A060
Surah: 008 - Ayah: 060
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8:60
In verse (8:60) the way in which the comprehensive command is given to prepare to protect and defend Islam, it is clear that through heavenly help whatever material power it is possible to obtain, first and foremost and to the greatest extent possible, should be with Muslims. It is obvious that such power can only be obtained through scientific inventions. It is not our purpose here to discuss to what extent we Muslims have progressed in science compared to others, or to what extent we have been left behind and what the causes for this might be. Our purpose is to draw attention to the fact that these marvellous instruments and their miracles which have appeared in front of us as a result of scientific thinking and practice, are useful not only from an external and material point of view, but that their greatest use is internal and spiritual. That is, there are so many analogies and similarities in them to the spirit and spirituality, that in their light a wise person can attain the knowledge of certainty about soul. For by the way in which God has considered them His signs, their main purpose is to obtain knowledge of the certainty of spirit and spirituality. Here, by signs are meant miracles, for as God says: "Soon We will show them Our signs in the external world and in their own souls until it becomes manifest to them that He is the Truth" (41:53). In this Divine teaching which is full of the wisdoms of matter and soul, is not only the prophecy of today’s scientific progress and of glad tidings of tomorrow’s spiritual revolution, but it is also alluded in this verse that scientific miracles will appear first and then will come the cycle of spiritual miracles so that by reflecting upon these miracles, people will attain the happiness of the recognition of self and that of God.
Wisdom 18
One might wonder at the fact that, along with many other sciences, the science of symbolism also exists in the noble Qur’an. Allah the Knowing, the Wise, likes symbols. The term "symbol" is synonymous with revelation. As an example let us refer to verse (8:60); "And prepare against them (unbelievers) what force you can and horses tied at the frontier". Thus, here the term "force (power)" is an indeterminate symbol in which all the forces of war of all times have been mentioned.
All the quotations, matters and rites of religion which are present among us now, existed in the time of Prophet in two forms, some manifested actually and some existed potentially and thus were hidden. Also there are innumerable things in religion which have appeared after the time of the Prophet: such as the current script of the holy Qur’an, its diacritical marks (acrab), signs and symbols, translations, exegeses, and all other sciences related to it, the current script of hadis, jurisprudence and its principles, Imamate, khilafat, Islamic kingdom and related laws, the concepts and beliefs of the people of tariqat (sufis) and their terminologies and esoteric meanings (ta’wils), and many other sciences and their inventions which are being incorporated in religion after the scientific revolution, for example telephone, telegram, loud speaker, radio, newspaper, television, train, motor, airplane etc. Thus, it is clear that a thing which is invented after the time of the Prophet of Islam and if it is beneficial from a religious aspect, it is not prohibited by God and the Prophet, as the exoteric and esoteric guidance of the wise Qur’an encourages and motivates to strengthen Islam by making use of all permissible and appropriate means. As God says:
“And prepare against them what force you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah's way, it will be repaid to you fully and you shall not be treated unjustly” (8:60)
This verse has been referred 1 times.