Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth — Page 267
DIVINE REVELATION AND RATIONALITY hidden intricacies of the human mind and heart. Again it is not the failure to recognize truth which is punishable. What is punishable is the falsehood of the person who rejects truth knowing deep within that he is wrong. Evidently the detection of this hidden crime lies beyond the reach of human investigation. The decisive factor is always the criminal failure and not the failure itself. The only reliable vantage point is that of God the All-Knowing, the. Omnipresent, the Unchanging, the All-Wise. That indeed is the most important factor of which the Holy Quran reminds the reader so emphatically and repeatedly. In the area of religious beliefs and modes of worship, man is specifically warned not to combine in himself the role of a judge and that of an executioner. Even the Holy Founder of Islamsa is reminded: إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُذَكِّرٌ * لَسْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِمُصَيْطِرٍ * 23-88:22 . . . you are merely an admonisher,. You are not a magistrate over them. ". It is forbidden even to abuse the imaginary gods of idolaters which are a mere concoction of their fancy: وَلَا تَسبُوا الذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُوا اللَّهَ عَدُوا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ كَذلِكَ رَبَّنَا لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ عَمَلَهُم مُثُمَّ إِلى رَبِّهِمْ مَّرْجِعُهُمْ فَيُنَيْتُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ* 6:109. Do not abuse those whom they worship besides. Allah, lest in retaliation they are driven to abuse. Allah (the only true God). So have We made the practice of everyone to appear to be attractive in their view. Then their return will be to their Lord 261