Does God Exist
Even on a very fundamental level we find that throughout history
there is a very strange phenomenon that people of different backgrounds, living
in so many different parts of the world at different points in time, have
always had this strong urge within themselves to look and to yearn for the
Creator. They see that there is some power, a magnificent and merciful power
that is sometimes interpreted in a mistaken way by materializing that in some
form or other (i.e. idols). The basic yearning has always been there. Even in
places where there is no recorded history of a particular prophet, people have
yearned for a Creator. That’s what I’m referring to as an innate nature. The
Arabic term is ‘fitra.’ Fitra literally translates to: something that one is
created with or created in accordance with: this innate nature.
Is the intellect an enemy to faith?
All human faculties such as the senses including also the
intellect are part and parcel of the whole process of seeking the truth. None
of these by themselves will be sufficient, but on a whole they are not really
in contradiction. In fact I would say, even more positively, that from a Muslim
point of view one of the main things that make the human being distinct, one of
the basic blessings that he is given by God to make him different from animals
since animals can think as well, is intellect. So the intellect is a God given
gift or blessing. How could we interpret that as a challenge or antithesis of
faith? This doesn’t really stand.
On the personal or individual level, one doesn’t have to venture
far to realize that God does exist. Just look into yourself, you don’t have to
be a scientist but if you are then you’ll appreciate more the construction of
the body; how it is made up of many cells. One cell becomes a cell for sight
and the other for hearing; it’s amazing. How does the brain operate? The circulatory
system? The digestive system? The nervous system? Such coordination and beauty
[is shown through their functioning]. This shows that these things didn’t come
to be in a haphazard way, there must have been a deliberate design behind them.
So if you want to find God then look into yourself. The Quran says, “By looking
into yourselves, you will find evidence to the presence and powers of God.”
In another verse it even says, “Do they not reflect in their own
minds?” (30:8) In fact, if one really divorces himself from any prejudice
caused by societal pressures one way or the other, or the worship of science as
the ultimate thing, if one utilizes science in the proper way, you wouldn’t
have to look at the body as a whole, just start analyzing one single organ and
see how it works. Like some scientists would tell you that in order to
duplicate the digestive system you’d need a huge laboratory and still it
wouldn’t operate as efficiently as a naturally created organ would such as the
stomach. We have acids in our stomachs that can erode metal but it doesn’t hurt
us. How could that be haphazard? If one aspect of that was developed by
chance would everything else falling in line and falling together also happen
by chance?
The Environment and Cosmic Order
Let’s move on to beyond ourselves, to find further evidence, the
Quran also implores people to consider and to think. Take one aspect that many
people think about today as very fashionable, like the ecological balance for
example. Many people would take that as very clear evidence again that there is
a design in this universe; vegetation as it relates to animal life and to human
life; and the various atmospheric layers that we have. Everything is put
together to sustain human life. If you look into the Quran, you find this
mentioned. In one verse, in the Quran, it says, “God created everything in
exact proportion.” (16:25) This is a very important term “in exact proportion”
it’s not just that He created but that there is a deliberate design behind
putting all of these things together.
In another verse, when people look at the whole scheme of
creation, it says, “Were they created from nothing or are they themselves the
creators?” No one claims that he’s created from nothing nor can he claim that
he is the creator [of the heavens and earth]. Then the verse continues, “Or did
they create the heavens and earth?” No one claims that. Then it says, “Nay but
they see not.” (52: 35-36) So the science is there. It’s whether we apply it in
the right place and in the proper way or not that makes the difference.
Finally, if you move into what I would call the third circle, not
just looking into ourselves or the environment around us but looking into the
whole cosmic order, again there is a design. The planets. The solar system. The
way everything is coordinated. The distance between the sun and the earth,
which if decreased may burn everything and if decreased everything would
freeze. This is all deliberate. The succession of day and night, the
circulation or changes of seasons, which has very important relevance to the
lives of the people, to vegetation, and to animal life; all of these beautiful
things that we are in awe at in the universe, we look at them with great
admiration, definitely show that there is a design behind them and as is
obvious any design needs a designer or creator it.
One verse in the Quran implores us in particular to this area and
says, “Have they not reflected on the domain of the heavens and earth and what
God created therein?”
In another verse it
also says, in the general sense of the meaning: in the creation of the heavens
and earth and in the succession of day and night there are certainly signs for
those who reflect. Those who remember God while standing, sitting, and laying
down and ponder
Does God Exist
Even on a very fundamental level we find that throughout history
there is a very strange phenomenon that people of different backgrounds, living
in so many different parts of the world at different points in time, have
always had this strong urge within themselves to look and to yearn for the
Creator. They see that there is some power, a magnificent and merciful power
that is sometimes interpreted in a mistaken way by materializing that in some
form or other (i.e. idols). The basic yearning has always been there. Even in
places where there is no recorded history of a particular prophet, people have
yearned for a Creator. That’s what I’m referring to as an innate nature. The
Arabic term is ‘fitra.’ Fitra literally translates to: something that one is
created with or created in accordance with: this innate nature.
Is the intellect an enemy to faith?
All human faculties such as the senses including also the
intellect are part and parcel of the whole process of seeking the truth. None
of these by themselves will be sufficient, but on a whole they are not really
in contradiction. In fact I would say, even more positively, that from a Muslim
point of view one of the main things that make the human being distinct, one of
the basic blessings that he is given by God to make him different from animals
since animals can think as well, is intellect. So the intellect is a God given
gift or blessing. How could we interpret that as a challenge or antithesis of
faith? This doesn’t really stand.
