In Islam, one of the established principles is the comprehensive upbringing of an individual. This upbringing addresses all aspects of a person, including their soul, morals, intellect, body, social, political, and economic sensibilities, as well as their aesthetic appreciation. It also includes preparing them for jihad so that the word of Allah is supreme. This is known as "the elements of Islamic education," which encompass noble values and an integrated methodology that ensures well-being in both this world and the Hereafter for those who adhere to it.

Islam's approach to intellectual development involves guiding, refining, and preparing the mind to function at its best. This enables a Muslim to perform their duties freely and efficiently, using their intellect for understanding, conceptualizing, contemplating, and reflecting on what they perceive and experience. Consequently, they are equipped to think, analyze, and form sound judgments, while being guided towards what benefits them and protects them. The intellectual development advocated by Islam has key sources: the Quran and Sunnah. These sources include the accounts of earlier peoples, their responses to prophets, moral values, and comprehensive rulings that address all aspects of human life.

Objectives of Intellectual Development in Islam

The objectives of Islam’s intellectual upbringing focus on honoring humans by respecting their intellect, one of the greatest blessings from Allah. The intellect differentiates between a person accountable for their actions and one incapable of responsibility. Through intellect, the oneness of Allah is recognized, forming the foundation of faith. The Quran emphasizes this distinction: "Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?" (Al-Baqarah: 44). Islamic scholars have outlined several objectives for intellectual development, including:

• Developing and Enlightening the Intellect:

This involves equipping the mind with verified knowledge and correct understanding, with no source more accurate than the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Knowledge holds great value in Islam: "Say, 'Are those who know equal to those who do not know?' Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding." (Az-Zumar: 9). Islam encourages the intellect to think, observe, and reflect deeply: "Similar situations [as yours] have passed on before you, so proceed throughout the earth and observe how was the end of those who denied." (Aal-E-Imran: 137). It also calls for the mind to avoid reliance on speculation and conjecture by cultivating the habit of examining evidence and proofs, while steering away from whims and desires: "And most of them follow not except assumption. Indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what they do." (Yunus: 36).

• Training the Intellect in Scientific Thinking:

This entails rejecting myths, superstitions, sorcery, and deception, as these impede intellectual progress and lack any evidence or proof. All such matters belong to the realm of the unseen, which Allah alone possesses: "Say, 'Indeed, I do not possess for you [the power of] harm or right direction.' Say, 'Indeed, there will never protect me from Allah anyone [if I should disobey], nor will I find in other than Him a refuge.'" (Al-Jinn: 21-22). The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever practices augury, has augury practiced for them, engages in soothsaying, has soothsaying done for them, practices magic, or has magic performed for them, has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad." (Al-Bazzar).

• Instilling Scientific Integrity in the Intellect:

This involves eliminating all factors that lead to intellectual deviation, such as bias, whims, and unfounded judgments. The Quran advises: "O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful." (Al-Hujurat: 6). It also calls for patience and avoiding haste: "So be patient, [O Muhammad], as were those of determination among the messengers and do not be impatient for them. It will be – on the Day they see that which they are promised – as though they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a day. [This is] notification. And will [any] be destroyed except the defiantly disobedient people?" (Al-Ahqaf: 35).

• Freedom of Thought:

One of the ways Islam honors humans is by respecting their intellect, granting them freedom to think, reflect, and contemplate. It removes all barriers that prevent them from reaching the truth through evidence and proofs. Islam encourages independent reasoning (ijtihad), which is the intellectual effort to derive rulings. This allows Muslims to adapt to changing circumstances, accepting or rejecting them based on the intellectual freedom they have been granted.

While Islam ensures freedom of thought, it discourages blind imitation, emphasizing reliance on evidence. It permits critique, objection, expression of opinions, and engaging in discussions and debates in the best manner. This fosters an environment where the intellect can function freely, fulfilling its primary role as the basis for accountability.

