“And We did not send before you any, but men to whom We sent revelation-so ask the followers of the Reminder if you do not know-with clear arguments and scriptures; and We have revealed to you the Reminder that you may make clear to men what has been revealed to them, and that happily they may reflect.” (Holy Qur'an, 16:44).

Thinking and matters of thought, being considered with all other matters or knowledgeable and cultural products that connect with it, is one of the most important and serious subjects in a Muslim's life due to the active influence on man's intellect and his knowledge, as well as, the belief in Allah.

Also, it can exactly specify the nation's identity and its social and cultural personality, as well as, its missionary affiliation along with developing its social and civilized life. So, at the dawn of its revelation and earlier beginning of its vocation Islam has been concerned, much, with knowledge and science when considering the obtaining of science, as a kind of Jihad and it is a kind of worship to study, as well as, to learn is a charity.

But, moreover, to learn some branches of science and knowledge is regarded as an individual duty, such as, the knowledge of Allah (praise the Lord) and other worships which are compulsory to be performed. Furthermore, Islam considers some branches of science as a sufficient necessity like diligence in Shar'iah (Islamic Laws) and learning all facets of science and knowledge that are needed by society.

The Holy Qur'an and the pure Sunnah of the Prophet have urged Muslims to obtain and learn science. So, the first five verses of the Holy Qur'an that were revealed to Allah's honest Messenger at ‘Hiraa' Cave' spurred people on to the importance of reading, as well as, reminds them of the grace of creation and the bringing into being from non-existence, so that to make man understand full well that ignorance means death and non-existence while on the contrary, science is a life and existence as the Qur'an says:

“Read in the name of your Lord Who created” (96:1).

“He created man from a clot” (96:2).

“Read and your Lord is most Honourable” (96:3).

“Who taught (to write) with the pen” (96:4).

“Taught man what he knew not” (96:5).

As mentioned in the history books, the first who used the pen and taught others to write with it, was one of Allah's Prophets named Idris (‘a). The Holy Qur'an has ordered the human being to think, understand and be aware in order to widen his horizons of thought and to stir his intellect for emerging him from the thoughtless, motionlessness and fossilization shell, as well as, blind imitation, in order to make him think scientifically for enriching his life with discoveries of intellect and science and, also, his knowledge being increased about the universe and its great Creator for believing and worshiping Him with regard to the aware faith and alive thinking. As Allah (be He exalted) says:

“Thus does Allah make clear to you the signs, that you may ponder” (2:219).

“And We set forth these parables to men that they may reflect” (59:21).

“Most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect” (39:42).

“Do they not reflect within themselves, Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them twain but with truth, and (for) an appointed term? And most surely most of the people are deniers of the meeting with their Lord” (30:8).

It was narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“Allah enlightens a servant; he who heard my saying and learned it by heart or realized it and performed it as it was heard. For may one be a bearer of jurisprudence, but he is not a jurist, and may a person know jurisprudence better than one who is more juristic?1“

Quoting Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) in another tradition, he says:

“Allah will never accept an act that does not associate with knowledge; and no knowledge but with action. So, the one who has knowledge, it will lead him to act and the one who does not work is no longer obtaining knowledge. Whereas, now, surely, belief comes to the same result in each other2“.

It was stated that the Sunnah of the Prophet (S) has urged people to place great emphasis on thought, thinking and understanding. This point is indicated by the following Hadith which goes as follows:

“When Allah wishes for a servant to be well, He grants him an understanding of religion3“. It was related that al-Hasan al-Saiqel said, “I asked Abu-’Abdullah once about what people have related: ‘Thinking an hour is better than rising to pray in a night.' He replied, ‘Yes, Allah's Apostle said: ‘Thinking an hour is better than rising to pray in a night4'“

And, also, the Commander of the Faithful, Ali, (‘a) said:

“Thinking leads to science and to act in accordance with it5“.

And he (‘a) once said to his son Al-Hasan (‘a):

“There is no worship like thinking about Allah's creation6“.

It was related from Imam Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) who said,

“Worship does not mean a multitude of fasting and prayers, but it is a multitude of contemplation on Allah's affairs7“.

At that, the one who investigates verses of the Holy Qur'an which talk about thought, consciousness, science, jurisprudence and intellect, will find that they are as a request which intends to free the intellect from inactivity and to release the human's thinking to think thoroughly about nature, society, life and thought, then, he will be able to discover, invent and progress in degrees.

• 1. Al-Shaheed al-Thani: Al-Dirayah.
• 2. Kulayni: al-’Usul min Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 44, 3rd Edition.
• 3. Harrani: Tuhaf al-’Uqool.
• 4. Tabrisi: Mishkat al-Anwar, 2nd Edition, p. 37.
• 5. Tabrisi: Mishkat al-Anwar, 2nd Edition, p. 37.
• 6. Qummi: Safinat ul-Bihar, Chapter F-K.
• 7. Qummi: Safinat ul-Bihar, Chapter F-K.