Scientific Discoveries and Theological RealitiesWorking Group Retreat 4: MinutesJanuary 24-25, 2015

Dates and Logistics: Moving Forward - Dr. Aasim

Goal of the retreat: To have two more outlines of papers

Upcoming: PMR Conference in Boston, March 6-8thPaper 1: Sh. Omar and Dr. Ahsan speaking; Dr. Padela moderator, Sh. Jihad possible commentaryPaper 2: Dr. Ahsan onlyPapers 3 and 4 [Dr. Faisal and Sh. Jihad] - Outlines needed at the close of the retreat in Boston

Templeton: Presentation - Thinking about ISNA (September 4-7th, 2015) as the 2nd venue to present to panels at. Grant originally ends 12/31/2015 - Submission needs to be completed by the end of December for all four papers and 3 presentations needs to occur. Dr. Aasim is requesting an extension for the symposium with hosting a symposium/conference in April 2016.First two papers should be submitted by ISNA-time so they are under review.Target journals: Zygon Journal of Religion and Science, Center for Islamic Studies Journal (Oxford), Muslim World Journal, Journal of Religious Ethics, Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics

Send everything for PMR conference to Dr. Aasim before February 22nd.

The Nature of the Soul and its Primary Functions (continued) - Sh. Jihad

Thesis: Question of what is the soul, what are its capacities?

Two primary Sunni, orthodox traditions:a. Subtle body (al-jism al-latif): The soul is not the same opaque corporeal substance, but

at the same is not an abstract object. It pervades the entire body and is placed in the physical realm of existence (mulk). Physicalist position-implies all reality is made of physical objects, and the science of physics is sufficient to explain all phenomena and reality, dominant position until Imam al-Ghazali

b. Immaterial substance (jawhar al-mujarrad): Soul is an abstract object. Realist position (counter position is nominalism). This position proposes that soul is a nonphysical object and is placed in the angelic realm (malakūt). There is an overlap with consciousness studies and philosophy of mind. This demonstrates non-materiality of consciousness. Existed before al-Ghazali, but he was the first theologian to bring it forward (may have predicted problems that would emerge philosophically with jism position, comfort with philosophy by the time you reach al-Ghazali especially in Sunni realm).

After al-Ghazali: Immaterial substance was dominant position. Subtle body position was dominant among the lay people. al-Ghazali did not take a position.

Subtle body position doesn’t imply solving any questions of philosophy of mind, post mortem existence, or the ability to access abstract meaning. This results in a shift to immaterial substance position. It is difficult to explain how the soul is connected to the body. Model explains post mortem existence, access to unseen and abstract intelligibles because human being has this element that bridges the two worlds (physical and angelic). The human being is between worlds, this life and the next life (barzakh). The closer one moves to be in touch with the soul, the more access they have to the unseen.

Cartesian dualism: Time between Hume and Locke. a. There are many dualisms, so dualism doesn’t equal Cartesian. Western non-Muslim

intellectuals automatically assume it is Cartesian. b. Westerners went out of their way not to be associated with this type of dualism, Muslim

thinkers followed suitc. Any type of Islamic dualism is preceding Descartesd. Cultural problem: Dualism is a repudiation of the body, repudiation of the physical world.

Modernization experiment: a. Historical problems in the 20th-21st century in accessing the sophisticated notion of the

soulb. 100 years of trying to get away from Islam theology, theological reasoning and philosophy

that underpins it for sake of positive materialism

Supervenience: Beyond physicality, the Whole being is based in physical substrate and supervenes on it (greater than the physical but requires the physical). Any change in a physical substrate creates a change in supervenus

a. Subtle body requires supervenus if the model is to imply its own explanations internal, where subtle body is dependent on physical substrate.

b. Faith in God: God can make it soc. Non-contradiction rule: Nothing we’re saying about empirical phenomena contradicts

reason (based in logic and mathematics)d. Immaterial substance doesn’t require supervenience

Emergence: Whole is greater than its parts. Emerges from supervenience

Property dualism: Negotiation between physicalism and faith and theology. Everything has a physical source but somethings are immaterial. Implying soul-like properties emerge from a physical aspect of the body. Reduces soul to properties and qualities rather than as an entity in and of itself. It doesn’t require any other substrate for it to exist, which would be necessary for post-mortem to exist. Problem is also that properties doesn’t have properties. Soul-bundle of properties with bundle-like properties that come to an end when the substrate comes to an end.If you are to invoke immaterial substance (jawhar al-mujarrad), would have to move away from this position as there is no substance (jawhar) upon which to have these properties

Working definition:

a. Mudkal (?) al-Iji: Graduating text for scholars, but given up in the 1930‘s. Seldomly taught after this. Appears non-committal, particularly in the case of the rational soul. Assumption that al-Ijji supports immaterial substance position in the end.

b. Preferred conception of the soul, cite the subtle body position yet put all their weight behind immaterial substance

c. al-Iji definition of soul: Vegetative, animal, and human soul. There is a common capacity for growth and development for each. Each level has a differentiating factor than the other souls. For the human soul that differentiation is ratiocination-animals don’t have rational souls

d. Rational soul: first actuality or intelliqi (sp?) (kamal, perfection) of natural, instrumental body from the perspective that it comprehends universals and derives from opinions from inquiry

Instrumental, performs using its parts. Intelliqi differentiates from the level before as a result of the rational faculty. Comprehends universals (non-physical and extremely rational) and derives opinions from own research.

e. Controlling factor of definition: Conceptual term that is indispensable because it serves to manage the content of the formula in order to differentiate it from ideas that don’t belong (inclusive-exclusive).

f. Genus (jins): Universal concept that indicates the entire meaning of inequity that is precipitated/articipated in a multiple of things that differ one from another in essential realities. Serves to differentiate ensouled entities from inanimate life, which is the first function of the soul.

g. Rational capacity is secondary actuality: This controlling factor is the primary difference of human persons. Difference (fusal) is a universal conception that indicates that aspect of a things quiddity (mahiyyah) which differentiates the species from other types that might participate in the same genus. It serves as an agent of exclusion. A familiar use is when the human is classified as the rational soul (al-nafs nafs-al-natiqah) employing the genus and difference exclusively. Exclusive capacity for reason (which entails consciousness) differentiates the human soul from all other things.

h. Relationship to the physical body is one of governance and operation and managementsi. Can define the soul in terms of function and in terms of ontologyj. Ontology relationship: It’s not in the body, but beside it. It is not extended in the world or

bounded by direction. Is the connection rationally possible or by accident? k. Intelliqi (sp): actuality, carry over from hylomorphic model of matter and forml. Concept of intelligibility: soul is ontologically intelligible (ma’qul) and its primary

capacity being the functional apprehension of intelligibles (ma’qulat). Intelligible refers to nonmaterial things the existence of are only perceptible to the intellect.

m. Concept of simplicity: Soul is referred to as a simple substance with no internal compound position. RuHani and ruHaniah (spiritual) is a reference to simplicity and immateriality. Implication is that subtle body position isn’t situated to make claims on simplicity of human soul.

