❖ Rejection of Revelation in Western Thought and the Role of Reason & Intuition ❖
The Enlightenment and Romanticism movements fundamentally denied the validity of divine revelation, leading to a marked rejection of Christianity in the West.
✔ Protestantism, particularly through Martin Luther, laid the groundwork for this denial by declaring that human reason alone is sufficient to interpret revelation.
✘ This opened the door to philosophical currents that ultimately rejected revelation itself.
To reject revelation means placing full trust in:
Western philosophy then claims that ultimate questions — such as:
— can be answered without divine revelation.
✘ In contrast, Christianity and Islam both assert that such questions require guidance from revelation, not just reason.
The Enlightenment worldview claims that:
✔ Truth can be discovered through:
The same methods used in mathematics and logic are now applied to metaphysical truths and human identity.
In contrast to the Enlightenment, the Romantic Movement claims that:
✔ Intuition (وجدان) — not reason — is the true source of knowledge.
Intuition is derived from Latin meaning “to see”, and it refers to:
In this worldview:
✘ Reason is subordinate to intuition — a mere tool for desire and instinct.
“Reason is the slave of desire.” — Jeremy Bentham
Thus, desire and instinct become the primary epistemological tools, and reason merely serves them.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau combined both Enlightenment and Romantic thought in his political and social theories.
✔ He introduced the idea of the “General Will” (ارادہ عمومی):
In this worldview, if human nature is already pure, there is no need for divine revelation.
✔ Enlightenment thinkers promoted the idea that there is no essential distinction between man and God.
✘ Man, being autonomous and rational, needs no higher guidance for:
This leads to the central pillars of Western philosophy:
✔ Western thought is built on denial of divine revelation, replacing it with man's reason and instinct.
This ultimately leads to the deification of man:
"لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا الْإِنسَان"
There is no god but man.
This is the core belief of modern Western civilization, leaving no room for genuine dialogue with Islam, which sees revelation as central to all guidance.
✔ Western thought rejects revelation and seeks to answer all philosophical questions through human reason and intuition.
✘ Islam completely rejects this notion and considers it a path of misguidance, as truth and purpose cannot be attained without divine revelation (وحی).
✿ Rejection of Revelation and the Decline of Christianity
The Enlightenment and Romanticism movements fundamentally denied the validity of divine revelation, leading to a marked rejection of Christianity in the West.
✔ Protestantism, particularly through Martin Luther, laid the groundwork for this denial by declaring that human reason alone is sufficient to interpret revelation.
✘ This opened the door to philosophical currents that ultimately rejected revelation itself.
① Revelation Rejected: Reason as Sole Access to Truth
To reject revelation means placing full trust in:
- Inductive Reason
- Deductive Reason
Western philosophy then claims that ultimate questions — such as:
- What is man?
- What is his place in the universe?
- Where did he come from, and where is he going?
— can be answered without divine revelation.
✘ In contrast, Christianity and Islam both assert that such questions require guidance from revelation, not just reason.
② Epistemology of the Enlightenment
The Enlightenment worldview claims that:
✔ Truth can be discovered through:
- Inductive logic (from observation to generalization)
- Deductive logic (from general principles to specific conclusions)
The same methods used in mathematics and logic are now applied to metaphysical truths and human identity.
③ Romanticism: Intuition Over Reason
In contrast to the Enlightenment, the Romantic Movement claims that:
✔ Intuition (وجدان) — not reason — is the true source of knowledge.
Intuition is derived from Latin meaning “to see”, and it refers to:- Innate instincts
- Human emotions
- Natural desires
In this worldview:
✘ Reason is subordinate to intuition — a mere tool for desire and instinct.
“Reason is the slave of desire.” — Jeremy Bentham
Thus, desire and instinct become the primary epistemological tools, and reason merely serves them.
④ Synthesis of Enlightenment and Romanticism: Rousseau’s Theory
Jean-Jacques Rousseau combined both Enlightenment and Romantic thought in his political and social theories.
✔ He introduced the idea of the “General Will” (ارادہ عمومی):
- Human nature is inherently good.
- Instincts, desires, and emotions lead to collective well-being.
- Therefore, the General Will is itself good, because “The Self is essentially good.”
In this worldview, if human nature is already pure, there is no need for divine revelation.
⑤ Enlightenment Thought: No Distinction Between Man and God
✔ Enlightenment thinkers promoted the idea that there is no essential distinction between man and God.
✘ Man, being autonomous and rational, needs no higher guidance for:
- Knowledge
- Ethics
- Society
This leads to the central pillars of Western philosophy:
- Freedom (آزادی)
- Autonomy (خود مختاری)
⑥ Western Civilization and the Deification of Man
✔ Western thought is built on denial of divine revelation, replacing it with man's reason and instinct.
This ultimately leads to the deification of man:
"لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا الْإِنسَان"
There is no god but man.
This is the core belief of modern Western civilization, leaving no room for genuine dialogue with Islam, which sees revelation as central to all guidance.
Summary: Revelation vs. Human Autonomy
✔ Western thought rejects revelation and seeks to answer all philosophical questions through human reason and intuition.
✘ Islam completely rejects this notion and considers it a path of misguidance, as truth and purpose cannot be attained without divine revelation (وحی).
