Why Won’t you Think?
إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابَّ عِندَ اللّهِ الصُّمُّ
الْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ
Truly, the worst of all creatures in
the sight of Allah are the deaf,
the dumb, those who do not
use their reason/think.
Qur'an 8:22
Consider this verse carefully, Allah is telling us that the worst
creatures are the ones that do not reason.
أَمْ تَحْسَبُ
أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ ۚ
إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَالْأَنْعَامِ ۖ
بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا
Or do you think that most of them hear
or reason? They are like livestock. Rather, they are [even] more astray in
[their] way.
(25:44)
There can be no excuse for giving up your right to think for
yourself. The consequences of switching
off your critical faculties are absolutely terrifying, not just in the next
world, but in this world. In this world
you end up wandering astray like livestock, or herded in your ignorance by
those who are evil, or otherwise.
What to Think About?
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ
عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ
مَسْئُولًا
And do not pursue that of which you
have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the mind, one will be
questioned about all these.
Qur’an 17:36
The
simple answer is that you should think about anything that is a guiding element
in your life. What you work at, what set
of beliefs you hold on to, any movements you join and so on. There are consequences in all such things,
not just for you, but for others. If you
do not know or understand why you are doing it, do not do it.
In
terms of specifics, the Qur’an is greatly deserving of deep consideration.
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ
عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا
Will they not, then, consider the Qur'an, or are there locks on
[their] minds?
Quran 47:24
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ وَلَوْ
كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا
Will they not, then, consider the Qur'an? If it had been from
[any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.
Qur’an 4:82
أَفَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَبْتَغِى حَكَماً وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِيۤ أَنَزَلَ
إِلَيْكُمُ ٱلْكِتَابَ مُفَصَّلاً
“Shall I then seek a Ruler other than Allah? When He it
is Who has revealed to you the Book (Qur’an, which is) distinctly detailed”
(6:114)
We
must read and consider the Qur’an, with enough depth to allow us to find
contradictions. There are none, however,
we must consider it with such depth so that if there were any, we would find
them. The Qur’an is a detailed text, and
in reading and considering it, it must be analysed in detail.
لَوْ أَنزَلْنَا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلَىٰ جَبَلٍ
لَّرَأَيْتَهُ خَاشِعًا مُّتَصَدِّعًا مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ وَتِلْكَ
الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it
humbled and coming apart from fear of Allah. And these examples We present to
the people that perhaps they will think.
Qur’an 59:21
كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا
آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, that they might reflect
upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.
Qur’an 38:29
In
many places in the Qur’an we are reminded to think, consider and reflect on the
Qur’an as well as the physical universe.
These are not just ‘by the way’ recommendations; they are important
guidance from Allah. There are severe
consequences to not taking the time to consider the Qur’an, this is because if
you do not read and think on its contents, then the Qur’an no longer acts as
guidance, it is no longer the criterion in your life, rather, it becomes merely
a book to be looked at and respected. It’s guidance cannot then properly reach your
heart and soul through the conduit of your mind. All you are left with is following what
others tell you about it…
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ
الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا
وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ
السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ
فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ مَن تُدْخِلِ النَّارَ
فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens
and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those
of understanding.
Who remember Allah while standing or
sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the
creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not
create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us
from the punishment of the Fire.
Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit to the
Fire - You have disgraced him, and for the wrongdoers there are no helpers.
أَوَلَمْ يَتَفَكَّرُوا فِي
أَنفُسِهِم مَّا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا
إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ بِلِقَاءِ
رَبِّهِمْ لَكَافِرُونَ
Do they not contemplate within
themselves? Allah has not created the heavens and the earth and what is between
them except in truth and for a specified term. And indeed, many of the people,
in [the matter of] the meeting with their Lord, are disbelievers.
Qur’an 30:8
Thinking
about the creation of Allah is extremely important, as in the analysis of its
intricacy and design are the signs pointing to its creator. Just ignoring this study and taking things
for granted allows for irrational thoughts on the origin of the universe and of
humanity to develop in the minds of unthinking Muslims. Namely, the ideas of cosmological and
biological evolution specifically, and materialistic philosophy in general. These ideas, which by their very nature and
purpose are designed to deny Allah have negative implications in both the
practical and spiritual aspects of those misguided by these ideas.