Operational definition of the rational human soul: a simple (unextended) substance having a governance relation to a particular body, enabling life, consciousness, and ratiocination (power or faculty of reason, reasoning, process of reasoning especially deductively or using syllogisms).

a. Life is different than consciousness. Consciousness is an alert, wakeful state; intentionality.

b. Ratiocination (intellection) is referring to process (nazar). Consciousness could possibly be ta’aqul (damir-conscience, wijdan-emotive, sensitive response)

c. Modern theologians will invoke formal definitions. Will take the formal definition and start qualifying it

d. Hayat (life), ruh (spirit), nafs (soul): Presense of nafs is essential for life to be there and life leaves the body when nafs leaves the body

e. Tentative thesis from Sh. Jihad: Ruh is what makes the possibility of the soul to be connected to the body. It is the binder that keeps the body and soul together. (needs to be charted out, there is some textual evidence)

f. Ruh is closer to al-jism al-latif and immaterial soul is closer al-nafs al-natiqah. Ruh (subtle body position) has to be there for the soul to be connected to a particular body, possibly for an encoding process.

Nafs has been applied to humans, plants, and animals. Ratiocination is the differentiating factor.

Question & Answers/Discussion:Ensoulment of a fetus: Fetus has a human, moral status at 120 days.

a. Case of anencephaly (no forebrain, will never develop consciousness of itself or rational thought, a vegetative state) doesn’t meet the criteria for meeting a human person? We need to move past physical parts of the brain, to an understanding of consciousness. Would likely want to pin it to brain death rather than brain life before making any decisions.

b. There is a difference between something having a full set of faculties and something that is meant to have a full set of faculties and so would carry the same Hukm (judgment) as something that has the whole set of faculties.

c. Potentiality: Doesn’t have to have actualized potential, but allows us to give the same judgment to something that has actualized the full potential

d. Probability issues typically result in the judgment being pinned to the physician (Muslim or non-Muslim)

Future prospects for kalam theology and philosophy of mind:a. Field of philosophy of mind evolves from modern psychology which itself comes from

ancient and medieval psychology (ideas of the soul). b. Kalam tradition is the same (mind and intellection is equated with the soul). High kalam

texts are replete with concepts and demonstrations that would, if it not for medieval and semantic organization scheme, appear at home with philosophy of mind.

c. Two considerations for future study in kalam theology: The first is a standard argument for non-physical consciousness. The second is a consideration of possibility for dealing with mental causation and the pairing problem. There is an amendability between kalam and philosophy.

d. A link between soul and consciousness in kalam can be developed as an idea self-reflexive or system of intellectual inquiry (nabir-ability to do intellectual analysis and in the processing of ideas to conclusion.

e. Types of self-reflexiveness:1. Self knowledge: Soul must be a substance, not an accident2. Self reference: The presence can be located. It is indicated when everyone says “I”.

The immaterial can’t be physically pointed too3. Self awareness (Avicenna and thought experiment): Flying man argument which

results in a pure self-awareness after all the physical senses have been suspended. The capacity to intellectually perceive universals and derive opinion from inquiry differentiates the human soul from other types of life.

f. Soul is defined in terms of mind and mental activityg.‘aql (mind, intellect)h.Argument from knowledge: Thought experiment demonstrating the consciousness is not

physical (the Mary problem)i. Unity of self (waTiq al-nafs ?): One’s self-reflexive awareness is not dependent on his

physical limbs. Whatever is independent in physicality must be independent in its essence (ontology). ibn-Sīnā thought experiment and the flying man experiment (entrance into sensory deprivation leads to a knowledge of and acquaintance with one’s self).

j. In consciousness studies, mind is defined by its quality of privileged access. Both aforementioned experiments employ sensory deprivation to demonstrate the immateriality center of conscious (from the unity of consciousness). This center of consciousness unifies the many-fold sensations associated with the conscious.

k.For the mind to be a physical thing, contradictions would cancel each other out. (Baydawi)l. To demonstrate the unity of conscious, the preserver must be a single thing within a

person. (al-Razi)m. Present field of vision is not organized in any unified sense but at the same time is

experienced as a unity. Physicalist (himself and his body) is aware of the physical field, however not all of his body is relevant to his awareness thus it must be his physical brain. (Hascar). Dismissing unity of conscious, it would located in many body parts leading to a number of metaphysical contradictions (al-Razi and Baydawi)

n.Materialist argument is eluded to from the work of synthesis as something that is not part of the physical brain.

o.Hascar, al-Razi, and Baydawi would all agree that the subject of conscious experience must be a unity of a sort that is inconsistent with its being a whole consisting of physical parts.

Facilitated Discussion on Ontological Terms for Reality and the Soul - Dr. Aasim

Three zones of reality:a. Zone of the spirit (alam al-arwah)b. Zone of the similtudes/intelligibles (alam al-mithal): realm of imaginablec. Zone of the command (alam al-amr)

Sh. Jihad- There are two or three models in Sunni tradition (not Avicenna necessarily) that use these terms in ways that are slightly varied but don’t disagree tremendously. We come from a particular model that is based in N. African Sufism with ibn al-Ajiba

Sh. Amin’s model: He chose the model because of its close relation to the words of the Quran. It would be useful later to collect Muslims together so that terminology isn’t offensive and people aren’t excluded.

dichotomy between alam al-amr and ‘alam al-khalq: Command and creation‘alam al-amr: highest level, divine providence, command to create, the first initiative to create comes from this‘alam al-khalq: system underneath ‘alam al-amr in which you put the mulk and the malkūt; everything except Allah‘alam al-arwah: could speculate as part of the malkūt, matter, pre-matter‘alam al-mithal (barzakh): world of imagination, khayal will give birth to the malkūt

Nafs and jism: a. How do you account for this in the al-khalq?

a. There is a jism and a ruh that governs the jismb. Ruh is in the nafs which is part of the jism

b. On the day of judgment (when we are resurrected), there is no need for the nafs, just the ruh and jism

c.What happens in the barzakh: ruh without the jism, negates‘alm mithal (needed in this life)

Rooh Min ‘amr rabi: the min here is honorific not physical.

Mulk, malkūt is more Sufi terminology,. Mulk corresponds to khalq. The malkūt is underneath the ‘alam-mithal (it is in the universe).

Seven heavens: The first heaven is where we live (mulq). Before the first heaven is where the malkūt begins. From the second heaven to the kursi is where the malkūt extends (spatiality). Spatiality is attributed to the malkūt. Where the malkūt extends (some elements will be non-spatial, spatiality is linked to malkūt).

Another view from Naqib al-Attas’ work, he borrows from ibn-Sīnā (sort of):a. Reality comprises of 5 Divine Presences (all that is not creator): Al-

hadarat al-ilahiyat al-khams1. Divine Essence/Quiddity- al-dhat; Ha Hut; Non-qualified,

non-determined principle2. Divine Attributes/Qualities- La Hut; Creative Principle3. Jabarut- angelic/spiritual realm; is the realm of the ‘aql (nafs as rooh-I

think)4. Malkūt is the realm of the nafs al-khal (a bit of confusion here---

need to reexamine p 22 in promenolga)5. Nasut is the realm of the jism of the body

b. No time, spatiality after jabarutc. Trying to merge with ibn-Sīnā

d. Awareness as you go down, Allah is aware and controls the whole system. There are intermediaries reside at different levels as you go down. Controlling influence as you go downstream.

e. Allows us to get to other realms of reality that are only accessible to certain parts of the human.

f. To get at intelligibles that is not accessible for souls that don’t get to that realm. This model allows you to get to that realm.

g. Knowledge can come through means that does not have to reside in other realms. Intuition is not a product of ratiocination but it is accessible. Explains for what resides in the human and accessing it beyond the senses.

h. ibn Sīnā’s explanation of the soul, easily maps onto the first three realms easilyi. Sh. Amin says its problematic in its wording

The difference between the two models is the explanation of what the ruh is.Advocates for the first model say the ruh takes the role of the ‘aql. The ruh is the muharrik (initiates and stimulates). This comes down to the mithal. In the mithal you have that Haruk which precedes movement. In the nasama you have the Haraka. Three levels: Harik, Haruk, and Haraka. So you have command to motive force to motion. Motion in the mithal comes from the Haruk.

