Islamic eschatological discourses: comparing between the conceptions of Badiuzzaman and Al-Attas

• Main Author: Paramboor, Jafar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung 2023
• Subjects: B Philosophy (General); BL Religion; BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc; BP190.5 Islamization of Knowledge; BP500 Theosophy; BPL Islamic education; BT Doctrinal Theology
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/106858/1/106858_Islamic%20eschatological%20discourses.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/106858/; https://al-afkar.com/index.php/Afkar_Journal/article/view/609

The present paper aims to portray a metaphysical and theological understanding of the Islamic eschatology, comparing between two contemporary scholars, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi and alAttas. Through library research and content analysis, this paper looks deeply into the views and explanations made by the two versatile scholars regarding Islamic eschatology. Initially, the paper introduces the concept of eschatology in The Words of Badiuzzaman, followed by the explanation by al-Attas referring to his works including Prolegomena to Metaphysics of Islam: An Exposition of the Fundamental Elements of the Worldview of Islam, The Meaning and Experience of Happiness in Islam, and Islam and Secularism. After presenting the two scholastic narrations, they are compared looking to their content, articulative methodologies, and linguistic aspects. The meticulous analysis showed that in the works of both, the conceptions and terminologies related to the end of this world and beginning of an unending other world have been discussed, whereas it is extensive in Badiuzzaman’s contentions. Also, despite of the theological similarities in their corpus, they differ in the mentioned aspects to a great extent. This understanding would contribute to the body of knowledge as well as the pedagogical approaches one should adopt towards eschatology as a subject.