight by what is generally called independant reasoning?Shaykh Al-Akbar shows that whatever knowledge is acquired, reason is always bound to follow an authority, for it cannot do otherwise. So what then is the best course to follow,that is which authority can be trusted, if any?

• “The eye is never mistaken, neither it nor any of the senses. . . . The rational faculty perceives in two modes: through an inherent (dhâti) perception in which it is like the senses, never being mistaken; and by a non-inherent perception. The second is what it perceives through its instruments (âla), which are reflection and sense perception.
  Imagination follows the authority (taqlîd) of that which sense perception gives to it.

• Reflection considers imagination and finds therein individual things (mufradât). Reflection would love to configure a form to be preserved by the rational faculty. Hence it attributes some of the individual things to others. In this attribution it may be mistaken concerning the actual situation, or it may be correct. Reason judges upon this basis, so it also may be mistaken or correct. Hence reason is a follower of authority, and it may make mistakes. Since the Sufis saw the mistakes of those who employ consideration, they turned to the path in which there is no confusion so that they might take things from the Eye of Certainty (`ayn al-yaqîn) and become qualified by certain knowledge.

• Reason is full of meddling because reflection governs over it, along with all the faculties within man, since there is nothing greater than reason in following authority. Reason imagines it has God-given proofs, but it only has proofs given by reflection. Reflection's proofs let it take reason wherever it wants, while reason is like a blind man. No, it is even blinder in the path of God. The Folk of Allah do not follow the authority of their reflections, since a created thing should not follow the authority of another created thing. Hence they incline toward following God's authority. They come to know God through God, and He is as He says about Himself, not as meddlesome reason judges.

• How is it proper for an intelligent man to follow the authority of the reflectivtive faculty, when he divides reflective consideration into correct and corrupt? Necessarily, he has need for a criterion (fâriq) with which to separate the correct from the corrupt, but he cannot possibly distinguish between correct and corrupt reflective consideration through reflective consideration itself. Necessarily, he has need for God in that.

• As for us, when we want to discern correct reflective consideration from the corrupt so that we may judge by it, we first have recourse to God, asking Him to bestow upon us knowledge of the object without the use of reflection. The Tribe depends upon this and acts in accordance with it. This is the knowledge of the prophets, the friends and the possessors of knowledge among the Folk of Allah. They never transgress their places with their reflective powers.

• No one can have knowledge unless he knows things through his [its] own essence. Anyone who knows something through something added to his own essence is following the authority of that added thing in what it gives to him. Nothing in existence knows things through its own essence other than the One. The knowledge of things and not-things possessed by everything other than the One is a following of authority. Since it has been established that other than God cannot have knowledge of a thing without following authority, let us follow God's authority, especially in knowledge of Him.

• Why do we say that nothing can be known by other than God except through following authority? Because man knows nothing except through one of the faculties given to him by God: the senses and reason. Hence man has to follow the authority of his sense perception in that which it gives, and sense perception may be mistaken, or it may correspond to the situation as it is in itself. Or, man has to follow the authority of his rational faculty in that which it gives to him, either the incontrovertible (darûra) or consideration. But reason follows the authority of reflection, some of which is correct and some of which is corrupt, so its knowledge of affairs is by chance (bi'l-ittifâq). Hence there is nothing but following authority.

• Since this is the situation, the intelligent man who wants to know God should follow His authority in the reports He has given about Himself in His scriptures and upon the tongues of His messengers. When a person wants to know the things, but he cannot know them through what his faculties give him, he should strive in acts of obedience (tâ`ât) until the Real is his hearing, his seeing, and all his faculties [see hadith]. Then he will know all affairs through God and he will know God through God. In any case there is no escape from following authority, but once you know God through God and all things through God, then you will not be visited in that by ignorance, obfucations, doubts or uncertainties. Thus have I alerted you to something which has never before reached your ear!

• The rational thinkers from among the people of consideration imagine that they know what consideration, sense perception, and reason have bestowed upon them, but they are following the authority of these things. Every faculty is prone to a certain kind of mistake. Though they may know this fact, they seek to throw themselves into error, for they distinguish between that within which sense perception, reason, and reflection may be mistaken and that within which it is not mistaken. But how can they know? Perhaps that which they have declared to be a mistake is correct. Nothing can eliminate this incurable disease, unless all a person's knowledge is known through God, not through other than Him. God knows through His own Essence, not through anything added to It. Hence you also will come to know through that through which He knows, since you follow the authority of Him who knows, who is not ignorant, and who follows the authority of no one. Anyone who follows the authority of other than God follows the authority of him who is visited by mistakes and who is correct only by chance.