Use of terminology, model needs to be consistent. Decided that Sh. Amin’s model will be used and Darul Qasim folk will provide the schema and definitions.

Ontological principle and divine intellect-different terms (ontological principle is from Attas and collection of Muslim World Journal about the soul).

Divine intellect: Heavenly intellects invoked by Avicenna.

Everything above the active intellect we have to be cautious of, including the active intellect (have to decide what is meant by this term).

Active intellect: A body independent of God that feeds information and inspiration and even thoughts to created being. In the original form the active intellect is a separate, independent, heavenly body; the lowest celestial sphere that downloads all thoughts and understanding to human intellects. One way to ameliorate that is that the active intellect is a metaphor for Allah’s inspirational influence.

Philosophers taking from Neoplatonism had a series of celestial bodies (celestial intellects) that functioned and influenced the works of the world independent of Platonis’s “The One”. Looking to map Platonis’s cosmology onto an Islamic cosmology of Allah, so they had independent celestial spheres.

a. Challenge for Sunnis: These independent spheres are functioning independently. Creation by intermediary doesn’t work with Sunni doctrine because God creates directly.

b. In ibn-Sīnā’s structure, the active intellect gives thoughts to a prepared human intellect (where thoughts begin from). It is the direct creative power of God, where God is sending ideas to people (instead of trying to maintain celestial spheres).

c. Sometimes intellect moves from potentiality to actuality. Another principle says that things can’t move from potentiality to actuality without an intermediary (already in actuality). Active intellect precipitates the movement from potentiality to actuality.

Questions for Sh. Jihad from Dr. Aasim:Soul as immaterial is not subject to space, time or quantification.

a. Has quwa (capacities)1. Animal: motion and perception2. Plant: nutrition and growth3. Human: al-natiqah allows for ratiocination (intellection)

b.Classical Ash’aris had jism latif 1. Did this predate modernists/reductionists model that something is coming

supervenience?2. Was it innate that they were also going to explain the capabilities through this model?3. Our conception of substance and attributes is that attributes require some type of

substrate in order to manifest, so if we’re seeing functions and capacities they must be upheld by some type of independent entity. This would be the idea of there being a jawhar.

4. Supervenience and emergence: Capacities, functions, and attributes are emerging from the physical body, the gray matter of the brain is manifesting these things so it is by-passing the need for a jism latif. It is not proposing that the capacities are coming out of a soul because they are coming out of the physical body. Consciousness is emerging from gray matter of the brain (something physical).

5. Classical position contains a semi-duality that contemporary positions do not. The two models would not be put together.

6. Subtle body as a dispersed vapor becomes a substrate from which properties could manifest, but you would lose unity of consciousness. Simple, immaterial substance proposes to explain unity of consciousness.

Neural Substrates of Consciousness, Cognition and Locomotion - Dr. Faisal

Framing the discourse:a. Imam Al-Ghazali scheme of the soul: philosophical investigation has been quite extensive

but inquiry has not been exhaustive.b. Soul is divided: Vegetative, animal, human (rational). The animal soul has motive

faculties (appetitive and efficient powers) and perceptive facilities (external and internal). c. The human soul contains an active intellect and speculative intelligence.d. “...Consciousness is neither identical with nor reducible to matter.”

Neuroscience of consciousness:a. Definitions:

1. Consciousness is an active process involving awareness of oneself (or one’s cognitive experience and the environment) - William James. It is an external interaction with the environment, an awareness of the self (self-reflexive).

2. “Human consciousness has two clinical dimensions: wakefulness served by brainstem ascending reticular system and its connections; and awareness of self and environment served by thalamus, cerebral cortex and connections” - James Bernat. It is the loci of where the wakefulness dimension exists (alertness, attention, concentration, components). Question becomes about awareness: We can gauge the environment, but how do we gauge awareness of the soul? Served by modulation (neuromodulation, neurochemical communication, implying causality, understanding comes from deficits)

b. There are several components of consciousness: alertness, awareness, attention, executive function. These components create a consciousness system. They are widespread throughout the brain.

c. Consciousness system: The content of conscious is comprised of systems mediating sensory, motor, memory and emotional functions. Levels of consciousness: 1. Alertness: Wakefulness. Depends upon normal functioning of the brainstem and the

diencephalic arousal circuits. Maintained by reticular activating system and midline thalamic nuclei. Thalamic reticular nuclei is important for arousal. Neurotransmitters include glutamate and aspartate. A coma is a lack of alertness.

2. Awareness: Cerebral cortex and subcortical connections. Involves perception which is the processing of primary sensory information and subsequent integration with memory, attention and motor responses resulting in a symbolic relationship with the external world. Neurotransmitters include dopamine and norepinephrine. Persistent vegetative state (PVS) is alertness without awareness. The basic functioning of the brainstem is still intact and the sleep/wake cycles are preserved.

3. Attention: This is a component of perception. Concentration. The prerequisites are wakefulness and alertness. Locus is cingulate gyrus, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), inferior parietal lobule, thalamus. Minimally conscious state (MCS) is a newly defined state that involves several areas in the brain that are active and different than that in PVS patients.

d. Varying degrees of brain death:Brain death: Lack of blood flow to the brainComa Vegetative stateMCS or betterAkinetic mutism, abulia or catatoniaLocked-in syndromePeople are waking up from unconscious states-misdiagnoses. fMRI will get old very quickly - will have isotopes to target specific parts of the brain. Ethical dilemmas of studying brain dead patients.e. Assessing consciousness: Loss of consciousness is typically accompanied by the breakdown of the brain’s capacity to integrate neuronal activity across distant areas. Typically high conscious levels are associated with an increased range of conscious contents.

Neuroscience of cognition: a. Definition: The mental action of process of acquiring knowledge and understanding

through thought, experience and the senses.

b. Five components: Language, memory, executive function, visual-spatial function, and emotion.

c. Assessing cognition: Higher order thought theory vs. global workspace theory. Memory can’t be reduced to one area of the brain anymore.

d. Schema of memory:1. Declarative (explicit): Facts and events2. Nondeclarative (implicit): Skills and habits, priming, simple classical condition, non-

associative learning3. Higher order processing: “Finding spirituality center of the brain.” Cingular gyrus. How

do you know what’s real and what’s not?

Neuroscience of locomotion: a. Role of volition: Volitions are acts of the will, special mental events or activities by which

an agent consciously and actively exercises his agency to voluntarily direct thoughts and actions. Involve anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG), supplementary motor area (SMA), and some parts of the PFC.

