Waislamu walimwamini Uislamu kwa imani isiyokuwa na shaka. Imani yao ilikuwa imara sana hata haikuzaa maswali yoyote yanayoonyesha kutokuamini. Wala hawakujadili aya za Qur'ani isipokuwa kwa namna iliyowawezesha kuelewa uhalisia wa fikra zilizomo ndani yake. Hawakuchunguza dhana zilizoweza kutolewa kutoka humo wala hitimisho la kimantiki lililoweza kupatikana kutoka humo. Walikwenda duniani wakibeba Da'wah hii ya Kiislamu kwa watu wote, wakipigana vita katika njia yake, wakifungua miji, na mataifa yakakubali yale waliyoyabeba.

The Muslims believed in Islam with an imān that was free of doubt. Their belief was so strong that it did not result in any questions that would indicate skepticism. Nor did they discuss the ayāt of the Qur’ān except in a manner that would enable them to comprehend the reality of the thought therein. They did not inquire into the suppositions that might be drawn from it nor the logical conclusions that may be deduced from it. They went to the world, carrying this Islamic Da’wah to all the people, fighting in its path, opening the cities, and the nations embraced what they carried.

Karne nzima ya kwanza ya Hijria yote ilipita huku mkondo wa Da'wah ya Kiislamu ukiyashinda yote yaliyosimama njiani mwake; mawazo ya Kiislamu yalikuwa yakitolewa kwa watu jinsi Waislamu walivyoyapokea: kwa ufahamu wa ajabu, imani thabiti na mwamko wa kustaajabisha wa uzuri. Hata hivyo, kubeba Da'wah katika nchi zilizofunguliwa (zilizoshindwa) kulisababisha mgongano wa kiakili na watu wa dini nyingine ambao bado hawakuwa wamekubali Uislamu, pamoja na (baadhi ya) wale ambao tayari walikuwa wameingia katika ulingo wake. Mgongano huu wa kiakili ulikuwa mkali. Watu wa dini nyingine walikuwa wakifahamu baadhi ya mawazo ya kifalsafa na walikuwa na misimamo fulani waliyoipata kutoka dini zao, hivyo walikuwa wakiibua shaka na mijadala pamoja na Waislamu kuhusu mambo ya kiitikadi [aqa'id], kwa kuwa msingi wa Da'wah umejengwa juu ya 'aqīdah na mawazo yanayohusiana nayo. Kwa hiyo Waislamu walitamani kwa dhati kheri (mafanikio) kwa ...

The whole of the first century Hijri elapsed with the current of the Islamic Da’wah overwhelming everything that stood in its way; the Islamic thoughts were being given to the people as they had been received by the Muslims: with a brilliant understanding, a definitive faith and a surprisingly splendid awareness. Yet, the carrying of the Da’wah in the opened (conquered) lands led to an intellectual collision with the people of other religions who had not yet embraced Islam as well as (some of) those who had entered its domain. This intellectual collision was strenuous. The people of other religions were acquainted with some philosophical thoughts and had certain viewpoints which they got from their religions and so they used to stir skepticism and debate with the Muslims over creedal points [aqa’id], because the basis of the Da’wah is built upon the ‘aqīdah and the thoughts associated with it. So the Muslims sincerely wished well for (the success)

…wa ya Da'wah ya Kiislamu na kujadiliana nao ili kuwapinga. Jambo hili liliwafanya wengi wao kujifunza baadhi ya mawazo ya kifalsafa ili kuyatumia kama silaha dhidi ya wapinzani wao. Zaidi ya hayo, mbali na uaminifu wao katika kubeba Da'wah na kukanusha hoja za wapinzani wao, kujifunza huku (kwa falsafa) kulihalalishwa kwao, na walihamasishwa kukifanya kutokana na sababu mbili:

of the Islamic Daw’ah and argued with them in order to counter them. This led many of them to learn some philosophical thoughts in order to use these as a weapon against their adversaries. Moreover apart from their sincerity in carrying the Da’wah and the refutal of their adversaries’ arguments, this learning (of the philosophies) was jusitified to them and they were motivated towards it due to two factors:

Kwanza: Qur’ani Tukufu, mbali na mwito wake wa tauhidi (kumpwekesha Mungu) na unabii, ilishughulikia madhehebu na dini maarufu zaidi zilizoenea wakati wa Mtume ﷺ; ililipinga na kuzikanusha itikadi zake. Ilishughulikia shirki kwa aina zake zote na kuikanusha. Miongoni mwa washirikina walikuwepo wale waliozifanya sayari kuwa miungu na kuzishirikisha na Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ; Qur’ani iliipinga imani yao. Baadhi yao walitetea kuabudiwa kwa masanamu na kuyafanya washirika wa Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ; iliikanusha ibada hiyo. Baadhi yao walikanusha unabii kabisa; Qur’ani iliipinga imani yao. Baadhi yao walikanusha unabii wa Muhammad ﷺ, nayo ikaikanusha imani hiyo. Baadhi yao walikanusha kufufuliwa na kuhesabiwa siku hiyo; Qur’ani iliipinga imani yao. Baadhi yao walimfanya Isa عليه السلام kuwa mungu, au kumfanya mwana wa Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ; Qur’ani iliikanusha imani hii; wala Qur’ani haikuishia hapo tu: iliamuru Mjumbe ﷺ ashiriki mdahalo nao.

Firstly: the Noble Qur’ān, besides its call for tauhīd (monotheism) and prophethood, tackled the more prominent sects and religions which were widespread at the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم; it countered them and refuted their advocacies. It dealt with shirk, in all its forms, and refuted it. There were amongst the mushrikīn those who deified the planets and took them as associates to Allah الله سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ; the Qur’ān refuted their belief. Some of them advocated the worship of idols and made them into partners of Allah الله سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ; it refuted this adovation. Some of them denied prophethood altogether; the Qur’ān refuted their belief; some of them denied the prophethood of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and it refuted this belief. Some of them denied the ressurection and the accounting on that day; the Qur’ān refuted their belief. Some of them deified Isa عليه السلام, or made him into the son of Allah الله سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ; the Qur’ān refuted this belief; and the Qur’ān did not suffice with this: it ordered the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم to engage in debate with them:

Zaidi, maisha ya Mtume صلى الله عليه وسلم yalikuwa maisha ya mapambano ya kifikra dhidi ya makafiri wote, washirikina na Watu wa Kitabu. Kumeripotiwa matukio mengi kumhusu huko Makka na Madina ambamo alijadiliana na makafiri na kuwajadili, kama watu binafsi, makundi na ujumbe. Mapambano haya ya kifikra, ambayo yanajitokeza wazi katika aya za Qur'ani na katika hadithi za Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ na mwenendo wake, yalisomwa na kusikiwa na Waislamu. Kwa hiyo ilikuwa jambo la kawaida kabisa kwao kujadiliana na watu wa dini nyingine na kushiriki nao katika mapambano ya kifikra na kujadiliana nao. Hukumu za dini yao zinaita kwenye mjadala kama huo; asili ya Da'wah ya Kiislamu, mgongano wake na ukafiri, havitaendelea bila kutokea mapambano, mjadala na hoja baina yake na ukafiri. Kuhusu kinachofanya mapambano haya yachukue sura ya kifikra, Qur'ani yenyewe inaita matumizi ya akili, na inatoa hoja za kiakili na ushahidi wa hisia. Wito wa 'Aqida yake unategemea akili peke yake, si ushahidi wa maandiko. Hivyo ilikuwa lazima mjadala na mapambano yachukue sura ya kifikra na kuwekwa alama nayo.

Further, the life of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had been a life of intellectual struggle with all of the kuffār, the mushrikīn and the People of the Book. Many incidents were reported about him in Makkah and Madinah in which he discussed with the kuffār and debated with them as individuals, groups, and delegations. This intellectual struggle which is prominent in the ayāt of the Qur’ān and in the ahādith of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and in his conduct was read and heard by the Muslims; it was thus only natural for them to discuss with the people of other religions and to engage with them in an intellectual struggle and to debate with them. The ahkām of their religion call for such discussion; the nature of the Islamic Call - its clash with kufr - will not progress without the occurrence of such struggle, discussion and argumentation, between it and kufr. As for that what makes this struggle adopt an intellectual character, the Qur’ān itself calls for the use of the intellect, and it cites intellectual proof and sensory evidence. The call to its ‘aqīdah is based exclusively on the mind, not on textual evidence. Thus it was inevitable for the debate and the struggle to take an intellectual character and to be marked by the same.

