Institute of Law

University of Sindh, Jamshoro

ASSIGNMENT
Title
REASONING IN THE LIGHT OF HOLY QURAN

SUBMITTED BY
AWAIS ALI
Roll No.
2K17/LLB/42

SUBMITTED TO: SIR ALI RAZA

 َ‫علَى الَّذِّينَ ََل يَ ْع ِّقلُون‬
َ ‫س‬ ِّ ‫َويَجْ عَ ُل‬
َ ْ‫الرج‬

And He lays abomination upon those who do not reason. (10:100)

CONTENTS:

 Introduction

 Reasoning in light of Holy Quran

 Conclusion
 INTRODUCTION

Reason is a requirement for acquiring knowledge and performing righteous deeds, through
which knowledge and deeds are perfected, but it is not enough on its own. Rather, it is a
faculty of the soul and an ability like the ability within the eye to see. If it is connected with
the light of faith and the Quran, then it is like the eye receiving the light of the sun and torch.
If it is left to itself, it cannot gain insight into matters that it cannot know alone… Thus, the
circumstances resulting from the denial of reason are defective, and ideas that contradict
reason are false 1.

The term al-Aql meaning reason, rationality, intellect or intelligence, the antonym of which is
‫( الحماقة‬Stupidity or foolishness)2. This term is further elaborated by Ibn Jawzi in his book al-
Azkiya, he argues that there are four meanings of Al-Aql: The first meaning is that which is used
to describe that innate property of person wherewith, man is prepared to receive, understand and
synthesize information as what distinguishes him from other living animals. This is the purport of
what Scholars such as Imam Ahmad and al-Muhasibi stated, who respectively described al-Aql as
innate property of man, or an inborn light by which one is prepared to perceive things. The second
meaning implies that which is used to designate self-evident things, the axiomatic truth. The third
meaning of al-Aql is that which is gained through experience and the newly acquired experience
is called Aql. The last meaning implies the inherent principle, by which one restrains his own self
from his heart’s vain desires.
It therefore emerges that the Reason centers on two things: “The knowledge of merit and
Demerit of things and then acting upon that knowledge”

1
Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʻ al-Fatāwá 3/338
2
The concept of Al-Aql (Reason) in Islam By Dr. Yusuf Dalhat Published in “International
Journal of Humanities and Social sciences vol.5 no.9(1); September 2015”
Imam Ghazali says:

Reason is the source and fountainhead of knowledge, as well as its foundation. Knowledge
sprouts from it as the fruit does from a tree, as light comes from the sun, and as vision co mes
from the eye. How then could that which is the means of happiness in this life and the
Hereafter not be considered the most honored? Or how could it be doubted? 3

Islam delivers the Divine message of the Quran to mankind, teaching man the fundamental pillars
of Iman which consist believing in the unity of Allah, His attributes and qualities. It also requires
belief in the prophetic mission of Prophet Muhammad (May peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him). Man believes in the Divine power and the authority of Allah who has the right over mankind
to be worshiped. He alone is entitled to total submission. However, some Muslims tend to accept
the distorted ideas against the Divine guidance of the Scripture, considering al-Aql to be the only
source of knowledge without guidance from the teachings of the Prophets and Messengers sent by
Allah the Exalted. They regard it sufficient to derive, interpret and synthesize evidence and
principles of conviction without recourse to the teachings of the Scripture, basing their ideas on
Aql (reason) alone and in so many occasions refute the clear text of the Quran and Sunnah on the
basis that, it contradicts reason. Indeed the importance of al-Aql is emphasized in Islam, but
guidance from the Quran and Sunnah prevents it from illusions, err, perversion and falsity. This is
because reason alone without revelation from Allah cannot discover truth of facts beyond ordinary
sense perception.

3
Al-Ghazali, Ih ̣yā ʼ Ulū m al-Dī n 1/83
 Reasoning in the Light of Holy Quran

The Holy Quran lays much emphasis upon Reasoning; Reference may be made to:

1. Verse 22 of Surah Al Anfal in which Allah, while alluding to disbelievers, says:

‫ص ُّم ْالبُ ْك ُم ا َّلذِّينَ ََل يَ ْع ِّقلُون‬ َّ َ‫اب ِّع ْند‬

ُّ ‫َّللاِّ ال‬ ِّ ‫ِّإ َّن ش ََّر الد ََّو‬

“Surely the worst of beasts in God's sight are those that are deaf and dumb and do not reason”.