Brain Death & the Soul - Review of Discussions at Juridical Councils [IOMS] - Dr. Aasim

D. Mohd Naeem Yasin Kuwait, 1985, IOMSa. No nass about the time of death. All our nass is about the beginning of life. The soul is

breathed into the body. The soul can exist without the body (attached or nonattached) from al-Jurjani. The soul resides in the human being to gain knowledge from other world and it allows the body to experience sorrow and joy of this world from al-Ghazali.

b. Soul is al-mudrik, perceives the external. c. Physicians say that the ability to sense and perceive the external world resides in the brain,

therefore the soul perceives through the brain (soul’s functionality). This idea doesn’t cohere with Ibn Sina’s model of intellection: There is a faculty of the soul that doesn’t need the sense to perceive, perceives by itself.

d. Soul governs the body’s motion. The brain controls volitional activity and organ function. Without the brain, the body’s functionality wouldn’t be able to coordinate. There’s an integrative function. Therefore the soul controls organs through the brain.

e. Sensation and volition indicate the brain-soul connection being intact. Based on how physicians test BD, we know that sensation and volition signal that the brain is healthy. Without ability to perceive and function, the brain in some way is defective.

f. Healthy brain is a sign of the brain-soul connection being intact.g. Loss and absence of sensation and volition is a sign of BD. (Not entirely true now because

you can have this in a coma which isn’t BD)h. Therefore BD is a sign of the soul departing the body. The body no longer can respond to

the soul therefore no need to connectioni. Involuntary motion can occur in BD. Motion isn’t attributed to the brain proper. Doesn’t

indicate that the soul is still attached to the body. a. Legal doctrine: when you have voluntary motion capacity then you are

accountable for actions.

b. Theology (kasb): Soul petitions God to move, making you liable for your actions. Not accountable for involuntary motion legally.

j. Organs can be removed and still live/function. That means we shouldn’t be equating life of the self with life of the spirit/life of the integrated body.

k. Brain-soul connection: Not necessarily that the soul resides in the brain but it is the means for assessing the reality of the soul being present. This connection can be assessed by scientists.

A BD person can have involuntary motion Cells can still function for a period of time in the absence of the soul being present.

Terminology for soul is ruh in fiqh but nafs in kalam.a. Most specialists outside of theology will use ruh. However what they are talking about is

what theologians call the nafs.b. Within Sufism and Islamic spirituality, ruh is used to indicate the soul.c. Fiqh would use both (look at context of discussion).d. Word usage: literal meaning of words is in accordance with the context that is being used.

In theology, soul is nafs and ruh is spirit. e. Consider when writing: Medical ethics drawing on theology or medical ethics drawing

from Sufism?f. Sh. Jihad suggests using soul as nafs.g. Dr. Mohd Naim Yasin: work of fiqh, drawing on jurisprudence, not theology. Likely ruh

will mean what the mutakillamin means as nafs.

Other uses of BD than organ transplantation: BD is a social construct that has a biological substrate. It was agreed upon for a legal definition of death. The legal sense of BD removes the moral liability/culpability from physicians. There was a struggle for how end-of-life care is done (fiqh issue).

BD is considered death by most states. It is no longer up to the individual’s family to make decisions.

Discussions:

Global BD: Coma-widespread disfunction of the brain; suppression, still electrical readingsBD-no function of the brain; no activity, no blood flows. Can’t ethical do tests with a BD patient. BD is a misnomer (socially constructed entity). Legally it is now considered to be neurological criteria of death (Harvard criteria from 1960’s, result of President’s Commission).

Problem: The brain isn’t sufficient to explain all functionsHuman soul comprises all previous faculties. Previous/lower souls have limited faculties. Human soul is a unity of the other levels and the added faculties.

Need to look at the entire body being a substrate for the soul. Indicator of a connection that exists metaphysically. Brain is an indicator of what might be going on with the soul. Some Islamic scholars have said there is a connection of the soul with brain matter.

Consciousness is beginning with gray matter and is being communicated to the body that way. Therefore consciousness is not within/not beside.

The classifications of the different parts of the soul resides is in the realms of speculation.Not required as a pillar of faith.

al-Ghazali’s personal position is not that the soul pervades the body. The verse in the Quran about the heart and its attributions is not indicating a physical entity but a metaphorical, allegorical understanding of the heart.

Group Discussion on Current Controversies at the Intersection of Neuroscience, Brain and Mind - Dr. Faisal and Sh. Jihad

What is the nature of the ruh before it comes into the body?Angels that bring ruh is not the same type of ruh we are referring to.

Ethical issuemukallaf is the ethical marker of obligationWithout taklif there is no obligation to do anything, not going to affect their afterlifeHow does this relate to Alzheimer patient: Are you going to force feed them when they don’t want food? Are you imposing on someone’s body?There is a problem with people dying of starvation because the patient is being starved once they are taken off the feeding tubes.

Per-case scenarioWhat is a profession obliged to do? What is the family obliged to do?Starvation studies in BD patients: IV medications and force-feeding interventions do not have an effect. There is no calories, no weight gained, skin withers. Not continuing on a path that is actually helping the patient. Infections can also ensue.

Human being is always a termed rational soul (natiqah) even if their function can be reduced to a vegetative soul.

Quranic terminology: Chapter on offering the call to prayer after the time has passed (volume 5)The spirit (ruh) is a subtle illumined substance clouded by eating and things vile, it contains particulars, no need of eating, free of decomposition, for this reason it persists after annihilation of body and no need of it. This type substance isn’t from world of elements but rather it is from the angelic world

Role of the heart (cardiac death): A cardiologist believes the soul is in the heart. Now has the soul shifted from the heart to the brain?

In regards to death, it has to do with a cessation of respiration not necessarily about the soul. Assuming the soul is in the heart (metaphorical references in the hadith about the soul leaving the body through the throat).

Early period of Islam: No need to go into immense detail about such things. It was only after Muslims started interacting with other philosophies that such details were parsed out in the concepts.

Sh. Jihad has not found a lot on why al-Ghazali has made the shift to the subtle-body position.If you look at subtle-body is a substrate, the substrate is a multiplicity and not a simple substance. So in that, there is no internal explanation for the unity of consciousness. Also internal to the model, it doesn’t explain how the human has access to abstract thought, intelligibles.

What degree is subtle-body dependent on physical body? Some could say that the subtle-body can continue on after annihilation of the physical body because of Allah. The question becomes where is the seat? The immaterial position says the human has two sides (facing mulk and malkūt).

Philosophy of mind and metaphysicsa. Subtle-body: Physical substance can’t be co-located and the subtle body can be co-located.

Located where the physical body is.b. Aristotelian, hylomorphic: The soul is the form of the body; a type of reality that is

distinct. Explains how you can grow, eta, perceive, have intellection-provides life to material stuff. One view of where it can be located is in the matter that it is informing.

c. Immaterial soul: Separate substance is interacting with another substance. Dualistic view. Some say it isn’t located anywhere, others will say what does it mean to be located in a place means to have causal relations (since the soul has causal relations with the body, its located there).

