“The Importance of Cognitive Integration among Arabic Sciences in Understanding the Holy Quran”, in Honor of Dr. Al-Hassan Boutabia 2013

Descriptive Report of the First National Forum For Ph.D. Students in Arabic Studies under the Theme: “The Importance of Cognitive Integration among Arabic Sciences in Understanding the Holy Quran”, in Honor of Dr. Al-Hassan Boutabia 2013

The Knowledge Integration and Translation Laboratory in collaboration with Doctoral Center of the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences and the Faculty of Arabic Language organized, in Marrakech, the first national forum for PhD students in Arabic studies under the theme: “The importance of cognitive integration among Arabic sciences in understanding the Holy Quran”. Many professors from different faculties of Letters and Research Centers in Morocco along with Ph.D. students of Arabic Language department participated in this event. Activities of the first day of the forum: Wednesday, 30th October 2013 The program of the first day included, in addition to the opening session, scientific sessions. These scientific sessions punctuated by some presentations of Ph.D. and students with professors comments. However, the program of the second day was unique since it carried some formative workshops, in addition to an honorary session of Dr. Boutabia Al-Hassan in recognition of his educational and scientific efforts. Opening session: Dr. Darir Hassane, from the English department in the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences in Marrakech, Presided over the opening session which included the words of the organizers of this event works. It was also called to the word of Ms. Dean of the Faculty of letters, Dr. Attbaa Widad, followed by the word of the Dean of the Faculty of Arabic Language, Dr. Mohammed Al – Azhari, subsequently by the word of Mr. Director of the doctoral Center studies at the Faculty of letters in Marrakech, Dr. Alfkir Abdelaali , and finally the word of Dr. Zahid Abdul Hamid , director of the Knowledge Integration and Translation Laboratory. First scientific session: Following this opening session, Dr. Adioan Mohamed, from the Faculty of letters, University of Mohammed V in Rabat, presided over the first scientific session. During this session, Dr. Michabal Mohamed, from the Faculty of letters, University of Abdel Malik al – Saadi, in Tetouan, presented an inaugural lecture on the theme: “Rhetoric from style theory to the text theory: Applications on the Holy Quran”. He discussed this theme through some axes which respectively are: • The relationship of rhetoric with other linguistic and cognitive fields. • Rhetoric theory and its relationship with stylistics. • The Rhetoric of the Quranic text through the Alshkaki’s approach which is applied on verse 44 of Surah “Hud” in which God says: [ And it was said: “O earth! Swallow up your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain).” And the water was made to subside and the Decree (of God) was fulfilled (i.e. the destruction of the people of Nuh (Noah). And it (the ship) rested on (Mount) Judi, and it was said: Away with the people who are Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)!”)]. This scientific presentation, of course, raised many questions and an extensive debate between the presenter and a group of interested professors and Ph.D. students. The second scientific session: Dr. Mrini Moulay Mamoun, from Al Quaraouiyine, the Faculty of Arabic Language in Marrakech, presided over the second scientific session which began with a presentation of the researcher student Ben Omar Mohamed, from the Regional Educational Center in Oujda, under the theme: “Sciences overlap in the Arabic-Islamic heritage”. In his presentation, he focused on monitoring the faces of integration between different sciences of Arabs and Muslims, to the fact that these sciences serve originally the Holy Quran. Besides he shed lights in the second part of his presentation on the issue of concepts in terms of its transition from one scientific field to another and the attendant problems in doing so. Dr. Botahir Muhammad from Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, the Faculty of letters in Daher-Almehraz Fez, commented on this scientific presentation. In his commenting, he focused on the idea that the most appropriate in this section is to talk about integration instead of overlapping; so that every science can identify for itself a field in which it can work. Again, he also pointed out that integration is a necessity and a need, and more inevitability in the field of linguistic studies. Then, the researcher student Chajiaa Rashid from the Faculty of letters in Abdel Malik al – Saadi, University in Tetouan, presented a scientific