More Objectively

In the about section, I wrote about how technical endeavors contributed to my understanding of the world. Yet, all knowledge is merely a distraction if it doesn’t bring us to our actual purpose here on earth.

All of philosophy and science could be reduced to first principles by deconstructing complex arguments using logical tools like predicate calculus. More generally, epistemological methods that are used in the scientific discourse are the same ones used to establish any cosmological argument or ontological argument. We can’t have contingent existence without a necessary one, as we can’t have an infinite regress.

In our limited lives, we are fueled by our emotions. Without them, we spiral into meaninglessness and aimlessness. Ibn al-Qayyim provides the best analogy of how these emotions are to be garnered in his book Ranks Of The Divine Seekers (Madarij as-Salkeen): “The heart, in its journey to Allah the Almighty, is like that of a bird: love is its head, and fear and hope are its two wings. When the head and two wings are sound, the bird flies gracefully. If the head is severed, the bird dies. If the bird loses one of its wings, it then becomes a target for every hunter or predator.”

Favorite Verses

يعلمون ظاهرا من الحياة الدنيا وهم عن الآخرة هم غافلون

They ˹only˺ know the worldly affairs of this life, but are ˹totally˺ oblivious to the Hereafter.

— Ar-Rum 7

أم خلقوا من غير شيء أم هم الخالقون

Or were they created by nothing, or are they ˹their own˺ creators?

— At-Tur 35

وقالوا ما هي إلا حياتنا الدنيا نموت ونحيا وما يهلكنا إلا الدهر ۚ وما لهم بذلك من علم ۖ إن هم إلا يظنون

And they argue, “There is nothing beyond our worldly life. We die; others are born. And nothing destroys us but ˹the passage of˺ time.” Yet they have no knowledge ˹in support˺ of this ˹claim˺. They only speculate.

— Al-Jathiyah 24

إن الله يأمر بالعدل والإحسان وإيتاء ذي القربى وينهى عن الفحشاء والمنكر والبغي ۚ يعظكم لعلكم تذكرون

Indeed, Allah commands justice, grace, as well as courtesy to close relatives. He forbids indecency, wickedness, and aggression. He instructs you so perhaps you will be mindful.

— An-Nahl 90

(3) يا أيها الذين آمنوا لم تقولون ما لا تفعلون (2) كبر مقتا عند الله أن تقولوا ما لا تفعلون

O believers! Why do you say what you do not do? How despicable it is in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do!

— As-Saf 2-3

أحسب الناس أن يتركوا أن يقولوا آمنا وهم لا يفتنون

Do people think once they say, “We believe,” that they will be left without being put to the test?

— Al-‘Ankabut 2