science & concept of intellect in islam

8/9/2019 Science & Concept of Intellect in Islam

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Science and reason have width and length but lack depth.

Missing this third dimension - so who see the world only

through the glass of science are like a one-eyed man. Heperceives the world in great detail, but it is a flat uni-

dimensional world having vast extent and breadth, but no

depth, no firm solidity.

If humanity is shaped predominantly by science, the

result is humankind with vast horizontal knowledge, alarge body of knowledge about the workings of the

physical universe but little comprehension of what the

purpose(s) of it is - the "why" of existence. It is like

understanding exactly how a car works, "how all the parts

mesh together, how to drive it in an efficient manner, buthaving no place, no destination to drive to. " Science can

shape humanity "with capacity, but no attainment". It can

give man an "instrumental power and ability", a power

that is dependent on man's will and command.


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Man has an end in view when he uses these instruments.

"Man is animal by nature and human by acquisition. Hemust strive to realise his 'human' potential...moves

towards his natural, animal, individual, material, self-

interested ends.... and uses the instruments given to

him by science to achieve these ends. Through science

he can subjugate the horizontal world. But he only attains his humanity when he becomes

aware of the vertical aspect of existence. A complete

understanding is only attained when one's knowledge

encompasses both the horizontal and vertical

dimensions of knowledge. ("Faith, without the light ofreason and science, degenerates into mere

superstition.")


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Islam is now reduced to the status of rationalism, secularism

etc. It can no longer be seen as a total body of principles

from which emerge a comprehensive and unique system -aunity of the vertical and horizontal aspects of existence - a

unity born of fidelity to the core Islamic concept ofTauhid.

instead, the presently existing secular systems become the

acknowledged systems, and Islam is implicitly seen as a

subculture, a subsystem that is no longer a comprehensiveway of life (deen), no longer the path of unity, but merely a

historical artefact which is subordinate to the secular

culture.

Over time, such a subordinate version of Islam will be forced

into an ever changing dance of adaptation. In the end theIslam that remains will perhaps be such a faded and faint

shadow of its original self that whether one remains a

Muslim or not in such a system will be of little or no

consequence.


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Modernistic outlook becomes the sole means of attaining

knowledge, these criterion of truth of right and wrong origins

in Descartes .... His philosophical 'cogito ergo sum' - I thinktherefore I am - places a limitation on human knowledge.

Binding it to individual reason and consciousness of

individual ego. Rationalistic sought to define all reality, but

instead they limited understanding of reality.

An ego that struggles and seeks to understand its ownexistence like Descartes 'cogito ergo sum' - one that has no

wish to understand its own nature, which purposely turns

away from self-reflection and taking stock of it's own self.

Reason, logic, the scientific method - all become subservient

to this ego and so lose their tinge of truthfulness. They

mutate instead, into a delusional propaganda designed to

limit opposition and interference, to maximize power and

profit, and to allow this national, political ego to fulfil its

appetites, no matter how voracious these appetites may be.


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In Islam "...logic is an aspect of truth and Truth (Al-Haqq)

is a name of God. The use of logic is like the use of a rung

in a ladder - properly used it can help man move upwardalong the vertical axis of his being. Reason is an innate

ability within man which encompasses logic and which

can propel him rapidly upwards along the vertical

dimension.

But in order to do this reason must be free of the taint ofman's animal, material propensities.Otherwise reason can

be subverted to provide spurious justification for man to

attain his desires in whatever realm his desires may fall.

Reason and correct knowledge must go hand in hand.

"....one who has no reason secures no success. He who

has no (correct) knowledge has no (correct) reasoning....A

person devoid of reason cannot be conceived of except as

a corpse."


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Aql (Intellect) in Islam exists at two levels, on two planes

of existence. The level of "reason and logic" which is

available as an instrument to all mankind, and the level ofthe "universal intellect" to which only a few have reached.

It exists at a higher level than the material world and

encompasses and comprehends the lower worlds. Aql

connects man to the truth, not the evolving truths of

science but the truth that flows from Allah and providesthe key to all knowledge and all truth.

Intellect (Aql) is the highest plane - the noblest in man - it

encompasses reason and logic and it stands above the

ego. The Qur'an equates those who go astray with those

who cannot (or will not) use their intellect - it uses the

phrase 'wa la ya'qilun' (they do not use their intellect) or

the phrase 'la yafaqahun' (they comprehend not). Those

who do not use their intellect are those who have denied

themselves access to one of the highest aspects of their

humanity.


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Reason is an aspect or reflection of the universal intellect

on the psyche of the individual. Reason on the level of

individual consciousness is not, however, free of thepassions or the ego. It can be an instrument or means to

attaining the universal intellect or it can be a veil (when

mixed with the passions) that hides one from the Divine

truths.

Revelation provides a guiding and regulating frameworkwithin which reason and logic can find firm footholds to

convey man up to the plane of the universal intellect. The

verses of the Qur'an become doors to this intellect, and

once this intellect is accessed the knowledge of the

"Mother of the Book" can be achieved. The storehouses of

this knowledge are opened in varying degrees. The person

who rises to this level has made the vertical journey and

attained to the level of the pure universal intellect and can

then become a guide to the people.


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This level of intellect is addressed in the following hadith:

"....Allah created Intellect out of His own Light...and it was

the first creation among the spirits. After its creationAlmighty Allah commanded it to go back (to this world)

the Intellect obeyed the order. Then Allah commanded it

to come forward (towards) Him. The Intellect did

accordingly. Upon this, Allah addressed it with the words,

I have created you in all your glory and bestowed uponyou honour and preference over all My creatures." (Al-Kafi,

The Book of Reason and Ignorance).

NOTE: This hadith makes it clear that the Universal

intellect is not to be confused with Allah (as some

have done) as it is a creation of Allah, albeit hisnoblest creation.

In the following discussion on the place of intellect in Islam, the analogy of a computer may help

clarify some of the points made. This is an analogy used only to provoke some thought and is not

meant to be carried too far. There is, after all, no such thing as a perfect analogy. A perfect

analogy would, in fact, BE the thing described.


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The Qur'an states that Allah taught the names (all of them)

to Adam - that is the names or realities of all things. This

knowledge was placed within Adam and, by extension,within all human beings. Those who practise 'irfan' speak

of an inward journey through which the mystic uncovers

the knowledge of some of these names.

Mulla Sadraspeaks of this inward journey as being one

through which one can break through to the true 'outside'.

(Using the analogy of a computer, it is as if a being on thescreen is able to find a key parameter within its own subroutine

that would give it access to the governing program that controls

and regulates the universe on the computer screen - with all theattendant possibilities implicit in that access. A complete

understanding of the basis and workings of its own subroutine,

and its place and function within the overall program could then

be achieved).


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In order to have access to the true depth of existence,

to make the vertical journey (the "ascent of Islam"),

and to achieve understanding of the realities ofexistence (of all things) one goes inward and thus

reaches a plane outside of and above the material

plane. (In the computer analogy, they become aware of allthe levels of processing which comprise their true existence and

which make possible their projected existence on the level of thecomputer screen.)

The human intellect is a microcosmic reflection of the

universal intellect. When man attains to proper use of

his own intellect he is able to move from the level of

his individual intellect to swim in the ocean of theuniversal (macrocosmic) intellect. Through going

inward, He is conveyed upwards and outwards to

dizzying heights.

science & concept of intellect in islam

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