Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

 INTRODUCTION

IT IS ALMOST A TRUISM to say that a person’s beliefs play a central role in making up his personality. We are what we believe, and we become what we come to believe. It is our beliefs that determine how we look at ourselves, how we look at life, at the world around us and our own role and destiny in life. Our beliefs determine our ideals and actions and mould the conduct of our lives.

This is another way of saying that our understanding of what we are is the mainspring of our thought and feeling, conduct and behaviour. Our understanding concerning our own nature, our origin, our situation in the world of being, our relationship with other human beings, the purpose of our life, and the future destiny that awaits us-all these matters together determine the kind of person we are today and what we may become tomorrow.

This is as true of society as it is true of individuals. That is, the character of a society derives from its current beliefs. A society’s culture, its ideals and norms, its social, educational, economic and political institutions-all are derived in some way or another from the beliefs prevailing in society and those that are held by various groups that play a dominant role in it.

Beliefs are ordinarily absorbed by human beings in the course of acculturation, that is, “the process by which the culture of a particular society is instilled in a human being from infancy onward.” Yet beliefs are too important to be left to acculturation. In view of the critical role they play in the making of an individual and his destiny, they are immensely more important than other cultural modes like language, social customs, diet, dress, lifestyle and technology.

One of the greatest of human needs is the need to believe, and this poses a tremendous challenge to individuals and society. The challenge is truly stupendous because our need to believe pertains to matters of great consequence, answering which is apparently beyond the capacity of any individual or institution. How can I know where I have come from, why I have come into this world and what is the purpose of my life, how do I relate to this vast universe into which I have been brought, how can I know what is expected of me, how should I order my relationships with other human beings, how should I live so as to fulfil the real purpose of my life, what laws and regulations should I follow in order to achieve that purpose?

According to Islamic teachings, every individual does normally have the complete capacity to find true answers to these questions. Indeed, according to Islam, it is his duty to find the right answers. This capacity is represented by the faculty of reason or intellect, which is innate in every human being.

This faculty enables human beings to distinguish between true and false, just and unjust, right and wrong, straight and crooked, wholesome and unhealthy. Of course, the intellect by itself does not have the means and equipment to discover the truth concerning all the significant questions. However, by following its own criteria it can arrive at reliable sources of knowledge whose mainspring lies beyond the reach of reason as such. This source of knowledge is revelation.

According to Islamic teachings, the Source of Being, which has brought into existence the human being and the world, has provided not only for his physical and natural needs during life on this planet, but also the necessary nourishment for his mind and spirit. In fact, as man’s intellectual and spiritual needs far exceed his physical requirements, the Source of Being has made appropriate and commensurate arrangements for the satisfaction of these needs as well. These arrangements consist of the messengers, prophets and sages who have been inspired by God to guide human beings throughout the course of history. And whenever the teachings, writings and scriptures brought by these prophets and sages have become corrupted and distorted in the course of time by priests, scribes, poets, and theologians, or entirely forsaken and abandoned by human communities, the Source of Being has dispatched further messengers and guides to restore guidance and the purity of divine teachings and to update them to bring them on a par with the needs of society.

From an Islamic point of view, religion is the pursuit of truth. In this sense, it is not intrinsically different from science which is the quest of the human mind to discover facts pertaining to the physical world. In fact, if we take the pursuit of truth in an absolute sense, science can be considered a part of religion, a component of the human quest for the truth. The respect for truth and the urge to discover is common to religion and science. The distinction between religion and science lies in the kind of knowledge they seek and the methods they use for obtaining that knowledge. Whereas science confines itself to discovering the laws governing the perceptible world-the part of the universe that is open to perception, experiment and empirical methods- religion directs its pursuit to the entire world of being and to domains that transcend empirical experience.

Hence, from the viewpoint of Islam, there can be no intrinsic conflict between science and religion, nor is there any contradiction between reason and revelation. Revelation is a source of knowledge for religious inquiry, whereas the empirical methods employed by science are a source of scientific knowledge. The use of reason as the basic instrument of inquiry is common to religion and science. Superstition, humbug, falsehood, falsification, forgery, distortion and perversion of truth and mental dishonesty are as much of an anathema to religion as they are to science.

When we understand religion as the pursuit of truth, there can neither be any conflict between it and science, nor can there be any conflict between those engaged in the religious pursuit, because their goal and objective is one. This is not to deny the unfortunate conflicts that have often arisen in the course of history between the savants of science and the self-styled patrons of religious traditions on the other.

