Religions 2014, 5, 179–198; doi:10.3390/rel5010179
religions
ISSN 2077-1444
www.mdpi.com/journal/religions
Article
A Qur’anic Framework for Spiritual Intelligence
Benaouda Bensaid 1,*, Salah ben Tahar Machouche 1 and Fadila Grine 2
1 Department of Fundamental and Inter Disciplinary Studies, Kulliyah of Islamic Revealed
Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University (IIUM), P.O. Box 10, Kuala
Lumpur 50728, Malaysia; E-Mail: bentahar@iium.edu.my
2 Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia;
E-Mail: fadilagrine@um.edu.my
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: bensaid@iium.edu.my;
Tel.: +60-172-508-697.
Received: 14 October 2013; in revised form: 24 January 2014 / Accepted: 28 January 2014 /
Published: 26 February 2014
Abstract: This paper examines the perspective of the Qur’an on spiritual intelligence in an
attempt to understand its foundations, meaning and nature, as well as derive its indicators,
in an effort to develop a competency-based criterion for it. This paper draws on some
illustrations that effectively highlight the Qur’anic perspective on the subject of spiritual
intelligence. The paper concludes that spiritual intelligence developed in accordance with a
Qur’anic framework that incorporates spiritual consciousness into a system of belief, worship,
morality and social responsibility. The understanding of the Qur’anic perspective helps
uncover some of the broad underlying theoretical principles and values of Islamic spiritual
intelligence which shapes much of Muslim spiritual undertaking with relation to a wider
spectrum of interaction with faith-groups and society; effectively developing more inclusive
models of evaluation and capacity-building in contemporary multi-religious societies.
Keywords: Islamic spirituality; Islamic spiritual intelligence; spiritual experience; spiritual
experience; spiritual consciousness
1. Introduction
The concept of spiritual intelligence is relatively new. Over the past decade, it has become subject
to increasing scholarly attention of researchers. Some popular works on the topic include Emmons A.
OPEN ACCESS
Religions 2014, 5 180
Robert in ‘The Psychology of Ultimate Concerns: Motivation and Spirituality in Personality; Gardner
Howard in ‘Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences’; Halama Peter and Strizenec
Michal in ‘Spiritual, Existential or Both? Theoretical Considerations on the Nature of Higher
Intelligences’ [1]; Vaughan, Frances in ‘What is Spiritual Intelligence?’ [2]; Mayer D. John in
‘Spiritual Intelligence or Spiritual Consciousness’ [3]; Wolman N. Richard in ‘Thinking with your
Soul: Spiritual Intelligence and Why It Matters’ [4]; and Zohar Danah and Ian Marshall in ‘SQ:
Connecting with Our Spiritual Intelligence and Spiritual Capital Wealth We Can Live by’ [5].
Perhaps, the foremost and most frequently cited definition of spiritual intelligence is that of a
framework for identifying and organizing the requisite skills and abilities needed for the adaptive use
of spirituality [6]. Vaughan defines spiritual intelligence as the inherent capacity for a deep
understanding of existential questions and insight into multiple levels of consciousness [2]. For
Wolman, spiritual intelligence reflects the inherent human capacity to ask ultimate questions
concerning the meaning of life and to simultaneously experience the seamless connection between the
individual and the world in which they live [4]. Vaughan views spiritual intelligence as a capacity for a
deep understanding of existential questions and potential for insight into multiple levels of
consciousness. He believes that spiritual intelligence emerges as a consciousness that evolves into an
ever-deepening awareness of matter, life, body, mind, soul, and spirit. Spiritual intelligence therefore is
more than individual mental ability, and even transcends conventional psychological development.
Wolman further notes that while practicing psychotherapy, his impression remains that spiritual
intelligence opens the heart, illuminates the mind, and inspires the soul; while connecting the
individual human psyche to the underlying ground of being… it may be expressed in any culture as
love, wisdom, and service [4].
Zohar and Marshall on the other hand define spiritual intelligence as the intelligence with which we
access our deepest meanings, values, purposes, and highest motivations [5]. For them, it is reflected in
how we use our spiritual maturity throughout our thinking processes, in the decisions we make, and in
the matters we think worthwhile to deal with. Such decisions include how we create and allocate our
material wealth. They also view spiritual capital as pertaining to what a community or organization
exists for, aspires to, and takes responsibility for [5]. Spiritual intelligence for them leads to the
realization of moral purposes in life, raises the courage to ask fundamental questions, and helps plot a
better and more meaningful course of life. Spiritual intelligence is meant to be dissociated from
religious beliefs so as to accommodate non-religious thinking.
