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Papers by Febri Priyoyudanto

A famous Greek philosopher, Plato, for instance, asserts that knowledge is of the world of forms ... more A famous Greek philosopher, Plato, for instance, asserts that knowledge is of the world of forms or ideas which exist in the mind of a person. Ideas such as goodness and beauty are acquired through contemplation and they are permanent and perfect. Knowledge then, being of the world of forms, “is infallible and is of what really is, whatever it is.” (Plato quoted in Annas, 1981:201).
Belief, on the other hand according to Plato, is of the physical world. It is acquired through the use of the senses, which can sometimes mislead, so it could be true or false. In the epistemology (theory of knowledge) of Plato and other idealist or rationalist philosophers, knowledge is obtained through rational thinking or contemplation, while belief is acquired through the use of the senses. However, knowledge can also be seen as a justified true belief; a true belief being one that is devoid of contradictions.
From the above, it could be understood that the epistemological view of a scholar or an educational administrator will certainly influence his scholarship or educational policies respectively. A realist educational administrator, for instance, will have little or no regard and commitment to revealed knowledge when making or implementing policies on education. A Muslim scholar therefore needs an Islamic epistemology which differs from the idealist and realist epistemology.

The dramatic incursion of nomads into the Middle East that occurred between the 7th and 14th cent... more The dramatic incursion of nomads into the Middle East that occurred between the 7th and 14th century CE, (Bedouins, Berbers, Turks, and Mongols) made it important to stress the fact that Islam encourages urban life and asks its followers to understand and take advantage of living together. “There were Arab settlements in Egypt and in Iraq as early as 641 CE, the Touarege Almoravids who first appeared as North African nomads in 1045 were ensconced in Spain as the partisans of settled Andalucía by 1.086, the Seljuk after defeating the Ghaznavids at the battle of Dandanagan. The Seljuks if they were still nomads have been outnumbered in tens of thousands, and the Mongols were probably 160.000 in all. They needed the local Muslim bureaucracy, which was controlled in towns to carry on government and whichever their origins, they all had some notions of power centralized in a ruler, Sultan or Caliph.
Islam controls all aspects of believers’ lives, and since to any Muslim a town is a settlement in which his religious duties could be completely fulfilled. Therefore, the Islamic urban social organization had some architectural consequences on the overall arrangement of the settlement. In any traditional Islamic city, the most striking physical feature is the Friday Mosque (Masjid al-Jami’) that shines as the strongest focal point, almost at the centre of the city. Close by is the other strong element, the central bazaar (souq) where each trader had its own quarter located along the only two major thoroughfares of the city. The citadel or palaces with other main administrative offices of the state were often isolated by a massive wall from the rest of the city.

Shaykh ibn Abdul Wahhab was one of those rare scholars whose ideas have continued to influence th... more Shaykh ibn Abdul Wahhab was one of those rare scholars whose ideas have continued to influence the Muslims for more than 200 years. Representing the puritanical stream in Islam, in the tradition of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal (d. 855) and Shaykh Ibn Taimiyah (d. 1328), his followers continue to infuse a certain tension among Muslims, pulling them in the direction of a spartan faith, shorn of embellishments. Like the ideas of al Ashari (d. 935) in the 10th century, Wahhabi ideas have been amalgamated into modern Islamic thinking so much so that most living Muslims have consciously or unconsciously absorbed them as part of their heritage. Even those who do not agree with the positions taken by the Shaykh are forced into a continuing dialogue with his ideas. Modern Islam would not be the same without this scholar.

Irtifaq is means being soft, convenient, kind, helping, benefitting, etc. The word irtifaq refers... more Irtifaq is means being soft, convenient, kind, helping, benefitting, etc. The word irtifaq refers to adopting convenient ways, helping devices, beneficial methods, useful technology, and good manners in one's life. Shah Wali-Allah uses it in a special sense denoting different stage of socio-economic development of mankind. According to him, starting from simple primitive village life to an international community, the socio-economic development of human society can be divided into four stages. The first stage is dominated by simple economic struggle while the last stage is developed to maintain just political order on international level, to safeguard the socioeconomic interests of different states and establish peace and justice among them. All economic ideas of Shah Wali-Allah are related, in some way or the other, to his concept of irtifaqat or stages of socio-economic development. We will examine his economic ideas under different stages.

