The more people attack Islaam, the more people are curious to find out
the TRUTH about it, thus uncovering its hidden treasure & beauty. : )
"All men by nature desire knowledge" (Aristotle)
Although no religious belief can be fully based on logic and reasoning, Islaam and the Qur'aan provide more than enough examples and opportunities to examine the truth and the soundness of its message through the lens of empirical evidence and knowledge. No one would argue that critical thinking and reflection can be a major catalyst for changing of ones life. Critical thinking has been used by many to improve their lives simply because a critical thinker asks probing questions about a situation, collects as much information as possible, reflects on the ideas collected and generated in context of the information available, keeps an open and unbiased mind and carefully scrutinizes assumptions and seeks alternatives.
This is the reason therefore that new Muslim reverts (converts) would attribute the use of intelligent reasoning, reflection and critical thinking when explaining their journey to Islaam. Such people cut through the hysteria created by some in the media to view Islaam from a critical lens and following the truth thus comes naturally to them as part of this process. How else can one explain the increase in conversions with the increase of anti-Islaam rhetoric? How else can one explain that more non-Muslim preachers have been converting to Islaam than ever before? Although as Muslims we believe that the guidance (hidaya) comes only from Allaah (the Creator), the use of a person's God-gifted intellectual reasoning has a very powerful role to play in Muslim converts making that destiny-changing decision. And once converted, they rarely go back to their old faiths simply because a faith whose foundations are built on logic and reason is much less likely to be shaken down than one which builds simply upon a set of rites and sacraments.
We can see that most of the reasons attributed by people who embrace Islaam can only be attributed to the process of critical thinking and intellectual reflection:
• Eloquence of Quran's language -- The uniqueness and beauty of Quran's text has been marveled by the best of Arab linguists and scholars from the days it was revealed until today. The more knowledgeable people are in the language, the more they appreciate the wonders of the textual fluency of the Quran.
• Overwhelming scientific evidence and proofs -- The Qur'aan, revealed more than 1400 years ago has numerous scientific facts that are being validated by science only in this era.
• Divine wisdom behind various social issues -- The Qur'aan provides a solution to numerous social issues, a deviation from which has known to cause societal chaos at all levels.
• Arguments rooted in intellectual reasoning -- Qur'aan is the only known religious text that challenges mankind to think, reflect and ponder over the creation at large, social issues, God's existence, and more. The Qur'aan in many instances challenges people to reflect and think on their own rather than heeding to the lose talk of those whose criticism is based on baseless foundations.
• A confident assertion of a supreme being -- The Qur'aan is the only known religious book that has a confident assertion of a supreme being on all issues ranging from the creation of the universe to social issues.
• Divine Text -- The Qur'aan's language and prose is very different from the language in the Hadeeth (Prophet's sayings) thus proving that the Qur'aan is not the "imagination" or words of Prophet Muhammad (Peace & Blessings be upon him), as many doubters have alleged in the past and do so even today.
The Quran on numerous occasions challenges humanity at large to think, reflect and ponder over their affairs. Here is some of what the Quran states:
{Thus do We explain the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, laws, etc.) in detail for the people who reflect.} (Qur'aan; 10.24)
{Do they not think deeply (in their ownselves) about themselves (how Allaah created them from nothing, and similarly He will resurrect them)? Allaah has created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, except with truth and for an appointed term. And indeed many of mankind deny the Meeting with their Lord.} (Qur'aan; 30.8)
{Does man think that he will be left Suda (neglected without being punished or rewarded for the obligatory duties enjoined by his Lord (Allaah) on him)?} (Qur'aan; 75.36)
{Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?"} (Qur'aan; 23.115)
{Do they not reflect? There is no madness in their companion (Muhammad). He is but a plain warner.} (Qur'aan; 7.184)
{It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion: and enough is Allaah for a Witness.} (Qur'aan; 48.28)
There can only be One Truth!
{Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): "Truth has (now) arrived, and Falsehood perished: for Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish."} (al-Qur'aan; 17.81)
{Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): "I am only a man like you. It has been revealed to me that your ilah (God) is One ilah (God - i.e. Allaah). So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord."} (al-Qur'aan; 18.110)
{Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): "If any men go astray, (Allaah) Most Gracious extends (the rope) to them, until, when they see the warning of Allaah (being fulfilled) - either in punishment or in (the approach of) the Hour,- they will at length realise who is worst in position, and (who is) weakest in forces!} (al-Qur'aan; 19.75)
The last & final Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said;
"If anyone testifies that None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah alone (One God) Who has no partners, and that Muhammad is His Slave and His Apostle, and that Jesus is Allaah's Slave and His Apostle and His Word which He bestowed on Mary and a Spirit created by Him, and that Jannah (Paradise) is true, and that Jahannam (Hell) is true, Allaah will admit him into Paradise with the deeds which he had done even if those deeds were few." (Saheeh al-Bukhari)
{Say, (O Muhammad ﷺ): "This is my way, I call to Allaah (i.e. to the testification that none has the right to be worshipped except God, alone, with no partner) upon certain knowledge - I, and those who follow me. I declare Allaah free and far removed from all that they associate as partners with Him, and I am free of those who worship anything else along with Him."} (al-Qur'aan; 12.108) ****************************************** ~ THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE TRUTH! ~ ******************************************
"All men by nature desire knowledge" (Aristotle)
Although no religious belief can be fully based on logic and reasoning, Islaam and the Qur'aan provide more than enough examples and opportunities to examine the truth and the soundness of its message through the lens of empirical evidence and knowledge. No one would argue that critical thinking and reflection can be a major catalyst for changing of ones life. Critical thinking has been used by many to improve their lives simply because a critical thinker asks probing questions about a situation, collects as much information as possible, reflects on the ideas collected and generated in context of the information available, keeps an open and unbiased mind and carefully scrutinizes assumptions and seeks alternatives.
