A Brief Study of the Koran

Thought and Reasoning in the Koran 

This has been pointed out in many verses; the word tafakkor (reflection) comes in 18 verses:

قل هل يستوي الاعمي و البصير افلا تتفكرون

"Say: 'Are the blind and the seeing man equal? Will you not reflect?'"

          (Cattle, 6:50)

Thus, Islamic references greatly emphasize that man should know the rules of objective intellect and reasoning – the basics that manage man's intelligible life – and depict them and how man is to use them. By studying the verses above, we see how intellect and reason should be reinforced and what is necessary to make man move on the path of an intelligible life.

We will now present a definition and classifications for reasoning and proof, which involves presenting facts and justifying them for human beings via comparison, exemplification, induction or referring to personal perceptions. There are seven kinds of reasoning:

1-Mathematical

2-Inductive

3-Comparison

4-Exemplification

5-Philosophical

6-Personal perceptions

7-Intuitive

We should say about the first kind of reasoning that the Holy Prophet has been ordered in the Koran to use three fundamental methods for guiding people toward meaningful facts and truths: philosophy, positive preaching and discussion via the best of methods. The Nahj-ul-balaghah also shows this clearly. The Koran includes three forms of reasoning:

a)Experimental

b)Mystic

c)Experimental-mystic

The third kind involves recognizing the supreme order and harmony of the universe with scenic clarity in a way that it shows its hidden meaning. The Koran refers to this form of reasoning – which uses both the innately external and innately internal poles – as heavenly observation (reasoning).

In this reasoning, the internal pole includes the mind's abstract activity in the immensely orderly, harmonious universe – which is continually changing, because the creatures in the universe, too, are in continuous move and change.

The external pole, on the other hand, involves understanding the visible, observable aspect of the beings via reflection; in this case, the mind is like a mirror reflecting inside itself what it sees in the world outside. Such a situation of understanding and reflection is purely a tool; it seems that man receives the understanding of the universe directly via his own presence there. In other words, he sees a face in a mirror, and the fades into the face so much that it seems as if there was no mirror at all.

How the Koran Sees the Universe: Carefully Calculated

The logic in the Koran states in a variety of ways that there is nothing uncalculated in the world; everything is based upon logical calculation. Ultimately, we human beings, merely a tiny part of the universe, can only realize and gain knowledge about some of the events in nature; all great thinkers know too well, however, that the immense machine of nature is far greater than the small part we see.

They also know by geometry and final calculations concerned that the universe is much vaster and more profound than what we may imagine. 

By studying the verses of the Koran we realize that even the smallest event – whether in nature, inside man, individual or social – is quite calculated and orderly. Thus, we can state that the formation and demise of communities and societies, like other natural and human phenomena, are based upon order and logic; nothing happens by chance or coincidence. Some other verses explain how this law also applies to societies.

In some other verses, the prohibition of "corrupting the earth" has been mentioned in a variety of ways:  one verse, "…those who corrupt the earth…" (The Table, 5:33), regards them as "those who fight God and His Prophet." Another verse involves God damning "corruptors" and confirmation of their eventual doom (Thunder, 13:25).

Many verses in the Koran directly or indirectly mention this form of "fixating reforms."   

و اصلح و لا تتبع سبيل المفسدين

"… and put things right, and do not follow the way of the workers of corruption."(The Battlements, 7:142)

فاتقوا الله و اصلحوا ذات بينكم

"… so fear you God, and set things right between you…"

      (The Spoils, 8:1)

 

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