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Measurement - Izutsu's methodology applied to "ك-ي-ل" (k-y-l) in the Qur'an

Haji 2003

Entry posted by Haji 2003 in Ethics

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Summary

I asked GPT4 to apply the methodology of Izutsu's semantic field analysis of the Qur'an to the root k-y-l. For those of you who are not familiar with Izutsu, at the end of this post is a link to a Shiachat thread about him that I created sometime ago.

Following the root analysis, the AI came to this conclusion: 

The root "ك-ي-ل" and its derivatives contribute to a Qur'anic worldview where justice, truth, and fairness are paramount, both in worldly transactions and in the ultimate divine judgment. The act of measuring is not just a physical action but is imbued with ethical and moral significance. Unjust measurements, both in trade and in one's deeds, are seen as a breach of the divine order and are thus condemned.

What Arabic word is used by the Qur'an when referring to the verb measure, specifically in the content of weights and measures in business transactions?

The Qur'an emphasizes the importance of honesty in trade and business transactions, and in this context, it often uses the term "مكيال" (mikyāl) and "وزن" (wazn) to refer to measures and weights, respectively. 

The verb "تكيل" (takīl) is derived from the root "ك-ي-ل" (k-y-l) and means to measure. In the context of weights and measures in business transactions, the Qur'an uses this root to emphasize the importance of giving full and just measures.

For example, in Surah Al-Mutaffifin (Chapter 83), the Qur'an condemns those who give less than due:

image.png

Translation:
"Woe to those who give less [than due],
Who, when they take a measure from people, take in full.
But if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss."

In this context, "اكْتَالُوا" (iktālū) and "كَالُوهُمْ" (kālūhum) are verbs related to the act of measuring.

If you are familiar with the writings of the Japanese philosopher Izutsu and the concept of semantic fields in the Qur'an, could you expand on the root analysis that you have undertaken above?

Certainly! Toshihiko Izutsu, the renowned Japanese philosopher, wrote extensively about the Qur'an's semantic structure. In his groundbreaking work, "Ethico-Religious Concepts in the Qur'ān," Izutsu delves deep into the semantic fields of certain key terms in the Qur'an to understand their interconnectedness and their role in forming the worldview presented within the text.

The concept of the 'semantic field' as employed by Izutsu refers to the network of meanings associated with a particular word or root, especially in a specific cultural or textual context like the Qur'an. By examining the various ways a root is used throughout the Qur'an, one can gain a richer understanding of its semantic nuances and how it contributes to the overall message of the text.

Let's return to the root "ك-ي-ل" (k-y-l):

1.  Basic Meaning: At its core, the root conveys the idea of measuring something.
2. Extended Meanings: The root can be employed in various forms to denote concepts like:
    Measuring: As in the act of determining the extent or amount of something.
    Justice in Measure: This includes giving people their due without any shortcoming.
    Injustice in Measure: As seen in the verses mentioned, where those who cheat in their measurements are condemned.

By studying the various occurrences of this root in the Qur'an, we observe that it often appears in contexts that emphasize ethical behavior, especially in business transactions. This not only establishes the importance of fairness in trade but also embeds the act of measuring within a broader ethical and spiritual framework.

Similarly, by examining other roots and their semantic fields, one can see how the Qur'an creates a network of interconnected meanings that together form a holistic worldview. Izutsu's approach is to track these connections and, through them, to uncover the deeper structure of Qur'anic ethics and theology.

To apply Izutsu's methodology more comprehensively, one would need to explore a variety of roots, examining their usage across different verses and contexts, and then mapping out their interconnections. This would provide a richer understanding of the Qur'anic worldview and the interplay of its core concepts.

 

"To apply Izutsu's methodology more comprehensively, one would need to explore a variety of roots, examining their usage across different verses and contexts, and then mapping out their interconnections." Can you please do this for k-y-l

Certainly. Izutsu's methodology involves a comprehensive exploration of the root, its various forms, and its interconnectedness with other concepts in the Qur'an. Let's undertake this exploration for the root "ك-ي-ل" (k-y-l):

1. Occurrences and Forms
   - "كيل" (kayl): Measure, as in a unit or amount of measurement.
   - "مكيل" (mukayyil): One who measures.
   - "تكيل" (takīl): The act of measuring.
   - "مكيال" (mikyāl): Instrument of measuring.
   - "أكتل" (iktaal): Taking in full measure.

2. Key Verses and Contexts:
   
   We've already discussed a few of the key verses. Let's expand on them and their contexts:

   - Ethical Transactions:
     Surah Al-Mutaffifin condemns those who are unjust in their measurements. The usage emphasizes the importance of honesty in trade.

