Here my intention is to show the high position of reason in Islam. Christians went so astray in terms of reason that they came to impose on it’s adherents a very difficult mathematical formula that a small child finds it impossible as well as the greatest mathematicians. That is 1 + 1 + 1 = 1 and not 3. In other words: Father + Son + Holy Spirit = One God. The doctrine of trinity is so absurd to the mind that the normal Christians  believe without reason, and the Pope himself has no justification in support. If you ask 10 christians on the nature of their God, you will get at least 11 answers. This is why Allah talks of them as those who are lost in the midst of darkness. The European enlightenment movement –and the age of reason- took the Christians from one darkness to another, but they are yet to know the truth and light.

 Quran uses pure reason to refute the fact of Christ as God and Mary as mother of God. Read the following verse:

مَّا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ كَانَا يَأْكُلاَنِ الطَّعَامَ انظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ الآيَاتِ ثُمَّ انظُرْ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ (75)

[75] The Messiah ('Isâ (Jesus)) son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother (Maryam (Mary)) was a Siddiqah (i.e. she believed in the words of Allâh and His Books (see Verse 66:12)) They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allâh does not eat). Look how We make the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth). [ surah al-Maedah (5)]

The above verse gives a logical reasoning. Jesus and Mary used to eat food, and as a result the waste product of food had to get out through answering the call of nature. Does this nature fit for a God?

 Also read the following verse:

بَدِيعُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ تَكُن لَّهُ صَاحِبَةٌ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (101)

[101] He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything. [al-Anaam 5]

See the reasoning in the above verse: How can the God have children when he has no wife.

 As for the impose of faith through violence, then is was amazing how a man who’s house is made of Glass throws others rock-house with rocks. It was only the Catholic type of Holy war in the European’s mind which caused them to think of Islamic Jihad as a similar Holy War. Brutality and barbarism are synonymous to Christians Wars. Mercy and Wisdom are synonymous to the Muslims Jihad. Read what western history –let alone the Muslim history- has said about the brutality of Catholics in Jerusalem, and their barbarism in the Holy Inquisition in Spain.

 Now I present few verses from Quran showing the high position of reason in Islam:

Lack of Reason causes to enter hell-fire

Allah says:

وَقَالُوا لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِي أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ (10)

[10] And they will say: "Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not have been among the dwellers of the blazing Fire!" [al-Mulk]

Using Reason to Dig into History and get Lessons

Allah says:

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الطَّاغُوتَ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى اللّهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلالَةُ فَسِيرُواْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَانظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ (36)

[36] And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allâh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tâghût (all false deities, etc. i.e. do not worship Tâghût besides Allâh)." Then of them were some whom Allâh guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified. So travel through the land and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth). [an-Nahl]

Using Reason to Ponder on the Secrets of Earth and Heaven

Allah says:

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لآيَاتٍ لِّأُوْلِي الألْبَابِ (190)

[190] Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding. [aal-Imran]

 Using “Will not then Understand?” 14 time in Quran

Such as

وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَلَهُ اخْتِلَافُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ (80)

[80] And it is He Who gives life and causes death, and His is the alternation of night and day. Will you not then understand? [al-Moumenoun]

 Using “So you may Understand” 7 times in Quran

Such as:

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ (2)

[2] Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'ân in order that you may understand. [Yousuf]

“Thinking” more than 17 times in Quran

Such as:

قُل لاَّ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَآئِنُ اللّهِ وَلا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الأَعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ أَفَلاَ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ (50)

Are the blind and the one who sees equal? Will you not then take thought? [al-Anaam 6:50]

 Irrationality of Following Fathers blindly

Such as:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُوا مَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ قَالُواْ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءنَا أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْئاً وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ (170)

[170] When it is said to them: "Follow what Allâh has sent down." They say: "Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following." (Would they do that!) even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided?

After all these verses and proofs, is there still any room to question the exercise of reasoning in the Islamic house?

 When Islam forbade man to judge only the reason in searching answers to the unseen questions like the nature of Allah, His attributes and names and the matters of the hereafter, then it did so as a sympathy for the inherent weak reason of man. Islam knows the field where this reason can excel (that is the creation of the Lord) and Islam knows the fields where the reason will not excel (that is knowing the details of the God and matters of the Unseen himself).

One appreciates the weak nature of human reason from the following verse:

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّن الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً (85)

[85] And they ask you (O Muhammad (peace be upon him)) concerning the Rûh (the Spirit); Say: "The Rûh (the Spirit): it is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little." [al-Isra’a]

Islam limits the ground for reason in the following four subjects:

1.       The matters of the unseen in general, like Allah, Angels, what happens in the grave after death, the paradise, the hell-fire, the events of the day of reckoning, etc.

2.       Details of behavior and moral character that are good and that are evil, the healthy reason identifies these in general, but the specific details, it can not.

3.       The matters of halal and haram. The reason can not discover these alone, it must be known through messengers of Allah.

4.       The Divine Preordainments (Qadar) which no reason can know the future with certainness.

 History proves that Islam was a boosting force –not an impediment- for the reason to march forward, and as a result Muslims were able to build a civilization where science and technology marched forward in the Muslim world. It is only when Muslims lately became loose with Islam, that their reason proved backward.

reference: see the PhD Thesis of Dr. Nasir al-Aql on "The Modern Reasoning  School"

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