RELIGION AND SOCIETY

Religion and Society ~ 409 ~ From the purely rational point of view, it can quite rightly be said that the basis of this argument is inference. In fact it has been proved that man’s mental make-up is such that he cannot escape inferential argument. His only alternative is scepticism, which takes him nowhere. The time has come to accept the fact that we are just not able to formulate laws on our own. There is no point in continuing in this endeavor, for our efforts will achieve nothing unless we have recourse to divine guidance. As W. Friedmann puts it, religion provides us with a uniquely true and simple framework within which we can formulate a perfect concept of justice.6 The Quran stresses the reason for man’s incapacity to frame laws: “They are asking thee concerning the Spirit. Say: The spirit is by command of my Lord, and of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed but little” (17:85). It then claims that, for man’s guidance, God has made a revelation of His laws, and to support this