Islam’s Call to Reflect

Source: onislam.net

By: Hassan Youssef

Islam takes great interest in knowledge.

It commands people to meditate upon the phenomena of the universe in which we live and contemplate over the creation of God in order to discover the mysteries of nature and the universe.

Islam also urges us to travel about in the earth to explore its secrets. There are many verses in the Quran that instruct the Muslims to meditate and observe the universe since observation is the first step of the scientific method.

God says in the Quran what means:

{Say: Travel the earth and see how He makes the first creation, then Allah creates the latter creation; surely Allah has power over all things.} (29:20)

He also says:

{Do they not consider the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever things Allah has created, and that may be their doom shall have drawn nigh; what announcement would they then believe in after this?} (7:185)

It is a clear obvious call for knowledge and for knowing the secrets of universe.

In Islam, knowledge and scholars are held in the highest esteem, whereas ignorance is held in a very low esteem.

In the Quran, the ignorant is likened to the blind and ignorance to darkness, however, knowledge has been likened to light. God says in the Quran what means:

{Say: Are the blind and the seeing alike? Or can the darkness and the light be equal?} (13:16)

The Quran miraculously draws the attention of scholars to some scientific mysteries of the universe as an indication that they should research and explore the secrets of the universe and then continue on the path of science. God says in the Quran what means:

{Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?} (21:30)

This means that the earth and the heavens were stuck together and they were set apart later.

God says in the Quran what means:

{He created the heavens without any pillars that ye can see; He set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and He scattered through it beasts of all kinds.} (31:10)

This means that the high mountains are set on the earth with very accurate and specific measures so that the earth would not shake while going round the sun.

An important fact that should be taken into consideration is that the Quran is not a scientific book that gives explanation to scientific theories, but it is a book of worldly and spiritual guidance.

Actually, the Quran gives universal signs to stand as indications and hints to prompt people to think, contemplate and deduce laws of the universe through observation and scientific research.

Pause for Thought

There are many verses in the Quran that urge people to use their minds and hearts. God says in the Quran what means:

{And We strike these parables for the people, but none will understand them except those of knowledge.} (29:43)

We read also in many verses of the Quran the following:

{Verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.} (30:21)

{Indeed in that are signs for those of knowledge.} (30:22)

Furthermore, the Quran reproaches those who do not use their minds. God says in the Quran what means:

{Will they then not meditate on the Quran, or are there locks on the hearts?} (47:24)

Some people consider their religions as a heritage of their fathers and grandfathers which they inherited without thinking, reasoning or persuasion, God draws their attention to the fact that it is not the correct attitude.

No human with sound intellect would follow naive and wrong beliefs for no other reason than that he found his fathers and grandfathers following such beliefs. God says in the Quran what means:

{And when it is said to them, Follow what God has revealed, they say: Nay! we follow what we found our fathers upon. What! and though their fathers had no sense at all, nor did they follow the right way.}(2:170)

God created humans with minds that differentiate them from other creations. In the Quran we read what means:

{We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors, above a great part of our creation.}(17:70)

So this is a simple call to all people to reflect, ponder and meditate on the signs of God in the universe.