Are We Hard-Wired to Believe in God? Jamie Turner on Fitra

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Modernity brings with it the promise that ultimate truth can come through reason - a reason that often excludes believers as outside the realm of thinking. Liberalism places religion in a ‘non-reasoned’ bucket, which should be tolerated like all other irrational but ultimately comforting lifestyle choices. This is primarily why there is general animus against anyone who displays an over-exuberance towards belief systems. Such people are described as fundamentalists, unthinking and unable to make their own rational choices.
Our guest this week, Jamie Turner is no stranger to these arguments. He is currently pursuing his doctoral research at the University of Birmingham, looking at Ibn Taymiyyah and natural theology.
As always, you can comment your thoughts below.
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#TheThinkingMuslimPodcast
The Thinking Muslim Podcast Episode 110
00:00 Introduction
02:11 The idea of fitra
04:47 Fitra from a cognitive pov
05:19 Theistic disposition as natural
12:25 Nature of theistic faculty
13:30 The Mu'tazilite view
14:43 The Hadith about fitra
18:00 Role of environment
20:36 Our role as agents
22:05 The limits of fitra
24:00 Role of revelation
25:41 Convert vs. revert
28:42 Moral intuition
30:35 Journey to Islam
33:38 The role of reason
38:48 Obligation to use reason
45:33 Too much thinking?
47:52 Learning to reason well
49:27 Studying philosophy
51:50 Fitra and moral judgements
53:42 Dawah
55:37 Evidence for God
57:28 Signs in nature and humans
1:00:57 Responding to Stephen Fry

[@TheThinkingMuslim]

Please remember to subscribe to this channel!

[@maminurrahman4364]

😅k9

[@BloggingTheology]

This is brilliant content!

[@WepGrade]

Salaam alaikum brother Paul

[@sammu]

Following in your footsteps!

[@yellowmellow4753]

Oh hello!

[@johnbrzykcy3076]

Hello Paul of Blogging Theology. I listen often to your channel. What do you think about this "basic human nature" and it's correlation with the fitrah ? Could you possibly have a discussion about this on your channel? Thanks...

[@Steven_Rowe]

Paul, your channel is simply the best, you are,,, ,the accademic im not but wish I was. Have you read all those books behind you on the shelves. Seriously though, many proffesional people who normally would have to go along with the material reductionist Philo of modern sciencexare asking serious questions about human consciousness, that maybe the brain is simply a receiver of consciousness. There are many well documented stories of near, death experiences where the person witnessed something they could not simply make up. Asearch of names like Sam Parnia and Eben Alexander who are both in the medical field spring to mind. I think the notion we are hard wired has some merit, there does seem some desire lot communicate back to the mothership that is innate in the human species Perhaps a topic for one of your next videos.

[@sammu]

I wait every Friday for these.

[@akifkhan2932]

Me too!

[@zahirsookoor2673]

We are!!! The Quran tells us that when man is in distressed and in a state of helplessness, he calls out to God in hope of relief.

[@johnbrzykcy3076]

I find the concept of fitrah as very interesting and thought-provoking. Im not Muslim. Peace to all Muslims.

[@younessboustta6525]

❤❤❤

[@idzudinmokhtar4773]

You have no idea how much I miss how you articulate your words and express your views Jamie with your intellectual tone and northern accent. Truly proud of you and your work brother and always enjoyed watching you speak. Keep up the good work. Much love from Malaysia

[@plung3r]

Thank you Jamie it was a good Podcast. As a Muslim, living in a Muslim country we have been taught the hadith about Fitra in our schools, but there was always a misunderstanding about it. Many people think Fitra means being a Muslim and knowing all the sharia by yourself if you haven't been influenced by your parents or your surrounding environment. It makes more sense that Fitra is the belief in a creator and knowing the major sins are wrong which you can sense it deep inside your heart, like for example hom0sexuality, I think universally all nations know that it's something bad, but in todays liberal world they are trying to go against the Fitra and brainwash the children in schools to accept things that if we are left alone will know that it's morally wrong.

[@jamiebturner]

Thanks!

[@vmoses1979]

I'm not sure people in Muslim majority countries necessarily think of fitrah in the way you describe. I think the concept is not delved into and clarified the way it is here.

[@sitinuriatistudio]

Assalamu alaikum brothers. I really enjoy your show. May Allah put barakah in your work.

[@Iovepalestine]

Ameen

[@zukoota]

Beautiful way to end it. Reminds of this Hadith. I hope it’s authentic. I believe it’s in sahih Muslim. It always made me smile because it speaks so well to the fickle nature of man. Something I don’t personally escape from either. “Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said that one amongst the denizens of Hell who had led a life of ease and plenty amongst the people of the world would be made to dip in Fire only once on the Day of Resurrection and then it would be said to him: O, son of Adam, did you find any comfort, did you happen to get any material blessing? He would say: By Allah, no, my Lord. And then that person from amongst the persons of the world be brought who had led the most miserable life (in the world) from amongst the inmates of Paradise. and he would be made to dip once in Paradise and it would be said to him. 0, son of Adam, did you face, any hardship? Or had any distress fallen to your lot? And he would say: By Allah, no,0 my Lord, never did I face any hardship or experience any distress.” At the end of the day if you’re trying to find justice only in this world then you’ve misunderstood your assignment. True justice isn’t served till after the day of judgement. May Allah have mercy on all our souls.

