Building Man’s Thought
Mind has an important significance in the Islamic religion. It is a source to attain the right belief, it is one of the evidences of deriving laws (i- e- “ijtihaad”) the honored prophet (S.W.A.) said: “every thing has a prop the prop of religion is mind” 31
From another side mind composes the prop of the faithful human being, the prophet (S.W.A.) said “he who has a mind has a religion and he who has a religion he entered paradise” 32
The texts of “hadeeths” which deal with drawing attention to the role of mind reached hundreds we can discover, through a general look at these texts, that the procedure of Islam in giving mind its actual role passes through two stages, it begins with releasing it then it shifts to direct its energies.
Liberating the mind: This is the first step of the mentioned Islamic procedure which we can discover through the texts that have been directed to give up the bonds which enchain mind and confine its real activity and so lead it to serious errors. This can be found in two clear examples:
The first: is giving up blind imitation: its examples in the Holy Qur’an are very much, we can read them in many verses and scenes..
While Qur’an emphasizes that they have not the smallest proof of what they believe of worshipping idols and false creeds it concentrated that all of their plea is that they have found their fathers worshipping these idols so they adhered to that… “Nay! They say: we found our fathers on a course and surely we are guided by their footsteps” 33
Then it emphasizes that this is the habit of this kind of people who has shut all the vents on his mind… “And thus we did not send before you any warner to a town but those who led easy life in it said: surely we found our fathers on a course and surely we are followers of their footsteps.” 34Thus Qur’an recounted their plea twice in two successive verses to show the disintegration it contains and the inherited rooted ignorance in which they are drowned to the limit that they do not listen to any right call nor obvious proof rather they have no more than repeating their plea “Have you come to us to turn us away from what we found our fathers upon” 35
Even though a challenger came to them showing that what they follow is an error (He said: what! Even if I bring to you a better guide than that on which you found your fathers?” 36
Even with such evocation they do not search for a proof nor do they open a vent to discussion, rather they insisted on their first fogy nature, “Surely we are unbelievers in that with which you are sent” and “They said that on which we found our fathers is sufficient for us” 37, Qur’an repeats its condemnation of those in other positions because Qur’an confronts in its epistemic project theories that have been consolidated and taken roots wit successive nations and it is not far that there would be extended to the future of nations too.
This theory has exceeded the excellent of knowledge and beliefs to the spheres of behavior and interactions. “And when they commit an indecency they say: we found our fathers doing so” 38 and “They say: Nay, we found our fathers doing so” 39
Then Qur’an states the punishment which waits those people who took this course pointing out that people must beware of such a course…” so we inflicted retribution on them, then consider how was the end of the rejectors” 40
Notes:
31. The same previous sourse.
32. Ausoulil Kaafi 1:11, Ketaab Alakil wal jahaal
33. Alzukruf: 43: 22.
34. Alzukruf: 43: 23.
35. Yunous: 10: 78.
36. Alzukhruf 43: 24.
37. Alma’aeidah 5: 104.
38. Ala’araaf 7: 20.
39. Al-Shu’ar’a 26: 74.
40. Alzukhruf 43: 25.
Adapted from: "The Role of Ideology in Constructing The Human Being" by: "Ar-Risaleh Center"