Knowing God through intrinsic nature
- Updated On Friday, 15 August 2014
- Written by Ayatullah Misbah Yazdi
- Editor Kawther Rahmani
- Supervisor Sayyed Roohullah Musavi
- Published on Saturday, 31 July 2010
- Hits: 1426 views
- Hits: How do you prove that knowing God is a natural instinct of man and is inherent to him through his intrinsic nature?
In most of the discourses of the saints, gnostics and philosophers we find that knowing God is a natural instinct of man, and something that is inherent to him through his intrinsic nature. In order to understand these definitions one has to define the meaning of intrinsic nature. In Arabic the word "fitrah" is used to imply a "type of creation". Such things, which are related to this intrinsic nature, are called "fitree", and are those things which the creation of an existence necessitate them. We consider those things which are fitree to have three distinctive features: 1. Different creatures all have a similar intrinsic nature within their species, although there may be variations with regards to it being strong or weak. 2. Things related to the intrinsic nature in the course of history have been determined as being permanent and perpetual. 3. The intrinsic nature is self-sufficient and not in need of education or training, however it can be intensified and guided through the assistance of discipline. This intrinsic nature of man can be divided into two parts: a. Cognition related to the intrinsic nature endowed to man and not acquired through learning. b. Those tendencies and impulses, which are related to the intrinsic nature and are essential elements in the creation of every individual. On this basis, if awareness of God is established within every human being throughout history and is not a thing that man needs to acquire through research, then it can be called, "Knowing God through the intrinsic nature". If all humans have the tendency towards worshipping God, then it would be known as, "Worshipping God through the intrinsic nature".