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.

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.

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.

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.

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.