Through Force or Faith? — Page 245
Chapter 6 — Islam: Knowledge, Wisdom, and Rationality 245 اَمَّنِا ىَشْخَي َهّٰللا ْنِم ِهِداَبِع اُؤٰٓمَلُعْلا١ؕ َّنِا َهّٰللا ٌزْيِزَع ٌرْوُفَغ Only those of His servants who possess knowledge fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Mighty, Most Forgiving ( S u rah F at ir, 35:29). Again, it is stated: ْلُق ْلَه يِوَتْسَي َنْيِذَّلا َنْوُمَلْعَي َو َنْيِذَّلا اَل َنْوُمَلْعَي١ؕ اَمَّنِا ُرَّكَذَتَي اوُلوُا ِباَبْلَاْلا Say, ‘Can those who know and those who do not know be equal?’ Verily, only those endowed with understanding will take heed ( S u rah az-Zumar, 39:10). Such is the strong relationship between knowledge and reasoning that without knowledge there is no dialogue: ُمَلْعَي َو ْمُتْنَا اَل َنْوُمَلْعَتْمُتْنَاٰۤه ِءٓاَلُؤٰۤه ْمُتْجَجاَح اَمْيِف ْمُكَل ٖهِب ٌمْلِع َمِلَف َنْوُّجٓاَحُت اَمْيِف َسْيَل ْمُكَل ٖهِب ٌمْلِع١ؕ َو ُهّٰللا Behold! You are those who disputed about that whereof you had knowledge. Why then do you now dispute about that whereof you have no knowledge at all? Allah knows and you know not ( S u rah A l-e-‘Imr a n, 3:67). َو َكْلِت ُلاَثْمَاْلا اَهُبِرْضَن ِساَّنلِل١ۚ َو اَم ۤاَهُلِقْعَي اَّلِا َنْوُمِلٰعْلا And these are similitudes which We set forth for man- kind, but only those understand them who have knowl- edge ( S u rah al-‘Ankab u t, 29:44). The very purpose of the Holy Prophet’s ministry is to impart knowledge: