The Vicegerency of Man, Between Revelation and Reason: A Critique of the Dialectic of the Text, Reason, and Reality (Islamic Methodology, No. 2)

The Vicegerency of Man is a timely contribution to the debate on Revelation and reason that has always been a central issue in Islamic thought. The book aims to clarify the relationship between reason and Revelation, and to show that far from being mutually exclusive, they both contribute to a correct portrayal of reality. Rooting his study firmly within the Islamic framework, Dr. al Najjar expounds on the role of reason and the intellect in helping humankind to accomplish the role of vicegerency of man on earth on two levels. Firstly, on the level of understanding the Revealed Text, and secondly, on the level of the application of the divine principles and their adaptation to the realities of human existence through time and space. In so doing, he shows the limits of using solely Revelation or reason in the search for truth, and demonstrates that a reconciliation of the two is necessary to serve the interests and well-being of humankind - which is the ultimate goal of Revelation.