Does religion close your mind and make you intolerant?

By Cinthia Mascarell

“Religious people are closed-minded, religious people are fanatical, intolerant, religious people can not accept criticism and are not open to conversation, so if we get rid of religion, then we will have an open-minded society in which people can think for themselves.”

Their accusation is true for many religions that made their way through Europe. But the Islam that God gave to His Prophet (peace be upon him) is exactly the opposite of that. It is a religion that challenges and invites to dialogue: “Produce an evidence for what you are claiming, if what you say is true!” (Quran 2: 111). Our Book, our Quran, is not limited to just ask us to have faith, but it defies all criticism. Gather them all together and bring them! This is what you call an open mind. They are saying that the solution is to get rid of religion. I say that the solution is to bring the true religion.

Islam greatly values the use of reason. With it, humans become responsible for their actions, through it they know the Creator and perceive His Greatness. When the Qur’an addresses to humanity, it always speaks to those who reason, ordering them to meditate and look at the universe.

And He has made subservient to you, [as a gift] from Himself, all that is in the heavens and on earth: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think! (Qur’an 45:13)

One of the greatest benefits that Islam can grant to the modern world, where the divisions between reason and revelation or science and religion have become almost irreconcilable, is to represent this possibility of union between revelation and reason as it is found in the Qur’an.

According to Islam, it is precisely reason that keeps man on the right path and prevents him from going astray. This is why so many verses of the Qur’an equate those who are misguided with those who can not use their intellect.

and men who have hearts with which they fail to grasp the truth, and eyes with which they fail to see, and ears with which they fail to hear. They are like cattle -nay, they are even less conscious of the right way: it is they, they who are the [truly] heedless! (Qur’an 7:179)

The disuse of reason is considered in Islam a sin. According to the Qur’an, unbelievers will repent on Judgment Day for having ignored reason.

And they will add: “Had we but listened [to those warnings], or [at least] used our own reason, we would not [now] be among those who are destined for the blazing flame!” (Qur’an 67:10)

Likewise, Islam is for people who have the courage to think, judge and act for themselves. It includes reasoning and experience and morals, and rejects blind faith.

“Can they who know and they who do not know be deemed equal?” [But] only they who are endowed with insight keep this in mind! (Qur’an 39:9)

Will they not, then, ponder over this Qur’an? – or are there locks upon their hearts? (Qur’an 47:24)

In this way God makes clear unto you His messages, so that you might reflect (Qur’an 2:219)