Unconventional Duha Research Unitary

A Qur’ānic Framework for Integrated Intelligence and Tajdid

In an age defined by information overload and intellectual fragmentation, the quest for a coherent, meaningful, and holistic model of knowledge is more pressing than ever. The modern world, with its secular underpinnings, often compartmentalizes reason from revelation, science from spirituality, and creativity from ethics, leading to a disintegrated human experience. In response to this crisis, a profound alternative emerges not from theories, but from a return to the primary sources of Islam. The proposed “Mujaddid Model of Intelligence” is not merely another typology but a ambitious project of intellectual tajdīd (revival).

It seeks to reconstruct an Islamic epistemology by reviving the Qur’an own sophisticated vocabulary for thinking, knowing, and being. This framework posits that true intelligence is a radiant, integrated faculty emanating from Divine wisdom, anchored by revelation, centered in the illuminated heart, purifies soul and expressed through a symphony of contemplative, empirical, creative, and spiritual modes of understanding, all ultimately directed toward the recognition and worship of Allah.

The Foundation: The Divine Source of All Intelligence (Allah al-Hakim)

The entire edifice of this model rests upon a foundational theological principle: Tawḥīd, the absolute oneness of God. In the realm of knowledge, this translates to the understanding that all intelligence, wisdom, and discernment originate from Allah, al-Ḥakīm—The All-Wise. The human intellect (aql), the capacity for reason, and the faculty of insight are not autonomous, self-originating powers. They are sacred trusts (amānāt) bestowed by the Divine upon humanity, the vicegerents (khulafā) on earth.

This starting point is different from secular humanist models, which often treat human reason as the ultimate arbiter of truth. In the Qur’ānic worldview, human intelligence is a derived, contingent reality. Knowledge (ilm) is conceptualized as a light (nūr) sent down from Allah, illuminating the path for humanity. As such, it is inseparable from its source. Wisdom (ḥikmah), then, is not merely the accumulation of data or the sharpening of logical skills; it is the correct and righteous application of that divinely bestowed knowledge in alignment with the cosmic moral order established by al-Ḥakīm. This foundational reorientation humbles the seeker of knowledge, transforming the pursuit from an act of egoistic conquest into an act of devotional reception and responsible stewardship.

The Anchor: Revelation and Prophetic Praxis – Qur’an and Sunnah

Allah al-Ḥakīm is the source of light, then the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad are the pristine lenses through which this light is focused and transmitted into the human realm. They provide the objective, unchanging standard that grounds and orients all human intellectual endeavor, preventing it from drifting into subjectivity, error, or misguidance.

The Qur’an is engaged through the practice of Tadabbur—deep, reflective, and penetrating contemplation. It is not a passive reading but an active dialogue with the divine text, a process of uncovering layers of meaning, guidance, and principles applicable to all times and places. The Qur’an itself repeatedly calls its readers to tadabbur, criticizing those who do not ponder its verses. This mode of engagement treats the revelation as a living, speaking entity, a perpetual source of guidance for those who bring a listening heart and a reflective mind.

Complementing the Qur’an is the Sunnah, which is engaged through Tafaqquh and praxis.

Tafaqquh is often translated as understanding, but in this context, it signifies a deep, holistic comprehension of the religion that penetrates beyond the letter of the law and ultimate objectives (maqaṣid). The Sunnah provides the living embodiment of wisdom. It is the practical demonstration of how revealed knowledge is translated into character, social interactions, governance, and worship.

The Prophet was a walking Qur’an; his life was the manifestation of hikmah in action. Therefore, to understand the Qur’an fully, one must study its living application in the Sunnah. Together, the Qur’an through tadabbur and the Sunnah through tafaqquh form the immutable anchor that ensures the entire intellectual framework remains tethered to divine truth.

Why This is Tajdid.

Grounded in Qur’an: We are not borrowing categories; we are reviving the Qur’an’s own epistemic vocabulary.

