A human being,
nation or civilization requires three things - (1) Law, order and Justice (2) Benevolence,
Charity, Compassion and humanitarian works (3) Truth and knowledge.
As Hebrewism was
the religion of Law and Christianity the religion of Love, so Islam is the
religion of Truth. Though each contains all the other aspects also, the
emphasis is different. Much misunderstanding arises owing to the failure to
recognize this difference. People brought up in one religion tend to expect all
religion to be like their own. But they must differ because of the times and
circumstances in which they come.
"He it is who has sent His Messenger with
the guidance and the Religion of Truth that He may make it conqueror of all
religion however much idolaters may be averse." 61:9 see also 9:29, 33
"And say: Truth has come and falsehood has
vanished away. Lo! Falsehood is ever bound to vanish. And We reveal of the
Quran that which is a healing and a mercy for believers though it increases
evil-doers in naught save ruin." 17:81-82
Thus Islam
places emphasis on reality, truth, knowledge, wisdom and awareness.
"That is because Allah, He is the Truth.
Lo! He quickens the dead, and lo! He is able to do all things." 22:6
"Allah, He is the manifest Truth."
24:25
"He said: The Truth is, and the Truth I
speak..." 38:85
"That is because Allah, he is the Truth,
and that whereon they call instead of Him, it is the False, and because Allah
He is the High, the Great." 22:62 See also 31:30
Since Islam is
Surrender to the Command, Word or Will of Allah, and Allah is the Creator and
Lord of the Universe, then Islam may be defined as "Objectivity in
thought, motives and action."
"Confound not Truth with falsehood, nor
knowingly conceal the truth." 2:42 see also 3:71
"Allah has revealed the Scripture with
Truth. Lo! those who find a cause of disagreement in the scripture are in open
schism." 2:176 see also 2:213 3:3 5:48
"And who does greater wrong than he who
tells a lie against Allah and denies the Truth when it reaches him? Will not
the home of disbelievers (in Truth) be in hell? And whoever brings the truth
and believes in it - such are the dutiful. They shall have what they will of
their Lord's Bounty. That is the reward of the good: that Allah will remit from
them the worst of what they did, and will pay them for reward the best o what
they used to do." 39:32-35
"Say: O people of the Scripture! Stress
not in your religion other than the truth and follow not the vain desires of
folk who erred of old and led many astray, and erred from a plain road."
5:77
"Allah saith: This day in which their
truthfulness profits the truthful, for theirs are Gardens underneath which
rivers flow, wherein they are secure for ever, Allah taking pleasure in them
and they in Him. That is the Great Triumph." 5:119
"He it is Who created the heavens and the
earth in truth. In that day when He saith: Be! It is. His word is Truth, and
His will be the Sovereignty on the day when the trumpet is blown. Knower of the
invisible and the visible. He is the Wise, the Aware." 6:173-174
"Allah will establish the truth by His
Word, however much the guilty are averse." 10:83
"Say: O mankind! Now has the Truth from
your Lord come unto you. So whosoever is guided is guided only for the good of
his soul, and whosoever errs, errs only against it. And I am not a warder over
you." 10:109
"Is he who knows that which is revealed unto
thee from thy Lord is the truth, like him who is blind? But only men of
understanding heed..." 13:19
"Have you not seen that Allah has created
the heavens and the earth with truth? If He will He can remove you and bring in
some new creation." 14:19
"We created not the heavens and the earth
and all that is between them save with Truth and for a term appointed."
46:3 See also 15:85, 16:3
"Say: The Holy Spirit has revealed it from
thy Lord with Truth, that it may confirm the faith of those who believe and as
a guidance and good news for those who have surrendered (to Allah)."
