The Role of Religious and Scientific Experience in the Formation of Human Thought (A Research Study of Allama Iqbal's Thoughts)

Abstract

The concept of religious experience is relatively modern and refers to modes of knowing that transcend reason and empirical awareness, serving religious and mystical purposes. While its primary connotation is divine revelation, the term is also employed to describe inspiration, intuition, and extraordinary psychological states. Despite objections to its use, the writings of William James and Allama Iqbal have established its prominence in modern discourse. Within Islamic teachings, however, revelation and reason are regarded as distinct sources of knowledge. This study upholds that distinction in analyzing the nature of religious experience. Unlike scientific inquiry, which depends on rationality, sensory perception, and empirical methods, religious experience—understood here as revelation—functions as an independent mode of knowledge, unmediated by argumentation or the senses. This research explores how both religious and scientific experiences have shaped human thought and highlights Allama Iqbal’s efforts to integrate these two domains, with particular attention to the distinctive role of religious experience in his philosophical outlook.