Humanity, across the vast expanse of history, has undertaken a remarkable journey from ignorance towards knowledge, and from knowledge towards cognition. This treatise, through a profound examination of the stages of human evolutionfrom the primitive era of ignorance and unawareness to the emergence of knowledge and ultimately the call towards cognitionendeavours to elucidate this historical course. Its objective is to explore the profound layers of history and the conduct of the Prophets in order to attain the truth of cognition as the pinnacle of human perfection, and through this path, to open a way towards a life enriched with equality, justice, and sincerity.
At the dawn of history, humanity lived immersed in ignorance. This era, which even preceded Adam (peace be upon him), was characterised by a lack of fundamental knowledge and a life resembling that of animals. The children of Adam, Abel and Cain, exemplify this ignorance. Abel, due to his unawareness, conflated self-defence with warfare and thus refrained from protecting himself. Cain, despite his malevolence, was devoid of even rudimentary knowledge such as the method of burying the dead. Humans of this period were raw-food eaters and lived a primitive existence, unaware of fire.
This depiction aligns with evolutionary theories concerning the early stages of human life. The Holy Qur'an also subtly refers to the initial ignorance of humanity:
۞ "When your Lord said to the angels, 'I am placing a successor on earth'" ۞
(Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:30)
This verse alludes to human dominion but simultaneously reveals his primordial ignorance, necessitating divine guidance. The ignorance of mankind during this period manifested not only in the absence of tools but also in intellectual frailty and an inability to comprehend the fundamental principles of life.
Primitive humans, unaware of fire, consumed raw food and were deprived of cooking. This raw diet signified humanitys proximity to animal life. During this time, humans were oblivious even to natural sparks capable of producing fire. Subsequently, with the discovery of fire through the striking of stones, a spark was ignited in the darkness of ignorance that paved the way for subsequent advancements.
Transitioning from ignorance, humanity gradually entered the era of knowledge. Knowledge, like a light that pierces the darkness of ignorance, brought forth tools and insights that transformed human life. The discovery of fire, the fabrication of tools, and the improvement of hygienic conditions are among the achievements of this epoch. For instance, in earlier times, contaminated water spread diseases such as trachoma and smallpox, but knowledge facilitated the provision of clean water and hygienic methods, thereby enhancing human health.
However, knowledge was not confined solely to benevolence and advancement. The Holy Qur'an regards knowledge without divine guidance as misleading:
۞ "If they do not respond to you, then know that they only follow their desires." ۞
(Quran, Surah Al-Qasas, 28:50)
This verse alludes to the peril of knowledge unaccompanied by divine guidance, which may lead to misguidance instead of salvation.
Although knowledge contributed to human progress, it also bore the shadows of mischief, deceit, and hypocrisy. This treatise likens knowledge to a double-edged sword that can either improve life or become a tool of oppression and exploitation. In contemporary society, knowledge is intertwined with cunning, deception, and insincerity. Children today, more knowledgeable than their fathers, sometimes surpass them equally in mischief and lying. This duality of knowledge is also evident in the history of colonialism, where global powers exploited nations by utilising knowledge.
Global powers, relying on knowledge, engaged in the exploitation of nations. Territories such as Iran, once vast, shrank due to colonial aggressions. This treatise references the history of colonialism and regards knowledge as a means to plunder resources and suppress peoples. The Holy Qur'an strongly condemns oppression:
۞ "And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do." ۞
(Quran, Surah Ash-Shuara, 26:227)
This verse highlights divine oversight over the acts of oppressors and stresses the necessity of justice.
Cognition, like a pure gem in the conduct of the Prophets, embodies purity, equality, and justice. In a cognition-centred society, hunger and poverty have no place, as altruism and equitable distribution of wealth formed the foundation of the Prophetic way of life. The Holy Qur'an beautifully depicts this purity:
۞ "Allah intends to remove impurity from you, O People of the Household, and purify you completely." ۞
(Quran, Surah Saba, 34:33)
This verse emphasises the purification of the People of the Household, which this treatise extends metaphorically to cognition. Unlike knowledge, which sometimes results in corruption, cognition is inherently linked to equality and altruism.
The Prophets, through lives replete with altruism, exemplified cognition. One narrative recounted in this treatise tells of food being distributed among a group, where each individual passed it on to another deemed more in need, until the food returned to the first person who perished from hunger. This altruism epitomises equality and sincerity in the Prophetic conduct.
The Holy Qur'an praises altruism:
۞ "They prefer others over themselves, even though they themselves are in privation." ۞
(Quran, Surah Az-Zukhruf, 43:59)
This verse introduces altruism as a noble trait within a cognition-centred life.
Religious knowledge has at times become intertwined with superstitions and deviations, drifting away from the truth of cognition. This treatise critiques certain narrations, such as Poverty is my pride, emphasising the necessity of returning to Quranic cognition. The Holy Qur'an is safeguarded from distortion:
۞ "Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder and indeed, We will be its guardian." ۞
(Quran, Surah Al-Hijr, 15:9)
This verse stresses the inviolability of the Qur'an, while acknowledging that some interpretations and narrations have deviated from the truth.
This treatise invites the believers to a cognition-centred life in which equality, justice, and sincerity prevail. In such a life, not only material needs but also spiritual needs are fulfilled. The Holy Qur'an calls for mutual exhortation to truth and patience:
۞ "And enjoin one another to truth and enjoin one another to patience." ۞
(Quran, Surah Al-Imran, 3:200)
This verse underscores the necessity of a life based on truth and patience, consonant with cognition.
Economic inequality constitutes a major obstacle to youth marriage. This treatise criticises the hoarding of resources by a small group and stresses the need for social justice. The Holy Qur'an praises justice:
۞ "O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice." ۞
(Quran, Surah An-Nisa, 4:135)
This verse emphasises the imperative of justice in society, which facilitates the possibility of a cognition-centred life by removing inequality.
This treatise, through accounts of past lives, beautifully portrays cognition. In a household with a large pool and cistern, efforts to maintain water purity and equitable distribution were signs of cognition. Additionally, the story of a dead fish thrown into a well to prevent cats from harming live fish reflects justice and wisdom.
In another example, a person who received eight aubergines gave one to another to maintain justice; however, this act, due to hypocrisy, was distant from cognition. These stories teach that cognition resides in sincerity and equality, not in superficiality.
The historical course of humanityfrom ignorance to knowledge, and from knowledge to cognitionis a journey towards human perfection. Ignorance, with its rudimentary and animalistic life, confined humanity within the bounds of ignorance. Knowledge, though bringing progress, without divine guidance resulted in mischief and oppression. Cognition, like a gem in the conduct of the Prophets, with equality, justice, and sincerity, illuminates the path to salvation. This treatise, with critiques of superstitions in religious knowledge and social inequalities, calls believers to a cognition-centred life where neither hunger nor oppression exists. By beginning with the self, this path may be traversed to establish a just society.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
