The Intellectual Challenge Facing Contemporary Islamic Scholarship

Language, perhaps the most mysterious element of human existence, enables us to acquire some insight into the human spirit. When used as an instrument for expressing ideas and sharing feelings, it helps externalize individual consciousness and makes it accessible to others. But it is also an instrument for shaping individual consciousness by means of internalizing notions and ideas shaped by others. Human consciousness, both individual and collective, thus presupposes language.
Language and discourse are essential for any collective action. While such individual actions as hunting for food or constructing a dwelling may arguably be possible without these abilities, collective action requires the development of shared meaning and common understanding through lin¬guistic discourse. The greater the collectively and the more profound and far-reaching the collective enterprise is, the more universal and abstract the language becomes. Thus religion and philosophy have always been central to human civilization