Neither this is to deny the bloody conflicts that have at times plagued the relations between followers of different religious traditions.

During the last four centuries or so, modern science developed in an environment marked by the growing domination of secular and humanistic schools of thought in Europe. The historical conflict between scientific outlook and the religious worldview in the West has been mainly a conflict limited to Christendom and a product of the doctrines and dogmas of the

Church. These dogmas, which developed in the course of history as a result of the intellectual activities of Christian theologians, were based on certain interpretations of the scriptures. Hence it can be said that the Western conflict between religion and science was in fact not a conflict between reason and revelation as such, but one between reason and science on the one hand and a certain type of religious tradition on the other.

Apart from the conflict between science and religious traditions, we have the divergent and conflicting doctrines of the various religious traditions. Indeed even within the major religious traditions of the world such as Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism, we are confronted with different outlooks, doctrines, laws, and precepts. According to the Islamic view of the history of religions, the differences between the religious traditions derive not from authentic revelation but mainly from the theological, hermeneutic, legislative and interpretive activity of various generations of mankind through the course of centuries and belonging to different regions.

To a large extent, these differences of doctrine and religious law are a product of misunderstanding concerning the very meaning and purpose of religion as the pursuit of truth. Religiosity and piety have been understood to mean not loyalty and commitment to the truth, but as faithfulness to the religious tradition in which one has been born and which one was made to imbibe through the process of acculturation.

All the existing religious traditions of the world, including unfortunately even the Islamic world for the most part, base their following on imitation of ancestors and thoughtless adoption of current ideas, beliefs and norms through acculturation.

Children are expected to adopt the creed of their parents and ancestors, and adherence to any given religious tradition derives from imitation rather than individual research and quest. Imitation, acculturation and loyalty to the creed and beliefs of one’s elders and ancestors rather than intellectual effort make the basis for the continuity of religious traditions. Such a view of religion is a travesty of the real meaning and spirit of religion as the highest and noblest of human pursuits for the truth.

According to Islam, imitation cannot be the basis of faith. Even if someone adopts the right beliefs by following and imitating others, it will not be acceptable and such a person cannot be said to possess a valid faith. Faith is something which is attained after a valid search for the truth. It may be said to be the religious equivalent of scientific knowledge and certainty, which can only be achieved through a valid process of scientific inquiry, training and research. Science is not a medley of unproved hypotheses, and a hypothesis does not become part of scientific knowledge unless it is proved by valid scientific methods. A scientific theory, even if it should be true and correspond to factual reality, cannot be accepted by the scientific community unless it can be established by valid empirical demonstration. Religious faith too is not blind faith; it is a knowledge that permeates deeply the heart of the faithful person as a result of valid intellectual effort, reasoning and spiritual endeavor.

The Qur’an is unique among the world’s scriptures in that it not only lays down the doctrines and laws of the Islamic religion but also offers a critique of the religious traditions that existed in the Arabia of those days, namely Arab polytheism, Judaism and Christianity. The rejection of imitation and acculturation as a foundation for belief has a basis in the Qur’an itself. The Qur’an flatly rejects the rationale advanced by the polytheists for following the creed and practices of their ancestors:

When they are told, 'Follow what Allah has sent down,' they say, 'We will rather follow what we have found our fathers following.' What, even if their fathers neither applied any reason nor were guided?! The parable of the faithless is that of someone who shouts after that which does not hear [anything] except a call and cry: deaf, dumb, and blind, they do not apply reason. (2:170-1)

According to the Qur’an, the most conspicuous characteristic of those who are devoid of real faith is that they do not apply rational criteria to their beliefs. As such they are considered creatures of a lower order than animals, because the animals simply follow their innate God-given instincts, whereas the faithless fail to use their God-given intellects and therefore degenerate to a level below that of animals:

Do you suppose that most of them listen or apply reason? They are just like cattle; rather they are further astray from the way. (25:44) Indeed the worst of beasts in Allah's sight are the deaf and the dumb who do not apply reason. Indeed We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'¡n so that you may apply reason. (12:2) According to the Qur’an, beliefs and religious rites should be derived from reason and revelation. Superstitious customs practiced in the name of religion are an affront to religion as the pursuit of the truth and conformity to the precepts of the Creator, received through genuine revelation, not through the muddy channels of theology:

Allah has not prescribed any such thing as Ba¦¢rah, S¡’ibah, Wa¥¢lah, or H¡m; but those who are faithless fabricate lies against Allah, and most of them do not apply reason. And when they are told, ‘Come to what Allah has sent down and [come] to the Apostle,’ they say, ‘Sufficient for us is what we have found our fathers following.’ What, even if their fathers did not know anything and were not guided?! (5:103-4) According to the Qur’anic teaching, everything that exists in the world is a sign of God. The universe is a text, a Book that, albeit between the lines, speaks of the presence of its Source, Its compassion and care and Its perfect design and lofty purposes. The revealed Scripture is a commentary on this Book of Existence, and both of them are addressed to the intelligent, contemplative and thoughtful readers, “who apply their reason” and to whom the Qur’an often refers as “the Godwary,” or as “those possessing intellects”:

Have they not travelled over the land so that they may have hearts by which they may apply reason, or ears by which they may hear? Indeed it is not the eyes that turn blind, but the hearts turn blind-those that are in the breasts! (22:46).

It is He who sends down water from the sky: from it you get your drink and from it are [sustained] the plants wherein you pasture your herds. With it He makes the crops grow for you and olives, date palms, vines, and fruits

of all kinds. There is indeed a sign in that for a people who reflect. He disposed the night and the day for you, and the sun, the moon and the stars are disposed by His command. There are indeed signs in that for a people who apply reason. And whatever He has created for you in the earth of diverse hues-there is indeed a sign in that for a people who take admonition. (16:10-13) In the earth are neighbouring terrains [of diverse kinds] and vineyards, farms, and date palms growing from the same root and from diverse roots, [all] irrigated by the same water, and We give some of them an advantage over others in flavour. There are indeed signs in that for a people who apply reason. (13:4)

He brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living, and revives the earth after its death. Likewise you [too] shall be raised [from the dead]. Of His signs is that He created you from dust, then, behold, you are humans scattering [all over]! And of His signs is that He created for you mates from your own selves that you may take comfort in them, and He ordained affection and mercy between you. There are indeed signs in that for a people who reflect. Among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. There are indeed signs in that for those who know. And of His signs is your sleep by night and day, and your pursuit of His grace. There are indeed signs in that for a people who listen. And of His signs is that He shows you the lightning, arousing fear and hope, and He sends down water from the sky, and with it revives the earth after its death. There are indeed signs in that for a people who apply reason. (30:19-24)

It is He who made for you hearing, eyesight, and hearts. Little do you thank. It is He who created you on the earth, and you will be mustered toward Him. And it is He who gives life and brings death and due to Him are the alternations of day and night. Do you not apply reason? (23:78-80)

It is He who created you from dust, then from a drop of [seminal] fluid, then from a clinging mass, then He brings you forth as infants, then [He nourishes you] so that you may come of age, then that you may become aged-though there are some of you who die earlier-and that you may complete a specified term, and so that you may apply reason. (40:67)

And in the alternation of night and day and what Allah sends down from the sky of [His] provision with which He revives the earth after its death, and in the changing of the winds there are signs for a people who apply reason. (45:5)

“Those who reflect,” “those who listen,” “those who apply reason,” “those who take admonition,” those who keep their minds and ears open-these phrases describe the essential qualities of the genuinely religious human beings from the viewpoint of the Qur’an. Opinionated ness and dogmatic attachment to the beliefs of one’s denomination and theological tradition, and loyalty to one’s clan, tribe and ethnic ties do not make the foundation of religion but form the biggest hurdles in the way of genuine religious pursuit. The Qur’an condemns the Arab idolaters for their thoughtless loyalty to the polytheistic traditions of their forbears. The faithless are doomed on account of their refusal to use their rational

faculties, for defying the God- sent guide and denying the Qur’anic revelation:

For those who defy their Lord is the punishment of hell, and it is an evil destination.

When they are thrown in it, they hear it blaring, as it seethes, almost exploding with rage. Whenever a group is thrown in it, its keepers will ask them, ‘Did there not come to you any warner?’ They will say, ‘Yes, a warner did come to us, but we impugned [him] and said, ‘Allah did not send down anything; you are only in great error.’ And they will say, ‘Had we listened or applied reason, we would not have been among inmates of the Blaze.’ (67:6-10)

Elsewhere it rebukes the Jews for their ethnic and racial pretensions as well for their extravagant theological claims of having a special relationship with God, a claim which is shared by some Christians, thus warning Muslims by implication against entertaining similar claims:

