Thoughts on approaching difficult questions

From totalitarian regimes to democratic nations to anarchy, from Islam to Hinduism to Christianity to secularism, each societal system has its own rules and regulations, norms, and cultural traditions. Some of these are explicit, some are implicit but equally as applicable.

As in anything in life, from time to time, we may question the way we live, or the values and rules upon which our society is based. While some may say, it is dangerous to rock the boat or ask too many questions, for others it is of great importance that the way they live their life make sense to them.

In this respect, religion is no different. Islam, like most other religions, has its own structure and codes of practice. This is especially relevant to Islam, since it was brought forth and conveyed by Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) as a way of life, and not just an ascetically spiritual existence.

Living in a Western society, in which many different communities and systems of belief exist, is in many ways quite a unique experience. We often come across non-Muslims who are curious about what exactly Islam is, some, unfortunately, are outright hostile based on their own prejudices which may have been compounded by the recent negative coverage of Muslims in the news media since September 11 2001. Others just want to know more.

But its not only non-Muslims who have questions. Muslims themselves will seek clarification on what certain aspects of Islam mean or how they are to be properly carried out. Maybe we find particular things difficult to reconcile with what we regard as our inner values. These inner values may have been influenced by living as a minority in a secular environment, or they may simply be things which just don't make sense to us.

This often occurs because we try to examine the various injunctions in the Qur'an by the standards of decency, morality and justice as defined by our own time and the society in which we live.

It may also occur because of the way we view God (Allah in Arabic). Somethings are straightforward: we shouldn't kill people, we should be kind to one another, we shouldn't cheat on our spouses, etc. These can be easily understood by most, and we can also understand why these things are discouraged or forbidden.

Other situations or actions may not be as clear cut. We can't comprehend the reasons or logic behind why something is so. Or maybe we get the reasoning, but it "just doesnt feel right".
If we fail to realise that Allah is not restricted by human constraints, or time constraints, or spatial constraints, we end up making incorrect assessments why Allah wants us to do such and such, or why He has ordained that one action is commendable while others are punishable.

I think of it in terms of an example of a friend who you trust in, so if there's something you find suprising or troubling, instead of condemning outright, you search behind the reason for certain things or actions. A picture may speak a thousand words, or it may only be part of the story.

Once we look a little deeper, our fears and misunderstandings may or may not be allayed. Or we may come across the extraordinary situation where, through our searching, we realise that the inner beliefs we held about a particular subject change completely.

This is what learning and searching does for us. This can also be seen in the Qur'an, which is continually challenging us. It's as if it is saying "you sure about that?".

Learning and thinking and asking questions are the things that keep mankind progressing. Once we become content in our knowledge, once we think we know enough to get by, or that we are experts in our fields so no one can tell us any different, we stop learning. Stopping the process of learning eventually stops our growth, and turns us into dinosaurs. And we all know what happened to them, don't we?