Style of Thinking in

Quran

Style of Thinking in the

Quran
Muslims have failed to appreciate
much of the significance and value of
beauty as it is portrayed in the texts of
the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah.
Such texts convey the aesthetic
dimensions of existence through a
variety of images rhetorical styles, and
through descriptions of the creation in
its beauty grandeur. The pursuit of
beauty and its enjoyment are
inseparable from the full experience of
self-realization, which is a natural
extension of the God-given human
nature affirmed in the Quran.

Style of Thinking in the

Quran
Hence, it behooves Muslim
thinkers and leaders to read both
the Quran and the important
texts to be found in the Prophetic
Sunnah with a comprehensive
point of view by means of
which they can penetrate to the
true meanings of both the Quran
and the Sunnah as both pertain to
the significance and role of
creativity, harmony, symmetry,
and beauty in the life of the
individual and the community

The Thinking Style in the Quran

4-Hypothetical TS

Reflective TS
Visual TS
Metaphorical TS
Analogical TS
Caring TS
Perceptual TS
Conceptual TS
Intuitive TS
Factual TS
Motivational TS
not to lose hope of Gods mercy
53 :
(

)
to test Allah
- 154:
(

)
tawakal
- 59:
) (

Inquisitive thinking style

It means asking question, which is

one of the most effective tools in
teaching and learning.
Inquisitive Thinking is a thinking
style which is based on asking
question to know about
something.
Examples:
35:
( )

Inquisitive
The Quran says:
Say, who is it that sustains you in
life from the sky and from the
earth? Or who is it that has
power over hearing and sight?
And who is it that brings out the
living from the dead and the
dead from living? And who is it
that rules and regulates all
affairs? They will soon say,
Allah (SWT), say, Will you not
then show piety to Him(10:31).

Forms of Inquisitive
Questions
Sometimes the Qur`an asks
question and answers the
questions because there are
certain issues that need
correct answer. al-ghayb,
unseen.
The other two thirds kind of
questions in the Qur`an is
where the questions are
given but the answers are not
written, but those answers
are very clear and everyone
knows those answers.

 The third type of the questions is

where the questions are given in
the Qur`an, but we have to make
an effort to find the answer, it
depends on human interpretation.
We have to do testing, further
examination to find the answers.
Any Quranic verse that starts
with: aa, afala, atwi, Are
questions.

Objective thinking
Is the style of thinking which is free
form pre-judgment and self control of
thinking or deviation of its results.
According to the Quran objective
thinking requires:
Seeking proofs for claims.
) 111 :
(
Not to rely on conjecture (zan).
)23 :

(
Condemnation of hawaa.
) 135 : ....

(

Condemnation of blind following.

 We should not follow our

lust, these are all forms of
hawaa.
Sound reasoning proves,
yakeen should be our basis
of belief.
In blind following we follow
without knowing anything,
without any evidence,
something that is not valid.
If we are following
something then we should
be confirmed and satisfied
with what he/she is saying,
we are not following people
we are following the haq.

Scientific Thinking
Scientific thinking means thinking
ability of man through observation,
experiment and hypothesis by using
intellect and senses.
It enables man to realize and
understand the greatness of his
creator, His Essence, His Attribute,
and His Glory.
In the Quran, around 750 verses
have encouraged man to study nature
and find the scientific facts about the
earth, mountains, oceans, the
astronomical world and its parts, and
physical world and its parts.

Scientific
Example1.
Creation of man from dust and
his embryological development
in the mothers womb.22:5
1st Step: Dust + sperm + a clot of
congealed blood +lump +
forming the frame of the body +
covering the body with flesh +
new creation/spirit
2nd Step: child + young +old +
death(22:5)

Scientific
Example2.
Creation of various animals and
functions
Allah (SWT) has created every
animal from water. Some of them
creep on their bellies; some of them
walk on two legs; and some of them
walk on their four legs. Allah (SWT)
creates that He wills, for Allah
(SWT) has power over all
things(24:45)

Scientific
Steps of Scientific Thinking:
- Identify the problem
- Set questions
- Put hypothesis
- Collect data
- Test/experiment
- Interpretation
- Theory
- Generalization
- Scientific law
- Scientific facts.

Metaphorical thinking
Also known as parable thinking
style. It is the use of metaphor.
Where one concept is used to
explain the other one when we
understand the concept ,and
use it to explain another
concept.
It is a way of making
something understandable.
It also discourages us from evil
acts, it makes them look ugly
to us.

Metaphorical thinking
Metaphor: a figure of speech using
close comparison between things that
are not normally treated as if they had
anything in common.
It involves the use of images or
concepts to describe the other field to
suggest certain parallels,
commonalities.
It is also called parable.
Stressing and affirming the oneness of
Allah. Allah puts forth a similitude: a
slave man belonging to many masters
disputing with one another, and a slave
man belonging entirely to one master.
Are those two equal in comparison?
Al-Zumar; 29.

