We entered the era of knowledge explosion but proved to be a disaster to the earth, but we can make amends if we return to the Qur’ān, observes Dr. Khan Yasir
Allah is our Creator and Sustainer. We are His vicegerents on earth. To discharge this heavy responsibility of vicegerency, or in simpler parlance, to manage the earthly affairs constructively, effectively, efficiently and creatively, we are made knowledgeable beings i.e. we are able to seek and acquire knowledge. The tools at human disposal for this purpose are sense perceptions and rational capacity through which we receive and process information and convert it into knowledge.
But our sense perceptions are not absolute… they have their limitations. Our eyes and ears let us see but we cannot see e.g. bacteria and viruses or hear certain frequencies beyond our audible spectrum. We supplement these limitations through special instruments (let’s say microscope and binoculars, etc.) but that’s not the point. Instruments may extend our limits to a certain extent but do not obliterate them. This limitation is not just in terms of physics but in terms of intellect and values as well. For example, many people in the world think that casteism, racism, nudity, and homosexuality, etc. are natural and thus right. This leads to obvious questions: what are the parameters of right and wrong? Whose intellect should be entrusted with the task to decide upon these parameters? And why?
What transpires if we think over these questions long and hard enough is that our skewed senses, intellects and contexts blur our visions to the extent that we may ‘sincerely’ conclude, to our detriment, that the mirage is actually water… both literally and metaphorically.
This explains why humans are not designed to make a way-of-life for themselves. The omniscient knowledge, absolute wisdom, complete impartiality, universal justice and balance… and infinite number of other infinite qualities just cannot be a human forte. That’s why the metanarratives and ideologies concocted in some of the best human minds have proved more lethal for human civilisation than viruses are for an immunodeficient body.
Hence, Humans need Divine Guidance. In Allah’s scheme of things guidance comes through His messengers. Humanity was blessed with the final messenger Prophet Muhammad ﷺ some fourteen and a half centuries ago. He gave us the Qur’ān – the Word of Allah – and through his life taught us how to live the same. He brought the most complete, most successful and most bloodless revolution the world has ever witnessed. Riding on the divine wisdom that he imparted and the examples that he had set, humanity entered the era of rationalisation, scientific method, and knowledge explosion – in short, modernity. And ever since men have turned their backs to the guidance that he brought despite our advanced technological capabilities we have proved to be a disaster to the earth. The earth – of which we are vicegerents!
Can we make amends? Yes, of course. While Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has departed for heavenly abode after completing his mission, the Qur’ān and Sunnah are still with us. If we like to see the ‘miracle’ of spiritual contentment, human prosperity and success of both worlds then it’s high time we returned to the Qur’ān and followed the Prophetic example before it’s too late.