Are Humans the talking Animals? Exploring Language as a Window to Physical-Metaphysical Knowledge

Abstract

Through language, a religion came into existence at the heart of human life. The language used within a believing religious knowledge manifest in itself the objective references, matters which address the problem of knowledge both physical and metaphysical. The concept of human being as a speaking animal (thinking ability) in Islam embodies the meaning of the logical tradition in which man acquires knowledge through language, both in terms of pronunciation, writing, and hearing resulting in the impact of manners (akhlaq) in acting and behaving. Language intermediates men to the mentalistic and action aspects of a concept of thought. In this paper, the writer explores a different philosophical perspective on how Islam views linguistics as 'scientific knowledge' which includes the study of language on the basis of tasawwuf science or the Islamic point of view. Keyword: human being; language; linguistics; Islam; knowledge