Metaphorical thinking
Proving something which is
beyond the reach of human
perception such as resurrection.
and among his signs that you see
the earth barren, but when we
send down water to it, it stirred up
to life and growth, verily he who
gives it life, surely is able to give
life to the dead on the day of
resurrection. Fussilat: 39.

Discouraging evil acts by

making them appear ugly in the
sight of humankind. The
parable of those who take other
than Allah as their protectors is
that of the spider which makes
itself a house. For behold, the
frailest of all houses is the
spiders house. Al- Ankabout:
41.
Encouraging and promoting good
deeds. the likeness of those who
spend their wealth in the way of Allah
is as the likeness of a grain, it grows
seven ears, and each ear has a hundred
grains. Allah gives many fold increase
to whom he wills. Al- Baqarah: 261

Metaphorical thinking
In another verse: The parable of
those who were graced with the
burden of the Torah, and
thereafter failed to bear this
burden is that of an ass that
carries a load of books.
Calamitous is the parable of
people who are bent upon giving
the lie to Allahs message for
Allah does not bestow his
guidance upon such evildoing
folk.Al-Jumuah: 5

Metaphorical thinking
Warning us not to be misled by
our lifes materialistic temptation.
know that the life of this world is
but a play and a passing delight,
and a beautiful show, and your
boastful vying with one another,
and greed for more and more
riches and children. Its parable is
that of rain: the vegetation, which
it causes to grow, delight the
tillers of the soil; but then it
withers, and thou can see it turn
yellow; and in the end it crumbles
into dust. Al-Hadid:20.

Metaphorical thinking
Comparing the status of those
who are guided with those who
are misguided. Is he who was
dead and we gave him life and
set for him a light whereby he
can walk amongst men, like
him who is in the darkness from
which he can never come out?

 Glorifying Allah and his great

attributes. God is the light of heaven
and the earth. The parable of his light
is that of a niche containing a lamp:
the lamp is in a glass, the glass looks
like a brilliant star, lit from a blessed
tree, an olive, neither of the east nor
of the west, whose oil would almost
glow forth, though no fire touched it.
Light upon light, Allah guides to his
light whom he wills, and Allah set
forth parables for mankind.
In this verse Allah compares his
guidance with the light commonly
used in the house. He teaches us to
use our intellect wisely in order to
search for truth.

Hypothetical thinking style

The use of hypothesis.
The Qur`an uses many hypothesis
where only one is true, so Allah (SWT)
wants us to follow the truth.
Allah can tell us the right way, but
theres a purpose, our minds are locked
towards truth, so these hypotheses
unlocks the mind towards the truth.
E.g. Have they been created of nothing
or have they created themselves or
have they created the heavens, earth
etc, and the other ayah says that Allah
(SWT) is the one who created.
Say: Who gives you sustenance, from the
heavens and the earth? Say: it is Allah; and
certain it is that either we or ye are on right
guidance or in manifest error? (34: 25).
The hypothetical and inquisitive
thinking styles are inter-related
(questions).


(35)

Have they themselves been

created without anything
that have caused the
creation or were perchance
their own creator.(AtTur:35)



( 26)
(27)
Joseph exclaimed: It was she who sought
to make me yield myself unto her! Now
one of those present, of her own
household, suggested, if his tunic is torn
from the front, then she is telling the
truth, and he is a liar. But if his tunic is
torn from behind, then she is lying, and he
is speaking the truth. (Yusuf: 26-27)

And a believing man of Firawns fam

hid his faith said: "would you kill a m
because he says: My Lord is Allah, an
come to you with clear signs (proofs) f
Lord? And if he is a liar, upon him wi
sin of) his lie; but if he is telling the tr
some of that (calamity) wherewith the
you will befall on you. Verily, Allah g
one who is a transgressor and a liar. (

Conceptual
thinking:
This style of thinking is divided to two

categories:
1. Conceptual expansion:
It refers to constructing, stretching,

extending, modifying, and refining

concepts to fit new situations, and
then creating new meanings.
The concept of worship was confined
to mere religious ritual acts, Islam
came to extend the meaning of the
term to include all action that please
God.
The term pray verbally meant to
supplicate, Islam extended it to the
well known Sallah
The term fasting meant to refrain from
something, Islam gave it new meaning.

2. Conceptual
combination
It refers to the combination of two concepts

to produce a new meaning.

The concept Habl Allah which mean: the
bond of Allah: and hold fast, all of you
together unto the rope of Allah and do not
divided among yourself al-Imran: 103.
The concept of Al-Taqua, but the garment of
Allah-consciousness (Taqua) is the best of
all al-Aaraf:26. The best of all provisions is
God-consciosness al-Baqarah: 197.
The concept of relationship between
spouses, they are as a garment for you and
you are as a garment for them. Al- Baqarh :
187
The concept of old age and gray hair the
Quran choose: and my head glittering with
gray hair. Maryam: 4.
The concept of the night and day. the night
as it darkly falls, and the morning as it softly
breathes. Al- Infitar: 17-18.

Visual thinking

It is the use of images in

thinking.
In Qur`an we find many
ayahs where you will find
images.
Something is conveyed to us
in images e.g. about Janna,
about nar.