Our thoughts are dialectical process
Like everything in the Universe, all our thoughts are also emerging, growing and waning by strictly following the universal laws of dialectics, i.e., through union and conflict of opposing forces in nature.
Dialectics of thought is the process whereby a thought develops: by stating an idea, which is followed by an opposing idea, and then resolving their conflict by combining them into a new idea. In other words, it is the natural transition of thought, by contradiction and reconciliation, from an initial concept (thesis) to its opposite (antithesis) and then to a new, higher conception that involves but transcends both of them (synthesis).
As a method of arriving at the truth, the triad has been used in ‘dialectical reasoning’ since the time of ancient Hindu philosophers like Upanishadic rishis and Greek philosophers like Zeno, Socrates and Plato. Hegel describes the triad in the following way: ▪ The thesis is an intellectual proposition. ▪ The antithesis i
Antithesis means a direct contrast or exact opposition to something. Hell is the antithesis of Heaven; disorder is the antithesis of order….
s simply the negation of the thesis, a reaction to the proposition. ▪ The synthesis solves the conflict between the thesis and antithesis by reconciling their common truths, forming a new proposition. It is the negation of the negation. Examples include: being → non-being → becoming; subjective → objective → absolute; symbolic → classical → romantic and so on. Since Marx identified reality with thought, he believed that the same triadic movement is to be found in nature, cultural progress, history and socio-economics. See various meanings of dialectics.
The Quran on the dialectics of thought
Please observe how the Quranic text below refers to dialectics of thought (42:5, 42:8, 42:10), while associating it with universal dialectics as the actual source of infinite diversity of mankind’s intellectual universe (42:4, 42:11). Please note how the text further associates it with Universal dialectics in the living world (42:11) and dialectics in socio-economics (42:12):
To Him belongs whatsoever is in the Heavens and whatsoever is in the Earth, and He is the High, the Great. 42:4/ The Heavens are about to rent asunder from above themselves; and the controllers hymn the praise of their Sustainer and seek protection for those on Earth: Behold! Verily God is the Protecting, the Merciful. 42:5 …/ Now had God so willed, He could surely have made them all one single community. … 42:8 …/ And on whatever you may differ the judgment thereon rests with God. Such is God, my Sustainer: in Him I put my trust, and unto Him I turn. 42:10/ The Originator (Splitter) of the Heavens and the Earth. He has made for you from yourselves opposites, and from the livestock opposites, multiplying you thereby. Nothing like a likeness of Him; and He alone is all-hearing, all-seeing. 42:11/ To Him belong the treasures of the Heavens and the Earth: He enlarges and restricts the provision to whomever He wills: for, behold, He has full knowledge of everything. 42:12
Reflections on the above verses
Let us contemplate over a few points here, looking into the interconnected messages:
42:4, with the duality in expression about the Heavens and the Earth1, alludes to the universality of dialectics, which is supported by a similar duality in 42:11.
42:5 states that natural forces seek protection for the whole mankind. As allegorically expressed here, the ‘controllers’ that “praise their Sustainer who is the Protecting, the Merciful” “seek protection for those on Earth”, irrespective of their religious and other backgrounds. These natural forces are apparently the same ones that ‘resist’ the gravitational collapse in order to withhold the Heavens from crunching centripetally, which is further evidenced in a very similar text, 22:65-67. This promotion of religious diversity and spiritual pluralism appears throughout the Quran2. See The Quran promotes religious pluralism.
Then 42:8 clarifies the reason natural forces seek protection for the whole mankind. It is because man, though originally one single race as ‘Homo sapiens’, has undergone significant socio-cultural and ideological diversification, which as a fact of life is intended by the Divinity Himself (cf. 10:19). This awareness about the diversity of humanity with all its heterogeneity appears in the Quran recurrently, and always in a positive tone3.
Then 42:10 suggests that the diversity in thought is entirely natural and that any final verdict in all our debates and all the differences in our opinions needs to be ultimately left to God alone. We can observe this constant acknowledgement of pluralism throughout the Quran4.
In this context that identifies human diversity and pluralism as natural and God-intended, please read the immediately following verse 42:11. By mentioning the Universal dialectics in the living world, this alludes to the idea that the source of this diversity in opinions and development of thought is itself a dialectics, i.e., union and conflict of opposites, which is universal and which is at the very basis of the creation and development of cosmos and life and mind5.
Then finally read 42:12. After creating a dialectical context in the first few verses of chapter 42, the description here extends to the duality between ‘the rich and the poor’, thus alluding to the thesis-antithesis cycle of socio-economics6.
To sum up, the passage above starts with the universality of duality in ‘the Heavens and the Earth’ (42:4; cf. 42:11, 42:12), and then declares that natural Forces ‘seek forgiveness’ for the whole mankind from an ever-forgiving God (42:5), because human pluralism is divinely intended (42:8) and because diversity in society in opinions and ideas is also entirely natural (42:10). It then further asserts that this ‘dialectics of thought’ is simply a part of the universal dialectics, i.e., union and conflict of opposites, which is the ultimate source of evolution of Universe and life and mind (42:11) as well as of all socio-economic development (42:12).
