7 Foundations for Building the Islamic Mind
Look forward or backward, left or
right — look again and again, in every direction and down every path — and
search for any thought, methodology, or system that truly respects the human
mind, building upon appreciation, respect, activation, and reverence. You will
find this nowhere but in Islam. It established a vision of the mind that
elevates its standing and regulates its course, so that it remains free from
whims and desires, and becomes capable of building a civilization that
transcends even space itself. This becomes clear in the following:
First: Rejecting Assumption Where
Certainty Is Required
The Islamic mind is grounded in the
rejection of assumption in every domain where certainty is required — most
notably in establishing the beliefs upon which a person's entire worldview
rests: their understanding of God, the universe, humanity, and life itself.
These are not minor matters. On questions this fundamental, assumption is
simply not enough. What is required is knowledge — certain, definitive
knowledge.
It is for this reason that the Holy
Quran condemned the polytheists for following mere assumption in these
fundamental matters, as the Almighty said: (Most
of them follow nothing but assumptions, but assumptions can be of no value at
all against the Truth: God is well aware of what they do.) (Yunus:36) and the Almighty said: (They have no knowledge to base this on: they merely
follow guesswork. Guesswork is of no value against the Truth.) (An-Najm:28)
Indeed,
the Holy Quran affirmed that the misguidance of the majority of people was due
to their following of mere assumption, as the Almighty said: (If you obeyed most of those on earth,
they would lead you away from the path of God. They follow nothing but
speculation; they are merely guessing.) (Al-An'am:116)
And
He said to His Messenger, peace be upon him: (If they do not respond to you, you will know that they follow only
their own desires. Who is further astray than the one who follows his own
desires with no guidance from God? Truly God does not guide those who do
wrong.) (Al-Qasas:50)
Second: Not Following Desires and
Emotions in the Realm of Knowledge
The
Islamic framework for building the mind does not accept surrendering oneself to
desire. Desire blinds and deafens, and following emotions can lead a person
away from truth — particularly intense and unruly emotions such as extreme
love, extreme hatred, and extreme anger. For this reason, Islam prohibited
passing judgment between people while in a state of anger. In Sahih al-Bukhari
and Muslim, Abu Bakra reported: "I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him,
say: 'No judge should pass judgment between two people while he is angry'"
— for anger closes off the pathways of sound perception and prevents a clear
understanding of the different aspects of any matter.
It is
for this reason that the Quran condemned the polytheists for both of these
failings together — following assumption and personal desire — as it said
regarding the idols they took as gods: (these are nothing but names you have invented yourselves, you and your
forefathers. God has sent no authority for them. These people merely follow
guesswork and the whims of their souls, even though guidance has come to them
from their Lord.) (An-Najm:23)
And
Allah the Almighty said to David, peace be upon him: (‘David, We have given you mastery over
the land. Judge fairly between people. Do not follow your desires, lest they
divert you from God’s pat)( Sad:26)
Third: Rejecting Blind Imitation of
Forefathers and Ancestors
The
Muslim mind rejects rigidly clinging to what forefathers and ancestors
believed, or surrendering to them unconditionally in matters of belief and
practice. Instead, all inherited ideas must be subjected to examination and
reflection. It is simply unreasonable for the dead to think on behalf of the
living, or for ancient generations to bind us to the conclusions of bygone
eras. We are bound by what our own minds guide us to and where our own thinking
leads us. There is something fundamentally flawed in thinking through the minds
of others when God has created for each of us a mind of our own.
It is
for this reason that the Quran launched a fierce campaign against rigidity and
blind imitation in all its forms, as the Almighty said:
(But when it is said
to them, ‘Follow the message that God has sent down,’ they answer, ‘We follow
the ways of our fathers.’ What! Even though their fathers understood nothing
and were not guided?) (Al-Baqarah:170)
And
Ibn al-Jawzi said: "Blind imitation nullifies the very purpose of the
mind, for the mind was created for reflection and contemplation. How shameful
it is for one who has been given a candle to light his way to extinguish it and
walk in darkness.
