A WORK OF WISDOM (I:1-3)

Philosophy of religion is philosophical wisdom in its highest sense. There are many specialized wisdom, but the highest is that which considers the first causes of the universe and divine truth as far as we can know it. The task of the wise person is to explore and affirm divine truth and at the same time refute opposing errors. Among all human pursuits, this task is the most perfect, most noble, most useful and most full of joy.

It is the most perfect because, in so far as one gives oneself to the pursuit of wisdom, so far does one even now have some share in true beatitude. "Blessed is the one who meditates on wisdom" (Sirach 14:20); "Whoever is given wisdom is given a great blessing" (Qur’ân 2:269).

It is more noble because through this pursuit one especially approaches to a likeness to God, who "made all things in wisdom" (Ps 104:24); "Blessed be God the best Creator" (Qur’ân 23:14). Since likeness is the cause of love, the pursuit of wisdom surely joins one to God in friendship. That is why it is said of wisdom that "she is an inexhaustible treasure to men, and those who acquire it win God’s friendship" (Wisdom 7:14); "God was pleased with them, and they were pleased with God, that is, they who respect God" (Qur’ân 98:8).

It is more useful because through wisdom we arrive at the kingdom of immortality. "Honor wisdom, so that you may reign forever" (Wisdom 6:21); "This is the straight path of your Lord; we favored with signs the people who recall them; they have an abode of peace with their Lord . . ." (Qur’ân 6:166-7).

It is more full of joy because "nothing is bitter in her company; when life is shared with her there is no pain, nothing but pleasure and joy" (Wisdom 8:16); "There they hear no offence, but only ‘peace’; there they receive blessing morning and evening" (Qur’ân 19:62).

THAT REASON CAN REACH (I:4)

There are some intelligible truths about God that are open to human reason; there are others that absolutely surpass its power. This book concentrates on the former. We could ask, if some truths about God can be known by reason, whether it was useless for them also to be revealed. But if people were left to discover these truths by themselves, without revelation, there would be three undesirable consequences:

The first is that few men would possess the knowledge of God, because most people suffer from any of three impediments: First, many people do not have the ability or frame of mind to apply themselves to serious study; however much they tried, they would be unable to reach the highest level of human knowledge which consists in knowing God. Secondly, others are deterred from pursuing this truth by the necessities imposed upon them by their daily lives. For some men must devote themselves to taking care of temporal matters. Such men would not be able to give so much time to the leisure of contemplative inquiry as to reach the highest peak at which human investigation can arrive, namely, the knowledge of God. Finally, there are some who are deterred by laziness. That is because metaphysics, which deals with divine things, is the last part of philosophy to be learned, and it presupposes much other knowledge that can be had only with a great deal of labour. Those who wish to undergo such labour are few, even though God has inserted into the minds of men a natural appetite for knowledge.

The second consequence is that those who would succeed in discovering this knowledge about God would barely reach it after a great deal of time. That is because divine truth is very deep and it presupposes a long training in other subjects. Secondly, young people are distracted by other interests and ambitions and seldom have the emotional tranquillity necessary for the study of such lofty truth. So, if reason were the only way to know God, the human race would remain in the darkest shadows of ignorance. For then the knowledge of God, which makes men perfect and good, would come to be possessed only by a few, and these few would require a long time in order to reach it.

The third undesirable consequence is due to the fact that human reason is prone to error. This is because of the weakness of our intellect in judgment and the admixture of imagination, which obscure the force of reason, and weakness of will which prevents us from following the truth. We can observe among philosophers that each one teaches his own brand of doctrine. So, to exclude error from our ideas of God, it was necessary that pure and certain truth concerning divine things should be presented to us by way of revelation.

Therefore it is written: "All your children will be taught by Yahweh" (Isaiah 54:13); "Since you believe, think of God, since he has taught you what you did not know" (Qur’ân 2:239).

THAT REASON CANNOT DEMONSTRATE (I:5-6)

As will be shown later, divine providence ordained humans towards a higher good than human weakness can experience in this present life. It is necessary for the human mind to be taught something about this goal, so that it will desire it and zealously strive for it.

Likewise, even the most imperfect knowledge about the most noble realities brings the greatest perfection to the soul. Therefore, although human reason cannot grasp fully the truths that are above it, yet, if it somehow holds these truths at least by faith, it acquires great perfection for itself.

Therefore it is written: "What you have been taught already exceeds the scope of the human mind" (Sirach 3:23); "We do not know; only You are knowledgeable about the mysteries" (Qur’ân 5:109).

The acceptance of revelation, however, should not be a blind leap in the dark. Divine Wisdom reveals its own presence, as well as the truth of its teaching and inspiration, by fitting arguments. It also confirms its teaching by visible manifestations of divine power that surpass the ability of all nature. The greatest miracle is to find people, even in the midst of persecution, assenting to truths that surpass all human understanding and which draw people away from the pleasures of the flesh and the things of the world.

"God himself confirmed their witness with signs and marvels and miracles of all kinds, and by distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the various ways he wills" (Hebrews 2:4); "We have sent down manifest signs, but God guides those he wishes" (Qur’ân 22:16).

REVELATION AND REASON ARE NOT OPPOSED (I:7-8)

There are certain basic truths that human reason is naturally endowed to know. Although revelation surpasses the capacity of human reason, nevertheless it cannot be opposed to these truths. For the basic truths that human reason knows are so clear that it is impossible for us to think of such truths as false. Nor is it permissible to believe as false that which we hold by faith, since this is confirmed by divine authority.

Furthermore, God has implanted in us knowledge of the principles that are known to us naturally, for God is the author of our nature. Therefore whatever is opposed to them cannot come from God, and what comes from God by way of revelation cannot be contrary to our natural knowledge.

Thus we conclude that whatever arguments are brought forward against the doctrines of faith are conclusions incorrectly derived from the first and self-evident principles imbedded in nature. Such conclusions do not have the force of demonstration; they are arguments that are either probable or sophistical. And so, they can be refuted.

PROCEDURE (I:9)

This book will not discuss teachings that are based solely on revelation. Rather, it will investigate the truth which faith (both Christian and Muslim) professes and reason also can investigate. This we shall do by bringing forward both demonstrative and probable arguments, some of which are drawn from the books of Greek and Arab philosophers, that truth may be strengthened and error overcome.

The subject of this book is God, as he can be investigated by human reason. Toward this goal, the first consideration is what belongs to God in himself. The second consideration is the emanation of creatures from God. The third is the ordering of creatures to God as their end.

Among the inquiries concerning God in himself, the first is his existence. For, if we do not demonstrate that God exists, all consideration of divine things is necessarily futile.