Signs of Intellectual Development

After a child passes through the stage of being breast-fed and the power of his brain and the powers of discernment have developed, he then starts to ask questions about the things around him and we must be ready to answer his questions according to his level of understanding.

We must not say to him, “Do not be nosy” or “What is it to you?” or things such as this. The child asking questions is a sign that his brain is developing and that he is thinking. These questions also show that his spiritual powers have developed and have taken a firm hold within him. These questions are a natural sign; they are a sign of creation. The creation announces to others that it constantly needs something new within itself and thus, those people who are around the child must give him what he asks for.

The same thing can be said for society. If within society, a new feeling or understanding is brought forth, then this too is a sign of development and progress of the society. This is also a sign that the elements within the society have a new need which much be met.

These types of things must be shown as things which are different from the low desires and the need of worshipping the self, and thus we should never assume that these questions are some how a form of following the lower desires. Thus, when these things come about, we must immediately keep in mind the following verse of the Qurʾān:

إِنْ تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللٌّهِ

“If you were to follow a majority of the people on the Earth then they would definitely misguide you from the path of Allāh.”[23]

In addition, we read:

وَ لَوِ اتَّبَعَ الْحَقَّ أَهْــوٌائَهُمْ لَفَسَدَتِ السَّمٌوٌاتِ وَ الأَرْضِ

“And if you were to follow their lower desires instead of the Ḥaqq (Truth), then surely the Heavens and the Earth would have become corrupt.”[24]

Notes:

[23] Sūratul An`ām (6), Verse 116

[24] Sūratul Mo’minūn (23), Verse 71

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Ref: Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari
www.ahlulbaytportal.com