Religiosity within the Context of Worship in the Islamic Philosophy
Emine Taşçi YıldırımReligiosity in general is seen as the way of life formed by taking into account the orders and prohibitions of the religion one believes in. It can be stated that there are three dimensions to religiosity: faith (īmān), worship (ibadah), and morality (akhlaq). The concept of religiosity is not directly addressed in Islamic philosophy. However, some clues about religiosity can be reached based on the ideas put forward regarding worship. In this study, some of the prominent thinkers (Amiri, Ikhwān Al-Ṣafā, Ibn Sīnā, Al-Ghazali) of early Islamic philosophy, who directly expressed their views on worship in their works, will be included. In this sense, the work of Ibn Sīnā called al-Kashf ‘an Mâhiyyat al-Salât wa Hikmat Tashri’iha li Ibn Sīnā is one of the sources to be consulted. This article aims to reveal that the worship and morality dimensions of religiosity should not be ignored and to reveal the function of worship in reaching moral maturity, through the views of these thinkers on worship. In this framework, it can be concluded that not only worship but also the dimension of morality is important, and that worship should support the morality aspect.
İslam Felsefesinde İbadetler Ekseninde Dindarlık
Emine Taşçi YıldırımGenel olarak insanın inandığı dinin emir ve yasaklarını dikkate almak suretiyle oluşturduğu bir yaşam biçimi olarak görülen dindarlığın inanç, ibadet ve ahlak şeklinde üç boyutunun varlığından bahsedilebilir. İslam felsefesi içerisinde doğrudan dindarlık kavramı ele alınmamakla birlikte ibadetlere dair ortaya konulan düşüncelerden hareketle dindarlığa dair bazı ip uçlarına ulaşılabilir. Bu çalışmada, eserleri içerisinde doğrudan ibadetlere dair görüş serd etmiş olan, ilk dönem İslam felsefesinin önde gelen düşünürlerinden bazılarına (Âmîrî, İhvân-ı Safâ, İbn Sînâ, Gazzâlî) yer verilecektir. Bu noktada İbn Sînâ’nın el-Keşf ‘an Mâhiyyeti’s-Salât ve Hikmeti Teşri’iha li İbn Sînâ adlı eseri başvurulacak kaynakların başında gelmektedir. Bu makalede, dindarlığın ibadet ve ahlak boyutlarının göz ardı edilmemesi gerektiğini ve ahlakî olgunluğa erişmede ibadetlerin nasıl bir fonksiyon icra ettiğini bu düşünürlerin ibadete bakışları üzerinden ortaya koymak amaçlanmaktadır. Bu çerçevede, dindarlığın sadece ibadet boyutunun değil, ahlakî boyutunun da önemli olduğu ve ibadetlerin de bu ahlakî yönü destekleyici olması gerektiği sonucuna varılabilir.
It can be argued that the need to believe has arisen with the existence of man. For this reason, the existence of divine and nontheistic religions that meet this need can also be started with human history. People take into account the orders and prohibitions of the religion they believe in and form a lifestyle within its framework. This way of life is called piety. However, it is not possible to make a definition of religiosity that has clear boundaries and is accepted by everyone. It can be said that religiosity consists of three dimensions: faith, worship, and morality. Faith is a precondition of religiosity. The dimensions of worship and morality on the other hand, show how people reflect the religions in which they believe, on their lives. Differences in these levels reveal various types of religiosity.
Within Islamic thought, Ibn Sīnā offers some clues about religiosity by referring to three types of people: ‘arif, zahid, and ‘abid.1 Based on Al-Ghazali’s comments on the differences in religious attitudes and behaviors, it is mentioned that he classified 3 types of religiosity: imitative, scientific (verified), and enjoyed.2 Allport, one of the prominent figures in recent studies on religiosity, has made a dual classification of intrinsic-extrinsic religiosity. Batson made a triple classification by adding the quest to these. In current studies, based on Allport’s binary classification, by looking at the sincerity and nature of religiosity, a dual classification can also be made of pure-sincere religiosity and ostentatious religiosity.3 It can be stated that piety has a determining function in these religious classifications. However, at times it can be mentioned that religiousness is brought to the forefront, and morality is neglected.
It is necessary to evaluate religiosity in terms of faith, worship, and morale. Religiosity, which is based on faith, becomes visible through its worship and morality dimensions. Especially worship is the most obvious example of this visibility. However, when there is no integrity of the meaning or form, worship can only turn into formal movements. When the meaning dimension is grasped, worshipping allows people to reach moral maturity. For this reason, there is an important relationship between the dimensions of worship and morality. In other words, worshipping should support the moral dimension.
In Islamic philosophy, the concept of religiosity is not mentioned directly. However, some clues about it can be obtained from the comments of Islamic philosophers and thinkers about worship. This article aims to reveal that the worship and morality dimensions of religiosity should not be ignored and reveal the function of worship in reaching moral maturity, through the views of these thinkers on worship.
Signifying people as believing creatures, Amiri attributes being virtuous to worshipping consciously and sincerely. With this assessment, Amiri clearly reveals the relationship between morality and worship, and he reflects his view of religiosity with his emphasis on sincerity. The “sincere believer” emphasis of the Ikhwān Al-Ṣafā (Brethren of Purity)4 makes it possible to argue that the perception of piety/religiosity consists of the integrity of deeds and morality on the basis of faith. Ibn Sīnā, like the Ikhwān Al-Ṣafā, points to the characteristic of worship as a reminder and as the ensure of the continuity of the Shariah and emphasizes that it enhances morality and purifies the soul. As described by Ibn Sīnā, the “arif (wise) man” who has reached moral maturity and worship without expecting any benefit in return, is a good example of sincere, internalized religiosity.
Al-Ghazali expresses that worship contains divine wisdom for personal and social benefit. According to him, the aim is to purify both the person and the society of material and spiritual dirt in order to help people reach happiness. By emphasizing that worship must be internalized and enhancing morality in order to achieve its purpose, Al-Ghazali, too, points to the distinction between ostentatious religiosity and true religiosity.
As reported by Islamic thinkers, to worship is a must for pure and sincere devotion. They insist on sincere religiosity and materialize it with the profile of the ‘arif human. True religiosity can come to life when the trio of faith, worship, and morality come together in a person. While teaching the commandments and prohibitions of religion besides the formal aspects of the worship, a lot of emphasis should be placed on the fact that one of the most important aims is to beautify morality and people should be encouraged to perform worship consciously.
