Are reason and faith (imaan) antagonistic or complimentary? Depends from what perspective you look at them. The nineteenth century was century of reason and faith came to be challenged by the rationalists. Even today rationalists denounce faith as mere superstition. Qur’an, however, strikes the middle path and emphasizes importance of both – faith as well as reason.
Today this truth is dawning on us that neither faith alone nor reason by itself, can suffice. Both are needed for a successful and meaningful life. Reason alone can make us skeptical and faith alone can make us superstitious. Since rationalists were severely persecuted by the organized religion, they adopted the extreme position of denouncing the faith altogether and stressed sufficiency of reason.
Qur’an invites human beings to have faith as well as to reflect and think. While reason gives us light faith gives us deeper conviction and, it should be noted, no action is possible without deeper conviction (imaan). The synthesis of reason and faith (‘aql and imaan) can be called ‘rational faith’. As escapticism (reason without faith) can paralyze action, blind faith (faith without reason) can reduce us to unthinking zealot. And both can be harmful to the society.
Islam arose among the Meccan Arabs to begin with who were quite practicable people. The creamy layer in Mecca was indulging in trade and commerce and hence they tended to be practical in outlook unlike agriculturists who tend to be more superstitious as their life depends primarily on natural forces. Thus Arabs believed in practical rationality. They did not have much time for reflection and finer values of life and otherworldly matters. For them everything was here and now – profit, accumulation of wealth and comfortable life. It was the main purpose of life for them. They were least bothered that their way of life was causing misery to the lower classes that were immersed in superstitions.
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9:18 PM
Moderate Islamist here
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