The Jews and the Christians say, ‘We are Allah’s children and His beloved ones.’ Say, ‘Then why does He punish you for your sins?’ Rather you are humans from among His creatures. He forgives whomever He wishes, and punishes whomever He wishes, and to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them, and toward Him is the return. (5:18)

Muslim scholars have developed the discipline of ‘ilm al-kalam (literally, the science of dialectics) to deal with topics pertaining to belief and doctrine, which are often lumped together under the head of “theology.” The tradition of theological discourse pertaining to matters of belief begins in the Qur’an itself. In fact, the greater part of the Qur’an deals with theological discussions pertaining to the nature and attributes of Divinity, the perfection of the system of creation, the role of justice in scheme of existence, the necessity of Divine guidance through prophets and scriptures, and the necessity of judgement and retribution and the pertinent details that go under the head of eschatology.

This tradition is followed up in the traditions of the Prophet (s) and the Imams (a). Among Shi‘ah compilers of hadith, Kulayni (d. 328 or 329/939 or 940) devotes the first volumes of his al-Kafi, known as Usul al-Kafi, to issues of doctrine ranging from tawhid, prophethood and Imamate, to details pertaining to faith and unfaith. Shaykh Saduq (306-381/918-991), another prolific compiler of the traditions and a theologian, has a compilation, Kitab al-Tawhid, exclusively devoted to the traditions of the Prophet and the Imams surrounding the topic of tawhid. Muhammad b. Hasan al- Saffar (d. 290/903) had earlier compiled the Basa’ir al-Darajat, a collection of traditions dealing solely with the topic of Imamate.

Aside from the Qur’an and hadith, theological discourse in the Shi‘i-Imami tradition has a long history. Shi‘ah writers, right from the era of the Imams until the present day, have written hundreds of works on topics dealing with theological issues. Details of their theological works and polemical tracts dealing with debates and controversies can be sought from the Dhari‘ah, an elaborate catalogue of Shi‘ah works. After the era of the Imams and their disciples, the most eminent theologians of the early

centuries were Ibn Qubbah al-Razi (fl. 3rd/9th century, Shaykh Saduq, Shaykh Mufid (336-413/948-1022), Sayyid Murtada (355-436/966-1044) and Shaykh Tusi (385- 460/955-1067), and their works have had a profound influence on Shi‘ah thought of later centuries.

A major portion of Shi‘i theological writings deals with the topic of Imamate, as this has been the most crucial issue in the Shi‘i-Sunni debate. Two of the major works on Imamate were compiled in the Indian subcontinent, namely the Ahqaq al-Haqq by Qazi Sayyid Nur Allah Shushtari (d. 1019/1610) and the ‘Abaqat al-Anwar by Mir Hamid Husain Lakhnawi (1246-1306/1830-1888). Two other major works on Imamate, namely al-Ghadir in Arabic by ‘Allamah Amini (1320-1390/1902-1970) and Imamshensi in Persian by ‘Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husain Husaini Tehrani, both of recent origin, are by Iranian scholars. Another contemporary work of significance is ‘Adl-e Ilahi, a monograph on the subject of Divine justice by Martyr Murtaza Mutahhari. He has also written a short work An Introduction of ‘Ilm al- Kalam, which gives an excellent outline of the development of this discipline and the various schools of ‘ilm al-kalam in the Islamic world, and describes the salient features of Shi‘i theological thought.

Apart from monographs on Imamate and other theological subjects, and besides the polemical tracts, Shi‘ah scholars have written comprehensive works with a didactic purpose dealing with almost all the basic doctrines of the Islamic creed. The most famous of the early works of this category are the ‘Aqa’id of Shaykh Saduq and Shaykh Mufid’s Tashih al-I‘tiqad. A later influential work of this kind is the Tajrid al-I‘tiqad of Khwajah Nasiruddin Tusi (597-672/1201-1274) on which ‘Allamah Hilli (648-726/1250-1325), another eminent theologian, wrote a famous commentary.

Three important contemporary works of this category are worthy of mention. The first is the encyclopedic trilogy in Persian, consisting of Allah-shenasi (Theology, in 3 volumes), Imam-shenasi (Imamology, in 18 volumes) and Ma‘ad-shenasi (Eschatology, in 10 volumes), by ‘Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husain Husaini Tehrani (1345-1416/1926-1995). This work has been translated into Arabic.

The second is a four-volume work Mabani-ye Aqa’id-e Islami by Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari, which has been translated into English by Prof. Hamid Algar and has been published under the title Lessons on Islamic Doctrine.

