Another type of contemplation is over the evil end that
others have come to, such as where Allah says:
Which means:
“Do they not contemplate within themselves? Allah has not created the heavens and the earth and what is between them
except in truth and for a specified term. And indeed, many of the people, in
the meeting with their Lord, are disbelievers. Have they not travelled through
the earth and observed how was the end of those before them? They were greater
than them in power, and they ploughed the earth and built it up more than they [i.e.,
the Makkans] have built it up, and their messengers came to them with clear evidences.
And Allah would not ever have wronged them, but they were wronging themselves.”
[Ar-Room: 8-9]
Why Won’t you Think?
“Truly, the worst of all creatures in the sight of Allah are
the deaf, the dumb, those who do not use their reason/think”
Qur'an 8:22
Consider this verse carefully, Allah is telling us that the
worst creatures are the ones that do not reason.
“Or do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are
like livestock. Rather, they are [even] more astray in [their] way.”
Qur'an(25:44)
There can be no excuse for giving up your right to think for
yourself. The consequences of switching
off your critical faculties are absolutely terrifying, not just in the next
world, but in this world. In this world
you end up wandering astray like livestock, or herded in your ignorance by
those who are evil, or otherwise.
What to Think About?
"And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge.
Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the mind, one will be questioned about all
these".
Qur’an 17:36
The simple answer is that you should think about anything
that is a guiding element in your life.
What you work at, what set of beliefs you hold on to, any movements you
join and so on. There are consequences
in all such things, not just for you, but for others. If you do not know or understand why you are
doing it, do not do it.
"In terms of specifics, the Qur’an is greatly deserving of
deep consideration. Will they not, then, consider the Qur'an, or are there locks
on [their] minds?
Quran 47:24
"Will they not, then, consider the Qur'an? If it had been
from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much
contradiction".
Qur’an 4:82
“Shall I then seek a Ruler other than Allah? When He it is
Who has revealed to you the Book (Qur’an, which is) distinctly detailed”
Qur'an (6:114)
We must read and consider the Qur’an, with enough depth to
allow us to find contradictions. There
are none, however, we must consider it with such depth so that if there were
any, we would find them. The Qur’an is a
detailed text, and in reading and considering it, it must be analysed in
detail.
"If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would
have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of Allah. And these examples We
present to the people that perhaps they will think"
Qur’an 59:21
"[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, that
they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be
reminded".
Qur’an 38:29
In many places in the Qur’an we are reminded to think,
consider and reflect on the Qur’an as well as the physical universe. These are not just ‘by the way’
recommendations; they are important guidance from Allah. There are severe consequences to not taking
the time to consider the Qur’an, this is because if you do not read and think
on its contents, then the Qur’an no longer acts as guidance, it is no longer
the criterion in your life, rather, it becomes merely a book to be looked at
and respected. It’s guidance cannot then
properly reach your heart and soul through the conduit of your mind. All you are left with is following what
others tell you about it…
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and
the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on
their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth,
[saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You
[above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit to the Fire - You have
disgraced him, and for the wrongdoers there are no helpers.”
Qur’an 3:190-192
“Do they not contemplate within themselves? Allah has not
created the heavens and the earth and what is between them except in truth and
for a specified term. And indeed, many of the people, in [the matter of] the
meeting with their Lord, are disbelievers.”
Qur’an 30:8
Thinking about the creation of Allah is extremely important,
as in the analysis of its intricacy and design are the signs pointing to its
creator. Just ignoring this study and
taking things for granted allows for irrational thoughts on the origin of the
universe and of humanity to develop in the minds of unthinking Muslims. Namely, the ideas of cosmological and
biological evolution specifically, and materialistic philosophy in general. These ideas, which by their very nature and
purpose are designed to deny Allah have negative implications in both the
practical and spiritual aspects of those misguided by these ideas.
Following Others?
Perhaps the greatest reason that people switch off their
minds, is that they give away their responsibility to think to others, whether
out of fear, laziness, conformance or profit.
The reality is this, if something is important, and your soul and its
eternal destination is quite possibly the most important thing you can imagine,
then you must take the responsibility to think deeply about what it is you are
living by. If you give that
responsibility to someone else, that means that you trust that person or people
with your eternal soul. Is there anyone
you trust that much?
“And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allah has
revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that which we found our
fathers doing." Even though their fathers did not think, nor were they
guided?”
Qur’an 2:170
“Rather, they say, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a
religion, and we are in their footsteps [rightly] guided."
“And similarly, We did not send before you any warner into a
city except that its affluent said, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a
religion, and we are following in their footsteps."
Qur’an 43:21-23
It is made clear here that this trend of ‘following our
forefathers’ is a massive obstacle to true guidance. It is the obstacle that all messengers had to
deal with. And to be clear, this is not just an issue of “such and such
who is respected says I should do this so I am doing it”, it is a case of being
misled into believing that what you are being told to do and believe is
actually the guidance of Allah.
“And when they committing evil, they say, "We found our
fathers doing it, and Allah has ordered us to do it." Say, "Indeed,
Allah does not order immorality. Do you say about Allah that which you do not
know?"
Qur’an 7:28
We should aim to make it a foundational point in our lives
to know what Allah has said, first hand, and to thereby know when a falsehood
is attributed to Allah.
‘Following our father’s footsteps’ as a concept can be
rephrased for the many specific cases that fall in this category. I was only: -
· Following my
parents
· Following
the way of my community
· Following my
Priest
· Following my
Rabbi
· Following my
Imam, Sheikh and Scholar
· Following
the leaders of my community
· Etc…
Whatever way you phrase it, it all ends up the same. You are following (blindly or not) and you
have willingly given up your responsibility to think and consider for yourself.
We have a specific and important example in this regard from
the Qur’an: -
“They (Jews and Christians) have taken their religious
scholars and monks as lords besides Allah, and [also] the Messiah, the son of
Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity
except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him”.
Qur’an 9:31
How were the religious scholars and monks taken as lords
beside Allah? We know they are not and
were not worshipped as God by the Jews and Christians, we however also know
that the church/priests and Rabbis fashioned themselves as the interpreters and
explainers of the revelation. And from
the Qur’an, we know this was a task they failed for selfish reasons.
Do you know any other major religious group that willingly
gives away its right to consider and think about its religion and its guidance
to figures of authority?
“And if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will
mislead you from the way of Allah. They follow not except assumption, and they
do nothing but conjecture”.
Qur’an 6:116