16:102 See also 18:30
"Allah judges with truth, while those to
whom they cry instead of Him judge not at all. Lo! Allah, He is the Hearer, the
Seer." 40:20
"We shall show them Our signs on the
horizons and within themselves until it will be manifest unto them that it is
the Truth. Does not thy Lord suffice, since He is Witness over all
things?" 41:53
"We certainly brought the Truth unto you,
but you were, most of you, averse to the Truth." 43:78
These quotations
show that there are three forms or aspects of Truth:-
(1) The truth or
information with which the universe and all things in it are created;
(2) The Truth
with which the Prophets were sent and which is contained in the scriptures;
(3) The truth
which we recognise through our faculties. This may also be divided into at
least four levels:-
(a) That given to the senses, usually called
information - "knowing of or about"
(b) That which has been processed by us
through thinking and insight - understanding
(c) That which has been assimilated so that
we see how it fits as part into a whole - consciousness.
(d) That
which has been integrated into ourselves so that it controls our thoughts,
motives and actions - surrender to truth.
We may define
knowledge as the awareness of truth:-
"Do not pursue that whereof you have no
knowledge. Verily, the hearing and sight, and the heart, each of these will be
asked (to give an account)." (17:36)
"Say: My Lord! Increase me in
Knowledge." 20:114
"Allah, there is no god save Him, the
Alive, the Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. Unto Him belongs
whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth.. He knows that
which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass
nothing of His knowledge save what He will. His Throne includes the heavens and
the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the Sublime, the
Tremendous." 2:255
"Keep to the Straight Path and follow not
the road of those who have no knowledge." 10:90
"And among mankind is he who disputes
concerning Allah without knowledge or guidance or a scripture giving
light." 22:3,8 Also see 31:20
"But it (the Quran) is a clear revelation
in the hearts of those who have been given knowledge, and none deny Our
revelations save wrong-doers." 29:49
"Nay, but those who do wrong follow their
own lusts without knowledge. Who is able to guide him whom Allah has sent
astray? For such there are no helpers." 30:29
"But if they strive with thee to make thee
ascribe unto Me as partners that of which thou hast no knowledge then obey them
not." 31:15
"My Lord! grant me wisdom and unite me to
the righteous..." 26:83
These, Truth and
Knowledge, are obtained by means of the three levels of functioning which human
beings possess, body, mind and soul:-
(1) Instincts. We have sense organs which
provide information from the external world but also from within our bodies,
instincts which provide motives, and faculties for actions. Men share with
animals the instincts for self-preservation which are responsible for the
seeking and processing of food, the regulation of temperature and so on; the
instinct for reproduction including finding mates and making homes to bring up
offsprings; and the self-expansive urge concerned with exploration, curiosity,
seeking experience and knowledge, self-development etc.
(2) Aql Intelligence, thought and reason
by which the raw data provided by the senses is processed , interpreted,
organised and systematised. This ought to modify instincts.
(3) Consciousness Inspiration, insight,
the introduction into consciousness of influences coming from a higher,
collective or Universal consciousness. This is referred to by the Light verses
24:35-37. This ought to modify both the above.
These three will
now be considered in greater detail.
(1) Owing to
cultural conditioning and reliance on thought, so called civilized human
beings:- (a) have lost their natural instincts to a large extent - they do not
appear to sense and know instinctively what is good for them as animals tend to
know and their sense organs are much coarser. (b) They have acquired additional
secondary instincts such as addictions or habits of taste and action. These are
not necessary to satisfy real needs - they may eat not because they need
certain kinds of food, but because of taste, habit, greed etc.; they may have a
wardrobe full of fancy clothing, but actually require only a few simple things
to keep out the cold, and so on (c) Some of these acquired instincts can
contradict the natural instincts, cause inner conflicts, and be harmful to the
organism - suicide contradicts the self-preservative urge; some forms of sexual
activity flout its natural purpose; masochism and sadism flout natural sympathy
and empathy. In the scientific age it has become conventional to process the
data provided by the external senses and to ignore the inner senses. People
seldom look inwards into their experiences, motives and thoughts and these
senses have become dulled, providing little information. Since no conscious
systematization has been done, behaviour remains unintelligent, primitive and
irrational despite the increase in education and external knowledge.
(2) The word
"Aql" has been translated as reason or even logic or intellect or
thinking. In fact it has a far wider meaning. It refers to Intelligence. This
is the power to perceive, record and process the data of experience received
through interaction with the environment; to adapt, change, adjust, control and
manipulate. It is a degree of flexibility or freedom as opposed to Instincts.
