> The Role of Reason and Intellect Between the Modern Western Paradigm and Islam

[al-boriqee]

Before I begin, I believe it is essential to note that the Utilization of al-Aql (human rationale/intellect) is divided between idaaree (jurisprudential order, administrative) and shar’i (divine revelation). When it comes to the use of al-Aql in the idaaree affairs of this world, it is more common that the reliance of al-Aql will be utilized more so than with regards to ilmu-shar’i, because religious truths and reality is not based on human rationale or the intellect but rather based on wahi (revelation). But with idaaree, the base supposition regarding it is that it is not constrained and can be utilized more freely UNLESS an action performed by the aql would violate a legal ruling. In the following article, the topic will be centered more so on the shar’i aspect of the use of al-Aql, since after all, the people who propagate the use of al-Aql are doing so in the realm of defining truth and falsehood, what is right and wrong, which is religious based, not idaaree based.

The Stark Difference in the Utilization of al-Aql between the western secular world and Islam

The pivot point that all of our differences is based on is one single fundamental reality. That is that for our western counterpart, their conceptual understanding regarding the role and utilization of al-Aql is based on the school of thought of the philosophers. That is, that by one’s mind, one can arrive at what is most proper. In other words, the place of al-aql is put on a pedestal of being beyond fault. In other words, the western world views the utilization of al-Aql to have no limit whatsoever regarding determining truth and falsehood and what is right and wrong, whereas in Islamic thought, the intellect is set by limits

al-Aql in use by Westerners

It is due to their belief that their own intellects can determine for them the best course of action that they see for themselves, that they came up with a most faulty conclusion, that being that “there is no absolute truth”. In other words, for them, truth is relative. What can be truth for you may not necessarily be truth to me. The hypocrisy in this framework of mind is that this idea is taken to its most absolute extreme regarding religion, but is not acted upon concerning specialized science. An example of this is someone going to seek a medical opinion from an expert. If the expert gives their opinion, and therefore their ruling about a person’s health, the one who is diagnosed does not react with “well I don’t like your opinion, I will rather judge for myself as my intellect sees fit”. No person in their right mind would do this. Yet when it comes to the subject of truth and falsehood, they would deem themselves capable to determine its reality.
The Utilization of al-Aql in Reality

In Islam, the intellect, al-Aql, is a faculty, just like the other 5 senses are faculties

With regards to the faculty of hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, feeling, if one of them is wrong, there are other modes by which it can be corrected. An example of a faculty being wrong is when one smells a certain odor and then hastily makes a judgment that it is such and such, but when they actually see the origin of the odor, it turns out to be something else. If someone were locked in a room with no light, their faculty of seeing is deficient. They would not be able to see “smoke” which can be potentially harmful. However they can smell smoke. Therefore they can make the judgment that “smoke is in the room” even though they can’t see smoke.

With regards to the intellect, it is more difficult to determine where the inaccuracy or error lies at because it is not something that is proven by other modes, but rather it is only experienced. The limits of al-Aql, in reality, are the following

• Age
• Gender
• Time of Existence
• Education
• Experience
• Climate
• Socio/Political events of the time
• Language
• Religion
• Influence of Individuals
• childhood upbringing
• DNA traits

al-Aql, of every single individual has been directly influenced by all of these factors. This is why no two individuals can absolutely agree on everything which at the same time each one agrees that their own intellectual deduction on any given issue that is disputed is the correct one.

One of The Main Reasons for Resorting Back to Allah and His Messenger

It is for the following reality regarding the limitations of al-Aql that brought Allah to reveal the following ayaa

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ ۖ فَإِنْتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَ*ٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُتَأْوِيلًا
O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (SAW), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. ( سورة النساء , An-Nisa, Chapter #4, Verse #59)

In Islam, when the intellects of people clash, then who will act as the overseer, the judge, the criterion for them and determine who would lean to what is most correct. in Islam, the Qur’an and Sunnah, as is exemplified by the ayaa above. The unfortunate thing four our western counterparts is that they have no ultimate criteria that they abode by to determine which ideas of people are more suitable. Rather the yardstick that they have is none other than “consensus” or the view of the majority.

The Utilization of al-Aql in Islam

Yasir Qadhi pointed out in one of his lectures concerning this topic that he had studied each time where al-Aql was used in the Qur’an, including its derivatives (like yaqiloon, etc), and its synonyms (like fiqh, yuffakiru, etc) and came to the conclusion that the use of al-Aql is geared towards realizing that Islam is the religion and the Prophet is the truthful messenger and then after that, then it is geared towards reflection of this creation in order to strengthen one’s faith. However, What I am about to do here is expand on that in a more detailed and systematic way

The Utilization of al-Aql from Allah as a gift to His slaves is divided into two components

1. The Utilization of al-Aql pertaining to the disbelievers
2. The Utilization of al-Aql pertaining to the believers

This is a subject that all of the propagators (like Modernists and progressives) who like to use the versus in the Qur’an where Allah calls upon us to use our minds, seems to be not only misunderstood, but not studied at all by these modernists and progressives. All of these people who call for the use of al-Aql in determining the validity of what is attributed to Islam, all of them have not truly contemplated with a deep and true contemplation on what it is that Allah is telling us to use our minds in. In other words they failed to grasp the contextual realities like the what’s, how’s, and when’s to use our intellects.

