Article appeared Friday, November 10th, 2017 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (499) yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Usually, why does one ask a question? Is it to gain knowledge? Can there be any other
purpose? For example, can questions be posed with insolence, in order to please/pamper ones
own ego? Would the questioner be looking to gain knowledge in such a case? How should such
a question be classified? To answer this, a study of the nature of the questions posed by
Pharaoh, after Moses had showed him miracles/signs of God, may help.

Before that, however, let us first tackle a fundamental question. Should humans have questions
or rather is it important for a human being to have questions? Notice that a human child, as
he/she is growing up, naturally has lots and lots of questions. Could we conclude that humans
are born with an inquisitive nature? And is inquisitiveness a desire to know the truth?

Where does the desire to be inquisitive originate from? Is it built in by God? Verses 2.31 and
2.33 of the Al-Quran give a brief description of the workings of the human brain and how to use
it. Let us briefly look at the first of these Verses.
And He taught Adam the nature of all things; [2.31]

What could taught the nature of all things possibly mean? Could the nature of all things be
concepts of everything including that of feelings such as love, hate and inquisitiveness? And if
everything already exists inside the brain, why need questions? If we compare all concepts
residing in the brain with knowledge stored electronically on servers throughout the world, how
could this knowledge be made useful or put to use? What could the role of a search engine
such as Google be? A search engine has the ability to match and display websites which may
contain the appropriate knowledge. Matching works only when asked a query or question.
Learning takes place when the displayed websites are checked one by one and the required
answer/s are found. So, without a query or question, is there any way Google can help?

Similarly, if a child does not ask questions, can he/she learn? The only way to learn from the
concepts in the brain is to ask questions. Once a question is asked, the brain becomes busy in
looking up, matching, checking and deciding on the right answer and therefore the truth. So, the
difference between previous creations and human beings is the ability to process knowledge,
i.e., asking questions to find the answers/truth. What may happen if a child does not ask
questions as he/she is growing up or is denied the right/desire to ask questions?

The fact is, not only is the freedom to ask questions a basic pre-condition/right of being a
human; it is also what differentiates him/her from the rest of creation. In Verse 19.41 of the Al-
Quran, God therefore asks us to learn from Abraham, the patriarch {1, 2} of the monotheistic
religions.
Also mention in the Book (the story of) Abraham: he was a man of Truth, a prophet.
[19.41]

What does he was a man of Truth mean? Could it mean that he actively searched for the truth
by asking questions? The subsequent Verse (19.42) gives us the answer.
Behold, he asked his father: "O my father! Why worship that which hears not and sees
not and can profit you nothing? [19.42]

Rather than blindly following the ways of his father, he posed questions regarding the
worshipping practices. Through questioning each god worshipped [6.74 6.79] by his father,
he eliminated all other gods and finally settled on one all powerful God.
"For me I have set my face firmly and truly toward Him Who created the heavens and
the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah." [6.79]
Pharaoh also asked a question, once Moses had shown him the signs/miracles that God had
equipped him with. However, was his intention to know the truth?

20.49 (When this message was delivered) (Pharaoh) said: "Who then, O Moses,
is the Lord of you two?"
On the face of it, the question suggests that Pharaoh wants to know about God, the Lord of
Moses and Aaron.

20.50 He said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each (created) thing its form and
nature and further gave (it) guidance."
Moses responds beautifully. All creatures/creation uniquely created follow rules laid down by
God. Guidance for human beings is given in the Holy Scripture Books as revealed by God.

20.51 (Pharaoh) said: "What then is the condition of previous generations?"

As Pharaoh could not refute Moses reply, he tries a trick question as no one knows what
happens after death. After death, what would be the condition on the Day of Judgment, only
God would know. So, Moses responds with the truth.

20.52 He replied: "The knowledge of that is with my Lord duly recorded: my Lord
never errs nor forgets.
Each person also has his/her own Book of Deeds [17.13-17.14]. This book will be laid open on
the Day of Judgment for the person to see and come face to face to their attitude towards God
God, who gave them the opportunity of intelligent life and knowing Him.

20.53 "He Who has made for you the earth like a carpet spread out; has enabled
you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from
the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the
others.
The sculptured earth, the water cycle and the myriad variety of male female plants have all been
created by Him all from His Mercy and artistry.

20.54 Eat (for yourselves) and pasture your cattle: verily in this are Signs for
men endued with understanding.
Work out the fact that all varieties of food both for human beings and cattle are compatible with
integrated digestive systems for every unique creature made surely point to being made
deliberately with an integrated design by a superior intelligence.

20.55 From the (earth) did We create you and into it shall We return you and from
it shall We bring you out once again.
The physical material used to create human beings is mentioned here together with the facts of
birth, death and resurrection.

20.56 And We showed Pharaoh all Our Signs but he did reject and refuse.
And they rejected those Signs in iniquity and arrogance although their souls were
convinced thereof: so see the end of those who acted corruptly! [27.15]

20.57 He said: "Have you come to drive us out of our land with your magic O
Moses?
Having lost the argument, with the complete answers given, Pharaoh now wants to show his
power.
-----------
{Notes}:
{1} http://biblehub.com/genesis/17-5.htm
{2} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham