Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
1. Introduction
Epistemologically, humans often fall into two extreme poles: Textualists who reject logic, or Rationalists who deify logic to the point of abandoning God’s guidance. Yet in neuroscience, our brains are designed to process information hierarchically. Reason is an extraordinary measuring tool for understanding physical phenomena, but it has a “horizon” limitation called a cognitive limit. This is where Revelation serves as a navigation instrument that provides data beyond the reach of the senses (metaphysics). Moderation in seeking knowledge means positioning reason as the “eye” and Revelation as the “light.” A healthy eye still cannot see without light, and bright light is meaningless without a functioning eye. The two are a harmony that calms the soul.
Evidence from the Qur’an and Hadith
Allah SWT urges us to use reason to understand the truth of His revelation:
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
"Indeed, in that are signs (of Allah’s power) for people who use their reason." (QS. Ar-Ra'd : 4)
أَفْضَلُ مَا أُعْطِيَ النَّاسُ فِي الدُّنْيَا الْعَقْل
"The best thing given to humans in this world is reason." (HR. Abu Nu’aim in Al-Hilyah)
2. Lessons and Messages
Knowledge without Revelation will be blind and prone to destruction (like technology used for war), while Revelation without Reason will become rigid and lose relevance to the times. Be a moderate seeker of knowledge: do not discard your reason when reading scripture, but do not deify your own opinion to the point of daring to reject the Creator’s commands. The humility of an intellectual is when he realizes that his reason is a creation, and Revelation is guidance from the Creator of reason itself.Remember the story of Imam Ash-Shafi’i? He was a figure of extraordinary logical intelligence, yet every time he recited the Qur’an, he would weep profusely. One day he was asked why someone as smart as he was so submissive to the text. He answered that his reason was merely a small vessel, while Allah’s knowledge is a vast ocean. He proved that the smarter a person is, the more aware he should be of his limitations before the majesty of Revelation. True intelligence culminates in the longest prostration.Receiving knowledge through Reason and Revelation is like a driver at midnight. The car is Reason—a strong and sophisticated vehicle. But the car’s headlights are Revelation. Without lights (Revelation), no matter how advanced the car (Reason) is, it will fall into a ravine because it cannot see the road. Conversely, bright lights (Revelation) cannot take you to your destination if you have no car (Reason) to drive. The two must work together for you to arrive safely at your Hereafter destination.There was a young man who felt very rational. When hearing verses about Paradise and Hell, he asked, “Logically, how can Hell possibly fit billions of people?” A teacher answered casually, “Son, if the memory in your phone, as small as a fingernail, can hold thousands of photos, videos, and heavy memories of your ex, surely the God who created galaxies can make a vast ‘server’ for Hell?” The young man fell silent. The lesson: Sometimes our reason doesn’t fail to understand; it just needs an “update” to grasp the greatness of its Creator!
3. Conclusion
Dear brothers and sisters, moderation in the methodology of knowledge means acknowledging the authority of Revelation as the source of absolute truth, and using Reason as a tool to uncover the beauty of its meanings. Do not be a person who stops thinking, and do not be a person who thinks without direction."O Allah, adorn our reason with wisdom, and illuminate our hearts with the guidance of Your Revelation, so we do not go astray in the wilderness of worldly knowledge.
والله أعلم بالصواب
الحمد لله رب العالمين
Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmaullahi Wabarakatuh.
ِAbu Sultan Al-Qadrie