It refers not just to thinking but also to motives and action and to
information processing.
Aql is connected
with a number of words used in the Quran such as fiqh, yafqahu (to comprehend,
make out), fahm, yafhamu (to understand), fikr, fakkara, yfakkiru (to think),
tafkir, tafakkara, yatafakkaru (to reflect), mass-un, yamassu (to mentally
grasp), idrak, yudriku (to realize, to approach) etc. Some of these have been
variously translated as to ponder, to heed, to be aware, to reason etc. Islam
requires not just knowing but also understanding and ultimately surrender to
truth.
"See how We display the revelations so
that they may understand." 6:65
"What is amiss with these people that they
come not nigh to comprehend a happening?" 4:78
"Already have We urged into hell many of
the jinn and humankind who have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes
wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. These are as cattle -
nay, but they are worse! These are the neglectful." 7:179
"They will (further) say: Had we but
listened or used our Aql, we should not (now) be among the companions of the
blazing fire!" (67:10)
"Say: This is my way: I invite unto Allah
upon conscious insight accessible to reason, I as well as those who follow me,
and glory be to Allah, for I am not one of those who associate (others with
Him)." 12:108
"And the abode of the Hereafter is better
for those who ward off evil. Have ye then no sense." 7:169
"Will they not ponder over the
Quran?" 4:82
"Thus do We make the verses distinct for a
people who reflect." 10:24
"A Book We have revealed to you abounding
in good that they may ponder over its verses, and that those endowed with
understanding may be mindful." 38:30
"Who hear advice and follow the best
thereof. Such are those whom Allah guides, and such are men of
understanding." 39:18
"Indeed We have made the verses distinct
for a people who will use their understanding." 6:98
"Is it then that they do not ponder over
what is said.." 23:68
"Certainly We have revealed to you a Book
in which is your own reminder; what! Will you not then use your reason?"
21:10
"We have made the revelations clear to
you, if you will use your reason." 3:118
"These are they whom Allah (by His Law of
Retribution) has deprived (as a result of their own doing) of the blessings of
life and has made them deaf and has blinded their eyes. Will they not then
ponder on the Quran or there are locks on their hearts." 47:23-24
"Without doubt, the worst of beasts in
Allah's sight are the deaf, the dumb, who do not use their Aql (reason)"
8:22
"Exalted above all is Allah, the True
King! Be not in haste with the Quran before its revelation to thee is perfected,
but say: O My Lord! Increase me in knowledge" 20:114
"O ye who believe! When ye go abroad in
the cause of Allah, investigate carefully (or be careful to discriminate), and
say not to anyone who offers you a salutation (or peace): Thou art not a
believer! Coveting the perishable goods of this life: with Allah are profits
and spoils abundant. Even thus were ye yourselves before, till Allah conferred
on you His favours: Therefore carefully investigate (take care to
discriminate). For Allah is well aware of all that ye do." 4:94
(3) But Aql can
only work on information or knowledge that we have already received and it can
also be used to obtain further knowledge. Thinking is an activity. It rearranges
and manipulates data. Knowledge, on the other hand, requires receptivity, a
state of passivity or surrender. It cannot be created. We can obtain knowledge
from the external world through the senses, or from our own bodies and minds by
looking inwards, or by inspiration from Universal Consciousness (Allah is the
Aware 4:35 etc.) into our consciousness. But in every case knowledge can only
be that which we are conscious off. Consciousness means the awareness of how an
item fits into a system - an isolated datum has little value. There are many
degrees of consciousness depending on the comprehensiveness and integration of
the system in which things are seen - there are many degrees of relative
truth.. Insight and Faith are connected with it. Ultimately, Absolute Truth
refers to how things relate to Allah, the ultimate Reality.
