What is the relationship between reason and revelation? Ustadh
Abdullah explores this question for one of our readers! Please
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Question:
What is the relationship between reason and revelation? Do we
reject reason (which is needed to understand revelation is from
Allah)? Can we find the truth without revelation (which is needed
to give us Divine Laws and Ahkam as well as ingrain our tawheed)?
Ustadh Abdullah's response:
Reason is the foundation of revelation. And revelation can only be
authenticated by reason. But once revelation is authenticated,
reason takes a back seat and is limited to interpretation of
ambiguities found in scripture.
For instance, through reason we came to know Allah's existence,
oneness, power, knowledge, life, and will. And through reason we
came to know that the messengers have been sent by the Creator, the
result of the miracles they come with, which make us acknowledge
that such things are beyond human capacity. Through reason we
establish the authenticity and lack of authenticity of the Qur'an
and the prophetic traditions in spite of the fact that the
conditions for the acceptance of narrators are implicitly alluded to
the Qur'an.
But reason cannot arrive at the fact that Allah hears, sees, or can
communicate to us. It cannot establish the existence of the angels,
Heaven, Hell, The Last Day, or the Qadar. These things can only be
transmitted through us through revelation.
So reason and revelation go hand in hand. The only thing is that
reason is the foundation, while revelation is an unshakable branch
that serves as a harness for reason once its existence is realized.
I hope this helps you to understand.
Was Salam
Abdullah
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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