The Islamic Way Of Thinking by Hasan Abdullah

The daleel can be divided into two primary categories: The intellectual or rational daleel derived through the thinking process, and the textual daleel deduced from the wahi.

The intellectual daleel, which is derived through the aql, is the reality that corresponds to an issue and proves its correctness as a result. This type of daleel is further subdivided into two types:

The fundamental thought, or Aqeedah, is the foundation which humanity refers to when measuring things. This thought serves as a frame of reference for the human being and defines his point of view and outlook towards life by resolving the essential questions that every human being must answer. The evidence for this type of thought is rational and must fully match with the reality. For example, believing in Allah (swt) as Unlimited and Eternal is a fundamental thought which is established by certain realities inherent in the universe, in life, and in the human being himself. The properties which all of these realities inherently possess would lead to the intellectual realization that they are created and not eternal. Similarly, believing in the Qur'an is derived through this process. As an Arabic text, the Qur'an must have a source. Examining the reality of the Qur'an and thinking about its possible sources would lead to the rational conclusion that the Qur'an must be the words of Allah (swt). And the prophethood of Muhammad (saaw) is realized through this conclusion.

The Qur'an addressed the sentiments of the human being while simultaneously directing the human being to think about the world surrounding him and to arrive at a conclusive belief. Through this intermixing of intellect and emotions, the Islamic Aqeedah addresses both aspects of the human being. Thus, the Islamic Aqeedah convinces the intellect of the human being and satisfies his nature. The core of the Aqeedah, which consists of believing in the Oneness of Allah, the Qur'an as the word of Allah, and in Muhammad as the final messenger, are established using this method.

Once the foundation of the Aqeedah7 is built, it serves as a basis for peripheral issues related to the Aqeedah, such as the previous prophets and books, the Day of Resurrection, Jannah (Paradise) and Jahannam (Hell-Fire), and the Attributes of Allah.

These concepts can only be deduced after establishing the core of the Aqeedah because the evidence for such issues is the wahi itself, which cannot be realized without first establishing the existence of the wahi, the source of the wahi, and the human being's need for the wahi.

Furthermore, these issues cannot be discussed rationally because they are beyond the senses of the human being, which is an essential component of the rational thinking process.

The intellectual process is also used to construct basic thoughts related to the various aspects of life, such as politics and economics, and these basic thoughts serve as a foundation for building an understanding of these various aspects of life. For example, building a political mentality requires establishing some basic notions about the influential nations in the world and their policies, interests, and relationship to other nations. These thoughts must be built by understanding the reality as it is and not through imagining the reality the way someone wants it to be. Thus, applying the intellectual process is required for all aspects of life except.

The frame of reference, which is defined by the fundamental thought or Aqeedah, serves as the lens through which the human being perceives all other issues. Moreover, this frame will shape the individual's mentality and thinking towards a specific direction. Consequently, each individual would look to issues and problems from a distinct angle. One cannot perceive detailed issues and thoughts in isolation because the detailed thoughts are built upon fundamental thoughts and do not exist in a vacuum. Given an issue such as inheritance, each individual will discuss this issue based upon his or her fundamental outlook upon life, which will result in various solutions to address the issue. Communists will not recognize inheritance because personal ownership does not exist according to their frame of reference. And even if the government allows some ownership, they would not permit the transfer of this ownership to future generations through inheritance. On the other hand, the Capitalists would recognize inheritance and give the owner full freedom to define his will and designate or deny his wealth to whomever he chooses without restriction. Thus, a person can apportion his inheritance to his wife and children, to some or none of his children, to his pets, or to an organization. While a Muslim would not use his own rational judgment to issue a decision because the problem of inheritance is a legal issue and not an intellectual one. Thus, the Muslim would refer to the Hukm Sharii which indicates, as a basic thought, that wealth belongs to Allah and that the individual's ownership is defined as Allah's permission given to such an individual to own a specific item and utilize it for his own benefit. Once the individual dies, this permission ceases to exist, and his wealth must be distributed in fixed percentages to specific categories of individuals defined by the Hukm Sharii. The owner of wealth cannot change this system of inheritance, nor can he distribute his inheritance during his lifetime.

The differences mentioned result from the distinct frames of reference which each human being refers an issue to, and each frame is defined by a unique fundamental thought. None of these individuals would discuss the issue of inheritance, or any other issue, in isolation and disconnected from his frame of reference. As a result, the differences that exist in the world today in terms of how humanity perceives its issues and problems stem from the differences that exist in the fundamental thought which human beings adopt.

The distinct views that may arise in the way human beings perceive their issues is evident in the way that each fundamental thought defines the society and consequently prescribes the formula for changing the society. The Communists would look to any change in the society as an inevitable outcome of evolution resulting from the inherent class struggle in the society. According to the Communist thought, the human being has no control over this process, and the extent of the individual's contribution is limited to accelerating this process by making the class conflicts more obvious in order to mobilize the lower classes to revolt against the elite class. The Capitalists would look to change in the society as the result of promoting new ideas through the media and educational system until the society would accommodate such ideas. At the same time, the system would leave the individual to decide where he stands regarding such ideas, as what occurred with the issue of homosexuality. In Islam, the process of change occurs first by examining the idea through study, research, and thought, in order to determine its merits. If the idea is incorrect, then it would be abandoned. However, if the idea is proven correct, then the Islamic State and the different parties existing within the Ummah would work to build the thinking of the masses according to the new thought through education and interaction. This process would result in building the concepts that individuals carry in addition to changing the public norms, which would in turn strengthen the concepts that the individuals possess and influence their behavior.