Well, we Salafis, the people who are deemed and alleged as those who do not use our minds, have been the most contemplative regarding all sciences of Islam and this subject is no different. Allow me now to expand on this subject briefly

A. the Utilization of al-Aql pertaining to the disbelievers

Allah directs the utilization of the human intellect towards the disbelievers in 3 fundamental ways.

1. To Recognize Allah is the Truth. This has three subdivided parts

A. To Recognize the Necessary Existence and Lordship of Allah (ithbaat al-Wujoodiyyah wa Ruboobiyyah fillah)

أَمْ خُلِقُوا مِنْ غَيْرِ شَيْءٍأَمْ هُمُ الْخَالِقُونَ
were they created by nothing, or were they themselves the creators? ( سورة الطور , At-tur, Chapter #52, Verse #35)

وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَبِالْحَقِّ ۖوَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ ۚ قَوْلُهُ الْحَقُّ ۚ وَلَهُالْمُلْكُ يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ ۚ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ۚوَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ
It is He who has created the heavens and the earth in truth, and on the Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) He will say: “Be!”, – and it shall become. His Word is the truth. His will be the dominion on the Day when the trumpet will be blown. All Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is the All Wise, Well-Aware (of all things). ( سورة الأنعام , Al-Anaam, Chapter #6, Verse #73)

the Last and most wondrous of ayaah under this sub category pertaining to Allah’s Lordship is the following
أَوَلَمْ يَنظُرُوا فِي مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَاوَاتِوَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِن شَيْءٍ وَأَنْ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُونَ قَدِاقْتَرَبَ أَجَلُهُمْ ۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ
Do they see nothing in the government of the heavens and the earth and all that Allah hath created? (Do they not see) that it may well be that their terms is nigh drawing to an end? In what message after this will they then believe? ( سورة الأعراف , Al-Araf, Chapter #7, Verse #185)

B. To recognize His Worship

أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَلَّا يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلًاوَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا
Could they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had no power either to harm them or to do them good? ( سورة طه , Taha, Chapter #20, Verse #89)

Again

قُلْ مَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِوَالْأَرْضِ أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَمَن يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّمِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَمَن يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ ۚفَسَيَقُولُونَ اللَّهُ ۚ فَقُلْ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ
Say: “Who is it that sustains you (in life) from the sky and from the earth? or who is it that has power over hearing and sight? And who is it that brings out the living from the dead and the dead from the living? and who is it that rules and regulates all affairs?” They will soon say, “(Allah)”. Say, “will ye not then show piety (to Him)?”
( سورة يونس , Yunus, Chapter #10, Verse #31)

C. To Recognize His hukm

قُلْ إِنِّي عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّيوَكَذَّبْتُم بِهِ ۚ مَا عِندِي مَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِهِ ۚ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّالِلَّهِ ۖ يَقُصُّ الْحَقَّ ۖ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْفَاصِلِينَ
Say: “For me, I (work) on a clear sign from my Lord, but ye reject Him. What ye would see hastened, is not in my power. The command rests with none but Allah. He declares the truth, and He is the best of judges.” ( سورة الأنعام , Al-Anaam, Chapter #6, Verse #57)

2. To Recognize the Prophet hood and Truthfulness of Muhammad alaihi salatu salaam

Allah says

أَوَلَمْ يَتَفَكَّرُواۗ مَا بِصَاحِبِهِمْ مِنْ جِنَّةٍ ۚ إِنْهُوَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُبِينٌ
Do they not reflect? There is no madness in their companion (Muhammad SAW). He is but a plain warner. ( سورة الأعراف , Al-Araf, Chapter #7, Verse #184)

Again, He says

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَعِظُكُمْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ ۖ أَنْ تَقُومُوالِلَّهِ مَثْنَىٰ وَفُرَادَىٰ ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُوا ۚ مَا بِصَاحِبِكُمْ مِنْجِنَّةٍ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍشَدِيدٍ
Say (to them O Muhammad SAW): “I exhort you on one (thing) only: that you stand up for Allahs sake in pairs and singly, and reflect (within yourselves the life history of the Prophet SAW): there is no madness in your companion (Muhammad SAW), he is only a warner to you in face of a severe torment.” ( سورة سبأ , Saba, Chapter #34, Verse #46)

3. To Recognize that Islam is the truth

وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَالْخَاسِرِينَ
And whoever seeks a religion other than islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. ( سورة آل عمران , Aal-e-Imran, Chapter #3, Verse #85)

Allah concludes those who do not come to the realization of these three realities to have the following ruling concerning them

وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَكَفَرُوا كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَاءً وَنِدَاءً ۚصُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
And the example of those who disbelieve, is as that of him who shouts to the (flock of sheep) that hears nothing but calls and cries. (They are) deaf, dumb and blind. So they do not understand. ( سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #171)

Again He says

وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَاهُبِهَا وَلَـٰكِنَّهُ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ ۚ فَمَثَلُهُكَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ إِنْ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَثْ ۚذَ*ٰلِكَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا ۚ فَاقْصُصِ الْقَصَصَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him therewith but he clung to the earth and followed his own vain desire. So his description is the description of a dog: if you drive him away, he lolls his tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls his tongue out. Such is the description of the people who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect. ( سورة الأعراف , Al-Araf, Chapter #7, Verse #176)

The Most fundamental of all of the ayaah regarding the rejection of these is the following

