Using Intellect

An Interesting Conversation between Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (ra) & Abu Shakir

Imam Jafar as-Sadiq asks, "Can you see inside your own body?"

Replied Abu Shakir: "No, I cannot."

Imam Jafar as-Sadiq said: "If you could have seen what is inside you, you
would not have said that you do not believe in Allah, who cannot be
seen."

Abu Shakir asked: "What is the relationship between seeing within one's
own body and the existence of your unseen Allah?"

Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (A. S.) replied: "You have said just now that a thing,
which cannot be seen, touched, tasted or heard, does not exist."

Abu Shakir said: "Yes, I have said that and I believe it is true."

afar as-Sadiq asked: "Do you hear the sound of the movement of blood
in your body?"

Said Abu Shakir: "No, I do not. But does blood move in the body?

Jafar as-Sadiq (A. S.) said: "Yes, it does. It makes a full circuit of
your body. If the circulation of blood stops for a few minutes you will
die."

Abu Shakir said: "I cannot believe that blood circulates in the body."

Imam Jafar as-Sadiq said: "It is your ignorance, which does not let you
believe that your blood circulates in your body, and the same ignorance
does not let you believe in the existence of Allah, Who cannot be seen."
Then the Imam asked Abu Shakir whether he has seen the tiny living beings,
which Allah has created in his body.

Jafar as-Sadiq continued: "It is because of these small creatures and their
wonderful work that you are kept alive. They are so small that you cannot
see them. Since you are a slave of your senses, you do not know
about their existence. If you increase your knowledge and decrease your
ignorance, you will come to know that these small beings in your body
are as large in number as the particles of sand in the desert. These small
creatures are born in your body, multiply in your body, work in your
body and die in your body. But you never see them, touch them, taste
them or hear them in your life time."

"It is true that one who knows himself knows his Allah. If you had
known yourself and had the knowledge of what is going on inside your
body, you would not have said that you do not believe in Allah, without
seeing Him."