The third noteworthy work, shortest of the three, is the present one by Ayatullah Misbah Yazdi, an eminent philosopher and prolific writer on a variety Islamic subjects. Despite its comparative brevity, it covers an immense range of topics from tawhid to ma‘ad. Meant as an introductory textbook on Islamic doctrines for students, its format of short systematically arranged lessons, each dealing with a specific issue, makes it an ideal text for classroom purposes.

The book is entirely contemporary, both in its outlook and treatment of the subject. Shi‘ah theological thought has always been known for its characteristic philosophical flavour and approach, and this quality is quite evident in the entire volumes of the present work.

It has been standard practice for works of this category to take almost no doctrinal notice of other religions and to show limited attention to the standpoints of other Islamic sects. They are written basically with the motive to explain and substantiate Islamic beliefs and display a healthy restraint in abstaining from distracting the student’s attention by posing controversial and polemic issues. However, on the whole they remain largely indifferent to the intellectual climate and environment of their times.

But, all the three contemporary works mentioned above show varying degrees of awareness of the presence of other currents of thought in the contemporary world and offer an appropriate intellectual response. Among them, the present one is especially outstanding, as it reveals a keen awareness of the secular and materialistic philosophies and modes of thought that pose a broad danger to religion as a quest for truth beyond the limited concerns of modern science and a common hazard to all religious traditions of the world.

The Farsi original has received a warm welcome in Islamic seminaries and by teachers of courses in Islamic doctrine. It is hoped that the present translation of this outstanding work will as well be well received by teachers and students of Islamic studies and the general reader.

Sayyid ‛Alī Qulī Qarā'ī Qum

al-Musharrifah

April 25th, 2005 CE

TRANSLATOR’S NOTE

This is a revolutionary work in the field Islamic Theology and also in the domain of seminary teaching. Theological Instruction is not only a traditional text on theology but it approaches the modern and post modern issues in a traditional style and replies the doubts raised by that domain on traditional bases. I am glad that we were taught this text while we were doing theology and for certain, this text has helped me in the field of propagation. This also portrays the uniqueness of this work because the text of hawza is usually difficult to be utilised in the field of propagation.

The Translation

The translation was begun in the year 2002 when Hujjatulislam Hayder Shirazi approached me and asks for this gracious work as he was teaching theology to the hawza students in London. He recognized the importance of this work and asserted that there is definitely a need in the west for this book for the students of the hawza and also for others. I translated lesson by lesson and emailed him from Qum eventually the task was accomplished in a year. However Mr Shirazi also translated eight to ten lessons which we are thankful to him. Those lessons have been re- translated in this final translation in order the uniformity remains in the work.

The translation focuses upon providing accurate translation of Ayatulla’s work, rather than just transferring the meaning. However, a relatively academic English style has been utilised in order to facilitate the student of theology in the field of theology and others in general reading. An effort has been made to focus upon creating a uniformity between this translation and Philosophical Instruction of Ayatulullah Misbah Yazdi translated by Professor Legenhausan and Dr ’Azim Sarvdalīr. I have tried to use the same terminology used by these two translators and also adapted the title of this translation and the style from Philosophical Instruction.

I am honoured, encouraged and quite grateful to Aga Qulī Qarā’ī for writing a very rich introduction to this work. I am obligated to thank my wife for her motivation provided and Hujjatulislām Muhsin ‘Ahmedī, Hujjatulislām S. Sādiq Hāshimīyān, and Hujjatulislām Ahmed Hanif, who encouraged and provided assistance whenever needed in translating this work. I am also grateful to Dr. Rawand Osmaan for providing the work with proper transliteration of terms and also for the uniformity of the verses of the Qur’an from the translation of Aga Qulī Qarā’ī. However, if any lapses and errors remain, I accept the responsibility and humbly request the reader to provide their remarks and suggestion by corresponding on the postal and e-mail addresses provided herein. Finally this translation would not have seen the light of publication without the effort of Hujjatulislām Muhammad Shumālī, whom I sincerely thank.

The effort and work is very little for it to be a re-pay to the martyrs and to the Hawzah ’Illmiyyah (Islamic Seminary), whom I owe the most. I can only pray that this work be a piece of focus for the Imam of the time and that he prays for me and also all of those who have made this work possible.

