Reason as a Sources of Knowledge 1 Reason

Reason ( )ﺍﻟﻌﻘﻞ as a Sources of Knowledge 1

Reason as a Source of Knowledge • The term “reason” is used in different senses and meanings: 1. The power of being able to think in a logical and rational manner, as distinct from experience or emotions. 2. Ability to think clearly and coherently 3. The ability or process of drawing logical inferences. 2

Meanings/ Functions of Reason: 1. Reason is sometimes used to denote a number of self-evident principles (such as the principle of non-contradiction) which govern the process of thinking of mentally competent people, regardless of their cultural background. - These fundamental truths are intuitively apprehended opposed as sensation, to - perception, feeling, desire (the existence of which is denied by empiricists) 3

• In this sense, reason is an instrument used for examining the coherence and rationality of a body of statements. • The examination allows us to conclude that the examined statements are: - Either coherent, and hence in conformity with the principles of reason; - Or contradictory, and thus in violation of reason • Reason which gives a priori knowledge (pure reason) 4

2. The capacity of rational beings to acknowledge the truth of certain assertions and deny the truth of others with the power to abstract, analyze, synthesize • A body of knowledge which has been examined and systemized by the principle of logic and considered by certain people as reasonable. • = Reason as a mental faculty. • Reason is to be associated with methods and mechanisms used in science and knowledge, generally, rather than a source of knowledge. 5

Reason vs. Revelation • The faculty of reasoning is one of the most precious gifts of Allah to mankind. • Reason is the basis of taklif (legal capacity) because it is the power of discernment by which humans can distinguish between ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ • Reason is the basis of Iman/ faith, thus, it is given the authority to examine the authenticity of prophets and the revelation they claim to bring from God. 6

• The Qur’an is full of references which command exhort people to think, contemplate, and to examine the claimed revelation • This shows that: - Islam values reason; and - Islam is confident that there will be no contradiction between what is contained in the revelation and what can be reasoned by human reason 7

• What is claimed by unbelievers to be irrational or unreasonable is either: • = Mere speculation and ignorance, such as when they deny some beliefs or they misunderstand them. (36 : ﻻ ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﻻ ﻱ ﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﻳ ﺍ ﻭ“ )ﻳﻮﻧﺲ ”ﺍ But most of them follow nothing but conjecture and speculation: truly conjecture and speculation can never challenge or replace truth. Verily Allah is well aware of all that they do. (10: 36) 8

= Or mere wishes and deluded hopes (hawa) (111 : ”ﺍﻭﺍ ﺍﻯ ﺍ ﺍﻭﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻴﻦ“ )ﺍﻟﺒﻘﺮﺓ 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 you are truthful. " (2: 111) 9

• Interestingly, those who claim to reject religion/ revelation based on logic and rationality are characterized by the Qur’an as those who fail to use their mental faculties/ reason properly. (18 : ” ﺍ ﻯ ﻴ ﺍﻷ ﺍ ﺍ ﻻ ﺍ ﺍﻴ ﻻ ﻭ“ )ﺍﻟﺠﺎﺛﻴﺔ “ Then We put you on the right way of religion; so follow that way, and do not follow the desires of those who do not know. ” (45: 18) 10

(171 : ﻻ ﻭ )ﺍﻟﺒﻘﺮﺓ ” ﺍﻴ ﻭﺍ ﺍﻱ ﺍ ﻻ ﻻ ﺍ ﺍ The parable of those who reject Faith is as if one were to shout like a goat-herd, to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries: deaf, dumb, and blind, they are void of wisdom. (2: 171) 11