THE WORD OF GOD

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. ASK MAULANA Your Questions Answered 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.