presentation under the theme: “Integration of Science in Fakhruddin al – Razi’s theory.” The beginning has been touched upon the scientific emergence of Razi, his age, his approach, his Encyclopedia and his writings. Afterward, he gave some examples of cognitive integration in Fakhruddin point of view through his juristic ideology. Dr. Adioan Mohammed, from the Faculty of letters and Human sciences in Mohammed V University, in Rabat, commented on this scientific presentation, and he has focused in his intervention upon the following points: + The term “science integration” as a form of science overlapping in various human civilizations. + Fakhruddin al-Razi as a creature of intellectual backgrounds and of ideologies that preceded him. + Al-Razi’s fundamentalism and its impact upon his idea, especially in the field of interpretation. +The establishment of the mental approach in interpreting the Holy Quran, the process by which Fakhruddin developed the Arab rhetoric, and in which he allowed it to be textual and an inimitable rhetoric. The third scientific session: At 3 pm, the third session was headed by Dr. Chraibi Faisal, and the researcher student Hanane Salhi, from the Faculty of Letters and Human sciences in Marrakech, offered a presentation under the theme: “Integration of linguistic components entrance in Tafsir Al-Muhararul-Wajiz by IbnAtiya Al-Andaloussi”. She began with a theoretical framework in which she dealt with the basic concepts of her presentation, and in which she distinguished between explanation, interpretation, and reading. Then, she dealt with the Arabic tongue Science, its themes, and its centrality in regard to the science of interpretation. In another point, she talked about the concept of cognitive integration and its inevitability for science. In her endmost axis, she presented the manifestations of cognitive integration between linguistics in Tafsir Al-Muhararul-Wajiz through a series of practical models. At the end of her presentation, she came up with a series of summaries and results. Following this offer, Dr. Rochdi Abdullah, from Dar al – Hadith Hassania for the Supreme Islamic studies in Rabat, has praised the effort made by the researcher, and presented a number of comments which reveal the deep understanding of the presenter. At the same time, he mentioned that there are some aspects that can be developed in this presentation, such as the need for developing of ideas offered by the modern reading theories in comprehension and interpretation. After this intervention, the researcher student Maoloud Mzaitt Hidalah presented a scientific intervention under the theme: “the cognitive pragmatics: applications on a text from the Holy Quran”. He started his presentation by talking about the discrimination of the Orientalists against the Holy Quran. After tackling some modern approaches to the issues of textual relations in the Holy Quran, He moved to talk about the cognitive pragmatics and discourse analysis. Then, he shed lights on some approaches in this context such as harmony and relevance theories. At the end of his presentation, the researcher presented a practical study through applying relevance theory on the first verses of Surah Al-Ahzab. Dr. Ahmed Karroum, from the Faculty of Letters and Human sciences, Ibn Zohr University ,commented on this scientific presentation, and his comments have been outlined a set of points which are: + To be careful of the terminology used and imported through the translation process. + Not being deceived by theories and especially when it comes to the Holy Quran. + The cognitive pragmatics is necessary only when a text subject arises some problems + We have to balance between theory and practice when quoting some theories + We cannot get to the informative structure of the Holy Quran through these theories, but we can deal with it merely as “ijtihad” diligence. The fourth scientific session After a short break, the fourth scientific session was chaired by Dr. Abdullah Rochdi, from Dar Al-Hadith Alhassania, and it included three interventions which are: The first intervention was for the researcher student Rachida Msslahi, from the Faculty of Letters and Human sciences in Marrakech, under the theme: “The importance of syntax (Ilmu-Nahwu) in understanding i’jaz through the book “the characteristics”. She shed lights on the role of Abū al-Fatḥ Uthmān IbnJinnī in the development of cognitive integration mechanisms between Uṣūl-Nahwu and Uṣūl al-fiqh (syntax and Principles of Islamic jurisprudence) through the elaboration of the most principles such as Uṣūl-Istiḥsan. Additionally, she also tackled in her presentation some texts from the book “Dala’il al-I’jaz” or “Intimations of Inimitability” by Imam Abd al-Qader-Jurjani. Following this, Dr. Fouad