this is the question asked by some one in one of the yahoo groups. here is my reply.
The thinkin and the Intellect is one of favorite topics. here is my answer to the question somone asked in the other group. but i hope this should clear any misconcepts of role of mind in Islam. please feel free to make comments. "dashings" comments or reply is followed by my comments are in Red color.
ma-salama
Prince of Destiny
REPLY :
I THINK YOU NEED TO ANSWER ONE QS B4 WE GO ON FURTHER. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MIND AND THE BRAIN. WHERE IS THE BRAIN AND WHERE IS THE MIND? LIKE WISE THE HEART IS ALSO A "QULB" THE THING LIKE THE BRAIN AND THE MIND. ALL OUR ACTIONS ARE DEPENDENT ON THE BRAIN AND IN ACTUALITY THE THINKING ABILITY WHICH IS THE MIND'S ALONE. THE BRAIN IS A HOUSING SCHEME ONLY OF THE MIND. HEART IS A FLESHY PART OF THE "QULB" WHICH IS THE MAIN THING THAT IS REFERRED TO IN THE QURANIC BASICALLY.THE ENERGY IN THE HEART DIRECTS THE INTELLECT TO WORK THE ORGANS AS DESIRED BY IT.THE WHOLE SYSYTEM BECOMES CORRUPT IF THE HEART'S ENERGY MISDIRECTS THE INTELLECT WHICH IN TURN MAKES THE NAFS SUPERIOR. TI SI COS OF THIS THAT IT IS IN SURAK NAAS AS WE ALL KNOW I SEEK REFUGE FROM THE EVIL OF THE SNEAKING WHISPERS WHO WHIPSER IN
THE BREAST OF MAN. I(MODERATOR: dashing74700 )
Do animal evoluate in their own world? What proofs do we (human) have the knowledge to indicate that animal do not think? Do we human have the amount of knowledge to say anything about if animal have a mind and a world like humans do?
NO being have a Mind. Not even Angels. "Mind" is not a BRAIN. Mind is Product of Brain. It is a Thought Process. It is an Intellect (AQAL).
Man is absolutely the most favoured creature; even to the point that it was said - which is true - that he is favoured over the angels. The preference of man lies in his intellect (aqal). The intellect/Mind (aqal) of man is what raised his status, and made him superior to all creatures. Therefore, it is necessary to understand this intellect (aqal), and accordingly it is necessary to know what is thinking (at-tafkeer) and. what is the method of thinking (Tareeqat ut-tafkeer)?. This is because this reality designated as thinking (at-tafkeer) is what gives the intellect its value, and what brings those elaborate fruits, with which life revives and man revives. Therefore, it is necessary for the sake of man, life and the whole universe, that the reality of the mind (aqal) is comprehended, and the reality of thinking (at-tafkeer) and the method of thinking (Tareeqat ut-tafkeer) be comprehended accordingly.
Before Anwering," do beings have thought process or mind", it is necessary to know where or how the thinking comes from?
You cannot have a Thought (fikr) without a reality (waaqi'), and that every knowledge (marifah) that has no reality is only fantasy (khayal) or imagination (takhreef). So the reality (waaqi') is the basis of thought (fikr), and the thought (fikr) is the import of the reality or a judgment on that reality. Thus the reality is the basis of the thought and the basis of thinking. Without the (existence of) reality, it is not possible for the thought or thinking to exist.
Every thing in man and whatever originates from man, is linked with the brain. Thus, the brain is the fundamental and basic centre in man. Therefore, it is not possible for the thought to exist except after the existence of the brain, and the brain is the reality (waaqi'). The existence of the brain (dimagh) is accordingly a fundamental condition (shart) for the existence of thought (fikr); and the existence of the reality (waaqi') is also a fundamental condition (shart) for the existence of thought (fikr). Thus, for the mind (aqal) to exist, i.e. for thinking (tafkeer) or thought (fikr) to exist, there must be a reality (waaqi') and a brain.
where did the thought (fikr) come before the existence of the reality? It must have come from other than the reality. From where, accordingly the thought came to the first human being? It must have come to him from other than himself and from other than the reality. Therefore, the first human being and the reality were created by the One who gave the knowledge (ma?rifah) to the first human being.
"KNOWLEDGE" is the pre-requisite for the Brain to work. So when Brain works, it produces a Thought/Thinking/Intellect. SO, the brains needs knowledge before it works. Thought Process/Intellect/Mind cannot exists in beings[man, animal,angels or what have you] naturally. It comes thru training, teaching, it is fed into people. On tuesday, I was waching a documentary on TLC channel, a four year old Jessica, cannot walk. because her mom did not taught her how to walk. Thus she was crawling. it took her one year of training for her to walk. INFORMATION is the Key. Information or Knowledge is needed for one to think. one cannot able to performa calculus problem unless and until he or she is given enough information and training to to solve it. Quran gives you the best example:
Allah says ; 'And He taught Adam all the names; then He placed them before the angels, and said: 'Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful.' They said: 'Glory be to You. We have no knowledge except that which You taught us. In truth it is You who are the All-Knowing and the Wise'. He said: 'O Adam tell them their names.' When he had told them their names. He said: 'Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?' [TMQ 2:31-33]. These aayaat (verses) indicate that the previous information is necessary in order to gain thought process. The Malaika, the Angels did not have the knowledge of except what allah swt Taught them.