The second major category of daleels is the textual daleel which is derived exclusively from the wahi. As with the intellectual evidence, the textual daleel is also subdivided into two types:

Aqeedah is defined as the fundamental thought which provides a comprehensive explanation of the universe, man, and life, in addition to defining what lay before and after these realities and establishing the relationship between all of these aspects. While the core of the Aqeedah (which addresses the existence of Allah, the Qur'an as Allah's Speech, and Muhammad as a prophet) is established through intellectual daleels, all other issues related to the Aqeedah are based solely upon the textual daleel that emanates from the wahi. Because the textual evidence (the Qur'an), as well as its source (Allah), are proven intellectually, then the Muslim must believe in whatever the text mentions. Rejecting the text amounts to accusing Allah (swt) of giving false information, which directly contradicts the intellectually conclusive basis for the Aqeedah.

The daleel used in the Aqeedah is called Burhaan and carries a distinct significance. Burhaan is defined as the conclusive evidence which proves the existence of something in a conclusive manner. In this regard, Allah (swt) says:

"Say, 'Bring your Burhaan if you are telling the truth.'" [TMQ 27:64] Any daleel used to prove any issue related to the Aqeedah must be conclusive in both its authenticity as well as its meaning because the Aqeedah cannot be established upon doubt or speculation. Only the Qur'an and the Hadith Mutawaatir carry this quality. Although the Khabr Ahad can be categorized as sound, its authenticity and correctness does not reach the level to render it a sufficient source of daleels for issues related to the Aqeedah. The evidence that the Aqeedah must be conclusive relates to the nature of the Aqeedah itself. The Aqeedah necessitates conclusiveness because the fundamental thought, which defines the outlook towards life and serves as the basis upon which all other thoughts and concepts are built, must be established upon conclusive evidences. If the fundamental thought is subject to doubt and uncertainty, then the very life of the human being will be mired with doubt and uncertainty in every aspect. Furthermore, the Qur'an condemned the Kuffar for establishing their Aqaid based on speculation or doubt:

"They follow nothing but conjectures, and they do nothing but lie." [TMQ 6:116] "And they have no knowledge of it, they only speculate." [TMQ 45:24] "They follow only a guess, and verily, guessing is no substitute for the truth." [TMQ 53:28] In these and other ayahs, Allah (swt) attacked the Kuffar for establishing their fundamental thoughts through doubt, imitation, and emotions. It cannot be argued that this condemnation is specific to the Kuffar because the ayahs did not attack the Kuffar per se but also attacked the very concept of building the Aqeedah upon doubt. Therefore, the daleel for the Aqeedah must be conclusive to the extent that no other understanding can be derived from the evidences used. Only through this process can the Muslims guarantee the purity of their Aqeedah and safeguard themselves from delving into absurd discussions based on speculation. The intellectual fragmentation that occurred among Muslims in some issues related to the Aqeedah was due to several reasons, one of which was accepting inconclusive evidence as a basis for building the Aqeedah.

In Usul ul-Fiqh, the daleel used for a Hukm Sharii is called "Amaarah," which is defined as: An indication to show that a particular issue is most likely included in this item. The difference between the Burhaan and the Amarah is more clearly illustrated in the following example. When Allah (swt) says, "We sent to Madian their brother Shuaib," [TMQ 11:84] the ayah proves the fact that Shuaib was sent to his people. Furthermore, the ayah also proves that Shuaib was a prophet. The fact that Shuaib was a prophet is not "derived" from the ayah; rather, the ayah mentions this fact conclusively without any room for doubt or error.

However, when Allah (swt) says regarding the wudu, "And if you lamastum women," [TMQ 5:6] Imam Shafi used this ayah to show that touching a woman breaks the wudu. Shafi derived this hukm from the ayah based on his understanding and the extent of his knowledge. And according to Shafi, this understanding is correct with the possibility of being incorrect. Abu Hanifa uses the same ayah to indicate that lamastum refers to sexual intercourse. According to Abu Hanifa's understanding and the extent of his knowledge, the ayah indicates this hukm, and to Abu Hanifa, this understanding is correct with the possibility that it is wrong. The ayah did not establish the existence of something in a conclusive manner. Instead, each mujtahid would use the ayah to illustrate that the hukm which he understands related to the issue at hand is DERIVED from the ayah. As a result, each mujtahid considers his opinion as correct with the possibility of being wrong and considers the opinions of the other scholars related to the same issue as wrong with the possibility of being correct.

Because the Hukm Sharii differs from the Aqeedah, the Hukm Sharii does not necessarily require a conclusive evidence. The mujtahid searches for the daleel in order to understand what most likely seems correct regarding a particular issue. Therefore, the daleel can either be conclusive or nonconclusive.

However, there are many rules which have a conclusive daleel, such as the number of prayers a day, the number of rakas in each prayer, the obligation of fasting during Ramadan, the permissibility of trading and prohibition of riba, theft and zina, the obligation of being ruled by Islam, and other issues. These issues lend no room for ijtihad because their corresponding evidences are conclusive.

The Qur'an, Hadith Mutawaatir, and Hadith Ahad can all be used as a source of daleels for the Hukm Sharii. The evidence which allows Muslims to rely on non-conclusive daleels as a source of akham shariyah is the fact that the Qur'an itself addressed the Muslims with both ayahs having conclusive meanings as well as those with non-conclusive meanings. Allah (swt) would not mention akham shariyah in non-conclusive ayahs if they could not be used as a source of daleels for rulings. Furthermore, the Prophet (saaw) accepted the Muslims changing the direction of the Qibla from Al-Quds to Mecca on the account of one individual. While the details of this issue are mentioned in books of Usul ul-Fiqh and are beyond the scope of this paper, the general outlook towards the daleel is essential to building the Islamic way of thinking in the correct manner.

