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| Superiority of The Human (Tafdhil
al Insan) Prof Dr. Omar Hassan Kasule, Sr. CRITERION OF SUPERIORITY (MI’IYAAR AL
AFDHALIYYAT) This sub-unit discusses human superiority
over all the rest of creation and does not deal with superiority of one
human over another human. Human creation is special and is superior to all
other creations of Allah. The human is superior to every other living and
non-living thing that Allah created. Allah honored the human above all
other creation (karamat al insan, tafdhil al insan, (17:70). Human history
started with Allah honoring Adam by ordering angels to bow before him
(17:61-62). This indicated human superiority above angels. All other
creations whether living or non-living were placed at the service of
humans and were made subservient to humans (taskhirr). The superiority has
continued all through human history because of special attributes and
capacities that Allah endowed the human with. Human superiority is not
based on body size or physical strength because there are other living
things bigger in size and with stronger muscles. Neither is it any special
anatomical or physiological function because there are many animals that
are superior to humans in smelling, seeing, running, resistance to
infection and other diseases. Human superiority is not a right. It is a
potential that can be developed or can be neglected. Not every single
human individual can claim this superiority. A human achieves the
superiority by fulfilling certain conditions. These conditions are all
subsumed under the concept of consciousness of Allah (taqwah). The most
honored among humans are those with most taqwah (49:13). Only humans of
all Allah's creations can reach the highest levels of taqwah. Taqwah is a
final common pathway for the 4 criteria of human superiority discussed in
this sub-unit: (a) a superior intellect (b) a free will (c) responsibility
(d) morality. The basic potentials are the intellect and the will. The
sense of responsibility and morality determine the quality of the
civilization that is developed; it could be good or bad depending on how
well or badly the intellect and the will are used. Angels do not have the
capacity or the will to disobey Allah at all and they always do what they
are told to do. The taqwah of humans is superior to that of angels because
humans have the capacity to disobey so when they choose to obey Allah they
are undertaking a task much higher challenge. However the high position of
humans is not for all humans. Humans can fall to be the lowest of the low
(asfal safiliin 95:5) and could be worse off than animals (7:179) if they
do not fulfill the criteria of superiority mentioned above. INTELLECT AND KNOWLEDGE (‘AQL AND
‘ILM) Intellect is the most important criterion
of human superiority and the other criteria depend on it either directly
or indirectly. In the absence of the intellect, the rest of the criteria
of superiority lose their significance. The superior human intellect is
due to a better-developed and sophisticated cerebral cortex. The human
cerebral surface area or mass is proportionately the biggest for the body
size. The limited free will enables the human to choose to do good or to
do bad. The intellect and the will in a context of responsibility,
accountability and morality enable the human to build a social order and a
civilization that no other creations are capable of developing. Allah gave
the human an intellect (‘aql) that other creations do not have. We learn
from the story of Sulaiman (PBUH) that animals and insects have faculties
of speech and thought that are sometimes thought to be the preserve of
humans. Many animals like dogs, cats, dolphins, and apes have some
intelligence and a limited ability to learn. They however can not use
their intelligence in a creative and purposive way that humans use their
intelligence. The intellect enables humans analyze,
understand and learn; knowledge is the basis for human action.
Transmission and growth of knowledge from one generation to the next is
the essence of human civilisational growth. Intellect (‘Aql) can enable
the human to get knowledge. Adam’s claim to superiority such that angels
submitted to him was based on the extra knowledge that Allah gave him. His
vicegerancy on earth was based on this knowledge (2:30-34). Humans are
able to extend their intellect in many ways by invention of machines that
carry out intellectual functions sometimes better and faster than humans.
The new field of artificial intelligence is a very exciting adventure. Human control of the physical universe is
made possible by their intellect. Human muscles were used at first but
because of the intellectual ability to cumulate knowledge and experience
over generations, humans made tools that enhanced and multiplied the work
of muscles several-fold and eventually even replaced the muscles
altogether. This process is paralleled in our generation by the
development of the computer that taking over some of the mechanical
functions of the human intellect just as machines took over from human and
animal muscles. Humans are on top of the food chain mainly because of
their superior intellect. The human can use the more sophisticated brain
to manufacture weapons and tools that neutralize or even overcome the
superior physical strength of bigger and stronger living things. Human
civilization is based on ability to manipulate the environment. They are
the only living thing that can deliberately change their ecosystem in a
drastic way to suit what they think are their interests. That is why
humans are able to live in all types of climes. Closely related to intellect is the power
of speech and communication that enables humans to carry out social
intercourse and thus succeed in living in families and communities. The
Qur’an and empirical observations tell us that other living things can
communicate; some even have languages for the Prophet Sulaiman (PBUH)
could talk with animals. However their language and communication do not
reach the sophistication of human language. A sophisticated language
enhances the advantages of a superior intellect by enabling humans to
pool, extend, and exchange ideas and experiences. The human can use the intellect well by
thinking and deliberating on Allah’s creation. Careful observation and
analysis will reveal that the creation is perfect, majestic and that there
are many signs of the creator’s power and majesty (2:164). Good use of
the intellect also includes study of the physical laws (sunan Allah) to
establish causal relations that are the basis for exploitation and use of
the resources of the universe. Human intellect can be used for social
improvement of society. A human can also misuse the intellect.