Fourth: Rejecting Subservience to
Leaders and Elders
Islam
fought against blind imitation as manifested in the subservience of peoples and
masses to leaders, elders, tyrants, and those wielding power and wealth. The
Holy Quran condemned this blind allegiance and held the followers accountable
for it alongside those they followed — the leaders destined for hellfire — as
the Almighty said: (On the Day when their faces are being turned about in the
Fire, they will say, ‘If
only we had obeyed God and the Messenger(66) and ‘Lord! We
obeyed our masters and our chiefs, and they led us astray.(67) Lord! Give them a double punishment and reject them completely(68) )
( Al-Ahzab)
The
Quran also held followers responsible for their own misguidance. God had
granted them the talents and capacities needed to follow the path of guidance,
yet they squandered those gifts and marched in the procession of those who led
them astray — who ultimately could not protect them from God in the least. The
Almighty said:
(God will
say, ‘Join the crowds of jinn and humans who have gone before you into the
Fire.’ Every crowd curses its fellow crowd as it enters, then, when they are
all gathered inside, the last of them will say of the first, ‘Our Lord, it was
they who led us astray: give them double punishment in the Fire’- God says,
‘Every one of you will have double punishment, though you do not know it(38)
and the first of them will say to the last, ‘You were no better than us: taste
the punishment you have earned.(39) ) (Al-A'raf)
Fifth: Worship Through Rational
Reflection
The
Islamic mindset is built upon observation and contemplation. Within it,
rational reflection is an obligation and deep thinking is an act of worship. By
reflection is meant rational inquiry — the process by which a person employs
their mind in careful contemplation and drawing lessons. A person should begin
by reflecting on themselves first, then on what is closest to them, then extend
their gaze to what lies in the heavens and the earth, making that reflection a
pathway to faith and certainty. The Holy Quran encouraged all of this, as the
Almighty said: (On earth
there are signs for those with sure faith(20) as there are within
yourselves. Can you not see?(21) ) (Adh-Dhariyat)
And the Almighty said (Let man consider the food he eats!)( Abasa:24) And the Almighty said
(Say, ‘Look at what is in the heavens
and on the earth.’ But what use are signs and warnings to people who will not
believe?) (Yunus:101) And the Almighty said (We shall show them Our signs in every region of the
earth and in themselves, until it becomes clear to them that this is the Truth.
Is it not enough that your Lord witnesses everything?) (Fussilat:53)
Sixth: No Claim Is Accepted Without
Evidence
The
Muslim mind accepts no claim without sound evidence to support it — evidence
that attests to its validity and confirms its truth. In the absence of proof
establishing a claim or proposition, it is, in the view of the Muslim mind,
rejected and dismissed entirely. The Almighty said: (They also say, ‘No one will enter
Paradise unless he is a Jew or a Christian.’ This is their own wishful
thinking. [Prophet], say, ‘Produce your evidence, if you are telling the
truth.’) (Al-Baqarah:111)
And the saying of the Almighty came: (Produce your evidence, if you are
telling the truth.’) In numerous Quranic verses as a response to the false claims of those
who spread falsehood — thereby establishing the Muslim mindset that accepts no
claim without evidence.
Seventh: Observing the Laws of God in
the Universe and Society
The
Muslim mindset is grounded in respecting the laws and patterns that God has
established for the order of the universe and society. These are laws of
universal and comprehensive character — they govern all people equally, with no
one standing above them. They also carry the quality of permanence and
constancy, neither changing nor shifting, applying to those who come later just
as they applied to those who came before. The Almighty said: (God’s ways have operated before your
time: travel through the land, and see what was the end of those who
disbelieved.) (Ali 'Imran:137) and the Almighty said : ( Do they expect
anything but what happened to earlier people? You will never find any change in
God’s practice; you will never find any deviation there) (Fatir:43)
The
Muslims of the early generations observed these divine laws and respected the
intricate web of causes and effects — and so they built an exemplary
civilization, one in whose vast embrace the natural and mathematical sciences
took root, grew strong, extended their trunks, raised their branches high, and
bore their fruit by the permission of their Lord.
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