The Existence of God
Invitation to Islam, Issue 1, May 1997
The
concept of a Supreme Creator of the universe has been something, which the
western world has been trying to prove or refute now for thousands of years.
However, only in the past 200 years have the creme de
la creme of western intellectuals, come to the
conclusion that a God/Creator of the universe is and has been a figment of mans
imagination. This conclusion was formed as a reaction to the beliefs and
practices of Christianity, which was a major force in European life at this
time. Beliefs such as that of the Trinity[1]
and the divine nature of Jesus Christ, were so complicated to understand - even
for the elite of the church - that eventually the idea of a supreme and perfect
creator (which Christianity had distorted) was replaced by many new theories
which tried to explain how mankind came about and developed. Many different
theories were introduced to the western world, but one common trait, which they
all shared, was that there was no Supreme force, which governed the universe.
So
where does Islam come into all of this? Islam[2] is
the one way of life, the one religion which until now has not been challenged
successfully by any philosopher, atheist or intellectual. Rather the case has
been the exact opposite and there have been thousands, if not millions, of
so-called 'atheists' who have reverted back to Islam. So how does Islam explain
the existence of this Supreme Creator?
Allaah says in his final revelation, the Qur'aan:
"Therefore turn your face steadfastly towards the true
faith, away from all that which is false, in accordance with the Pure nature
with which Allaah has Created people. Let there be no
altering in the laws of Allaah's Creation. This is
surely the true religion, but most people do not know it."[3]
(Surah Ar-Rum 30:30)
The
pure nature which is mentioned in this verse is probably the most convincing
proof of a divine creator to any sincere seeker of truth. Which person can deny
(atheist or otherwise) that when he/she is in dire trouble, when life is about
to be taken away from them, when the pressures are unbearable - that then do
they turn to that force above the skies. How many times are we confronted by a
scenario in which the words: "Please God help me, and I promise that I will
always pray to you and be good." roll off our tongues with such sincerity?
Every time something bad happens, words such as these come out of the people's
mouths. Yet as soon as the harm is removed the very same people beseeching the
help of their creator, turn away:
"And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it
is from Allah. Then, when harm touches you, unto him you cry aloud for help.
Yet no sooner does he remove your ills then some of you set up partners to
their lord."[4]
(Surah An-Nahl 16:53-54)
This
pure nature which every human is born with is known as the Fitrah in the Arabic
language. Every human being, man or woman is born with this natural instinct to
recognise the Creator and turn to Him. This is proved by the hadeeth[5] of the last messenger to mankind Muhammad (s.a.w.) who said:
"Every child is born upon the pure fitra,
it is only his parents that later turn him into a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian.[6]
" [7]
In
fact if humans were not influenced by their societal pressures then their
belief in the Creator would be distinct and clearly visible. But unfortunately
this is not the case, and there exists in all non-Muslim societies a clear trend
to distort the nature of human beings. One of the ways in which this is done in
western societies is through the education system and its institutions. Western
education is based around a whole body of secular thought which has no place
for a Creator. In science lessons kids are taught that we are the ancestors of
monkeys and apes and that this implies that we came about by pure chance.[8] In
subjects such as psychology and sociology we are taught that religion is a tool
of the privileged few who oppress the downtrodden majority.[9] This
form of education has also unfortunately influenced the Muslims, and we find it
very common nowadays to see the likes of the 'Abdullaah's'
and the 'Fatima's' of western society proclaiming that they do not believe in
God.
Allaah says in the Qur'aan:
"Verily in the creation of the heavens and the earth, in
the alternation of night and day, in the sailing of the ships through the ocean
for the profit of the people, in the water which Allah sends down from the
skies reviving with it the dead earth and dispersing over it all kinds of
beasts, in the change of the winds, and in the clouds that run their appointed
courses between heaven and earth: In all of this, indeed there are signs for
people of understanding."[10]
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:164)
SubhaanAllah![11]
How beautiful and accurate this verse is. Is it not true that when we look at
the world around us we see such beauty and craftsmanship. Surely such excellence
could not have come about by chance. Everything in this world and universe runs
on a set course and pattern, so how is it possible then, that by pure chance
everything in this universe was created with such skill and precision?
The
wonders of nature are absolutely astounding, the wind, the rain, the hail and
the snow were all products of chance, then why is it that mankind, with all his
technological know how, cannot even divert the softest of breezes which blows
through the trees in summer? The answer is obvious. All these natural elements
are aspects of Allah’s Creation and he alone can control and manipulate them as
he wills.
In
fact the Creation of Allah is so perfect that even if we try to detect a fault
in it, then we will not succeed:
"Blessed he He to Whom all
sovereignty belongs; He has power over all things. He Who created death and
life that He may test which of you is best in deed. He is the Almighty, the
Oft-forgiving. He Who Created the seven heavens one above another. You can see
no fault in the Creation of the Bestower of Mercy.
Turn up your eyes: Can you detect a single flaw? Look once more, and yet again:
Your sight will in the end grow humbled and weary."[12]
(Surah Al-Mulk 67:1-4)
It
is not just the seas, the mountains, the rivers and the skies which are a proof
for the existence of our Creator, but also ourselves. Allah says in the Qur’an:
"On the earth are signs visible to all who have faith
with certainty, just as there are signs within your ownselves.
Will you then not see?"[13]
(Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:20-21)
The
variety of humanity is indeed amazing, black and white, tall and short, fat and
thin, good and evil, man and woman etc. etc. How many times have we considered
the complex makeup of our bodies both physical and mental and found it to be
completely beyond belief. It is known that if the intestines of a human being
were taken out of the body, they would be so long that they could cover the
entire area of a tennis court!
But
when we think about these long intestines being inside of us, it astounds and
amazes us. The human brain is thought to be more powerful that any mainframe
computer on earth, whilst the eye is said to be more complex and structured
then any telescope invented by man. The human mind is something which is still
undiscovered by psychologists and psychiatrists, and the nature of our dreams
and thoughts is something which these people will probably never unravel. So we
should ask ourselves, is it still possible for such a complex being such as ourselves, to be a mere product of
chance, or rather, are we products of a
supreme and skillful creator, who has shown us that
he really is Al-Khaliq[14]?
Yet
despite our complicated and intricate makeup, our comparison to the Creator is
not even possible. Mankind with his level of technology has gained the
impression that he is the most supreme being in this universe. Yet when we look
at examples of western society we see that these same humans who claim such
superiority, cannot even maintain basic standards of hygiene! Washing the
body-parts after urinating or excreting has almost become a sin for many people
in the west, yet at the same time these people are the very same who claim
technological advancement! Maybe if they believed in a Creator, the basics of
life would perchance return to them, just as they have returned to the Muslims.
The
proofs for the existence of a creator are so numerous that it would take us a
very long time to go through every single one. So finally we should remember,
that the creation of humanity was neither an accident, nor a development from
monkey to man. Rather it was the creation of Allah the Most High, the Most
Perfect, who reminds us of the stupidity of those who claim that He did not
create us:
"Were they created of nothing? or were they perchance,
their own creators? or did they create the heavens and the earth? surely they
have no firm belief."[15]
(Surah At-Tur 52:35-36)