Policies of Intellectual Development in Islam

There are main principles and general policies for intellectual upbringing in Islam, which are foundational to this nurturing process. Deviating from them does not support achieving the aforementioned goals. These principles include:

• Respecting and Valuing the Intellect:
  By entrusting it with contemplation, reflection, remembrance, understanding, and insight: "Rather, man, against himself, will be a witness, even if he presents his excuses." (Al-Qiyamah: 14-15). "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding." (Aal-E-Imran: 190). The intellect is one of the essential objectives of Shariah and is included among the five necessities: preservation of religion, life, lineage, intellect, and wealth.
• Affirming the Role of Intellect in Life:
  The intellect guides its possessor to faith in Allah, rescues them from disbelief and misguidance, and enables the acquisition of knowledge and sciences. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, by what do people excel in this world?' He said, 'By intellect.' I said, 'And in the Hereafter?' He said, 'By intellect.' I said, 'Are they not recompensed for their deeds?' He said, 'O Aisha, did they act except according to the degree of intellect Allah granted them? By the degree of intellect Allah gave them, they acted; and by the degree they acted, they will be recompensed.'" (Al-Tirmidhi).
• Opening the Door of Consultation for the Intellect:
  This emphasizes its significance in human life, as consultation has a positive impact on both individuals and society. It serves as a platform where the intellect operates to examine, reflect, and decide whether to accept or reject matters with full freedom and will. Consultation promotes appropriate maturity and advancement, serving as an ideal method to ensure that human life aligns with the honor Allah has granted mankind.

Methods of Intellectual Development in Islam

These methods achieve the objectives of Islamic education and align with its policies, remaining within its general framework. They encompass all actions that contribute to achieving these objectives within the context of those policies. In summary, they can be briefly outlined as follows:

• Providing reliable sources of knowledge.
• Presenting examples of scientific thinking.
• Instilling values that encourage intellectual integrity.
• Training the mind for freedom of thought while discouraging stagnation, blind following, and imitation.
• Encouraging constructive criticism that offers alternatives.

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The Quran gives great importance to the intellect, relying on it in matters of belief and obligations, and praising it in many places. This is a distinction not found in the scriptures of other religions, where one might notice a tendency to undervalue or caution against the intellect, considering it a door to doubt and denial.

The significance of the intellect is evident from the fact that its root word “ʿa.q.l” appears in the Quran approximately 50 times, accompanied by meanings of praise, exaltation, and the necessity of using it, while frequently uses words that carry the meaning of intellect or are close to it.

When the Quran refers to the intellect, it does not use it in a nominal form but in a verbal form to affirm that the intellect is not an essence or material in itself, as philosophers believe. This was understood by Ibn Taymiyyah in his “Majmoo' al-Fatawa” when he said: “The term 'intellect' in the language of Muslims is not the same as the term 'intellect' in the language of these Greeks, for the intellect in the language of Muslims is a source of reasoning, as in the Quran: 'And they will say, 'If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze' (Al-Mulk: 10) The intellect in Islam refers to the innate faculty given by Allah to humans to reason with, while for them, the intellect is an independent entity like the rational being, which does not correspond to the language of the messengers and the Quran.”

Some contemporary scholars, like Arkoun, assume that the absence of the nominal form indicates that the Quran does not recognize the concept of intellect in its modern philosophical sense. Zaki Al-Milad attributes this preference for the verbal form to two factors:

First: The Quran is a book of action and behavior, not a book of opinion and theory. Its logic is the logic of action, not opinion, and it always calls for action, addressing individuals, groups, societies, and even nations, saying, “And say, 'Do [as you will], for Allah will see your deeds, and [so, will] His Messenger and the believers.'” (At-Tawbah: 105)

Second: The verbal form in the Quranic discourse indicates movement as opposed to stillness, meaning that the intellect should always be in a state of constant movement, not stillness.

Additionally, the Quran uses the root “ʿa.q.l” with different meanings to encompass the various functions of the human intellect in its diverse tasks and characteristics, deliberately differentiating between these functions and characteristics in different contexts and situations. These functions include:

• The ethical function: In its general sense, the intellect is a faculty responsible for moral restraint or preventing forbidden and reprehensible acts, derived from “ʿaql,” meaning restraint and prohibition. Al-Jahiz says: “The intellect is called so because it restrains the tongue and bridles it from going excessively in the way of ignorance, error, or harm, just as a camel is restrained.”
• The cognitive function: A primary function of the intellect that contemplates what it perceives, reflects on its aspects, extracts its inner secrets, and builds upon it conclusions and judgments, avoiding falling into dangers. As Al-Ghazali says: “Intellect is not striving oneself to resolve a matter once involved in it, but intellect is to avoid putting oneself in a situation that requires resolution.”
• The inferential function: One of the highest functions of the intellect, which thinks and deduces opinions after thinking, contemplating the potential outcomes of human actions. The Quran expresses this with various words of similar meaning such as reflection, sight, contemplation, consideration, and other mental faculties, as in the ayah: “Say, 'Observe what is in the heavens and the earth.' But of no avail will be signs or warners to a people who do not believe.” (Yunus: 101)

