Why Think? ~ 1

While reading the Qur’an, one will stumble upon hundreds of verses that keep reminding reader over and over again to use his/her intellect to think.  These verses provoked the readers to think by questioning readers in a negative form for not using their intellect and for not thinking.  The fact that there are hundreds of verses that mentioned about the intellect in action shows that thinking is necessary and strongly encouraged.  The Qur’an does not merely ask but provoke, challenge and appeal to readers to use their intellect.  As early as verse 44 in the second chapter of the Qur’an, readers are provoked by a negative question, afala ta’qilun (will you not use your intellect?).  There are 13 verses which question readers negatively for not using their intellect, afala ta’qilun which means “do you not think” (al-Qardhawi, 1998); “have you no understanding” (Pickthall, 2001); or “will you not use your reason (Asad, 1980).  Al-Qardhawi explains that Allah asks man in the negative form to motivate man to think of the signs of Allah in order to know Allah and to be convinced of the belief in Allah.  Another 11 verses are in the verb form of ta’qilun which means “you would use your reason” (Asad, 1980); or “you may think or you may understand”, which are used interchangeably by al-Qardhawi (1998) and Pickthall (2001).

Henzell-Thomas (2005) disagrees with the word reason used by Asad (1980) for it gives the connotation that thinking is only at the rational level by the lower intellect.  He prefers to interpret ta’qilun as “you may understand” for the assumption behind understanding is thinking which include both rational thinking and spiritual thinking.  The word ta’qilun which is mentioned 11 times in the Qur’an comes after verses that present Allah’s clear signs so that human may think about those signs which are the Revelation in Arabic language, Allah’s creations, and history of human experiences to arrive at the truth with certainty.

So We said: Strike the (dead body) with part of the (Sacrificed cow), thus Allah brings the dead to life, and He shows you His signs so that you may understand (al-Baqarah: 73).

Thus doth Allah Make clear His Signs to you: In order that ye may understand (al-Baqarah: 242).

O ye who believe! Take not for intimates others than your own folk, who would spare no pains to ruin you; they love to hamper you. Hatred is revealed by (the utterance of) their mouths, but that which their breasts hide is greater. We have made plain for you the revelations if ye will understand (Ali Imran: 118).

We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an, in order that ye may understand (Yusuf: 2).

We sent not before thee (any messengers) save men whom We inspired from among the folk of the townships - Have they not traveled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them? And verily the abode of the Hereafter, for those who ward off (evil), is best. Have ye then no sense? (Yusuf: 109).

In addition to verses that motivate human to think, the Qur’an also contains verses that warn people who do not use their intellect.  The phrase la ya’qilun mentioned in the Qur’an means literally “they do not use their intellect” but Asad interprets the phrase as “they do not use their reason” (1980).  Yusuf Ali (1998) interprets la ya’qilun as “people without understanding”, “they lack wisdom” and “those who understand not”.  The negative la ya’qilun is to convey Allah’s abomination for those whose do not use their intellect to think (al-Qardhawi, 1998).  

The parable of those who reject faith is as if one were to shout like a goat-herd, to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries: Deaf, dumb, and blind, they have no sense. (al-Qur’an, al-Baqarah: 171).

For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb, those who understand not (al-Anfal: 22).

And there are those of them who hear you, but can you make the deaf to hear though they will not understand (Yunus, 42).

Besides the verses that are directly related to the use of the intellect, there are hundreds of verses in the Qur’an that mention about the function of the intellect that is thinking (al-Sharqawi, 2003). Such activities are tafakkur (deep thinking or contemplating), tadabbur (pondering or careful examination), nazr (theoretical or abstract thinking), tabassur (insight), tadhakkur (remembering), tafaqquh (comprehensive understand), i’tibar (to learn lesson from history of human experiences in order not to repeat their mistakes), ta’aqqul (correct application of the mind), and tawassum (reflective thinking).  What follows are some of the Qur’anic verses on thinking.

Say (O Muhammad, to the disbelievers): I say not unto you (that) I possess the treasures of Allah, nor that I have knowledge of the Unseen; and I say not unto you: Lo! I am an angel. I follow only that which is inspired in me. Say: Are the blind man and the seer equal? Will ye not then think? (al-An’am: 50)

And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefore his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may think (al-A’raf: 176).

Will they then not ponder on the Qur’an, or are there locks on their hearts? (Muhammad: 24).

Have they not considered the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and what things Allah has created, and that it may be that their own term draw nigh? In what fact after this will they believe? (al-A’raf: 185).

Say (O prophet): this is my way; resting upon conscious insight accessible to reason, I am calling you all unto God, I and they who follow me (Yusuf: 108).

His people argued with him. He said: Dispute ye with me concerning Allah when He hath guided me? I fear not at all that which ye set up beside Him unless my Lord willeth aught. My Lord includeth all things in His knowledge. Will ye not then remember? (al-An’am: 80)

Behold how many facets We give these Messages, so that they might understand the truth (al-An’am: 65).

Behold, there is indeed a lesson for all who have eyes to see (Ali Imran: 13).

Lo! Therein verily are signs for those who read signs (al-Hijr: 75).

Even though ‘aql can perceive spiritually but it has limitations.  ‘Aql can only make conclusions based on data and information gathered by sense perception.  This means that ‘aql cannot think of the essence of God but only His attributes.  Objects of thinking that is suggested by the Qur’an are its messages; phenomena of the visible world; history of human experiences; and the invisible world.  We have mentioned that they are hundreds of verses that urge readers to think.  Surely the abundance of exhortations and reminders to think convey significant reasons for good thinking.

DEAR READERS,

This essay is a part of my paper which will be published soon.  So, please do not copy, print or share it without permission.