Often, Iqbal’s famous verse is quoted to support this view which says, “Be khatar kood pada aatish-i-namrud mein ishq/ Aql hai mahw-i-tamasha-i-lab-i-baam abhi”.
asserted
which → quote → ishq/
The gist: love leapt fearlessly into Nimrod’s fire; while reason stood numb at the edge watching the spectacle.
asserted
reason → leap → spectacle
On the contrary, it is the same Iqbal who says, “Jahan-i taza ki afkar-i-taza se hai numud/ Ki sang-o-khisht se hote nahin jahan paida” (New worlds are [created and] driven from fresh thoughts; [remember] new worlds are not brought to life from [dead] stones or wood).
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worlds → say → stones
Iqbal alludes here to the necessity of fresh thinking and innovative ideas that help create new worlds.
asserted
that → allude → worlds
What we argue for is a thinking Islam that promotes not only faith, but equally the intellectual search to explore the signs, symbols, metaphors (aayaat) of God, spread out both through the Word of God (the Book) and the Work of God (all around us) as speaking verses.
asserted
that → argue → verses
While the Quran — and perhaps all sacred literature — makes humans surrender to the awe and wonder of the Supreme Being, their intellects are invited to explore the signs, symbols, metaphors, and stories (qasas) that are often narrated in simple, but highly sophisticated language.
asserted
that → make → language
Many Quranic verses promote thinking and reflection.
asserted
verses → promote → thinking
One fascinating verse is: “Many are the jinn and men we have made (zara’na) for Hell: they have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not.
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they → make → hearts
Reinforcing this, another verse says, “Or do you think that most of them hear or understand?
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most → reinforce → them
Still another verse making a poignant point is: “Do they not then reflect on the Quran?
asserted
they → make → Quran
These and many other similar verses may be seen as strong counsel to promote thinking, reflection, and contemplation regarding God’s signs (aayaat).
uncertain
These → see → signs
Using human sources of knowledge — the senses, and the heart (the seat of contemplation) — to explore God’s creation becomes a critical duty of humans.
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Using → use → humans
Commenting on these verses, Hussain Nasr et al in The Study Quran (2015) argue, “… the cattle do not possess an intellect with which to understand religious truth.
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cattle → comment → truth
Those who do not employ their intellect are thus no better than beasts — in fact, they are even worse for squandering the gift of intellect”.
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they → employ → intellect
Interestingly, if we reflect on the verse, we come to realise that God does not mention any other aspect of faith so consequential (destined to hell) except not thinking and not using one’s senses.
asserted
God → reflect → senses
The verses imply that if these are not used, humans could be destined for perdition.
uncertain
humans → imply → perdition
These verses are supplementary to another set of verses in meaning and purpose, such as “Do they not look at the camels, how they are made?
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they → look → camels
And at the sky, how it is raised high?
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it → raise → sky
And at the mountains, how they are fixed firm?
asserted
they → fix → mountains
And at the Earth, how it is spread out?” (88:17-20).
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it → spread → Earth
Those who do not reflect are referred to by the Quran as heedless.
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who → reflect → Quran
“Or do you think that most of them listen or understand?
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most → think → them
These are powerful reminders of Divine power and we need to reflect upon them.
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we → need → them
The Holy Book further says: “Had we but listened or used our intelligence we should not (now) be among the Companions of the Blazing Fire!” (67:10); “Will they then not meditate on the Quran, or are there locks on the hearts?” (47:24).
asserted
they → say → hearts
Yet another verse of the Quran beautifully sums up what is being argued here, ie, God’s message about thinking and using our sources of knowledge to explore Allah’s creation.
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what → sum → creation
It says, “Lo! In the creation of the heavens and the earth and (in) the difference of night and day are tokens (of His Sovereignty) for men of understanding.
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tokens → say → understanding
Thou createdst not this in vain.
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Thou → createdst → vain
It is here in this verse that the Divine twin purpose for humans — remembering God and reflecting (on His creation) — comes out clearly.
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purpose → remember → creation
This connects both ritual and reflection fused together in a way that arouses our imagination to see them as compatible, and complementary, reinforcing each other.
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that → connect → other
In sum, despite these clear imperatives of reflection, would one still insist that religion is only belief and has nothing to do with thinking?
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religion → insist → thinking
Our thinkers, curriculum writers, and ulema should highlight this dimension in their daily teaching and preaching.
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thinkers → highlight → teaching
The Aporia