Hylomorphic model: Is it related to God as the only reality and everything else is a shade?Some default into a oneness of existence (monism). This would be the major heresy that the Sufis are accused of. When looking at the existence of God and the source of that existence being from his own essence and not granted to him by another entity, he is the source of his existence. That is the real, supreme, true existence and everything else pales in that comparison.

Ibn Sina’s Classification of the Faculties of the Soul - Sh. Jihad

Three identifications of the soul:a. Vegetative: Nutrition, growth, reproductionb. Animal: Motive (appetitive, irascible), perception (external and internal senses); The

internal senses are composed of senses communes (al-mushtarka), retentive faculty (al-musawwirah, khayal), compositive imagination/imaginative faculty (al-mufakkirah, al-mutakhayyilah), estimative faculty (al-wahmiyah), and memory (dhakirah)

c. Rational (cognitive)

d. All of these souls work together. Some record, some retain, and others are conduits for the others. There is an external stimuli that is brought into the internal senses, as a representation of external reality, and the internal reality has a recording of that and can maintain that without external stimulus

e. Creating three things: reality, image of reality, thought

Speculative: Data from the observation of neuroscience (about physical phenomena), that when launched into theories becomes speculative. There is terminology and structures that are consistently adopted within primary main text of theological tradition. It is being accepted and furthered with each generation, so we have to be careful. These theories are a way to use terminology to explain a number of things the mind does, which we are saying is that the soul is doing.

Summary of ibn-Sīnā model (kalam model):a. Vegetative soul: Classically is the first intelliqi of the natural body possessing organs

insofar as it reproduced, grows, and assimilates nourishment. Pre-modern explanation of dynamic factor in plant life separating it from inanimate objects.

b. Animal soul (al-nafs al-hiwaniyah): First actualization of a natural body possessing a body in so far as it senses/moves with volition. It is responsible for fundamental perception and movement. Initial entity that differentiates a body possessed of organs that transcends levels prior to itself. al-Iji refers to it as “an initial perfection” (kamalun ‘awalun).

c. Human soul (al-nafs al-insanwiyah): An initial intelliqi of a natural body possessing organs as it cognizes universals and engages in rational reduction.

d. Each species comprises the activity of the previous soul and transcends it.

al-Iji’s comprehensive definition of the soul: An initial perfection for a natural body insofar that it is nourished, grows, or senses and moves with volition or apprehends universals and analyses according to opinion. Or it can be expressed in one quality which is that it possesses life in potentia.

Nature of the soul: Much of the way the soul is understood in terms of quiddity (ma’hiah) depends on the position one takes on the problem of immateriality (or lack there of). Species equilibrium is the appropriate mixture of elements given to a species that when it is correct both life and the species exist. Similar to conditioning the soul which is a substance.

Life is an additional faculty (or attribute) that enables the other faculties of the soul.

al-Jurjani’s commentary on the neuma al-ruha: The first point of the soul’s adhering in the body is it’s connection to the neuma. Confusion comes from similar functions being attributed to neuma and life itself. If it were possible to collapse the two into each other, much of the problem might be resolved (life is originally the spirit and is originally the animating principle for that in which it adhers).

al-Iji’s analogy of the connection between the soul and the body being akin to the lover and the beloved.

Substance v. accident: Comes from debate of material v. immaterial substances. There are complications on the material side (atomist position, usage of simplicity). al-Iji equivocates on the side of the immaterial soul

Animal soul framework:a. Motive faculty (muHarika): Two elements are impulse and active. Responsible for

physical action in sensible plane.b. Perceptive faculty (mudrika): Operates on premise of volition. Divided into two senses

(internal and external). 1. Role of internal senses to perceive the meanings within the things/forms perceived by

external senses. al-Iji follows with Avicenna up until this point. 2. Catalog of abilities for which the mind is responsible.

c. Implication: distribution of roles and duties receiving and retaining as carried out as if by each faculty. al-Iji adds in opposition to Avicenna that the perceiving agent is the soul alone and that all the faculties are deployed by the soul.

c. Existence of the faculties is known by observing the five types of actions (al-Jurjani): 1. perception of sensible objects, 2. perceiving the implication of meaning associated with them, 3. retention of both in memory, and 4. the free disposal of both form and meaning

Human soul framework:a. Intellective faculty: Divided into two aspects of its perception of universals and its

judgment of an affirmative or negative relationship between them. Also known as the theoretical faculty and the practical intellect because its deducing thought and processing them for the sake of developing opinions and giving advice for particular matters that should performed/refrained from.

b. Four forms of intellect: Material intellect, intellect inhabito, actual intellect, and acquired intellect

c. Mind as a self-subsistent entity qualified by the properties responsible for the many fold of events that proceed from personal volition

Degrees of separation from the physical:a. Departure of persons from physical plane sets out from whence the rational soul is

separated from the animalb. Theoretical and practical intellect demarcate differentiationc. Incorporeal abstraction: Non-spatial; can’t be pointed to. The intellect is an essential

abstract substance independent in its effectiveness from any corporeal instruments (al-Jurjani)

d. When it comes to abstraction of universals, can’t have a cognition in a material portion of the brain. There has to be a disconnection from the material substance to move beyond particulars. Can’t cognize universals in material.

Levels of intellect:a. Material intellect/hylomorphic intellect (al-‘aql huyulani): Attributed to the hyle

because the soul is like the primal hyle (empty in and of itself of all forms). Pure aptitude; state prior to any intelligible.

b. Intellect inhabito (al-‘aql bi lmalika): The human possess the first intelligible thoughts. Apprehension of the intelligibles is conditioned by conception (tasawaur) or verification (tasdīq) (conception, assent), which aren’t always engaged.

c. Actual intellect (al-‘aql bil fil’a): Ability to derive theoretical matters from the aforementioned first intelligibles and to call them to mind whenever wished. Principles and primary and secondary intelligibles are not currently engaged but are conserved such that they might be called to mind at will without need of further investigation.

d. Acquired intellect (al-‘aql mustafad): Reached when the principles are present to the mind and undergoing immediate contemplation. Where potential becomes absolutely actual.

Are all certainties inherent because it comes from al-nafs al-natiqah?Certainties are all knowledge, but through different means. Depending on the person you can reach different levels of certainty. One’s experience is dependent on their individual experiences.

Purification of the nafs allows access to realities from other realities and allows you to make leaps to understandings that aren’t dependent upon things not related to this world. Furthermore, where is the knowledge based out of the principles of certainty and its relation to nafs al-natiqah.

Nafs al-natiqah is the only thing that makes conclusions from observation.

For the prophet, revelation is direct experience (mushaHida). For us, our confidence revelation comes from tawattur of miracles. The foremost miracle is the integrity of the Quran itself. Miracle is the breaking of natural norms coupled with the claim to prophecy, no human can break these norms. al-ilham (inspiration): Revelation is a form of inspiration. It isn’t a binding legislation from God.Hadas (intuition)- Level of certainty returns to the individual.

Reflection on Question 2: What is the Soul and How are its Capacities Manifested Bodily? (Day 1)

Paper Idea: Review the paper about the 1980’s conception of the brain-soul connection, draw on the terminology and pull new data. What has changed since the author has given us about the brain-soul connection?

