Quranic Terminology: Those with Reasoning Mind

Published in January 10, 2020

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction:

1- Cairo, the Egyptian capital, brags of its architectural marvels which are magnificent mosques built during the Mameluke Era; many religious edifices of several eras show architectural genius; this is a sign of human intelligence but not of the reasoning mind; sadly, most of such mosques house tombs/mausoleums of 'saints' worshiped by polytheists. Even in our modern era of advancement and progress in all scientific fields, one can find a genius man in medicine, mathematics, physics, or nuclear power, and yet, he worships at and prostrates to a deified animal, icon, statue, or a tomb of a 'saint'! This shows the difference between intelligence (or high IQ) and the reasoning mind.  

2- Of course, many Quranic verses urge the readers to use their reasoning mind in order to understand, reflect, contemplate, discern, see, perceive, consider, and apprehend.

3- Even if they are very intelligent and have a very high IQ, polytheists never understand, discern, perceive, or consider as far as the Religious Truth is concerned. This is exemplified by what Abraham has told the disbelievers among his people centuries ago: "...“Do you worship what you carve?" (37:95). The polytheists deify mortals and items/things and this makes them lose their reasoning mind; they are like cattle, as per the Quranic description, regardless of their stature in this transient world. One should look at clergymen of terrestrial religions of Sunnites, Shiites, Sufis, Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, Hindus, Buddhists...etc. while bearing these two Quranic verses in mind: "We have destined for Hell multitudes of jinn and humans. They have hearts with which they do not understand. They have eyes with which they do not see. They have ears with which they do not hear. These are like cattle. In fact, they are further astray. These are the heedless." (7:179); "Or do you assume that most of them hear or understand? They are just like cattle, but even more errant in their way." (25:44).

4- In Cairo, the Egyptian capital, there is a mosque housing a tomb/mausoleum purportedly said to be dedicated to the severed head of Al-Hussein, the grandchild of Muhammad and son of Fatima and Ali. In order to keep Egyptians under control while facing outside military and religious dangers, the Shiite vizier, Al-Afdal, had to invent and fabricate the abomination known as the mausoleum of Al-Hussein, as he narrated the myth that he accidently found the severed head of Al-Hussein in a tomb in the Levantine city, Ashkelon, while he was leading the Fatimids troops there, after about 250 years of the death of Al-Hussein! Of course, he desired to win the hearts of Egyptians back to make them support the Fatimids once more. It is strange that the gullible Egyptians believed in that myth despite the fact that Al-Hussein never visited Ashkelon, and the Egyptians were happy to worship at the mausoleum/mosque supposedly containing the 'intact' severed head of Al-Hussein. There are five sanctified mausoleums in the Arab world and each claims to house the skull of Al-Hussein. We are sure Al-Hussein had but one head or skull, but the Muhammadans have a different opinion! By the way, many Arab historians assert that Al-Hussein's body and head were buried in the burial grounds in Yathreb.The erection the Al-Hussein mausoleum in Cairo toward the end of the Fatimid caliphate was the last episode of the influence of non-Shiite Egyptian Sufis, because both Shiites and Sufis (and many Sunnites) deify and sanctify Muhammad's grandson, and Shiites and Sufis deem him as the master of all allies/saints and the immortal grand imam of all times. Of course, influences and trends of the Shiite religion remain until now vivid within Sunnite Egyptians in their religious life, as they were preserved for centuries during the dominance of Sufism throughout the Mameluke and Ottoman eras. How come that some polytheists have believed that Al-Hussein is immortal god controlling the Afterlife? The Lord God has said the following to the grandfather of Al-Hussein, Prophet Muhammad: "It is no concern of yours..." (3:128). Why would the corpse of Al-Hussein have magical powers if he had failed to defend himself and his family members? This matter makes us burst out laughing: There are several mausoleums in several Arab countries that claim to be the burial place of Al-Hussein's decapitated head! Revering such mausoleums is one of the silliest practices; they had better worship the sword that severed his head! Did Al-Hussein had five heads?! Why if he is 'holy' that he could not avoid being killed?! Why a severed head be made 'holy' in the first place and be worshiped?! How did the Fatimids know that the cranium was his?! Did they perform a DNA test?! Likewise, the mosque and mausoleum of the Lady Zeinab in Cairo, Egypt, (or Sayeda Zeinab in Arabic) never existed before the Ottoman Era; i.e., about 11 centuries after her death and burial in Yathreb! This mausoleum was built in the site of a church demolished to make room for such abomination. The gullible Egyptians at the time never needed a proof to be convinced to worship at the mausoleum of this female 'saint' who was the sister of Al-Hussein because of the influence of Sufism. A worse abomination, of course, is located in the Yathreb mosque; i.e., the mausoleum ascribed by force to Muhammad; the Muhammadans perform pilgrimage there and revere it more than the pilgrimage to the Kaaba itself. When a Quranist thinker like our person negates and refutes such devilish pilgrimage ritual which never pertains to Islam, the Muhammadans never understand or reflect; they have no reasoning mind.

