al-Biruni`s emic-etic paradigm in comparative religious studies

Abstract

This research enters the world of al-Biruni and attempts to understand the methodological initiatives set in place and put into action when trying to understand religions communities and civilizations. The research strongly focuses on al-Biruni’s methods for treating the natural and social sciences. More importantly it focuses on alBiruni’s ability to navigate between the two realms to produce data friendly to both. Based on al-Biruni’s amalgamation of science proper and social science along with his treatment of theistic traditions an argument has been run across the entire of this research. This argument is born out of necessary extension and although not textually explicit the nature of theistic religions demands it. This research reveals the sensibilities of science employed in the study of culturally contingent phenomena; the long passages of al-Biruni’s scientific deliberation are viewed in this research within the context of manifestations of the culturally contingent as well as the development of a universal instrument for measuring history. This research concludes with some insights into the mechanisms present in al-Biruni’s works regarding the exercise of cross-cultural comparisons. Readers are presented with al-Biruni’s methodology his systems and his procedures in studying culturally contingent phenomenon and deriving universally intelligible results.