Bouali, from the Faculty of Letters and Human sciences, Hassan I University, Oujda, commented on this scientific presentation, and he expressed his appreciation to the efforts made by the researcher. However, his comment involved some answers for a number of problematic questions, such as: + In this regard, is integration cognitive or systematic? + Did Jurjani talk about the science of Uṣūl al-fiqh in his book (Dala’il al-I’jaz)? + Did IbnJinnī deal with the issue of the inimitability of the Holy Quran (i’jaz) in his book “the characteristics”? The second intervention was made by the researcher students Abdul Aziz Ait Baha and Lala Meriem Belghita, from the Faculty of Letters and Human sciences in Marrakech, under the theme: “Acoustic accumulations and its semantic dimensions in the Quranic structures.” The researchers offered their interventions through two axes; the first axis is a theoretical framework in which they illustrated some basic concepts of this study, and in which they also presented some definitions to a set of concepts such as accumulations acoustic, its types, its functions and its significance, and the second axis include some practical models in which they brought to the fore the importance of cognitive integration in phonology and semantics, so that to bring into light the concept of acoustic accumulations in the Holy Quran. Thereafter, Dr. Mourad Maouhob, from the Faculty of Letters in Ain Shock, Hassan II University, Casablanca, has commented on behalf of Dr. Faisal Chraibi; his comment included a set of observations such as: + The researcher students have mixed the understanding between the rhetoric lesson and the acoustic balance and compositions. + The study analyzed some samples of Arab voices formed by numerous acoustic accumulations through examples from the Quranic compositions, such as the letters sīn, mīm , the sounds of aggrandizement, ḍād (ḍ) , Za (ẓ), Nun, and qāf (q),which based on the results of old linguistic lesson on the facts of modern sounds. + This study represents a remarkable scientific achievement which reflects the ability of the students, their cognitive efficiency, the value of supervision, and the value of training. + This study embodied the spirit of cognitive integration between scientific disciplines; since it combines between phonology, style, linguistics, and rhetoric. As a conclusion of this session, the third and the last intervention was by the researcher student Mustafa Aaqli, from the Faculty of Sidi Mohammed bin Abdullah Allah in Fez, under the theme: “the cognitive integration and the mechanisms of religious discourse analysis – functional lingual approach”. The researcher had adopted in his treatment of the subject the functional theory of grammar. He initially set a theoretical framework in which he tried to define the position of the functional theory of grammar within the modern map of linguistics, its definition and its supposed device that represents the linguistic and non-linguistic discourses. Then, he displayed the manifestations of the cognitive integration from a functional perspective, and he confined it to the outer and inner cognitive integration. He dealt also with cognitive integration and the religious discourse from a functional perspective. In his practical framework, he focused on applying this theory on some verses of the Holy Quran such as: + The verse 9 of Surah Az- Zumur (the groups): {Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know}. + The verse 82 of Surah Yusuf (Joseph): {and ask at the town where we have been……}. Then, he closed his presentation with a set of conclusions, including: + The scientific need to think carefully and seriously about the Holy Quran, to understand its texts and the diligence (ijtihad) in interpretation which derives its strength from the purposes of Islamic law (Maqasid al-Shariah) and which also responds to the renewable needs of Muslims (religious and secular) around the world. + The need to contribute to the re-reading of religious discourse; a new reading which takes into account the religious and devotional privacy… + The need for openness on the modern linguistics at all levels: (phonetic, morphology, syntax, lexicon, semantic and pragmatic) on the issues of religious discourse. + The need to take unwarranted advantage of the results of the modern linguistic theories to read the Holy Quran, especially the functional ones which have proved their effectiveness in the approach to the rest of other speeches patterns. Thereafter, Dr. Abdul Hamid Zahid, from the Faculty of letters and Human sciences, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, commented on this scientific intervention, and he began by paying tribute to the student’s research and his ability to adjust