Self-evident truth?


The dictionary definition of self-evident is “Evident without proof or reasoning; producing certainty or conviction upon a bare presentation to the mind; as, a self-evident proposition or truth” On a same note the American declaration of independence states “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal and independent; that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent and inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, and liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”

It was this definition that was in the mind of the founding fathers of America when drafting the declaration of independence. But can these propositions of Liberty, pursuit of happiness, or equality be recognised to be truths by mere presentation, and more generally can we say there are certain morals or actions that are held to be good or bad inherently?

What drives our actions?

Our actions are driven usually by external criterion. Actions in themselves inherently do not define whether we perform or refrain from a certain act. These ethical judgements are based on an understanding of good and bad.

What shapes our moral judgement is the viewpoint we adopt. This differs from person to person; some are constrained by some form of “social contract” others by “egoism” or self-interest. It is this external criterion that creates our moral judgements that then shape our actions. In the case of the believing Muslim he would be governed by the creed of Islam which defines the goal of man’s actions, and further defines rules and regulation that constrain our actions, with the goal of pleasing the Creator Who revealed these commandments upon his messenger (saw).

The approach of Muslim schools

Muslim schools differed whether reason('Illah' in Arabic) can be used to reach moral judgements. The Mu’tazila sect held that reason(illah) was able to make observation and reach conclusions on the good and bad. They argued in the absence of the Shari’ah reason can be used and based on it as it can reach moral judgements man would be held accountable for his actions.

However the vast majority of scholars of Islam rejected their opinion, stating that revelation alone has the ability to define good and bad, as revelation alone has the ability to define the consequences of actions from punishment and reward. Despite the difference of opinion all Islamic schools agree that Allah (swt) alone is the Lawgiver, and based on this all actions in terms of commands and prohibitions is judged by revelation, the criterion that defines acts and gives it moral value.

Revival of nations

In a famous couplet the Arab poet Ahmed Shawqi stated “By morality nations live; once devoid of it; no more they exist”

The famous poet was mistaken as neither morals nor manners define a nation nor give it an identity as these morals and manners have no inherent value in themselves nor are they universal. By this the poet would mistakenly equate the believing nation with the disbelieving nation, as both are identified by values that inherently define themselves, and this is void, as belief does not equate itself with disbelief.

Morals and manners are not defined by themselves, and as stated require an external criterion to exist that will in turn define certain morals and manners to be good or bad, its only value would be ascribed to that judgement. That criterion is an external thought, so the correct statement would be nations are revived by the thought they carry as this would in turn define manners along with all rulings that a nation carries to implement and carry to others.

The believing Muslim’s criterion

The believing Muslim bases his judgment and tastes on the divine rulings, which gain their legitimacy from revelation as defined by the Muslim’s Aqeedah. For example the messenger (saw) said in a Hadeeth "Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man continues to tell the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to al fujuwr (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and al fujuwr (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may continue to tell lies till he is written before Allah, a liar." [Hadith No. 8.116]

The basis of truthfulness is obeying the divine commandment that leads to paradise, similarly a man avoids telling lies in obedience to the prohibition of abstaining from the act, that leads to the wrath of Allah (swt). The basis of moral judgements in the above example was the divine rulings that gives value to acts, it is through this criterion(furqaan) the believer differentiates between good and bad, and reaches to ethical judgments.

Comment 1

As an example, if we assumed cleanliness was the illah for the wulu(ablution), and physical exercise as the illah for prayer, and good digestion as the illah for fasting etc., then in these situations whenever the illah doesn't exist, the rule would not exist either, thought the matter is not like this. Therefore seeking an illah is dangerous for the rule and its performance. Thus, it is obligatory to take rules of ibadat as they are, without seeking an illah for them.And following ibadat as they are does not mean Islam is merely blind acceptance.The rules of Islam emanate from the Islamic Aqeedah which is established through the use of the mind.Therefore if the basis(Aqeeda) is accepted through rational evidence,its rules should be accepted through transformative evidence(i.e textual evidence).

Comment 2

Whenever the kuffar unleash an intellectual attack on Islam it always targeted at some of the Islamic rules rather than the Aqeedah from which the rules emanate.Many Muslims try to defend Islam by inventing reasons to appease the kafir.As an example,When the Islamic concept of Hijab is attacked,many Muslims become defensive and invent reasons such as 'Hijab is cool and fashionable'.This itself gives a clear triumph for the Kuffar as their real aim is to prevent Muslims from making the Quran and Sunnah the sole reference point for Islamic issues.

At the heart of the confusion is the inability of Muslims to convert their pure Islamic sentiments into Islamic thoughts. The linkage of their Islamic Aqeedah to contemporary matters has also been variable and this has led to inconsistencies in behaviour. The sole reason behind this is that Muslims are content to analyse these Islamic sentiments through the prism of Western thoughts, without realising that this process would perpetuate the confusion and prolong the identity crisis.Therefor we should not connect the Islamic thoughts with the western concepts.In the Western ideology there are no permanent rules nor permanent concepts of right and wrong,the rules change according to their whims and desires