وَقَالُوا لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُأَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِي أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ
And they will say: “Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we would not have been among the dwellers of the blazing Fire!” ( سورة الملك , Al-Mulk, Chapter #67, Verse #10)

another amazing ayaah that was never mentioned is this one

إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابِّ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الصُّمُّالْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
Verily! The worst of (moving) living creatures with Allah are the deaf and the dumb, those who understand not (i.e. the disbelievers). ( سورة الأنفال , Al-Anfal, Chapter #8, Verse #22)

So i is clear that anyone who does not accept the hidaya of Allah are those who have not used the faculty that Allah blessed them with, their intellect. Allah renders them deaf, dumb, and blind as He says

وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا صُمٌّ وَبُكْمٌ فِيالظُّلُمَاتِ ۗ مَنْ يَشَإِ اللَّهُ يُضْلِلْهُ وَمَنْ يَشَأْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَىٰصِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
Those who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) are deaf and dumb in darkness. Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the Straight Path whom He wills. ( سورة الأنعام , Al-Anaam, Chapter #6, Verse #39)

B. the Utilization of al-Aql pertaining to the believers

Thus as we have seen the utilization of al-Aql, is actually a gradation i.e. built upon levels. The first level is to understand that Allah exists and is the Lord of the worlds, and then that recognition entails by default His worship, and acknowledgment of all of that entails in its finality, to abide by His rules and judgments in obedience, which is the reality of submission into Islam.

The next step by recognizing that one must obey Allah, then this belief by default gives way to believing and following the Messenger and recognizing him with the truth. And recognizing this by default leads you to understand that Islam is the truth. Thus the utilization of al-Aql geared towards the kuffar is within the boundaries of accepting Allah, His messenger, and His deen.

Once the human graduates from these three and understands that and passes these three, then he has indeed utilized his aql. Once this takes place then he becomes a believer in Allah. Now there are two issues that go beyond the former three aspects in which the utilization of al-Aql takes place. Once the individual has utilized the aql to realize these three facts, Allah calls the believer to utilize his aql in two more profound aspects and they are the following.

1. To Ponder over the creation

I cannot arrogantly say that “the reason”. However, I can say that one of the reasons that Allah has called us to ponder over the creation (after we have already recognized the ruboobiyyah, uboodiyyah, risalah) is to strengthen our emaan

وَهُوَ الَّذِي مَدَّ الْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ وَأَنْهَارًا ۖوَمِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ جَعَلَ فِيهَا زَوْجَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ ۖ يُغْشِي اللَّيْلَالنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَ*ٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍيَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And it is He Who spread out the earth, and placed therein firm mountains and rivers and of every kind of fruits He made Zawjain Ithnaeen (two in pairs – may mean two kinds or it may mean: of two sorts, e.g. black and white, sweet and sour, small and big, etc.) He brings the night as a cover over the day. Verily, in these things, there are Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) for people who reflect. ( سورة الرعد , Ar-Rad, Chapter #13, Verse #3)

and similarly all of the ayaah that tell us about how he created us from a clot.
A wondrous ayaah comes to mind regarding this

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَالْفُلْكِ الَّتِي تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُالنَّاسَ وَمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مِن مَّاءٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِالْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِالرِّيَاحِ وَالسَّحَابِ الْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَآيَاتٍلِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the night and the day; in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah Sends down from the skies, and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they Trail like their slaves between the sky and the earth;- (Here) indeed are signs for a people that are wise. ( سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #164)

2. To Understand the religion of Allah

This is the last end, the greatest extent of the use of al-Aql in the graduating levels of mankind to us their aql in. This is based on the hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah
“Whoever Allah wishes good for, He grants him al-fiqh (understanding) of the religion”
Allah said

هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُآيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ ۖ فَأَمَّاالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَالْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ ۗ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُۗ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِرَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
He it is Who has sent down to thee the Book: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: “We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:” and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding. ( سورة آل عمران , Aal-e-Imran, Chapter #3, Verse #7)

The highest level concerning the use of al-Aql is the ijtihaad of the inheritors of the prophets, the ulema rabbaniyoon.

The Matters in Which Human Intellect and Rationale (al-Aql) has no business or Permission to partake in

The areas that the human intellect has no business determining or being the criterion of is in regard to ilm ash-shar’i (Divinely legislative codes)

1. The legislation of men. This is the Divine Right of Allah that is to be unshared with any others
2. To determine what is right and what is wrong and the basic code of morality on a fundamental level
3. To determine the reality of things when the essence of the thing that is being judged has its roots in the unseen. (for example, saying to someone “you’re going to hell”)
4. To determine the Purpose of Life or existence
5. The Nature of God (for example “Since Allah does not have limbs, He therefore does not have Hands”
6. The Acts of God (for example “God cannot exist because why would He allow the Tsunami to destroy a people)
7. The Knowledge of God (for example “Well, Allah does not know when something happens until it happens because a belief opposite of this is against my “reasoning”)
8. The Decisions of God (for example “I’m not going to cover myself because I do not understand why Allah ruled that women should cover themselves)

With regards to Ilm al-Idaree or Knowledge of the secondary matters of jurisprudence and order, then the use of al-Aql is broadened and utilized more. This is reflective of the usooli asl of “Everything in the dunya is halaal unless there is a text prohibiting it, and everything in worship is prohibited unless there is a text that allows it”

Thus using our logic and reason when it comes to day to day social activities with each other, the state, and society, construction, industry, academics, then there is nothing wrong in relying upon al-Aql as a major criterion provided that it does not violate a specified ordainment mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah.