So Allah taught Adam the names or the meanings of things, so when they were placed before him he recognised them. Thus the first human being, Adam, had information given to him by Allah and that is why he recognised the things; if he had not had this information he would not have known them. Accordingly in order to generate thought (fikr), it is necessary to have the previous information about the reality which is displayed to the brain. This is because the mind's (aqal) existence is established on the presence of the previous information at the brain, though the reality is a fundamental condition for the presence of the rational (aqli) process, i.e. for the presence of the thought and thinking.
So, when the concerned is made regarding Method of Thinking, pertaining to prove the existance of Humans or the Creator, it has to be Rational not scientific or or philosophical or supernatural or Economical. Any thing other than Rational will be vain and absurd. This is because, Anything other than the Rational/Intellectual Method contradicts the Truth. What is the Truth? The Truth is Allah and Allah alone is LORD OF THIS UNIVERSE. Existence of Allah has to be Rationale not Sceintific. now, Muslims wil be first to argue, well, it is proven scientifically the existance of Allah, when Sceintist proved today, that the earth is spherical, man is made from Semen and Vaginal Fluids, the Embroylogy and etc. but Allah said all this 14,00 years ago. It is true that Allah said all this 14,00 years ago in Quran. But Allah is not Quran. Quran is just an Attributes of Allah. It is a speech of Allah and Quran is not Allah.
As for the difference between the brain of the man and the brain of the animal, the brain of the animal has no capacity to connect information. It rather has the capacity to recollect (istirjaa') the sensation,particularly if it is repeated. This recollection, which the animal does naturally, is specific to what is related to the instincts and organic needs exclusively. So if you rang the bell and offered food to the dog at the same moment, and repeated that process, the dog would understand that when the bell is rung the food is coming, therefore, the dog Salivates.
Just like anyone else, Animals can also produce thought process only if they are provided by information. Again, Quran supplies an interesting piece of information when talking about Prophet Sulayman's armies and mentions that there is an advanced "communications system" among the ants. The verse is as follows: "Then, when they reached the valley of the ants, an ant said,'Ants! Enter your dwellings so that Sulayman and his troops do not crush you unwittingly.' (Surat an-Naml: 18)
here, the ant, produced a thought based on information provided to it by Allah. Thus, the ant able to knew, produced a thought, able to think, that If they did not clear the way for Sulaiman's army they wud be Crushed. Another Example In the Qur'an, in surat an-Nahl, Allah describes the "revelation" that makes it obligatory for the animals to perform certain tasks given to them by Him: And your Lord revealed to the bee: "Build dwellings in the mountains and the trees and also in the structures which men erect. Then eat from every kind of fruit and travel the paths of your Lord, which have been made easy for you to follow." From inside them comes a drink of varying colours, containing healing for mankind. There is certainly a sign in that for people who reflect. (Surat an-Nahl: 68-69)
Again, this verse testifies to a fact that an action is an product of a thought. and a Thought is a product of (previous) Information.
Do Animals have world like Humans Do?
Yes, they Do: Not based on Fact the Scientist proved this but Becaus Allah Said, So. Even if sceintist didn;t proved it, It is, yet True just becaus Allah Said So. And Allah is the Lord of the Universe.
"There is not an animal that lives on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but forms communities like you. We have not omitted anything from the Book, and they will be gathered to their Lord. (Surat al-An'am: 38)
"And your Lord revealed to the bee: "Build dwellings in the mountains and the trees and also in the structures which men erect. Then eat from every kind of fruit and travel the paths of your Lord, which have been made easy for you to follow." From inside them comes a drink of varying colours, containing healing for mankind. There is certainly a sign in that for people who reflect. (Surat an-Nahl: 68-69)
The Qur'an supplies an interesting piece of information when talking about Prophet Sulayman's armies and mentions that there is an advanced "communications system" among the ants. The verse is as follows: "Then, when they reached the valley of the ants, an ant said,'Ants! Enter your dwellings so that Sulayman and his troops do not crush you unwittingly.' (Surat an-Naml: 18)
You can read how scientist proved what Allah said in quran 14,00 years ago at this link in VERY PROFOUND DETAILS.
The Miracle in the Ant http://www.harunyahya.com/ant03.php
The Miracle in the atom http://www.harunyahya.com/atom01.php
The Miracle in the Spider http://www.harunyahya.com/themiracleinthespider01.php
The Miracle in the Creation of Plants http://www.harunyahya.com/plants01.php
The Miracle in Hormones http://www.harunyahya.com/miracle_of_hormones_01.php
The Miracle in Human Creation http://www.harunyahya.com/creation.php
Additionally Information:
When a donkey sees a mare its desire is aroused, but it does not do so if it saw a bitch. likewise when the cow, when it grazes, it avoids the poisonous grass and that which harms it. All off this and the like is an instinctive (ghareezi) differentiation (tamyeez).
My point being here is People commonly failed to recognize difference between Natural Instincts and Thinking/Thought Process/Mind. Instincts and Thinking are two different Issues. I will revist this subject may be in futur.
I hope All this information helps you to understand and i hope i have answered these question to you Satisfactorily. Let me know if you need more help. I was so desperate to answer the question on Thinking or Thought process of beings. Its favorite subject after Economic System of Islam.
Ma-Salama
Prince oF Destiny http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Revival-of-Muslim-Mind/
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