In summary, Muslims should not adopt any thought, opinion, or rule without an evidence. The default scenario is that every Muslim must be a mujtahid. But because such a level is beyond the capacity of many individuals to achieve, the taqleed is permissible in issues related to Ahkam Shariyah. However, the permissibility of taqleed should not serve as a passport for ignorance.

Muslims must search and study in order to elevate their knowledge, even though they may not possess the ability to perform ijtihad. While attaining the ability to perform ijtihad may not be achievable to many individuals, having the ability to research the opinions of mujtahids, understanding how they arrived at their opinions, and comprehending the soundness of the daleels they used, are certainly within the reach of many Muslims.

Muslims must believe in the wahi that Allah (swt) sent to Muhammad (saaw). The immediate question that arises is: What is the wahi and what is its domain? The wahi is defined as the address of Allah (swt) to the people, which includes the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The Qur'an is wahi because it is the Speech of Allah in both its words and meaning, while the Sunnah is wahi because the Qur'an conclusively established that whatever Muhammad (saaw) delivered is wahi. Allah (swt)

mentions this fact in several ayahs in the Qur'an, such as the following ayah:

"He does not speak out of his whims, but rather it is wahi." [TMQ 53:4] The letter "maa" in the ayah means "whatsoever," which is a letter in Arabic used to denote generalization. Thus, the ayah indicates that everything that Muhammad (saaw) spoke related to the Deen is wahi. In addition, Allah (swt) says:

"Say (Muhammad), 'I am only a man like you. It has been revealed to me that your Ilah is One Ilah'" [TMQ 18:110] "Say (Muhammad), 'I warn you only by the wahi'" [TMQ 21:45] "And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you from, abstain (from it)." [TMQ 59:7] The wahi, which includes the Qur'an and Sunnah, can be divided into two main categories. The first type addresses the Aqeedah and provides information related to the Ghaib and about past or future events, such as the description of Paradise, information describing the angels and jinn, and information about some previous prophets. Muslims must believe in this information as conclusive.

The other category of wahi contains orders for carrying out specific actions, which are further subdivided into the five known categories of the Hukm Sharii. This type of wahi also includes rules related to objects because prohibiting specific objects implicitly means to prohibit actions connected to those objects. For example, the prohibition of wine includes prohibiting its consumption, production, and trade. The position of the Muslim regarding the rules is to comply with every rule in its full capacity.

Therefore, the wahi covers the Aqeedah and related issues such as information about past or future events, in addition to dealing with actions which govern the behavior and conduct of human beings.

The wahi does not include all other aspects of the life affairs, such as thoughts related to geography, astronomy, physics, history, medicine, and chemistry. Similarly, the wahi does discuss thoughts which describe the physical or material parameters of a specific reality, aside from mentioning its relationship to the Creator. Such issues can be approached either intellectually or scientifically depending upon the nature of each issue.

Allah (swt) directed the Muslims to the fact that such issues lay within the scope of the intellect but not within the domain of the wahi. This fact is explicated in several ayahs:

"They ask you (Muhammad) about the new moons. Say, 'They are signs to mark fixed periods of time for mankind and for pilgrimage.'" [TMQ 2:189] "Say, 'Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth,' but neither Ayat (proof, evidence, lessons, etc.) nor warners benefit those who refuse to believe." [TMQ 10:101] "And We have appointed the night and the day as two signs (of Ours). Then, We have extinguished the sign of the night while We have made the sign of day bright, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of years and the reckoning." [TMQ 17:12] "Say, 'Travel in the land and see how (Allah) originated creation'" [TMQ 29:20] "Allah. It is He Who has subjected to you the sea, so that ships may sail through it by His Command, and that you may seek of His Bounty, and that you may be thankful; and (He) has 0subjected to you all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth." [TMQ 45:12-13] "He it is Who has made the earth subservient to you, so walk in the path thereof and eat of His Provision" [TMQ 67:15] These and other ayahs illustrate that Allah (swt) created everything in the universe and in the earth for the disposal of the human being, and Allah (swt) assigned the human being the duty of researching, exploring, and utilizing these objects for his benefit. Although the Qur'an did mention some natural phenomena, such as the rain, the movement of celestial bodies, and the developmental stages of the fetus, these phenomena were mentioned to illustrate the signs of Allah as an indication to His Greatness. The Qur'an specifically discussed specific phenomena for the human being to appreciate Allah's Might and to provoke the human being to think about his surroundings and conclude that Allah (swt) exists. Furthermore, these phenomena were mentioned to prompt the human being to realize that the entire system of life must be set by the same Creator who set all the other systems in place. The Qur'an was not meant to be a book of physics or chemistry, or an encyclopedia of human anatomy. The scope of such fields of knowledge is science, and Islam gave the human mind the authority to search and discover whatever Allah (swt) Created in the universe for the disposal of the human being. The Qur'an is a book of guidance, as Allah (swt) says:

"This is the Book (Qur'an), in which there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun." [TMQ 2:2] As a book of guidance, the Qur'an mentions regulations and rules to organize the human life as well as mentioning the consequences of abiding by these laws from the perspective of reward and punishment. Attempting to refer to the Qur'an as a scientific or technological manual defeats its purpose and diverts the attention of the people from the real scope of the Qur'an. What exists nowadays are Muslims who would refer to the Qur'an in order to prove a scientific theory or study while simultaneously referring to their own interests rather than the Qur'an as a reference for conducting their life affairs. If Allah (swt) revealed the Qur'an to be a book of science and technology, then the Sahabah should be the most scientifically and technologically advanced people ever to inhabit the earth. After all, the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet (saaw) while the Sahabah were living with him, and they adopted the tafseer directly from the Prophet (saaw). Their level of understanding in Islam surpassed all other generations of Muslims, to the extent that their ijma' in a Sharii issue is considered a source of legislation agreed upon by all the scholars.

