Ali Shari'ati (1933-1977)

For what reasons, according to Ali Shari’ati, should Islam be appreciated as a tradition that appreciates the nobility of humankind?

Vicegerent of God

Looked up to by the angels

Dignity of human beings’ capacity for scientific knowledge

Dignity of the spiritual side of human nature

Why, according to Ali Shari’ati, is symbolic language important to religion?

Ali Shari'ati, On the Sociology of Islam

"Man and Islam"

Modern Western humanism arose as a reaction to scholastic philosophy and medieval Christianity (70.1). This talk is to address the question of whether Islam portrays man as powerless before God or as noble (70.2). I will use the doctrine of creation to illuminate the concept of man--only Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (70.3).

The language of religion is symbolic: more versatile, multi-faceted, profound and eternal than a clear but one-dimensional exposition, tied a way of thinking for one class of people (educated or uneducated), for one generation (71.1). In addition, symbols enable meanings to be carried forward by generations that do not clearly understand them, lacking the human and natural sciences (72.1-2).

In Islam, God proposes, against the angels who predict human violence, to create man as his viceregent on earth (72.3-73.2). Symbolic language begins: Man was created out of clay, and God breathed "some of his own spirit into the clay" (73.3). Thus man combines two contradictory elements, the most base and the most sacred, the inclination to stagnation and immobility, and the aspiration to ascend to God. Therefore the struggle takes place until "finally he chooses one of the poles as the determinant for his destiny" (73.4-74.2).

God teaches man the names (and the angels, created from light are commanded to fall down before man). This unique quality of knowledge shows the nobility of man in Islam; true humanism is a matter of knowledge, not descent (74.3-75.1).

The equality of men and women is implied (pace Nietzsche), moreover, in the correct translation of the creation account, both in Hebrew and in Arabic: Eve was created from Adam's nature, disposition, or constitution (not rib) (75.2-76.1).

According to the Qur'an, only man chose to accept God's trust, thereby demonstrating his unique likeness to God--and capacity to become like God--through the exercise of his will. "He can act either in accordance with his intelligence or in opposition to it. He is free to be good or to be evil, to resemble mud or to resemble God . . . to obey or rebel" (76.2-77.1).

The following conclusions can be drawn: All men are brothers, having a uniform nature and disposition, originating from a single source, whatever their color; man and woman are equal and are brothers and sisters, descended from the same mother and father; man's superiority is a function of his capacity and need to be responsible for his own destiny by the wise use of scientific knowledge (symbolized by the names of creatures taught to Adam) (77.2-6).

Islam, unlike other worldly-oriented or spiritually-oriented religions, has a balanced recognition of the two-dimensional nature of man (78.1-80.1). "To understand any religion, one must study its God, its Book, its Prophet, and the best individuals whom it has nurtured." God in Islam has the stern justice of the God of the Jews and the merciful compassion of the God of Jesus. The Qur'an has social, economic, political, and military teachings as well as ethical and spiritual teachings. Muhammad unites political struggle and spirituality. Three of his companions were "men of the sword, concerned with improving their society, men of justice, and at the same time, great men of thought and feeling" (80.2-7). "In Islam man is not humbled before God, for he is the partner of God, His friend, the bearer of His trust upon earth. He enjoys affinity with God, has been instructed by Him, and seen . . . angels fall . . . before him." Two-dimensional man, bearing the burden of such responsibility, needs a two-dimensional religion (81.1).

"Anthropology"

In the Qur'an, the biological terms used elsewhere (sperm, drops of clotted blood, fetus) are not used to speak of the creation of Adam, the representative of the essence of the human race. In symbolic language "clay" refers to "lowness, stagnation and absolute passivity"; "Spirit of God" expresses "an endless movement toward perfection and infinite exaltation" (88.1). These two elements make man a place of struggle (88.2-89.2).

"God or the spirit of God, which represents absolute and infinite purity, beauty, splendor, power, creativity, awareness, vision, knowledge, love, mercy, will, freedom, independence, sovereignty and eternity, is present in man as a potentiality, an attraction that draws him toward the summit, to the glory of the heavens; as an ascension toward the sphere of God's sovereignty and being nurtured with the attributes and characteristics of God, as far as knowledge will reach. Aware of all the secrets of nature, man becomes a power enjoying kingship over the world; in front of him there bow down in submission all material and spiritual forces, earth and heaven, the sun and the moon, and even God's angels, including the highest among them. Man is thus a creature and a creator, a servant and a master; he is a conscious, seeing, creative, decisive, knowing, wise, purposeful, pure and exalted will, the bearer of God's trust and His viceregent on earth, an eternal creature of paradise" (89.3).

. . .

"This movement is from clay toward God, but where is God? God is in infinity. Man, then, can never attain a final resting place and take up residence in God. The distance between clay and God is the distance that man travels in his search for perfection; but he travels unceasingly, in ascent and upward striving to Him Who is infinite, unbounded and unlimited. Thus the movement of man is from infinite lowliness toward infinite exaltation, and the destination is God, the spirit of God, eternity; it is impossible for him ever to stop! (93.1)

"How disgraceful, then, are all fixed standards" (93.2).

Islam’s harmonization of both sides of human nature enables humankind to fulfill its great responsibilities

"Man is a theomorphic being in exile" (95.2).