"Have they not traveled in the land, and
have they hearts wherewith to feel and ears wherewith to hear? For indeed it is
not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are within their
bosoms that grow blind." 22:46
"This Quran is naught else than a reminder
unto creation unto whomsoever of you wills to walk straight. And ye will not
unless Allah wills, the Lord of Creation." 81:27-29 Also 68:52
Truth is
something that affects the heart rather than the head - It is not a matter of
thinking, which is usually verbal, but of consciousness, and it involves
feelings and action as well. And the capacity for receiving truth depends on
the receptivity and the state of being of the individual, of his integration
and degree of empathy.
We are not
normally conscious of most of the processes going on within our body or even in
our minds, nor of most of the external forces which affect us. It is not merely
the case, for instance, that we can only see in a narrow band of the total
range of electromagnetic radiations or hear within a narrow band of vibrations,
but there is also a lower limit to the intensity of a stimulus and a limit to
our powers of discrimination between small differences. Whereas we start off as
an embryo, which has a general sensitivity, the development of the sense organs
channels this into certain directions only. Other forms of sensitivity are
obscured as the stars are by the sun, but nevertheless continue to affect us.
But apart from this the amount of stimuli provided by the environment is still
too great for our minds to deal with. There is, therefore, a process of
filtering out. We focus our consciousness through attention and this takes
place according to our interests and motives and according to what we are
familiar with, preconceptions and expectations, and according to our
activities. The ordinary mind is divided into a conscious, a pre-conscious, a sub-conscious and an unconscious
portion. But consciousness varies from concentration, mere wakefulness,
reverie, states of hypnosis, sleep, unconsciousness. It is also possible to
expand consciousness into areas that are normally sub-conscious and beyond.
These states may be called self-consciousness,
objective consciousness and cosmic-consciousness. This gives us 7 levels of
consciousness, though these may also be sub-divided. It is not difficult to
understand that the world we see depends on our state of consciousness. There
will, therefore, be 7 levels of reality and 7 states of existence. Sometimes
experiences or ideas arising at a higher level intrude into our ordinary
consciousness and this is known as inspiration. Revelation may be regarded as
the opening of the mind to see a higher world.
From the Quranic
point of view man is ordinarily asleep. That is, he is capable of and ought to
exist in a higher state. Thus:-
"Say: I exhort you only to one
thing that ye awake for Allah's sake (or stand up before Allah) in twos or
singly, then reflect.." 34:46
"It may be that Allah will give thee
victory, or a commandment from Himself, and they may awake repenting of their
secret thoughts." 5:52
The Day of
resurrection and judgment is the day of awakening or vice versa:-
"They say: Shall we really be restored to
our first state. What! Even when we are rotten bones? They say: Surely that
would be a vain event. But it shall be only a single cry, When lo! They will be
fully awake." 79:11-14
"Every soul comes along with it a driver and
a witness. You were heedless of this. But now We have removed from you your
covering, and piercing is your sight this day." 50;21-22
Consciousness is
a property of the spirit in man (32:9), and it is enhanced by the spirit:-
"The Exalter of Rank, Lord of
the Throne: He casts the Spirit by His command upon whom He wills of His
servants, that he may warn (men) of the Day of Meeting. " 40:15
"Lo! None despairs of the Mercy of Allah
save disbelieving folk." 12:87
The Light verses (24:35-37) imply that a person
can be enlightened by a Prophet or saint or a community of believers who act
like a lamp transmitting the divine light.
"O ye who believe: Obey Allah and the
Messenger when He calls you to that which quickens you, and know that Allah
comes in between the man and his own heart, and that He it is unto whom you
will be gathered." 8:24
"Is he who was dead and We have raised him
unto life, and set for him a light wherein he walks among men as him whose
similitude is in utter darkness whence he cannot emerge?" 6:123
"The similitude of the two parties is as
the blind and deaf (on the one hand) and the seer and the hearer (on the
other). Are they equal in similitude? Will you not then be admonished?"
11:24
But human
perception and intelligent thinking can be obstructed or perverted by
attachments, addictions or obsessions such as greed, prejudice, fascination,
passions, and the evil actions which these lead to. The awareness of the inner
contradictions so caused have to be suppressed out of consciousness in order to
avoid suffering. Or it has to be justified by a distorted thinking generally
called rationalisation. In either case damage is done to the mind and the soul
which is the seat of consciousness or spirit. The miscreant soul looses contact
with God and His guidance.