the conceptual device. Then, his words came to criticize many contents as well as to propose some possible alternatives which can enrich and develop more his search. Second-day activities of the forum: Thursday, October 31st, 2013. Formative workshops: At 9 am, the work of the forum started, in its second day, the first formative workshop was under the theme: “The importance of the integration of Arabic sciences in understanding the Holy Quran”. It was headed by Dr. Mulay Mustapha Abu Hazem, from the Faculty of Letters and Human sciences, Cadi Ayyad University, in Marrakech, besides a group of professors from different Moroccan Universities, such as: Dr. Ahmed Karum from the Iben Zohor University in Agadir, Dr. Fouad Bouali from the Mohammed I University in Oujda and Dr. Abdelhay Aabas from the Faculty of Arabic Language in Marrakech in addition to a great number of researcher students and professors who attended to discuss its theme. Dr. Mulay Mustapha Abu Hazem initiated the opening session by providing a theoretical introduction to the idea of the cognitive integration in the Arab-Islamic culture. His presentation was well detailed and rich in terms of information. Subsequently, Dr. Ahmed Krroum took the floor to discuss the idea of cognitive integration between the Arab Sciences in understanding the Quranic text, and he started his intervention by asking some problematic questions as the following: What are Arab sciences, which are intended to integrate? And how this integration can be achieved? As an answer to these problematic questions and other problems, Dr. Ahmed Krroum classified sciences into two types, namely: Type I: correction Sciences (which includes syntax, prosody, morphology and so on…..) Type II: language purification Sciences (rhetoric of eloquence (al-Bayan), meanings, figures of speech and philology …) According to this division, Dr. Ahmed Krroum presented a practical study which aims to take unwarranted advantage of the cognitive classification of Arabic sciences according to the concepts of correction and language purity; to extract some aspects and images of the cognitive integration of Arabic Science. He did so through the inventory of a number of related models which its intention is to answer the main question which is: How do we understand the correction and language purity sciences in these models? Then, how do we understand the proper reading in the legitimate discourse? Due to the richness of the subject on its both sides, the theoretical and practical, the discussion of the workshop’s subject was rich cognitively and its problematic questions made by the interveners came to analyze its significant models to extract the denotation of the two concepts “Correction and Language purity”, to show the inevitability of the integration of Arabic sciences and the necessity of these sciences in understanding the Quranic text. Among the many other conclusions reported, Dr. Ahmed Karrum put down the following conclusions: + The Correction science may be unable to perceive the Quranic verses which require standing at the Language purity science, and this can be considered as an implicit admission to the concept of the cognitive integration between the Arab Science. + That the issue of arbitrariness in language can only be achieved by looking to the correction and language purity concepts. To deal with the same theoretical perception, Dr. Fouad bin Ali shed lights on the importance of the integration of the Arab Sciences in understanding the Quranic text from another angle with reference to the total cultural systems, modern theories, pragmatics fields, and how to apply these mechanisms on the Quranic text. He formed his intervention as follows: • Can a linguistic reading provide a complementary reading? • Should we speculate on the Quranic text from modern science, or we must remain (attached) captivated by the old understanding presented? In response to queries and comments of the discussants, Prof. Dr. Fouad Ben Ali stressed on the idea that the mechanisms of methodological approach of modern theories differ from one context to another. For example, in structuralism; the mechanisms are important, and in pragmatics and generative; the mechanisms help to achieve the cognitive integration theory in understanding the Quranic text. However, the confusion arise mainly linked to how can we use these mechanisms? And how can we apply it only as a procedural mechanism? So that we do not cause the Holy Quran to fall in some pitfalls which lead to misunderstanding, and this is the point in saying that integration deals with the Quranic text. Then, Dr. Abdul Hai Al- Abbas, from the Faculty of Arabic language took the floor to display a number of points, some of which related to characteristics