Human mind has limitations when trying to answer difficult questions. This is why; a fundamental element of faith is the submission to the unseen. A believer has to have firm faith on Allah, His angels, His books, His Messengers, and the world hereafter and the divine preordainment. Relying only on reason will cause only frustration and uncertainty. Those who revered their reason, and thought that their super mind is their only tool that will lead them get answers of difficult questions, ended up in frustration and puzzlement. They took Greek philosophy as a reference, and they considered Muslims who follow Quran and Hadith as laymen, who are blind followers of tradition, and has little genius and intellect.
This group took a long journey in the huge volumes of philosophy, in search of trivial Questions, which an old Muslim lady knows for granted. This group, when their death arrived, realized that they ended their long journey in being in square one again. Here is what they said in this stage.
Al-Shahrastani said (as poem):
“I have visited all the institutes, and watched the activities therein…but I found only those in dilemma placing their chin in their palm, or biting fingers in regret”
Ar-Razi
“the last destination of reason is a stop, and the end-result of the majority of the of mankind is deviation * and our soul in our body stays in anxiety, and all we get in this world is tension and useless* and we benefited not -albeit our entire life research- except a huge volume of “they said” and “it was said”
I have traced the method of the logicians and philosophers, and found them not quenching any thirst, or curing any disease, and I found the closest way, is the way of Quran: I read in confirming the attributes of Allah: “ the Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established” [20:5] “To Him ascends good speech, and righteous work raises it.”[35:10] “there is nothing like unto Him” [42:11] “but they do not encompass Him in knowledge” [20:110] “do you know any similarity to Him” [19:65]. And those who experimented as I did, knows what I knew”
Ibn Abil Hadeed
He was among the shites and was a Muatajilite, and a philosopher said as poem:
In you O mind, I remained perplexed * the reasoned has journey to reach you, and gained nothing except the trouble of journey * damn those elders who praised you and gave you authority * they lied, what they said is beyond human power”
Ibn Rushd
He says in his book which was authored in refutation of Ghazali’s book “Tahafut al-Falasifah” –which he named “tahafut at-Tahafut”- he says: “and who is the one said in divinity something reliable?!”
Abul-Hasan al-Aamedi
In most of his books where he mentions the “big” issues and brings the arguments of all schools, however, he stays in dilemma on which is the right opinion.
Al-Khonzi [died in 646 hijra]
This man authored books on the secrets of logic called: “Kashf al-Asrar” (revealing the secrets), and when his death neared, he said: “now, I am dying, but I know nothing, except that the Mumkin (the possible) lacks the Mumtane’ (the impossible)” then he said: “lackness is a negative term, hence, I am dying and knowing nothing”.
Abu Hamid al-Ghazali
He was an intelligent fellow, and an expert on philosophy, Sufism and logic. In complex matters he pauses and reaches to no answer, and in his last books, he used to refer to Sufism method of seeking knowledge (method of Kashf where knowledge is sought through certain rituals and mystical devotion). However, Ghazali returned to the way of people of Hadith, and died while beginning to study Bukhari.
Student of Ibn Wasil al-Hamawi
He said: “I lay down on my bed, and cover my face with blanket, and start to compare between arguments of different school of thoughts till the fajr time, but no opinion convinces me.”
Conclusion
In this article, I took a sample of Muslim –so called- philosophers, who had Quran and Hadith within their reach, yet, thought that they should discover truth in somewhere else. These people realized the first truth, which a laymen Muslim takes for granted: submission to the message of Allah is the first step. At the time of death, they came to know the first step. They repented, and thought if they started their first step early in their life, they would have marched forward and covered a good amount of the long journey.
I have not –in this article- touched upon the non-Muslim philosophers, who were far from Quran and Hadith. The frustration of this group was even worse; they went to an extreme stage of skepticism, where they doubted about even the existence of their own soul. They could find no objective of being in this world, let alone any knowledge about the Supreme God.
So, it is a choice you have to make. You have the choice of taking a long journey to search truth without Quran and Hadith. But believe, me, you will end up to square one at old age. Better then to start the journey with full submission of the message of Quran and Hadith. In this case, at the time of death, you will realized that you have successfully marched forward and gained a satisfactory assets to bring with you on the day of judgment.
Reference: Ibn Taymiyyah, Dar Ta'arud al-Aql wal Naql, vol 1
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Indeed, We have sent down for you (O mankind) a Book, (the Qur'ân) in which there is your reminder (and Honor). Will you not then understand? [Quran al-Anbiay (21):10]