Pili: Baadhi ya mambo ya kifalsafa na kitheolojia yalivujishwa kwa Waislamu kutoka kwa Wakristo wa Kinestorio na wengineo waliofanana nao, na mantiki ya Aristotle ilijulikana miongoni mwa Waislamu; baadhi yao walikuwa wamezoea vitabu fulani vya falsafa. Vitabu vingi vilitafsiriwa kutoka Kigiriki kwenda Kisiriani na kisha kwenda Kiarabu; baadaye, tafsiri ilifanywa moja kwa moja kutoka Kigiriki kwenda Kiarabu. Hili lilisaidia kuwepo kwa mawazo ya kifalsafa. Dini nyingine, hasa Uyahudi na Ukristo, zilitumia falsafa ya Kigiriki kama silaha na kuiingiza katika nchi za Waislamu. Yote haya yalizalisha mawazo ya kifalsafa, yakiwasukuma Waislamu kuyasoma.

Na

And

Na

And

Na

And

Na

And

Na

And

Hivyo ndivyo mbinu ya Qur’ani inavyohusu uwezo wa Allah, elimu yake, na mapenzi yake; inasimama juu ya msingi wa fitra na akili. Mbinu hii inaendana na fitra, na huibua hisia ndani ya kila binadamu ya kusikiliza na kuitikia; hata mtu asiyeamini kuwepo kwa Mungu huielewa na kuinyenyekea. Ni mbinu inayomfaa kila binadamu, bila tofauti kati ya wasomi na watu wa kawaida, wala kati ya walioelimika na wasioelimika.

Thus the approach of the Qur’ān with regards to Allah’s capability, knowledge, and will tread on the basis of the fitrah and the intellect. This approach is consistent with the fitrah and it generates a feeling within every human being to listen and respond to it; even an atheist comprehends it and succumbs to it. It is an approach that suits every human being, with no distinction between the elite and the commoner or between the educated and the uneducated.

Zaidi ya hayo, aya za mutashabih ambazo ndani yake mna utata na ambazo hazieleweki vizuri kwa msomaji, zimekuja kwa namna ya jumla, bila maelezo ya kina; zimekuja kwa namna ya maelezo ya jumla ya mambo au kuripoti kwa hakika za mambo, ambapo kunaonekana ukosefu wa uchunguzi, ukamilifu na uthibitisho. Hivyo msomaji hazikatai, wala hazielewi kwa kweli hakika zinazodhihirishwa nazo zaidi ya maana za kimsingi za maneno yaliyomo. Kwa hiyo, msimamo wa asili kuhusiana nazo ni kuzikubali, kama ilivyo kwa kuelezea hakika yoyote na kuthibitisha ukweli wowote, bila kutafuta sababu zinazofanya kazi wala uthibitisho. Hivyo baadhi ya aya zinaeleza upande mmoja wa vitendo vya binadamu na kwa kufanya hivyo zinaonyesha kulazimishwa; aya nyingine zinaeleza upande mwingine na kwa kufanya hivyo zinaonyesha hiari. Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ anasema,

Moreover, the mutashabih ayāt wherein is ambiguity and in which there is lack of clarity for the reader, have come in the general form, without detail; they have come in the form of a general description of things or a reporting of realities wherein a lack of inquiry, thoroughness and substantiation is apparent. So the reader does not reject them nor does he truly comprehend the realities denoted by them beyond the denotations of the words therein. Therefore, the natural stance with regards to them is one of acceptance as is the case towards the depiction of any reality and the verification of any fact, without seeking effective causes or substantiation. Thus, certain ayāt depict one facet of the actions of man and in so doing indicate compulsion; other ayāt depict other facets and in so doing indicate free choice. Allah الله سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ says,

Na

And

On the other hand, He الله سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ also says,

On the other hand, He الله سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ also says,

Aya nyingine huthibitisha kwa Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ uso na mkono, humsifu kuwa ni Nuru ya mbingu na ardhi, na husema kwamba Yeye سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ yumo mbinguni.

