A question about Intelectual life in Islam
"The intellectual nature of man is made up, as already mentioned, of mind or intelligence or reasoning power. To this aspect Islam pays extraordinary attention and builds the intellectual structure of man on most sound foundations which may be classified as follows:
1 . True knowledge based on clear proofs and indisputable evidence acquired by "experience" or experiment or by both. In this connection it is safe to say, beyond doubt, that the Qur’an is the first authority to enjoin zealous quest for knowledge through "experience" as well as experiment, meditation and observation. In fact, it is a Divine injunction incumbent upon every Muslim, male and female, to seek knowledge in the broadest sense of the word and search for truth. Nature and the whole universe are open and ever- revealing treasures of knowledge and truth, and the Qur’an was the first book to point to these rich sources of knowledge. It does not accept inherited "truths" or claimed facts which have no proof or evidence to substantiate them. As far as we have been able to know, the Qur’an was the first Scripture to say intelligently: "Why" and to demand proof in support of any conviction or contention (Qur’an, 2:111 and 21:24).
The Qur’an itself is an outstanding intellectual challenge; it challenges the human intellect to dispute any Qur’anic truth or produce anything similar to the Qur’an. Open any chapter of the Qur’an and you will find the warmest appeal to search for knowledge through the infinite sources of nature. Devotion to true knowledge is regarded by Islam a devotion to God in the most compensating sense.
2. The second part of this point is faith in God, an ever-revealing source of knowledge and a spiritual insight into countless fields of thought. In Islam Faith in God is the cornerstone of the whole religious structure. But in order to make Faith in God valid, Islam requires that it should be founded on unshakable certainty and convictions. These, in turn, cannot be acquired without the proper investment of the intellect. Any stagnant or indifferent mind and any limited vision cannot possibly reach the height of the Most Supreme Truth, God, nor can it attain the real depth of Faith.
Islam does not recognize faith when it is attained through blind imitation, when it is accepted blindly or unquestioningly. This fact is very important as far as the intellectual life of man is concerned. Islam requires Faith in God; and the Qur’an makes numerous statements calling for Faith in God. But the significance of such statements is not in shelving them in the studyroom or even in the mind. The significance of such statements is that they constitute a warm invitation and an urgent appeal to the intellect to wake and think to ponder and meditate. It is true that the Qur’an reveals the essential truth and facts about God, yet it is equally true that it does not want man to behave like a lazy heir who makes no effort of his own. It wants man to enrich his intellectual wealth through serious endeavor and honest earning, so that he may become intellectually secure. "Easy come, easy go," and Islam disapproves of easy coming faith which is bound to be easy going. Islam wants Faith in God to be effective and permanent, to light every corner in man's heart and prevail in every aspect of his life. Easy coming faith cannot possibly do that, and Islam would not accept anything less.
When Islam demands Faith in God on the basis of knowledge and research, it leaves wide open all fields of thought before the intellect to penetrate as far as it can reach. It lays down no restrictions against the free thinker who is seeking knowledge to widen his vision and broaden his mind. It urges him to resort to all methods of knowledge, be they purely rational or experimental. By calling on the intellect in this way, Islam shows its high regard for and confidence in the intellectual abilities of man and wishes to free his mind from the tight shackles and limits of tangibility. It wants to elevate the individual and empower him with self-confidence and Heavenly authority to expand the domain of his mind into all fields of thought: physical and metaphysical, scientific and philosophical, intuitive and experimental, organic and otherwise. That is how Faith in God nourishes the intellect and makes the intellectual life prosperous and productive. When the spiritual and intellectual activities of man are organized according to the teachings of Islam as mentioned above, the internal nature of man becomes sound and healthy. And when man is internally secure and sound, his external life will be of the same nature. "
source: http://www.tempemasjid.com/books/islaminfocus/Chapter4.html
As i have told i'm reading some books given to me at Mosque, this is a transcription of a chapter in Islam in focus by Hammudah Abdalati.
As far as i have read, Islam advises you to be racional:
"Devotion to true knowledge is regarded by Islam a devotion to God in the most compensating sense."
So, why do scholars keep telling that something is true just because it's written on a book? If Allah told us that we should be racionals why do some refuse to do it?
