THE METHODOLOGY OF ISLAMIC HUMAN SCIENCES With an Emphasis on Ayatullah Mesbah’s Doctrine

Abstract

Ayatullah Mesbah takes the human sciences to denote a set of sciences dealing with understanding the human being, and describing, explaining and interpreting individual and social phenomena, and directing human actions and reactions. For a discipline to be “Islamic”, he requires it to meet such conditions as: complying with the foundational principles of Islamic thought, including ontological, theological, epistemological, methodological, axiological, and teleological principles.On the basis of the above-mentioned definitions, it is apparent that the subject matters of the human sciences are human actions and reactions, and their objectives are: description, explanation, interpretation, and direction. It is fully logical to anticipate a considerable multiplicity in their methods as well. In this paper, I will base my discussion on the objectives of the human sciences and following a methodology of logical analysis, I will reflect on the logical requirements of the subjects and concepts employed in these sciences.