these powers he can understand the Revelation and can profit by the
guidance offered therein. He must bear the consequences of his
choice, whether they are pleasant or unpleasant.
To sum up, there is no conflict between Revelation and reason:
rather they supplement each other. Eiman in Revelation and reason
together enrich life and make it fruitful, provided each keeps to its
own proper sphere. Eiman energises reason and reason orientates
Eiman to concrete reality. Without either, life would be
impoverished. Reason without Eiman is like a well-constructed
machine which is not geared to a motor, while Eiman without reason
is only blind force. The glorious periods in human history were
characterised by a robust Eiman and an active reason. Prof.
Whitehead has rightly remarked:
Ages of faith are the ages of rationalism.(3)
IV. MiraclesThe subject of miracles bristles with difficulties and yet it
challenges the attention of every student of religion. Such a student
is called upon to define his attitude towards miracles and to explain
his conception of the relation between religion and miracles. Here
he faces a dilemma. On the one hand, modern man finds it well-nigh
impossible to give credence to miraculous happenings. The only
course open to him is to dismiss them as gross superstitions. For the
scientist, nature is a closed system and any incursions of the
supernatural into it are unthinkable. On the other hand, history
testifies to the close association of religion with belief in miracles.
The prophets of old were generally credited with the power of
working miracles, so much so that a prophet was judged not by the
value of his teaching but by the miraculousness of his deeds.
Whatever may be the case with religion, Islam, at least, lends no
support to such superstitions. The Qur'an appeals to reason. Its
professed aim is to make men rational and clear-sighted, not to
make them superstitious. The Qur'an directs man's attention to the
phenomena of nature and the facts of history, as they reveal the
power of God and His wisdom. Man is invited to look at and reflect
upon the grandeur of the heavens, the beauty of the earth, the
freshness of dawn, the glory of sunset and the terrifying force of
Reason and Eiman 117