ISLAM AND RATIONALISM
Syed Kazim
Price: ₹70
Pages: 112
Markazi Maktaba Islami Publishers,
D-307, Dawat Nagar, Abul Fazl Enclave,
Jamia Nagar, Okhla, New Delhi, India
Reviewed by WAQUAR HASAN
Rationality is one of the prime bases on which truth and reality are measured and tested. Reason and wisdom are considered the benchmark quality of human beings. These distinguish them from animals. The human tendency to use reason and wisdom has been prevalent since the beginning of the world. But these have got significant position and single criteria to measure truth and reality in the modern world. There is a common perception created by atheists and rationalists that religion is not rational. The same also has been said about Islam.
The beliefs and teachings of Islam have been questioned and criticised widely to prove it irrational. Islam was targeted when it was emerging and it is being done even now when it is facing downfall. On the other hand, there are lots of irrational and unwise things infiltrated into Islamic teachings through various sources and ways. A lot of irrational and unwise practices are widespread among Muslims in the name of Islam. This also contributed to objection and opposition to Islam from some people. There are some misunderstandings and there are some misinterpretations about the teachings of Islam.
The book, Islam and Rationalism by Syed Kazim, tries to find out rational interpretation of some beliefs and teachings of Islam. It tries to give rational base to it. Since the teachings of Islam are very broad and wide, no book can cover all the things related to Islam. So, it has mainly tried to give rational interpretation to those teachings which are often under question and criticism.
First, the book tries to find the position and status of rationalism in Islam. How does Islam view rationalism? What do the holy Qur’ān and Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) hold significance to reason and wisdom? How much stress is given to rationality by the Qur’ān? There is no doubt that the holy Qur’ān gives tremendous assertion over use of rationality to reach the truth. It has urged the entire human being to use reason and wisdom to identify the truth that was mixed up with falsity. The book refers to a large number of those Qur’ānic verses that talk about using reason and wisdom. Some Qur’ānic verses that urge to use reason are:
“The example of those who disbelieve is like that of one who shouts at what hears nothing but calls and cries (i.e., cattle or sheep) – deaf, dumb and blind, so they do not understand.” (Qur’ān 2:171)
“Thus does God make clear to you His verses (i.e., laws) that you might use reason.” (Qur’ān 2:242)
“Thus, the Qur’ān aims at emphasising the role of rationalism and refutes the view of some of the religions that faith is alien to, or, is incompatible with rationalism, and that to embrace faith one has to suspend his rational faculty and concentrate upon heart alone, so that it may absorb the Divine light and become illuminated by it,” the writer argues.
Apart from highlighting the position of rationalism in the Qur’ān, he points out rationalism in the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) and other Prophets, act of worship such as Salah, Zakah, Saum and Hajj and some Islamic directives. He has highlighted rationality behind the Islamic beliefs such as Sole God (Tauheed) and life hereafter (Akhirah).
The book will help common man who is interested in understanding Islam rationally. It will brush off the misunderstanding that Islam is an irrational religion. It will make people aware of rational interpretation of Islamic teachings. It will provide a substance to think over Islamic teachings rationally and strengthen the ideology of Islam. Rational way of thinking will lead to ideological empowerment of Islam.
As far as rationality of Islam is concerned, it has very profound and broad perspective. The rationality itself is the name of deep sense and grasp. And the Islamic teachings are full of wisdom and reason. The book does not go so deep in finding rationality into Islamic teachings. The writer mostly, while rationalising Islam, overshadowed the spiritual aspect of Islam and focused other aspects. For example, it highlighted some medical benefits of Saum (Fasting) but not spiritual benefits.
The need of the hour is to realise the rationality of spirituality. It is a general perception created by secular ideologies that spirituality is needless and irrational. The book focuses material rationality rather than spiritual rationality. The second part of the book may be written focusing this aspect of rationality.