The Viewpoint of Utilizing of the Intellect from the standpoint of Religion and Ethics

I have done a search within the Qur’an regarding the use of thinking among mankind with regards to religious and ethical deductions of what is right and wrong. Most of the versus in the Qur’an point to a degrading and negative tone when it comes to man using his intellect at arriving at what he perceives to be good and upright and its opposite. In fact, in all honesty, man by default, is geared towards oppression, injustice, and ignorance regarding this very matter. I do not wish to deviate on the topic, however I feel obliged to comment on this single point. The Hanbali mujtahid and jurist Ibn Taymiyyah explained that the base ruling of mankind, including Muslims, is that he is jahl (ignorant) and dhulm (oppressive) by nature. The support for this is the statement Allah says in the Qur’an

إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنسَانُ ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولًا

Surely We offered the trust (al-Amanah) to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to be unfaithful to it and feared from it, and man has turned unfaithful to it; surely he is unjust, ignorant; ( سورة الأحزاب , Al-Ahzab, Chapter #33, Verse #72)

So Ibn Taymiyyah explained in this that al-adl (uprightness, justice) in the view of the fuqaha (jurists) is when a person is free from major sins and does not persist in minor sins.This is in the context of explaining that sidq (truthfulness) is linked with birr (righteousness) and leads to it, and that kadhib (lying) leads to fujoor (sins) and leads to it.

The Shafi’ee Jurist Haafidh Ibn Katheer in his commentary of the Qur’an has the following to say with respect to the meaning of this verse:

Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, “Al-Amanah means obedience. This was offered to them before it was offered to Adam, and they could not bear it. Then Allah said to Adam: `I have offered the Amanah to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they could not bear it. Will you take it on’ He said, `O Lord, what does it involve’ He said, `If you do good, you will be rewarded, and if you do evil, you will be punished.’ So Adam took the Amanah and bore it, and this is what is referred to in the Ayah:

﴿وَحَمَلَهَا الإِنْسَـنُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُوماً جَهُولاً﴾

(But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust and ignorant.)” `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, “Al-Amanah means Al-Fara’id (the obligatory duties). Allah offered them to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, (on the grounds that) if they fulfilled them, He would reward them; and if they failed, He would punish them. But they did not want to do that, and they were afraid of it, not because their intention was sinful, but because of their respect for the religion of Allah, in case they could not fulfill the obligations involved. Then Allah offered it to Adam, and he accepted it with all that it entailed. This is what is referred to in the Ayah:

وَحَمَلَهَا الإِنْسَـنُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُوماً جَهُولاً

(But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust and ignorant. ) meaning, he underestimated the command of Allah.” This was also the view of Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and others that Al-Amanah means Al-Fara’id. Others said that it meant obedience. Al-A`mash narrated from Abu Ad-Duha from Masruq that Ubayy bin Ka`b said: “Part of Al-Amanah means that woman was entrusted with her own chastity.” Qatadah said: “Al-Amanah means religion, obligatory duties and prescribed punishments.” Malik narrated that Zayd bin Aslam said: “Al-Amanah means three things: prayer, fasting and performing Ghusl to cleanse oneself from sexual impurity.” There is no contradiction between all of these views; they are all in agreement and all refer to responsibility and the acceptance of commands and prohibitions with their attendant conditions, which is that the one who fulfills this responsibility, will be rewarded; while the one who neglects it, will be punished. Man accepted this despite the fact that he is weak, ignorant and unjust — except for those whom Allah helps, and Allah is the One Whose help we seek. One of the reports which deal with Al-Amanah is the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad from Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “The Messenger of Allah told us two Hadiths, one of which I have seen and the other I am still waiting to see. He told us that Al-Amanah is deeply rooted in the heart of man, then the Qur’an was revealed and they know it from the Qur’an and from the Sunnah. Then he told us that Al-Amanah will be taken away. He said,

يَنَامُ الرَّجُلُ النَّوْمَةَ فَتُقْبَضُ الْأَمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ، فَيَظَلُّ أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ أَثَرِ الْمَجْلِ كَجَمْرٍ دَحْرَجْتَهُ عَلَى رِجْلِكِ، تَرَاهُ مُنْتَبِرًا وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ شَيْء

. (A man may sleep and Al-Amanah will be taken from his heart, leaving nothing but a trace like a blister left by a coal if you were to roll it over your leg — you will see it protruding but there is nothing inside.) Then he took a pebble and rolled it over his leg, then he said:

فَيُصْبِحُ النَّاسُ يَتَبَايَعُونَ لَا يَكَادُ أَحَدٌ يُؤَدِّي الْأَمَانَةَ حَتَّى يُقَالَ: إِنَّ فِي بَنِي فُلَانٍ رَجُلًا أَمِينًا، حَتَّى يُقَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ مَا أَجْلَدَهُ وَأَظْرَفَهُ وَأَعْقَلَهُ وَمَا فِي قَلْبِهِ حَبَّةُ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَان

(Then the people will start buying and selling, and hardly anyone will be paying attention to Al-Amanah, until it will be said that among the tribe of so-and-so there is a trustworthy man, and it will said of a man, `how strong he is, how nice and how wise,’ and there is not even a mustard seed of faith in his heart.) No doubt, there came upon me a time when I did not mind dealing (bargaining) with anyone of you, for if he was a Muslim, his Islam would compel him to pay me what is due to me, and if he was a Christian, or Jew, the Muslim official would compel him to pay me what is due to me, but today, I do not deal except with such and such person among you.” It was also recorded in the Two Sahihs from the Hadith of Al-A`mash. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:

أَرْبَعٌ إِذَا كُنَّ فِيكَ فَلَا عَلَيْكَ مَا فَاتَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا: حِفْظُ أَمَانَةٍ، وَصِدْقُ حَدِيثٍ، وَحُسْنُ خَلِيقَةٍ، وَعِفَّةُ طُعْمَة

(There are four things, if you attain them, then whatever you miss in this world will not matter: preserving trust, speaking the truth, being of good character and moderation in eating.)[1]

So back to the subject at hand, I have found that in the Qur’an, all of the versus that had mentioned the issues on which man had utilized his intellect in, in reality were deductions of errors, transgressions, misguidance, etc.