Integrative: It honors aql, qalb, ruh, and imagination, all as legitimate faculties.

Mujaddid: It ties modern needs (education, creativity, science) with the classical turath (tafaqquh, tadabbur, basirah).

Healing: For the ummah lost in “secular” dichotomies, this model says: all forms of intelligence are paths to Allah.

The Illuminated Center: Spiritual Intelligence (Basirah)

At the very heart of this model, integrating and ordering all other faculties, lies Basirah—spiritual intelligence or insight. Basīrah is the light of the heart (qalb), a perceptive faculty that transcends mere rational calculation. It is the ability to discern spiritual realities, perceive the hidden consequences of actions, and see the signs of Allah in the world and within oneself. While the ‘aql analyzes, the basirah perceives; while the mind knows, the heart recognizes.

This central intelligence is cultivated through two primary practices: Tadhakkur and Tafaqquh. Tadhakkur (remembrance and recollection) is the constant process of re-anchoring all knowledge back to its Divine Source. It is the antidote to intellectual arrogance and forgetfulness (ghaflah). Every piece of information, every scientific discovery, every historical lesson, when processed through tadhakkur, becomes a reminder of Allah’s majesty, wisdom, and mercy. It prevents knowledge from becoming a worldly possession and ensures it remains a means of drawing closer to the Divine.

Tafaqquh, in its role serving basīrah, moves beyond mere legalistic understanding to a transformative deep knowledge that purifies the soul (nafs) and reforms society. It is the bridge from theoretical knowledge (ilm) to intimate knowing and recognition (ma‘rifah) of Allah. Basīrah, fueled by tadhakkur and tafaqquh, is thus the highest form of intelligence—the integrating force that ensures all other intelligences are used ethically, purposefully, and devotionally, serving the soul rather than the ego.

This foundation is the soil in which the four axes of intelligence will grow: Contemplative, Empirical, Creative, and Spiritual.

II – Contemplative Intelligence

1. Definition and Axis

Contemplative Intelligence is the Qur’ānic faculty of disciplined reflection, deep reading, and reasoned restraint. It is the axis that trains the mind to move beyond distraction into tafakkur (reflection), tadabbur (penetrating contemplation), and taʿaqqul (reasoned understanding).

This intelligence is not abstract philosophy; it is an act of ʿibādah. The Qur’an repeatedly calls human beings to “think,” “ponder,” and “use reason” — but always within the orbit of tawḥīd, with the heart anchored to Allah.

2. Lexicon of the Qur’an

Tafakkur (تفكر): Reflective thought. To look at creation, events, and self, asking: “What does this signify about Allah?”

“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day are signs for people of reflection (yatafakkarūn).” 3:190

Tadabbur (تدبر): Deep contemplation that “looks to the end” (dubr = outcome). It is applied specifically to the Qur’an.

“Do they not contemplate the Qur’an, or are there locks upon their hearts?” 47:24

Taʿaqqul (تعقل): Disciplined use of ʿaql, to restrain error and align with truth.

“Will you not reason (afalā taʿqilūn)?” 2:44

Together, these form a triad: tafakkur (reflection on creation), tadabbur (contemplation of revelation), taʿaqqul (logical restraint).

3. Classical Insight

al-Ghazālī: Describes tafakkur as the key to maʿrifah; one moment of deep reflection is better than a lifetime of heedless worship.

al-Rāzī: Distinguishes between taʿaqqul (reason as restraint) and tafakkur (expansive reflection).

al-Ṭabarī & Ibn Kathīr (on 47:24): Tadabbur means not only reading the Qur’an, but uncovering its layers of guidance and applying them in action.

Sufis: Contemplation of creation (tafakkur) is a ladder to contemplation of the Creator.

4. Neuroscience Echo

Default Mode Network (DMN): Activates in reflection, deep reading, autobiographical memory. Aligns with tafakkur and tadabbur.

Citation: The brain’s default network: anatomy, function, and relevance to disease (Raichle, 2015, PNAS).

