THE SYSTEM OF NATURE

Before Islam, human history spans nearly 25,000 years, yet during this long period, humanity made no significant intellectual progress. All intellectual and scientific advancements began only after Islam dismantled the ancient systems of monarchical oppression and introduced an era of intellectual freedom.

The reason for this is that intellectual development always takes place through exchanging ideas. In systems characterised by oppression or blind imitation, this exchange is entirely disrupted. This concern is reflected in a statement often attributed to the American writer Walter Lippmann (1889–1974): “When all think alike, no one thinks very much.”

The truth is that the world of facts is limitless, but an individual mind can only think within a limited scope. Therefore, in an environment of oppression and imitation, everyone will only possess limited understanding. In contrast, when people are free to think and speak, the exchange of ideas begins. Now, each person starts learning from others, and collectively, people gain much more knowledge. In a society where everyone thinks within their own limited view, however, the overall awareness of the people will remain restricted.

When people are granted the freedom to think and speak openly, differences of opinion are inevitable. People will critique each other’s perspectives. This critical process is an essential part of intellectual growth. The end of criticism does not merely mean the absence of critique; it means the end of intellectual progress. In reality, our choice is not between criticism and no criticism, but between criticism and intellectual stagnation. If you shut down criticism, what remains is not just a lack of critique, but intellectual stagnation.

Intellectual freedom is in harmony with the natural order, while intellectual restrictions disrupt it.