Do You Actually Believe in Allah

0:00This audio is brought to you by Muslim Central. Support our work at muslimcentral.com slash donate. Because the notion of akhil is to prevent you from doing something that will be harmful. And that's why Allah says in the Quran that those who disobey Allah, they are doing it without akhil. Those who committed a sin, it means they're not using their akhil. So actually today is the beginning of a series of lectures, not just one. It will last at least three if not more weeks. So we're going to be doing an entire series on a topic that is a fundamental topic that all of us deal with. In fact, it is a topic that every philosopher, every theologian has dealt with from the beginning of time. People of our tradition and outside of our tradition has grappled with the exact same thing. And that is the role of reason, the role of akhil, the role of thinking and contemplation, especially in light of the Quran,

1:01Allah's revelation, religion, what is the synergy, what is the relationship between what Allah has gifted us and what Allah has revealed and what do we do just in case there seems to be some clash between these two. This is not the first time this topic has been raised. Every major theologian of our tradition has discussed this and in fact written entire treatises. Imam Al Ghazali has an entire book on this, alun atta'uil. And Fakhridin Ar-Razi has an entire book on this. And Ibn Tehmea wrote ten volumes, the ruta'aud al-Aqlul al-Nakhil, raising the conflict between reason and revelation. My PhD, when I did it, was an analysis of the rata'aud, that was my PhD. So this is my topic as well that I am also very familiar with, reconciling reason and revelation. Ibn Rushed wrote a book as well on this regard. So you have all sides of the spectrum. Ibn Rushed is a philosopher and Imam Al-Ashadi, and Imam Al Ghazali and others are from one tradition. Ibn Tehmea is from another tradition.

2:06Recently in our times as well, the last Mufti of the Ottoman Empire, Mufti Sabdi, his name will come to me. He also wrote a four volume book. This is a hundred years ago. Rasheed Rilgar, the one that I talk about all the time, he wrote a treatise on this as well. This is the constant before him Muhammad Abdu, that was one of his main issues. How do you reconcile between modern science, between what we know to be fact, and between. So Abdu has a treatise on, or a Fetwan evolution, for example. How do you reconcile between science and between the tradition of Islam? Nothing new here. And in fact, Derai Say, this is the fundamental problem, even of Western philosophy. Even of Western philosophy. How much knowledge can we gain from our intellect? Right? Beginning with Socrates, when he says an unexamined life is not worth living, what he means is a life that you don't think. You don't have Tafakkurt, Tadabbur, there's no point living it, he says. If you don't use your Akal, this is socrates saying, there's no point living. That's how much he is going. Right? And of course,

3:10the Western tradition, the modern Western tradition, begins with Descartes. Descartes, of course, beginning the modern Western philosophical trajectory, and he's trying to think to the level of, how do I even know I exist? How do I even know I am here? How can I prove rationally, even I exist? So he says his famous, I think, therefore I am. Even he is thinking about fought and contemplation and Tafakkurt. Every major philosopher is the same, Kant is the exact opposite. Kant comes and says that in fact reason is very limited. In fact, we cannot trust reason at all. He's almost the exact opposite. Then you have recently, you have again, I'm just giving names here, the Heidegger, and his notion of design and trying to, anywhere, let's not get into all that. My point is that this is the fundamental question that every person of religion and every philosopher has had to grapple with. Nothing new. So what today and the next series of lectures will do, let's look at the Quran. What does the Quran say about Ahql? And how can we take Quranic paradigm about thinking?

4:17So this series of lectures, and it will be a multiple, so please understand today's only the first, we have at least three, maybe four, five, we'll see. I've entitled today's lecture series, how the Quran wants us to think. How the Quran wants us to think. Because even many Muslims don't fully understand this concept. And some people believe that Allah doesn't want us to think. Some people literally believe this, that we should not be thinking. And others are the exact opposite. No, everything goes back to my Ahql. I have to think, then I will believe. So we're going to begin a whole series of lectures in Shah Allah. And today will be the Muqaddima. And that Muqaddima, and I've done many projects on this in my PhD and other lectures. And today I did another mini research in this regard, not exhaustive, not comprehensive, but it's a beginning. And that is the main words

5:18that Allah uses in the Quran to ask us to think what words he uses, what are the meaning of those words, and what context is which word used in. That's going to be today's broad lecture. It's not comprehensive because comprehensive means you have to spend months or years and do a PhD. And this is, we're just a beginning. Just we understand the beginning here. The main words that Allah uses in the Quran to tell us to think what are the meaning of those words and why Allah uses those words in this context and that word in that context. That's going to be the overall gist of today's lecture. And we will begin with one of the most common words. And that is Navara, Yamburu, this concept of Navara, reasoning from observed nature, reading the cause most around us, paying attention to the observable data. In the

