Library Islam Islam: Faith, Practice & History Part III: History Lesson 48 4. IshÄq al-Kindi & the Qur’Än
4. IshÄq al-Kindi & the Qur’Än
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4. IshÄq al-Kindi & the Qur’Än
IshÄq al-Kindi was a famous philosopher known for materialistic views about the world and religion. Once he started writing a book in which he intended to show the contradictions in the holy Qur’Än.
One day, some students of his came to visit Imam Hasan al-‘Askari (a.s.). The Imam: “Isn’t there anyone among you who can stop your teacher from such a useless task?”
The student: “We are his students; how can we stop him from what he is doing?”
The Imam: “Are you prepared to convey to him the argument that I would teach you?”
The students: “Yes, of course.”
The Imam: “Be courteous towards him and gain his confidence. Then tell him that you have a question about his work. When he permits you to ask the question, say: ‘If the Writer of the Qur’Än comes to you; is there a possibility that what He intends by His words was different from what you have understood?’
“He [i.e., IshÄq Kindi] will obviously say, ‘Yes, it is quite possible.’ Then you should say, ‘With that possibility in mind, how can you be sure that what you have understood from the Qur’Än is really the intent of the of the Qur’Än? Isn’t it possible that the Writer of the Qur’Än means something different from what you have understood?’”
Having learnt this argument from the Imam, the students went to al-Kindi. At the right moment, one of the students present the argument they had learnt from Imam al-‘Askari (a.s.). IshÄq al-Kindi asked the student to repeat the question. After thinking for a while, al-Kindi replied, “What you say is quite possible.”
IshÄq al-Kindi knew the intellectual level of his students. So he asked, “How did this idea come to you?”
The student: “It just came to my mind, and so I asked you.”
Al-Kindi: “You are incapable to get such ideas; now, tell me the truth where did you get this idea?”
The student: “Abu Muhammad (al-‘Askari) has taught us this.”
Al-Kindi: “Now you have uttered the truth. Such ideas cannot emerge from anywhere but that family!” Then al-Kindi got rid of whatever he had written on the contradictions in the Qur’Än.
