The Islamic concept of education according to Shaykh 'Abdu's-Samad of Pelembang and its significance in relation to the issue of personality integration

Abstract

An attempt is made in this paper to discern the salient features of the Islamic educational doctrine and method in the matrix of the sufi tradition as expressed by one of the most outstanding figures in the landscape of Islamic intellectuality in this region, the 18th century Shaykh 'Abdu's-Samad of Palembang (rh). He sees the educational process as the process of purifying the base metal of the fallen soul from all the dross, and transmuting it-by means of the spiritual alchemy available in the Islamic Tradition-into a soul of gold which glitters with the spiritual virtues. From another point of view, it is seen as a journey of the human self towards its Centre-Origin, away from the periphery towards the centre of the personality. Cosmologically, it is-qualitatively-a journey from the Realm of the Sensible right up to the level of cosmic manifestation related nearest to the Absolute, in  which the Absolute is realised in spritual experience.  This makes religious and spiritual verities no more articles of belief, but matters of direct experience which leaves no room for doubt. The indispensible foundations of such an educational doctrine and method are twofold: first, the portrayal of the orders of reality and the related issues; and second, the indispensible means of realisation by inward experience which consists of the Islamic obligatory religious duties and rituals, plus the all-important dhikru'Llah all of which are based upon the Islamic Sarted Law (Shari'ah). In terms of individual salvation and personality integration, the Islamic sciences which are indispensible are the science of the bases of belief, the Islamic Law (al-fiqh), and Islamic mysticism (Tasawwuf). This is he indispensible triad in the formulation of the writer. The ultimate end of such a process is the realisation of true knowledge, gnosis (ma'rifah)being knowledge of things through God.  It is integration in accordance with the cadre of Islam, Tawhid