6:28process and looked up at the heavens, right? Yamburu, they're looking at the creation. Navara is the base level and that is you absorb the data points from your senses and faculties, hearing, seeing, you're just taking that in. And the Quran uses the word Navara over a hundred times, but not always for thinking, sometimes it's for other meanings as well, but it is one of the most common uses of Navara. And it is the basic level. You observe and something should register in your hand. And look at the remnants of the civilizations before you were there now. It's very basic level. You see ruins automatically realize these people are no longer here unless saying look, can examine, right? Haven't they seen? Yamburu, don't they look at the creation of the heavens and earth and Allah's power and dominion over them?

7:31You just look at a basic level and Allah, jazasura, tabarak, look and look again, for Jair Basara, look and look again. So this look, this Navar is not just another without contemplation, it is level one. You observe and you see something that should trigger something in your head. This is the basic level of reasoning. This occurs as I said, the world over a hundred times in the context of thinking, observing for thinking probably around 50 times in the Quran. A higher level, a falah ta'qilun. Another word used, aql, aql. And aql is rational inquiry. We can literally translate in English, don't you think? This is literally a falah ta'qilun. And most of the time aql occurs and aql occurs in the Quran ta'qilun and the aqilun it occurs around 40 something, 45 or roughly 45 times. Most of them, Allah is challenging a falah.

8:36The majority of them are with the rhetorical question. Why aren't you thinking? Allah is prodding people to think. Anybody who says we should not be thinking the Quran is telling us in over 45 verses. Don't you think? How can you be so foolish? So the idols, you create them yourself a falah ta'qilun, Ibrahim is saying. Don't you see? Don't you have a basic cognition? How can you carve your own God and then worship that God a falah ta'qilun? So ta'qilun here can be that don't you have common sense? Don't you have rational inquiry? This is level one of inference. Navara is you observe, then you have aql. So from the navar you should lead you to a little bit of understanding. And of course, technically the term aql is very interesting. It means to prevent, to withhold. An aql is called a aql because if you have aql it prevents you from doing something foolish.

9:46If you have aql, then you will not act in a foolish manner. Your aql will keep you in check. And that's why the reins of an animal are called from the same root aql. The reins of an animal. You reign the animal in because the notion of aql is to prevent you from doing something that will be harmful. If you have aql and that's why Allah says in the Qur'an that those who do so be Allah they are doing it without aql, ala jihalatin. Those who committed a sin ala jihalatin, they have no aql they're doing jahil. Jahil here doesn't mean they don't know, it means they're not using their aql. So the notion of aql is a second level. A third level, and again it's not necessarily levels per se. So when I say level I should say a third word because we're not talking about dhura jahat necessarily. We're talking sometimes they're synonyms but have a slightly different. A third level is tafakqa, yafqahun. And fiq is to understand deeply.

10:55That's why our law is called fiq. It's more than aql. One can say you need aql to get to fiq. Fiq is the understanding that happens. Allah says in the Qur'an that why don't some people remain behind liyatafakqa khufidini so that they can grasp. So Allah is talking about some people going out and defending the ummah. Allah is saying if possible let some people remain behind. So that they can become scholars. liyatafakqa khufiddin. Then when the people come back they can guide and warn them. So Allah is talking about fiq of the din and we call the science of fiq fiq because we use our intellect to derive and to understand the shari'a of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And the word tafakqa, occurs a little bit more than a dozen times. It's not as common in the Qur'an. Another synonym or concept that Allah uses in the Qur'an and this is extremely common is ta'dakqa

11:59or ta'dakqa ron or theqra in the fiqa ala theqra. Why don't you think or listen to translate right now. Ta'dakqa is not just thinking. I just mis-translated quickly. Ta'dakqa ron what does ta'dakqa ramin? Actually most people use ta'dakqa to signify remembering after you have forgotten something. The Arabs know this. Ah ta'dakqa ron remember now they use the word ta'dakqa ron for remembrance and sometimes some translators they're a little bit easy and they translate. It's not a mis-translation when Allah says in the Qur'an that wa'd-kur fi'l-kitabi or insura bakhara is full of bani isra il wa'd-kur wa'd-kur ya bani isra il wa'd-kur u'd-kur. U'd-kur here doesn't mean you forgot and then you are being reminded. That's not the meaning over here. U'd-kur here means that you should be aware of this reality so that