The intellect cannot perform these and other functions without the critical faculty that allows it to distinguish between good and evil and issue rational judgments. Although the concept of criticism or its derivatives is not explicitly mentioned in the Quran, it calls for it clearly: “O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.” (Al-Hujurat: 6)

Several Quranic terms imply the meaning of criticism, including advice, which involves calling for righteousness and forbidding corruption of any kind. When comparing advice and criticism, they share meaning and purpose, as advice involves exposing flaws and errors, similar to criticism. Islamic scholars practiced scientific criticism extensively, among them Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali, who stated: “Refuting weak articles and reports and clarifying the truth with valid religious evidence is not disliked by sincere scholars; rather, it is something they commend, even if it exposes their mistakes.”

Another term is “enjoining good and forbidding evil,” which correlates with criticism in that enjoining good distinguishes and highlights what is good and virtuous from other condemnable concepts and behaviors, which is the essence of criticism.

Another term is “nullification,” a Quranic term referring to negative criticism that leads to destruction, unlike positive criticism aimed at rectification, as in Allah’s saying: “And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong.” (An-Nahl: 92)

Criticism in Quranic usage comes in two forms: self-criticism, meaning self-accountability and examining one's words and actions, as in: “And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection].” (Al-Qiyamah: 2), and collective criticism, where members of society critique their faulty thoughts and behaviors. An example is the story of the owners of the garden who wanted to deviate from their father's way of giving the poor their share of the garden's produce. When punishment befell them, they returned to their senses: “They said, 'Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers.' Then they approached one another, blaming each other.” (Al-Qalam: 29-30), where mutual blame signifies criticism among themselves, their first act after the punishment.

From the above, it is understood that the Quran calls for the use of the intellect, establishing religious and legal matters upon it, and there is nothing in it that invites disdain or disregard for its judgments.

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The human intellect holds a significant place in the Quran and the Sunnah, contrary to what Islam's enemies propagate. These critics claim that Islam is rigid and that this rigidity has led Muslims to lag behind in the advancement of human civilization. They deliberately ignore the periods of prosperity in Islamic civilization, which dominated the world for centuries and illuminated it with its civilizational and historical achievements.

Regarding the value and status of the intellect in Islam and efforts to teach Quranic sciences, “Al-Mujtama” had this interview with Prof. Dr. Abdel Fattah Khidr, Dean of the Faculty of Quranic Sciences at Al-Azhar University in Tanta (North Cairo), former Dean of the Faculty of Fundamentals of Religion in Menoufia, and Professor of Tafsir and Quranic Sciences.

First, what is the meaning and importance of the intellect in Islam as the basis for honor and responsibility?

– Linguists define the intellect as restraint and retention, derived from tying a camel with a tether, and restraining oneself from disgraceful speech and actions. It is the opposite of ignorance because the intellect is a means of acquiring and accepting knowledge. It is the reason for the honor bestowed upon Adam and his descendants and is linked to responsibility and accountability, as it is the tool for perception and discernment, distinguishing humans from other creatures. Allah says, “And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference.” (Al-Israa: 70) Therefore, there is no responsibility or accountability for the insane. Islam's emphasis on the intellect is evident as it is one of the five necessities that must be preserved due to its great importance in the life of the human being honored by Allah.

In response to those who claim that Islam opposes and marginalizes the intellect, how does the Quran emphasize the importance of the intellect?

– The root "عقل" (intellect) and its derivatives appear 49 times in the Quran. Grammarians note that in all occurrences, it appears as a verb, not a noun, in both present and past tenses. It appears once in the plural speaker form and the singular present tense and 24 times in the plural form addressing people, and 22 times in the past plural form. Additionally, the Quran uses various synonymous terms for intellect, such as heart, intelligence, mind, understanding, reason, insight, perception, and others.

This is from a numerical or statistical perspective, what meanings do the root "عقل" and its derivatives convey in the Quran?