   - Divine Justice:
     In Surah Al-A'raf and Surah Al-Isra, the concept of measurement is used in the broader context of the Day of Judgment and God's justice. Here, the semantic field expands beyond simple physical measurements to include moral and ethical weights.

3. Interconnectedness with Other Concepts:

   - Justice (عدل):
     The act of measuring accurately is tied to the broader theme of justice in the Qur'an. God is described as "العدل" (The Just), and believers are instructed to be just.

   - Truth (حق):
     Measurements, especially on the Day of Judgment, are described as "الحق" (truth). This links the act of accurate measurement with the concept of truth.

   - Balance (ميزان):
     The idea of weighing actions on a balance on the Day of Judgment is closely related to the root "ك-ي-ل". This interplay suggests that our deeds, like measures in trade, need to be fair and just.

   - Deception (غش):
     The opposite of just measurement is deception. Those who give less than due are seen as deceivers, which is condemned in the Qur'an.

Screenshot 2023-08-20 at 09.16.37.png

 

4. Semantic Field and Worldview:

The root "ك-ي-ل" and its derivatives contribute to a Qur'anic worldview where justice, truth, and fairness are paramount, both in worldly transactions and in the ultimate divine judgment. The act of measuring is not just a physical action but is imbued with ethical and moral significance. Unjust measurements, both in trade and in one's deeds, are seen as a breach of the divine order and are thus condemned.

In summary, by examining the root "ك-ي-ل" in this manner, we can see how it connects with various other concepts in the Qur'an, creating a network of meanings that emphasize the importance of justice, honesty, and fairness in all aspects of life. This interconnectedness of concepts forms the basis of the Qur'anic worldview, where actions have both immediate and eternal consequences.

 

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Haji 2003
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There are two other roots associated with measure. I asked GPT4 to analyse these. Once it has done this, I asked it to show the results diagrammatically.

Alright. To conduct a detailed analysis of the roots \( q-d-r \) and \( m-k-y-l \) in the context of the Qur'an, we will follow these steps:

1. **Identification**: Identify verses in the Qur'an where the roots \( q-d-r \) and \( m-k-y-l \) occur.
2. **Extraction**: Extract the meanings and interpretations of these verses.
3. **Interconnection**: Determine the interconnections between these roots and other concepts in the Qur'an.
4. **Analysis**: Analyze the overarching theme or message conveyed through these roots.

Unfortunately, I don't have direct access to external databases. However, I can provide interpretations and meanings based on my training data up to September 2021. Let's start with the root q-d-r. 

Root: q-d-r 

**Meaning**: This root carries meanings related to measuring, decreeing, or preordaining.

#### Qur'anic Verses & Interpretation:

1. **Al-Qadr (97:1)**: "Indeed, We sent it [the Qur'an] down during the Night of Decree."
   - Interpretation: This verse refers to the night when the Qur'an was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad. It is considered a night of great significance and blessings.
   
2. **Al-A'raf (7:34)**: "And for every nation is a [specified] term. So when their time has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it]."
   - Interpretation: Every nation has a preordained duration, and when its end is decreed, it will not be delayed or hastened.

3. **Al-Furqan (25:2)**: "He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and who has not taken a son and has not had a partner in dominion and has created each thing and determined it with [precise] determination."
   - Interpretation: God is the sole ruler of the universe, and everything is created with a precise measure and decree.

Root: m-k-y-l 

**Meaning**: This is derived from \( k-y-l \) and signifies a tool or means of measurement.

#### Qur'anic Verses & Interpretation:

1. **Al-Mutaffifin (83:1-3)**: "Woe to those who give less [than due], Who, when they take a measure from people, take in full. But if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss."
   - Interpretation: This warns against those who cheat in measurements and weights, taking full measure when they buy but giving less when they sell.

2. **Al-An'am (6:141)**: "...And do not waste [resources], for indeed, He does not like the wasteful. And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with an even balance. That is the best [way] and best in result."
   - Interpretation: Believers are advised to be just and fair in their dealings, giving full and accurate measures.

This is a brief overview of the roots in the context of the Qur'an. There are more verses associated with these roots, but these examples give a glimpse of their significance and interconnectedness with the broader themes of justice, fairness, and God's decree. Would you like to delve deeper into any specific aspect or proceed with another topic?

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Haji 2003
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Interesting similarity with ancient Egyptian eschatology (perhaps?)

Based on its answers earlier in the conversation, I asked GPT4 explicitly whether Islam was more similar to ancient Egyptian eschatology than the other Abrahamic faiths when it came to the concept of using scales on the Day of Judgement.

Here's its response (I have italicised some of its answer below if you want to skip to that).