Zohar and Marshall argue that the use of the word ‘spiritual’ has no connection with religion or any
other organized belief system. For them, religious organization and religiously based cultures have
undoubtedly built some genuine spiritual capital but have done so within the limitations of belief
systems that excludes those who hold other religious beliefs and those who hold no religious beliefs [5].
For Vaughan, it is not enough for a person to claim spiritual knowledge if it is not expressed in the
world through wisdom, compassion, and action. Integrating spiritual intelligence means living in
accordance with one’s core beliefs. This integration reinforces a sense of purpose, whereas
fragmentation leads to alienation and despair [2].
Religions 2014, 5 181
2. Preliminary Remarks on Islamic Spirituality
A survey of the Qur’an essentially points to the following fundamental categories of knowledge;
The Creator, human, the physical world and the unseen. One of the viable fields of knowledge that
touches on those categories and which the Qur’an discusses extensively however is the spiritual
pre-disposition of man whose cultivation is rooted in the belief in God, constant internalizing of faith
through individual spiritual practice and reaching out to society. Spirituality is made through a process
of profound inner reflection, devotion to God, commitment to lifestyle of worship, and adherence to
morality; all however set to enhance a solid awareness of themselves and the world around them while
furthermore refining human character, building balance and strengthening effective social bonds.
Muslim spirituality is geared to synchronize the inner and outer make-up of emotional, rational and
behavioural exercise in light of revelatory norms, and as such would lead Muslims to a stage whereby
they develop inner peace, maintain healthy wellness, and sustain driving motivation for good.
The concept of spiritual cultivation is moreover associated with another fundamental theme in
Islamic theology, namely, the multi-dimensional innate human nature (fitrah). The revelatory
knowledge on human nature represents the primary ground for cultivating spirituality and maintaining
it in the effective organization of human life. Nature connotes constitution, or meanings such as the
natural, native, innate, original disposition, temper; or qualities and properties such as idiosyncrasy and
the faculty of knowing God [7]. Three key terms have been used in reference to its being; the soul or
spirit (ruh) (Qur’an 32:9), the self (nafs) (Qur’an 91:7), and body (jism) (Qur’an 2:247; 21:8). The
Qur’an also alludes to the presence of other dimensions of human creation such as the spirit, psyche
and human predisposition. Along this parallel, the Qur’an describes the various earthly composites of
human creation such as dust (Qur’an 30:20), potter’s clay (Qur’an 55:14), potter’s clay of altered black
mud (Qur’an 15:26), plastic clay (Qur’an 37:11), and a product of wet earth (Qur’an 23:12).
Nevertheless, the Qur’an declares that the human intellect possesses the ability to access the
mysteries of the physical world, yet knows little of the soul and spirit (Qur’an 17:85). Similarly,
humans are granted free will and are shown two courses in life (Qur’an 90:10), the first leading to
spirituality, piety and wellness while the second engenders perplexity, moral vice, and corruption.
Similarly, humans are equipped with cognitive means and supported by divine guidance. While current
scholarly literature speak of value-free forms of faith, and focus on psychometric instruments to test
and measure spiritual skills and abilities in a context of transient human interests [5], the Qur’an
speaks rather of a holistic approach to spirituality in a manner that sets and at the same time builds and
regulates the process of spirituality with balance. This corresponds in proportionate measures to the
very nature of human creation, motivation, aspiration, destiny and religious responsibility, supported
throughout by a system of legal, ethical and social values that ensure the gradual and undisturbed
human ascension to God. Islam finds the man’s spiritual being to be an indicator of true life, in
contrast to those who neglect their inner spiritual potential; describing their state as a form of death.
The Qur’an states: “Can he who was dead, to whom We gave life, and a light whereby he can walk
amongst men, be like him who is in the depths of darkness, from which he can never come out? Thus
to those without faith their own deeds seem pleasing” ([8], Chapter 6:122).