However, it is clearly evident to all human beings that the generation of the Sahabah were far less advanced in their technological and scientific knowledge than the generations living today.

Furthermore, it was not reported or documented that the Sahabah ever conducted scientific research based on the Qur'an because they realized that the scope of the wahi did not include science and technology.

As previously mentioned, the wahi covers the Aqeedah and the intellectual aspect of the human being while simultaneously addressing the actions that man carries. Furthermore, the Qur'an addressed the rules governing the actions in a unique manner to ensure that these rules would always remain applicable despite changes in science and technology. The Qur'an did not address the actions from the perspective of being actions done by specific individuals at a specific time and place. Rather, the Qur'an addressed a particular action from the perspective of whether or not the action itself is allowed. Islam prohibits theft, whether the theft occurred in the 6th century or in the 21st century. Similarly, Islam permits trade, whether this trade occurs in the past, present, or future.

The Ahkam Shariyah encompassed all of man's actions. No action exists without a corresponding Hukm Sharii, and to this extent Allah (swt) says:

"And We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur'an) as an exposition of everything." [TMQ 16:89] "This day, I have perfected your Deen for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your Deen." [TMQ 5:3] However, Islam did not burden the human being, which is why the sphere of permissible things is the largest. For example, the Sharii rule states that objects are permissible unless a specific text exists to prove otherwise. Thus, everything is allowed, and its utilization is permissible, with the exception of a few items such as Khamr and the flesh of the deceased animal. Furthermore, this concept permits the utilization of all types of minerals, plants, and animals, unless a text exists prohibiting the consumption of a specific item. Even in the case of prohibiting the consumption of a specific animal, the wahi permits the utilization of the same animals for other purposes, such as training a dog to guard property or to hunt. Also included in this sphere are the natural actions of the human being, such as looking, seeing, smelling, and walking. Islam permitted all such actions unless it is connected to something haram, such as walking to a bar or looking at the aura of a man or woman.

In addition, Islam permitted Muslims to exploit anything in the universe for industry, medicine, agriculture, communication, and other aspects of civilization. It was reported in a hadith that some people came to the Prophet (saaw) about pollinating date trees. The Prophet (saaw) suggested to them that they should abandon the manual method since the wind may pollinate them. During the same season, the trees did not bear fruit. When the same people came to the Prophet (saaw) and explained this incident to him, he said, "You know better when it comes to your life affairs." Therefore, all aspects of agriculture, industry, medicine, technology, communication, and mining, are within the sphere of the permissible and can be taken from any nation. When the Hukm Sharii addresses the actions, it does not address the physical means involved in performing the action because the means are objects which carry the original rule of permissibility. When Islam permitted traveling and made it a valid excuse to shorten the prayer, it did not restrict the travel to a specific mode. Therefore, the same rules apply to traveling by camel, plane, or automobile. The speed of the mode of transportation, and hence the length of time it takes for different modes to cover the required distance for shortening the prayers, is not an issue. When Islam ordered the Muslim Ummah to prepare, the issue is whether the Muslims have prepared themselves to the level where they can equal or surpass the other nations in might and power, regardless of whether this entails preparing camels and horses or building fighter planes and tanks. Islam does not place restrictions on the material means and tools connected to any action, which is why the Prophet (saaw) used a new weapon to fight one of the tribes. Furthermore, the Prophet (saaw) sent Sahabah to learn sword manufacturing in Yemen and incorporated a technique used by the Persians to defend Medina.

Due to the application of Islam, Muslims advanced at an extraordinarily rapid rate. The bedouins who used to fight using the sword and arrow, and who moved by camels and horses, are the same bedouins who faced the Roman navy thirteen years after the death of the Prophet (saaw). The newly emerging Muslim Ummah was able to defeat the Roman navy in the Battle of That-ul-Sawari during the days of 'Uthman, and the Mediterranean became under the control of the Muslims since then. Therefore, claiming that Islam is a backward deen which asks people to revert to the Middle Ages is an incorrect and absurd claim. The Islamic rules are not connected to the ways and means that human being employ in carrying out their actions but rather to the actions themselves.

Humanity always develops in their ways and means, but the nature of the actions remain the same.

Theft remains theft, regardless of the time or place it occurred. Zina refers to the action of having sexual relations outside of marriage, whether this illegal relationship occurred in a cave, in a city, or on the moon. Therefore, the system which addressed man's actions in the past is capable of addressing the same actions in the present and in the future. And the discovery of new ways and means has no bearing on the applicability of the system because ways, means, tools, and scientific advancement are not addressed by the system. Through this unique method of addressing the actions, Islam ensures that its rules and systems governing the actions of human beings remain applicable.

Once the scope of the wahi is realized and understood, Muslims can recognize the fine line that separates issues belonging to the wahi from issues that are reserved for the human mind. Muslims in the past recognized this boundary and maintained it. Only when this fine distinction was blurred did Muslims begin to recede.

It was mentioned previously that thinking is a process of transmitting the comprehensible reality to the human brain through the senses and then explaining the reality using the previous information related to it. Developing a clearer understanding of the human mind and its inherent limitations requires a scrutiny of the various components which comprise the mind:

The reality is defined as anything within the scope and capacity of the human senses to detect.

Furthermore, the reality is the object which the human being thinks about before issuing a judgment or conclusion regarding it. The reality could be tangible, such as an atom, planet, or chemical, or it could be an idea or concept expressed not in terms of physical criteria but as words, formulas, and equations. As previously mentioned, the reality can be sensed by the human being either directly or indirectly. In either case, a reality must exist which the human being can think about, and this reality must be accessible to one or more of the senses. Anything beyond the scope of the senses cannot be the subject of the thinking process. Therefore, Muslims should not fruitlessly expend time and energy in any attempt to think about the Ghaib. Muslims believe in the Ghaib only through a conclusive evidence which proves its existence, but any attempt to venture beyond the daleel is futile since the subject matter of the daleel is a reality that lay beyond the senses. For example, Muslims believe in the angels without being able to comprehend their essence. But trying to decipher their essence would amount to nothing more than formulating delusions, assumptions, and speculation.