The concept of weighing deeds in the hereafter is not unique to Islam among the Abrahamic faiths, but the specific manifestations and descriptions might differ. Let's clarify:

Islam

- In Islamic eschatology, there's the concept of the "Mizan" (Scale) on the Day of Judgment. Deeds will be weighed, and based on this, it will be determined whether a person goes to paradise or hell. The Qur'an references this scale and the weighing of deeds in several verses.
  
Christianity

- While Christianity does not have an exact parallel to the Mizan, it does emphasize judgment based on deeds. The Book of Revelation in the New Testament mentions a final judgment where the "books were opened," and individuals were judged based on their deeds as recorded in the books.
  
Judaism

- Traditional Jewish belief holds that on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), God inscribes each person's fate for the coming year into the "Book of Life" or the "Book of Death," based on their deeds. While not a direct parallel to the weighing of deeds, it's a similar concept of judgment based on actions.

Ancient Egyptian Eschatology

- The ancient Egyptians believed that in the afterlife, the heart of the deceased would be weighed against the feather of Ma'at, the goddess of truth and justice. If the heart was lighter than the feather, the deceased could proceed to the afterlife. If not, the heart would be devoured by Ammit, a demon.

The Islamic understanding has similarities with the ancient Egyptian concept in terms of a direct weighing of the soul's deeds. Both traditions use the imagery of a scale to represent divine justice. However, the underlying theology, cosmology, and specifics of the judgment process are distinct.

In summary, while the exact imagery and processes differ, the idea of being judged based on one's deeds in the afterlife is a shared concept among many world religions, including the Abrahamic faiths and ancient Egyptian religion.

