July 25, 2012
Uniting Religion and Reason
by Dr Mohd Farid M Shahran, Senior Fellow, IKIM@www.thestar.com.my
It is hardly possible for a civilisation to survive without being appreciative to rational inquiries and intellectual pursuits. For civilisation is nothing but the refinement of human life through rational investigation and experience.
THE incident of a couple attacking a Policeman with a sword in front of the Prime Minister’s Department was a front cover story recently. The man, who was shot and later on died, also claimed himself to be the Imam Mahdi.
While the real cause of the incident is still under investigation, immediate reaction was one of bewilderment for such an irrational act. Since the motive is seemingly religious, the deeper question is, could religion teach us to do such a thing?
To be religious is quite often thought to be anti-reason and dismissive of rational inquiries.The basic premise is two-fold. First, since religion is based on submission to the absolute will of God, less room is available for thinking and rational justification, and secondly, it is based on divine injunction which is beyond fault, hence, no rational explanation is needed.
The logical implication of this thinking is that what comes from religion will form its own truth, while what comes from reason will form another. Both of these are irreconcilable and contradictory. Ultimately, this thinking will lead to the situation where every endeavour, which is based on rational inquiry like science and philosophy, is contradictory to religion.
This is based on a few observations: First, Islam has proven itself to be a great civilisation for a long time. It is hardly possible to think of a civilisation that can survive, without being appreciative to rational inquiries and intellectual pursuits.
For civilisation is nothing but the refinement of every aspect of human life through rational investigation and human experience within any framework of a worldview.
In the case of Islam, although the development of its civilisation was inspired by the spirit of revelation and progressed within the framework of religious worldview with tawhid as the central theme, the gradual unfolding of its various civilisational aspects in history took place through diverse intellectual inquiries.
This is reflected in countless great intellectual works of Muslim scholars 
throughout the Golden Age of Islam. In addition, science and philosophy flourished in the Muslim world while translations by Muslim scholars of great works from the zenith of reason at that time, the Greek civilisation, were very much active.
Secondly, the Quran as the source of Islam is far from anti-reason.Replete with verses challenging human beings to use their reason, the Quran quite often ends some of its verses with phrases like “will you not use your reason?” and “so that you might use your reason” which are mainly directed at those who are inconsistent in their thinking and actions.
In the same spirit, the Quran does not ever portray people who are reasonable and contemplative as bad and vile. On the contrary, they are described as those who are on the right path and are close to God.
They are the ones who posses true insight (ulu al-absar), true heart (ulu al-bab), true intelligence (ulu al-nuha), all referring to different aspects of reason (‘aql).
One of the verses pronounces that those who reflect on the creation of heavens and earth will eventually come to the conclusion that such creations are neither made in vain nor without purpose, but rather are signs to higher divine meanings (Quran 3:191).
As a matter of fact, this verse has become one of the motivating factors in the development of science in Islam.
In a few instances in the Quran, God challenges those who do not want to accept the teachings of the Prophet and the truth of religion to provide their burhan to prove themselves right.
The term burhan, which later became a terminology in Islamic philosophy, refers to the demonstrative proof that is the highest level of rational proof based on self-evident premises.
Thirdly, some rational principles play important roles even in the understanding of revelations as explained by Muslim theologians.For example, before every Quranic verse can be fully understood, it must be qualified rationally for its metaphorical level, if it is specific or general, or if it comes in contradiction with other verses in terms of meaning.
Such are the rational principles which are the prerequisites in understanding revelation.
Following this, another important rational method developed in the study of 
the Quran, which is the allegorical interpretation in regard to the verses which seem contradictory in meaning.
Such a method derived from the premise that the Quran must be consistent and self contradictions should not arise. In other words, those who read the Quran must be reasonably sound so as to understand that some verses are not in contradiction with others.
Fourthly, in Islam both reason and religion are innate to human beings. Being an essential characteristic, every human being is endowed with reason, and for that matter, the human being is defined by philosophers as a thinking living being (al-hayawan al-natiq). The great Muslim thinker, al-Ghazali, defines reason as a natural disposition in man that differentiates him from other living beings.
As to religion, which in Islam is reflected in the concept of conscious and willing submission to one God (aslama) and true worship (ibadah), they are already inherent characteristics of every child who, according to a saying of the Prophet, is born into this world pure and sinless, hence has already submitted itself to God.
In fact, another Quranic verse reiterates that even all of the children of Adam have submitted themselves to God through their covenant with Him before coming to this world (Quran 7:172).
It is therefore hardly conceivable that both religion and reason, which are innate, can be contradictory in nature.
Islam as practised here is controlled by political mullahs (ulamaks and muftis) in Jawi, Jais and other religious agencies of the state. They seem to be the only official interpreters of Quranic injunctions. A Malaysian Muslim must abide by their viewers without question. So, it is big business for these guys especially from born again Muslims in our country who made their pile of money and must now show their piety. Now wonder we Muslims here are a confused and guilt ridden lot.–Din Merican
In my youth I read:
“Religion is the opium of the poor, the tool of the rich and powerful”
which made me shun religions.