According to the Qur’an, the spiritual states represent the outcome of conscious interaction with the
divine, made manifest in an open relationship with the Creator. Spirituality according to Qur’anic logic
Reli
Religions 2014, 5, 179–198; doi:10.3390/rel5010179
religions
ISSN 2077-1444
www.mdpi.com/journal/religions
Article
A Qur’anic Framework for Spiritual Intelligence
Benaouda Bensaid 1,*, Salah ben Tahar Machouche 1 and Fadila Grine 2
1 Department of Fundamental and Inter Disciplinary Studies, Kulliyah of Islamic Revealed
Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University (IIUM), P.O. Box 10, Kuala
Lumpur 50728, Malaysia; E-Mail: bentahar@iium.edu.my
2 Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia;
E-Mail: fadilagrine@um.edu.my
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: bensaid@iium.edu.my;
Tel.: +60-172-508-697.
Received: 14 October 2013; in revised form: 24 January 2014 / Accepted: 28 January 2014 /
Published: 26 February 2014
Abstract: This paper examines the perspective of the Qur’an on spiritual intelligence in an
attempt to understand its foundations, meaning and nature, as well as derive its indicators,
in an effort to develop a competency-based criterion for it. This paper draws on some
illustrations that effectively highlight the Qur’anic perspective on the subject of spiritual
intelligence. The paper concludes that spiritual intelligence developed in accordance with a
Qur’anic framework that incorporates spiritual consciousness into a system of belief, worship,
morality and social responsibility. The understanding of the Qur’anic perspective helps
uncover some of the broad underlying theoretical principles and values of Islamic spiritual
intelligence which shapes much of Muslim spiritual undertaking with relation to a wider
spectrum of interaction with faith-groups and society; effectively developing more inclusive
models of evaluation and capacity-building in contemporary multi-religious societies.
Keywords: Islamic spirituality; Islamic spiritual intelligence; spiritual experience; spiritual
experience; spiritual consciousness
1. Introduction
The concept of spiritual intelligence is relatively new. Over the past decade, it has become subject
to increasing scholarly attention of researchers. Some popular works on the topic include Emmons A.
OPEN ACCESS
Religions 2014, 5 180
Robert in ‘The Psychology of Ultimate Concerns: Motivation and Spirituality in Personality; Gardner
Howard in ‘Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences’; Halama Peter and Strizenec
Michal in ‘Spiritual, Existential or Both? Theoretical Considerations on the Nature of Higher
Intelligences’ [1]; Vaughan, Frances in ‘What is Spiritual Intelligence?’ [2]; Mayer D. John in
‘Spiritual Intelligence or Spiritual Consciousness’ [3]; Wolman N. Richard in ‘Thinking with your
Soul: Spiritual Intelligence and Why It Matters’ [4]; and Zohar Danah and Ian Marshall in ‘SQ:
Connecting with Our Spiritual Intelligence and Spiritual Capital Wealth We Can Live by’ [5].
Perhaps, the foremost and most frequently cited definition of spiritual intelligence is that of a
framework for identifying and organizing the requisite skills and abilities needed for the adaptive use
of spirituality [6]. Vaughan defines spiritual intelligence as the inherent capacity for a deep
understanding of existential questions and insight into multiple levels of consciousness [2]. For
Wolman, spiritual intelligence reflects the inherent human capacity to ask ultimate questions
concerning the meaning of life and to simultaneously experience the seamless connection between the
individual and the world in which they live [4]. Vaughan views spiritual intelligence as a capacity for a
deep understanding of existential questions and potential for insight into multiple levels of
consciousness. He believes that spiritual intelligence emerges as a consciousness that evolves into an
ever-deepening awareness of matter, life, body, mind, soul, and spirit. Spiritual intelligence therefore is
more than individual mental ability, and even transcends conventional psychological development.
Wolman further notes that while practicing psychotherapy, his impression remains that spiritual
intelligence opens the heart, illuminates the mind, and inspires the soul; while connecting the
individual human psyche to the underlying ground of being… it may be expressed in any culture as
love, wisdom, and service [4].
Zohar and Marshall on the other hand define spiritual intelligence as the intelligence with which we
access our deepest meanings, values, purposes, and highest motivations [5]. For them, it is reflected in
how we use our spiritual maturity throughout our thinking processes, in the decisions we make, and in
the matters we think worthwhile to deal with. Such decisions include how we create and allocate our
material wealth. They also view spiritual capital as pertaining to what a community or organization
exists for, aspires to, and takes responsibility for [5]. Spiritual intelligence for them leads to the
realization of moral purposes in life, raises the courage to ask fundamental questions, and helps plot a
better and more meaningful course of life. Spiritual intelligence is meant to be dissociated from
religious beliefs so as to accommodate non-religious thinking.