• Someone may object: "How do you know this? Perhaps you may be mistaken in these classifications without being aware of it. For in this you follow the authority of that which can be mistaken: reason and reflection." We reply: You are correct. However, since we see nothing but following authority, we have preferred to follow the authority of him who is named "Messenger" and that which is named "the Speech of God." We followed their authority in knowledge until the Real was our hearing and our sight, so we came to know things through God and gained knowledge of these classifications through God. The fact that we were right to follow this authority was by chance, since, as we have said, whenever reason or any of the faculties accords with something as it is in itself, this is by chance. We do not hold that it is mistaken in every situation. We only say that we do not know how to distinguish its being wrong from its being right. But when the Real is all a person's faculties and he knows things through God, then he knows the difference between the faculties' being right and their being mistaken. This is what we maintain, and no one can deny it, for he finds it in himself.

• Since this is so, occupy yourself with following that which God has commanded you: practicing obedience to Him, examining (murâqaba) the thoughts that occur to your heart, shame (hayâ) before God, halting before His bounds, being alone (infirâd) with Him, and preferring His side over yourself, until the Real is all your faculties, and you are { upon insight } (Sura 12 verse 108) in your affair.

• Thus have I counselled you, for we have seen the Real report about Himself that He possesses things which rational proofs and sound reflective powers reject, even though they offer proofs that the report-giver speaks the truth and people must have faith in what he says. So follow the authority of your Lord, since there is no escape from following authority! Do not follow your rational faculty in its interpretation (ta`wil)!
  By following the authority of God, the wayfarer thereby passes beyond mere following authority, for then the knowledge he has received through the revealed Law can be "verified" within himself. Thus "verification and realization" (tahqîq) (of what he has learned) completes and perfects following (taqlîd).

• This Tribe works toward acquiring something of what the divine reports have brought from the Real. They start to polish their hearts through invocations, reciting the Koran, freeing the locus [of God's self-disclosure] from taking possible things into consideration, presence (hudûr), and self-examination (murâqaba). They also keep their outward manifestation pure by halting within the bounds established by the Law, for example by averting the eyes from these things such as private parts which it is forbidden to look upon and by looking at those things which bring about heedfulness and clear seeing [?]. So also with the hearing, tongue, hand, foot, stomach, private parts, and heart.

• Outwardly there are only these seven, and the heart is the eighth. Such a person eliminates reflection from himself completely, since it disperses his singleminded concern (hamm). He secludes himself at the gate of his Lord, occupying himself with examining his heart, in hopes that God will open the gate for him and he will come to know what he did not know, those things which the messengers and the Folk of Allah know and which rational faculties cannot possibly perceive on their own.

• When God opens the gate to the possessor of this heart, he actualizes a divine self-disclosure which gives to him that which accords with its own properties. Then he attributes to God things which he would not have dared to attribute to God earlier. He would not have described God that way except to the extent that it was brought by the divine reports. He used to take such things through following authority. Now he takes them through unveiling which corresponds with and confirms for him what the revealed scriptures and the messengers have mentioned. He used to ascribe those things to God through faith and as a mere narrator, without verifying their meanings or adding to them. Now he ascribes them to Him within himself, with a verified knowledge because of that which has been disclosed to him.

• True knowledge cannot be other than unveiled by God to His creature, and this a knowledge without the intermediary of reflection or any other faculty. It is a given, according to the saying, "Knowledge is a light which God throws into the heart of whomsoever He will."

• Sound knowledge is not given by reflection, nor by what the rational thinkers establish by means of their reflective powers. Sound knowledge is only that which God throws into the heart of the knower. It is a divine light for which God singles out any of His servants whom He will, whether angel, messenger, prophet, friend, or person of faith. He who has no unveiling has no knowledge (man lâ kashf lahu lâ `ilm lahu). (I 218.19)

• From Chittick's translation and comment on parts of theFutuhat al-Makkiyya by Ibn `Arabi:"The Sufi Path Of Knowledge -Ibn `Arabi's Metaphysics of Imagination"