Is Revelation a Religious Experience?

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Abstract

This writing deals with the nature of revelation. At first, the writer touches upon the differences of Islamic and Christian viewpoints on revelation. He believes that in Islam, revelation is the inspiration of facts to man by God, but in Christianity, besides this, it is also regarded as the manifestation of God in Jesus, which according to the Christians this latter is the more complete form of revelation. Then, he points out the background of the religious experience outlook concerning the revelation and with an explanation of this outlook, he goes on to deal with the factors involved in its appearance in the West. Accordingly, he names three factors: 1. failure of the rational theology, 2. conflict of science and religion, and 3. criticism of the Holy Scripture. Further on, the writer discusses the history of religious experience theory among the Muslims, introducing Iqbal Lahori as the first eminent figure who has come up with this theory. In the end, the religious experience outlook is critically reviewed and its grievous outcomes in religious studies are touched upon.