I’ve been thinking, sir, we keep saying “human”. What is a human? Is the human being a complex unknown, as some say, or is it a simple being enslaved by its bodily desires?
The idea is that humans are either entirely complex or overly simple—both are extremes. The claim that humans are fully known or can be completely understood is exaggerated, but so is the claim that humans are completely unknown. Naturally, there are both known and unknown aspects of human beings. This is due to the inherent limitations of human beings. Our knowledge is limited, and what lies beyond these limits cannot be known. These are our limits of knowledge and knowing. However, as our knowledge, manners, and experience increase, these limits may extend proportionally. It is difficult to predict in advance how far this expansion might go. Despite all the hard work and research, the progress we have made so far is clear. Let alone the psychological aspects, the biological aspects of humans have not been fully discovered yet. There are still many challenges in diagnosing many diseases. This is not due to the lack of knowledge and skills on the part of the doctors, but rather because of the complex and still unknown aspects of human nature.
Then, are those who view humans as fundamentally unknowable right?
Considering the advancements in medicine and psychology, we have made a lot of progress in understanding human beings. To disregard this would be to deny the efforts and achievements of countless researchers and practitioners. What I mean is that, although we have come a long way in learning about humans, there are still aspects that remain unknown to us.
How does Islam define human beings in this regard? Since Almighty Allah knows every aspect of humans as He created all of us, why hasn’t He fully introduced the human being to us in the Qur’an?
Of course, Allah, who created human beings, knows them down to the smallest detail. There is no limit to Allah’s knowledge, nor is there anything that limits it. However, our position is quite the opposite. In other words, there are many limitations and constraints, beginning with time and space. Therefore, it is impossible for us to go beyond the boundaries of our senses, emotions, and minds to know all dimensions of facts and events. These limits also apply to knowing ourselves. This is what we understand based on our own experience. The current state of scientific knowledge makes this clear. On the other hand, even if the nature and truth of a phenomenon or event are fully shown to us, how much of it can we comprehend in this limited state? The boundaries we have mentioned prevent us from grasping the complete truth.
So, there are aspects of human beings that we don’t know just as much as those we do.
Allah created people and endowed them with the ability to learn step by step within the framework of time and space. This is the reason why our manners and experiences only increase over time, and the limits of our knowledge expand. A person acquires knowledge according to the flow of time and the conditions of space. Gaining knowledge about ourselves is not excluded from these conditions.
So, if we want to understand human beings in general terms, what can we say?
In the Qur’an, human beings are explained in detail in terms of the substance of creation and process. We have been given two basic messages here: The first is the creation of human beings as a part of the universe, and the second is that they are subject to the conditions of the same universe. These conditions include both the biological and psychological aspects. No aspect is outside of creation and they are all subject to the conditions of the universe. Allah is the one who created the universe and set the conditions. However, human beings possess some contradictory qualities just as everything in the universe does. Due to these contradictions, conflict, and harmony have both existed in the universe and within the human being. Some of these contradictions lead to solidarity, others to conflict. An order can be achieved by establishing a balance between conflict and solidarity. This requires certain rules and laws. Actually, the order and balance in nature are ensured by the laws of nature, that is the natural order created by Allah. The same laws also apply to the human body. The health of the human body depends on the balance of the organs and the adequate fulfillment of the needs. Likewise, the balance of the biological and psychological aspects of the human being, although they seem to be opposites, can only be achieved by keeping the two equal and balanced. Neglecting them leads to the deterioration of the balance of the body.
How has this been understood in the history of Islamic thought?
Islamic scholars have considered the human being in the unity of body and soul. In Islamic thought, the human is defined as the body, which is pointed as ‘I’, which can be grasped by the five senses and supported by the soul. According to this, the human being is an entity in soul-body unity. They are human beings as long as this integrity is protected; but when it is corrupted, they are not. That is why human beings are thought in soul-body integrity both in this world and in the Hereafter. Indeed, the Qur’an states that the resurrection will take place by returning the souls to the bodies. It means that life in the Hereafter will begin and continue in the soul-body unity.
What is the nature of life in the grave?
Life in the grave is a private life with its own specific conditions. Scholars consider this as a transitional period between this world and the Hereafter. The Qur’an refers to this as the life of barzakh an intermediate state that prevents movement back to the worldly life or forward to the Hereafter. This period continues until the Resurrection on the Day of Judgment, after which this life will end and a new, eternal life will begin the Afterlife.
Sir, we were trying to talk about the world, but we ended up speaking of the grave?
Well… death is an absolute truth. So, what can we say? Let’s sum it up like this: If people observe the soul-body balance, take into account their time, place, opportunities, and conditions, and obey the instructions of their Creator, they will live a happy and peaceful life in this world and attain eternal happiness in the Hereafter, as well.