Mīrzā Muhammad ’Abbās Rida

26 June, 2006 CE

AUTHOR’S PREFACE

Within the Name of God: the Infinitely Good, the Boundlessly Merciful

BELIEF AND IDEOLOGY are the sources and foundations of every valuable system; and every ideology gives form to an organization and affects the behaviour of man whether consciously or unconsciously. Therefore the establishment of such a value system based upon the Islamic beliefs and ideology - which is counted as being abundant and perpetual in their resources - must be engraved upon the heart of man, so that it can offer its sweet fruit and bring forth the felicity of the two worlds.

The Islamic scholars from the very outset of Islam have explained and propagated the beliefs of Islam in different ways. The scholars of theology have written numerous books covering and suitable for many different levels. In this present period while focusing upon more recent issues and doubts, these scholars have written books on distinctive levels. However the books we find in response to modern issues and doubts are on two completely different planes. The first is at a general level offering simple explanations and definitions and the second is much more complex, incorporating difficult and intellectual terminologies in a very condensed text.

Therefore, there remained a place and a need for a book, which could be taught at the intermediate level.

On account of this and due to the suggestions of the manager of the Islamic Propagation Organization (IPO) and with the help of the scholars of the institution Dar rah-e-Haqq, we have compiled this book. The features of this book are as follows:

1. The topics of this book are organized into a logical order, and when explaining the various issues, references from future lessons are not given.

2. We have tried our utmost to use simple and clear language and avoid complex and difficult terminologies in our explanations.

3. We have used clear and evident proofs in order to establish our points and escape complicated reasoning.

4. We have avoided superfluous information, which usually tires the reader.

5. As this book is for intermediate studies, we have not employed arguments that require a prior understanding of philosophy, the science of the interpretation of the Qur’an, jurisprudence or the discipline of hadīth. However, in case of necessity we have employed enough premises and given references for those who want to continue research or study in detail about the subject.

6. The contents of the book are aimed at the students of intermediate level. Each chapter is a complete lesson.

7. Important issues have been emphasized and sometimes repeated, to ensure a complete and competent understanding.

8. Every lesson is followed by a list of questions to aid comprehension.

This book without a doubt is not free from error and mistake and I hope that with the help and advice of teachers, these errors and mistakes will be corrected in future editions.

It is greatly hoped that this small effort will be accepted by the Imam (a) of our time (Allah hasten his re- appearance) for the Hawzah ’Illmiyyah (Islamic seminary) to which I am indebted (Islamic seminary), as well as for the martyrs.

Muhammad Taqi Misbah Yazdi

Qum

September 1986

LESSON ONE: CONCEPT OF RELIGION

The purpose of this book is to explain the beliefs of Islam, known in Islamic terminology as ‘The Principles of Religion’ (Usūl al-Dīn). Before delving into this subject it is necessary to briefly define the word ‘religion’. A definition in the art of Logic marks the beginning of conceptualisation.

The Arabic word for religion is, ‘dīn’ and carries a lexical meaning of obedience, reward and subjugation.

In technical terminology, religion means to have a belief in the ‘Creator’ of man and universe. The prescribed actions that accompany such a belief also fall within this definition. Those who believe in a creator, even if their beliefs are mingled with perversions and superstitions are regarded as being ‘religious’. Those who consider the universe to be merely accidental, resulting from an effect of a material or natural cause are called ‘materialists’.

On this basis contemporary religions can be divided into true or false religions. A true religion can be termed as a tradition, which holds correct beliefs, which are consonant with the reality, and from which emanates behaviour, which is expounded and intensified with the sense of being right and secure.

The principles of religion and its branches

By understanding the technical definition given to the word ‘religion’, it becomes clear that religion can be divided into two major components:

1. The fundamental belief or beliefs, which are held to be the foundation.

2. The practical rules, which are related to, and emerge from the fundamental beliefs.

The section, which relates to the religious belief, is termed as its ‘principle’ (usūl), and the section relating to the practical rules are known as its ‘branches’ (furū’).

Islamic scholars use these terms to identify these two categories.

a. Worldview and Ideology

Worldview can be defined as being a series of universal and harmonious beliefs concerning man and the universe.

Ideology can generally be taken to mean a series of universal and harmonious views regarding human behaviour.

By consideration of the above, the term ‘worldview’ can be applied to the ‘principles of belief’, and ‘ideology’ can be used in connection with the branches or universal practical rules. It must be noted though, that neither worldview nor ideology includes the particular aspects of the principles or the branches. Also ideology can occasionally overlap with worldview and include some of the latter’s meanings.

b. Divine and Materialistic Worldviews

Throughout differing human societies, miscellaneous worldviews have existed and exist. They can be divided into the ‘divine’ and the ‘materialistic’. A divine worldview is based upon the metaphysical reality, whereas a materialistic worldview is not.

