We should take advantage of the experiences that are part of our Islamic history.

We should take advantage of the experiences that are part of our Islamic history. We must know ourselves to be responsible followers of a great religion and come to know Islam correctly and methodical. Our age is not an age to worship things we do not know. This is particularly true for those who are educated. Their responsibility is even heavier when confronted by the sacred.

It is not only an Islamic duty, but a scientific and humanitarian one as well to find a meaningful approach to the understanding of Islam. One's personality is balanced by what one knows in proportion to what one believes. Beliefs alone are not virtues. If we believe in something and do not know it, it has no value because virtue comes from knowing what we believe in well. We believe in Islam. We are therefore obliged to know it well.

In order to know it well, we must arrive at a correct approach. Now the question arises, what is the best approach to use in order to come to know Islam well. In order to come to know the truths of Islam we should not use a European approach such as, for example, one based on biology, psychology or sociology. We must, rather, initiate an approach. We must, most certainly, know the European scientific methods, but we should not require ourselves to imitate them.

Today all scientific methods in all fields have changed. They have taken on a new look. Religious truths, must of necessity, do the same. It is clear that in order to know Islam, we cannot choose one approach exclusive to all other ones, because Islam is not a onedimensional religion. Islam is not a religion which is based solely on the gnostic feelings of human beings or limited to the relationship between God and man. This is just one dimension of the Islamic faith.

In order to know this particular dimension, we should turn to a philosophical method because the relationship between man and God is part of this field of thought. Another dimension of this faith relates to one's way of life upon this earth. In order to come to know the truths of this dimension, we must make use of today's sociological and historical methods. Thus, if we look at Islam from just one point of view, we have only seen one dimension of a many-sided crystal.

If we looked at the issue correctly, we would realize that it is not sufficient to have a general knowledge of Islam. The Qur'an itself is an example of multiple dimensions from which various sciences have been drawn throughout history.