5- The pious monotheists know the fact that such mausoleums are built from building materials: stone, glass, curtains, nails, wood, paint...etc. which do not differ from the ones used within bathrooms. The pious monotheists possess reasoning mind to discern and comprehend; they never fall into the trap of polytheism; they never worship, deify, or sanctify things/relics or tombs. They respect their dignity as human beings; i.e., they never prostrate to, worship at, or supplicate to mortals or things/tombs; they worship, sanctify, prostrate to, pray to, and supplicate to the Lord God only Who is the Creator of the universe. They take pride in their being servants/worshipers of the Lord God the Creator only; they are not servants/worshipers of any carved stone or to any creatures or mortals created of dust.  

6- In the Quranic text, the words "soul(s)", "heart(s)", "mind(s)" are exact synonyms. The monotheistic believers are truly the only ones who possess reasonable mind.

7- We trace how the expression (reasoning mind) is employed in the Quranic text in the points below.

Firstly: the Quranic descriptions of those with reasoning mind:

1- The Lord God says the following in the Quran: "In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, are signs for people of reasoning mind. Those who remember God while standing, and sitting, and on their sides; and they reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth: “Our Lord, You did not create this in vain, glory to You, so protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” “Our Lord, whomever You commit to the Fire, You have disgraced. The unjust ones will have no helpers.” “Our Lord, we have heard a caller calling to the faith: `Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, and remit our misdeeds, and make us die in the company of the virtuous.” “Our Lord, and give us what You have promised us through Your messengers, and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Surely You never break a promise.”" (3:190-194).

1/1: There is no Creator to this universe except Allah; any other beings are creatures created by Him.

1/2: The Lord God the Creator never created the universe in vain or for no reason; the universe (or, in Quranic terms, the heavens and the earth) has been created in Truth and it has a beginning and an end predetermined by the Lord God; this end is called the Hour, when the universe will be destroyed, before the Resurrection Day followed by Judgment when all human beings will encounter the Dominant Lord God.

1/3: Sadly, the polytheistic disbelievers never ponder such facts: "Do they not reflect within themselves? God did not create the heavens and the earth, and what is between them, except with reason, and for a specific duration. But most people, regarding meeting their Lord, are disbelievers." (30:8).

1/4: The polytheistic disbelievers are heedless of the Quranic warnings: "We did not create the heavens and the earth and what lies between them except with reason, and for a finite period. But the disbelievers continue to ignore the warnings they receive. " (46:3).

1/5: In contrast, those with reasoning mind remember their Lord God all the time and reflect upon the creation of the universe: "We did not create the sky and the earth and what is between them for amusement. If We wanted amusement, We could have found it within Us, were We to do so." (21:16-17); "We did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them to play. We created them only for a specific purpose, but most of them do not know." (44:38-39).

1/6: Hence, those who possess reasoning mind make sure they will be among the winners on the Last Day so as not to hear the statements which will be told to the disbelievers: "Did you think that We created you in vain, and that to Us you will not be returned?” So Exalted is God, the King, the True. There is no God except He, the Lord of the Noble Throne." (23:115-116).

1/7: Those with reasoning mind link remembering their Lord God with supplications and reflection; they implore their Lord God all the time to spare them the Hell torment.

2- The Lord God says the following in the Quran: "Is he who knows that what was revealed to your from your Lord is the Truth, like him who is blind? Only those who reason will remember. Those who fulfill the promise to God and do not violate the agreement. And those who join what God has commanded to be joined, and fear their Lord, and dread the dire judgment. And those who patiently seek the presence of their Lord, and pray regularly, and spend from Our provisions to them, secretly and openly, and repel evil with good. These will have the Ultimate Home." (13:19-22). This means that those pious monotheistic believers who possess reasoning mind perform many good deeds, to cover and atone for misdeeds and sins, and purify their souls while seeking to gratify their Lord God; their reward is inheriting the Eternal Life in Paradise.

Secondly: those with reasoning mind in relation to remembering, pondering, and contemplating:

1- Those monotheists who possess reasoning mind reflect on the Holy Quran and also on the creation of the universe; they adhere to this religious duty all the time; the Quran is made easy so that they remember, understand, discern, and ponder it using their mental faculties: "We made it easy in your tongue so that they may remember." (44:58); "Do they not ponder the Quran? Had it been from any other than God, they would have found in it much discrepancy." (4:82). The call to urge all people to ponder the Quran is repeated in the Quranic text: "Will they not ponder the Quran? Or are there locks upon their hearts?" (47:24); "We made the Quran easy to learn. Is there anyone who would learn?" (54:17 +  54:22 + 54:32 + 54:40).