In preceding verse, it is clear that the Holy Qur'an does not mean the physically deaf and dumb,
but those who do not want to listen to truth, or those who, when they hear, do not wish to admit it
with their tongues. people, who do not reason, are those who do not make use of their intellect
and their faculty of thought. Such are not fit to be called human beings.

2. Verse 111 of Surah Al- BAQRAH where disbelievers are asked to put forward rational
argument to support conviction that “None except Jews and Christians will enter paradise”:

And they say, "None will enter Paradise except one who is a Jew or a Christian." That is
[merely] their wishful thinking, Say, "Produce your proof, if you should be truthful."
3. Verse 22 of Surah Al Anbiya, where syllogistic argument is recourse to for proving the
existence of the Necessary Being (wajib al-wujud):

َّ ‫لَ ْو َكانَ فِّي ِّه َما آ ِّل َهةٌ إِّ ََّل‬

َ َ‫َّللاُ لَف‬
‫سدَتَا‬

“Were there gods in them [earth and heaven] other than Allah, they would surely disintegrate”

In above verse, conditional proposition is framed, which exempts or excludes the antecedent
premise for arriving at a conclusion which is consequent upon it.

4. Verse 164 of Surah AL-BAQRA, Where It is by “Reason” that we may know with
certainty that Allah created the world and has subjected its nature to universal laws.

َّ ‫اس َو َم ا أ َنزَ َل‬

َ‫َّللا ُ ِّم ن‬ َ َّ‫ار َو الْ ف ُلْ ِّك الَّتِّي ت َ ْج ِّر ي فِّي ْال بَ ْح ِّر بِّ َم ا يَنفَ ُع الن‬
ِّ ‫ف اللَّيْ ِّل َو النَّ َه‬ ِّ ‫ض َو ا ْخ تِّ ََل‬ِّ ‫ت َو ْاْل َ ْر‬ ِّ ‫او ا‬ َ ‫س َم‬َّ ‫ق ال‬ِّ ْ‫إِّ َّن فِّي َخ ل‬
‫س َم ا ِّء‬ َ ‫ب الْ ُم‬
َّ ‫س َّخ ِّر بَيْنَ ال‬ ِّ ‫الر يَاحِّ َو السَّ َح ا‬ ِّ ‫يف‬ ْ َ ‫ث فِّي َه ا ِّم ن كُ ِّل د َابَّ ٍة َو ت‬
ِّ ‫ص ِّر‬ َّ َ ‫ض بَعْ د َ َم ْو تِّ َه ا َو ب‬ َ ‫س َم ا ِّء ِّم ن َّم ا ٍء فَأ َ ْح يَا بِّ ِّه ْاْل َ ْر‬
َّ ‫ال‬
‫ت لِّ قَ ْو ٍم ي َعْ ِّق ل ُو َن‬ ِّ ‫َو ْاْل َ ْر‬
ٍ ‫ض ََل يَ ا‬

“Verily, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the
day, and the ships which sail through the sea with benefits for people, and what Allah has
sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and
dispersing therein every creature, and in His directing of the winds and the clouds
controlled between the heaven and the earth are signs for a people who use reason”.
5. Verse 12 of Surah An-Nahl , The man kind is reminded that :

ٍ ‫س َّخ َر اتٌ بِّأ َ ْم ِّر ِّه ۗ إِّ َّن فِّي َٰذ َلِّكَ ََل يَا‬
‫ت لِّ قَ ْو ٍم يَعْ ِّق لُو َن‬ َ ‫س َو الْ قَ َم َر ۖ َو النُّ ُج و ُم ُم‬ َ ‫س َّخ َر لَكُ ُم اللَّيْ َل َو النَّ َه‬
َّ ‫ار َو ال‬
َ ‫ش ْم‬ َ ‫َو‬

“He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are
subjected by His command. Verily, in that are signs for people who reason”.
6. Verse 58 of Surah Ma’idah, Where Allah has blamed those who forsake the use of their
God-given reason. Irrationality is the characteristic of unbelief, idolatry, and hypocrisy, as
the betrayal of reason hinders the ability of people to recognize the value of religion or
causes them to cynically abuse religion for some worldly purpose.The Holy Quran says :