Those who deny the creator (kufr) or associating others with Allah (shirk)
are misusing their intellect. They are misguided and are misguiding
others. The Qur'an describes kufr as failure to use the intellect ta'atiil
al 'aql (22:46). The intellect can also be misused to cause harm to self,
the society, and the eco-system. Humans can misuse their abilities to an
extent that no other creation can. Humans, are for example, the only
living thing that can undertake deliberate and consistent destruction of
its own kind (genocide). Humans can commit crimes that animals with less
intelligence can not do. For example deliberate genocide with no
physiologic drive or need is a uniquely human attribute. No other creation
of Allah can ever contemplate the evils and destruction that humans are
capable of making. FREE WILL (AL-IRADAH) The human has a will that is defined and is
limited. This will is subservient to Allah’s authority (9:32). The human
is personally accountable for actions done within this limited free will.
Other creations of Allah have no will at all and are therefore not
accountable. Having a free will is an indicator of
maturity. The human is the most developed in the order of creation and
therefore is honored with a free will though it is limited. This can be
likened to the development of the child who is allowed very little free
will when young and inexperienced. With maturation more free will is given
until the child turns into an adult who is free to take the full
responsibility of independence. The secret behind Allah’s endowing humans
with a free will was to test humans on how well they can use that will.
Passing the test would vindicate the superiority of humans. Angels despite
their high position in the order of creation were not given a free will.
The fact that angels can not make a mistake and humans do yet humans were
given the free will indicates the magnitude of honor as well as
responsibility that humans have to bear. Human will can be used positively in
working and preparing for the life hereafter, akhirat (17:19), intending
good ihsan (4:62), reforming islah (11:88), giving nasihat (11:34),
guidance hidayat (6:52), and effort sa'ay (17:10). Human will can also be used negatively for
pursuit of earthly pleasures duniyat (3:152), deception khid’at (8:62),
treachery (khiyanat) (8:71), doing bad suu' (17:103), misguidance dhalal
(4:150), transgression dhulm (22:25), corruption fujuur (75:5) & fasad
(28:83) or just making tricks (kaid) (21:70). In the experience of humans as individuals
and as communities we see examples of good and bad use of human will. The
bad alternates with the good such that there is never an extended time
when the bad predominates all the time and at all places. RESPONSIBILITY (AMANAT) The human is entrusted with trust for which
he is responsible. The term trust is comprehensive and covers ‘ibadat,
iman, the self, the family, the society, and the whole eco-system. It also
extends in time to generations not yet seen. Humans are however not held
responsible for what happened in the past generations. The human unlike
other creations of Allah has many responsibilities (mas’uliyyat) (2:16)
and trust (amanat) (12:11). These responsibilities and trusts are not just
honors; they are obligations that confer honor and dignity if carried out
well. They lead to shame and failure if not discharged properly. Other
creations of Allah, living and non-living, refused the challenge of
bearing the trust and only humans accepted it (33:72). Humans are responsible before Allah (mas’uliyyat
amama Allah) (33:15). They will be asked on the responsibility in the
hereafter on how well they discharged it (su’al al hisab). The
responsibility and accountability before Allah comprises fulfilling
responsibilities to the self, the self, the community, and the universe as
a whole (16:56). Responsibility is meaningless without accountability. Humans must fulfil their trusts (ada al
amanat) (4:58) in order to claim their full humanity. Some humans succeed
in carrying the trust with honesty (haml al amanat) (33:72). Some others
fail in their trusts (khiyanat al amanat) (8:27). It is part of Allah’s
grace that failure does not affect all humans all the time and in all
places. At any one time there is someone somewhere carrying one of the
trusts responsibly. MORALITY (AKHLAQ) Humans are superior to many other creatures
of Allah in that they are capable of choosing on their own free will to
live a moral life. The human ability to choose what is moral and good
confers even more honor and dignity when we consider that humans have a
great potential for evil. Their superior intellect alone enables them to
undertake a range of actions that no other creation can even dream of. Only humans can live according to a
consistent moral order. They can live in societies regulated by a moral
code. The sense of right and wrong, good and bad, is innate in the human
and is constantly reinforced by messages of prophets and revelations. Other creations do not even have a concept
of morality. Their concept of what is good and what is bad is governed by
the simple instincts of the need to survive and self-gratification. Humans have attributes that derive from
their sense of morality and are not found in other creations: love,
loyalty, kindness, and compassion. Human emotions unlike those of animals
are moderated by the sense of morality that humans have. Some individual humans have exemplified
very high levels of morality by seeking to do good even in the most
difficult conditions. They are able to put the interests of others before
their own interests (ithaar). The highest level of this morality is to
seek the ultimate pleasure of Allah (ridha Allâh) DISCUSSION END e-mail: kasule@iiu.edu.my |