Reading al-Attas’ Ta’dīb as Purpose of Islamic University

Abstract

This study attempt to understand ISTAC’s Ta’dib as the Malay-based Islamic University concept relation with Islamic epistemology. Al-Qur'an encourages human reason to understand the universe as an object of science which leads to belief (iman) in God. Methodologically, the revelation constructed an Islamic epistemology which projects the 'possibility' of humans to understanding reality and truth. The scientific tradition should be accommodated institutionally to be university. Al-Attas emphasized the university’s purpose was built a perfect man (insan kamil) which had comprehensive and holistic framework; based on semantic meaning of kulliyah. For this reason, al-Attas following Imam Ghazali's classification of knowledge: fardhu ‘ain and fardhu kifāyah. The first type of knowledge must constantly developed to the conceptual level; even in any study program. This is because al-Attas affirms that the two types of knowledge if conceptually explored will integrated each and others at metaphysical level.