Is Tradition Revelation?: Responding to the Fabrication of Revelation

The association of the use of reason to understand revelation with kufr by traditional jurists ensured that no pious Muslim would use his reason to understand revelation. In this way, the prohibition of reasoning in religion marred the thinking of the ummah, producing a "crisis in the Muslim mind." Knowledge of revelation was corrupted by problematic assumptions. Hence, the knowledge of revelation requires rehabilitation. Muslims require emerging from the shadow of tradition and the enchantment resulting from its characterization as "revelation." The prohibition of the use of reason would ensure that few Muslims would understand revelation, and thus be in a position to follow it. Recitation of revelation without understanding gives the appearance of knowledge. Instead of understanding and following revelation, Muslims were asked to follow tradition, on the assumption that it "explains" revelation better than reason. Following tradition included following the work of jurists. Revelation would be accessed through the prophetic traditions and jurists. To facilitate the acceptance of tradition, Muslims were assured that tradition was also revelation, albeit of a different kind. In this way, tradition replaced revelation. Eventually, tradition too was replaced by the works of jurists. Revelation states, "Allah loves those who put their trust in Him." Muslims could be guided neither by tradition nor by clerics as well as by revelation. Hence, the Muslim civilization declined. This was the price paid for abandoning revelation to follow man-made texts. To this day, Muslims recite revelation without understanding it. They are akin to those who bear tomes of books on their backs without understanding them. How could anyone follow that which he or she does not understand? The disparagement of reason also explains why no significant knowledge emerged in the Muslim world. It also explains the significant extent of "borrowing" that appears to take place in Muslim academic establishments. Fresh approaches appear elusive. The bias against reason was reflected in the slaughter of five thousand philosophers by Musa al-Hadi in 786, reinforced by the shutting of the gates to ijtihad in 1,000, and reiterated by the denunciation of philosophers as heretics by al-Ghazali.