"Be not ye as those who forgot Allah,
therefore He caused them to forget their own souls. Such are evil doers."
59:19
"Most of them follow naught but
conjecture. Assuredly conjecture can by no means take the place of truth. Lo!
Allah is aware of what they do." 10:37
"And they have no knowledge thereof. They
follow but a guess, and lo! A guess can never take the place of truth.."
53:28
"And when it is said to them: Follow what
Allah has revealed ! They say: Nay ! We will follow what we found our ancestors
following. What! Even though their Ancestors were void of wisdom and
guidance?" 2:170
"Just in the same manner, whenever We sent
a Warner before you to any town, the wealthy ones among them said: Surely we
found our Ancestors following a certain way and we will certainly follow in
their footsteps." 43:23
"Nay, he brings them the Truth, but most
of them are haters of the truth." 23:70
"They have hearts with which they discern
not, and they have eyes with which they see not, and they have ears with which
they hear not; these are as the cattle-nay are worse ; they are the
heedless." 7:179
"Of them are some who listen unto thee
(Muhammad), but We have placed upon their hearts veils lest they should
understand and in their ears a deafness." 6:25
"Do you think that most of them hear or
use their reason? They are but as the cattle, nay but they are farther
astray." (25:44)
"They will say: Had we but listened or
used our Aql, we should not now be among the companions of the blazing
fire!" (67:10)
"And yet Satan has led astray of you a
great multitude. Did ye not then apply your reason? This is the Hell with which
ye were threatened." (36:62-63)
"When the Hypocrites come to thee, they
say: We bear witness that thou art indeed the Messenger of Allah. Yea, Allah
knoweth that thou art indeed His Messenger, and Allah bears witness that the
Hypocrites are indeed liars. They have made their oaths a screen (for their
misdeeds): thus they obstruct men from the Path of Allah: truly evil are their
deeds. That is because they believed, then they rejected Faith: So a seal was
set on their hearts: therefore they understand not. When you look at them,
their exteriors please you; and when they speak, you listen to their words.
They are as (worthless as hollow) pieces of timber propped up, (unable to stand
on their own). They think that every cry is against them. They are the enemies;
so beware of them. The curse of Allah be on them! How are they deluded (away
from the Truth)! 63:1-4
"If not Him you serve nothing but names
which you have invented, you and your Ancestors.." (12:40)
"O ye who believe! Be staunch in justice,
witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or your parents or
your kindred whether it be the case of a rich man or a poor man, for Allah is
nearer unto both. So follow not passion lest ye lapse from truth and if ye
lapse or fall away, then lo! Allah is ever informed of what ye do." 4:135
"But, verily, many are lead astray by
their lusts through ignorance. Verily, thy Lord knows best the transgressors."
6:120
"And who goes further astray than he who
follows his own lust with guidance from Allah. Lo! Allah guides not
wrongdoers." 28:50
"And whoso is saved from his own avarice
(or greed) - such are they who are successful." 59:9 and 64:16
"Obey not thou the rejecters (of truth),
who would have had thee compromise (or be pliant), that they may compromise.
Neither obey thou the feeble oath-monger, detractor, spreader abroad of
slanders, hinderer of the good, transgressor of limits, malefactor, greedy,
unmannerly lout." 68:8-13
Thus we see that
the Quran condemns three forms of thinking: -
(1) That derived
from desires, greed, lust etc.,
(2) That which
depends on fantasy, guesswork and speculation, and
(3) That which
is grounded in tradition, habit, automatism, addiction, fixations.
Animals are
driven by instincts. They know by instinct what is good for them and they tend
to seek just as much as they need. But human beings also have a mind with which
they become aware of pleasure and pain. It is the mind which attaches itself to
the body, its senses and its desires or instincts, to that which gives
pleasure. Or it acquires phobias against that which causes pain. It also forms
habits and automatism. The mind becomes selective and filters out some data of
experience while accepting others, thereby acquiring a distorted view. Greed
and lust are such addictions. These terms refer to the desire for something
that is greater than, or apart from, need at the expense of general welfare.