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (dlPFC): Engaged in executive control, logical consistency, restraining impulses. Echoes taʿaqqul.

Citation: The Prefrontal Cortex and Human Cognition (Miller & Cummings, 2007, Annual Review of Neuroscience).

Neuroplasticity: Repeated contemplative practices (e.g. meditation, mindfulness, focused reading) strengthen attentional control and working memory.

Citation: The plasticity of well-being: A training-based framework (Dahl et al., 2020, PNAS).

Thus, contemplative intelligence is not just “thinking,” but rewiring the brain toward reflection, restraint, and deep comprehension.

5. Pedagogical Practices

Tafakkur Walk: Spend 15 minutes observing creation (sky, trees, water) and ask: “What sign of Allah do I see here?”

Tadabbur Mapping: Take a verse, map its implications, possible outcomes, and applications.

Logic Drill (Taʿaqqul): Deconstruct a moral argument into premises and conclusions. Test for Qur’anic consistency.

Mortality Reflection: Daily recall of death (dhikr al-mawt), as Ghazālī prescribes, to reorder priorities.

6. Placement in MMI

Axis: Contemplative.

Function: Disciplines the intellect, anchors thought in Qur’an and creation, restrains error.

Goal: To produce minds that reflect with humility, contemplate with depth, and reason with restraint — all as ʿibādah.

Summary of Contemplative Intelligence

Tafakkur: Reflection on creation.

Tadabbur: Penetrating contemplation of Qur’an.

Taʿaqqul: Reason as restraint aligned to truth.

Neuro Echo: DMN (reflection), dlPFC (reason), neuroplasticity (training).

Practice: Tafakkur walks, Tadabbur mapping, Logic drills.

This axis is the discipline of the mind, the first step in reviving integrated intelligence.

Part III – Empirical Intelligence

1. Definition and Axis

Empirical Intelligence is the Qur’ānic faculty of observation, verification, and drawing lessons from the seen world and history. It involves not just looking, but witnessing creation (ruʾyah), entering into contextual understanding (tafahhum), verifying truth from falsehood (taḥqīq), and extracting moral lessons (iʿtibār).

This intelligence grounds the believer in the sunan Allāh — the recurring patterns by which Allah governs creation and society. It turns observation into guidance, and history into prophecy of human futures.

2. Lexicon of the Qur’an

Ruʾyah (رؤية): To see, to witness with the eyes and the heart.

“Do they not see how Allah originates creation, then repeats it?” 29:19

Tafahhum (تفهم): To understand attentively, empathetically.

“We gave understanding (fahhamnāhā) to Sulaymān.” 21:79

Taḥqīq (تحقيق): To verify, to establish truth.

“Say: Yes, by my Lord, it is the Truth (al-ḥaqq).” 10:53

Iʿtibār (اعتبار): To take lesson, to cross from event → meaning.

“Indeed, in their stories is a lesson (ʿibrah) for those of understanding.” 12:111

Together: Ruʾyah → Tafahhum → Taḥqīq → Iʿtibār. A progression from perception → understanding → verification → wisdom.

3. Classical Insights

Ibn al-Haytham: Founder of optics; insisted on observation, experimentation, verification (taḥqīq).

al-Bīrūnī: Combined astronomy, geology, and anthropology — extracting ʿibrah from cross-cultural study.

Ibn Khaldūn: Turned history into a science of patterns (ʿilm al-ʿumrān), defining iʿtibār as the key to reading civilizational cycles.

Sufi tradition: Ruʾyah with basīrah = seeing the āyāt of Allah in creation, not just matter.

4. Neuroscience Echo

Visual Cortex + Parietal Networks: Primary processing of ruʾyah (sight).

Citation: Hubel & Wiesel, Receptive Fields of Neurons in the Cat’s Striate Cortex, J. Physiology, 1968.

Temporoparietal Junction (TPJ): Empathy, perspective-taking (tafahhum).

