Presence Of Mind by Taqiuddin Nabhani

In principle, spontaniety should be natural, because it comes on its own. The danger or the deliverance from trouble is what makes spontaniety exist; it comes naturally because evading danger requires quick judgement to take quick measures. This is the same with spontaniety in regards to deliverance from trouble. This is enough to say on this subject. However, when the West invaded the Islamic world and the Muslims, it came with thoughts that call for slow thinking and avoiding haste in rushing to judgement. When the West invaded the Islamic countries politically and occupied them, it started to apply practically the process of slow thinking and study, so the Muslims imitated them, as the imitation of the strong by the weak is intuitive. Therefore, the thoughts that were adopted without caution and vigilance came to be applied practically and so this resulted in slow thinking. Everything started to require study and scrutiny. Even the automatic matters that should not be philosophised or thought about became subject to study, thought and research. This resulted in the slow thinking which became natural with the people, particularly those who work with and in thought. They thus lost spontaniety until it almost became nonexistent, except in the cases of very great danger. Therefore, it became necessary to use artificial processes to develop spontaniety.

The use of intelligence, which is a natural matter and must be natural, was thus in need of an artificial operation. Therefore, it became necessary to simulate a process for using intelligence and a process for developing spontaniety. However, this process, whether for using intelligence or for spontaniety, must change from a simulated process to an intuitive and natural one. This is because spontaniety must be natural; it is not correct that it is always simulated, for simulation is only for the sake of making spontaniety with man natural and intuitive. Thus, the natural spontaniety and intuition is the basis and it must exist. Simulation is only one of the means to develop natural spontaniety thereafter the simulation is removed. Therefore natural spontaniety is the basis, which must exist; while the simulated spontaniety is opposite to the basis, it must only be used as a stimulating device and as a tool to develop the original (natural) spontaniety. So, when they say “spontaniety”, what is meant is the natural or intuitive spontaniety; the term is not used except for this type. This is because spontaniety is quick judgement on a matter; it only comes about naturally, not artificially.

This is because simulation deprives it of benefit and of providing the required measure, for simulation is a state that lies between slow thinking and quick thinking, which is and must be a temporary state. It is also a means and not an end, so it must be a means and continue to be so. Accordingly, we find natural spontaniety as the basis, or it must be and continue to be the basis. Therefore, discussion is only about natural spontaniety and not about artificial spontaniety. Since, in reality, the people in this region (the Middle East) and the Muslims in particular continue to adhere to slow thinking, spontaniety is still distant from them. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the simulated spontaniety and it is necessary to work for it and with it. Thus, it is necessary to discuss simulated spontaniety as a means and a tool, not as an objective in itself.

The process of simulated spontaniety starts with the use of intelligence. The use of intelligence itself, though it should be natural, became artificial, due to the cultural invasion and the political invasion. Therefore, it is necessary to start with the simulated use of intelligence, i.e. to have simulation in using intelligence and in developing spontaniety. Thus, we have to start by using simulation in everything, i.e. it is necessary to have deliberateness and premeditation in order to initiate simulation; simulation is necessary in order to use intelligence and consequently in order to develop spontaniety. Continuance and pursuance in this action is also necessary, in order that spontaniety becomes natural after the use of intelligence becomes natural.

Since simulation is deliberateness and intent, then it is necessary to have such deliberateness and intent. The question that arises now is, “What do you do deliberately and intentionally?” The answer is that one starts with the use of intelligence. Since the use of intelligence starts with attention, then it is necessary to have deliberateness and intent in attention. Though this might result from training and education, it is also better coming naturally.

Therefore, it comes through the presentation of thoughts and making the people adopt them once they are convinced of their validity, i.e. once they adopt them as concepts. So it is said to the people that they must have deliberateness and intent in their attention. Thus, when they face any matter they will aim at deliberate and intentional attention and then understand the matter.

In other words, they start to use the intelligence in an artificial way.

