The Limits of Reason and the Wisdom Behind Divine Commands

✍ Written by: Ibn Jamal

❖ Rising Interest in Religion Among Youth​

In today's world, it is heartening to observe that many young people are not only practicing Islamic commandments but are also deeply interested in understanding their religion. Students from colleges and highly educated backgrounds are consistent in offering prayers and engaging in other forms of worship. Many youth now reflect religious values in their appearance and dress as well.

❖ The Balance Between Intellect and Religion​

On the other hand, a growing trend among the educated class is the belief that all Islamic commands must be based on reason, and they seek rational justification behind every ruling. For many, intellect has become the benchmark for accepting religion — if a command makes logical sense, they accept it; otherwise, they reject or question it.

❖ Islam’s View on Rationalism​

Islam, as a religion of nature (deen al-fitrah), is in harmony with human intellect. It encourages the use of reason, but it does not endorse rationalism in the sense of making intellect the ultimate criterion for every divine law.


In Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), reason has been used to interpret apparent legal rulings. However, when it comes to revelation-based commands (those grounded in divine texts), intellect has limitations and cannot be the sole judge. Reason operates within the framework of observation, while divine commandments are beyond the domain of observation.

❖ The Need to Accept Divine Rulings​

It is a well-understood principle that every person's reasoning is different. If one were to claim that they would only follow a law if its rationale is clear to them, they would be dismissed as unreasonable in the context of state laws. However, the same irrational approach is tolerated when applied to religious laws, and those who abide by divine commands are criticized.

❖ Questioning Divine Wisdom: A Double Standard​

This is a clear double standard — people submit to man-made laws even when they don’t understand them, yet they demand rational proofs for every divine law. It is as if they expect Allah’s laws to align with their personal intellect, which is not only unreasonable but borders on irreverence.

❖ Limited Intellect vs. Divine Wisdom​

Humans often try to understand divine commands using their limited intellect, forgetting that a lack of understanding does not imply a flaw in the command. Human knowledge is inherently restricted and cannot fully grasp divine wisdom.

Ibn Khaldun gave an analogy: a scale that can weigh gold and silver cannot weigh mountains — similarly, human intellect has its limitations.

❖ Recognizing the Boundaries of Reason​

A famous anecdote about Dr. Iffat and a foreign military officer illustrates this point well. When asked why Islam prohibits pork, Dr. Iffat replied, "It is a command — my role is to obey, not necessarily to understand." The officer, being a military man, understood the importance of obedience without full explanation.

❖ Inaccessible Realities and Rational Blind Spots​

Even in daily life, our intellect fails to comprehend everything fully. For example, we use electricity without understanding its complete nature, and we believe in the existence of the soul despite lacking full comprehension. Likewise, the wisdom behind divine laws may lie beyond the reach of human understanding.

❖ Law and Its Cause​

In Islamic jurisprudence, a law is based on its cause (‘illah), not necessarily its wisdom (hikmah). For example, the concession to shorten prayers while traveling is linked to the state of travel, not the difficulty of travel. Claiming that ease of modern travel negates the ruling is illogical, as the law is based on cause, not context.

❖ Summary: Faith Before Understanding​

The Qur’an consistently addresses believers with the phrase:
"يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا" (O you who believe) — implying that the primary requirement is belief, not complete comprehension.

Unfortunately, some have reversed this principle into “we will only believe if we first understand.”
Maulana Manazir Ahsan Gilani has explained that religion demands submission, not absolute understanding.

❖ Conclusion​

Therefore, divine commands must be accepted, whether or not their wisdom is fully grasped by human intellect. Without acknowledging the limits of reason and the deficiency of human understanding, one’s grasp of religion remains incomplete.