The Importance of Knowledge

The Quran identifies two types of knowledge, as indicated in the verse: “Bring me a Book revealed before this or some other vestige of knowledge, if you are telling the truth”. (Quran, 46:4) According to this verse, the first source of knowledge is divine scripture, which can also be referred to as revealed knowledge. However, this refers specifically to historically verified revealed knowledge. Any claim of divine revelation that lacks historical authenticity cannot be accepted. In this regard, the Quran is the only reliable representative of revealed knowledge today. Other sacred texts, due to their lack of historical reliability, cannot serve as authentic sources of divine knowledge. The second type of knowledge is referred to in the Quran as “Atharatin min ‘ilmin” (a vestige of knowledge). The term “Athar” means “to narrate or transmit.” Eleventh-century Muslim scholar of Quranic exegesis and the Arabic language, Abul-Qasim al-Hussein Raghib Isfahani, explained as: “It refers to knowledge that is narrated or written, leaving behind a trace or impact.” (Al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Quran, p. 9) I believe this refers to what is commonly known today as verified knowledge—knowledge that has been consistently validated through research, observation, and experimentation to the point of gaining general acceptance