There are over close to 60 references in the Qur’an pertaining to the word “think” and its synonyms and derivatives and almost every last one of them is mentioned in a negative tone.
Here are just some examples

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّابِرِينَ

Do you think that you will enter the garden while Allah has not yet known those who strive hard from among you, and (He has not) known the patient. ( سورة آل عمران , Aal-e-Imran, Chapter #3, Verse #142)

Again

وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لِّأَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِثْمًا ۚ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ

And let not those who disbelieve think that Our granting them respite is better for their souls; We grant them respite only that they may add to their sins; and they shall have a disgraceful chastisement. ( سورة آل عمران , Aal-e-Imran, Chapter #3, Verse #178)

This is a beautiful passage right here because this is directly relevant to today’s average person who on the account of his perception of being “free” and “blessed with a good life” and other thoughts of his lifestyle, then they reason (with their intellects) that they must be living their life correctly according to their Lord.

Again

فَرِيقًا هَدَىٰ وَفَرِيقًا حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الضَّلَالَةُ ۗ إِنَّهُمُ اتَّخَذُوا الشَّيَاطِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ

A part has He guided aright and (as for another) part, error is justly their due, surely they took the devils for guardians beside Allah, and they think that they are followers of the right way.
( سورة الأعراف , Al-Araf, Chapter #7, Verse #30)

Again, concerning some of the antagonists of the prophets, in this case it was the holy prophet Hud alaihi salam when he was sent to the nation of ‘Ad, and after he presented the message of Allah they told him

قَالَ الْمَلَأُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن قَوْمِهِ إِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِي سَفَاهَةٍ وَإِنَّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ

The chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said: Most surely we see you in folly, and most surely we think you to be of the liars. ( سورة الأعراف , Al-Araf, Chapter #7, Verse #66)

I will end with these two final quotations for brevity God Willing

أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُم بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ
نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ بَل لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ

Do they think that because We have granted them abundance of wealth and sons, We hasten to them with good things. Nay, [it is a Fitnah (trial) in this worldly life so that they will have no share of good things in the Hereafter] Nay, they do not understand. ( سورة المؤمنون , Al-Mumenoon, Chapter #23, Verse #55 and #56)

Again He says

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ

What! Did you then think that We had created you in vain and that you shall not be returned to Us? ( سورة المؤمنون , Al-Mumenoon, Chapter #23, Verse #115)

This verse demonstrates the preposterous assumptions of those who reject the clearly obvious, that they have a purpose in this life and they will have to one day answer for their actions.

The Qur’an is replete with versus of similar nature contextually rendering the use of man’s intellect in religion, view and purpose of life, basic morality and ethics, to be in a state of error and ignorance of reality and truth as the default position of man.

It is for this fundamental reason that lead many, if not all, of the orthodox classical sunni jurist to have repudiated the innovatory western philosophical concept of “aql” as understood by the philosophers and those infected by their thought. One such jursits was the Shafi’ee Imaa, Haafidh Abu Mudhaffar as-San’aanee who died in 498 hijrah who said the following by his student Isma’eel ibnul-Fadl in the work al-Hujjah

Know that the methodology of the people of the Sunnah is that the intellect does not obligate something upon a person, nor does it raise something from him. It does not determine something to be permissible or impermissible for him, or something to be good or bad. If the person who heard it does not want it to, then it does not obligate anything upon anyone, and it does not have a reward or punishment.

He also said,

The people of the Sunnah say: ‘The foundation of the Religion is following (al-Ittibaa’) and the intellect is subservient.’ So if the foundation of the Religion was upon the intellect, the creation would have been in no need of Revelation, nor of Prophets, and the meaning of commanding and prohibiting would be false, and whoever wished could have said whatever he wished.”

This methodology of the people of Islam is at a complete opposite of that of the western world because the basis of the western world in this topic is that the foundation of religion is upon the intellectual constitutions of each individual person and everything including religion is subservient to these intellectual deductions.

[SilverLJ]

Originally Posted by al-boriqee

The people of the Sunnah say: ‘The foundation of the Religion is following (al-Ittibaa’) and the intellect is subservient.’ So if the foundation of the Religion was upon the intellect, the creation would have been in no need of Revelation, nor of Prophets, and the meaning of commanding and prohibiting would be false, and whoever wished could have said whatever he wished.”

This methodology of the people of Islam is at a complete opposite of that of the western world because the basis of the western world in this topic is that the foundation of religion is upon the intellectual constitutions of each individual person and everything including religion is subservient to these intellectual deductions.

Interesting posting but does 'following' here mean that Islam looks only to the past for its direction now and in the future? This would to me imply a stagnation of the intellect; must we sort of hero-worship what is known and not question it?

