From the Wisdom of Life:
A person should make evidence his guide, not his desires. He should not reject information simply because it contradicts what he is accustomed to, nor accept it merely because it agrees with what he wishes to believe. Rather, he should remain willing to reconsider his opinion whenever stronger evidence appears, for returning to the truth is better than persisting in error.
This is not merely advice; it is a method of thinking. It liberates the mind from the authority of prejudice and makes it a seeker guided by evidence rather than a captive of personal inclinations.
To be guided by evidence is not merely a phrase; it is a scholarly virtue. The one who follows evidence does not move with personalities, noise, or emotions; rather, he moves wherever the proof leads him.
A wise saying often expressed in this meaning is:
“Know the truth, and you will know its people; do not know the truth through people.”
A principle worthy of being established:
“True honor does not lie in a person’s stubborn commitment to his own opinion; rather, it lies in his commitment to evidence. When stronger evidence emerges, revising one’s view becomes an act of intellectual honesty, not a retreat from principle.”
If this principle prevailed among people, much of the hostility and fanaticism would diminish, and dialogue would become closer to a search for truth rather than a struggle for victory.
One of the finest expressions of this meaning is attributed to Imam Al-Shafi‘i:
“I never debated with anyone except that I wished for him to be guided and granted success, and that he be under God’s care. I never debated with anyone except that I did not mind whether God revealed the truth through my tongue or through his.”
This is a noble state of mind, where the purpose becomes the appearance of truth, not the triumph of the self.
May Almighty Allah keep us among those who uphold fairness and who rejoice when the truth becomes clear, whether it appears through their own words or through the words of others.
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