of the scientific research, the systematic supervision and the nature of researches in Ph.D., and other which directly related to the workshop’s themes. At the conclusion of this scientific workshop, Dr. Fouad Ben Ali, the chairman of this session, praised the interventions of the members of the Committee who framed these training workshops as well as the interveners questions, their discussions, and their comments. At 14:30, the second workshop was headed by Dr. Muhammad Michabal, from the Faculty of letters, Abdelmalek Saad University, Tetouan, and the committee members who consisted of the following professors: D.r Mouttqi Ali, D.r Muhammad Adiouan, D.r Mohammed Botaher and D.r Abdullah Rochdi. The chairman of the second workshop, Dr. Muhammad Michabal, identified the general frame of the workshop, and he confined it to “the rhetoric of the Quranic discourse.” Then, he had put these following questions opened for discussion: 1. How to prepare rhetoric investigations in tafsir’s (interpretation) books? 2. What is the role of context in the rhetorical analysis of the Quranic speech? 3. What is the importance of integrating linguistics levels in the rhetorical analysis? The works of this scientific workshop were initiated by the word of Dr. Mouttqi Ali who talked in his intervention about “the relationship of rhetoric with the Quranic discourse”, and he concluded by the following results: + Every reader of the Holy Quran must determine the reason for reading; this question must be simultaneous. + The Quranic text should be considered as a springboard + We must look for the rhetoric of the Quranic discourse in order to access the persuasion stage. + The reader and researcher should have a reading talent which led him to recognize the inimitability of the Quran In this meantime, Dr. Mohammed Botaher began his intervention with the first verses of Surat Ar. Rahman (the Beneficent) in order to stand on the word “eloquence”, and he concluded by showing that all linguistics levels; phonetics, lexicon, morphology, and syntax have a role in communication and eloquence, and they have also an important role to the rhetorical analyst. The intervention of Dr. Mohammad Adiouan was about “the importance of context in understanding discourse”. The Professor believes that rhetoric, to the end of the 19th century, has been linked to structural and grammatical relations which direct designation built on, and it does not give any attention to the context. However, the context element and its relationship with rhetoric will make this latter towards a pragmatic research framework. Then as a conclusion of his intervention, he stressed on the need of interpretation process since the recipient is also restricted by the speaker’s structure. The last intervention in this workshop was by Dr. Abdullah Rochdi who framed his presentation into two questions which are: • How rhetoric investigations present in tafsir’s (interpretation) books? • What sets this presence? He came up to the conclusion that the eloquence is an inherent component in tafsir’s books no matter what are its tendencies and trends, and that rhetoric investigations in tafsir’s books can be presented with different faces and images. This was based on two things: 1. What is the interpretation? (to what extent rhetoric serves this question) 2. The reality of rhetorical lesson at the time of creating tafsir Many attendees, students and professors, have interacted with the contents of the presentation offered by the interveners, and they answered on many issues and problems of the subject in discussing. In conjunction with the first workshop, the third one began on Thursday, October 31, 2013, at 09:30 am under the theme: “The Translation and Islamic theology (Ilm al-Kalām): cases and dilemmas”. Dr.Omar Mubaraki, from Dar al – Hadith Hassania in Rabat chaired this workshop in addition to many framed professors such as: • Abdel Adim Essaghiri, from Dar al – Hadith Hassania – Rabat. • Moulay Mamoun Marini, from the Faculty of Arabic Language, Marrakech. • Abdul Rahim Haimoud, from Ibn Zahr University – Agadir. • Hassan Darir, from Cadi Ayyad University – Marrakech. • Abdul Hamid Zahid, from Cadi Ayyad University – Marrakech. The theoretical framing of the workshop: Dr. Omar Mubaraki offered a presentation about “Translation and Theology: Issues and problematics”. The purpose of this presentation, as he said, is to raise questions and to discuss translation issues as well as to discuss some researchers’ views about the role of translation in the genesis of theology. Then, he shed lights on the positions of scientists in translating the divine attributes texts, and he mentioned some of the difficulties which are related to the translation of the divine attributes verses