While the reality is essential to the thinking process, sensing the reality may not suffice to initiate the thinking process. A person must also be certain that he studied the reality extensively, which may require sensing the reality several times from different angles. For example, one may see a transparent fluid in a jar and conclude based on a fleeting glance that the fluid is water, but the fluid may be alcohol and only by smelling the odor would a person be able to issue an accurate judgment.

The senses include the five known senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. The senses also include the feeling which stems from the organic needs and instinctive sensations, such as hunger and thirst, as well as the emotional sensations such as anxiety, compassion, and the sexual feelings.

The level of sensation required in order to fully develop an accurate image of the reality depends upon the reality under scrutiny. Sometimes a single sensation may suffice to develop a complete image; a single exposure to fire is enough to conclude that fire burns. However, there are realities which require the input of several senses in order to fully grasp, such as deciphering a complex puzzle or comprehending the dynamics of a machine.

In addition, the sensation itself, however many senses are involved, is insufficient to serve as a basis for one's actions and agendas. Such an approach would amount to no more than a reactionary mode of action. For example, the sight of people being oppressed should not illicit one to respond based solely on his senses by donating food or money to the oppressed individuals. The individual must scrutinize the other realities associated with the situation, which may entail the usage of many senses in addition to extending beyond the senses by thinking deeply about the situation before settling on a specific course of action.

The human brain is the place where the senses transmit information pertaining to the reality, where information related to the reality is stored, and where the linking of sensation to previous information takes place. In addition to these functions, the brain performs other functions, such as sending and receiving signals to and from the nervous system. Although the brain's function is to receive, process, and store the information, one cannot conclude that the brain is the "thinking organ" because thinking is a process which involves several organs besides the brain, particularly the sensory organs such as the eyes, ears, and mouth.

The brain receives signals and information, processes this information and then responds accordingly. However, the human being is confronted with many issues which require different types of responses. Since the brain relays signals to the other organs of the body, acting according to the brain alone would be merely instinctive and reactionary. In this regard, the brain of human beings and animals is the same. While this process should not serve as the basis for human behavior, there are instances when such a process is sufficient or even necessary, such as the "fight or flight" response that enables one to avoid an immediate or oncoming danger. But there are many instances and situations in which this process cannot suffice to produce the correct response. For example, if a Muslim man sees a woman exposing her beauty, the immediate signal from the brain would be an instinctive one inclining the man to approach her. However, if the man refers to his concepts, he would not approach her because the concepts he carries would lead him to conclude that such an action is Haram and would result in consequences in this life and in the Hereafter.

Therefore, the types of responses that the human being can illicit are of two types: The instinctive response, which is based solely upon the brain; and the intellectual response, which is based on the process of referring to certain concepts, with the brain being only part of this process. The intellectual response is further divided into two types - those that require an immediate response (what is sometimes known as "spontaneous thinking"), and those that require extensive research and study before issuing a response. Intellectual responses that require immediacy are needed for issues that cannot rely on an instinctive response alone but at the same time must be immediate. An example which demonstrates this type of response is when Ali (raa), while fighting the jihad, was about to kill a Kafir, and just as the Kafir spit on his face, Ali laid down his sword. Later, when the Kafir asked Ali why he did not strike, Ali responded, "Initially I was going to kill you for the sake of Allah, but after you spit at my face, I was going to kill you for personal reasons." However, there are issues which require a long process of thinking and research before issuing the appropriate response. Issues such as political analysis or discussing the revival of the Muslim Ummah require extensive research and thought that may necessitate extended periods of time before developing the appropriate response.

The process of referring to concepts before carrying out an action is essential, and every Muslim must develop this ability as being habitual. Furthermore, the Muslims must be aware of the different types of issues and the different responses that are required for each. To expect the Muslims in a specific locality who are being attacked by the Kuffar to engage in extensive thinking and research before deciding to defend themselves would constitute silliness. At the same time, resorting to instinctive reactions in response to political issues and events that necessitate extensive thinking and research can produce devastating results, especially if such a trend become widespread among the Ummah.

All of the three previously mentioned elements can produce sensation but are not sufficient to initiate the thinking process. The previous information is essential for this process to materialize.

Since the previous information is used to understand the reality, a person must be sure about the correctness and accuracy of the information he has. In addition, he must also acquire new knowledge in order to add to the previous information as well as to purify the existing information.

This necessitates from the Muslim to always update himself by keeping with the events and continuously reading and searching for new knowledge. In fact, Muslims should be an encyclopedia a dynamic encyclopedia and not a static one that spits out information in a vacuum. In order to achieve this, the Muslim must begin with the basics of any discipline, upon which he can build other details and branches. This systematic method helps in organizing and processing the information in the mind. The reservoir of knowledge must be clear in his mind so that each discipline along with its branches can be categorized and connected to one another in the correct manner. Lumping information from various disciplines which have no relation to one another will result in a distorted outlook of the reality. For example, one must realize that history does not belong to the discipline of Fiqh while the Arabic language does. Also, one must realize that the biographical knowledge of reporters is part of Ilm ul Hadith but is not part of history. Acquiring information in this organized way will help Muslims absorb more information in an organized manner.

Once the four elements exist, the correct linkage between the information and the reality is needed.

This linkage means to retrieve the relevant information that will help in understanding the reality.

The more relevant information man acquires, the more correct and accurate his judgement will be.

