TS - Reading Materials (W1-6)

WEEK 1
Introduction to Thinking
WEEK 2
Thinking from Islamic
Perspectives
3 Stages of Tafakkur (Malik Badri, 1999, pp. 30-31)
Islamic contemplation passes through three interconnected stages, leading

to the fourth and final stage which I call the stage of ‘spiritual cognition’ (shuhËd).
The first stage is when knowledge of the contemplated object comes through
direct sensory perception – via sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste – or
indirectly, as in the case of imagination. Such information can be purely mental
and often has no relation to emotional or sentimental aspects.
The second stage of contemplation starts when a person takes a closer look
at these data, inspecting their aesthetic aspects and particular beauty, excellence,
vastness of structure, and miraculous appearance of the perceived object. It is a
stage of fine appreciation, delicate feelings and powerful passion.
The third stage is when the meditator crosses the boundary between the
created object of contemplation and its Creator. The or she is then carried away
by feelings of submission to and appreciation of the One Who brought the
appreciated object of contemplation, as well as everything else in this universe,
into being because of the meditator’s realization that there is nothing in existence
save God and what He has originated.
When this refined meditation is repeated and reinforced with continual

remembrance of the Almighty, it leads the worshipper to the fourth stage: spiritual
cognition. Here, the spiritual feelings associated with deep contemplation become
part of the worshipper’s nature, and make him or her more loving toward and
fearful of God and His sublime Attributes.
Observing creation is only a primitive stage that can be enjoyed by believers

and unbelievers alike. Similarly, the second stage, which of appreciating the
beauty of form and structure, can touch the hearts of both believers and
unbelievers. However, the third stage, which relates this aesthetic appreciation of
the universe to the Almighty Creator, can only be achieved by believers.
(End of quote)
Applying Tafakkur on a creation
Stage 1 – Getting information through the senses and imagination
Describing the creation using the 5 main senses
Example: Book (creation) Stage 1: It is light, square in shape, it has 60 pages, it
smells like wood, it produces a “flap” sound when dropped.
Stage 2 – Paying closer attention to develop astonishment and appreciation

a. One of the ways to develop astonishment is to pay closer attention to its
design, how it is created in a certain way and think what’s the benefit it was
created like that? (This is specific)
b. One of the ways to develop appreciation is to think the general purpose of
the creation. (This is general)
Example: Book (creation) Stage 2: It is designed square so that it can stand on
table (Astonishment). The purpose of a book is to record knowledge
(Appreciation).
Stage 3 – Relate information with Allah s.w.t., acknowledging His greatness

When astonishment and appreciation is developed, it should be attributed to
something, that is the source of what we appreciate & astonished, Allah s.w.t.
There are many ways to relate these with Allah s.w.t., one of the simplest one is:
By relating the aspects of the creation with Islam or Allah s.w.t.
A deeper level of Stage 3 tafakkur is to relate the characteristics of the creation
with various principles taught in Islam, which leads to the reverence towards
Allah s.w.t.
Example: The pages of the book is normally flipped towards the end, but also able
to flip to the previous pages. This is the principle of referring back to out basics,
Qur’an and Sunnah, even if we are living advance towards the age of technology.
WEEK 3
Types of Thinking
Applying CT & CvT on an item
Applying CT is similar with Tafakkur Stage 1&2 combined. Remember that CT
is about focus on understanding and examining an item or a problem.
Example of applying CT on a item (e.g. Table): Table has four stands for balancing
it. It is created square so that it can be stored easily without wasting space. At
times it is made with a lighter material like plastic to make it portable, yet at times,
it is made with a heavier material like wood or metal to make it more durable and
stable.
To apply CvT, you want to consider the information gained from CT previously
done. When you understand the item or problem, you will generate alternatives to
change the item, or to solve a problem which are both novel and useful.
Example of applying CvT on an item (e.g. Table): The stands can be made with
holes to hold stationeries. The surface shape can be made like a jigsaw puzzle so
that it can connect multiple tables with great stability.
Applying CT & CvT on a problem

Applying CT on a problem are generating statements which helps you to
understand the problem better. To generate these statements, questions must be
asked. So here, we are focusing on asking questions that will help us understand
the problem better.
Example of applying CT on a problem (Sleeping problem): What usually do that
person do before going to bed? What does that person eat or drink near
sleeping hours? When did this problem starts to occur?
Example of applying CvT on a problem (e.g. Sleeping problem): Notice the other
things in life that will make that person sleepy, like reading a very difficult book,
take that activity and do it near bed time. Have a friend to give him a sugar pill,
but tell him that it is a pill that will going to make him sleep very soundly.
WEEK 4
Standards of Critical Thinking
WEEK 5
De Bono’s CoRT
WEEK 6
Thinker’s Keys
by:
Tony Ryan
Special Needs (Gifted &Talented) Consultant
South Coast Education Region
Queensland
THE EXPLANATION OF THE THINKER’S KEYS
1. The REVERSE
Place words such as cannot, never and not in sentences which are commonly
displayed in a listing format.
THE JUSTIFICATION:
Students are too often required to regurgitate endless lists of facts. Moving in the
opposite direction still requires a sound knowledge base, but it forces students to think.
THE EXAMPLE:
Name 10 things that you could not clean.