in particular and faiths texts in general, how to deal with them, what are the requirements that one should have as a translator and the experience on how to deal with the cognitive problems in translating the Quranic text. After taking the floor for an interactive discussion between students and the framed professors about the contents of the presentation, the researcher students have been divided into small groups (3 students and a professor) so that each group takes into account the diversity and integration. Afterward, different texts, (Ghazali), (Zarkashi),(Jitsu) and (Jack Burke ), have distributed, and each group asked to do the following: • Each group has to determine a person who can present a focused summary of their work • Read the text a close reading • Classification of the major keywords and meanings • Selection of the references that serve the workshop • Provide notes and create discussions on the subject The proposed program was the following: • Opening and general introduction to the workshop (5 minutes) • Presentation of the participants (5 minutes) • Presentation of the workshop (15 minutes) • Discussion (10 minutes) • Training session: a close study (40 minutes) • A collective study of the light of the students’ achievements (10 minutes) • An open lecture with the workshop’s framers (5 minutes) • Evaluation and conclusion of the workshop (5 minutes) After 45 minutes, Dr. Abdel Azim Esaghiri started listening to the outcome of each group separately according to the steps required of them. After evaluating the students work, a scientific debate has begun with the framers of the workshop on its cognitive contents raised, on displaying some references in the Islamic creed text approach, the methods used to read and to translate these types of texts and its definitions. Finally, the workshop works concluded with distributing of evaluation card on the participating students in order to mention the pros and cons of the workshop and to indicate the new cognitive outcome which students got from this work. Honorary session To celebrate Dr. Boutabia Lahcen At the conclusion of this scientific ceremony, an honorary session held to celebrate Dr. Boutabia Lahcen. This session was headed by Dr. Ahmed Karoum who praised the work of this scientific forum which reinforced the culture of recognition, appreciation, gratitude and loyalty to the scholars. Thereafter, the poet and Dr. Mohamed Merah, from the Faculty of Letters, Marrakech, took the floor to deliver a praise poem to express his admiration for the knowledge and the morals of Dr. Boutabia Lahcen, after he gave words of thanks and gratitude to such useful scientific initiatives. Following that, Dr. Abdul Majid Almaalomi from the Faculty of Letters took the floor, on behalf of Dr. Hamdi Abdel Qader, from the Faculty of Letters in Marrakech and on behalf of the professors of the Islamic Studies Department, to praise the knowledge, morals and nobility of Dr. Boutabia Lahcen. Meanwhile, the floor was given to Dr. Abdel Ali Elmajdoub, from the Faculty of Letters in Marrakech who merged in his intervention between praise for the celebrated and creativity by creating a poem especially for him. Following that, Dr. Radwan Rochdi, on behalf of the Ministry of National Education in Casablanca and Dr. Moulay Youssef Idrissi, from multidisciplinary Faculty in Safi, as they were students of the celebrated, focused in their speech on what possess Dr. Hassan Botbaa by qualities, qualifications, morals and what sets him apart from others was his seriousness in supervision and training. The last word – in the contexts of praise the celebrated- was by Dr. Abdel Azim Essaghiri, from Dar al – Hadith Hassania in Rabat. His speech was also about the respect and admiration for the knowledge and the morals of Dr. Boutabia Lahcen. At the end, the celebrated Sheikh and Dr. Hassan Botabi began his words by thanking the supervisors of the honoring, who are the Dean of the Faculty of Letters in Marrakech, Dr. Widad Attbaa, the director of the Knowledge integration and Translation Laboratory, Dr. Abdul Hamid Zahid, the organizing committee which engaged under the supervision of Dr. Abdul Hamid Zahid, and he also gave special thanks to the professors for their admirable words. He also thanked the attendees’ professors and researcher students who came from different regions. The honorary session has been concluded to hand a Memorial Shield by Dr. Ali Mouttqi, the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arabic Language over to the celebrated Dr. Boutabia Lahcen. Subsequently at 07:00 pm, it was announced the end of the activities of the First National Forum for Ph.D. students, after the professors and the attendance having received certificates of participation.