Other Discussions/Fodder for Papers:-Binding problem in neuroscience: It is thought that there is a lot of integration (of information), but don’t know how it is taking shape. At some place, there higher sensory reception has to integrate the information and send it back to other areas of the brain connected with subjective experience and connects it with emotions, motives. There is enough evidence supporting this idea but are unable to prove it yet. Functions within the body are automated (flight-fight response). If the brain sends signals to the heart, does it know that the heart rate has gone up? If it does, this would indicate that there is integrative communication going on throughout the body. This would make sense in regards to finding the soul amongst different faculties of the body-the soul is pervading throughout the body. If you take the brain in isolation, you can

explain most of the faculties we have discussed and show how the brain modulates each of the faculties. This would isolate the soul to the brain, leading to issues when dealing with end-of-life. Reducing all mental events to neuroscience would be a commitment to physicalism.

Unity of consciousness: Consciousness is a system. Attention field of consciousness (direct attention, sustained attention, simultaneously processing) explains the fact that the multiple facets being perceived as a single field.

According to neuroscience, animals have consciousness, they have a conscious system (according to how consciousness has been defined by neuroscience-complex priming, have visual perception and have confidence in it). What does this mean for the soul?

Faith and neuroscience:a. A lot of the tradition is tied to figures like al-Sīnā related to Aristotle. b. Are there cognitive/mental phenomena that can’t be accounted for in physicalist terms?c. Paper Idea : Islam and theology: What do you need the soul for? What role does this

construct play?d. Is the body or soul resurrected? If God wanted either, he could have it. If you say it

doesn’t matter for the faith piece, then we don’t need this discussion of the soul. Not coherent to create a duplicate of the body and say it’s the same thing. Some people think you need the soul because you can’t give an account of identity of objects with a temporal gap (will only have a duplicate).

Volition: It is an unexplained phenomena. We know what center of the brain is involved but what creates the impulse the results in volition?

Doctrines can be used to help inform neuroscience research and to inform a recalibration of doctrinal positions (resurrection, etc.). Theological standpoint is based on cultural identity then asking the questions of “do we want to hold onto this?”. Need to challenge physicalism but need to be carful to avoid putting ourself in a gap situation.

Faith and Reason in Islam and Science Dialogue - Dr. Michael Murray

Dr. Murray thought that the article took a disparaging stance towards science and is looking to commission another piece for next year that would take a more optimistic stance towards science and Islam.

Flaws with the article:One of the article’s targets was Nidhal Guessoum, who is Templeton Trustee, because he often makes claims about the scandal that science creates but isn't’ aware of the way classical theology is based on philosophy. The article isn’t properly representing what science does in an objective sense and it draws unwarranted conclusions. It is lacking etiquette, labeling people. It is perennialist in themes and sources used (support from Prince Ghazi). Anti-realist view. Uncertain of the conclusion he is trying to draw in the article. Science is being used for ideological purposes.

Science:

There is a need for science to be more humble in regards to its position of the regard for truth/absence of truth. There is a large lay body that isn’t able to fully engage in the conversation at hand. Post-colonialism is still quite present creating tension between religion and science. It is typical for people in physical sciences to have a misunderstanding of the philosophy of science and create a relationship between science and religion that is similar to the view in this article.

Faith commitments:What can you learn from science and what can science learn from you? How you think about the mind can shape the way you think about things and do science-need to be open-minded.

The role of Science in a Muslim’s life:a. This would need to be defined. Many Muslims think of scientists as kings so they don’t

see any problems or inconsistencies. Is Professor Hamza trying to say that he doesn’t think scientists are above criticism and that even they sometimes disagree? - could be an important function of the article if so. Is there a clear delineation between science and faith? - science doesn’t have to negatively impact faith. Appeal to therapy - therapeutic understanding, more space for discussions of philosophy of science without feeling their belief system is being besieged. There has never really been a problem with science - nothing in the Quran against science, Muslims had a method of scientific inquiry.

b. Similar disconnections found in other fields, such as finance and fiqh. What is actually happening in informed discussions plays the role of therapy for the lay people because it lets people know there are discussions going on-Response could take the form of what is happening, and what the agenda is

What would a response article look like:If another piece is written, what should it look like? There should be some positive synergy between science and Islam. It should be multivalent and done sophisticatedly; should remind people that there needs to be more humility on both sides and explore the efforts being done to do this. Need to make sure it serves a purpose. Possibly completely restart/clear the slate. Maybe not a response piece by a more overall piece-how can we move forward so that we can see science as productive but also further our knowledge of creation? Lay and academic needs need to be serviced in both the East and West. Would it serve the purpose if the article came from a faith community? (most typical response)

Discussion on the Qawaid of Darar and Muwazanat (continued) - Us. Taha

Recap from last time: a. Al-Quwa’id al-Fiqhiyyah: Part of the evolution of the tradition of ethics and law,

(jurisprudence, fiqh) and islamic intellectual history. Developed in explicit recognition of ethical, legal principles, which are observations by master legists (master fuquha) as to the nature of the ethical-legal value acquired, permissible of a whole group of acts. If we accept the categorization of such principles such that they are observations applied to topics set of related acts and we call those non-universal then there exists a

subset which are observations made by master legists, not about how all of sharia across its spectrum is applied to various aspects of human activity. How they tend to work themselves out in fiqh.

b. Maqasid al-sharia (aims of the sacred law): Preservation of religion, life, progeny, wealth, ‘ird (honor, dignity)

c. Methodological advantage of awareness of ethical-legal principles: Allows you when engaging with nawazil (new matters- that which descends) they allow you to arrive at ahkam (rulings) [not the lay but the mufti] that is consistent branching off the tree of sharia rather than hanging in space

d. Writing and discussion of ahkam advances evolutionary developmente. Eventually a set of terminology was agreed upon and then there was an elaboration of the

concept

Muwazanat: Not a new term, but characteristic of contemporary trends. Need to engage the phenomena that exists. Arrive at a conclusion based on apprehension without necessarily engaging in takhrij and potentially using ethical-legal principles to choose between two indicates of the takhrij process (how a classically trained mufti would deal with it). Jumping to maqasid directly is rare, extremely unlikely until recently (now quite productive).

a. To what extent does it overlaps these traditions and trends of the past? To what extent can it be absorbed?

b. Take new efforts representing various trends and are too fast to focus on them not being the way that we are classically trained.

Qawaid related to harm that could be most productive. All revolve around darar. (Sh. Jihad selected these and discussed these). They affect the jurists and how the consult on ethical, medical, legal issues. When it comes to maqasid, the preservation of life is most productive. Life and it’s relation to religion, dignity, progeny, and wealth.

a. Medical doctors might find it beneficial to go through all of them. Those unrelated to harm may also be useful.

