Kwa baadhi ya watu, mada ya nafasi ya akili katika Uislamu inaonekana ya ajabu sana. Kwa bahati mbaya, kutojua kwa kina kuhusu Uislamu ndiko kunakosababisha uelewa wa namna hii. Kwa kufanya utafiti wa Qur‟ani na maisha ya Mtume ﷺ, inadhihirika wazi kwamba wahyu uliweka msisitizo mkubwa juu ya somo hili. Ni jambo la kawaida kwa wahyu kulishughulikia suala hili kwa sababu, ili kuweka tabia fulani, ni lazima kufikia namna ya kufikiri ya mtu binafsi. Wahyu ulipolishughulikia suala hili muhimu, ulifanya hivyo kwa njia yenye ufanisi mkubwa hata ikachukua Aya moja tu kwa jamii nzima kujiepusha na pombe.

To some, the subject of the role of intellect in Islam seems quite bizarre. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness about Islam yields such an understanding. Through researching the Qur‟an and the life of the Prophet (saw) it is apparent that much emphasis was placed on this subject by the revelation. It is natural for the revelation to address this subject because in order to formulate a specific behaviour, the individual‟s way of thinking must be addressed. When the revelation addressed this crucial issue it did so in such an effective manner that it took only one Ayah for the entire society to abstain from alcohol.

Mtume Muhammad ﷺ hakuwabainishia watu tu masuala ya sheria yanayohusu matendo yao, bali pia alielekeza akili zao na kubainisha mipaka yake.

Prophet Muhammad (saw) not only clarified matters of law to the people that dealt with their actions but also directed their intellect and clarified its limitation.

Hili ni dhahiri wakati jua lilipopatwa wakati wa Mtume ﷺ siku ile ile ambayo mwanae ﷺ Ibraheem (ra) alifariki. Watu walipodokeza kwamba jua limepatwa kwa sababu ya kifo cha mwana wa Mtume ﷺ, yeye ﷺ aliwaambia kwamba jua na mwezi ni ishara kutoka kwa Allah (swt). Havipatwi kwa ajili ya kifo cha mtu wala kuzaliwa kwake; kwa hiyo hakuna uhusiano kati ya matukio hayo mawili.

This is evident when the sun eclipsed during the time of the Prophet (saw) on the same day that his (saw) son Ibraheem (ra) died. When people suggested that the sun eclipsed because of the Prophet‟s (saw) son‟s death, he (saw) told them that the sun and the moon are signs from Allah (swt). They do not eclipse for someone‟s death or birth; therefore there is no relationship between the two events.

Mbinu ya kuelekeza akili na kanuni thabiti za busara zilifanya kazi pale Mtume ﷺ alipoondoa upotofu wa kundi la watu waliposema kwamba mvua hunyesha kutokana na athari ya nyota, akiwaambia kwamba Bwana wa nyota hiyo, Allah (SWT), ndiye anayesababisha mvua kunyesha. Hizi ni mifano miwili tu kati ya mingi inayoonyesha nafasi ya akili.

The method of directing the intellect and sound principles of reason were at work when the Prophet (saw) cleared the misunderstanding of a group of people when they said that rain occurs due to the influence of the star, telling them that the Lord of the star, Allah (swt), causes the rain to occur. These are just two of the many examples addressing the role of the intellect.

Baada ya kuelewa kwamba Uislamu uliielekeza akili ya watu, swali linalofuata ni: je, nafasi ya akili katika Uislamu ni ipi hasa?

Having understood that Islam directed the people‟s intellect, the next question, which arises, is what exactly is the position of the intellect in Islam?

Katika Uislamu, nafasi inayochezwa na akili ni kubwa sana. Akili hutumiwa kuelewa na kukubali 'Aqeedah (itikadi) ya Kiislamu, na ndiyo njia pekee inayokubalika ya kuingia Uislamu. Uislamu unalazimu matumizi ya akili ili kumwamini Allah (SWT), na unakataza kuiga wengine (Taqleed) katika 'Aqeedah.

In Islam the role played by the intellect is a very significant one. The intellect is used to understand and accept the Islamic „Aqeedah (doctrine) and is the only acceptable method to enter Islam. Islam compels the use of the intellect to believe in Allah (swt) and forbids imitation (Taqleed) in „Aqeedah.

Uislamu unatoa ushahidi wa kiakili unaothibitisha kuwepo kwa Mwenyezi Mungu (swt) na umoja wake, Utume wa Muhammad ﷺ, na kwamba Qur'an ni neno la Mwenyezi Mungu (swt). Hivyo msingi wa Uislamu umejengwa juu ya kuamini kwa kutumia akili. Kupitia ushahidi huu madhubuti, akili na moyo vinaridhika na havina imani ya upofu wala ushirikina.

Islam provides rational evidences to prove the existence and the oneness of Allah (swt), the Prophethood of Muhammad (saw), and that the Qur‟an is the word of Allah (swt). Thus the foundation of Islam is built upon conviction through the intellect. Through this sound proof, the intellect and the heart are satisfied and devoid of any blind faith and superstitions.

Kwa kuwa uthibitisho wa uhalisi wa Qur’ani na Utume wa Nabii Muhammad ﷺ umejengwa juu ya akili, imani katika viumbe kama malaika na majini, pamoja na maelezo ya pepo na moto wa Jahannamu, vinategemea uhalisi wa Qur’ani na Utume wa Muhammad ﷺ.

Since the authenticity of the Qur‟an and Prophethood of Prophet (saw) is built upon the intellect, the belief in beings such as the angels and Jinns, or descriptions of heaven and hell are based upon the authenticity of the Qur‟an and the Prophethood of Muhammad (saw).