[salman]

^if what is known is truth then where is the room for questions? You question only when something is not 100% sure or uncertain. Remember I told you that Islam is not debatable because it has been completed, perfected and it is ultimate truth and guidance for humanity. For example, it is established that 1+1=2; do you question why 1+1=2? That what Islam is!

[al-boriqee]

Originally Posted by SilverLJ

Interesting posting but does 'following' here mean that Islam looks only to the past for its direction now and in the future? This would to me imply a stagnation of the intellect; must we sort of hero-worship what is known and not question it?

Most of the issues that affect humanity have already been dealt with within the Islamic framework. When, however, there are new issues that were never addressed, ijtihaad (Scholastic analytical deduction) is performed BY THOSE QUALIFIED to perform it on such matters, all of which is based from the fundamental principles of Islam.

calling this a stagnation of the intellect through past hero-worship is much like insinuating every other country (e.g. America) who resort back to their own constitutions which sometimes were 100 or over 200 years ago and using these constitutions as a source of guidance in legislation and rule and the deduction of law. No one calls the legislative methodology of reverting back to a fundamental source of rule of law or their own constitution for the basis of the deduction of law as "hero-worship" and a "stagnation of the intellect"

[Assad]

:

JazakumAllah khair for excellent articles from bro al-boriqee and reply by bro salman.

People in the west just want to debate everything, they love debate and the win-lose situation more than deducing a conclusion or reaching a fact or discovering the truth.

[al-boriqee]

Originally Posted by Acid

:

JazakumAllah khair for excellent articles from bro al-boriqee and reply by bro salman.

People in the west just want to debate everything, they love debate and the win-lose situation more than deducing a conclusion or reaching a fact or discovering the truth.

On this very point I remember an athar from Imaam Maalik on this issue.

He said

"are we now suppose to make obsolete everything that was given to Muhammad based on the argument of such and such individual"

[note: this is not the exact wording however this wording is similar in meaning to what I remember of this narration]

The point of Imaam Maalik's speech was that truth is truth, and the power of presentation and articulation is an entirely different issue. It could be in some cases that a falsehood may win a debate solely on the basis of the style of presentation or the nature of the minds of the recipients. In the west, pretty much everything is judged to be "correct" on the basis of the presentation of the argument while overriding other more intricate, fundamental aspects, and even logical aspects of an opposing argument just because the other argument "sounds" better or seems more coherent to them.

And this is why our Islam is drastically different than their western outlook. Another narration from Hasan al-Basri makes the matter more clearer

A man came to Hasan al-Basri and wanted to debate with him. So Hasan al-Basri said to him
"As for me, I already know my religion, but as for you, if you don't know your religion, then go find it"

[SilverLJ]

Originally Posted by salman

^if what is known is truth then where is the room for questions? You question only when something is not 100% sure or uncertain. Remember I told you that Islam is not debatable because it has been completed, perfected and it is ultimate truth and guidance for humanity. For example, it is established that 1+1=2; do you question why 1+1=2? That what Islam is!

We have discussed this before and although I asked what it can mean that "there is no debate" I cannot recall you gave an answer. So let me make plain what my difficulty is here. I have a large number of questions because what you say seem almost totally at odds with how any subject develops and progresses. Let me start in this post by asking:

1. What is in the realm of Islam: is it just what is in the Qu'ran and Hadith or does it go beyond that?

2. Based on question 1 are you claiming there is no truth outside Islam?

3. You speak about truth but how do you define it? Mostly we consider truth to be based on a verifiable fact. Is that how you see it?

4. In Islam; at least in law if not in practice there are three inequalities: master and slave, man and woman and believer and unbeliever. Now I assume that these inequalities according to Islam are 'truths'. Are you then saying that all must accept for instance the universal truth that a master can have sexual relations with his female slaves, a woman is worth less than a man and an unbeilver must always be treated as a lesser mortal. Do you think that in the modern world these are not debatable?

Originally Posted by Acid

:JazakumAllah khair for excellent articles from bro al-boriqee and reply by bro salman.

People in the west just want to debate everything, they love debate and the win-lose situation more than deducing a conclusion or reaching a fact or discovering the truth.

This is in some ways correct but what you seem not quite to understand is that the major way and some would say the only way to learn is not to memorise answers but to learn to ask questions, critical questions and exercise your thinking muscles. If I may say so its a very bad idea to ever get yourself into a position of thinking that you can think but no one else can and in some ways it worse here as you seem to want to claim that people in 'the west' are ALL inferior thinkers.

Just because you or anyone considers they have arrived at a conclusion or a truth or uncovered a fact cannot mean that it is now beyond question can it?

Just think what it would be like in University if all you got was one fact after another and you had to accept them without question. Any knowledge you get that way would never be your own and there would have been no progress at all anywhere. Do you agree?

[al-boriqee]

I will take it upon myself to answer these

1. What is in the realm of Islam: is it just what is in the Qu'ran and Hadith or does it go beyond that?

The basis of Islam is the Qur'an and Sunnah. The Qur'an is found in the Mushaf (a book of where the Qur'an is compiled) and the Sunnah is found in Hadith. These are the basis for 3 other source methods of the deductions of Islamic legal theory.