Handout: Nuances between formulationsPrecision of wording is crucial27: The weaker of two mischiefs or the lesser of two harms is chosen.

a. shar (evil/mischief), darar (harm), mufSada (also harm but different)b. Two different harms in conflict, so should choose lesser of two evilsc.Applies to darar and shar, even though lexically shar may/may not be a darat

The greater of harms is repelled by bearing the lesser of the two. When two harms collide, the smaller causes the larger to be dropped. The worse of two mischiefs is repelled. When two detriments in conflict, the more harmful of the two is addressed by committing the lesser of the two.

a. Irtaqaba (committing sin), emphasizes that what is required is for you to do something that is in conflict, and would be a sin in the context of the sacred law but must be done

b. Commission of sin must be performed (conflicting benefits)Predominant interest is given precedence over rare detriment and [the former] is not to be left due to [the latter]

a. Use of marijuana (harm-harm model): Requirement of a ifta, as a mufti would find statements and then do takhrij (elaboration on that) to arrive at their current decision. Make sure that the ethical-legal principles are sound; hikm, beneficial wisdoms associated with an ethical-legal value if not actual motivating factors such as base for analogical extension. This worldly and next worldly harms with(out) taking it. When there are two harms, you choose the lesser of two harms

b. Interest benefit-harm: Private or restricted benefit in a standoff against general benefit. Then intensity, relatively smaller harm or benefit standing off against greater. If the interest to the benefit is common and the harm is rare, the fact that you have the harm doesn’t suffice to drop the proposed course of action but instead it is to be undertaken. Not sound in fiqh to say this preponderance of the action can be discarded because of the mere existence of harm.

c. Probability: Different methods for arriving (epistemology and medicinally) at knowledge may not map to these consideration. There is a calculus with interest and harm.

The Sacred Law’s concern for deflecting detriments is greater than its concern for getting benefita. When it comes to scenarios in which you seem to have a harm and benefit coming together

equally, sharia is concerned about avoiding the harm (sharia privileges the harm over the benefit). Do the least amount of harm. Medicine has evolved to try and preserve life as much as possible. Harms that are indicated to be avoided are such that there is more of an absolute to avoiding them then from achieving benefits.

Binaries: mean different things terminologically (when weighing benefits and detriments)1. ghaliba/nadirah (frequent/rare)-2. rajiha/marjuha (preponderant/outweighed)-Most used binary, greatest benefit for the

greatest number3. khass/‘am (specific/general)Calculus is always within the pairSplit across binary pairs seem to be at odds

Jurists look at the whole tradition at once when they are analyzing something. Fiqh is supposed to be mutually supportive, so there is a need to stand back to see if what one determines is sound.

Blocking the means is a source of law: If something is habitually leads to something leads to something counter to sharia, that entry action would be prohibited as well. That which is impermissible because of the ‘blocking the means’ principle becomes permissible because of preponderant interest.

Contemporary discussion of maqasid: Trend revolving around some prominent and influential muslim religious scholars to not only give concern of the aims of sharia but on the part of people to do the work of fiqh of providing solutions in areas of applied ethics. Some pushback on methodology and terms of content.

The Soul and its Functions, Balancing Ontology in Fiqh - Sh. Amin

Issue of wilayah: If we are going to write a paper that will inform other Muslim physicians then we must choose the most suitable, most appropriate, and easiest path.

Issue of MaSlaHah: Purposes of trying to afford Muslim communities views on these issues, then in the name of MaSlaHah, must appropriate the luxury of choosing the easiest. Whatever position one takes, the mufti is to ensure there is no sin and then the role of the qadi is to insure there is no injustice in the fatawa. What will be best for the umma.

Possible dangers of a working group: Overestimation of what we are doing, unless we contextualize it to how medicine is practiced. Fall into the trap of saying conclusions are universal. If one is going to promote universal fiqh, conclusive proof is needed.

Conception of problem-space: Apply relative ethical-legal valuesKnowledge remains theoretical until someone has to use it. There needs to be a boundary point and context, but can’t let this be a grand theory. There are no tools for people to go to if they don’t have the tools (for the mufti and for the doctor): the working group is the middle space

Takhrij: understanding the fiqh behind the fiqh, at the governmental level (could be a concern)

‘alam al-Mithal: A world composed of symbols, representation, ideals, imagery. Referenced by al-Ghazali quite often.

a. ‘alam al-khayal (world of imagination): Used by Muslim scholars to help them understand reality behind/before reality. Used in the field of dream interpretation. Quran speaks about dreams (there is a whole sura about a dream).

b. Absolute existence and absolute non-existence: the two are put together through ‘alm al-khayal

c. One can think/ponder about creation of Allah but don’t think about Him because He is beyond conception

‘alam al-Mithal: You seek reality in different form or shapes. As the forms come down, they change. Can be seen in the form of sense perception or as a dream or true dreams. The human being’s mind is capable of accessing mithal. Sense perception and dreams are capacities occurring within the soul.

Extra sense perception: One way to have access to this world is to have a clear understanding of this reality. One step higher is mutakillamun to understand instantaneously what is the correct fiqh on the issue. What enhances this is your behavior, ethics, and morals. One instinctively does things as human beings, but you don’t always know where this comes from or how the mind and body function in order for it to function.

al-Mithal: knowledge of ahkam (knowledge of the cosmos) and knowledge of akhbar (knowledge of the deed)

a. The ability to access that realm affects one’s ability to invent a truth theoryb. Nothing of nabuwah has remained except good news, so having a positive opinion about

what you see in the world is necessary. Can’t impose what you saw on others.c. Can’t access al-Mithal by choice. Can happen by what Allah reveals to you or how close

you are to Allah (dependent on your actions)

How does that operate and can one influence alam al-mithal?

a. Muslim understanding would say celestial visions represent some form of divine grace and even though it falls it is still viewed as non-certain. Must find evidence from Quran itself to interpret the dream. If nothing is found in the Quran, then you go to the sunna.

b. Mindset of dreamer dictates how dream is interpreted. Subjective to dreamer. Recipient of image is included in the process of interpretation.

c. To understand the language of the Quran and sunnah, must understand the language of ‘alam al-mithal

Existence of knowledge in existencea. Exists in reality, in and of itself (fi ad-dhat)b. Exists in the mind (fi ad-dhan)c. Exists in what you say (fi al-qawl)d. Exists in what you write (bi risalah)Quran allows one to come to these conclusionsWhen you go to the sources in the Quran or sunna, you procreate all of these phases of existence.What is written needs to be as true as what is said, in the mind, and in reality.

Without understanding the ontology, may not get to correct fiqh.Mujtahidoon trying to ascertain what is the muraad (intent) of the ijtihadDoesn’t have the right to legislate afresh, may uncover what is exposed through ijtihadMatters underneath the role ijtihad, at the level of fatawa, that can be demonstrate and be bold in saying we will develop a new language for this field.

Mutakillamun excelled in vying with each other to develop new words for the student to understand better; for the sake of facilitating understanding not legislation.

We want to come to a resolution of an issue, so what is the definition? As participants of this group, we should state what we understand the definition of issues at hand to be-this will be useful for the ummah.

The issues are for a functional fiqh in the field of bioethics (not primary or secular issues): We should be bold enough to say what we belief

Some Muslim philosophers didn’t believe in the resurrection of the body, but only believed in the resurrection of the soul (not physical resurrection). We belief in the resurrection of physical bodies as well.

Dreams and REM sleep: REM sleep is an active part of sleep. One can have up to seven dreams a night but there is a tendency to remember the last dream most vividly.

Types of dreams:Angelic (animation, angel inspires dream)Demonic (devil inspires dream)Ordinary (anyone can have)

When curing and matching disease, there is a value to asking about what they are dreaming about to help in the diagnosis.