Citation: Decety & Lamm, The role of the right temporoparietal junction in social interaction: A review, Neuropsychologia, 2007.

Prefrontal Cortex + Anterior Cingulate: Error detection, verification (taḥqīq).

Citation: Botvinick et al., Conflict monitoring and cognitive control, Psychological Review, 2001.

Hippocampus: Memory consolidation, pattern recognition, historical iʿtibār.

Citation: Eichenbaum, Memory on time, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2013.

Thus, empirical intelligence = multi-network integration: seeing, empathizing, verifying, remembering.

5. Pedagogical Practices

Ruʾyah Journal: Daily visual reflections — note what āyāt you see in nature.

Empathy Drill (Tafahhum): Listen to another without interrupting; write what you understood about their state.

Verification Exercise (Taḥqīq): Trace a piece of news → identify sources, test reliability (Isnād simulation).

Historical Iʿtibār: Pick one past event (e.g., fall of Andalus) → extract 3 timeless lessons.

6. Placement in MMI

Axis: Empirical.

Function: Anchors faith in observation, verification, and lessons of history.

Goal: To cultivate believers who see signs, empathize, verify truth, and learn from the past — integrating empirical knowledge into worship.

Summary of Empirical Intelligence

Ruʾyah: Witness creation.

Tafahhum: Enter contextual understanding.

Taḥqīq: Verify truth.

Iʿtibār: Draw moral lessons.

Neuro Echo: Vision (occipital), empathy (TPJ), verification (ACC), memory (hippocampus).

Practice: Ruʾyah journals, empathy drills, isnād verification, history reflections.

This axis is the discipline of the senses and history — transforming sight into insight, perception into guidance.

Part IV – Creative Intelligence

1. Definition and Axis

Creative Intelligence is the Qur’ānic faculty of seeing with depth, imagining possibilities, and discerning hidden signs. It transforms the mundane into symbols of transcendence, turning imagination into worship.

The Qur’an itself is the supreme model of creative intelligence — weaving parables, imagery, rhythm, and poetry into divine guidance. In the Prophetic age, poetry and art were not dismissed but purified, redirected toward truth.

2. Lexicon of the Qur’an

Naẓar (نظر): Reflective looking, deliberate gaze that penetrates meaning.

“Do they not look into the dominion of the heavens and the earth?” 7:185

Khayāl (خيال): Imagination, forming inner images. Qur’an warns against illusionary khayāl (20:66), but also uses imagery, parables, and visions as divine teaching.

“Their ropes and staffs appeared (yukhayyalu) to him, by their magic, as if they moved.” 20:66

Tawassum (توسم): Discernment of signs, reading symbols, intuitive perception.

“Indeed, in that are signs for those who discern (al-mutawassimīn).” 15:75

Together: Naẓar (reflective gaze) → Khayāl (imaginative synthesis) → Tawassum (symbolic discernment).

3. Classical Insights

Naẓar: For jurists, ahl al-naẓar = people of disciplined reasoning; for Sufis, naẓar of the heart = gazing with basīrah.

Khayāl:Ibn Sīnā: imagination (al-quwwah al-mutakhayyilah) mediates between sensory perception and intellect.

Ibn ʿArabī: ʿālam al-khayāl = imaginal world, a real ontological realm where meanings appear in forms.

Tawassum: Linked to firāsah al-muʾmin (“the believer’s discernment”) from hadith: “Beware of the firāsah of the believer, for he sees with the light of Allah.” (Tirmidhī).

4. Neuroscience Echo

Naẓar (Reflective Gaze):

Visual-parietal integration supports deliberate observation.

Citation: Corbetta & Shulman, Control of goal-directed and stimulus-driven attention in the brain, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2002.

Khayāl (Imagination):

Default Mode Network + visual cortex reactivation = “seeing without eyes.”

Citation: Schacter et al., The future of memory: Remembering, imagining, and the brain, Neuron, 2007.

Tawassum (Discernment):

Right hemisphere + salience network = pattern detection, intuitive leaps.

