The Noble Qur'an, akin to a clarifying mirror, unveils the existential and epistemological truths of humanity before its own gaze. Verse 39 of Surah Al-Baqarah, centred on the denial of divine signs and the fate of the disbelievers, raises a fundamental question: Why has the Almighty God, with infinite grandeur and perfect attributes, been denied by humankind? This treatise, synthesising the contents of two lecture sessions, undertakes a systematic and scholarly exploration of this verse and, with an elevated academic diction, provides a framework for understanding the phenomenon of denial and the epistemic obstacles faced by humans. The objective is to elucidate the causes of denial, the cognitive limitations of man, and the necessity for transformation within religious knowledge, tailored for researchers and erudite audiences in the fields of philosophy, theology, and religious sciences.
This work emphasises the critique of superficial and formalistic approaches in religious science and stresses the imperative for a scientific dissection of doctrinal issues. Its structure comprises systematically organised sections with specialised subtitles, each dedicated to an aspect of the verses exegesis and associated analyses. Refined metaphors and allegories have been employed to enrich the literary quality and scientific appeal, whilst preserving the academic nature of the text.
Why has the Almighty God, despite His grandeur, omnipotence, and infinite knowledge, been denied by humankind? This question roots itself in an epistemic paradox: denial commonly occurs within the context of doubt and uncertainty, yet how can the Creator of existence, who epitomises truth and veracity, be subjected to such repudiation?
This question alludes to the epistemic challenge that humans face when confronted with absolute truth. The limited human mind resorts to denial in the face of divine grandeur, as it lacks the capacity to contemplate and endure such truth.
Denial transpires at two levels: the rational individual, due to doubt and uncertainty, rejects the truth, whilst the ignorant person, due to ignorance and prejudice, outrightly denies it. This distinction highlights the difference between cognitive incapacity and intentional repudiation.
This analysis reveals the complexity of the denial phenomenon. The rational individual refrains from acceptance due to hesitation, and the ignorant person out of unawareness.
God, endowed with perfect attributes (knowledge, power, truthfulness), is free from any defect or falsehood, in contrast to political or deceitful persons who are denied for personal reasons. Nevertheless, divine grandeur itself forms an obstacle to human acceptance, for the human mind lacks the capacity to comprehend this grandeur.
This paradox is akin to attempting to see the sun with naked eyes: the dazzling light, instead of illumination, engenders darkness and denial.
The Noble Qur'an extensively addresses denial in various forms (denial of truth, sincerity, Lordship, and divine signs). Approximately one hundred verses condemn the majority of humankind for their incapacity to perceive the truth, as in phrases such as "Most of them do not reason," "Most of them are ungrateful," and "Most of them are disbelievers."
This emphasis underscores the epistemic critique of humanity and the necessity to remove cognitive barriers.
Denial is a complex and deeply rooted phenomenon in the epistemic limitations of humankind. Divine grandeur, which exceeds human perceptual capacity, results in repudiation. This section, by defining the nature and causes of denial, lays the groundwork for a deeper analysis of this phenomenon.
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
Translation: And those who disbelieve and deny Our signs those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.
This verse explicitly states the ultimate fate of those who deny the divine signs and alludes to divine justice in punishing disbelief and repudiation.
The grandeur of God and the heaviness of the truth constitute the primary obstacle to human acceptance. The human mind, like a limited vessel, lacks the capacity to bear the immense burden of divine truth and thus resorts to denial. This heaviness resembles the pressure exerted upon a seed attempting to sprout: it either breaks or grows.
Even authoritative figures (such as Pharaoh, Shaddad, Nimrod) and scholars (such as magicians) denied revelation and miracles due to the heaviness of the truth. False power and knowledge, devoid of humility, lead to the denial of truth.
This phenomenon is like blindness caused by staring at the sun: power and knowledge, instead of illumination, bring darkness and denial.
The believers and the patient, due to piety and endurance, are capable of accepting the heavy divine truth. The Noble Qur'an distinguishes this group from the majority of the ignorant and disbelievers.
This distinction is akin to separating wheat from chaff: the believers, through patience and self-purification, cultivate the capacity to accept truth.
Verse 39 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by elucidating the fate of deniers, refers to divine justice and the weight of truth. This section, analysing the role of divine grandeur and human limitations, provides a framework for understanding the phenomenon of denial.
The noble verse وَأُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا (Surah Al-Isra, Verse 85: And you have been given of knowledge only a little) alludes to divine wisdom in bestowing limited knowledge upon humankind. Had human knowledge been vast and instantaneous, it would have resulted in explosion and destruction.
This wisdom resembles the regulation of water flow in a river: if it flows excessively, it leads to flooding and devastation.
Had human knowledge been abundant, like an atomic bomb, it would have caused self-destruction. Global powers, lacking comprehensive knowledge, abstain cautiously from deploying such weapons, proceeding with extreme care.