And no, this isn't an attack to any faith, i promised that i would be posting curious things that i would be founding amongst my readings ;)
All help appreciated :)
hmmm, i thought that the shia were the ortodox muslims, guess i was wrong
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
I am not an authority (nor should I ever be quoted) but I believe that some of the antagonism against critical rational thought in Sunni (as opposed to Shia) Islam stems from the completely wacky permutations that some people came up with back in the day.
Sunni Islam is basically an orthodox attempt to cross the "t"s and dot the "i"s and answer all the "queries" once and for all.
It also has a lot to do with the rise of political Islam, i.e a bunch of Arab tribesman from the Najd suddenly ruling half the known world and a diverse and unhomogeneous bunch of people.
Shamiri: I know that Qur'an makes references to the bible and the Torah, i'm just trying to confirm if it was a typo or not, probably someone who has read it may confirm if it's a mistake or bad translation
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
Platao36 that is just not true.
Even Muslims believe that the christian bible existed before the Quran. *edit - Though it was somehow "corrupted" *
So:
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find.
Your author is full of crap.
---
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence - Carl Sagan
heero: Agreeded. According to book's author, Qur'an tells you for not taking nothing as granted if you don't have proof or evidence, also says that "it is a Divine injunction incumbent upon every Muslim, male and female, to seek knowledge in the broadest sense of the word and search for truth. Nature and the whole universe are open and ever- revealing treasures of knowledge and truth, and the Qur’an was the first book to point to these rich sources of knowledge. It does not accept inherited "truths" or claimed facts which have no proof or evidence to substantiate them.", why is it that sometimes "belivers" think that's bad to investigate, research, etc... Is there any part on Qur'an that says that the holly book has all the answers and there's no more need of further investigation?
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
Because since the beginning of man, history was formed and chronicled through writing and scriptures...and it started through cave drawings and stone carvings. Where will a human rely upon to know their history without somebody who makes a diary out of it?
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Heero: Maybe, maybe not, but the best reply i can give you is :
Love is free, at present moment she's the girl i love and that's what matters, but thanks for showing your concern regarding my hapiness ;)
Now, this post has nothing to do with me or my love but it's only a normal question that someone that has started to leurn about Islam would do, care to reply to my question on topics description?
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
It'll probably help you 'tone' down...
My best guess I'll get married first before you. You'll probably wouldn't end up with your Muslim girl in the future.
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Heero: Probably i will, after getting married ;)
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Sure i will, i'm hopping some of our muslim brothers could help me out clarifying it, :).
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
Cool. Let us know. It might be a typo or my online source might be incorrect.
---
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence - Carl Sagan
Think i'm going to take a note about it and ask them at mosque, when i go there again
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
Yep .... I looked at it. But I am ever the cynic :) So I look references up ..... sigh one of my many character flaws hehehe.
---
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence - Carl Sagan
Shamiri: Thks, will check it out, i even posted the source url so people can check it 4 themselves :)
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
Well ... go look up the verse ....
http://islam.thetruecall.com/modules.php?name=Quran&func=goto&gotoparam=2%3A111&at[]=999&at[]=50&at[]=3&at[]=6&at[]=1&at[]=5
Actually, yhis is a shorter link:
http://islam.thetruecall.com/modules.php?name=Quran
---
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence - Carl Sagan
Now you got me confused, do you mean that the author, Hammudah Abdalati, is giving wrong references at his book?
I haven't read the Qur'an yet but i supposed that on a book that is supposed to be an explanation of Islam, they would be carefull enough to check what they are writing.
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
As far as we have been able to know, the Qur’an was the first Scripture to say intelligently: "Why" and to demand proof in support of any conviction or contention (Qur’an, 2:111 and 21:24).
2:111 - And they say: "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian." Those are their (vain) desires. Say: "Produce your proof if ye are truthful."
21:24 - Or have they taken for worship (other) gods besides him? Say, "Bring your convincing proof: this is the Message of those with me and the Message of those before me." But most of them know not the Truth, and so turn away.
Where is the "Why" in this?
LOLOLOL .... I agree with janeyjaney
*edit* No, i didn't bother to read further
---
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence - Carl Sagan
Janey: Can you please point out where am i confused? Thks anyway
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
You are way too confused old man platao.. I hope enlightenment is headed your way.
If not, soon.
The internet is our revenge machine