Forgetting/remembering dreams: Some are more vivid/greater intensity of experience, anxieties present before bed, level of stress, possibly how the mind registered it, manifestation of hikmah (not vocalizing/speaking about negative dreams)No certain answer

Practical level of thinking about the intersection of the should and making judgments in fiqh:If I say this is allowed, it will have a repercussion for someone’s soul in the grave or after. This is why believing in resurrection of the physical body is essential.

Ideal ruling: Need to understand both the esoteric and exoteric value of the Islamic law. When you combine both, you have the knowledge of the mutakillimun.

Paper 2: Review Draft, Present Core Arguments, and Feedback from the Group - Dr. Ahsan

Muslim ontology: Schema of causes and means of healingIntro: What does it mean to be Muslim? (tawhid, risalah, akhirah)Ontology: ‘alm al-amr, ‘alm al-khlaq (‘alm al-ruh, ‘alm al-mīthal, ‘alm jazam)Seeking cure: tawakkul to Ayyub (as), dua certainty, physical means, psychological means, spiritual meansQuestions:

a. The means of healing map onto the level of existence/etiology: Looking at diagnosis. From these realms of existence can we determine that there is an illness and is there a different cure that would be recommended based on the that level of existence?Addiction is a sickness of the al-ruh. Impact on the body is predictable.

b. Utilize all modes, how to prioritize to these modes?Headache, should I take medicine, should I make dua to make headache go away, should dua be made before taking a pill? Prioritization scheme is based on illness. Are we talking about preventative measures or curing measures because there is a difference. Direct action is preferred to tawakkul when there is certainty (as certainty diminishes, tawakkul rises). Dr. Padela’s research shows that Muslim men/womenthey don’t do anything different than anyone else; when faced with illness most Muslims partake in worshipping practices, scriptural practices, and regular means.

Examples: a. Fever of Unknown Origin - How would you approach from different ontology?b. Depression - Multifactorial. Many ways to treat in the medical realm, how do we

understand it in Islamic ontological terms. For example, counseling might not look identical because the origin might be different. This would bring it back to the ontology. Tawakkul and messages go along with counseling approach cognitive restructuring/therapy, arguing for the effectiveness of a religious approach.

How ontology can help with these two diseases (one acute, one chronic). We have a synchronic description of reality, maybe we should address diachronic description of reality, perception of future may cause one to act differently

Discussion Point: If you don’t seek the means are you sinning?If a means is permissible, that we cannot say it is sinful to follow that same paradigm.If a person chooses not to make dua out of tawakkul, are they sinning?

a. Sh. Amin: No it is not a sin because tawakkul is a means.b. If the removal of harm is certain, then not doing is???c. Example of a starving person: not considered tawakkul, considered haram. If

removal of harm is certain, then not eating is haram, because the event if going to occur.

d. If the event is going to occur and I have an expectation, but I am not doing anything, what would this be called?

e. With medicine, removal of harm is probable (not certain). Not accepting medicine is permissible, not haram. It might be good for some people.

f. If there is a case that the patient is certain that harm will occur, do you take the medicine (obligatory or permissible)? Determiner is patient certainty, not doctor. If he is not certain, he doesn’t have to.

g.Tawakkul, trust is in Allah

When a non-Muslim is working with a Muslim patient, do they appreciate that the notion of tawakkul, etc. are actually activities?

a. There is a basis for this in Islamic ontology that there is an active action that manifests in their heart and mind.

b. Tawakkul is an active process (secondary objective).c. Fatalism: Need to research fatalism (a secondary objective). An action that becomes a

norm for the powerless so a response develops. Disempowerment. Lack of ability to take means. There are two views: punishing Allah reappraisal (bad theology) and positive religion coping (get closer to God through disease, positive/good view). Both group of people seek less preventative screening measures. All the constructs have come from Protestant-Christian construct and need to be mapped onto Islamic thinking.

d. Opposite of fatalism: Higher level of trust in God (religious fatalism or positive religious coping). There is a God locus of control. The doctor is seen as a mechanic, God’s mechanic. There is reliance on God for a cure (tawakkul). Take the means that are present (doctor) and believe it is part of one’s trust in God to follow the means of the physician.

Group Discussion on Q2: What is the Soul and How are its Capacities Manifested Bodily? (Day 2)Ontological descriptions of the soul are needed (Western Islamic theology vs. Eastern Islamic theology)Target audience: Newer, keep at an understandable level for professionals

Paper Idea: Brain Death: Soul in the brain?

a. Soul-brain connection: Have to talk about consciousness, unity of consciousness. Is consciousness produced or transmitted? Global workplace theory (brain broadcasts to the rest of the brain and integrates signals into formative thought). Does the new data affirm this?

b. Keep it brief, don’t want to go into too much of the neuroscientific findingsc. Paper topic (Dr. Faisal): Ontology, soul-brain connection (is there a utility), problems of

neuroscience in Western neuroscienced. Concern (Sh. Jihad): Neuroscience limits itself fully to the physical world, allow for a

broader definition of reality. Not committed to physicalism but work is limited to empiricism. Islam wants people to work with empiricism. Keep relevant to medical ethics and bioethics. Sh. Jihad would like to see us highlight that physical sciences and philosophy differ in methodologies. Theologians have linked things to the physical brain

Question: Does the soul reside in the brain?An analysis would be addressing that themeTo what extent did Muslim theologians appropriate models for thinking about the soul-historical paper

Paper Idea: The ways of knowing and relate them to the faculty that knows and map that onto an ontology. How we know what we known and that we subsume that role. Subjective and objective poles of knowledge. Knowing is a way of knowing that empiricism is limited. Knowing is a faculty of the soul in the Muslim tradition. Talk about the ways of knowing and consciousness instead of trying to prove the soul exists. Could try to map this critique of neuroscience and medicine on the over reliance on empiricism-how would Islam think about/look about ways of knowing?

Historical paper? Would need to get the resources. Could also update the history.Would need to decide what you want the data for. 1980’s article:

Soul is in the brainTime of ensoulment (120 days)Question of anencephaly (no potential for consciousness, self-awareness)

Possible paper option: Reassess the 1980’s article from a neuroscientific standpoint and a what we think the soul is standpoint

Reconsiderations of the soul-brain connection in regards to brain death and Islamic theologyVegetative state patients: brain stimulation shows that there is recovery

What are we trying to address?: Practical implications, theological implications, advance conversation on definitions, delve into description of the soul, ensoulmentLayout:

Intro: Why do we care about the soul? Why is it important?What does kalam theology say about he brain and its relation to the soul? How does this help/contribute to ethical practice?What can neuroscience tell us/not tell us about the soul?

What facilities of knowing are traditionally attributed to the soul and how do they point to what empiricism can’t tell us?

Can develop two papers: One on the core articles on the soul, the second elaborating on what Sh. Jihad has already written

Neurobiology/neurophysiology: a. Emphasis on visual cortexb. Combination of all sensory integration over time, causing abstract thoughts to form. There

is no outside entity. What does this mean for the soul? c. Animals have consciousness, do animals have souls?d. Embryo biology: Is there a specific sequence in which the senses come in?

In 12 weeks (around 70 days), the brain is fully formed in terms of structure. Neuronal growth isn’t fully developed between the two brain hemispheres. There are sleep-wake cycles, respiratory activity, and voluntary movement.