Dimensions of Revelation with special reference to Islam – Rising Kashmir

PROF.HAMID NSEEM RAFIABADI

Revelation is an English term for Wahy,which is often given by Allah (SWT) to His chosen servants known as prophets ormessengers (AS) through an archangel Gabriel (AS).This may sometimes change like in the case of prophetMoses (AS) to whom Allah (SWT) spokedirectly. Generally, the revelation bringsa drastic change either in the specific area of the world as in the case ofprophet Abraham (AS) or the overallsystem of the world, which can be seen in case of prophet Muhammad (SAW); the last and final prophet of Islam. Itbasically reforms the society by changing the internal as well as the externalactivities of the system.

In one line, revelation shifts the worldfrom the disobedience to the obedience of Allah (SWT), which further prospers the nations not only in this life butalso in the life hereafter. Through revelation,Allah (SWT) guides His creation how totake the world to its peak without compromising morality. In this sense, it wouldnt be wrong to say thatrevelation often brings revolution. The most modern example of this can be seenin the life of prophet Muhammad (SAW). With the assistance of the revelation, he (SAW)reformed the world within the 23years of his (SAW)reign, which was free from all sorts of impurityand immorality.It was complete in every pure sense and comprehensive inevery moral aspect.

His (SAW)revelation or revolution has gripped the world not only with the aestheticconcepts such as love, care, brotherhoodbut also with rational concepts like justice, equity, equality, etc. thatholistically promoted and highly supported the concept of humanity over theyears. Unlike other revolutions, which are based on finite ideas, therevolution of prophet Muhammad (SAW), which is completely based on the infiniteprinciples, teach humanity that the revolution without morality is paralysed and morality without revolution isincomplete, which means with the changing times and requirements, mankindshould look for different avenues, both from the rational as well as aestheticpoint of view that leads to the zenith of knowledge and wisdom, which will inturn not only benefit the present generation but also flourishes the futuregenerations.

As it is not possible to get acomprehensive view of human beings by separating them with spirit, soul, heart,intellect, or body. In the same way, the concept of revelation wholly andsolely cannot be understood by the principle of rationality. However, there area group of philosophers, psychologists, or scientists who with their worms eyeview claim that whether revelation or anything else, whatever is proven by thereason, mathematics, or statistics is true and acceptable the remaining isuntrue and unacceptable.

This view,however, took its roots in the 18th century where all thenatural sciences, social sciences, as well as historiography were deeplyinfluenced by Eurocentric and scientificlearning. These two terms have directly affectedthe unfortified human intellect and broadly changed its thinking patterns,which today is popularly known as scientific rationalism. Thescientific rationalism purely regards reason as a primary source of trueknowledge, which dominantly impresses the assumption that things which cannotbe perceived or experienced through the senses or is not measurable either quantitativelyor statistically are certainly unreliable.

Cartesian epistemology,the philosophicalandscientificmethod, which isoften associated with Ren Descartes who was a French philosopher,mathematician, and scientist. He identified reasons exclusively with scientificrationality and introduced experiences into sensory data. Based on thisprinciple, the Cartesianepistemology considers other modes and sources ofknowledge such as introspection, insight, empathy, intuition as an illusion. This epistemology has basically dichotomised categories of knowledge. It hasdrawn a sharp line of separation between subject and object, fact and value,reason and morality. However, there is a fundamental incompatibility betweenCartesian epistemology and Islamic epistemology.

Islamic epistemology eschews therationalistic fallacies and pitfalls of Cartesian epistemology and escortsintegration of knowledge, unitary, where all the sources of knowledge arecombined together. Islamic epistemology takes two cognisance of multiplicity modes or sources of knowledge andexperiences including sense perception, imagination, introspection, intuition,empathy, and revelation. This epistemology holds the opinion that even thoughthere is a disjunction between fact andvalue, or reason and revelation, they still are closely intertwined with eachother.

(Author is Head,Department of Religious Studies, Central University of Kashmir. Former Director, Shah-i-Hamadan Institute of Islamic Studies, Universityof Kashmir Srinagar. He can be reached on hamidnaseem@gmail.com)

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Dimensions of Revelation with special reference to Islam - Rising Kashmir