The paper discusses the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empire in the 18th century.

Throughout the study of geography, there have been a number of different approaches to explaining... more Throughout the study of geography, there have been a number of different approaches to explaining the development of the world's societies and cultures. One that received much prominence in geographic history but has declined in recent decades of academic study is environmental determinism.
Geographic and environmental determinism is the belief that the environment (most notably its physical factors such as landforms and/or climate) determines the patterns of human culture and societal development. Geographic and environmental determinists believe that it is these environmental, climatic, and geographical factors alone that are responsible for human cultures and individual decisions and/or social conditions have virtually no impact on cultural development.

The Europeans with the spirit of his Eurocentric assume that Africans were barbaric, and they wer... more The Europeans with the spirit of his Eurocentric assume that Africans were barbaric, and they were stateless. Eurocentric assumed that the white people were more superior to the colored-skin people. To support the theory, there were some theories were used by Eurocentric, such as the archaeological research, that Homo Neandherthalensis, type of European primordial man was more superior to the other types, included homo Africanus in Africa, because of the brain volume of Homo Neandherthalensis was bigger. Even though, the theory cannot be accepted, included Darwin theory.
The Eurocentric prevalent in international affairs in the 19th century had its historical roots in European colonialism and imperialism from the Early Modern period (16th to 18th centuries). Many international standards (such as the worldwide spread of the Anno Domini Christian era and Latin alphabet, or the Prime Meridian) have their roots in this period

The African Renaissance is the concept that African people and nations shall overcome the current... more The African Renaissance is the concept that African people and nations shall overcome the current challenges confronting the continent and achieve cultural, scientific, and economic renewal. The African Renaissance concept was first articulated by Cheikh Anta Diop in a series of essays beginning in 1946, which are collected in his book "Towards the African Renaissance: Essays in Culture and Development, 1946-1960,". This concept has been popularized by South African President Thabo Mbeki during his term of office, heralding the beginning of The African Renaissance, and it continues to be a key part of the post-apartheid intellectual agenda. The African Renaissance concept was not only a discourse, but an idea to apply. To apply the idea, Africa needs human and natural resources to develop the continent.

A famous Greek philosopher, Plato, for instance, asserts that knowledge is of the world of forms ... more A famous Greek philosopher, Plato, for instance, asserts that knowledge is of the world of forms or ideas which exist in the mind of a person. Ideas such as goodness and beauty are acquired through contemplation and they are permanent and perfect. Knowledge then, being of the world of forms, “is infallible and is of what really is, whatever it is.” (Plato quoted in Annas, 1981:201).
Belief, on the other hand according to Plato, is of the physical world. It is acquired through the use of the senses, which can sometimes mislead, so it could be true or false. In the epistemology (theory of knowledge) of Plato and other idealist or rationalist philosophers, knowledge is obtained through rational thinking or contemplation, while belief is acquired through the use of the senses. However, knowledge can also be seen as a justified true belief; a true belief being one that is devoid of contradictions.
From the above, it could be understood that the epistemological view of a scholar or an educational administrator will certainly influence his scholarship or educational policies respectively. A realist educational administrator, for instance, will have little or no regard and commitment to revealed knowledge when making or implementing policies on education. A Muslim scholar therefore needs an Islamic epistemology which differs from the idealist and realist epistemology.

The dramatic incursion of nomads into the Middle East that occurred between the 7th and 14th cent... more The dramatic incursion of nomads into the Middle East that occurred between the 7th and 14th century CE, (Bedouins, Berbers, Turks, and Mongols) made it important to stress the fact that Islam encourages urban life and asks its followers to understand and take advantage of living together. “There were Arab settlements in Egypt and in Iraq as early as 641 CE, the Touarege Almoravids who first appeared as North African nomads in 1045 were ensconced in Spain as the partisans of settled Andalucía by 1.086, the Seljuk after defeating the Ghaznavids at the battle of Dandanagan. The Seljuks if they were still nomads have been outnumbered in tens of thousands, and the Mongols were probably 160.000 in all. They needed the local Muslim bureaucracy, which was controlled in towns to carry on government and whichever their origins, they all had some notions of power centralized in a ruler, Sultan or Caliph.
Islam controls all aspects of believers’ lives, and since to any Muslim a town is a settlement in which his religious duties could be completely fulfilled. Therefore, the Islamic urban social organization had some architectural consequences on the overall arrangement of the settlement. In any traditional Islamic city, the most striking physical feature is the Friday Mosque (Masjid al-Jami’) that shines as the strongest focal point, almost at the centre of the city. Close by is the other strong element, the central bazaar (souq) where each trader had its own quarter located along the only two major thoroughfares of the city. The citadel or palaces with other main administrative offices of the state were often isolated by a massive wall from the rest of the city.