‫ص ََل ةِّ ات َّ َخ ذ ُو هَا ه ُُز ًو ا َو لَ ِّع بًا ۚ َٰذ َلِّكَ بِّأ َنَّ ُه ْم قَ ْو ٌم ََّل يَعْ ِّق لُو َن‬
َّ ‫َو إِّذ َا نَاد َيْ ت ُ ْم إِّلَى ال‬

“When you call to prayer, they take it in ridicule and amusement. That is because they are
people who will not reason”.
7. The betrayal of reason opens the door to sin and leads people down the paths of destruction.
The worst people are those who forgo logic and facts when the truth opposes their desires. In
Verse 100 of Surah Yunus, Allah says :

‫ع لَى الَّذِّي َن ََل يَعْ ِّق لُو َن‬

َ ‫س‬ ِّ ‫َو َم ا َك انَ ِّل نَفْ ٍس أ َن ت ُ ْؤ ِّم َن إِّ ََّل بِّإ ِّذ ْ ِّن َّللاَّ ِّ ۚ َو يَ ْج عَ ُل‬
َ ‫الر ْج‬

“It is not for a soul to believe except by permission of Allah, and He will disgrace those who
will not reason”.

8. Verse 151 of Surah Al-An’am, Where it is manifested that In its most evil manifestations,
the betrayal of reason leads to violence, bloodshed, and crimes against humanity. Allah says
:

َّ ‫ق ۚ َٰذ َلِّ كُ ْم َو‬

‫ص اكُ م بِّ ِّه لَعَلَّكُ ْم ت َعْ ِّق لُو َن‬ ِّ ‫س ال َّتِّي َح َّر َم َّللاَّ ُ إِّ ََّل بِّالْ َح‬
َ ْ‫ۖۖ َو ََل ت َقْ ت ُل ُوا النَّف‬

“Do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except by right of justice. This He has
enjoined upon you that perhaps you will reason”.

9. The enemies of Islam in the time of the Prophet not only persecuted and killed practicing
Muslims, but they also persecuted their own people. The cause of their oppression was their
abandonment of reason.
And Allah said:

‫س ب ُ ُه ْم َج ِّم يعًا َو قُلُوب ُ ُه ْم شَ ت َّ َٰى ۚ َٰذ َلِّكَ بِّأ َنَّ ُه ْم ق َ ْو ٌم ََّل يَعْ ِّق ل ُو َن‬ َ ‫بَأ ْسُ ُه م ب َيْ ن َ ُه ْم‬
َ ‫ش دِّيد ٌ ۚ ت َ ْح‬

“Their violence among themselves is severe. You imagine they are united, but their hearts
are divided. That is because they are people who do not reason”.
Surah Al-Hashr 59:14

10. Verse 11 of Surah R’ad bespeaks of Law of Causation, Allah’s creations transcends the
limitations of causality, the Holy Qur'an is not oblivious of pointing out to the system of
causality operating in the universe; it views all phenomena and events as being subservient
to this system. The following verse supports this view:

‫َّللاَ ََل يُغَيِّ ُر َما بِّقَ ْو ٍم َحت َّ َٰى يُغَيِّ ُروا َما بِّأ َ ْنفُ ِّس ِّه ْم‬
َّ ‫إِّ َّن‬
“God changes not what is in a people, until they change what is in themselves”

In above verse, the Holy Qur'an indicates that “Although all destinies depend on the Will of God,
but God does not extravagantly alter the destiny of a nation without any specific reason, unless
they themselves bring about a major change in their system of social and moral values and their
manner of performing their individual duties.

By putting much emphasis on Law of causation, the Holy Qur'an indicates that a uniform system
of laws governs the destinies of all the nations of the world. It also reminds us that if the
conditions of a society in which we live, are similar to the conditions prevalent in a society of the
past, the same fate awaits us too.
 CONCLUSION

It is therefore concluded that The Holy Quran affirms the authority of reason. It always explains
the rationales behind its commands. However, it must be borne in mind that there are certain
things which are beyond human understanding; those things are known only to Allah and his
messengers.