This is the reason therefore that new Muslim reverts (converts) would attribute the use of intelligent reasoning, reflection and critical thinking when explaining their journey to Islaam. Such people cut through the hysteria created by some in the media to view Islaam from a critical lens and following the truth thus comes naturally to them as part of this process. How else can one explain the increase in conversions with the increase of anti-Islaam rhetoric? How else can one explain that more non-Muslim preachers have been converting to Islaam than ever before? Although as Muslims we believe that the guidance (hidaya) comes only from Allaah (the Creator), the use of a person's God-gifted intellectual reasoning has a very powerful role to play in Muslim converts making that destiny-changing decision. And once converted, they rarely go back to their old faiths simply because a faith whose foundations are built on logic and reason is much less likely to be shaken down than one which builds simply upon a set of rites and sacraments.
We can see that most of the reasons attributed by people who embrace Islaam can only be attributed to the process of critical thinking and intellectual reflection:
• Eloquence of Quran's language -- The uniqueness and beauty of Quran's text has been marveled by the best of Arab linguists and scholars from the days it was revealed until today. The more knowledgeable people are in the language, the more they appreciate the wonders of the textual fluency of the Quran.
• Overwhelming scientific evidence and proofs -- The Qur'aan, revealed more than 1400 years ago has numerous scientific facts that are being validated by science only in this era.
• Divine wisdom behind various social issues -- The Qur'aan provides a solution to numerous social issues, a deviation from which has known to cause societal chaos at all levels.
• Arguments rooted in intellectual reasoning -- Qur'aan is the only known religious text that challenges mankind to think, reflect and ponder over the creation at large, social issues, God's existence, and more. The Qur'aan in many instances challenges people to reflect and think on their own rather than heeding to the lose talk of those whose criticism is based on baseless foundations.
• A confident assertion of a supreme being -- The Qur'aan is the only known religious book that has a confident assertion of a supreme being on all issues ranging from the creation of the universe to social issues.
• Divine Text -- The Qur'aan's language and prose is very different from the language in the Hadeeth (Prophet's sayings) thus proving that the Qur'aan is not the "imagination" or words of Prophet Muhammad (Peace & Blessings be upon him), as many doubters have alleged in the past and do so even today.
The Quran on numerous occasions challenges humanity at large to think, reflect and ponder over their affairs. Here is some of what the Quran states:
{Thus do We explain the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, laws, etc.) in detail for the people who reflect.} (Qur'aan; 10.24)
{Do they not think deeply (in their ownselves) about themselves (how Allaah created them from nothing, and similarly He will resurrect them)? Allaah has created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, except with truth and for an appointed term. And indeed many of mankind deny the Meeting with their Lord.} (Qur'aan; 30.8)
{Does man think that he will be left Suda (neglected without being punished or rewarded for the obligatory duties enjoined by his Lord (Allaah) on him)?} (Qur'aan; 75.36)
{Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?"} (Qur'aan; 23.115)
{Do they not reflect? There is no madness in their companion (Muhammad). He is but a plain warner.} (Qur'aan; 7.184)
{It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion: and enough is Allaah for a Witness.} (Qur'aan; 48.28)
There can only be One Truth!
{Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): "Truth has (now) arrived, and Falsehood perished: for Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish."} (al-Qur'aan; 17.81)
{Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): "I am only a man like you. It has been revealed to me that your ilah (God) is One ilah (God - i.e. Allaah). So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord."} (al-Qur'aan; 18.110)
{Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): "If any men go astray, (Allaah) Most Gracious extends (the rope) to them, until, when they see the warning of Allaah (being fulfilled) - either in punishment or in (the approach of) the Hour,- they will at length realise who is worst in position, and (who is) weakest in forces!} (al-Qur'aan; 19.75)
The last & final Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said;
"If anyone testifies that None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah alone (One God) Who has no partners, and that Muhammad is His Slave and His Apostle, and that Jesus is Allaah's Slave and His Apostle and His Word which He bestowed on Mary and a Spirit created by Him, and that Jannah (Paradise) is true, and that Jahannam (Hell) is true, Allaah will admit him into Paradise with the deeds which he had done even if those deeds were few." (Saheeh al-Bukhari)
{Say, (O Muhammad ﷺ): "This is my way, I call to Allaah (i.e. to the testification that none has the right to be worshipped except God, alone, with no partner) upon certain knowledge - I, and those who follow me. I declare Allaah free and far removed from all that they associate as partners with Him, and I am free of those who worship anything else along with Him."} (al-Qur'aan; 12.108) ****************************************** ~ THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE TRUTH! ~ ******************************************
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