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The remedy for ignorance is asking questions. (Prophet Muhammad)
The spirit of enquiry is the hallmark of an open society and the above saying of the Prophet aptly illustrates this principle. A culture of curiosity and open-mindedness will foster development in any society by motivating its members to learn enthusiastically and enrich their knowledge. This is because awareness of one’s ignorance is half of knowledge, as it becomes a stepping-stone to seeking and finding answers. A questioning mind is like a flowing river that is replenished with fresh thoughts and ideas and continues on its journey.
Are reason and revelation contradictory to each other?
Reason and revelation are not contradictory to each other. Revelation is a source of knowledge, while reason is a means of comprehension. When a person believes in what has been revealed, he does so by application of his God-given reason to reflect and determine with certainty the truthfulness and veracity of the knowledge he has gained through revelation. Therefore, it would be more appropriate to say that reason supplements the understanding of revelation and is not opposed or inconsistent to it.
All of the tasks a human being does are dependent on reason. No development or progress can happen without the application of intelligence. Without the mind, a person would be reduced to a statue, being unable to differentiate between right and wrong. Reason is in itself not a criterion which determines good and evil. Rather, it is the ability to understand and discern. By definition, reason is the intellectual ability by which conclusions are drawn from premises. Thus, reason is not an objective judge by itself.
Reason is an ability granted by God. It is not any person’s own invention. The word aql, or reason, has been used in the Quran about fifty times. The Quran repeatedly enjoins the reader to discover the credibility of revelation by putting to use reason and rationale. For example, a verse in the Quran instructs: “We have sent down the Quran in Arabic, so that you may understand [by applying reason].” (12: 2). Similarly, in another verse a Prophet urges his people to reflect and determine the integrity of his claim to prophethood: ‘If God had so wished, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have brought it to your knowledge.
Indeed, I have spent a whole lifetime among you before it came to me. How can you not use your reason?’ (10: 16)
What were the reasons behind people separating reason from revelation?
In this matter, deviation happened when some people came to believe in an extreme version of reason, that is, they began to regard reason as a means of acquiring knowledge. Certain religious groups reacted to this conception of reason and began to consider reason-based discussions as inimical to religion. Due to this mindset, they wrongly started claiming that the spheres of reason and revelation were separate and that the domain of revelation begins where reason reaches its limits. The truth is that there is a difference between utilizing reason to understand realities and considering reason as the only source of knowledge.
A human being has been given various kinds of capabilities: hands to hold, legs to walk, eyes to see, ears to hear, and so on. Similarly, humans have been granted reason so that they may ponder over issues and comprehend through rational analysis. Along with this, humans have been given total freedom, which means that they can either make proper use of their reason or put it to improper use.
The real purpose of reason is for man to collect data or information and then, through examination and deliberation, arrive at useful knowledge. However, reason in itself is not an authority, which is why one can be either right or wrong in taking support of reason in one’s pursuit of knowledge. Taking reason as the sole source of knowledge is a fallacy, yet it is a phenomenon observed everywhere, including within the sphere of religion.
What is the solution to the problems of humankind?
The Islamic solution to the problems of man is the same as that which has been ordained for the rest of the universe. Like the universe, if man follows God’s scheme of creation, he can live with the same peace, coherence and harmony which the cosmos already exhibits. That is why the Quran points out that the universe is faultless. (67: 3)
The path of truth is in compliance with God’s scheme of creation, which is another name for the laws of nature. However, as man is free to act as he likes, he tends to misuse his freedom. He follows his desires and forsakes the true path. The result is corruption and disorder in the human world. The solution is for us to discover the Creator and His creation plan and to play our role accordingly.