In Search of the Absent Truth _A Humanistic Encounter Between Madonna and the Jurisprudence of Abu Hanifa_ Captain Mohamed Hassan Al-Tahir

 

_When the voice of art meets the voice of jurisprudence on the paths of human perception_

 

In a world where images accelerate and meanings fragment, “absence” becomes more than just a physical loss.

– It is an epistemological and spiritual condition.

– “Absence” is the lack of presence—not merely in the physical sense, but as a loss of meaning, clarity, and coherence.

It is that moment when something vanishes from our awareness, even as it stands before our very eyes.

 

*The Absent Truth*

 

Truth is not always what we see—it is what we perceive. And here, its levels diverge:

 

– *Similarity:*

When something appears to be the truth, but is not identical to it.

 

– *Coherence:*

When the image aligns with its origin, and the idea matches reality.

 

– *Transcendence:*

When truth surpasses sensory perception and becomes a higher value, grasped only through insight.

 

*Judgment Is Rooted in Perception*

_Between Jurisprudence and Logic_

 

A foundational principle in Islamic jurisprudence states:

*“Judgment on a thing is a branch of understanding it.”*

*Perception* is the initial grasp of a thing—its mental image—before we can judge it as right or wrong, acceptable or not.

Without a sound perception, no fair judgment can be made.

 

*The Logical Square*

 

To understand the relationship between perception and judgment, we turn to the “Square of Opposition,” which outlines four types of logical propositions:

 

– *Universal Affirmative:* All humans are mortal.

– *Particular Affirmative:* Some people are just.

– *Universal Negative:* No one is infallible.

– *Particular Negative:* Some people are not truthful.

 

These patterns reveal how judgment is shaped by:

– the scope of perception (universal or particular),

– and the nature of the stance (affirmative or negative).

 

*Humanity at the Intersection of Art and Jurisprudence*

 

In her famous song _Frozen_, Madonna says:

*“You only see what your eyes want to see.”*

This simple line reflects a profound understanding of the relativity of perception and the cognitive absence we experience when confined to a single point of view.

 

As for *Abu Hanifa’s jurisprudence*, it is the jurisprudence of reasoned opinion ( _ra’y_), where:

– _Intellectual perception_ was the foundation of legal reasoning,

– and _human reality_ was central to legal rulings.

 

His jurisprudence was not rigid—it was humane and flexible, recognizing both _need_ and _necessity_, and balancing between text and public interest.

 

*The Human Common Ground Between Need and Necessity*

 

In jurisprudence:

– *Need* refers to what is required to ease life,

– while *Necessity* refers to what is indispensable for preserving life, religion, and reason.

 

In art:

– There is a need for expression,

– and a necessity for meaning.

 

Both jurisprudence and art strive to answer the human call: to be understood, to be seen, to be treated justly.

 

*Conclusion: Toward a More Human Vision*

 

The absent truth is not always lost—it may be veiled:

– behind the curtain of flawed perceptions,

– or behind eyes that only see what they want to see.

 

Madonna, with her voice, and Abu Hanifa, with his intellect, meet at a single point:

 

*To reconsider not what we see, but how we see.*

To redefine absence—not as loss, but as a call to presence.

And to seek truth—not in the noise of slogans, but in the silence of conscience.