2- The Quranic term (Wisdom) describes the Quran itself and it is synonymous with it; this is about the Quran: "...A Book whose Verses were perfected, then elaborated, from One who is Wise and Informed." (11:1). Hence, those monotheists of reasoning mind are wise enough to remember the Quranic commands and warnings all the time.

2/1: This is about their wisdom in pondering the Quran itself: "He gives Wisdom to whomever He wills. Whoever is given Wisdom has been given much good. But none pays heed except those who possess reasoning mind." (2:269).

2/2: Monotheists who possess reasoning mind ponder the Quran all the time: "A blessed Book that We sent down to you, that they may ponder its Verses, and for those with reasoning mind to take heed." (38:29).

2/3: Those endowed with deep knowledge employ the Quranic methodology to ponder the Quran while seeking guidance from their Lord God Whom they remember all the time: "It is He who revealed to you the Book. Some of its verses are definitive; they are the foundation of the Book, and others are similar. As for those in whose hearts is deviation, they follow the similar part, seeking dissent, and seeking to derive an interpretation. But none knows its interpretation except God and those firmly rooted in knowledge say, “We believe in it; all is from our Lord.” But none recollects except those with reasoning mind." (3:7).

2/4: Those who possess reasoning mind draw useful lessons from the Quranic stories which are the Truth, unlike doubted historical accounts.

2/4/1: This is the last verse in the Quranic Chapter 12, and it comes after the Quranic story of Joseph: "In their stories is a lesson for those who possess reasoning mind. This is not a fabricated tale, but a confirmation of what came before it, and a detailed explanation of all things, and guidance, and mercy for people who believe." (12:111).

2/4/2: This is about Job: "And We restored his family for him, and their like with them; as a mercy from Us, and a lesson for those who possess reasoning mind. " (38:43).

2/5: Those with reasoning mind consider the Quran, the Lord God's Word or the Book of the Lord God, as the Divine Message of warning addressing all humanity; its asserted core fact is the monotheism of (There is no God but Allah); monotheists with reasoning mind remember this fact all the time and remind others of it. This is about the Quran itself: "This is a proclamation for the humankind, that they may be warned thereby, and know that He is One God, and that those with reasoning mind may remember." (14:52). When people receive a proclamation from a powerful ruler, they feel frightened; such proclamation cannot be turned into a song. In contrast, the Muhammadans have turned the Quran, the solemn warning and proclamation from the Lord God Himself, into a song to ridicule the Lord God's Word: "We send the messengers only as deliverers of good news and warners. Those who disbelieve argue with false argument in order to defeat the Truth thereby. They take My Verses, and the warnings, for a joke." (18:56); this is about their fate in the Hereafter: "That is their requital - Hell - on account of their disbelief, and their taking My Verses and My messengers in mockery." (18:106).

2/6: Those endowed with reasoning mind are knowledgeable about the Quran and this is reflected in their acts of worship especially prolonged ones by night performed within utmost piety: "Is he who worships devoutly during the watches of the night, prostrating himself and standing up, mindful of the Hereafter, and placing his hope in the mercy of his Lord? Say, “Are those who know and those who do not know equal?” Only those who possess reasoning mind will remember." (39:9).

2/7: Those who possess reasoning mind remember the Greatness and Majesty of their Lord God whenever they see His creatures and His creations.

2/7/1: The Lord God says the following in the Quran: "Have you not considered how God sends down water from the sky, then He makes it flow into underground wells, then He produces with it plants of various colors, then they wither and you see them yellowing, then He turns them into debris? Surely in this is a reminder for those with reasoning mind." (39:21).

2/7/2: This is asserted further in this context about the pious knowledgeable monotheists: "Have you not seen that God sends down water from the sky? With it We produce fruits of various colors. And in the mountains are streaks of white and red - varying in their hue - and pitch-black. Likewise, human beings, animals, and livestock come in various colors. From among His servants, the learned ones fear God. God is Almighty, Oft-Forgiving." (35:27-28).

2/8: They are those who adhere to piety.

2/8/1: "There is life for you in retaliation, O people of reasoning mind, so that you may adhere to piety." (2:179).

2/8/2: "...And fear Me within piety, O people of reasoning mind." (2:197).

2/8/3: "...So fear God within piety, O you who possess reasoning mind and have faith. God has sent down to you a Reminder." (65:10).

2/8/4: " Say: “The bad and the good are not equal, even though the abundance of the bad may impress you. So be conscious of God within piety, O you who possess reasoning mind, that you may succeed.”" (5:100).

2/9: They are the ones who see guidance only through the Divine, Celestial Book.

2/9/1: This is about the Divine Scripture granted to Moses: "We gave Moses guidance, and made the Israelites inherit the Book.A guide and a reminder for those with reasoning mind." (40:53-54).

2/9/2: This is about the Holy Quran which is the Best Discourse: " Those who listen to the Word, and follow the best of it. These are they whom God has guided. These are they who possess reasoning mind." (39:18).