In my mature years I found:
“Do not believe in anything (simply)
because you have heard it.
Do not believe in traditions because they
have been handed down for many generations.
Do not believe in anything because it is
spoken and rumoured by many.
Do not believe in anything (simply) because
it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority
of your teachers and elders.
But after observation and analysis
when you find that anything agrees with reason
and is conductive to the good and benefit of one and all
then accept it and live up to it.”
I was liberated to enjoy reading religious writings but always using the last paragraph above as guide.
Having been brought up very conservatively by my Orthodox & a ” religious ” father ” i grew up as an atheist, but after two decades, i became a free-thinker to stay neutral. Now that i am closer to 8decades, what changed me was simply this single factor : I have found that ‘ Judgement Day’ people talk about is in ref to the ‘end of the world’ – to the Scientists the exhausted Sun would ‘devour’ all the large scale structures ( ie: the End) would happen 5 & a half billion years more….will we all the human race be still around ? So i stayed not the least bit worried, until….until i become CONVINCED now that Judgement Day will be sooner than expected : it WILL be at the time of our “exit” from this world…. its ok if you dont believe….
Btw, but dinobeano/Dato Din is extremely correct about the situation in Malaysia which is not the True Islam : its beginning to be divisive like Iraq where the two sects Sunni/Shia/ Followers are prepared to Slaughter one another, all for Political Dominance….they are distorting religion deliberately…period
Its no gross exaggeration to say that Judgement day is in ref to our INDIVIDUAL departure from this world…..but problem is how to ‘prove’ this scientificallly….?
Reason? That’s a function of our education, life-experiences, social mores, traditions and culture. It’s conditional to our mind’s ability to perceive the external environment. What goes on between the ears has everything to do with the ‘conditioning’ we have received in our formative years. It has nothing to do with reality. For e.g., if you were taught that red is ‘green’ and reinforced in that ‘idea’ throughout your life – how am i to tell you otherwise?
Too much ‘reasoning’ is inimical to Human Life. All we need is a modicum – not too much, not too little. Living a Life is all there is to it. Spirituality is not a ‘perception’ – it is a function of our neocortex, in which lies ‘intuition’. This too is a function of the ‘perceptual bias’. The rest i leave it to God, for explanation..
Btw, Ms Tan, what is it actually you ‘analyse’?
It is FAITH that matters and not religion… and Faith needs no reason.
And religion? It has nothing to do with Faith… or even God.
No i am afraid….think why Albert Einstein said : ‘ Science without religion is lame, Religion without Science ( reason ) is blind …” ?
Yes CLF, iknew you would come to that, exquisite… ” intuition” , something not easy to define xcept “experience”… it is infact like saying simply that it is the proclivity of man towards his Primordial nature that is embeded deep within the hype lying hidden there….all else are ‘cover stories’ ? No ?
According to anthropologists John Monaghan and Peter Just,
Many of the great world religions appear to have begun as revitalization movements of some sort, as the vision of a charismatic prophet fires the imaginations of people seeking a more comprehensive answer to their problems than they feel is provided by everyday beliefs. Charismatic individuals have emerged at many times and places in the world. It seems that the key to long-term success – and many movements come and go with little long-term effect – has relatively little to do with the prophets, who appear with surprising regularity, but more to do with the development of a group of supporters who are able to institutionalize the movement. — wikipedia
uniting Religion and Reason? you cannot and you don’t have to. one can practise both separately. each individual should read the Book and interpret it for himself,
thats what we do in school – reading and comprehension. you don’t need imams and mullahs to intepret it for you – thats where politics is introduced into religion.
all religions use languages not understood by the common people like Latin, Sanskrit, Jawi and Greek. that gives the religious officials an upperhand in dealing with the crowd.
malaysia should make it compulsory for muslims to read the Book in malay and understand it first.
if I may say so, the difference between Catholics and Protestants is that the catholics depend on the priest and pope to intepret for them whereas the protestants are more liberal and allow themselves to decide what is right and wrong.
If one distorts ‘ religion’ one is entrapped or even enslaved by it.
But if one is ‘liberated’ from its clutches, religion is All-embracing…
meaning spirituality & science do not ‘conflict’ but reinforce each other, complementary….i have come accross some convincing articles which talks about ” Science of spirituality ” , which, though it sounds abstract, is soothing to human nature…..
There is no such thing as ‘science’ of spirituality, my friend.
Science is repeatable experimentally. All neuroscience can do is point out the physical or anatomical structures in the brain that are active during
‘spiritual’ exercises, whether by Hindu Yogis, Zen Monks, Christian Hesychasts or Sufi Adepts. They point to the same domains in the temporal and parietal regions. What it doesn’t tell us is how the ‘signal’ is generated nor what the subjective experience is. Reality is the result of our consciousness, not necessarily of ‘reason’.
Therefore, spirituality cannot be ‘scientific’; as much as God is in another realm from scientific inquiry, logic or reason. Metaphysics is called that precisely because it is ‘beyond’ mere physics. They are two different systems of ‘being’ – something like the Mind-Brain duality/dichotomy. Socrates famously said the sum of all philosophy is Theology. By that he probably meant, the impenetrable human mind of an Anthropomorphic Supernature.
Take the example of the infinite difference between relativity and quantum mechanics – and you may get the general idea. Let’s just say you and i were ‘determined’ “To Be”, since the beginning of the Universe. Nothing more difficult than that. Whether one recognizes a God or not is called Prevenient Grace. You may reject it, if conscience suits you. You are no better or worse for wear.
I think this ‘reasonable’ discussion lacks the essential point of our existence, and that my friends is – Mystery. What is Faith without Mystery?
And Mystery must be distinguished from Superstition. Those with fervid imaginations like wannabe Imam Mahdi and Christ can’t.
As for Mystery, i’ll have you know that women dream of sexual partners other than that of their spouses/partners, 80% of the time. Not very different from men who supposedly 84% of the time. Frightening or cuckolded?
CLF, it s only in the sense of ‘methodology’ which is central to the Koranic narrations that is “considered” scientific, but not in the same sense like what you say of providing ‘proof’ thereof. In the sense of trying to prove it in a scientific way something which is abstruse relating to the innefable reality, in that way yes, you can’t do it scientifically.
There is a very slight difference here. In the very limited sense that science deals with ‘knowledge’ which can be made into a ” system” viz : in the sense of trying to understand the ceated universe to give ‘meaning’ to life’s existence in its myriad forms ( human life, plant life, animal life ), all these would become incomprehensible – IF the prior fact of not making ” God ” the centre of creation, it would render all Existence Incomprehensible : without comprehending Him, all else is incomprehensible….
But yes i agree, no one can prove (nor disprove) the Abstruse reality…
Let’s put it this way, Abnizar: “Can God exist, if you don’t exist?”
If affirmative, then you are in serious trouble, my friend.
If negative, then you are on the right track.
This type of argument is called the double negatives or ‘via negativa’. It’s a device used to intuit the unknowable. Within it, is the core of existence. Yes, God exists because you exist – not the other way around. Our ‘reality’ is conditional to acceptance that we must ‘know who we are’. In the Judeo-Christian traditions many of us seek the self revelation which is “I Am, (which/who/what) I Am” – that is embodied, yet transcendent, in Jesus Christ.
I am not sure how that relates to a Muslim, as the answers vary from the people i have spoken to. Literalists and Legalists i don’t bother with.
Mysticism is not my cup of tea, but spirituality is a very personal quest. I think there must be a balance between reason and faith. Otherwise, we end up too far to the extremes, that we get lost. Don’t look at science for God.
Its getting to be very interesting, if colleagues in this blog would like to know CLF.
” Man ” himself is the greatest mystery & indeed a ” miracle ” of Creation ( read Neuro Surgeon Dr Mervin Morse, replete with illustratons) – in the Judo-Christian tradition ” know thyself ” is repeated in the Koran ( give you some Arabic here) ” Man Arrafah Nafsahu Faqad Arrafah Rabbahu….”
How does the Koran, in that limited sense, deal with the “scientific” ? It has been described by Western scholars as the ‘ Living Koran’ b’coz it deals with ” The Living Universe “, so here is another, a pertinent one, of the Arabic : ” Shuhuddul Qasarah Fil’ wahaddah, shuhuddul Whaddah Fil Qarrah…”
Its deals with the principle of Correlation, and Relation back. Translated, it means : ” Contemplate ( about the universe ) One to the many, and relate back the many to the One…” ie : all the pluralities & the multiplicities of the Universe, relate back to the One, the Absolute & The Eternal…. ( a kind of a mirror Reflection of the Cosmic Reality ) – here with us in the ‘Mind’, the ” Brain” merely to ” contemplate “….
Sir Isaac Newton says the Physical Universe ( or the material Universe) is ‘ Second Divinity’ not without a reason…. – period
…. Because, the Transcendent nature of ” God ” is in this very real & Manifested Universe that we observe, as Scientists do. Wheras the Koran says ” The Immanent Nature ” of His Being is Hidden…. ( ” I am the Outwardly Manifest, and the Inwardly Hidden…..”)
Put in another way : In so far as the Transcendent Nature goes, He IS ” identifiable” in all the Manifested forms which we observe. In His Immanent Nature ( of Being Hidden ) is removed from the Material Universe….
Scientific, Not Scientific ? Up to you…..
Peace !
ONE THING IS FOR SURE!
We may never know what went on inside his head!
The poor lady partner may never be able to speak for the deceased!
She can only speak for herself!
Is it misled or being led astray?
Only the almighty knows!
Will we know the real story or the truth even if she speaks!
That is another issue all together!
We will be kept in the dark!
What the GOVT says we have to take it as it IS!
With a ‘big guni’ of salt!
RELIGION IS NEVER WRONG!
but humans make it difficult because they interpret it to their whims & fancies
worst the authorities put forth orders which their bosses wants!
Malaysia is nothing new!