There is a famous incident of a disciple of a Shaikh. At the time of the death of the disciple Satan the cursed came to him and asked him what was his argument for existence of God. The disciple was of intellectual type. He had spent his life in intellectual pursuit. Satan the cursed is open enemy of man. His intention is always to harm man. And this is no hide and seek game. He means business-and a rather diabolic business at that. He wishes complete destruction of man. There is no hatred like his hatred and he is crafty. He knew that this disciple will love any intellectual challenge. And the disciple did accept the challenge by giving an argument in favour of existence of God. And with this action he was caught in the net of Satan the cursed. Satan rejected disciple's argument by a counter argument. The disciple gave another argument. This too was rejected by Satan the cursed by another argument. He did the same to the next argument. This is how it went on and on. Every argument presented by the disciple was rejected by Satan the cursed. By this time the Shaikh of the disciple had his premonition (kashf). When all of his arguments were rejected the disciple was about to die in a state of faithlessness-the sure route to doom in the hereafter. Shaikh was going perform his ablution with the water pot in his hand. Shaikh threw the water pot on the ground shouting that why don't you say that I accept God without any argument. This is what the disciple did and Allah Most High saved him by these means.
There is admonition for every believer in this incident but the admonition for the intellectually disposed people is rather acute. There is a large number of people who are obsessed with intellectual enterprise and the number, owing to modern western education and ideologies, is only increasing by the day. The situation is only compounded by the new comers to Islam from the west-these brothers and sisters come with their intellectual burden. And this burden is not recognized for what it is. Intellect has its limitations and it is not difficult to see that provided one is willing to listen-a quality that is singularly missing in the present generation. There are certain things that can not be decided by mere intellectual argument. Science had realized this long back. Some truth has to be decided empirically. That is science. Mere scholastic argument is useless here. Then there are certain things that can not be decided even empirically. You need divine guidance for them. Intellect is a wonderful blessing from Allah Most High and we must thank Him for this but it is equally important to realize that it has limitations and in case our intellectual conclusion conflicts with Shariah then we must give up the former with utmost urgency. Alas we could take heed.
There is admonition for every believer in this incident but the admonition for the intellectually disposed people is rather acute. There is a large number of people who are obsessed with intellectual enterprise and the number, owing to modern western education and ideologies, is only increasing by the day. The situation is only compounded by the new comers to Islam from the west-these brothers and sisters come with their intellectual burden. And this burden is not recognized for what it is. Intellect has its limitations and it is not difficult to see that provided one is willing to listen-a quality that is singularly missing in the present generation. There are certain things that can not be decided by mere intellectual argument. Science had realized this long back. Some truth has to be decided empirically. That is science. Mere scholastic argument is useless here. Then there are certain things that can not be decided even empirically. You need divine guidance for them. Intellect is a wonderful blessing from Allah Most High and we must thank Him for this but it is equally important to realize that it has limitations and in case our intellectual conclusion conflicts with Shariah then we must give up the former with utmost urgency. Alas we could take heed.