# Is using reason to interpret Islam just preferring my own intellect over revelation?

*Are you not giving your own intellect preference over the Quran and hadith?*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/ksqksrxndnw/s/7/
- Date: 2020-04-22 · Kind: discussion · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Shaykh Dr. Shabir Ally | Juxtaposing the Quran, Jumbling Aisha's age & Jinn Possession | MindTrap#16 (24:41–27:18)
- Status: a view quoted in order to be discussed, not a position held
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsQKsrXndNw&t=1481s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/ksqksrxndnw/

**Topics:** Reason and revelation; Guest conversations

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** The intellect alone is not a reliable guide, but an intellect guided by the Quran is tamed and becomes the right tool for understanding revelation. The word aql itself means the tether that keeps a camel from straying, and the Quran praises its use.

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth puts the question both of them are often asked: are you not just giving your own aql primacy over the Quran and the deen, preferring the intellect? The guest answers in parts. First, the aql by itself is not a good guide to what is true and just; it can be tainted, and very intelligent people go off the path. But a person guided by and imbued with the Quran and the inspiration given to the Prophet has an aql that is tamed and becomes a reasonable guide to understanding and applying the Quran and the Sunnah. He notes that the word aql is related to the rope that tethers a camel and keeps it from straying, so the Arabic term for the intellect reflects the ancient view that it keeps a person from going astray. The Quran, he says, does not oppose this but praises the aql, asking 'do you not reflect?' and, of the disbelievers, whether they have not travelled the earth so as to have hearts with which to understand, using the heart as the organ of intellect in its own idiom.

## Sources and names cited

- Dr Shabir Ally (guest)
- aql (intellect)
- Quran 22:46 (have they not travelled the earth so as to have hearts with which to understand): https://quran.com/22/46

## Transcript (machine tier, 24:41–27:18)

[24:18] great companions of the Prophet is it is reported that American água as an example when he was Calif he realized that people were stealing not because they're bad people but due to a famine and so he suspended that the application of that law of cutting the hand because he recognized that the cutting of the hand that was a measure intended to be used against people who have gone out of their way through evil tendencies to to commit that crime and and these poor people in the face famine who were

[24:58] stealing because they needed to eat did not deserve such a severe punishment so so we need to see the time the circumstance and apply the law accordingly sure sure with this comes the question are you not just giving your own primacy over the Quran and over everything over the Deen this is obviously something that I'm asked a lot as well I'm sure this is this kind of thrown you away as well you know people say are you not just giving preference to the intellect what do you

[25:38] what would you yeah so the answer will come in parts one part of it that people seem to not be aware of and when they launch this kind of objection is that the aqil is all it is by itself a good guide to what is true and fair and just sometimes the Apple is tainted and people who are of great intelligence they go off the path that to me know that but if one is guided by the Quran and imbued with the Quran and with the inspiration that came to our Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu seven more

[26:15] generally then the the that person's Arkell will be tamed and and will be a reasonable guy to was what is good and reasonable and fair and just and and will be a good guide on how to understand and apply the the Quran and the prophetic Sunda now the term uttered itself as you know she it's you know really related to the word appalled in Arabic which is the the thing that holds the camel and and stand it's the rope that holds the

[26:52] and keeps it from going astray so this term Apple has been applied to the human intellect in the Arabic language as an indication of the ancient thought about this that the the aqil actually keeps the person from going astray and in Iran we do not find this meaning being opposed in fact on the other hand we find that the Quran is praising the Apple and is asking you after that afternoon do you not reflect do you not use your intellect and the the Quran is asking about the people who did not believe in allah subhanho wa taala

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment KsQKsrXndNw/s/7. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/ksqksrxndnw/s/7/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.