Quran for Critical Reasoning – Class Handout

The INTENTION (Mindset and Attitude) – The Pre-requisite:

 (1) Take it personally that either Quran REVEALED TO ME or revealed FOR ME.

(2) Then connect and feel attachment through IMAGINATION that either I was present at the TIME of Rasulullah, Salla Allahu alaihi wa Sallam or a Rasul, a messenger was sent for THIS TIME.

(3) Then read an Ayah or a Hadith, try to find what’s the instruction there for me and implement it.

(4) And the final approach is that ask Allah, Al-Hadi, the Owner of the Day of Judgement, to guide me to that which would save me from the punishment of Qabr, the Qiyamah, Jahannam and save me from the trial of death and life and make my journey towards Jannah easy.

It’s just that simple.

The FIRST attempt – Finding SUBJECTS/ Issues/ Topics/ Incidents:

• WHAT is the SUBJECTAllah talking about?

(Allah Ta’ala Himself, Rasulullah Sallillahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, Quran, Prophets, Malaikah, Qiamah, Jannah, Jahannam, Human Being, shaitan, Creations (Bees, Ants), Kuffar, Believers etc.

• What is said about the subject?
• Who Allah is addressing to?

The SECOND attempt – What’s in it FOR ME

ACTION Based (Direct COMMAND):

• Is it a COMMAND/ Instruction/ Order (that I MUST have to OBEY)?
• Is it a PROHIBITION (that I MUST NOT do)?

Is it a LIMITATION/ Condition that I have to OBEY/ (keep within the LIMIT)?

• Is it a WARNING (that I must be CAREFUL of)
• Is it a RECOMMENDED thing (that I try my BEST to do)?
• Is it a NOT RECOMMENDED thing (that I try my BEST NOT to do)?

ACTION based (InDirect COMMAND):

• Is it a description of the QUALITIES or CHARACTER of the people of JANNAH (that I HAVE TO ACHIEVE)? (Mufliheen, Mukhlaseen, Swoliheen, Swodikeen, Mohsineen etc)
• Is it a description of QUALITIES or CHARACTER of the people of ZAHANNAM (that I MUST avoid)? (Zalimun, Khasirun etc.)

The THIRD attempt – What’s the CERTAIN KNOWLEDGE here?

INFORMATION Based:

I don’t have any act on it BUT get CERTAIN knowledge from it which will give me Muslim’s mindset or Muslim’s philosophy of life.

• Is it an information/ Statement/ Description that gives me CERTAIN KNOWLEDGE?

The FOURTH attempt: What type of DUA is it?

• Is it a REQUEST/ asking for help?
• Is it a PRAISE/ Thanks/ Gratitude?

The PROGRESSION of Critical Reasoning: TEN (10) STEPS 

A Common base:

Anyone reads or listens to anything (a regular common thing of life) has the ability to understand it and dissect the info from it.

PRIMARY (General) level:

The FIRST attempt is to ORGANIZE (DISSECT) INFO

The SECOND attempt is to look for ACTION (A direct COMMAND, Recommendation etc.)

The THIRD attempt is to look for APPARENT meaning

The FOURTH attempt is to EXTRACT UNKNOWN (UNSPOKEN) from the known (Comes through a minimum general analytical ability)

INTERMEDIATE level:

The FIFTH attempt is to look for the INNER meaning

The SIXTH attempt is to look for RHETORIC meaning. (Comes upon understanding linguistic aspect)

ADVANCE level:

The SEVENTH attempt is to EXTRACT UNKNOWN PATTERN from observing a known pattern

The EIGHTH attempt is to EXTRACT SYMMETRY or DI-SYMMETRY (Comes through mathematical analytical ability)

The connecting FINAL Level:

The NINTH attempt is to DISCUSS with an attitude of ACCOMMODATING other’s opinions (and beware of the arrogance)

The TENTH attempt is to look for RECONCILIATION of your understanding with the greatest minds of Islam, the classical and contemporary scholars by reading Tafsir and explanations.

The detailed understanding and explanation of these levels will follow In Shaa Allah…..