On the personal or individual level, one doesn’t have to venture
far to realize that God does exist. Just look into yourself, you don’t have to
be a scientist but if you are then you’ll appreciate more the construction of
the body; how it is made up of many cells. One cell becomes a cell for sight
and the other for hearing; it’s amazing. How does the brain operate? The circulatory
system? The digestive system? The nervous system? Such coordination and beauty
[is shown through their functioning]. This shows that these things didn’t come
to be in a haphazard way, there must have been a deliberate design behind them.
So if you want to find God then look into yourself. The Quran says, “By looking
into yourselves, you will find evidence to the presence and powers of God.”
In another verse it even says, “Do they not reflect in their own
minds?” (30:8) In fact, if one really divorces himself from any prejudice
caused by societal pressures one way or the other, or the worship of science as
the ultimate thing, if one utilizes science in the proper way, you wouldn’t
have to look at the body as a whole, just start analyzing one single organ and
see how it works. Like some scientists would tell you that in order to
duplicate the digestive system you’d need a huge laboratory and still it
wouldn’t operate as efficiently as a naturally created organ would such as the
stomach. We have acids in our stomachs that can erode metal but it doesn’t hurt
us. How could that be haphazard? If one aspect of that was developed by
chance would everything else falling in line and falling together also happen
by chance?
The Environment and Cosmic Order
Let’s move on to beyond ourselves, to find further evidence, the
Quran also implores people to consider and to think. Take one aspect that many
people think about today as very fashionable, like the ecological balance for
example. Many people would take that as very clear evidence again that there is
a design in this universe; vegetation as it relates to animal life and to human
life; and the various atmospheric layers that we have. Everything is put
together to sustain human life. If you look into the Quran, you find this
mentioned. In one verse, in the Quran, it says, “God created everything in
exact proportion.” (16:25) This is a very important term “in exact proportion”
it’s not just that He created but that there is a deliberate design behind
putting all of these things together.
In another verse, when people look at the whole scheme of
creation, it says, “Were they created from nothing or are they themselves the
creators?” No one claims that he’s created from nothing nor can he claim that
he is the creator [of the heavens and earth]. Then the verse continues, “Or did
they create the heavens and earth?” No one claims that. Then it says, “Nay but
they see not.” (52: 35-36) So the science is there. It’s whether we apply it in
the right place and in the proper way or not that makes the difference.
Finally, if you move into what I would call the third circle, not
just looking into ourselves or the environment around us but looking into the
whole cosmic order, again there is a design. The planets. The solar system. The
way everything is coordinated. The distance between the sun and the earth,
which if decreased may burn everything and if decreased everything would
freeze. This is all deliberate. The succession of day and night, the
circulation or changes of seasons, which has very important relevance to the
lives of the people, to vegetation, and to animal life; all of these beautiful
things that we are in awe at in the universe, we look at them with great
admiration, definitely show that there is a design behind them and as is
obvious any design needs a designer or creator it.
One verse in the Quran implores us in particular to this area and
says, “Have they not reflected on the domain of the heavens and earth and what
God created therein?”
In another verse it
also says, in the general sense of the meaning: in the creation of the heavens
and earth and in the succession of day and night there are certainly signs for
those who reflect. Those who remember God while standing, sitting, and laying
down and ponder
Our Own Limitations
In talking about the senses and the
intellect or knowledge, I think anyone, even a person who does not believe in
God, would admit readily that our senses are limited. Our perceptions are
limited. Our sight, hearing, etc- we know that. Also, we know that our
perceptions could also be deceived or they can deceive us. If you put a spoon
in a glass of water, it looks crooked. A very well known phenomenon is of
people traveling in the desert or in hot areas and would see in front of them a
lake or a puddle of water- the mirage- but it actually does not exist. At the
time it’s seen it is a reality to the person seeing it. So our perception is
very useful, but it still falls short of getting to know everything.
On the other hand, science is fine. Science can resolve many
issues and problems that are purely scientific- that are purely technical.
Science can tell you for sure how to use technology for example to communicate
sounds and pictures; this can be determined fully by science. However, there
are many aspects in lives of people that are beyond science also. There is the
moral aspect, there are the ethical standards, and there is the application of
the fundamental principal of good and bad. As we said the [principle of good
and bad] is instinctive but still needs some modifications and limitations. And
we know throughout history that people have always had differences as to what
exactly defines the proper ethical or moral standards. In order to resolve that
problem, there must be a higher authority, God, Himself, telling us and
providing us with stable standards of ethics and morality within which you can
interpret various details.
Finally, and perhaps this is in my mind the most important reason,
is that we know that knowledge is not only limited to science or books or
perception. We know that there are certain aspects of knowledge, legitimate
knowledge, which does not lend itself to any of those tools. For example, take
the knowledge of the unseen. What happened in the past before history was
recorded? If you wanted to get any information on that there is no recorded
history. Or at least there is dispute about the recorded history. Revelation
can tell you what, for example, the stories of previous prophets and what they
said and what their message was.
There are
issues that no matter how much you use your mind you will not be able to arrive
at a final conclusion. An example of that would be the knowledge about God. You
can’t feel the presence of God. You can feel the attributes of God but you
can’t have full knowledge without having a prophet or messenger in receiving
that revelation from God and the communication from Him to us. So, in essence,
I don’t see contradiction. Actually, they all supplement each other. They have
to be simply used in the proper context.
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