It is interesting to observe how these parallel references here to various aspects of dialectics – dialectics of thought, universal dialectics, dialectics in nature and historical dialectics – together constitute a unified dialectical concept.
Please note that, in the same way, the Quran repetitively associates the dialectics of thought (42:4-12, 53:42-48, 91:1-10, 92:1-13) – that leads to the infinite diversity of human minds – with the laws of universal dialectics (30:22, 36:36, 42:4-12, 43:12, 51:49). Elsewhere, it draws an analogy between the infinite diversity and depth of humanity’s intellectual Universe and those of the physical cosmos, while depicting both of them as complicated webs (51:7-8). See Mind and the Universe.
This diversity of minds – which has been expressing itself as various religions, cultures, concepts, views and visions throughout the ages and the places – is, according to the Quran, not only something natural as divinely intended, but also profoundly beautiful. See One light (the Truth) is split into many colours (a truth’s).
Summary
The Quran associates the dialectics of thought – that leads to the infinite diversity of human minds – with the laws of universal dialectics.
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Note 1
42:4, with the duality in expression in “whatsoever is in the Heavens and whatsoever is in the Earth”, alludes to the universality of dialectics, which is further maintained by a similar duality in expression in “The Originator of the Heavens and the Earth … 42:11”.
Note 2
Then 42:5 states that natural forces seek protection for the whole mankind: The Heavens are about to rent asunder from above themselves (downwards); and the controllers hymn the praise of their Sustainer and seek protection for those on Earth: Behold! Verily God is the Protecting, the Merciful. 42:5. As allegorically expressed here, the ‘controllers’ that “praise their Sustainer who is the Protecting, the Merciful” “seek protection for those on Earth”, irrespective of their religious and other backgrounds. These natural forces are apparently the same ones that ‘resist’ the gravitational collapse in order to withhold the Heavens from crunching centripetally, which is further evidenced in a very similar text, 22:65-67 (please note the identical ideas and similar words ‘Compassionate, Merciful’): He withholds the Heaven from falling on the Earth except by His leave: for God is Compassionate, Merciful to man. / He is the One who gave you life, then He makes you die, then He gives you life. Yet, ungrateful is man!/ For every community We have made way of dedication they are dedicated to. So do not let the matter fall into dispute, but summon them to your Sustainer: for, behold, you are on the right path. 22:65-67. This promotion of religious diversity and spiritual pluralism is found throughout the Quran, e.g.: Of each one He knows its own way of worship and glorification. And God is Aware of what they do. 24:41; cf. 2:148, 5:48, 10:47, 10:74, 13:38, 16:36, 16:63 and 16:84.
Note 3
Then 42:8 clarifies the reason natural forces seek protection for the whole mankind. It is because man, though originally one single race as ‘Homo sapiens’, has undergone significant socio-cultural and ideological diversification, which as a fact of life is intended by the Divinity Himself: Now had God so willed, He could surely have made them all one single community… 42:8 (cf. Mankind was but one nation; then they differed. Had it not been for a word that went forth before from your Lord, their differences would have been settled between them. 10:19). This awareness about the diversity of humanity with all its heterogeneity appears in the Quran recurrently, and always in a positive tone (e.g. 5:48, 11:118, 16:93, 42:8, 49:13).
Note 4
Then 42:10 suggests that the diversity in thought is entirely natural and that any final verdict in all our debates and all the differences in our opinions needs to be ultimately left to God alone. We can observe this constant acknowledgement of pluralism throughout the Quran: 2:38, 2:62, 2:111-112, 2:135-136, 2:256, 3:64, 3:113, 3:199, 4:124-125, 5:48, 5:69, 6:149, 7:35, 10:19, 10:47, 10:74, 10:99-100, 11:118, 13:31, 13:38, 16:9, 16:13, 16:36, 16:63, 16:84, 16:93, 22:40, 22:65-67, 24:35, 24:41, 29:46, 29:69, 30:22, 35:19-28, 42:4-12, 49:13 and 92:1-4.
Note 5
In this context that identifies human diversity and pluralism as natural and God-intended (42:5-10), please read the immediately following verse: The Originator of the Heavens and the Earth. He has made for you from yourselves opposites, and from the livestock opposites, multiplying you thereby. Nothing like a likeness of Him; and He alone is all-hearing, all-seeing. 42:11. By mentioning the Universal dialectics in the living world, this alludes to the idea that the source of this diversity in opinions and development of thought is itself a dialectics, i.e., union and conflict of opposites, which is universal and which is at the very basis of the creation and development of cosmos and life and mind (‘multiplying you thereby’).
Note 6
Then finally read the last verse: To Him belong the treasures of the Heavens and the Earth: He enlarges and restricts the provision to whomever He wills: for, behold, He has full knowledge of everything. 42:12. After creating a dialectical context in the first few verses of chapter 42, the description here extends to the duality between ‘the rich and the poor’, thus alluding to the thesis-antithesis cycle of socio-economics.
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