Page 253 - For Men of Understanding

Mankind's Limited Knowledge
One implication of the facts described so
far is that actually, man's knowledge of the
external world is exceedingly limited.
That knowledge is limited to our five sens-
es, and there is no proof that the world we
perceive by means of those senses is identical
to the "real" world.
It may, therefore, be very different from
what we perceive. There may be a great many
dimensions and other beings of which we
remain unaware. Even if we reach the further-
most extremities of the universe, our knowl-
The findings of modern physics show
edge will always remain limited. that the universe is a collection of
Almighty Allah, the Creator of all, has com- perceptions. The following question
appears on the cover of the well-
plete and flawless knowledge of all beings known American science magazine
who, having been created by Allah, can pos- New Scientist, which dealt with this
matter in its 30 January 1999 issue:
sess only the knowledge that He allows them. "Beyond Reality: Is the Universe
This reality is explained in the Qur'an as fol- Really a Frolic of Primal Information
and Matter Just a Mirage?"
lows:

Allah, there is no deity but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining. He is
not subject to drowsiness or sleep. Everything in the heavens and the
earth belongs to Him. Who can intercede with Him except by His
permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them
but they cannot grasp any of His knowledge save what He wills. His
Footstool encompasses the heavens and the Earth and their preser-
vation does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Magnificent. (Surat
al-Baqarah: 255)

The Artificially Constituted "External World"

The only world we know is the one that is designed, recorded, and made
vivid there-in short, the one created and existing within our minds. Perceptions
we observe in our brain may sometimes be coming from an artificial source.
We can illustrate this with an example:
First, imagine that by artificial means, your brain can survive apart from
your body. And suppose a computer able to produce all kinds of electrical sig-
nals. Let us artificially produce electrical signals of the data relating to a given
environment-including its sights, sounds and aromas. Finally, let's have electri-

Matter and the External World 251