Giving precedence to ‘Aql (Reasoning) over Naql (Evidences)

 

Question: What is your reply to philosophers who give preference to reason over religious texts?

Answer: The function of reason with regard to the Noble Qur’aan and the Prophetic Sunnah is to understand and accept them. Reason has no role in religion except for this.

There are a lot of religious texts that make it obligatory for Muslims to follow the Noble Qur'aan and the Prophetic Sunnah. Also, such texts warn Muslims against offering any opinions or suggestions that may oppose what is mentioned in the Qur'aan and the Prophetic Sunnah.

Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) says, 

"O you who believe! Make not (a decision) in advance before Allýh and His Messenger  (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم), and fear Allýh. 

Verily, Allýh is All-Hearing, All-Knowing."

(Al-Hujurat, 49: 1)

He (سُبحانه وتعالى) says,

Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord (the Qur’aan and Prophet Muhammad’s Sunnah), and follow not any Auliyý, besides Him (Allaah). 

Little do you remember!

(Al-A`raf, 7: 3)
 

Also, Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) says,

Say (O Muhammad صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم to mankind):
 “If you (really) love Allaah then follow me, 

Allaah will love you and forgive you your sins.”

(Al-`Imran, 3: 31)

He (سُبحانه وتعالى) says,

And verily, this (i.e. Allaah’s Commandments) is My Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al-Muttaqýn (the pious).

(Al-An`am, 6: 153)

Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) also says,

And if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allaah and His Messenger (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) if you believe in Allýh and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.

(Al-Nisa’, 4: 59)

He (سُبحانه وتعالى) says,

When it is said to them: “Follow what Allaah has sent down.” They say: “Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following.” (Would they do that!) even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided?

(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 170)

There are other Qur'aanic Ayahs that order Muslims to follow the revelation sent down from Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) and warn against following one’s personal desires and all that is dictated by reason deviating from the right path.

Thus, it is not permissible for a person to be fooled by his reason whatever comprehensive understanding and thought he might have; that he takes his reason as a fundamental and the transmitted texts of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah as a branch, accepting what is in agreement with reason and rejecting or distorting all that is in disagreement with it. This implies an accusation of the Divine Shari`ah (Law). Also, it undermines the fundamentals and pillars of the Shari`ah, as there are different reasons, natures, and thoughts, and people hardly agree on anything with the exception of necessities and the things that are perceptible through the senses. If the reality is as mentioned, which of all these reasons can be adopted as a fundamental to which people refer when differing on a case and to understand the transmitted texts of the Shari`ah?

What a wise opinion was said by Sheikh-ul-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله),

“People should know that nothing related to direct reason or the authentic transmitted texts makes it obligatory to oppose the method of the Salaf (righteous predecessors). Those who oppose the Qur'aan and the Prophetic Sunnah and the Salaf of this Ummah (nation based on one creed) are in a confused state in which they cannot differentiate between right and wrong. Anyone who denies Ru’yah (seeing Allaah), claims that reason regards such an act as impossible. Thus, he needs to have another Ta’wil (allegorical interpretation) for the word “Ru’yah”. Also, those who regard it as impossible for Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) to have Knowledge and Might and to have uncreated speech, say that reason regards such matters as impossible, so they resort to Ta’wil. Moreover, those who deny the resurrection of bodies and real eating and drinking in Paradise claim that reason regards such matters as impossible, so they resort to Ta’wil. Also, those who claim that Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) is not seated on the Throne, claim that reason regards it as impossible, thus, they resort to Ta’wil.

The evidence on the corruption of opinions offered by those people is that none of them has a fixed rule regarding what is considered impossible by reason. Some of them claim that reason regards as permissible or obligatory what is regarded as impossible by others. So, which of these can be adopted in terms of considering the Qur'aan and the Prophetic Sunnah? As said by Imam Malik Ibn Anas (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم), “How foolish we are to abandon what is revealed to Muhammad (may peace be upon him) through Jibril (عليه السلام) when a person excels others in argument comes to us!”

May Allaah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!

{Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’}