Following Others
Perhaps
the greatest reason that people switch off their minds, is that they give away
their responsibility to think to others, whether out of fear, laziness,
conformance or profit. The reality is
this, if something is important, and your soul and its eternal destination is
quite possibly the most important thing you can imagine, then you must
take the responsibility to think deeply about what it is you are living by. If you give that responsibility to someone
else, that means that you trust that person or people with your eternal
soul. Is there anyone you trust that
much?
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُوا مَا
أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا
أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ
And when it is said to them,
"Follow what Allah has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will
follow that which we found our fathers doing." Even though their fathers did
not think, nor were they guided?
Qur’an 2:170
وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن
قَبْلِكَ فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا
آبَاءَنَا عَلَىٰ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِم مُّقْتَدُونَ
Rather, they say, "Indeed, we
found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps [rightly]
guided."
And similarly, We did not send before
you any warner into a city except that its affluent said, "Indeed, we
found our fathers upon a religion, and we are following in their footsteps."
Qur’an 43:21-23
It
is made clear here that this trend of ‘following our forefathers’ is a massive
obstacle to true guidance. It is the
obstacle that all messengers had to deal with.
And
to be clear, this is not just an issue of “such and such who is respected says
I should do this so I am doing it”, it is a case of being misled into believing
that what you are being told to do and believe is actually the guidance of
Allah.
وَإِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً قَالُوا وَجَدْنَا
عَلَيْهَا آبَاءَنَا وَاللَّهُ أَمَرَنَا بِهَا قُلْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَأْمُرُ
بِالْفَحْشَاءِ أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And when they committing evil, they say, "We found our fathers
doing it, and Allah has ordered us to do it." Say, "Indeed, Allah
does not order immorality. Do you say about Allah that which you do not
know?"
Qur’an 7:28
We
should aim to make it a foundational point in our lives to know what Allah has
said, first hand, and to thereby know when a falsehood is attributed to Allah.
‘Following
our father’s footsteps’ as a concept can be rephrased for the many specific
cases that fall in this category. I was
only: -
·
Following my parents
·
Following the way of my community
·
Following my Priest
·
Following my Rabbi
·
Following my Imam, Sheikh and Scholar
·
Following the leaders of my community
·
Etc…
Whatever
way you phrase it, it all ends up the same.
You are following (blindly or not) and you have willingly given up your
responsibility to think and consider for yourself.
We
have a specific and important example in this regard from the Qur’an: -
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ
وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا
أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًا لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ
سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
They (Jews and Christians) have taken
their religious scholars and monks as lords besides Allah, and [also] the
Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one
God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate
with Him.
Qur’an 9:31
How
were the religious scholars and monks taken as lords beside Allah? We know they are not and were not worshipped
as God by the Jews and Christians, we however also know that the church/priests
and Rabbis fashioned themselves as the interpreters and explainers of the
revelation. And from the Qur’an, we know
this was a task they failed for selfish reasons.
Do
you know any other major religious group that willingly gives away its right to
consider and think about its religion and its guidance to figures of authority?
وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ
يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ
إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ
And if you obey most of those upon the
earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allah. They follow not except
assumption, and they do nothing but conjecture.
Qur’an 6:116
The Consequences of Not Thinking
وَقَالُوا لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ
مَا كُنَّا فِي أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ
And they (those in hell) will say,
"If only we had listened or reasoned, we would not be among the companions
of the Blaze."
Qur’an 67:10
وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ ۖ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا
وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا
ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ
أَضَلُّ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ
And We have certainly created for Hell
many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts (minds) with which they do not
understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with
which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray.
It is they who are the heedless.
(7:179)
What
the majority think is rarely the best criteria by which to judge the truth of
something, especially when it comes to the guidance of Allah. The majority are often heedless and easily
mislead by evil people.
Who’s Responsibility?
إِن كُلُّ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَٰنِ عَبْدًا
There is no one in the heavens and
earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant.
He has enumerated them and counted them
a [full] counting.
And all of them are coming to Him on
the Day of Resurrection alone.
Qur’an 19:93-95
فَإِذَا جَاءَتِ الصَّاخَّةُ
وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ
But when
there comes the Deafening Blast
On the Day a
man will flee from his brother
And his
mother and his father
And his wife
and his children,
For every
man, that Day, will be a matter to occupy him.
On
the day of judgement, you will be alone before your lord. Your scholars and leaders, your lecturers and
family and whoever else will not be there to answer for you, they will be busy
answering for themselves. Ask
yourselves, have you studied and thought in preparation for the greatest test
that is the day of Judgement.
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