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      In the financial markets there are various financial instruments that to my understanding are haram. Spreadbets involve paying interest to a financial intermediary in order to buy far larger quantities of shares (or other commodity) than one could afford with ones own capital. The 'bet' is that the investment will rise and enable the investor to walk away with a much larger return than would have been possible without the leverage provided by the spread betting company. This type of investing can cause harm to the individuals practising it, because losses can be greater than the amounts invested and it can lead to greater volatility in the markets themselves. Knowing that some shares are popular with small investors using spread bets means that other investors may consider it wise to sell when shares are peaking (because leveraged investors are buying) and to buy when they collapse because leveraged investors have had their trades closed. What is wrong behaviour by market participants can therefore create an opportunity for those who are prepared to play the long game.
      Yet it could be argued that a capitalist system that encourages such a speculative mentality has enabled the funnelling of trillions of dollars across the world towards the development of e.g. internet technology that may otherwise not have happened or it would have happened at a much slower pace.
      For Muslims then, there needs to be a recognition that what is happening around them may well be beneficial in the long-run, but in the short-run there may be practices that are wrong and in which they should not partake.
      Individuals and societies
      This works at both the level of the individual and that of societies. The latter may well achieve great accomplishments, while still being 'bad', and there are historical examples of societies being much more advanced than others of their time in technological and scientific terms, but still undertaking evil cultural practices. Any scientific knowledge that they passed on would still have been valuable.
      Today there can be a tendency of those who have made technological gains to ascribe these to their cultural norms and values - which Muslims may consider to be wrong from an ethical perspective. The ideology of their cultures may or may not have facilitated the advancement - but it does not validate the the ethics of their ideology. For example communism brought a large section of Eastern Europe and Western Asia out of the feudal age and arguably enabled the world to beat Nazism - but does that endorse Communists' correctness of mass collectivisation and the stamping out of religion? No it does not.
      a. Communism
      Communism is an interesting ideology that shows how it is possible to achieve success for a limited period of time, but to ultimately lose out in the war of longevity. Individuals who subscribed to Marxism were wrong. The whole society was bad. But while condemning both, we can walk away with the benefits they left us with.
      b. European slavery system
      There was a whole ideology underpinning this purely evil practice. Argued by some to be based on a reading of the Bible that held black people to be sub-human and treated as property*, the system enabled the development of cash crops in the Americas and provided the foundation of modern consumer societies. Ultimately it came to be seen for the evil that it was.
      What Egyptians, Communism, Nazism and the European slavery system of the 19th century and other ideologies have in common is that they are now defunct. They enabled progress to be made in some areas, but in the long term they offered no solutions to address human needs.
      The lessons for Muslims (starting with Pharoah's wife) has simply been to hang around in order to pick up the pieces and ensure that our ideology persists and outlasts the next round of evil-doers.
      In an ideal world ...
      People would be inspired to innovate, create and advance based purely on the motivations provided by God. But this ideal does not always happen. 
      *Muslims have been accused of having slavery systems as well. But those were completely different in terms of both practice and moral implications.
    • Haji 2003
      Downsizing the Empire
      By Haji 2003 in Contemporania
         2 comments
      The proposition that the British Empire "never really went away" but instead "downsized" reflects a view of post-colonial influence that suggests continuity between the British Empire's formal rule and its present-day economic and political ties, particularly with the rich Arab Gulf states. While the British Empire as a formal political entity dissolved in the mid-20th century, this perspective argues that Britain's influence persisted, transforming from direct colonial rule to a more subtle but still significant form of power and influence.
      Economic Ties and Arms Trade
      One of the most visible aspects of this continuing influence is the strong economic ties between the UK and the Arab Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and others. The UK is a significant exporter of arms to these countries, with Saudi Arabia being one of the largest customers. This arms trade not only supports British industries and employment but also reinforces political and military relationships between the UK and these Gulf states. The reliance of these nations on British military technology and expertise can be seen as a continuation of the influence that Britain once exerted more overtly during the imperial period.
      Investments in British Property and Economy
      Arab Gulf states have also invested heavily in the British economy, particularly in real estate, financial services, and other high-profile sectors. London's property market, for instance, has seen substantial investment from Gulf monarchies and sovereign wealth funds. These investments benefit the British economy and contribute to the UK's status as a global financial hub. The economic interdependence created by these investments is another form of influence, where former colonies (or regions within the imperial sphere) now play a crucial role in the British economy.
      Employment for British Expats
      The presence of British expatriates in the Gulf states, particularly in high-skilled sectors such as finance, education, and engineering, reflects another layer of this ongoing relationship. British professionals are often sought after for their expertise and experience, and their employment in these regions can be traced back to historical ties established during the colonial period. The continued demand for British expertise suggests a lasting influence and a form of soft power, where British culture, education, and professional norms continue to shape the region.
      Political Influence and Leadership Support
      The assertion that the leaders of these Gulf states were either appointed by Britain or have their tenure supported by Britain touches on the historical reality that many current Gulf monarchies have roots in British colonial or protectorate arrangements. For example, the Al-Saud family in Saudi Arabia and the Al-Thani family in Qatar consolidated power during periods when Britain had significant influence over the Arabian Peninsula. While these leaders are now independent, the historical ties and ongoing strategic partnerships suggest that Britain continues to exert some level of influence, particularly through defense agreements and diplomatic support.
      Continuity of Influence
      The idea that the British Empire "downsized" rather than disappeared reflects the continuity of influence, albeit in a different form. The mechanisms of control and influence have shifted from direct colonial administration to economic dependency, strategic partnerships, and soft power. The British Empire in its classical form may be gone, but the relationships, institutions, and dependencies it created continue to shape international relations and economics in ways that can be seen as a legacy of that empire.
      Counterarguments
      However, it is also important to consider the counterarguments to this proposition. The Gulf states are now sovereign nations with their own complex political dynamics, and their relationship with Britain is one of mutual interest rather than imperial domination. The influence of other global powers, such as the United States and China, also plays a significant role in these regions, which complicates the notion that Britain maintains a unique or dominant position of influence.
      In conclusion, while the British Empire as a formal entity no longer exists, the networks of influence, economic ties, and political relationships established during the imperial period have persisted in ways that benefit the UK. These relationships, particularly with the Arab Gulf states, suggest that Britain's influence did not vanish but instead evolved, leading to a form of continuity that some might argue represents a "downsized" empire.
    • Haji 2003
      Androids and inheritance
      By Haji 2003 in Contemporania
         4 comments
      In this thread there was a half jokey but also serious issue that I raised:
      At some point Muslims will ask whether conjugal relations with androids are allowed and we can predict the answer will be no.
       
      Since I first started that thread a lot has happened and I think it's worth introducing some new variables to the discussion.
      There was a time when men who dressed as women (and vice versa) did so either for humour or if it was in some way related to their sexuality the attempt would seem a bit ridiculous. Nowadays though fantasy can be more readily realised with the aid of technology.
      In a similar vein men who play with dolls (this is serious, stay with me) are faintly creepy and weird. But technology moves on and at some point the dolls will pass for humans. While orthodox Muslims may well be aghast at the idea of relations between us and the androids, clearly this will be considered to be progress amongst some people. They may not currently regard it as such but their ideological progeny will.
      But then another issue will emerge. If someone gains emotional and other forms of support from their android, what if they want to pass on their wealth to the android?
       
      https://www.ft.com/content/b9b78aae-1f32-11e9-a46f-08f9738d6b2b
       
      So while we have had dystopian science fiction prognosticating about robots AI becoming 'self-aware' and stealing the planet from us what if such a loss can happen without such a confrontational dystopia?
      What if large numbers of humans give up on human-to-human relations and instead take up with androids who will never argue back, will always say yes and be physically whatever people want them to be.
      And as a reward for this their human companions leave their possessions to robots?
      It could be that it is selfishness and narcissism that disinherits us and nothing more sinister.

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