The desire for pleasure and rejection of pain also causes fantasies,
exaggeration of some things and reduction of others - in short to distortions,
illusions and delusions.
A human being is
defined in Quran 23:9 as a material body into which the spirit has been placed.
He is a duality. The mind may be regarded as a bridging device between body and
soul (and earth and heaven), a third factor, which can work either for one or
the other or in a balanced manner as favoured by Islam (2:201). But it is
conditioned and driven, in the ordinary man, mainly by the instincts. It is
controlled not by the individual but by the objects and events to which
attachments have been formed. The mind is itself responsible for the addiction
and causes man to fall below the level of the animal (95:4-6)
The function of
Aql can best be understood from the following:-
Every entity
including the human individual (O) exists within an environment or world (W)
with which it is inter-dependent and with which it interacts. It is like a
little circle within a larger one and the two together form a System (S). Each
entity (1) receives an input (2) does transforming processing (3) produces an
output. These three are inter-dependent. The output is input for the
environment, which it transforms, and this may become input for man. There is,
therefore a cycle, a feed back loop between O and W. The output is of three
kinds:- (a) some of it goes into the environment which it transforms (b) some
is used for the growth of the entity itself (c) some is utilized for the processing
activity. The input, process and output are of three kinds:- material (M),
energy (E), information (I).
The human
individual undergoes three phases. In the first he grows physically from the
fertilized egg to the adult. He obviously needs material food for this. In
phase two this physical growth stops, the input and output are largely
balanced, but he still needs physical food. The reason why he needs physical
food is that it carries energy and it is this energy which he must extract. The
material he is composed of is constantly passing in and out of him. We can not,
therefore, think of the individual as a material body, but as a pattern of
behaviour or body of actions. This body of action can be defined as Mind.
However, the
individual as a physical body dies, and his capacity for action ceases. Thus,
seen as an isolated body both its growth and its maintenance appear to be quite
meaningless and purposeless. But, as Biologists know, nothing in nature can
arise or survive which does not have a function. This function must be the
transformation processes which the environment and, indeed, the whole system is
undergoing, to which the organism is contributing. This transformation is a
question of order or information or Truth.
A system can be
said to be in equilibrium when all parts of it are adjusted to each other in a
stable manner. When some factor enters into the system from outside then this
disturbs the equilibrium and all parts of the system must readjust themselves
in order to restore equilibrium. An impulse comes from the outside because the
system or organism under consideration is itself part of a greater system to
which it must adjust. This power of adjustment can be defined as Intelligence.
It performs information processing. In performing its function with respect to
the environment the organism may also benefit itself. It may, however, not
perform its function adequately, harm itself and be destroyed. It may then be
replaced by that which does fulfil its function. In the case of man, he is
required to do this consciously. Hence he is called the Vicegerent. (2:30). But
Allah tests and selects (3:134,142).
"Be mindful of your duty to Allah and seek
a way of approach unto Him, and strive in His way in order that you may
succeed." 5:35
"If He will, He can remove you, O people,
and produce others in your stead. Allah is able to do that." 4:133 also
see 6:134-136, 29:19-20 and 35:16-17
"Systems have passed away before you. Do
but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequences for those who did
deny (the message)." 3:137
According to the
Quran we have to cause our souls to grow and to do this we have to send good
deeds before us. We will be judged finally by what we have made of ourselves.
"He is indeed successful who causes it
(the soul) to grow, and he is indeed a failure who stunts it." 91:9-10
"Whosoever goes right it is only for his
own soul that he goes right, and whosoever errs, errs only to its hurt. No
laden soul can bear another's load." 17:15
"Ye did not hide yourselves lest your ears
and your eyes and your skin should testify against you, but ye deemed that
Allah knew not much of what you did, that your thoughts which you did think
about your Lord, have ruined you; and you find yourself this day among the
lost." 41:22-23
People create
themselves and are responsible for their own fate. (9:109-110)
It has been
observed that the development of science in the West is the result of the
impact of Islam on the West. The distinction between the scientific mode of
thinking and the former Philosophical is this:- Philosophy is purely rational.