13:01it brings about a new understanding and spirituality and emotion. Ta'dakqa ron doesn't mean I remember it after I forgot. Ta'dakqa ron means I appreciate it and it moved my heart and it caused me to do something I would not have done because I'm remembering what has happened. So the Qur'anic ta'dakqa is not exactly like ta'dakqa or ta'akqa l. It's more like contemplative interpretation. Contemplative reaction. You remember so that that remembrance changes your psyche. That's what ta'dakqa the Qur'an uses ta'dakqa ron not. Hey you forgot let me remind you. No the Qur'an uses wa'd-kur wa'd-kur ta'dakqa is that appreciate this. Acknowledge and now change your psyche to appreciate this and the term ta'dakqa is used around 47 or so times in the Qur'an and in one particular verse we see what is the

14:08meaning of this. That Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says that when they commit a sin they are reminded of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala ta'dakqa ron fa'idahum mubu syruhon when they reminded of Allah ta'dakqa ron fa'idahum mubu syruhon they ta'dakqa ron reminded he doesn't mean they forgot Allah they now know who Allah is. No they remember that I shouldn't be doing this. They have a new consciousness fa'idahum mubu syruhon now they can see clearly. So ta'dakqa ron the Qur'an and also we have in another verse in Kitabun Anzannahu ilaykum wa barakun liya dabbaru ayatihi waliyya ta'dakqa ronul al-bab. Notice ta'dab bur and ta'dakqa ron are two separate things. We have revealed a book so that they can make ta'dab bur we're going to come to ta'dab bur in five to ten minutes. We have revealed a book so that they can make ta'dab bur and so that it can lead to ta'dakqa ron for those that have intelligence. So ta'dakqa ron is a remembrance that generates

15:16a new spirituality, a new dimension, a new emotion, a new consciousness. This is what ta'dakqa ron means and ta'dakqa ron involves a combination of akal and kalp. Ta'dakqa ron is a combination you recognize in the brain and then the heart will respond. This is the Qur'anic ta'dakqa ron. Another term that is used in the Qur'an is ta'dakqa ron. Ta'dakqa ron and ta'dakqa ron occurs around eighteen times in the Qur'an and typically the term ta'dakqa ron occurs in a context that is more than nava. It is to take the data and to analyze it mentally, absorb it, work on what you have seen and then output something based upon the input. So for example Allah says that when they look at the heavens and earth, it's more than just the look. Allah says in the Qur'an,

16:25so it's not just even looking hearing. Ta'dakqa susil kasasah laaallahu me ta'dakqa ron. Tell them the stories of the Qur'an so that they can make ta'dakqa ron. Allah says in the Qur'an, wa ta'ilka amtharu n'adribu hain nasi laaallahu me ta'dakqa ron. We're giving examples in the Qur'an they can make ta'dakqa ron. Allah says in the Qur'an, wa la mi ta'dakqa ron fi anfusahim. Don't they see in their own bodies ta'dakqa ron their own bodies? So what is ta'dakqa ron? Ta'dakqa ron is contemplative thoughts that you do after you hear or see or absorb. After you hear a story, you make ta'dakqa ron. After you see the signs, you make ta'dakqa ron. After you look at your own existence, Allah mi ta'dakqa ron fi anfusahim. Don't they make ta'dakqa ron their own existence? Who created you? How did you come? The word used ta'dakqa ron. So ta'dakqa ron is contemplative reasoning. Rezoning with contemplation. That's a level that might be a bit more than ta'dakqa ron. Because ta'dakqa ron is you make multiple ta'dakqa ron and you come to a conclusion. An even higher level,

17:32I would say is ta'dab bur. Ta'dab bur. And ta'dab bur is used exactly eight times in the Quran. Sorry, ta'dab bur is used exactly four times in the Quran. Ta'dab bur is used four times in the Quran. All of them in the context of the Quran and only the Quran. The word ta'dab bur is specifically used for the Quran. Allah doesn't use it for any other idea or notion. Allah says in the Quran, that occurs twice. This phrase occurs twice in the Quran. Don't they make ta'dab bur of the Quran? Allah says in the Quran, Allah says in the Quran,

