THE WORD OF GOD

Indeed, I have spent a whole lifetime among you before it came to me. How can you not use your reason?’ (10: 16) What were the reasons behind people separating reason from revelation? In this matter, deviation happened when some people came to believe in an extreme version of reason, that is, they began to regard reason as a means of acquiring knowledge. Certain religious groups reacted to this conception of reason and began to consider reason-based discussions as inimical to religion. Due to this mindset, they wrongly started claiming that the spheres of reason and revelation were separate and that the domain of revelation begins where reason reaches its limits. The truth is that there is a difference between utilizing reason to understand realities and considering reason as the only source of knowledge. A human being has been given various kinds of capabilities: hands to hold, legs to walk, eyes to see, ears to hear, and so on. Similarly, humans have been granted reason so that they may ponder over issues and comprehend through rational analysis. Along with this, humans have been given total freedom, which means that they can either make proper use of their reason or put it to improper use. The real purpose of reason is for man to collect data or information and then, through examination and deliberation, arrive at useful knowledge. However, reason in itself is not an authority, which is why one can be either right or wrong in taking support of reason in one’s pursuit of knowledge. Taking reason as the sole source of knowledge is a fallacy, yet it is a phenomenon observed everywhere, including within the sphere of religion. What is the solution to the problems of humankind? The Islamic solution to the problems of man is the same as that which has been ordained for the rest of the universe. Like the universe, if man follows God’s scheme of creation, he can live with the same peace, coherence and harmony which the cosmos already exhibits. That is why the Quran points out that the universe is faultless. (67: 3) The path of truth is in compliance with God’s scheme of creation, which is another name for the laws of nature. However, as man is free to act as he likes, he tends to misuse his freedom. He follows his desires and forsakes the true path. The result is corruption and disorder in the human world. The solution is for us to discover the Creator and His creation plan and to play our role accordingly. o