It relies on inferences made from chosen premises. Nothing can appear in the
conclusion that is not already in the premises. We can, therefore, make any
conclusion we like by choosing appropriate premises made up of terms also
defined appropriately. This is how we solve problems. Science, on the other
hand, relies on observation and experiment, on nature as made by Allah, to
settle the argument, not on man. This requires observation, gathering data and
when these have been organized into a hypothesis through insight or inspiration
then certain conclusions are drawn through reason which must now be tested by
experiment or further observation.
That the
scientific attitude is integral to the Quran can be seen from the following:-
The Quran
directs our attention to the processes and rhythms of Nature. (3:190 etc)
The Quran is
itself called "naught else than a reminder to creation." (68:52)
The notion of
unity underlying diversity. (2:163, 2:213, 4:171, 5:73, 10:19, 11:118, 54:50)
The
inter-dependence of things.(because of order and unity)
The Lawfulness
of the Universe. (13:15, 14:19 30:30 etc.)
The Universality
of truth. ( 39:5, 46:3)
The Stages of
development (13:38 10:5 etc.)
Objectivity -
the need to submit to truth and to Allah who is the real.(4:171, 5:77, 6:93,
7:169, 2:42,149,213, 3:17,71 etc.)
The need to
search for and apply knowledge. (6:123 etc.)
The need to
observe and think.(See appendix)
The need to
discuss and reach a consensus.(3:159, 42:38, 65:6)
The need to
write down or record.(68:1, 3:181, 10:21, 19:79, 21:94, 23:62, 29:48, 36:12,
69:19)
The need to test
and abide by the judgement of nature rather than follow our own opinions and
desires. (10:37 etc.)
The need for
proof. ( 17:36, 6:106 etc.)
Not to accept
hearsay and tradition.( 2:170)
The notion of
measuring.(54:49, 65:3, 6:152, 11:85, 12:59-60,88, 22:74
The importance
of language or conceptual systems.(33:70, 14:4, 4:9, 7:169, 16:116, 44:58)
Occam's Razor -
i.e. discouraging the invention of names for which there is no warrant.(7:71)
Scepticism - Not
to attribute anything to Allah which is untrue or for which we have no
evidence. (10:18 etc.) We may also call this the principle of uncertainty as
encapsulated in the word, "Inshallah".
Apart from the
foundations of Science, some of the great scientific theories are also
indicated in the Quran. The Conservation theory ultimately points to something
Self-existent. The Big Bang appears to be implied by 55:50, 10:35, 36:35 21:30
21:104 55:26-27. Evolution is implied by 35:16, 6:134 91:9-10 84:19 4:133
76:1-3. Relativity of time is also indicated in 22:47, 32:5, 70:4
These
correspondences between Islam and Science cannot be accidental. It is this
attitude which was transferred to Europe through Spain,
and later to America
and now to the rest of the World. The Age of Science may, therefore be regarded
as under the Spiritual domination of Islam.
It is also clear
that these ideas and others in the Quran have a much wider application than
merely in science. They apply to the social and political life as well as to
psychological or spiritual development, to all human thinking, motivation and
action. This wider and more universal application has yet to be established and
is gradually taking place.
It is important
to understand that from the Islamic point of view Truth and knowledge are
obtained and understood not through the head or intellect but through the
heart. That is through sensation, intellect and feeling and manifests in
action. It is a modification of ones being.
"Have they not travelled through the land?
And have they not hearts wherewith to understand, and ears wherewith to hear?
