Ibn Khaldun

An idea can still change the world Knowledge expands when it is scrutinized from a variety of perspectives. The principle of assabiyyah limits access to different perspectives, something that Khaldun would vigorously oppose. Through engagement with other tribes around the world, Muslims learn and teach in an unbiased manner, without the self-limiting adherence to assabiyyah. While we still live in a world of tribes and clans. As Muslims, we must engage those who hold different beliefs to both teach them and learn from them. Khaldun encourages open minds while eschewing bias of any kind and from any source.Not only would this great thinker engage others in debate and the exchange of information, he would have taught that the “mistaken belief in the truth,” regardless of how that truth is derived, will invariably lead to erroneous conclusions based on the biases brought to the discussion. Assabiyyah vs. engagement The battle ahead Engagement of the other hand is associated with the human need for conversation and debate, to be a part of something larger than the self. With engagement comes the belief that those outside the tribe (or in contemporary society, the nation) can, in fact, increase knowledge and development simply by sharing views with those who make up other tribes, clans, religious sects or citizens of a town, region or nation. In fact, engagement encourages discovery, requires it of members of the group, regardless of the reason for the group’s existence. In contrast, with assabiyyah, this tribe feels superior to the one on the other side of the river. The citizens of this nation feel superior to the citizens of other nations.The members of this clan are certain of their superiority over their neighbors who belong to another tribe or clan and therefore shut out knowledge and discovery. It is this bias that Ibn Khaldun considered a corrupting influence on social development and ultimately the pursuit of knowledge.  www.digitaldaya.com