Other ayāt establish for Allah الله سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ a face and a hand and speak of Him as the Light of the Heavens and the Earth and state that He الله سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ is in the Heavens:

Aya nyingine zinathibitisha upekee wake:

Other ayāt establish his uniqueness:

Hivyo ndivyo zilivyokuja baadhi ya aya katika Qur'ani ambazo zinaonekana kuwa zinapingana. Qur'ani imeziita aya za aina hii mutashabihāt (zenye maana nyingi). Allah الله سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ anasema,

Thus certain ayāt came in the Qur’ān which are seemingly contradictory. The Qur’ān called such ayāt mutashabihāt (polysemous). Allah الله سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ says,

Aya hizi zilipoteremshwa, Mtume ﷺ aliziwasilisha kwa watu, na Waislamu wakazihifadhi kwa kukariri; hawakuzua mjadala wala ubishani wowote. Hawakuona katika aya hizi mikinzano iliyohitaji kupatanishwa. Kila aya waliielewa kwa kuzingatia upande ambao ilikuja kuueleza au kuuthibitisha. Hivyo aya hizo zilikuwa zenye mshikamano kiuhalisia na ndani ya nafsi zake. Waliziamini, wakazitegemea na kuzielewa kwa ufahamu wa jumla, nao waliridhika na ufahamu huo; waliziona kuwa ni maelezo ya uhalisia au kuripoti kwa ukweli. Wengi miongoni mwa wenye hekima hawakupendezwa na mjadala kuhusu maelezo ya mutashabihāt wala na ubishani wake. Walidhani kwamba mjadala kama huo haukuwa na faida yoyote kwa Uislamu. Ufahamu wa jumla, kwa kiwango ambacho mtu anaweza kuufahamu, ungefanya mjadala wa maelezo ya kina usiwe wa lazima. Hivyo Waislamu waliifahamu mwelekeo wa Qur'ani na kuzipokea aya zake kwa mwelekeo huo katika zama zote za Mtume ﷺ, na vivyo hivyo wale waliokuja baada yao, mpaka karne nzima ya kwanza ya Hijria ikawa imepita.

When these ayāt were revealed, the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم conveyed them to the people and the Muslims memorised them by rote, they did not generate any discussion or debate. They did not see in these ayāt any contradictions that required reconcilation. They understood every ayah with reference to the aspect it came to describe or verify. Thus the ayāt were harmonious in reality and in their selves. They believed in them, trusted them and understood them in a general manner, and they sufficed themselves with this understanding; they regarded them as a description of reality or a reporting of facts. Many amogst the wise did not like the discussion concerning the details of the mutashabihāt or the debate thereof. They thought that such discussion was of no benefit to Islam. The general understanding, to the extent one understands, would render the discussion of the details and elaborations unnecessary. Thus the Muslims comprehended the approach of the Qur’ān and received its ayāt upon this approach throughout the era of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and so did those who came after them until the entire first century Hijri had elapsed.

Kuhusu tofauti yao na mbinu ya wanafalsafa, wanafalsafa walitegemea syllogism pekee; walibuni syllogism katika umbo la kimantiki kutoka kwenye premise ndogo na premise kubwa pamoja na hitimisho. Walitumia istilahi na lugha ya kitaalamu kama 'dhati' (essence) na 'ajali' (accident) na mfano wake; waliibua matatizo ya kiakili ambayo waliyajenga juu ya msingi wa mantiki, si juu ya msingi wa hisia au uhalisia.

As for their difference from the methodology of the philosophers, the philosophers depended solely on syllogisms; they evolved syllogisms in a logical form from a minor and major premise and a conclusion. They used terminology and jargon such as ‘essence’ and ‘accident’ and the like; they initiated intellectual problems which they built on the basis of logic, not on the basis of sense-perception or the reality.