– Quranic studies confirm that the root "عقل" appears in the Quran with various meanings, primarily related to knowledge, understanding, contemplation, and comprehension. These are the most frequent meanings. "عقل" can also mean the heart that understands Allah's signs and reflects on His creation and greatness. It can imply restraint from something and following the truth, as well as criticism and rebuke for those who do not follow the truth. This underscores the intellect's significant status in the Quran as the basis for responsibility; without it, there is no accountability. For example, Allah says, “Say, 'Observe what is in the heavens and earth.' But of no avail will be signs or warners to a people who do not believe.” (Yunus: 101) and “So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts.” (Al-Hajj: 46)

Some may argue that famous scientists have no religion and some have declared atheism. Why hasn't their intellect led them to Allah, the Creator? What is your response?

– Although Islam encourages people to use their intellect, there is a difference between intellectual brilliance and the gift of guidance. Worldly success is given to those Allah loves and those He does not, but faith is given only to those He loves. Despite the Prophet Muhammad's intense love for his uncle Abu Talib, a wise man of the Quraysh, he could not guide him to faith. Allah revealed about this: “Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.” (Al-Qasas: 56) Moreover, neglecting the gift of intellect places a person lower than animals. Allah says, “Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not use reason.” (Al-Anfal: 22) and “And We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.” (Al-A’raf: 179) Allah warns against neglecting the intellect as it leads to Hell fire: “And they will say, 'If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze.'” (Al-Mulk: 10)

What about the intellect in the Prophetic Sunnah?

– There are many authentic hadiths about the intellect. Some declare a legal ruling, such as the suspension of responsibility for three types of people, including the insane. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The Pen has been lifted from three; from the sleeper until he wakes up, from the crazy - or insane- one until he comes back to his senses, and from the minor until he grows up.” This confirms that the intellect is the basis for religious responsibility as it enables understanding of divine revelation and the Creator's commands and prohibitions.

Other hadiths praise those who possess intellect and wisdom. The Prophet said to Ashaj Abdul-Qais: “You possess two qualities that Allah loves. These are clemency and tolerance.” Imam al-Nawawi said: Clemency means intellect, and tolerance means patience and not rushing.

There are hadiths linking the intellect to some acts of worship. How so?

– There are many prophetic hadiths that illustrate the relationship between acts of worship and the intellect. One of these is narrated by Abu Mas'ud Al-Ansari, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to gently pat our shoulders when we were standing in rows at the time of Salat and say, “Stand in straight rows and do not differ among yourselves, or else your hearts will differ due to disaccord. Let those be nearest to me who are mature and endowed with understanding (of the religion), then those who are nearest to them in these respects and then those who are nearest to them.”

Imam An-Nawawi said: “Those who are mature are the intelligent ones, and it is also said that they are the adults. Understanding refers to intellects.”

One of the companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah, inform me about that which takes me near to Paradise and draws me away from the Fire (of Hell).” He (peace and blessings be upon him) told him to “worship Allah, without associating any partners with Him; establish the prayer; pay the zakat; fast in Ramadhan; and make the pilgrimage to the House, treat others as you would like to be treated, and dislike for others what you would dislike for yourself.”

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not enforce the punishment for adultery on Ma'iz ibn Malik Al-Aslami until he had verified the soundness of his mind from his people, after turning him away multiple times. He asked them: “Do you know if there is anything wrong with his mind.” They denied of any such thing in him and said: “We do not know him but as a wise good man among us, so far as we can judge.”

Intellect and knowledge are two sides of the same coin; thus, the loss of knowledge is linked to undervaluing intellect. Are there hadiths that confirm this?

– Yes, there are several. For example, the Prophet advised Abu Dharr al-Ghifari: “O Abu Dharr, listen carefully to what I am going to tell you: A Muslim man having a Nanny is better for him than a mountain of gold like Uhud that he leaves behind. O Abu Dharr, pay heed to what I am telling you: On the Day of Resurrection, those who have much wealth (in this world) will be the least rewarded (in the Hereafter) except those who do like this and like this (i.e., spend their money in charity). Be sensible, O Abu Dharr, to what I am telling you: Blessing is in the forelocks of horses until the Day of Rising.”  

In another instance, a companion asked the Prophet for brief counsel to comprehend. The Prophet said: “Do not get angry.” And repeated it. Anas bin Malik also noted that the Prophet would repeat his statements three times to ensure comprehension.

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