Mara tu 'Aqeedah ya Uislamu inapofikiwa kwa akili, akili basi huchukua nafasi tofauti. Hucheza nafasi ya kuelewa tu jambo na wahyi, kisha kutumia wahyi kwa jambo hilo. Akili hutumia wahyi kama chanzo cha kutoa hukumu za jambo lolote, kuanzia Wudhu (kutawadha) hadi siasa za nje za Dola ya Kiislamu.

Once the „Aqeedah of Islam is arrived at intellectually, the intellect then plays a different role. It plays a role of only understanding the issue and the revelation and then applying the revelation to the issue. The intellect uses the revelation as a source to derive rulings on any issue, from Wudhu (ablution) to the foreign policy of the Islamic State.

Ni muhimu kutambua kwamba akili haiwezi kutumiwa kubuni sababu ya hukmu fulani, isipokuwa sababu hiyo imetajwa katika matini. Kudai sababu ya hukmu yoyote kunamaanisha kwamba tunaweza kufahamu kile Allah (swt) alichokusudia kwa hukmu hiyo, jambo ambalo haliwezekani. Kwa mfano, hatuwezi kutumia akili kuhitimisha sababu ya kwa nini tunatekeleza Wudhuu. Akili huenda ingeongoza mtu kudhani kwamba ni kwa ajili ya usafi wa mwili.

It is important to realise that the intellect cannot be used to conjure up a reason for a ruling, unless the reason is mentioned in the text. Claiming a reason for any ruling implies that we can comprehend what Allah (swt) intended for that ruling, which is impossible. For example, we cannot use the intellect to infer a reason for why we perform Wudhu. The intellect would probably lead one to assume that it is for the sake of personal hygiene.

Hata hivyo, ikiwa maji hayapatikani basi tunapaswa kufanya Tayammum (kitendo cha kujipangusa kwa mavumbi). Ikiwa sababu ya Wudhu ingekuwa usafi, basi kwa nini Allah (SWT) angetuamuru kujipangusa kwa mavumbi pale maji yanapokosekana?

However, if water is not accessible then we are supposed to do Tayammum (a series of actions requiring one to wipe themselves with dust). If the reasoning behind Wudhu were cleanliness, then why would Allah (swt) order us to wipe ourselves with dust if water is inaccessible?

Matumizi sahihi ya akili yanaonekana katika vitendo vya Sahaba (ra). Wakati wa vita vya Badr, Mtume ﷺ alikuwa amelipanga jeshi mahali fulani. Habab bin al-Munthir (ra) alimuuliza Mtume ﷺ kama uamuzi wake ulitokana na wahyu au ulikuwa ni uamuzi wa kimbinu. Mtume ﷺ alijibu kwa kusema kwamba ulikuwa ni uamuzi wa kimbinu. Baada ya hapo Habab bin al-Munthir alisema kwamba mahali hapo palikuwa pabaya. Kutokana na tukio hili tunaona kwamba Sahaba (ra) walitambua mpaka mwembamba kati ya wahyu na akili. Hawakuwahi kutumia fikra zao kutoa hukumu juu ya wahyu.

The proper use of the intellect can be seen in the actions of the Sahabah (ra). During the battle of Badr the Prophet (saw) had stationed the army at a certain location. Habab bin al-Munthir (ra) inquired from the Prophet (saw) whether his (saw)‟s decision was based on the revelation or a tactical decision. The Prophet (saw) replied by saying that it was a tactical decision. Upon this Habab bin al-Munthir said that the location was a wrong one. From this incident we can see that the Sahabah (ra) recognised the fine line between the revelation and the intellect. They never used their thinking to pass judgments on the revelation.

Katika itikadi nyingine, akili hucheza nafasi ambayo haiwezi kuitimiza. Katika demokrasia za Magharibi, akili hupewa jukumu lisilo na mipaka la kupanga maisha ya mwanadamu; lakini yenyewe huathiriwa na upendeleo, tofauti, mitazamo tofauti, mikinzano, na ushawishi wa mazingira. Hata hivyo, katika Uislamu akili haitumiwi kutunga sheria, bali kuelewa wahyi na kuutekeleza.

In other ideologies the intellect plays a role that it cannot fulfil. In Western democracies, intellect is given the unlimited role of organising man‟s life; however, it is subject to biases, disparity, differences, contradictions, and the influence of the environment. However, in Islam the intellect is not used to legislate, but to understand the revelation and to apply it.

Kuhusu akili, Waislamu wanahitaji kuwa na ufahamu uleule wa mstari mwembamba kati ya wahyi na akili (ʿAql) ambao Habab bin al-Mundhir (ra) alikuwa nao. Kwa bahati mbaya, Waislamu wameanza kutumia akili zao kwa kupitisha hukumu alizotupa Allah (SWT), kwa mfano, Swalah ni mazoezi mazuri, Swaumu ni nzuri kwa mwili, n.k. Zaidi ya hayo, katika baadhi ya hali, Waislamu wameanza kupendelea hukumu za sheria zilizotungwa na binadamu kuliko zile za Muumba wa Ulimwengu, Allah (SWT).

With regard to the intellect, Muslims need to have the same awareness of the fine line between revelation and „Aql that Habab bin al-Mundthir (ra) had. Unfortunately, Muslims have begun to exercise their intellect to pass on the rulings given to us by Allah (swt), e.g. Salah is good exercise, fasting is good for the body, etc. Furthermore, in some cases Muslims have started to prefer the ruling of man-made laws to those of the Creator of the Universe, Allah (swt).