Citation: Jung-Beeman, The right hemisphere and insight: Neuroimaging evidence, Psychological Science, 2005.

Thus, creativity = a sacred cognitive process: perceiving, imagining, discerning.

5. Pedagogical Practices

Naẓar Drill: Observe an ordinary object (cup, tree, shoe). Write 5 lessons it reveals about Allah’s design.

Khayāl Exercise: Envision yourself on the Day of Judgment. Journal the feelings/actions you wish you had lived.

Tawassum Activity: Decode a Qur’anic parable (Light Verse, Good Tree) → express through art, poetry, or story.

Dream Reflection: Keep a notebook; reflect on recurring symbolic motifs (without superstition).

6. Placement in MMI

Axis: Creative.

Function: Opens perception into imagination, transforms imagination into symbolic discernment.

Goal: To cultivate believers who see with depth, imagine with vision, and discern signs with firāsah — turning creativity into dhikr.

Summary of Creative Intelligence

Naẓar: Reflective looking.

Khayāl: Imagination.

Tawassum: Symbolic discernment.

Neuro Echo: Attention (parietal), imagination (DMN), intuition (RH + salience).

Practice: Observation drills, future visioning, parable art, firāsah exercises.

This axis is the discipline of beauty and imagination — integrating art, poetry, and creativity into the Qur’anic vision of intelligence.

Part V – Spiritual Intelligence

1. Definition and Axis

Spiritual Intelligence (al-ʿaql al-rūḥānī / basīrah) is the faculty of the illuminated heart (qalb) — the ability to perceive reality in its relation to Allah, to remember Him constantly, to comprehend deeply, and to attain maʿrifah (recognition of Him).

While contemplative, empirical, and creative intelligences each have their own functions, it is spiritual intelligence that integrates them all. Without basīrah, intellect becomes arrogance, perception becomes materialism, and imagination becomes delusion.

The Qur’an insists that true knowing begins with the heart:

“For indeed, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts within the breasts that grow blind.” 22:46

2. Lexicon of the Qur’an

Basīrah (بصيرة): Insight, inner seeing.

“This is my way; I call to Allah with basīrah, I and those who follow me.” 12:108

Tadhakkur (تذكر): Remembrance, recollection.

“And We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance (tadhakkur), so is there any who will remember?” 54:17

Tafaqquh (تفقه): Deep comprehension, fiqh of the heart.

“For why did there not go forth a group from every division to gain deep understanding (liyatafaqqahū) in religion?” 9:122

Maʿrifah (معرفة): Recognition, intimate knowing of Allah.

Root of the Sufi maqāmāt: from ʿilm (knowledge) → maʿrifah (recognition).

Qur’an uses ʿarafa in sense of recognition: “They recognize him (yaʿrifūnahu) as they recognize their own sons.” 2:146

Together: Basīrah → Tadhakkur → Tafaqquh → Maʿrifah.

3. Classical Insights

Basīrah: Ibn al-Qayyim — basīrah is “the light Allah casts into the heart of His servant by which he distinguishes truth from falsehood.”

Tadhakkur: Ghazālī — remembrance polishes the mirror of the heart. Without dhikr, the heart rusts (ran).

Tafaqquh: Not mere legal knowledge, but holistic comprehension of dīn: law, akhlāq, and inner purification.

Maʿrifah: In Sufi epistemology, the highest stage — recognition of Allah that transforms character. Ibn ʿAṭāʾillāh: “Knowledge that does not lead to maʿrifah is but a veil.”

4. Neuroscience Echo

Basīrah (Insight):

Linked to anterior cingulate + prefrontal networks for conflict monitoring and sudden clarity (“Aha!” insight).

Citation: Kounios & Beeman, The Aha! Moment: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Insight, Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2009.

Tadhakkur (Remembrance):

Dhikr practices shown to deactivate parietal areas (sense of self), increase calm, and heighten connectivity.

Citation: Newberg & Waldman, How God Changes Your Brain, 2009.

