The nature of the relationship between reason and tradition in light of religious texts

Fida Hussein Halimi

Abstract

Muslim thinkers have had varying viewpoints on the nature of the relationship between reason and tradition and how to define them. As a result, three conflicting approaches have appeared in the scientific arena. The extremist textual approach believes that reason is incompatible with tradition [the Qur’an and the Sunna] and is contrary to the foundations of faith. Therefore, the two cannot be reconciled, and it is not permissible to violate the apparent meaning of religious texts or interpret them according to rational evidence. The extremist rational approach, that made the auditory evidence subordinate to the rational evidence and dependent on it, tried to deduce all important religious knowledge according to reason and its deductions. The moderate rational approach, that sees that religion is sometimes explained by reason and sometimes by tradition, says, on the one hand, that reason has an independent mission in rational matters and the agreed-upon scientific issues, and that tradition supports it. And, on the other hand, tradition has its own mission, and that reason is as lantern for it. This is a moderate rational approach that has appeared under the influence of the Infallible Imams (peace be on them). So, reason is not allowed to exceed its limits and scope, nor is it, as well as reasoning, and rational arguments are frozen in the field of religious knowledge. Through our analytical, inductive research, the coordinative role between reason and tradition has become clear in various fields and in generating religious knowledge.

Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)