MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, DEPOK — Muhammadiyah scholar Nur Fajri Romadhon said Islamic theology rests on rational inquiry, empirical observation, and reliable transmission rather than unquestioning belief.
He delivered the remarks during a webinar broadcast by IHKAM TV on Friday (8/5)/ Nur Fajri currently serves as the Vice Chairperson of the Religious Opinion and Reform Council of Muhammadiyah Central Board.
During the discussion, he explained that Islam encourages believers to use reason while reflecting on the natural world and human existence. According to him, Islamic faith develops through a process that combines logic, observation, and scriptural evidence.
He cited a verse from the Qur’an, Surah Fussilat 53, “Sanurihim ayatina fil afaqi wa fi anfusihim.” The verse states that God will show signs in the horizons and within human beings themselves.
Nur Fajri pointed out that the existence of the universe logically points to a creator.
“If we open the door and find a package outside the house, we immediately conclude that someone delivered it,” he explained. “We do not need to witness the delivery person directly. Likewise, the universe once did not exist and now exists, so logically there must be a creator behind it.”
Faith and Reason Work Together
Nur Fajri argued that the principle of causality forms a natural part of human thinking. Even people who attempt to deny cause and effect, he said, still rely on causal reasoning when presenting their argument. From that understanding, humans arrive at the belief in a creator who possesses divine qualities such as power, knowledge, mercy, and wisdom.
He then described the next stage of Islamic theology: belief in prophethood and revelation. According to him, prophets demonstrate their authenticity through miracles, honesty, and the consistency of their teachings.
To explain miracles, he compared them to a political leader appointing an ordinary citizen to deliver an official message. If a president asks a regular citizen to announce something important, he said, the president may provide a special sign so people trust the messenger. To him, it is similar to miracles. If someone truly is a prophet, God supports that person with extraordinary signs beyond normal human ability.
Furthermore, Nur Fajri emphasized that Islamic teachings have reached later generations through rigorous systems of transmission.
He said Muslims preserved the Qur’an through mutawatir transmission, meaning large numbers of people transmitted the text continuously across generations. Meanwhile, scholars developed strict methods to verify prophetic traditions, or hadiths.
Criticism of Fideism and Scientism
During the webinar, Nur Fajri also referenced research from Leiden University concerning the preservation of the Qur’an. He said the study demonstrated that today’s Qur’anic text closely matches the text recited during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad.
In addition, he criticized fideism, a philosophical view that rejects reason in religious belief and relies solely on unquestioned faith. He argued that Islamic theology differs from fideism because Islam encourages believers to use evidence and rational thinking.
He added that unresolved questions or doubts should motivate Muslims to seek knowledge rather than conclude that religion conflicts with logic.
“If people encounter questions they cannot answer immediately, they should continue learning and consult qualified scholars,” he said.
Nur Fajri also challenged the ideas of Western philosopher Immanuel Kant, particularly the claim that human reason cannot fully address the existence of God. According to him, such arguments still rely on reason itself and therefore contain an internal contradiction.
At the same time, he warned against scientism, the belief that empirical science serves as the only valid source of truth. “The statement that only scientific knowledge is true cannot itself be scientifically proven,” he said.
Three Foundations of Islamic Epistemology
Toward the end of the discussion, Nur Fajri summarized Islamic theology as resting on three interconnected foundations: empirical evidence, rational thought, and trustworthy transmission.
Because of that balance, he urged Muslim educators and scholars to continue strengthening faith through intellectual engagement, especially among younger generations.
“Islam is not anti-reason,” he concluded. “Reason, human nature, and revelation support one another in guiding people toward faith.”
