Knowledge And Tolerance

Knowledge and tolerance M Mubashir Hassan ‘And if all the trees on earth were pens and the Ocean (were ink) with seven Oceans behind it to add to its (supply) yet would not the Words of Allah be exhausted (in the writing): for Allah is Exalted in power Full of Wisdom.’ (Al-Qur'ân 31:27) The ocean of knowledge is infinite and if a person were to utilize all his energies specializing in just one branch of the knowledge, in the end he would assert that he was just at the threshold of knowledge. Infinite lives would seem insufficient to acquire expertise in any branch of knowledge. It is impossible even to know everything about the smallest particle of the matter i.e. an atom or for that matter of an electron. And many a human being is naïve enough to assume that he knows everything there is to know. Should we only try to imagine the vastness of the universe, the spaces that separate distant stars and the immutable laws that govern these heavenly bodies, we would realise our own insignificance. When we are so insignificant how can we claim to be knowledgeable? It should be realised that our knowledge is not absolute and that at every stage new vistas of knowledge open up; new discoveries add up to the ocean of knowledge and the process is on. How much of knowledge is still unfolded, is beyond the guess of any human being? A writer may resort to symbolism so as to convey his message properly and sometimes what the author writes is totally different from his real message. The students of literature would instantly agree with me, because in literature one comes across plenty of such examples and a student has to interpret those hidden messages. Such devices have some purpose and only those who have sufficient intelligence can grasp that hidden message. As Prophet Jacob says to his son Hazrat Yusuf (AS) ‘"Thus will thy Lord choose thee and teach thee the interpretation of stories (and events)……”’. It is Allah’s favour and bestows it on whomever He wills. How can we be sure that we have deciphered the message kept hidden in a passage? Therefore we can’t be sure that whatever we have inferred from a given passage is what the author of that passage really intended and whether we have fully grasped the message of the author or not. Human beings are affected by their own ideals and prejudices which in turn are moulded by the society they live in. The culture of a person too has a deep effect on his outlook and that is why the same reading material is perceived differently by different people. It is very hard to get out of ones thinking and bent of mind. The comprehending power of a person depends upon his inclinations and bent of mind. As philosopher says that a person can never be sure that whatever one sees is what really exists and whether others perceive it in the same manner as we do; similarly a person can never be sure that whether the size of a thing is same as he perceives. There is every apprehension that we may not be aware about the real size of the things. Let us take the example of the colour. Sunlight consists of seven colours and when it falls on an object we are able to see that object. The colour of an object is that colour of sunlight which it reflects. So how can we be sure that whatever we perceive is real? Therefore one should never be certain be that whatever one has grasped is unaffected and objective.

A person can never be sure that whatever he comprehends from a certain passage is really what the author of that passage intends/implies. Often it happens that we read something and after some time we exclaim that we had not grasped it properly or that we had grasped its wrong meaning. Discussion is still on whether Hamlet procrastinates because of timidness or because he does not find the means to fight and kill. Knowledge is unfolded slowly and an erudite can never be certain that what he knows is absolute. The insignificance of our knowledge can be gauged by the episode of Prophet Musa (AS). It is related that one day while addressing his people he said that he was the most learned person present on the face of earth. In order to make him realise the vastness of knowledge, Almighty asks him to meet Hazrat Khazir (AS) so that the later might taught him something of the higher truth. Prophet Musa sets out along with his servant in search of that person. After arduous journey, he comes across Hazrat Khazir (AS). The episode is described in the Holy Qur’an. Here I’d just quote a few verses. ‘So they found one of Our servants on whom We had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught knowledge from Our own presence. Moses said to him: "May I follow thee on the footing that thou teach me something of the (Higher) Truth which thou hast been taught?" (The other) said: "Verily thou wilt not be able to have patience with me!” And how canst thou have patience about things about which thy understanding is not complete?" Moses said: "Thou wilt find me if Allah so will (truly) patient: nor shall I disobey thee in aught." The other (Hazrat Khazir) said: "If then thou wouldst follow me ask me no questions about anything until I myself speak to thee concerning it."’ (AlQur’an 18: 65-70) They set off together. Prophet Musa is puzzled at the deeds of Hazrat Khazir (AS) and couldn’t hold patience with Hazrat Khazir even though he had promised to remain silent? Prophet Musa (AS) objects to his deeds thrice. As he had broken his earlier vow, Hazrat Khazir (AS) asks him to depart but before Prophet Musa departs Hazrat Khazir (AS) tells him about all those things over which he could not hold his patience. ‘He answered: "This is the parting between me and thee: now will I tell thee the interpretation of (those things) over which thou wast unable to hold patience.” (AlQur’an 18:78) Prophet Musa fails to comprehend the implicit reason behind the acts of Hazrat Khazir (AS), and as he was a Prophet of Allah, he boldly objects to his seemingly horrible deeds. This episode illustrates that Prophet Musa, even after he had received the divine mission, was not perfect in his knowledge. He needed constant efforts to keep his knowledge upto-date. Allah makes him realise the shortcomings of his knowledge and through him (Prophet Musa), we are given a lesson about the inadequacy of our knowledge. The other lesson to be drawn from the episode is that sometimes the real import of something may not be made clear to us, for our mental faculties may not be developed enough to bear such realities. Prophet Musa had to undergo lot of trouble in finding out that person which goes to show that achieving of knowledge is an arduous job. We should not, after reading a few books feel that we have learned everything and our knowledge is complete and that whatever we know is the ultimate truth. A seeker of knowledge should constantly look for the imperfections of his knowledge rather than attacking the truth. One should not wish everything to be in accordance with his own thoughts rather than one should adjust oneself to the truth. A seeker of truth should have humility like an ocean which keeps its

level low and as such everything flows into it. Prophet Musa demonstrates real humility when he implores Hazrat Khazir “thou teach me something of the (Higher) Truth which thou hast been taught” The most intriguing question about this episode, which has always perplexed my mind, is why didn’t God Himself reveal to Prophet Musa which he wanted to convey to him? I leave its answer to the readers. I have memorized whole of this passage and whenever I recite it, I realize my own insignificance and ignorance. All the feelings I may nurture of knowing something fade away. Why should not one feel so after reading/reciting this passage? This passage, like other passages of the Holy Qur'an, is so superb that whoever ponders its message is mentally overhauled. The knowledge of Allah is infinite. And who knows how much of reality one has grasped. The knowledge which Hazrat Khazir demonstrates is beyond the grasp of Prophet Musa and as such it is beyond the mental horizons of the common man. And how can we know how much of the divine reality has dawned upon us. Rather, how far are we from the truth, is incomprehensible? As Hamlet says to Horatio in Shakespeare’s play ‘Hamlet’ “There’re many more things in the heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Mubashir Hassan S/o M.A. Dar R/o Zirpora Bijbehara Ph. No. 9419924672