This caution resembles a mountaineer hesitating before a precipice, acting not out of bravery but fear of failure.
Military powers, such as war fleets, are inefficient without complete knowledge and are employed merely for display, like decorative wall gutters without practical use.
Cognition resembles a meat grinder or juicer, a heavy process exerting considerable pressure on the mind and spirit. Just as the meat grinder applies force upon meat and blades, cognition applies pressure to the mind to extract truth.
This pressure is like childbirth, which entails pain and suffering for the birth of truth.
Limited knowledge is divine wisdom for human survival, yet it results in the denial of truth. The analogy of cognition as a meat grinder illustrates the arduous nature of the epistemic process. This section provides a framework for analysing epistemic limitations and divine wisdom.
The Holy Qur'an regards the majority of humanity as rejected due to their incapacity to perceive the truth. This rejection is the consequence of the gravity of the truth and epistemic limitations.
This situation is akin to a classroom where the majority of students fail: Is the fault with the teacher or the educational system?
Islam, at its inception, presented a simple test through the invitation to say Ql L ilha ill Allh tufli (Say, "There is no deity except Allah," and you will succeed), which required no profound knowledge.
This simplicity is like a key that gently opens the doors of guidance, yet the weight of the truth rendered even this key unusable for many.
How can the faithful minority be transformed into the majority? This question represents a challenge even the prophets did not fully overcome. The Holy Qur'an, by stating Sir f al-ari fa-unur kayfa kna qibatu al-mukadhdhibn (Surah l Imrn, verse 137: Travel through the land and observe how the end of the deniers was), presents the deniers as a lesson.
Is the problem of denial attributed to the Creator (the Doer) or the Created (the Recipient)? The Holy Qur'an attributes this problem to the Created, for humanity, with free will, denies the truth.
This attribution is analogous to referring to a disease that originates from the patient, not the physician.
The challenges of guidance root in epistemic limitations and human free choices. Transforming the faithful minority into the majority necessitates deep cultural and scientific transformation. This section points to the necessity of theological and philosophical analysis of these challenges.
Contemporary Islamic philosophy, with inapplicable concepts (such as jal and mal), is incapable of resolving modern issues of guidance. These concepts are like outdated tools ineffective for novel problems.
Religious knowledge must dissect doctrinal issues and not fear raising doubts (even concerning God or the Qur'an). This dissection is akin to surgery that reveals and treats the disease.
Religious knowledge must possess immunity in questioning and inquiry to unlock epistemic knots. This immunity is like freedom of the pen that liberates truth from the shackles of prejudice.
A narration states: Inna al-ilma nr yunqiluhu Allh f qalbi man yash (Knowledge is a light cast by God into the heart of whomever He wills). This light flourishes through raising doubts and scientific investigation.
Books of the fundamentals of creed, with insufficient arguments, are incapable of responding to modern doubts. These books are like old maps ineffective for new journeys.
For instance, simplistic conceptions (such as the atom being like a tomato or eggplant) reflect scientific ignorance that leads to denial of the truth.
Some scholars, due to resistance against technology (such as computers), have failed to understand modern issues. This resistance is like rejecting new tools in agriculture that would otherwise increase productivity.
Religious knowledge, due to lack of transformation and immunity in questioning, remains stagnant and preoccupied with mundane matters instead of research. This stagnation is like stagnant water that yields nothing but putrefaction.
Transformation requires immunity in research and acceptance of modern sciences so that religious knowledge becomes a pioneer in human guidance.
Denial is a vast subject necessitating a research project, such as the "City of Denial," to analyse its distinctions from falsehood and liars. This project is like exploring a mine that reveals the jewel of truth.
Transformation in religious knowledge, through scientific dissection, immunity in questioning, and acceptance of modern sciences, paves the way for resolving doubts and guiding humanity. Research projects like the City of Denial can unlock epistemic knots. This section provides a framework for reviewing religious scientific methods.
The exegesis of verse 39 of Surah Al-Baqarah, focusing on the phenomenon of denial, provides a scientific and philosophical framework for analysing the obstacles to human guidance. Denial is the consequence of the weightiness of divine truth and the epistemic limitations of humanity, rooted in the verse Wa titum mina al-ilmi ill qall (And you have been given of knowledge only a little). The wisdom of limited knowledge guarantees human survival, yet results in denial of the truth. The Holy Qur'an, by critiquing the majority and presenting the deniers as lessons, indicates the path of guidance. Religious knowledge, to address this challenge, must employ scientific dissection, immunity in questioning, and acceptance of modern sciences to offer a modern exposition of the Qur'an. Research initiatives such as the City of Denial can unravel epistemic knots. This treatise, by providing a systematic framework, calls scientific domains towards transformation and dynamism so that the faithful minority becomes the majority and human guidance is realised.
The Holy Qur'an, like a blazing torch, illuminates the path for this transformation and guides religious knowledge towards honour and authority.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