18:35four times. And all of them are about the Quran. This is a blessed book and we have revealed it to them why liya debbaru ayatihi. So what is ta'dab bur? Ta'dab bur is a deep, repeated, connected engagement with the data. Ta'dab bur is not superficial. It's not ta'akqa ron, it's not yam buron, it's not ta'dakqa ron. Ta'dab bur you think, then you think again, then you think again and you continue thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking that is ta'dab bur. And Allah is saying, my book is infinity meaning as much as ta'dab bur you make you will find benefit in it. Affala yata'dab buruna Quran. We have revealed this book liya debbaru ayatihi. So ta'dab bur is constant engagement and reflection after reflection and contemplation after contemplation and thinking about why and what

19:38is the reason and why did Allah say this here and what is the meaning there and what is the context here and why is this before that? This is ta'dab bur. Ta'dab bur is a deep reflection with syntax, with syllogisms, with nouns, with words, with sin to everything. That is what ta'dab bur is and Allah uses it only for the Quran. The highest level of your intellect uses it for the Quran and keep on going back and back and back. Another word that we can use is ibrah. The Quran uses is ibrah. Inna fi thalika la ibrahatan li'ul il al-bar. Right? Inna fi thalika la ibrah. Lakat kana fi kassasihim ibrah. Wa inna lakum fi l-anami la ibrah. Inna fi thalika ibrahatan li'ul al-abusar. Inna fi thalika ibrahatan li mei yakhshah fa'atabiru ya'ul al-abusar. The word ibra occurs seven times in the Quran. Six of them as a concept. There is ibrah and once as a command fa'atabiru ya'ul al-abusar.

20:40So six times Allah says this is ibrah for you. What is ibrah? ibrah the word abbara means to cross over. When you cross a bridge you say that abbaar to have crossed over the bridge. Abbaara is to move from one place, cross over to another. This is ibrah. In the Quran Allah uses it to extract ideas and concepts from one thing and apply them to another. This is ibrah. In English we can say there are lessons to learn. There are wisdoms to extract. This is the notion of ibrah and that is why Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says for example that so a simple example. When Allah says look at the camel. Allah uses the word afalayyam buruna ilal ibeli. Now, you look at the camel. It's obvious. It's what not. When Allah describes the coming of the milk from the cow. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says

21:52In the extraction of the milk there is an ibrah. When it comes to the camel Allah says look at the camel. Why? Because the extraction of the milk is not as evident as simply looking at the camel. You have to look at the ingredients that came in and Allah is saying and how it came out and what is the body of the cow and Allah is saying from between the filth and the blood from between all of these organs we have given you pure, luscious milk that gives you nourishment. In this is an ibrah. ibrah of the power of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. You have to think a little bit more and extrapolate but the camel you just look at it and you see the creature has been created for the desert. Everything about it fits into the desert. Allah says afalayyam buruna ilal ibeli. So there's a difference between an offer and ibrah. And then in one verse Allah says Fatibe ru. Take an ibrah and that is the verse pertaining to the banun al-Nadir.

22:55When Allah says look at how wealthy they were, how powerful they were. They built palaces, they built massive structures and they had to destroy their own houses. They ended up destroying their own houses Fatibe ru ya'udil abbasar. There are so many lessons. Extract ibrahs from the incident of the banun al-Nadir. And of course that's the seed of lesson that we talked about. These are some words that are used and one final point that inshallah will pause here and continue in our next lesson. The question that i'm not going to answer because we have to now pose the question. The question here, the Quran is telling us to think in so many ways and i showed you seven or eight verbs or now there's even more than this obviously but these are the main ones. The Quran is telling us in hundreds, hundreds add them all together, hundreds of verses. Two have ibrah, two, to factor, two, to the Quran, two, to the Quran, two, to the Quran, on and on again.

24:01And the Quran also says, which is belief. And the Quran also says, Fala wa Rabbika la yumminun, they do not have iman until they submit to you totally without question, without even asking you a question they submit without a carriage in their hearts. Whatever you say, Rasulullah, they will, they will listen to you. And the Quran also says, whatever obeys you has obeyed Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And the Quran also says, this is the nabi that tells them the ghaib that they did not know. Allah tells them what they need to believe. They must submit to him. So here is now the fundamental question. I'm going to set it up. We're going to come back to this because that's a very long talk. How do we reconcile that on the one hand the Quran is not encouraging commanding, commanding, contemplate, think, reflect. And on the other hand, the Quran is praising and commanding, Submittance. Don't think. What is the reconciliation? That will be the

25:09topic in shah Allah for next Wednesday. We'll begin that topic and we'll continue in shah Allah that third week in shah Allah.