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Ignorant Classifiers

Article by Dr. Muhammad Salim Al-Ghamdi

The article discusses a social phenomenon afflicting Arab societies, namely the tendency to classify and boast instead of relying on science and logic.

Publication date: July 22, 2026 at 23:11 KSA

In societies where ignorance occupies the largest space, we find some matters that can describe them and represent them and make them a representative sample of the society to which they belong. For example, not limited to, I say: Chinese society is a practical society that never tires or gets bored; everyone works like an ant colony, never stopping work. Likewise, Japanese society is known as a thinking, creative, and productive society. And like the lazy, idle society in some African societies, and so on... Perhaps through this brief written piece, I can describe most of our Arab societies, so I say:

That majority loves classification processes, wherever and however they occur. For example, we find that the majority tends to practice the method of boasting in empty words devoid of action. This trait—specifically—seems to be inherited from the pre-Islamic era, following the boasting of 'Amr ibn Kulthum in his famous poem that began with: 'O Aba Hind, do not hasten over us... and wait for us so we may tell you the certainty.'

Because we bring the banners white... and send them forth red, having been watered. And days of ours, bright and long, we disobeyed the king in them, refusing to submit. And a chief of a tribe they crowned with the crown of kingship, protecting our protected areas. We left the horses hovering over him, their reins adorned, in rows. And we brought down the houses in Dhi Tuluh to the Shamates, driving away those who break promises. So this example, with its empty boasting, is an inherited Arab trait, followed by many Arabs, even if the subjects of boasting differ in the present age. As for the other trait, which I see as an escape from reality and a prominent weakness in religious conscience, it is the trait of classification that is now practiced to a remarkable degree when differences arise, and when name-calling occurs, such as: So-and-so is an infidel, so-and-so is a heretic, so-and-so is a liberal, so-and-so is a secularist, and so on with the rest of the classifications that are not based on evidence or proof. If you were to ask one of the classifiers: Do you know so-and-so? Have you read him? Or have you accompanied him? The answer would be negative! So why the classification then? The answer is that it is merely a description without evidence or proof. If we go back to some earlier eras, we find many scholars and thinkers who fell victim to this false classification, such as: - The scholar Ibn Sina, who is considered one of the most prominent sages in medicine in Islamic history, in addition to his excellence in the science of philosophy, and he was declared an infidel by the sheikhs of his time. - The scholar Ibn Rushd, a pioneer of philosophy, medicine, and mathematics, who was exiled to Morocco, his works banned, his books burned, and a decree was issued against him prohibiting him from practicing philosophy. Among the most famous things said about him is that he was misguided and an atheist. - The scholar Al-Razi, a Persian physician, one of those who studied mathematics and philosophy, and was among the most prominent medical scientists. - The scholar Al-Farabi, who excelled in medicine and philosophy and delved into them, but was killed. - The scholar Ibn al-Muqaffa', whom the sheikhs of his time accused of being a heretic and an infidel, then Sufyan ibn Mu'awiya killed him, crucifying him, cutting his flesh piece by piece, and roasting it in fire until he died. - The poet Abu al-Ala' al-Ma'arri, who was a very famous poet and a deist who believed in a Creator God. - The poet Bashshar ibn Burd, one of the most important poets of his time, was accused of infidelity and heresy, so the Abbasid caliph Al-Mahdi ordered him to be flogged, and he died under the lashes. - Husayn ibn Mansur al-Hallaj, one of the most prominent philosophers of his time, was tried by the Abbasid caliph Al-Muqtadir bi-Allah on charges of atheism and heresy. He was flogged, his limbs cut off, then his head was severed, his body burned, and what remained of his body was taken to Baghdad where it was buried. These actions were not limited to these brilliant scholars alone; the list goes on, and history is full of scholars, philosophers, and writers who strayed from the flock and tasted the bitterness of repression and death, including Al-Kindi, Al-Khwarizmi, Ibn Hayyan, Abbas Ibn Firnas, Al-Ya'qubi, Ibn al-Haytham, Ibn Bajja, Al-Mas'udi, and the list goes on.

Societies classification judgment boasting scholars philosophers ignorance repression

The author gives historical examples of scholars and thinkers who were subjected to repression due to being classified as infidels or heretics, such as Ibn Sina, Ibn Rushd, and Al-Razi. He indicates that these practices are still present in the modern era. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of intellectual tolerance and the necessity of abandoning classification without evidence. It can be said that the article calls for a critical review of Arab cultural heritage.