Conceptualizing Nusantara Metaphysics
Nūr al-Dīn al-Rānīrī’s Sacred Metaphysics in Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas Views
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63088/2xbgjg82Keywords:
Nūr al-Dīn al-Rānīrī, Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, Metaphysics, Ontology, Sacredness, Malay Islamic philosophyAbstract
Purpose: This article explores the metaphysical framework of Nūr al-Dīn al-Rānīrī, which I refer to as “sacred metaphysics,” through the lens of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas. The primary objective is to analyze al-Rānīrī’s understanding of creation and the Divine presence within the context of Nusantara Islamic thought, focusing on its metaphysical implications. This study aims to contribute to the discourse on Islamic metaphysics in the Nusantara, particularly in preserving the purity of theological and cosmological concepts.
Methods: Using a qualitative approach, this research examines primary texts by al-Rānīrī and al-Attas, with an emphasis on al-Attas’ interpretive commentary on al-Rānīrī’s doctrines. The study involves a textual analysis of classical works, comparing al-Rānīrī’s theological stance with broader Islamic metaphysical traditions.
Results: The findings reveal that al-Rānīrī conceptualizes creation as a dynamic and ongoing manifestation (tajallī) from the Absolute Existence (Wujūd Mutlak), reflecting a divine metaphysical order. Through al-Attas’ lens, this framework is positioned within the broader Islamic metaphysical tradition, where the relationship between the Creator and creation is articulated through successive emanations that ultimately return to the Divine.
Conclusions: This article concludes that al-Rānīrī’s sacred metaphysics provides a profound understanding of cosmological structure and offers a framework for preserving Islamic metaphysical purity, particularly within Nusantara thought. The study underscores the relevance of this metaphysical perspective in contemporary Nusantara Islamic thought, as it provides insights into the relationship between the sacred and the mundane and affirms the persistence of divine truth through creation.
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