Tafaqquh (Deep Comprehension):

Engages integrative prefrontal and semantic networks — comprehension beyond surface memory.

Citation: Binder et al., Semantic Processing in the Brain: A Meta-Analysis, NeuroImage, 2009.

Maʿrifah (Recognition):

Associated with default mode + limbic integration — self-awareness dissolving into transcendent awareness.

Citation: Brewer et al., Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity, PNAS, 2011.

5. Pedagogical Practices

Basīrah Journaling: Reflect daily: “What truth did I perceive today beneath appearances?”

Tadhakkur Pauses: Interrupt daily routine with 2–3 minutes dhikr of al-Ḥaqq, linking knowledge back to Allah.

Tafaqquh Seminars: Go beyond memorization → ask: how does this verse/hadith transform self and society?

Maʿrifah Retreats: Short khalwah or spiritual retreat for reflection, Qur’an recitation, and supplication — cultivating recognition.

6. Placement in MMI

Axis: Spiritual (integrative).

Function: The luminous heart, integrating intellect, perception, and imagination.

Goal: To transform knowledge into wisdom, remembrance into recognition, and intelligence into worship.

Summary of Spiritual Intelligence

Basīrah: Inner seeing.

Tadhakkur: Remembrance.

Tafaqquh: Deep comprehension.

Maʿrifah: Recognition of Allah.

Neuro Echo: Insight (ACC), remembrance (parietal deactivation), comprehension (prefrontal integration), recognition (DMN-limbic).

Practice: Journals, dhikr pauses, tafaqquh seminars, retreats.

This axis is the heart of all intelligence — the integrator and illuminator, without which the others scatter.

Part VI – Fruits of Intelligence

1. Moral Intelligence (Akhlāq)

a. Definition

Moral Intelligence is the fruit of integrating knowledge with the heart. It is the ability to embody ṣidq (truthfulness), tawāḍuʿ (humility), ṣabr (patience), shajāʿah (courage), and ʿadālah (justice). It is not merely “ethics” in the secular sense, but akhlāq — divinely anchored character.

b. Qur’anic Grounding

“Indeed, you are upon a magnificent character (khuluqin ʿaẓīm).” 68:4

“Take what is given freely, enjoin what is right, and turn away from the ignorant.” 7:199

c. Prophetic Model

The Prophet ﷺ said: “I was only sent to perfect noble character.” (Musnad Aḥmad)

Thus, all intelligence finds its proof in akhlāq. A person who reflects (tafakkur), observes (ruʾyah), imagines (khayāl), and remembers (tadhakkur), but lacks humility or truthfulness, has not attained true intelligence.

d. Neuroscience Echo

Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC): Integrates emotion and reason in moral judgment.

Damage to vmPFC disrupts the ability to weigh intent vs. outcome in moral decisions.

Citation: Koenigs et al., Damage to the prefrontal cortex increases utilitarian moral judgments, Nature, 2007.

Amygdala: Processes compassion and aversion to harm.

Oxytocin pathways: Associated with empathy, trust, and bonding.

Moral intelligence emerges when reason, empathy, and memory are integrated by the heart.

2. Social / ʿUmrānī Intelligence (Tajdīd)

a. Definition

Social Intelligence (ʿaql ʿumrānī) is the application of the four axes at the collective level: understanding societies, discerning their cycles, reforming institutions, and renewing civilization. It is the intelligence of tajdīd (renewal) — producing a new mujaddid in every age.

b. Qur’anic Grounding

“You are the best nation brought forth for mankind: you enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and believe in Allah.” 3:110

“That is the way (sunnat Allāh) of those who passed away before; and you will never find any change in the way of Allah.” 33:62

c. Classical Models

Ibn Khaldūn: His Muqaddimah framed history as a science of social cycles (ʿibrah).

Al-Ghazālī: Saw tajdīd as reforming both inner souls and outer institutions.

