The Role of Reason in Distinguishing Good from Evil
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Question:
Yes. We ask the Shaykh to please elaborate on the issue of the role of reason in distinguishing good from evil and in judgment, citing the evidence. What is your view of those who say that reason has no role in distinguishing good from evil and in judgment?
Answer:
This is a matter that is not among the issues whose explanation is straightforward, for it is one of the difficult issues of the scholars of kalam and the Mu'tazilah. There are three positions on it. The first position is that reason independently knows the distinction between good and evil. This is the view of the Mu'tazilah, who say that reason independently perceives whether a thing is good or whether it is evil. This is the view of the Mu'tazilah, and it is an invalid view. The second position is that reason has no role in distinguishing good from evil; rather, this belongs to the Shari'ah alone. They even said that if the Shari'ah had permitted riba (usury or interest), it would become good. If it had permitted khamr (intoxicants), it would become good. If it had forbidden dates and barley, they would become forbidden. Reason has no role in this. This is the view of the Asha'irah. As for the people of the Sunnah and the community, they took a middle path in this matter. They said that reason knows the distinction between good and evil, but it does not do so independently. Rather, one must turn to the Shari'ah. What the Shari'ah rules to be good is good, and reason perceives from the news that it is evil. It perceives that the Shari'ah has made the mosque forbidden, and reason perceives that the mosque is an abomination and that it is evil. Does it perceive this or not? What the Shari'ah forbids, in most cases, reason studies the wisdom behind it.
And what it permits, in most cases—though not always—reason perceives the benefits in it. So reason is not completely isolated, as the Asha'irah say, nor is it completely independent, as the Mu'tazilah say. Rather, reason perceives, but it does not judge independently. The Shari'ah is necessary for that; it is the Shari'ah that rules on what is lawful and what is forbidden. But reason knows the secrets, causes, and wisdoms in that. This is the middle position. It is said that this means that whoever holds this view has agreed with the Asha'irah in this; he has agreed with them. Yes.
Yes. We ask the Shaykh to please elaborate on the issue of the role of reason in distinguishing good from evil and in judgment, citing the evidence. What is your view of those who say that reason has no role in distinguishing good from evil and in judgment?
Answer:
This is a matter that is not among the issues whose explanation is straightforward, for it is one of the difficult issues of the scholars of kalam and the Mu'tazilah. There are three positions on it. The first position is that reason independently knows the distinction between good and evil. This is the view of the Mu'tazilah, who say that reason independently perceives whether a thing is good or whether it is evil. This is the view of the Mu'tazilah, and it is an invalid view. The second position is that reason has no role in distinguishing good from evil; rather, this belongs to the Shari'ah alone. They even said that if the Shari'ah had permitted riba (usury or interest), it would become good. If it had permitted khamr (intoxicants), it would become good. If it had forbidden dates and barley, they would become forbidden. Reason has no role in this. This is the view of the Asha'irah. As for the people of the Sunnah and the community, they took a middle path in this matter. They said that reason knows the distinction between good and evil, but it does not do so independently. Rather, one must turn to the Shari'ah. What the Shari'ah rules to be good is good, and reason perceives from the news that it is evil. It perceives that the Shari'ah has made the mosque forbidden, and reason perceives that the mosque is an abomination and that it is evil. Does it perceive this or not? What the Shari'ah forbids, in most cases, reason studies the wisdom behind it.
And what it permits, in most cases—though not always—reason perceives the benefits in it. So reason is not completely isolated, as the Asha'irah say, nor is it completely independent, as the Mu'tazilah say. Rather, reason perceives, but it does not judge independently. The Shari'ah is necessary for that; it is the Shari'ah that rules on what is lawful and what is forbidden. But reason knows the secrets, causes, and wisdoms in that. This is the middle position. It is said that this means that whoever holds this view has agreed with the Asha'irah in this; he has agreed with them. Yes.
Source
التحسين والتقبيح العقلي — alfawzan.live
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