For example, if someone reads that the US president visits China, understanding the true nature of this visit requires having previous information about many aspects, such as the authority of the US president, the reality of the US government being a representative of the major corporations, US policy in the world in general and in China and SE Asia in particular, and the strategies to achieve this whether through containment or other strategies. In addition, developing an accurate assessment necessitates one to understand the time of the visit, the political situation at that moment, any official statements issued before, during, or after the visit, the reactions of some nations such as Russia and Europe, and the relationship of all of these events and facts with China, its history, and its policy. This comprehensive outlook will facilitate an accurate understanding of the nature of the visit. One should not think that this is impossible. All that is needed is following up on the events and analyzing the news.

In addition to political issues, this comprehensive and methodical approach is also needed to formulate an accurate opinion on issues of an intellectual or legal nature. For instance, to address the issue of whether the Shura in Islam is equivalent to Democracy in the West, one must understand the nature of both the Democratic system and the Islamic system, the ideological basis of each system, and the distinct organs and apparatus within each system. Addressing this issue also requires an understanding of the definition of Shura, when Shura is used, the distinction between Shura and Mashura, and the functions and setup of Majlis as-Shura as an institution of the Islamic system. The same also applies for legal issues, such as the issue of whether or not insurance is haram. It is known that the mujtahid must exert his effort in understanding the reality and the text related to the reality in order to derive a rule. However, this process requires previous information about Usul ul-Fiqh, Arabic language, and the tafseer of the relevant ayahs and hadiths. Furthermore, he must have an understanding of the nature of the issue at hand. To be more able to practice ijtihad, the mujtahid must also study the previous mujtahids and their opinions. The more the mujtahid reads and studies the opinions of others (what is called Comparitive Fiqh), the more likely he will derive the correct answer.

These examples illustrate that no one should be content with his level of information. Once we understand the reality and scope of the human mind, we can avoid wasting time and energy discussing issues beyond its scope. And once we get involved in a study that is within the scope of the mind, then we would not settle for anything less than a comprehensive and enlightened study, even if this requires a continuous search for more information.

Allah created the entire universe including the earth. Furthermore, Allah created Adam and sent him down to the earth to utilize its resources. In this regard, Allah says in the Qur'an:

"He it is Who created for you all that is on earth." [TMQ 2:29] Allah (swt) equipped the human being and provided him with certain attributes enabling him to sustain himself in this universe. Allah (swt) says:

"Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High, Who has created (everything) and then proportioned it." [TMQ 87:1-2] Therefore, the human nature consists of specific physical, mental, and emotional capabilities that enable him to sustain his livelihood in the universe which Allah (swt) created. One unique characteristic that is provided exclusively to the human being is a mind with the ability to think as previously mentioned. Allah (swt) directed the human being to think about the reality and about his nature, in addition to addressing the human being with Islam for the purpose of implementing Islam. Therefore, comprehending the nature of the human being is essential to directing our course towards obeying Allah and enabling us to control our whims and desires rather than being controlled by them.

Another characteristic that Allah created in the human being is a vital power that pushes the person to satisfy it. This vital energy consists of the instincts and organic needs. The satisfaction of the organic needs is critical for the individual's survival because the person will perish if these needs are not satisfied. In addition, the need to satisfy the organic needs originates internally and is independent of any external factor to stimulate this need. For example, the need to consume, which manifests itself through hunger and thirst, does not depend upon the presence of food for its arousal.

Also, these organic needs cannot be satisfied at the expense of other organic needs. A person cannot satisfy his need to consume by excreting waste or sleeping or through any action except by consuming food.

In addition to the organic needs, Allah (swt) created specific instincts. Unlike the organic needs, the satisfaction of these instincts is not necessary for the individual's survival, although failure to satisfy these instincts will lead to anxiety and uneasiness. While the satisfaction of these instincts is not vital to the survival of an individual, some of these instincts are necessary for the survival of humanity as a whole.

Without the instinct of procreation and its manifestations, humanity would cease to exist, whereas an individual who did not marry would not necessarily die as a result. Also, the incentive for these instincts stems from the external environment. The sight of the universe with all of its order and majesty would instigate the instinct of worship within an individual. And the sight of a woman would arouse within a man the instinct of procreation with all of its various manifestations.

Another unique distinction between the instincts and the organic needs is that each instinct manifests itself in various ways. The instinct of procreation manifests itself in certain tendencies such as fatherhood, motherhood, kindness to siblings, and sexual desire. The instinct of worship manifests itself in acts of devotion or sanctification of something thought to have more power. And the survival instinct manifests itself in fear, hope, the inclination to own things, the drive to dominate, and the hunger for knowledge.

Because each instinct has several manifestations, a human being can choose to satisfy them by satisfying others. The sexual inclinations can be partially alleviated by fasting, while the desire to dominate can be channeled towards working for the dominance of the ideology.

Like the attributes that Allah (swt) created in objects, the attributes that Allah (swt) created in the human being cannot be suspended or altered. Causing things to burn, an attribute of fire, or the attribute of cutting things that is associated with the knife, are permanent features of these objects that cannot be separated from the objects themselves. All of these attributes were created by Allah and are intrinsic and perpetual. Only in the case of miracles would the attributes temporarily cease to function. Similarly, the instincts and organic needs, along with their manifestations, are qualities that Allah created in the human being and cannot be removed from him. Allah (swt) says in this regard:

"Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High, Who has created (everything) and then proportioned it." [TMQ 87: 1-2] Because these instincts and organic needs are attributes, they cannot be described as good or evil.

One cannot say that the sexual desire, for example, is inherently evil, whereas the method of satisfying these instincts and needs can be deemed as either good or evil. The sexual inclination can be satisfied through marriage, which is good, or through zina, which is evil. The religious instinct can be satisfied by worshipping Allah exclusively, which is good, or through sanctifying the graves of saints, which is evil. And the survival instinct can be correctly satisfied by owning property in the correct way or by fearing Allah alone, or it can be incorrectly satisfied through theft or by fearing something other than Allah.

