Fundamentals of Islamic Thought

Ayatollah Murtaza Mutahhari

Criteria for a Worldview

The good, sublime worldview has the following characteristics:

It can be deduced and proven (is supported by reason and logic).

It gives meaning to life; it banishes from minds the idea that life is vain and futile, that all roads lead to vanity and nothingness.

It gives rise to ideals, enthusiasm, and aspiration.

It has the power to sanctify human aims and social goals

It promotes commitment and responsibility.

That a worldview is logical paves the way to rational acceptance of it and renders it admissible to thought. It eliminates the ambiguities and obscurities that are great barriers to action.

That the worldview of a school of thought gives rise to ideals lends it a magnetism as well as a fervour and force. That a worldview sanctifies the aims of a school of thought leads to individuals' easily making sacrifices and taking risks for the sake of these aims. So long as a school is unable to sanctify its aims, to induce feelings in individuals of worshipfulness, sacrifice, and idealism in relation to the aims of the school, that school of thought has no assurance that its aims will be carried out.

That a worldview promotes commitment and responsibility commits the individual, to the depths of his heart and conscience, and makes him responsible for himself and society.

[ PREVIOUS ]   [ INDEX ]   [ NEXT ]