In the past, adherents to the materialistic worldview were known as atheists (dahrī), naturalists (tabi’ī) and occasionally as dualists (zindīq) or heretics (mulhid).

Contemporary materialism appears in various shapes and forms, the most famous being ‘dialectical materialism’, which can be witnessed within Marxist philosophy.

Through the course of this discussion it has become apparent that the terms worldview and ideology can also be applied in a non-religious context.

c. Revealed religions and their principles

There have always been differing opinions amongst the sociologists, anthropologists and religious historians with regards to the appearance of religion. However from evidence found within Islam, the appearance of religion is considered to be associated with the appearance of man. The first man on earth was Adam (a), the Prophet of God, who came to proclaim monotheism. The polytheism and distortion of the truth that we see around us is the result of man following his own desires and not adhering to the true guidance.

The monotheistic religions, also known as the ‘Revealed Religions’, have three common fundamental principles:

1. Belief in One God.

2. Belief in eternal life in the hereafter, and the recompense of reward or punishment for actions performed in this life.

3. Belief in the prophets of God sent to guide man towards perfection and towards attaining felicity in this world and in the hereafter.

These three fundamental principles provide the answers to the following questions, which could be asked by any intelligent person:

Who is the creator?

What is the ultimate end?

From where does one seek guidance in living a righteous life?

Such guidance has been secured through revelation (wahi), and is known as that religious ideology which has manifested itself from within the divine worldview.

The principles of religious belief are comprised of corollaries, implications and details, differences of which lead to the appearance of differing religions, sects and schools. Thus the difference in belief over prophethood, can be seen in the principle of trinity (as with the Christian belief), and the differences in belief over ‘Imamate’ (socio-political leadership), has led to differences of belief over the principle of succession (which has divided Muslims into Sunnite and Shiite).

The main point to consider is that monotheism (tawhīd); prophethood (nubuwwah) and resurrection (ma’ād) are the fundamental principles for all of the revealed religions.

Corollaries however can also be considered to be part of a fundamental principle. For example, belief in the existence and unity of God is a fundamental principle. Some Shiite scholars believe that justice (‘adl) should be considered as a separate principle, but in reality it is actually part of the first principle mentioned. Another example is that of Imamate, which

some scholars consider as a principle in its own right, whereas in fact it is just a continuation of the principle of prophethood.

On this basis the term ‘Principles of Religion’ can be categorized into general and particular forms. The general use of the form, ‘principle of religion’ is vis-à-vis ‘branches’ and the particular uses of the term are for particular sects and beliefs.

The general form also includes the other revealed religions, which share the three common principles (tawhīd, nubuwwah, ma’ād).

Questions:

1. Explain the concept of religion from the lexical and terminological point of view.

2. Define the terms worldview and ideology, and explain the differences between them.

3. Briefly explain the two different kinds of worldview.

4. State the general and particular aspects of ‘The principles of religion’.

5. What is the commonality between the revealed religions?

LESSON TWO: INQUIRING INTO RELIGION

The drive to investigate

It is within the intrinsic nature (fitrah) of man to seek and be aware of Reality. Man is born with this quality, which remains with him until his death. Sometimes this instinct for seeking the truth may be referred to as a ‘sense of curiosity’, whereby man is driven to ponder upon religious issues and it is this very action, which helps him to understand and realise a true religion. In the process of this realisation he is faced with the following  Questions:

Is there an imperceptible and immaterial being?

If there is, is there a link between this immaterial being and our material world?

In the presence of this relationship, is there a Reality, which created the universe?

Is the existence of man limited to this material form/world?

If man is not limited to this material/worldly life, is there another world, and if there is what is the relationship between these two worlds?

Furthermore man requires knowledge concerning the best method by which he can live a righteous and fulfilled life, which will guarantee him felicity in this world and also in the next.

The primary attribute man requires in seeking reality is thus his intrinsic nature.

Man’s desires are another factor that may encourage and consolidate him into seeking the truth. Such desires may not necessarily be of divine origin but may be desires that wish to accomplish worldly or materialistic bounties. This is dependant upon his struggle within the fields of knowledge and upon the advancement of experimental sciences. If religion can provide man with the means to achieve worldly goals without loss, this will inspire him to further investigate religion, because it is within man’s nature to move towards success and further him from failure.