The Mujaddid Tradition: Every century, Allah sends a mujaddid to renew the dīn (ḥadīth in Abū Dāwūd).

d. Neuroscience Echo

Temporoparietal Junction (TPJ): Empathy, perspective-taking — crucial for leadership and community.

Prefrontal integration: Planning, social decision-making.

Mirror Neuron Systems: Enable social learning, imitation, and collective action.

Citation: Decety & Lamm, Empathy vs. sympathy in brain research, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2006.

Thus, tajdīd requires a collective neurocognitive synergy: shared memory, empathy, vision, and discipline.

3. Integration: Fruits as Proof

If the roots are the four intelligences, then the fruits are:

Personal: Akhlāq (moral refinement).

Collective: Tajdīd (social renewal).

Without these, the model remains theoretical. The Prophet ﷺ said:

The most beloved of people to Allah are those most beneficial to others.” (Ṭabarānī)

Hence, the Mujaddid Model is not for individual brilliance alone but for civilizational renewal.

Summary of Fruits of Intelligence

Moral Intelligence (Akhlāq): Truth, humility, courage, patience, justice.

Rooted in Qur’an [68:4], Hadith on noble character.

Neuroscience: vmPFC + amygdala + oxytocin.

Social / ʿUmrānī Intelligence (Tajdīd): Reform and renewal of society.

Rooted in Qur’an [3:110], [33:62], Hadith of mujaddid.

Neuroscience: TPJ (empathy), PFC (planning), mirror neurons (social learning).

Together, these fruits show that the four axes are not ends in themselves. They exist to produce ethical individuals and renewed societies — the Qur’anic vision of khilāfah.

Purpose and Application: Toward a Epistemic Renewal (Tajdīd)

The ultimate purpose of this intricate model is nothing less than the renewal (tajdīd) of Islamic thought and education. It is a direct challenge to the fragmentation caused by the adoption of secular frameworks that divorce knowledge from its sacred origin and purpose.

This model seeks to:

Heal the Divide: Unify revealed knowledge (ilm naqlī) and rational-empirical knowledge (ilm ‘aqli) under the umbrella of tawḥīd, showing them to be complementary, not contradictory.

Provide Qur’anic Categories: Replace imported psychological and philosophical models with a robust epistemology derived directly from the Qur’an own terminology.

Guide the Ummah: Direct the collective intellectual and creative energies of the Muslim community toward knowledge that purifies the soul, illuminates the heart, and serves humanity as a form of worship.

The educational platform of Unconventional Duha  is the practical manifestation of this vision.

It represents a move beyond conventional pedagogy to nurture a new generation of integrated thinkers: scientists who see their work as tafakkur, artists engaged in tawassum, historians dedicated to i‘tibār, scholars profound in tafaqquh, and all of them grounded in tadhakkur and illuminated by basīrah. It is an education that aims not just to fill minds with information but to illuminate hearts with wisdom and empower limbs with righteous action.

The Mujaddid Model of Intelligence is a powerful map for navigating the modern world without losing one’s spiritual compass. By rooting itself in Allah al-Ḥakīm, anchoring itself in the Qur’an and Sunnah, and centering itself on the luminous basīrah of the heart, it offers a complete and coherent system for thinking and being. It demonstrates that the Qur’anic call to intellect is not a singular command but a multi-faceted invitation to engage all of our God-given faculties—contemplative, empirical, creative, and spiritual—in a unified quest for truth.

This is the path to genuine revival: Rediscovering the profound and timeless epistemic universe within the Qur’an itself, and by striving to become, once again, a community that embodies integrated knowledge, wisdom, and divine purpose.

Refereces:

Neuroscience & Cognitive Psychology

Contemplative Intelligence

Raichle, M. E. (2015). The brain’s default mode network: Anatomy, function, and relevance to disease. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 112(49), 14830–14835.

Miller, E. K., & Cummings, J. L. (2007). The prefrontal cortex and human cognition. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 30, 99–125.