Shaykh ibn Abdul Wahhab was one of those rare scholars whose ideas have continued to influence th... more Shaykh ibn Abdul Wahhab was one of those rare scholars whose ideas have continued to influence the Muslims for more than 200 years. Representing the puritanical stream in Islam, in the tradition of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal (d. 855) and Shaykh Ibn Taimiyah (d. 1328), his followers continue to infuse a certain tension among Muslims, pulling them in the direction of a spartan faith, shorn of embellishments. Like the ideas of al Ashari (d. 935) in the 10th century, Wahhabi ideas have been amalgamated into modern Islamic thinking so much so that most living Muslims have consciously or unconsciously absorbed them as part of their heritage. Even those who do not agree with the positions taken by the Shaykh are forced into a continuing dialogue with his ideas. Modern Islam would not be the same without this scholar.

Irtifaq is means being soft, convenient, kind, helping, benefitting, etc. The word irtifaq refers... more Irtifaq is means being soft, convenient, kind, helping, benefitting, etc. The word irtifaq refers to adopting convenient ways, helping devices, beneficial methods, useful technology, and good manners in one's life. Shah Wali-Allah uses it in a special sense denoting different stage of socio-economic development of mankind. According to him, starting from simple primitive village life to an international community, the socio-economic development of human society can be divided into four stages. The first stage is dominated by simple economic struggle while the last stage is developed to maintain just political order on international level, to safeguard the socioeconomic interests of different states and establish peace and justice among them. All economic ideas of Shah Wali-Allah are related, in some way or the other, to his concept of irtifaqat or stages of socio-economic development. We will examine his economic ideas under different stages.

The paper discusses the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empire in the 18th century.

Throughout the study of geography, there have been a number of different approaches to explaining... more Throughout the study of geography, there have been a number of different approaches to explaining the development of the world's societies and cultures. One that received much prominence in geographic history but has declined in recent decades of academic study is environmental determinism.
Geographic and environmental determinism is the belief that the environment (most notably its physical factors such as landforms and/or climate) determines the patterns of human culture and societal development. Geographic and environmental determinists believe that it is these environmental, climatic, and geographical factors alone that are responsible for human cultures and individual decisions and/or social conditions have virtually no impact on cultural development.

The Europeans with the spirit of his Eurocentric assume that Africans were barbaric, and they wer... more The Europeans with the spirit of his Eurocentric assume that Africans were barbaric, and they were stateless. Eurocentric assumed that the white people were more superior to the colored-skin people. To support the theory, there were some theories were used by Eurocentric, such as the archaeological research, that Homo Neandherthalensis, type of European primordial man was more superior to the other types, included homo Africanus in Africa, because of the brain volume of Homo Neandherthalensis was bigger. Even though, the theory cannot be accepted, included Darwin theory.
The Eurocentric prevalent in international affairs in the 19th century had its historical roots in European colonialism and imperialism from the Early Modern period (16th to 18th centuries). Many international standards (such as the worldwide spread of the Anno Domini Christian era and Latin alphabet, or the Prime Meridian) have their roots in this period

The African Renaissance is the concept that African people and nations shall overcome the current... more The African Renaissance is the concept that African people and nations shall overcome the current challenges confronting the continent and achieve cultural, scientific, and economic renewal. The African Renaissance concept was first articulated by Cheikh Anta Diop in a series of essays beginning in 1946, which are collected in his book "Towards the African Renaissance: Essays in Culture and Development, 1946-1960,". This concept has been popularized by South African President Thabo Mbeki during his term of office, heralding the beginning of The African Renaissance, and it continues to be a key part of the post-apartheid intellectual agenda. The African Renaissance concept was not only a discourse, but an idea to apply. To apply the idea, Africa needs human and natural resources to develop the continent.