For, indeed, it is not their eyes that are blind, but it is the hearts which
are within their breasts that grow blind." 22:46
Appendix
Truth is
mentioned in the following verses:- 2:26,91,109,111,119,144,146,147,160,252,278
3:60,93,95,108,168,183 4:105,122,170,171 5:83,84,105,113
6:5,33,57,59,66,109,115-116 7:43,89,105,118,159,169,181 8:5-8,32
9:29,33,43,48,94,111 10:5,6,33,36,37,54,77,78,83,95,109 11:17,120 12:51 13:1,17
14:19 15:64,85 16:3,102 17:81,105 18:30,57 19:39,50 21:24,55,112 22:6,54,62
23:62,70,71,90 24:6,25 25:33 26:6 27:27,49,71,79 28:3,48,53,75 29:44 30:8
31:9,30 32:3 33:24,35 34:6,23,26,45,48,49 35:24,31 36:51 37:37 38:55,65,85,89
39:2,5,32-33,41 40:5,20,25,28,78 41:53 42:17-18,24 43:29,30,78,86 45:6,22
46:3,30 47:2-3 50:19 53:28 54:55 55:95 57:16 60:1 61:9 64:3 66:12,18 68:51
70:17 103:3
Knowledge is
mentioned in 2:32,118,120,145,230,247 6:144 18:66, 19:11,114,122 10:40,90,94
11:14,46-47, 21:74,79 22:3,5,8,54,71 23:84 24:15 27:15,40,52,66,84 28:14,78
29:8,49 30:29,56 31:6,15,20,34 33:63 34:6 35:11,28 39:49 40:7,42,83 41:47 42:14
43:20,85 45:17,24 46:4,23 47:16 51:28 53:28,30,35 58:11 64:12 78:44 102:5.
The heart is
mentioned in the Quran in the following verses:-
2:7,10,74,88,93,97,118,204,225,260,283. 3:7,8,103,126,151,154,156,159,167,187.
4:63,90,155. 5:13,41,52,113. 6:25,43,46,110,113. 7:2,43,100,101,179.
8:2,10,11,12,24,49,53,63,70. 9:8,15,45,60,64,77,87,93,110,114,117,125,127.
10:74,88. 11:31,120. 12:30. 13:11,28. 14:5,37,43. 15:12. 16:22,78,106,108.
17:36,46. 18:14,28,57. 21:3. 22:32,35,46,53,54. 23:60, 63,78. 24:37,50. 25:32.
26:89,194,200. 28:10,32 29:49. 30:59. 31:17,31. 32:9.
33:4,5,10,12,26,32,51,53,60. 34:19,23. 37:64,84. 39:22,23,45. 40:18,35.
41:5,49. 42:24,33,43. 45:23. 46:26,35. 47:16,20,24,29. 48:4,11,12,18,26.
49:3,7,14. 50:33,37. 53:11. 57:16,27. 58:22. 59:2,10,14 61:5. 63:3. 64:11.
66:4. 67:23. 74:31. 79:8. 83:14. 104:7. 114:5.
Understanding
is appealed to in 2:173,179,197,242,269 3:7,118,190 4:78 5:100 6:65,98 12:2,111
13:19 14,52 20:28 24:61 30:24 38:30,43 39:9,21,18, 40:54,67 43:3 57:17 65:19
Wisdom is
mentioned in:- 3:48,79,81 4:54,113 5:110, 6:84 10:2 15:53 16:125 17:39 19:12
26:83 27:78 28:14 31:12 33:34 36:12 38:21 43:4,63 45:16 53:6 54:5
Inspiration is
mentioned in 11:37 16:102 17:85 20:114 21:45,73,91 26:193-194 23:27 40:15 58:22
Intelligent
thinking is mentioned in:- 2:44,73,75,76,164,170,242, 3:65,118, 4:78, 5:58,103,
6:25,32,65,98,151, 7:10,16,169,179
8:22,65 9:81,87,122,127 10:42,100 11:51,91 12:2,109, 13:4 16:12,67 17:44,46
18:57,93 20:28 21:10,67, 22:46, 23:80, 24:61, 25:44, 26:28, 28:60, 29:35,43,63,
30:24,28 36:62,68 37:138, 39:43 40:6743:3, 45:5 48:15 49:4 57:17, 59:13,14
63:3,7 67:10
Sub-rational
thinking is mentioned in:- See also 2:6-16, 121,145, 3:14, 4:27,37,128, 5:48-49,77, 6:56, 7:33,176, 13:37, 18:29, 19:59,
20:16, 25:43, 23:71, 47:14-16, 57:24, 78:40