Islam organized the satisfaction of these instincts and needs without suppressing any of them. This satisfaction is organized in a very well-balanced way which sustains the life of the individual and maintains the society at a specific level. Allah (swt) will hold the human being accountable for the methods he chooses in satisfying these instincts and needs, and not in the satisfaction itself.

In addition to the instincts and organic needs, Allah (swt) created the freewill in the human being, which gives him the ability to choose his way of life and to select the method of satisfying these instincts and organic needs. In this regard, Allah (swt) says:

"Have We not made for him a pair of eyes, and a tongue and pair of lips, and shown him the two ways (good and evil)?" [TMQ 90:8-10] "And by the Nafs, and Him Who perfected him in proportion; then He showed him what is wrong for him and what is right for him." [TMQ 91:7-8] Those who choose the correct method and abide by the commandments of Allah in satisfying their instincts and needs will be rewarded, and anyone who chooses the wrong method will be punished.

This freewill does not encompass all of man's life but is limited to the choices he makes in carrying out his actions. In all other aspects, the human being is controlled by what Allah (swt)

predetermined. For example, no one can decide or determine the time and place of his birth, his family, or his ethnicity. And no one can control either the actions which were imposed upon him or the consequences of certain actions done by him. Similarly, man lives in this universe and is subjected to the natural laws which Allah (swt) created, such as the law of gravity and the laws governing electricity. Allah (swt) would not hold the human being accountable for the actions that are beyond his control. In this regard, Allah (swt) says:

"Allah does not burden a person beyond his scope." [TMQ 2:286] Furthermore, the Prophet (saaw) says, "Allah does not look to your shapes or your colors, but rather to your hearts and your deeds." The Muslim must be content with what Allah predetermined. A Muslim must believe that he would never miss anything that happened to him already, although he still must evaluate his actions to examine his shortcomings but not to trigger a cycle of self-blame.

Every Muslim must believe that Allah tests the people by actions which may result in perceived positive or negative outcomes for the people while only Allah knows what is good and bad. Allah says:

"and it may be that you dislike something which is good for you and that you like something which is bad for you. Allah knows, but you do not know." [TMQ 2:216] Regarding this issue, the Prophet (saaw) says, "Do not say, 'If I did this, then that would happen,' but say, 'Allah predetermined, and whatever is predetermined happened.'" Such an understanding will make the human being content with his situation, regardless of his circumstances. Furthermore, a person with this understanding will not despair over anything that happens to him beyond his control; at the same time, he would analyze what happened in order to contemplate his pitfalls without immersing himself in accusations. However, if not understood correctly, the human being would invite upon himself a vicious cycle of reproaching himself for decisions beyond his control, and he would divert his energy in trying to make choices in areas where the person's choice has no impact on the outcome. If a person's rizq at times seems insufficient to fulfill his expectations or needs, someone who is mislead to believe that the rizq results from his efforts would mistakenly attribute the rizq he possesses to a failure or deficiency on his part. This distorted thinking would push the person towards making decisions on the false presumption that he can change his rizq, which may lead the individual to resort to haram or even outright criminal means. However, the person who acknowledges that Allah (swt) has predetermined his rizq will exert his effort to earn the rizq without resorting to haram means because he realizes that he will receive whatever rizq Allah (swt) has fixed for him regardless of what avenue he chooses.

Furthermore, he will feel content at whatever consequences result from his efforts, even if they yield no results or even a negative outcome. Understanding man's reality enables us to proceed through life in the correct and balanced way. No one would be driven by his whims and desires, nor would he behave in a basal level characteristic of the animals. Possessing an accurate awareness of man's reality will provide the human being with the realization that everyone must choose and determine his or her behavior and that everyone can alter or modify his behavior as well. No human being is born inherently good or evil9 because they have the choice to abide or not to abide. Thus, no specific behavioral mode is imposed upon the individual. The behavior of individuals can change by changing their concepts, and the behavior of societies can also change by introducing the correct concepts and by generating the correct public norms. In this context, understanding this reality illustrates that abiding by the rules of Allah is well within the capacity of every individual.

9 The Christian doctrine propagated in Europe during the Middle Ages espoused the notion that the human being is born inherently evil, and this notion had its roots in the doctrine of "original sin." As a reaction to this outlook, the Capitalists took the other extreme and claimed that the human being is naturally good, and the evil that exists in human societies is a result of suppressing his natural state of freewill. Based upon this concept, the Capitalists called for societies to guarantee the "four freedoms" as a prerequisite for progress: Freedom of expression, freedom of belief, freedom of ownership, and personal freedom. According to the Capitalists, only when these freedoms are secured will the natural goodness of the human being be realized, and this view of man was the basis of the Human Rights espoused by the Capitalist ideology.

Some Muslims were influenced by this call due to the prevalence of the Western Culture and the misunderstanding of the Islamic culture, and they began to call for Human Rights. What they did not realize is that each of these four freedoms contradict Islam. For instance, there is no freedom of belief because the Muslim cannot revert from Islam. Furthermore, personal freedom has no place in Islam because the Muslim cannot commit zina. And freedom of expression and ownership contradict Islam because the Muslim cannot own through riba or express ideas such as Nationalism or Communism. Furthermore, the presence of these freedoms, while they are claimed by the Capitalists to result in goodness, actually create more evil than anyone could have expected.