Zohar and Marshall argue that the use of the word ‘spiritual’ has no connection with religion or any
other organized belief system. For them, religious organization and religiously based cultures have
undoubtedly built some genuine spiritual capital but have done so within the limitations of belief
systems that excludes those who hold other religious beliefs and those who hold no religious beliefs [5].
For Vaughan, it is not enough for a person to claim spiritual knowledge if it is not expressed in the
world through wisdom, compassion, and action. Integrating spiritual intelligence means living in
accordance with one’s core beliefs. This integration reinforces a sense of purpose, whereas
fragmentation leads to alienation and despair [2].
Religions 2014, 5 181
2. Preliminary Remarks on Islamic Spirituality
A survey of the Qur’an essentially points to the following fundamental categories of knowledge;
The Creator, human, the physical world and the unseen. One of the viable fields of knowledge that
touches on those categories and which the Qur’an discusses extensively however is the spiritual
pre-disposition of man whose cultivation is rooted in the belief in God, constant internalizing of faith
through individual spiritual practice and reaching out to society. Spirituality is made through a process
of profound inner reflection, devotion to God, commitment to lifestyle of worship, and adherence to
morality; all however set to enhance a solid awareness of themselves and the world around them while
furthermore refining human character, building balance and strengthening effective social bonds.
Muslim spirituality is geared to synchronize the inner and outer make-up of emotional, rational and
behavioural exercise in light of revelatory norms, and as such would lead Muslims to a stage whereby
they develop inner peace, maintain healthy wellness, and sustain driving motivation for good.
The concept of spiritual cultivation is moreover associated with another fundamental theme in
Islamic theology, namely, the multi-dimensional innate human nature (fitrah). The revelatory
knowledge on human nature represents the primary ground for cultivating spirituality and maintaining
it in the effective organization of human life. Nature connotes constitution, or meanings such as the
natural, native, innate, original disposition, temper; or qualities and properties such as idiosyncrasy and
the faculty of knowing God [7]. Three key terms have been used in reference to its being; the soul or
spirit (ruh) (Qur’an 32:9), the self (nafs) (Qur’an 91:7), and body (jism) (Qur’an 2:247; 21:8). The
Qur’an also alludes to the presence of other dimensions of human creation such as the spirit, psyche
and human predisposition. Along this parallel, the Qur’an describes the various earthly composites of
human creation such as dust (Qur’an 30:20), potter’s clay (Qur’an 55:14), potter’s clay of altered black
mud (Qur’an 15:26), plastic clay (Qur’an 37:11), and a product of wet earth (Qur’an 23:12).
Nevertheless, the Qur’an declares that the human intellect possesses the ability to access the
mysteries of the physical world, yet knows little of the soul and spirit (Qur’an 17:85). Similarly,
humans are granted free will and are shown two courses in life (Qur’an 90:10), the first leading to
spirituality, piety and wellness while the second engenders perplexity, moral vice, and corruption.
Similarly, humans are equipped with cognitive means and supported by divine guidance. While current
scholarly literature speak of value-free forms of faith, and focus on psychometric instruments to test
and measure spiritual skills and abilities in a context of transient human interests [5], the Qur’an
speaks rather of a holistic approach to spirituality in a manner that sets and at the same time builds and
regulates the process of spirituality with balance. This corresponds in proportionate measures to the
very nature of human creation, motivation, aspiration, destiny and religious responsibility, supported
throughout by a system of legal, ethical and social values that ensure the gradual and undisturbed
human ascension to God. Islam finds the man’s spiritual being to be an indicator of true life, in
contrast to those who neglect their inner spiritual potential; describing their state as a form of death.
The Qur’an states: “Can he who was dead, to whom We gave life, and a light whereby he can walk
amongst men, be like him who is in the depths of darkness, from which he can never come out? Thus
to those without faith their own deeds seem pleasing” ([8], Chapter 6:122).
According to the Qur’an, the spiritual states represent the outcome of conscious interaction with the
divine, made manifest in an open relationship with the Creator. Spirituality according to Qur’anic logic
Reli
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