List 5 sounds that you have never heard.
Name 10 things that you could not photograph.
2. The WHAT IF
You can ask virtually any What If question. They can be either serious or frivolous. One
excellent means of displaying ideas from this key is to draw up an Ideas Wheel.
THE JUSTIFICATION:
Great for introducing an area of study, and for tapping into the students’ knowledge
base. It also generates loads of innovative ideas.
THE EXAMPLE:
1. What if the price of petrol was immediately doubled?

2. What if all cars turned into skateboards?
Now construct an Ideas Wheel. Place the base statement in the middle circle, and put 5
consequences of that event in the 5 outer circles.
Then deal with each of the 5 outer circles in turn. Put 3 consequences of each of these
into the smaller circles. (see Figures i and ii)
–5–
3. The DISADVANTAGES
Choose an object, eg an umbrella, or a practice, eg playground duty, and list a number of

its disadvantages. Then list some ways of correcting, or eliminating these disadvantages.
THE JUSTIFICATION:
We often accept the inadequacies of many products, without really considering how they
can be improved. Practise this key and you will be amazed at the number of everyday
products which can be further developed.
THE EXAMPLE:
An Umbrella:
The Disadvantages The Improvements

The sharp sections can poke you in the eye. Glue flat erasers onto the end of
each one.
They take up too much room, Develop a series of locking hinges
even when folded. along the length of the umbrella.
Water drips onto your shoes. Attach an overhanging plastic sheet

to the edges of the umbrella.
4. The COMBINATION
List the attributes of 2 dissimilar objects (one within your area of study, one outside),
then combine the attributes into a single object.
THE JUSTIFICATION:
Many important inventions, such as the disposable razor (the concept of loading bullets
into a rifle, combined with a normal razor) and the first printing press (the wine press
and the coin punch) were created in this way.
THE EXAMPLE:
A leaf and a mousetrap.
The Leaf The Mousetrap
They change colours through the year. They are made of wood and wire
.
Insects often eat them. They can kill mice.
There are millions of them. They can be left in lots of places.
–8–
THE COMBINATIONS:
1. A miniature mousetrap for placing on leaves, that can kill insects when they try to eat
the leaf.
2. Mousetraps that can change colour and blend in with the surface on which they are
placed.
5. The B A R
The following acronym, or ladder of words, can be used by different age groups (ranging
from Yr 1 to adults) to reinvent or redesign everyday objects.
THE JUSTIFICATION:
A practical step-by-step strategy for developing innovative and highly unusual products.
This type of strategy is often used in today’s hightech product development laboratories
to create new products for the market.
The Ladder is:
B igger
A dd
R eplace
THE EXAMPLE:
B A R a skateboard. Ask the students to

draw a standard skateboard, and then
direct them through the steps one at a time.
Here's one series of possibilities:
B igger Extend the rear of the skateboard, making it much bigger, and put some
shelves on it for storage space. Place a counterweight on the front to balance
it out.
A dd Add a small rocket motor, which can be controlled with a foot throttle near
the back of the skateboard.
R eplace Replace the wheels with a small hovercraft unit, which is controlled by a
hand-held rotating device.
It is very important that SILLY and INNOVATIVE ideas are encouraged. Very few new
ideas emerge from predictable and tedious efforts.
–9–

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WEEK 1

Islamic contemplation passes through three interconnected stages, leading

When this refined meditation is repeated and reinforced with continual

Observing creation is only a primitive stage that can be enjoyed by believers

Stage 2 – Paying closer attention to develop astonishment and appreciation

Stage 3 – Relate information with Allah s.w.t., acknowledging His greatness

Applying CT & CvT on a problem

Name 10 things that you could not clean.

1. What if the price of petrol was immediately doubled?

Choose an object, eg an umbrella, or a practice, eg playground duty, and list a number of

The Disadvantages The Improvements

Water drips onto your shoes. Attach an overhanging plastic sheet

A leaf and a mousetrap.

The Leaf The Mousetrap

The Ladder is:

B A R a skateboard. Ask the students to

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