User:AdvancingRationalFaith

Islam and Rational Faith
Qur'an is unanimously considered the fundamental source of information about Islam. The most striking change that appeared in Arabia after Mohammad came out of the cave Hira reciting the Quran and succeeded was the break experienced by his nation from their previous traditions which had been based on myths and blind faith and a new critical, evidence and reason based enlightened and rationalistic tradition began. The rise of Islamic civilization is considered a consequence of the general rational approach and attitude, however this rationalistic attitude and behaviour of Muslims was later lost and the civilization decayed. Edward Gibbon, (1737-1794), English rationalist historian and a Deist praises Islam as the minimalist faith. For Gibbon, Islam was a faith without mythology or miracles, the religion most compatible with human reason: "The prophet of Mecca rejected the worship of idols and men, of stars and planets, on the rational principle that whatever rises must set, that whatever is born must die, that whatever is corruptible must decay and perish. In the author of the universe, his rational enthusiasm confessed and adored an infinite and eternal being, without form or place, without issue or similitude, present to our most secret thoughts, existing by the necessity of his own nature, and deriving from himself all moral and intellectual perfection. These sublime truths, thus announced in the language of the prophet, are firmly held by his disciples, and defined with metaphysical precision by the interpreters of the Koran. A philosophic Theist might subscribe the popular creed of the Mahometans: a creed too sublime perhaps for our present faculties." The history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, Vol 3 p375, Edward Gibbon, Harper & Brothers, 1847

The text of the Quran has repeated invitations towards using mind, critical examination of natural evidences and thinking independently before believing and having faith in religious convictions. Some quotations from the Qur'an are given below:

(1) كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ إِلَيۡكَ مُبَـٰرَكٌ۬ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوٓاْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ (سُوۡرَةُ ص﻿(٢٩﻿) (This is) a Scripture that We have revealed unto thee, full of blessing, that they may ponder its revelations, and that men of understanding may reflect.(29 Sad) (2) وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوْلُواْ ٱلأَلْبَـٰبِ Only men of understanding really heed (M. Pickthall)None remembers, but men possessed of minds (A. J. Arberry) Aal Imran Verse 7 Commentary of famous Medieval Muslim philosopher and scholar of Quran Imam Razi on the above verse: مدح للراسخين بجودة الذهن وحسن النظر، وإشارة إلى ما استعدوا به للاهتداء إلى تأويله، وهو تجرد العقل عن غواشي الحس، Praise of the knowledge loving people who are open minded deep sighted, and an indication of what prepares them to find the interpretation, which is the removal of mind from the curtains of senses ( worldly material interests) he continues... "وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوْلُواْ ٱلأَلْبَـٰبِ but only men of understanding really heed. وهذا ثناء من الله تعالى على الذين قالوا آمنا به، ومعناه: ما يتعظ بما في القرآن إلا ذوو العقول الكاملة، فصار هذا اللفظ كالدلالة على أنهم يستعملون عقولهم في فهم القرآن، This is a praise from God for those who said they believed in Qur’an, which means: that nobody get lessons from the Qur’an except those with minds full of intellect, these words became evidence that they (true believers) use their minds to understand the Koran", تفسير مفاتيح الغيب ، التفسير الكبير/ الرازي (ت 606 هـ)

(3) يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَڪُمۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ (﻿٢٤٢﻿(البَقَرَة Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you might use reason. (242)Al-Baqara قَدۡ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَيَـٰتِ‌ۖ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ (﻿١١٨﻿) آل عِمرَان We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason. (118) Al-i-Imran ذَٲلِكُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ (﻿١٥١﻿) الاٴنعَام This has He instructed you that you may use reason." (151)Al-An'am (4) إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ قُرۡءَٲنًا عَرَبِيًّ۬ا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ (﻿٢﻿) یُوسُف Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an that you might use your mind (2)Yusuf (5) ڪَذَٲلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡأَيَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ۬ يَعۡقِلُونَ (﻿٢٨﻿) الرُّوم ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ وَيَجۡعَلُ ٱلرِّجۡسَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ (﻿١٠٠﻿) یُونس لَقَدۡ أَنزَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡكُمۡ ڪِتَـٰبً۬ا فِيهِ ذِكۡرُكُمۡ‌ۖ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ (﻿١٠﻿) الاٴنبیَاء

(6) فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا ۚ فِطْرَتَ اللَّـهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّـهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾ مُنِيبِينَ إِلَيْهِ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿٣١﴾ سورة الروم And so, set thy face steadfastly towards the [Din Hanif] natural faith, the natural disposition which God has instilled into man: not to change to corrupt what God has thus created, the ever-true faith; but most people know it not. (30) turn­ing unto Him [alone]; and remain conscious of Him, and be constant inprayer, and be not among those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, (31) (7) يَٰأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّٰمِينَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ شُهَدَآءَ للَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىۤ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوِ ٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلأَقْرَبِينَ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيّاً أَوْ فَقِيراً فَٱللَّهُ أَوْلَىٰ بِهِمَا فَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلْهَوَىٰ أَن تَعْدِلُواْ وَإِن تَلْوُواْ أَوْ تُعْرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيراً O you who believe! Be you staunch in justice (right, truth), witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or (your) parents or (your) kindred, whether (the case be of) a rich man or a poor man, for Allah is nearer unto both. So follow not passion lest you lapse (from truth) and if you lapse or fall away, then lo! Allah is ever informed of what you do. (An-Nisa, Chapter4, Verse135) (8) قُلْ هَـٰذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّـهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي ۖ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّـهِ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿١٠٨﴾ سورة يوسف Say [O Prophet]: "This is my way: Resting upon conscious insight accessible to reason, I am calling [you all] unto Allah - I and they who follow me." And [say:] "Limitless is Allah in His glory; and I am not one of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him!" (108)

Additionally Quran has detailed the story of Prophet Ibrahim where he being an upright rational truth seeker discovered Islam (Din Hanif), despite being born in an idolatrous family. He is described to reach monotheistic faith in the benevolent omnipotent creator based on his rational observations evident in nature, fairness, facts and universal truths. Ibrahim is quoted in the Qur'an telling his Hanif (deistic) faith to his nation :

قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٧٨﴾إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا ۖ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿٧٩﴾ I am quit of that you associate. (78)I have turned my face to Him who originated the heavens and the earth, a man of pure faith; I am not of the idolaters.' (Sura Al-Anaam 6, Verse79)