Thursday, December 01, 2011

A first step towards thinking about Islam

I cannot help but think of my faith as rationally as possible. Muslims may believe that their book, the Quran, is the word of God and a fitting first principle, but there is enough of man's hand in even that, that I cannot help but consider the even more primary gift given to us by our creator: our minds. We are, philosophy and observation tell us, a consciousness perceiving all else. All existence may well be nothing more than our imagination, but we know for sure that we exist. I think, therefore I am, as Descartes said. If this can be accepted, that our minds are our most primary given, than we must also accept that it is necessarily our greatest tool in perceiving even the divine. If you believe, as I do, before even rationalization, than you know that our minds too must be God given. Once you accept that, I can begin to make my case...