الإطار الابستيمولوجي لتأسيس علم الاستغراب محاولة في المنهجية

Exploring Epistemological Foundations for the Science of Occidentalism (Ilm al-Istighrāb): A Methodological Study

Abstract

This study is framed within an epistemological investigation that focuses on the intellectual and methodological prerequisites essential for generating knowledge. It scrutinizes the conceptual underpinnings and fundamental requirements necessary to establish Occidentalism (Ilm al-Istighrāb) as a scientific discipline that critically examines and analyzes the Western perspectives on Islam. This study explores the requisite epistemological and methodological frameworks for the formation of this field of knowledge, encompassing its thematic scope, governing methodologies, objectives, central questions, and structural challenges. Addressing a pressing epistemological concern, this inquiry seeks to address a critical academic concern within contemporary Islamic thought by investigating the prerequisites for establishing a systematic discipline capable of engaging the West as both a subject of scholarly inquiry and as a discursive construct. Adopting a critical-analytical perspective, this study employed inductive, analytical, and evaluative methods. The study concluded that ʿIlm al-Istighrāb must transit from an accumulative and fragmented phase to a methodologically grounded discipline, guided by a clearly articulated epistemological vision. It emphasizes the necessity of clearly delimiting the field’s subject matter, refining its methodological tools, and organizing its core issues while addressing subjective and objective epistemological constraints. Such measures are essential for enabling critical and scientifically sound engagement with Western civilizations. The study further advocates for a distinct conceptual differentiation between Occidentalism and general Western studies, as well as between ʿIlm al-Istighrāb as a discipline and its philosophical foundations. Additionally, it calls for a systematic re-evaluation of the Islamic intellectual heritage associated with Istighrāb, intending to collect, classify, and reorganize its themes within a precise and disciplined framework.