Reasoning in Noah’s Educational Method

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Ignorance and refusing to think and reflect are crimes that have taken their toll on humanity throughout history.

If they are not curbed, even the best educational methods used by the best teachers and educators will not be fruitful.

Just as we recognized the existence of understanding in human beings, we should consider a means of understanding for them as well. Here are two examples of such means:

1- Senses. Man can recognize things and distinguish correct from incorrect and beautiful from ugly using his five senses. So senses are a means of understanding.

2- Intellect and logic. The intellect is a cognitive tool that is less likely than senses to make mistakes. Nonetheless, the intellect is not fully free from mistakes either.

The intellect and logic are used a lot in education. Awareness, which is one of the most important aspects of education, is conveyed from the educator to the one receiving education via the intellect.

Prophet Noah (AS) used the method of reasoning to educate his people and guide them to the right path.

He mentioned to them different reasons, including those about creation of heaven and earth and creation of mankind, to prove to them that there needs to be a Creator. They, however, rejected these strong reasons.

Here are the two examples of Noah’s reasoning:

1- Creation of mankind

Noah (AS) first referred to creation of mankind: “What is the matter with you that you do not want the Greatness of Allah, who has created you in several stages?” (Verses 13-14 of Surah Nuh)

He refers to the stages of creation in order to show how God has created mankind.

According to Verse 14 of Surah Muminoun, these are the stages of creation of man: “Then We created of the drop, a clot (of congealed blood) and We created the clot into bitesize tissue, then We created the bitesize tissue into bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it another creation. Blessed is Allah, the Best of creators!”

2- Creation of heavens

Another reasoning used by Noah (AS) is that related to creation of seven heavens:

“Have you not seen how Allah created the seven heavens one above the other?” (Verse 15 of Surah Nuh)

It is obvious that if all people get together, they will not be able to create the first heaven that is observable to us, let along the other heavens. So how can idols, that have been made by man, be the creator of heavens?