Now, we have another sources of law and they consist of
-Ijmaa (consensus)
-Qiyaas (the performance of scholastic analogies and analytical deductions of the law)
-Ijtihaad (the Scholastic inference that result in judgment)

So in actuality, Islam has 5 basic sources of law that are all agreed upon which is

1. Qur’an(the holy recitation of God's word given to Muhammad)
2. Sunnah and hadith(the example and sayings of Muhammad)
3. Ijma’(consensus)
4. Qiyas(reasoning from analogy)
5. Ijtehad(effort of thinking)

However, with the Muslim nation, the first two are the ultimate sources that are indisputable. In other words, whoever questions the veracity of either one of them has left the fold of Islam and has apostated from the religion. As for the third one, which is Islamic consensus, it does not measure up to the authority of the first two, however it is the highest authority after the Qur'an and sunnah and it has two part

1. Ijmaa on an issue that is M'alum min ad-deen bi daroora
2. Ijmad on an issue that does not particularly fall into daroora

The meaning of daroora means "necessitated" or a necessity. So in terms of Ijmaa, if the issue where there is consensus is an issue that is necessitated for every Muslim to know, then if someone rejects the established consensus on an issue that is known by necessity of the religion, then likewise he has apostated from the religion. An example of this ijmaa is that "Women must cover". Of course the Qur'an commands it and the sunnah has explained this. So the entire Muslim community has agreed that women must cover. Whoever rejects the obligation of covering for women has thus left the fold of Islam and repentance is sought for him or else he is executed for apostasy.

as of an issue that is not really falling under a necessitated knowledge that every Muslim must know, then an ijmaa (consensus) on that issue would not result in apostasy if someone rejected a consensus on that particular issue.

An example of this type of rejection of consensus is if someone were to reject that one of the basic principles of Satan is that one of his jobs in which he tries to deceive mankind is by preoccupying man with things that are less important for him while abandoning those things that he is directly responsible and more important for him to deal with. This is a general principle that the whole of Muslim scholarship agreed upon, HOWEVER, since this issue is not really known, then when someone rejects such a consensus, It does not take them out of Islam as it is something that is NOT necessitated in the religion to know in detail. So this is why rejection of Ijmaa is of two types.

2. Based on question 1 are you claiming there is no truth outside Islam?

Since this question is general, this includes everything. So the answer is broken down in two formats
1. With regards to religious guidance
2. with regards to things OUTSIDE of religious guidance

in terms of the first, then there is nothing outside Islam that can be truth. However we have to understand that Islam is much broader than your conception of it. With Muslims, Islam, the entire religion of Islam began with Adam (the first man) and was completed with Muhammad. That means that whenever we find truths elsewhere, it is because that truth came with the Islam of those prophets before us. When it is claimed in the Bible "thou shalt not forge idols and graven images" this in reality is the Islamic reality. It just happened to be accepted by the Jews of those times. This is because our prophet Muhammad stated in a hadeeth that "the entire religion of Islam is like a house, each prophet was a stone that progressed its building, and I was the last stone that completed the house"

3. You speak about truth but how do you define it? Mostly we consider truth to be based on a verifiable fact. Is that how you see it?

thats the materialistic version of defining truth. Since God is not material, How can he be verified. This is where "faith" comes in because the meaning of "amana" in arabic is to give trust to something. We define truth in terms of religious guidance as everything that God stated and what His prophet stated. We define truth in terms of matters that can be verifiable within the definition you gave.

In essence, our methodology is more comprehensive and reasonable than yours because you confined the whole of existence to merely verifiable fact

In Islam (and likewise in logic) there are three types of legal speech
1. Logical
2. Empirical
3. Legislative

ALL of human speech falls into these three categories.
When I say "I ate 2 bananas for breakfast today" is that legislative, empirical, or logical. The answer is logical because this is a statement of truth that is not brought into the realm of empiracy nor is it legislative in nature.

With regards to Truth itself it has the above three aspects.
So your definition of how we arrive at the truth of a matter is only with regards to "empirical" analysis. However God and His angels and the basic creed of the prophets is not subject to empiracy simply because science will never be able to decipher these aspects that revolve OUTSIDE the barrier of empiracy.

As for legislative. If God LITERALLY told you with actual speech as He spoke with Prophet Moses on Mount Tur that eating such and such fruit was harmful for you, would you question Him (considering that you already understand that the One who is addressing you is your Lord) and His judgment. The most common answer for someone whose nature is undefiled is that they would listen to their Lord's speech without question. This is legislative. In other words this form of speech falls outside of empirical study because its not about what human analytical study can determine of this speech, it is a simple fact that if God ordered you with a thing, then it is done without question.

4. In Islam; at least in law if not in practice there are three inequalities: master and slave, man and woman and believer and unbeliever. Now I assume that these inequalities according to Islam are 'truths'. Are you then saying that all must accept for instance the universal truth that a master can have sexual relations with his female slaves, a woman is worth less than a man and an unbeilver must always be treated as a lesser mortal. Do you think that in the modern world these are not debatable?

your speech has several possibly untinentional deceptions within it so it is incumbant upon me to address each single one and as well affirm what you stated but correct what is mistaken

1. If these things can be called inequalities in your criterion, then likewise you and your nation has these exact same inequalities, yet they are labeled differently. Actually we have more "inequalities" than these, like for example, the criminal and non criminal, the knowledgeable and the ignorant, the pregnant and the non pregnant, the teacher and the student, the old and the young, the ruler and the subject, those in authority and those NOt in authority, etc, etc, etc.

In the west you have a master and a slave. However it is not called these, it is called employer and employed. That is the lighter form. A heavier form of this practice is the maid and butler and the master.