[@nahidnoor6421]

I was unclear about the definition of this concept . I’m glad I’m listening to this

[@ahmedalshalchi]

May Allah bless bro Jamie Turner and fix him on the straight path ... He looks much different since his video of reversion to Islam ...

[@unhingedconnoisseur164]

51:10 ironically, brother Jamie is actually doing a course alongside brother Shoaib (Malik) about an introduction to western philosophy from an Islamic pov (it’s on the al balagh academy website for anyone insteested )

[@ummshams8954]

Ma sha Allāh. Excellent discussion, gentlemen. Keep up the good work. May Allāh increase us all in knowledge, and keep us on the straight Path. Allāhumma āmīn.

[@mirandapillsbury7885]

amazing vieo as per usual. thank you guts so much!

[@iffet806]

This is fantastic. Yay!!!

[@wheatblue7592]

I've always been a fan of Jamie Turner since I discovered him from his discussion with Dr Shoaib Malik. Since having interest in Ibn Taymiyyah, I've been following his works so thank you for this discussion about fitra that I think it's utilisation in dawah is understated in this age of confusion.

[@Beepassingby]

Great conversation.Loved hearing about the capacity of the fitrah being so much more substantial than we can describe. It might be something that can only be felt,within the individual (if they are lucky at all to even experience it at)

[@faisalniazi1899]

☺️Jamie Turner! A must see🤩

[@albatross9995]

Masha Allah.... mind-blowing!!!!!

[@alberxenos]

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

[@pineapple3755]

It will be appreciates If Same Arabic words translated to English while the interview of any guest. Love this show

[@mem807]

Great content! Thanks for it.

[@commontouch1787]

I just wanted to say to the The thinking muslim that I’m very pleased by all this insightful content, and I particularly appreciate your/his awareness over internal issues such as the history of sunni Muslims being oppressed by shias and Iranian proxies (not that we need to be sectarian but we MUST be aware of this), and that our rulers are actually betraying us, as well as the secular issue of our time. All these things as well as the substance of the podcasts make me very interested and trusting of this channel May Allah make it even more fruitful and helpful for you

[@johnbrzykcy3076]

So is "fitrah" highly influenced by both the environment and personal attributes ( capacities ) ? Could the concept of "constraints" include the possibility that our human nature is "corrupted" ? We could consider this constraint as referring to "sin" or the idea that "mankind is fallen". Im not Muslim but I am attracted to this idea of fitrah. However if fitrah has a strong correlation with islam as the truth regarding God, why do our theistic beliefs ( or lack thereof ) differ so drastically? That would imply that our environment and/or our personal capacity is a "stronger" influence on our beliefs than fitrah itself ! Do i make any sense? I'm not good sometimes with expressing what I mean. I do find this discussion as very thought-provoking. By the way, i like the respectful manner of these two scholars. Peace to all Muslims and Christians.

[@gunterblum9088]

good depth podcast about fitra

[@raffatperveen3150]

This brother well understand Islam Alhamdullilah

[@MahirOm]

Mashallah, does Jamie have an Instagram or KZbin channel to follow his work?

[@solsammany]

Facebook

[@mbilalkhan2689]

*You guys need to get in touch with Paul Williams of Blogging Theology.*

[@paulheydarian1281]

Maybe they're afraid of using the word convert because it begins with the prefix *con.* 😏 Additionally, for any non-thinking muslims out there. You can listen to this program as an audio podcast. You're welcome-!

[@locadiakaskayi537]

I think , think , thinking lslam is a beautiful podcast Alhamdulillah

[@Steven_Rowe]

This raises some very interestingly questions. We live in a scientific age, an age ofcmaterial reductionism where everything is matter and nothing else exists. Threxis much discussion surrounding near death experience where a person enters a placexof eternity and understanding, you may thing it is all rubbish butcmany experiencexinvolve people knowing things they simply couldnt know. Many scientists now question whether consciousnesses is simply part of the brain or external and the brain simply is a reciever. Perhaps we have this innate sensexof the divine and that something inside us telll usxwe dont belong to earth but want to return home to Allah. Allah the eternal refuge Sura 112 ayat 2

[@yasseralsaidi1168]

How big is the puff fish 🐟 the dimensions

[@RayOfHope8]

❤️❤️❤️❤️🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@mohdnorzaihar2632]

to recognise our nafs@bad desire is our basic truth and quran quote's "nafs@bad desire" many times. Nafs is something we can 'observe"..

[@_zaaphiel]

Alhamdulillah ala kulli haal

[@silenceisgolden3238]

So Tarzan was a Muslim. SubhanAllah

[@nesaralititumir6153]

23:51

[@anzajamaa5001]

I wonder if western Muslims know of any other than Ibn Taymiyyah

[@rya9320]

Linking fitra to evolution is an absurdity!

[@yasseralsaidi1168]

Good know his products in other words

[@yasseralsaidi1168]

How big is a shark , whale , sting rays etc , etc , etc

[@Edward-bm7vw]

No. We're not. Well, that was easy.

[@user-uq5qm7ym5j]

Desi matt walsh😂😂

[@phiuzu5487]

Hey can you invite mufti abu layth? Would be awesome to see

[@user-kj8yl6sn2z]

For the sake of the credibility of the podcast, journalist Salman Al-Ansari must be hosted, because Sami Hamdi lied a lot in your last interview, and I follow politics and I know that he lies.

[@abdulsamee4284]

😛 🥾