1. THE TRUTH

There is a story about four blind men who wanted to know about the elephant. An elephant was brought to them. The first person came forward and touched the animal’s tail. He thought that the elephant is like a rope. The second person touched its leg and thought that it is like a tree. The third person touched its ivory and thought that it is like a spear. The fourth person touched its trunk and thought it is a moving round tube.
Since each of them used one sense only, namely, the sense of touch, each one had a limited perception of the elephant. Each of them would hold his opinion and would say that others are wrong. Had they possessed the sense of sight, they would have seen that each of them had touched only a small part of the animal and did not have a full concept of the elephant. With the help of another sense, in this case, the sense of sight, they will have a broader understanding than by using one sense only, here, the sense of touch. The more senses we use the more understanding we shall have.
If we compare our senses to the notes of a musical instrument, such as a piano, we have five notes only. Some people are said to possess a kind of mysterious ability called ‘the sixth sense”. Their brains are said to have the ability to perceive the message transmitted by the brain waves of others. However, we have not heard a person who claimed to possess the seventh sense. Compared to the piano, our ”instrument” is very poor, since it has no more than six notes only, if the sixth sense it accepted as genuine.
Our senses are not fully reliable. They can make mistakes. Therefore, they have to pass the test called the judgement of reason. Our sense of sight, for example, tells us that the moon is much bigger than the stars, but our reason holds the opposite view. When we become ill, everything tastes bitter, even honey.
The language we use to express our judgement and ideas is very limited. How can we explain the colour to the blind and the sound to the deaf, not to mention the beauty of the Rocky Mountain scenery and the melody of a Mozart symphony? We cannot even explain the sweetness of honey.
We may speak the same language, but this does not guarantee that we understand each other properly. We may feel that we are speaking in different languages because of our different level of knowledge and understanding. Let us suppose that an astronaut is landing on a certain planet silimar to the earth somewhere in this universe inhabited by primitive beings. Let us imagine a conversation between the astronaut and an intelligent being on that planet which runs as follows:
Astronaut: “Hello, sir, I come from a planet in the solar system called the earth, its population is over five billions. It was the 21th century when I left it”
Primitive being: “I am from a cave over there, and I have no idea as to the earth, population and century. What are you wearing?”
Astronaut: “It is a space suit.”
Primitive being: “What kind of animal skin was it made from?”
Astronaut: “It is not made of animal skin, but of a synthetic fabric manufactured in the factory. Its safety and durability have been tested using the most modern technology of the twenty first century.”
The primitive being could not stand the conversation any longer, because he did not understand what the astronaut was talking about. He said to the astronaut, “Excuse me, Iam going to my cave,” and left.
There are many things in this world which are like the elephant to the blind in the story mentioned above. They are mysterious because of our lack of sense and knowledge. They are, for example, the Heaven, the Hell, the Resurrection and the Judgement Day. Prophets who were sent by Allah the Almighty to guide the human beings described these mysterious things in allegorical ways because of the limitation of our languages. In Paradise, for example, we are told that people will eat and drink, even “wine” which will bring them into ecstasy without being drunk. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that in Paradise people would find things which no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined.
No matter how intelligent we are, our knowledge of the unseen is very limited. Our sense, languages and understanding are very limited. Answering the question of a Bedouin about the spirit, Allah said:
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
(الإسراء : ٨٥)
“They ask thee concerning the spirit. Say: ‘The spirit is
of the command of my Lord: Of knowledge it is only
a little that is communicated to you (O man).’” 1
As Muslims we accept the description of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) about the unseen, believing in the Heaven, the Hell, and the Resurrection Day, and we humbly acknowledge our frailty, weakness, and ignorance. In the meantime, we ask Allah to increase our knowledge and give us wisdom.

Footnote:

1. Qur’ān, al-Isra’ [17]:85