In addition, some Muslims adopted the stance that human beings are born naturally good. However, the Islamic point of view states that human beings are born in a state of Fitra, and "Fitra" refers to the natural state of the human being, which consists of his instincts, organic needs, and emotional complex. This natural state has the potential to be directed in the correct way or in the wrong way, and the direction which the human being chooses is done by his mind. Thus, Fitra does not mean "good" as many Muslims may misunderstand. The Fitra refers to the natural potential that the human being has, and this potential can be directed towards good or evil.

Allah (swt) says:

"Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you." [TMQ 2:185] "Allah does not burden a person beyond his scope. He gets rewarded for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned." [TMQ 2:286] If the human being is unable to abide by the rules due to a specific reason such as disease or compulsion, then he would be addressed by a different set of rules. For example, fasting is obligatory, but someone who is sick is permitted not to fast. Also, correctly understanding man's nature within the context of Al Qada Wal-Qadr would keep Muslims away from the passive fatalistic thinking that submits to the status quo and succumbs to whims and desires. The Muslim would submit only to the actions that are beyond his control such as death. And even in death, the Muslim would not attribute the circumstances leading to the death to the Qada of Allah because sometimes a person's death would be the result of a crime that must be investigated. For example, when the tunnel collapsed and killed thousands of Muslims in one of the Hajj seasons, the Saudi Regime closed the issue by claiming that such an event was Qada just to keep themselves away from accountability. The Qada and Qadr must be adopted in a dynamic and active context, which causes the Muslims to realize that they can and must change their situation. The state of the Muslims is not something imposed upon them. Allah (swt) says:

"Allah does not change the condition of any people unless they change what is within themselves." [TMQ 13:11] Such an understanding of man's reality liberates his mind form illusions and myths. It provides man with the opportunity to proceed in this life in a dynamic way while simultaneously possessing the full confidence in Allah.

The question arises: Is man's behavior linked to his genetics or to his biological composition? To answer this, we must realize that the human being proceeds in this life to satisfy his instincts and organic needs. The human being simultaneously possesses a mental capacity which distinguishes him from the animal. The animal would behave solely upon biological criteria without linking its behavior to any concepts for the simple reason that animals have no concepts and no ability to think and formulate concepts. While the instincts and needs require satisfaction, the method of satisfying these instincts and needs do not originate from them. No organic need or instinct mandates satisfaction in a specific way; they only mandate satisfaction. For example, the need to eat manifests itself in hunger, which pushes the human being to eat. There is no such thing as hunger which pushes a person to eat specific food items. Hunger per se does not impose upon the individual a specific choice to consume vegetables or animals slaughtered in a specific way or any type of animal. The concepts which a human being carries will determine for each individual what to eat. The same applies to thirst. No thirst necessitates drinking juice or wine. However, the concepts which man carries will push an individual to quench his thirst either by drinking wine, water or some other liquid.

Thus, no one can link the method which the human being chooses to satisfy his needs to any genetic or biological component, and the instincts function in the same manner. Instincts only push the human being to satisfy them, but they do not push towards satisfaction through a specific course. The concepts that the human being adopts will dictate which method he chooses to satisfy his instincts. For example, the need for ownership, which manifests from the survival instinct, creates a potential that require satisfaction, and this potential pushes the person to own or to invest.

Owning through riba or trade is not instinctive. It is the concepts that determine whether to deal with riba or not. The same principle applies to theft. No one can claim that theft is part of his genetic code, the same way that no one can claim dealing with interest has a genetic component.

Similarly, no one can claim that eating pork as opposed to vegetables has a genetic basis.

The sexual desire also necessitates satisfaction. However, the concepts that the human being carries, and not the instinct itself, will determine what specific method the human being adopts in satisfying this instinct. The sexual inclination could be satisfied through marrying a cousin or mother, or through marrying another person. However, specific concepts which Muslims carry, for example, state that marrying one's mother or sister is prohibited, while marrying certain categories of other women is allowed. No one can claim that marriage from cousins is determined by genetics. By the same token, no one can claim that zina is necessitated by genetics. The concepts that a person carries will either justify zina or keep him away from it.

All of these methods of satisfaction can be labeled as correct or incorrect depending upon the concepts that the human being carries. From the Islamic point of view, any method of satisfying any instinct or organic need is correct if the method is within the parameters of the Islamic framework and incorrect if it lay outside the Islamic framework. However, some people would try to satisfy their instincts and organic needs in a way that is not only incorrect but conflicts with the natural disposition in which Allah created these instincts and needs. For example, hunger can naturally be satisfied by food, and although the method can be correct or incorrect based on the concepts, the satisfaction is still achieved in a natural way. Eating pork cannot be labeled as satisfying the need to eat against man's nature although it must be labeled as incorrect. However, attempting to consume nails and glass cannot be considered a means of satisfying hunger that is harmonious with the natural disposition of the human being.

Similarly, Allah created the sexual desire to be satisfied in a specific way in order to achieve the specific objective of maintaining the continuity of humanity. Satisfying the sexual desire either through marriage or through zina is still in accordance to the human being's natural disposition, although zina is not correct. However, attempting to satisfy this desire from the same sex conflicts with the natural framework of this instinct. Therefore, satisfying these instincts and organic needs against the order that Allah defined cannot stem from any natural or intrinsic component of the human being. Resorting to methods such as homosexuality, which conflict with the inclination or the system, must stem purely from a concept. Homosexuality is a pure decision, like the decision to eat nails and glass. There is nothing in the design of the sexual instinct that would impel the human being to resort to such an action, just as nothing exists in the organic needs that would push a human to consume nails and glass. Thus, the role of genetics in determining the behavior of the human being must be understood clearly. While genetics may contribute to the manifestation of instincts and organic needs, they have no contribution to the methods which the human being chooses to satisfy these instincts and needs. The ways and methods that the human being utilizes are choices that every individual makes, and these choices depend upon the concepts that the individual carries.