❖ The Value of Intellect in the Qur'an and the Inadequacy of Atheistic Thought ❖
A Comparative Reflection on Faith, Reason, and the Search for Meaning
The Qur’an rebukes blind following of tradition in the absence of reason:
"And when it is said to them, ‘Follow what Allah has revealed,’ they say, ‘Rather, we will follow that upon which we found our forefathers.’ Even though their forefathers understood nothing, nor were they guided?"
[Surah al-Baqarah: 170]
This verse underlines a key Qur’anic principle:
True faith is not inherited; it is chosen through reason and reflection.
◈ In Islam, accountability begins with the use of reason.
– Children and mentally incapacitated individuals are not held accountable in Sharīʿah.
– The one who is granted intellect, but chooses to neglect it, bears responsibility for disbelief and misguidance.
◈ Every soul is responsible for its own choices, regardless of parental influence:
“No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.”
◈ Animals possess instinct and limited conditioning.
◈ Humans, however, are gifted with rational consciousness, enabling them to choose or reject a path.
✔ For example:
A child trained to dance may follow instructions mindlessly at first—but once self-awareness develops, he can consciously accept or reject that action.
This capacity for deliberate choice distinguishes humans from all other creatures.
In the Qur’an, Allah ﷻ mentions:
“And He taught Adam the names of all things…”
[Surah al-Baqarah: 31]
This highlights:
✔ The gift of naming, categorization, and analysis, exclusive to human intellect.
✔ The angels acknowledged their own limits:
"We have no knowledge except what You have taught us."
[Surah al-Baqarah: 32]
Thus, the Qur’an affirms human curiosity as a divine trait, leading to scientific discovery, innovation, and above all, the search for deeper truths.
Science answers "how" questions:
✔ How is food digested?
✔ How is a baby born?
✔ How does milk benefit an infant?
These processes apply equally to humans and animals.
But religion addresses "why" questions:
✔ Why do we eat?
✔ Why are we born?
✔ Why does a mother’s milk specifically suit her child?
These are questions of purpose, and science cannot answer them—they belong to the realm of theology and divine wisdom.
Atheists often accuse religion of invoking "God" where knowledge ends. Yet ironically, atheism itself falls silent when confronted with “why”:
Even concepts like natural selection contradict themselves:
◈ Dinosaurs vanished because they couldn’t adapt.
◈ Camels adapted to the desert with specialized features—allegedly on their own.
▶ These inconsistencies reflect the gaps and assumptions inherent in atheist reasoning.
Even Newton, a founding father of modern science, acknowledged:
“The orderly arrangement of the universe reveals a Being of intelligence, will, and power.”
Thus, both prophetic revelation and scientific reasoning ultimately converge on a singular truth:
There is a Creator behind this universe.
➤ The Qur’an champions reason and reflection, urging mankind to observe, analyze, and seek the purpose behind creation.
➤ Atheism stops at the mechanism, but fails to address meaning.
➤ Only religion, and specifically Islam, provides answers to “why we exist”, “where we are going”, and “who created us.”
Human intellect, when sincerely used, becomes a means to find God—not reject Him.
A Comparative Reflection on Faith, Reason, and the Search for Meaning
⟡ Qur’anic Message: Follow with Reason, Not Mere Tradition
The Qur’an rebukes blind following of tradition in the absence of reason:
"And when it is said to them, ‘Follow what Allah has revealed,’ they say, ‘Rather, we will follow that upon which we found our forefathers.’ Even though their forefathers understood nothing, nor were they guided?"
[Surah al-Baqarah: 170]
This verse underlines a key Qur’anic principle:
True faith is not inherited; it is chosen through reason and reflection.
❖ Islam Honors the Role of the Intellect
◈ In Islam, accountability begins with the use of reason.
– Children and mentally incapacitated individuals are not held accountable in Sharīʿah.
– The one who is granted intellect, but chooses to neglect it, bears responsibility for disbelief and misguidance.
◈ Every soul is responsible for its own choices, regardless of parental influence:
“No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.”
⟡ The Distinction Between Humans and Animals
◈ Animals possess instinct and limited conditioning.
◈ Humans, however, are gifted with rational consciousness, enabling them to choose or reject a path.
✔ For example:
A child trained to dance may follow instructions mindlessly at first—but once self-awareness develops, he can consciously accept or reject that action.
This capacity for deliberate choice distinguishes humans from all other creatures.
❖ Qur'an: A Revelation to Awaken the Intellect
In the Qur’an, Allah ﷻ mentions:
“And He taught Adam the names of all things…”
[Surah al-Baqarah: 31]
This highlights:
✔ The gift of naming, categorization, and analysis, exclusive to human intellect.
✔ The angels acknowledged their own limits:
"We have no knowledge except what You have taught us."
[Surah al-Baqarah: 32]
Thus, the Qur’an affirms human curiosity as a divine trait, leading to scientific discovery, innovation, and above all, the search for deeper truths.
⟡ The Divide Between Science and Religion: “How” vs “Why”
Science answers "how" questions:
✔ How is food digested?
✔ How is a baby born?
✔ How does milk benefit an infant?
These processes apply equally to humans and animals.
But religion addresses "why" questions:
✔ Why do we eat?
✔ Why are we born?
✔ Why does a mother’s milk specifically suit her child?
These are questions of purpose, and science cannot answer them—they belong to the realm of theology and divine wisdom.
❖ Atheism and the Void of Purpose
Atheists often accuse religion of invoking "God" where knowledge ends. Yet ironically, atheism itself falls silent when confronted with “why”:
| Question | Scientific/Atheistic Response |
|---|---|
| How did the universe begin? | Big Bang. |
| Why did the Big Bang occur? | No answer. |
| How did life begin? | Evolution. |
| Why did life begin? | No answer. |
| Why are fruits tasty? | No answer. |
| Why do flowers have fragrance? | No answer. |
| Why do animals have beauty? | No answer. |
Even concepts like natural selection contradict themselves:
◈ Dinosaurs vanished because they couldn’t adapt.
◈ Camels adapted to the desert with specialized features—allegedly on their own.
▶ These inconsistencies reflect the gaps and assumptions inherent in atheist reasoning.
⟡ Newton’s Testimony and the Logical Endpoint of Intellect
Even Newton, a founding father of modern science, acknowledged:
“The orderly arrangement of the universe reveals a Being of intelligence, will, and power.”
Thus, both prophetic revelation and scientific reasoning ultimately converge on a singular truth:
There is a Creator behind this universe.
Conclusion
➤ The Qur’an champions reason and reflection, urging mankind to observe, analyze, and seek the purpose behind creation.
➤ Atheism stops at the mechanism, but fails to address meaning.
➤ Only religion, and specifically Islam, provides answers to “why we exist”, “where we are going”, and “who created us.”
Human intellect, when sincerely used, becomes a means to find God—not reject Him.