With the understanding of the realm of realities being vast, difficult and out of reach, man escapes by choosing realms whose understanding is easier and experimental. He has doubts whether he will receive any benefit from inquiring into religion, and whether he will gain any result at all due to its complex nature compared to that knowledge which is easily acquired and straightforward. Man must recognise that investigating any issue other than religion has no subjective value, whereas religious issues are of the highest value.

It should be noted that psychologists account the worship of God to be one of the independent instincts of man, which manifests from the ‘sense of religiosity’, which runs parallel to the sense of curiosity, goodness and elegance. History can confirm for the psychologist and anthropologist that the worship of God in diverse forms has always accompanied the path of man. This further goes to prove that it is an intrinsic quality within him.

The fact that this intrinsic nature is inherent within man does not necessarily mean it is always active and alert. It does though attract the aware and conscious among men towards their true nature. Lack of

awareness, atmospheric consequences and perverted influences might deprive man from the realisation of this nature; furthermore these distortions can also occur in our other instincts, which stem from this very intrinsic nature.

The argument for inquiring into religion is strengthened by the independent instinct of man, which does not require any reason or proof for its accountability. However the Qur’an and traditions provide us with testimony that religion is intrinsic to man, despite the fact that men in their ignorance may deny this fact. “Rather man desires to go on living viciously”. (al-Qiyāmah:5) If man is not consciously aware of his inherent nature, he will fail to witness its effects and thus deny its existence. Due to this fact we will provide the reader with the following intellectual proofs.

a. The significance of inquiring into religion.

It has become clear that the inherent nature of man to know reality and the desire to accomplish worldly bounties are the impetus for the realisation of different beneficial perspectives and knowledge.

By looking back into history man becomes aware that the best of men have all proclaimed that they were sent by the Creator in order to deliver a message and guide mankind. Furthermore, for this deliverance they have achieved all that they could and have even sacrificed their lives for it. On this basis the natural instincts of man will inspire him to inquire into religion and to perceive whether the messengers and their messages are true and in line with logical reasoning or not. When man realises that such invitations encompass felicity and eternal pleasures, resulting in departure from eternal chastisement and loss, what reason will he have for not investigating religion?

There is the possibility that man may not decide to pursue such a line of inquiry, due to his own laziness, apathy or prospect of religion bringing undesired restrictions. In this case man should prepare himself to face the consequences of his actions, which may result in eternal chastisement.

The condition of such individuals, who are indifferent to religion, has been likened to being more severe than that of an immature sick child, who for the fear of bitter tasting medicine avoids approaching a doctor. The child due to his young age is unable to calculate such loss or gain, but an individual who is aware and has the intellectual capacity to determine and foresee the outcome, cannot exchange such worldly and temporal pleasures for eternal punishment. The Qur’an has regarded such heedless individuals who barter eternal loss for the worldly and timely pleasures as animals or even worse.

“They are like cattle; rather they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless”.(al-A’rāf:179)

In another instance, the Qur’an has mentioned:

“Indeed the worst of beasts in Allah’s sight are the deaf and the dumb who do not apply reason”. (al-Anfāl:22)

b. Resolution of a doubt

It is possible that certain individuals may view inquiring into religion as unbeneficial, as it would not provide them with the desired or sufficient

results. They therefore prefer to utilise their time and energy pursuing issues, which will produce for them a fruitful outcome.

In order to resolve this doubt it must be argued that the resolutions of religious issues are in no way inferior to other sciences. We are also aware that resolving a scientific issue can be a lengthy and drawn out process, therefore investigating religion cannot be forsaken on the basis that it will utilise too much time and energy.

Furthermore probability is not a rationale; the revenue from this probability must also be taken into consideration. For instance:

in business ‘A’ there is a 5% chance of being successful and in business B a 10% chance. However the revenue provided in A will be $1000 and in B will be $100. Hence business A is five times more preferable than business B because of the prospective profit.

We would conclude therefore that the possibility of the outcome of inquiring into religion is of infinite benefit, even if the result of arriving at certainty is weak.

Research made into religious matters is significantly more important than those made into more limited issues, unless one can reach certainty that investigating religion is pointless; but where would man find such certainty?

Questions:

1. Why does man not research into all the different realities?

2. Explain the necessity of investigating the principles of religion.

3. What is the meaning of a ‘sense of religiosity’, and what are the proofs for its existence?

4. Can researching into religious issues be abandoned with the excuse of there being no hope of reaching certainty? Why?