Then eventually it becomes intuitive to them. With repetition and time, this creates spontaniety in them. Therefore, deliberateness and intent is the first pillar, but not by training and education, it is rather by giving thoughts to the people so that they become concepts for them. In other words, thoughts are given to them accompanied with their proofs, whether given verbally, or in a way that makes their evidence clear from mentioning them only. Once they became concepts, their adoption and use of them becomes guaranteed, thus guaranteeing the process of the use of intelligence.

Once this is secured, then spontaniety will exist. Its existence might be artificial at the beginning, but with repetition and time it will become natural. Therefore, deliberateness and intent guarantee development of natural spontaniety, not only simulated spontaniety.

The previous example of the petrol and the driver is spontaniety, but it came from the unexpected danger, or from getting into trouble. It might also come from intent and deliberateness. So if deliberateness and intent existed, i.e. if attention existed with the people, then once they got into such a situation, like the example of the petrol, they would become attentive in examining the fluid that flows on the ground. This may be based on deliberateness and intent if they understood that, or from the danger itself or the trouble they fell in. If this attention was because of the danger or the trouble, then this is outside the scope of our study. However, if it was based on intent and deliberateness, then this is the subject of study. That is, this deliberateness and intent initiates attention, consequently it initiates the use of intellect or the use of intelligence and thus spontaniety occurs with them.

In the example of the verdict of Sulaiman al-Hakeem to divide the child, the deliberateness and intent occurred by the result of the division and the impact of this verdict on the two women. In other words, attention or use of intelligence occurred from the result of the division and its impact on the two women. What the person expected from the use of intelligence then resulted, that is the rejection by the mother of the child and the acceptance by the other woman. This rejection and acceptance is what the person expects from using the intelligence. Thus, spontaniety results from knowing which of these two women is the real mother of the child.

This spontaniety resulted from the use of intelligence. The use of intelligence resulted from attention. The attention resulted from intent and deliberateness. Thus, intent and deliberateness is the first step you must start with in the whole process. Though this process changes from one situation to another and from one state to another, it however proceeds in its designed course. Thus, its change or its steps are natural and not artificial, because it proceeds according to what was expected of it. Though it was artificial, the perfection of its simulation made it seem quasi-natural. Therefore, it inevitably leads to a natural matter, i.e. the natural use of intelligence and consequently, natural spontaniety. Thus, if it continued in this form, its use will be precise and its results will be natural, or according to what is expected of it. Therefore, it will not be long before its use leads to the use of intelligence naturally and for spontaniety to become natural.

Therefore, nobody should think that simulation in using intelligence and in developing spontaniety is a hard matter, or that it takes long time before it leads to natural spontaniety. The matter, rather, depends on the precision in simulation. If simulation was precise and what is expected occurred, then natural spontaniety would be achieved. It would become a habit from the first simulated exercise, rather than from the first real work, without any sign of its artificial origins. Thus, all the issues become natural from the first moment and the first step. Though an artificial spontaniety occurred, i.e. the first exercise, followed by natural spontaniety, they all however seem natural, even the first one. This is because simulation disappears because of the precision and because what is expected occurs automatically. Thus, it occurs as if it is natural, so nobody sees in it the sign of simulation or artifice.

We are obliged to use the simulation due to the effects of the Western cultural and political invasion, alongside the effect that the agents of the Kaafir colonialist West have on the souls and minds of the Muslims. This led thinking to become study and investigation in everything, until spontaniety was lost. If it were not because of that, we would not need such simulated operations. This is because spontaniety was natural and the use of intelligence was natural. The minds were not then confused with anything. The people used to study whatever needed study and use spontaniety in that which did not need study and examination. They used to use their intelligence every time it was needed, whether in spontaniety or in anything else. Therefore, taking the people back to the origin from which they came or to the level that their fathers and forefathers were at is easy and simple, without need for complication. This is because these are the offspring of those who were before them. All of them had spontaniety as an origin and it alone existed. Therefore, taking them back to that origin that existed with them, even by force, does not need great effort. Therefore, action has to be taken to build natural spontaniety; rather action should be made for it in any way possible.