As for man and women, again, in the west, you still have this inequality. When you go to the beach, why are your women NOT EQUAL to men in their wardrobe at the beach. Why can I walk up to a man and point at his chest or his nipple but I can't do that to a women. You have this inequality and it is properly understood and expressed in your culture as an issue of moral and social cohesiveness. If I were to walk up to a women and point or touch her chest, that wouldn't be very moral of me or anyone else would it? However, no one is going to have that opinion if the same were done to a man. No one in their right mind would call this "inequality between the two". This is where we stand. Apples and Oranges are different and they both have different properties that entail different judgments and actions and reactions for each gender.

As for believer and non believer. In America and elsewhere, they have this exact same concept, yet it is not described based on believer non believer, it is described in the western context as "democratic" or "patriotic" and "communist" or "unpatriotic". Someone who is within American society who despises everything that America stands for can be classified as "unpatriotic" and unamerican. Its the same concept only with different labels.

So now, as for the claim "can a master have sexual relations with his female slaves" then the answer to that can be paralleled within your context of "can a boos kiss his employer". The answer to that can be two fold. If the employer concedes to the act, then if someone has a problem with it, then the employer and the employee can charge the person with violating his or her personal right. If the employee does not concede to the act, it can be viewed as "sexual harassment". In general, in western law, an employer could be allowed to kiss his employer of course with the understanding that there may be consequences in the negative if the act does not concord to the employee's desire. Therefore the law of prohibiting employers of sexual acts was to protect the employee of unwanted harassment, and not to prevent the employer of engaging in personal relationships with whom an employee feels a mutual feeling about.

The same is understood in Islam, the master may have the right to do this, but the actual question is, when has that ever happened and how can it ever happen.

Another deception

The women is less than a man. When this is interpreted in Islamic law, it is understood that the FINANCIAL worth of the two are different. when a women dies, she affects her family emotional (due to her death). When a man dies, he affects an emotionally loss on the family AS WELL AS a financial loss to them. Outside of the Islamic financial system, the claim "women is less than a man or half of a man" is inapplicable because the meaning of "less than" refers to financial responsibility, and not anything else.

as for the non believer being treated as less than mortal. Thats exactly what your western world does to everyone outside of their own philosophical thought process. The Muslim is not equal to a democracy believing liberal. They are classed as backward, inferior, dictatorial, etc, etc, etc. So your example is nothing more than a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

The same with Jews. the Jew and the gentile. the same is applicable to EVERY SINGE way of life and methodology that was produced here on this planet.

This is part of my mission, to bring forth parallels that are absent or unfathomable for westerners to understand simply because they are not Muslim.

I hope my speech was clear
regards

[SilverLJ]

Originally Posted by al-boriqee

If these things can be called inequalities in your criterion, then likewise you and your nation has these exact same inequalities, yet they are labeled differently. Actually we have more "inequalities" than these, like for example, the criminal and non criminal, the knowledgeable and the ignorant, the pregnant and the non pregnant, the teacher and the student, the old and the young, the ruler and the subject. In the west you have a master and a slave. However it is not called these, it is called employer and employed. That is the lighter form. A heavier form of this practice is the maid and butler and the master.

As for man and women, again, in the west, you still have this inequality. When you go to the beach, why are your women NOT EQUAL to men in their wardrobe at the beach. Why can I walk up to a man and point at his chest or his nipple but I can't do that to a women. You have this inequality and it is properly understood and expressed in your culture as an issue of moral and social cohesiveness.

There are many things in your answer I wish to take up but I will start with your comments on inequalities. You stated the following as inequalities: criminal and non criminal, the knowledgeable and the ignorant, the pregnant and the non pregnant, the teacher and the student, the old and the young, the ruler and the subject, those in authority and those not in authority, etc, etc, etc.

But all this seems to say is that we are all different and no one would think otherwise. But you miss the main point; that the three inequalities I mentioned: master and slave, man and woman and believer and unbeliever are enshrined in Islamic law meaning that different kinds or groups of people are treated differently before the law not on anything they have done but simply on who or what they are.

One might add as an example to your list and say blacks and whites is an inequality and it was enshrined in law in the USA right up until 1960 and many went to great lengths to show it was just using the Bible and Biology much like the rationale offered for these three Islamic inequalities from the Qu’ran and biology elsewhere in this board.

So in the West there is no distinction in law between a white and black person, no distinction between a student and a teacher, between those in authority and those not so your analogy is inappropriate and unsound. You may have reasons for these inequalities of treatment but I doubt if such reasons have any weight at all.

To try to argue that the employer owns those they employed in the sense defined in sharia is fatuous. When it comes to women and men on a beach we are talking about improprieties in behaviour (yours) not inequalities between men and woman as you in each of the cases you mentioned would be treated as an idiot and carted off by the police. Of course we may on occasion treat men and women differently in social relationships but we also may treat old people differently, children differently and so on but NONE of that is enshrined in law is it? In a similar way I can be "democratic" or "patriotic" or "communist" or "unpatriotic" but there is no law that says I am now to be treated differently.

Your answer with regard to slave girls is hardly worthy of a reply and the idea that in law an employer can kiss an employee by agreement is absurd and there is no law prohibiting employers from sexual relations or engaging in personal relationships but there are laws about harassment and they apply equally to men AND women. My question was not when has sexual relations with a slave girl occurred but is it allowed in Islam and do you support it given that Islamic truths are not debatable

[salman]

actually never minder