Dahl, C. J., Lutz, A., & Davidson, R. J. (2020). The plasticity of well-being: A training-based framework for the cultivation of human flourishing. PNAS, 117(51), 32197–32206.

Empirical Intelligence

Hubel, D. H., & Wiesel, T. N. (1968). Receptive fields and functional architecture of monkey striate cortex. Journal of Physiology, 195(1), 215–243.

Decety, J., & Lamm, C. (2007). The role of the right temporoparietal junction in social interaction: How low-level computational processes contribute to meta-cognition. Neuropsychologia, 45(11), 2847–2857.

Botvinick, M. M., Braver, T. S., Barch, D. M., Carter, C. S., & Cohen, J. D. (2001). Conflict monitoring and cognitive control. Psychological Review, 108(3), 624–652. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.108.3.624

Eichenbaum, H. (2013). Memory on time. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 17(2), 81–88.

Creative Intelligence

Corbetta, M., & Shulman, G. L. (2002). Control of goal-directed and stimulus-driven attention in the brain. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 3, 201–215.

Schacter, D. L., Addis, D. R., & Buckner, R. L. (2007). Remembering the past to imagine the future: The prospective brain. Neuron, 56(5), 677–694.

Jung-Beeman, M. (2005). Bilateral brain processes for comprehending natural language. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9(11), 512–518.

Spiritual Intelligence

Kounios, J., & Beeman, M. (2009). The Aha! moment: The cognitive neuroscience of insight. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18(4), 210–216.

Newberg, A. B., & Waldman, M. R. (2009). How God changes your brain: Breakthrough findings from a leading neuroscientist. Ballantine Books.

Binder, J. R., Desai, R. H., Graves, W. W., & Conant, L. L. (2009). Where is the semantic system? A critical review and meta-analysis of 120 functional neuroimaging studies. NeuroImage, 54(3), 1114–1126.

Brewer, J. A., Worhunsky, P. D., Gray, J. R., Tang, Y.-Y., Weber, J., & Kober, H. (2011). Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity.

Moral & Social Intelligence

Koenigs, M., Young, L., Adolphs, R., Tranel, D., Cushman, F., Hauser, M., & Damasio, A. (2007). Damage to the prefrontal cortex increases utilitarian moral judgments. Nature, 446, 908–911.

Decety, J., & Lamm, C. (2006). Human empathy through the lens of social neuroscience. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 10(10), 435–441.

 Islamic Classical References

al-Ghazālī: Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn, Book of Tafakkur.

Ibn al-Qayyim: Miftāḥ Dār al-Saʿādah — defines firāsah as the light Allah casts in the heart to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Ibn Khaldūn: Muqaddimah — outlines ʿilm al-ʿumrān and ʿibrah from history.

Ibn Sīnā: Kitāb al-Nafs (Book of the Soul) — defines al-quwwah al-mutakhayyilah (imaginative faculty).

Ibn ʿArabī: Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya — describes ʿālam al-khayāl as the imaginal world between spirit and matter.

al-Rāzī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Ṭabarī: Tafsīr works on tafakkur, tadabbur, taʿaqqul verses.

Qur’an & Hadith References

Qur’an: [3:190], [47:24], [2:44], [29:19], [21:79], [10:53], [12:111], [7:185], [20:66], [15:75], [12:108], [54:17], [9:122], [2:146], [68:4], [7:199], [3:110], [33:62], [4:174], [24:35], [2:269], [22:46].

Hadith:

“I was only sent to perfect noble character.” (Musnad Aḥmad, ṣaḥīḥ)

“Beware the firāsah of the believer, for he sees with the light of Allah.” (Tirmidhī, ḥasan)

“Verily in the body there is a piece of flesh… it is the heart.” (Bukhārī, Muslim)

“The most beloved of people to Allah are those most beneficial to others.” (Ṭabarānī, ḥasan)

Ḥadīth of mujaddid every century: (Abū Dāwūd, Book 37, Hadith 4278, ṣaḥīḥ).