By N. J.
Bridgewater
The existence of
God has been a hotly-debated topic throughout history. Jewish, Christian and
Muslim scholars have set forth various rational proofs for God’s existence and
these have been debated and, according to some, refuted by opponents who hold
that God does not exist (i.e. atheists) or who maintain there is no proof either
way (e.g. agnostics). Still others hold that God does exist, but that He is
either everything (a belief known as ‘pantheism’) or that He created the
universe and set it in motion but then had and has no interaction with or
control over His creation (a belief known as ‘deism’). A belief in pantheism is
held by many branches of Hinduism, as well as many Sufis (a variety of mystical
Islam) and other mystics. The latter belief, i.e. deism, was held by some of
the Founding Fathers of the United States and other rationalists who could not
conceive of a God who was involved in the everyday life of man, perhaps because
of the problem of suffering (which I have addressed in my previous blog post
and will not deal with here) or a belief that scientific laws are the basis of
existence and all things happen according to those natural laws without any
outside intervention (this being a form of materialistic philosophy). The
ancient Arabs held another perspective. They believed that God exists, but that
He has a number of intermediaries (i.e. lesser gods). These include the angels,
who were believed to be God’s daughters. God was also said to have a wife and
there were believed to be other male gods who were presumably connected to God
or were more accessible and able to provide help or assistance to those who
invoked them. These gods were worshipped in the form of idols made of wood,
clay, stone or metal, and one of the main shrines where they were worshipped
was the Kaaba—a cube-shaped building in Mecca.
The Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon Him) was raised in this pagan milieu and was aware of
the beliefs of the Arabs regarding God and the various supposed lesser gods who
were worshipped by the majority of his people (the Quraysh tribe). He was also
aware of the Christian and Jewish communities which existed in Arabia, all of
whom proclaimed the existence of one God but who, in some cases, believed in
intermediaries between God and man or worshipped and venerated images. There
were, for example, a large number of unorthodox Christian sects in Arabia, who
had been pushed out by the Orthodox Church of the Byzantine Empire. Some of
these worshipped Mary as a goddess. Others believed that Jesus was literally
the Son of God or that God adopted Jesus as a Son. According to the Qur’ān,
there was also a group of Jews who venerated ‘Uzayr (i.e. Ezra) as a Son of
God. Due to the remoteness of Arabia and the diversity of beliefs present
there, this is more than likely. Some of the Jewish tribes were descended from
Arab pagans who converted to Judaism and were not highly literate, meaning that
unorthodox beliefs were likely to spring up among them. In addition to these
groups, there were also Magians (a.k.a. Zoroastrians) from Persia who held that
God was opposed by an evil spirt, Angra Mainyu or Ahriman, and Hanifs, who held
that there was one God and the original religion of the Arabs was the religion
of Abraham. To these latter, Muhammad associated Himself.
When Muhammad
proclaimed that “there is no God but God” and that all should turn away from
idolatry and accept pure monotheism, His people reacted strongly against Him,
pelting Him with rocks and refuse and persecuting anyone who followed Him. The
early Muslims were a small group within Mecca, mostly including the poor,
abject, slaves and women, and some members of Muhammad’s clan (the Hashimites).
When He said that there would be a resurrection, that the polytheists would go
to hellfire and that God would send divine judgement, the Meccans declared that
Muhammad was repeating the stories of the ancients, that He was a poet or
soothsayer and that He was possessed by genies. Many of their arguments against
Him are recorded in the text of the Qur’ān itself, along with God’s rebuttal.
It is in this context that the Qur’ān gives some convincing argments for the
existence of God. These are not scientific proofs, it should be born in mind,
as science is a field which relates to material existence. God is not some
energy or material being who can be measured, analysed and proven through
science—nor can God’s existence be disproved by science. Science simply does
not belong in the equation, as it relates to observable phenomena only. God is
the ultimate reality, existing above and beyond the physical universe and does
not consist of any material substance or energy. Arguments for the existence of
God, then, must take a different form. They appeal to man’s higher
sensibilities and powers of intuition, reflection and spiritual receptivity.
Here are some of the arguments laid out by the Qur’ān. I have included five
main proofs, which are listed as follows:
1. Man did not
create himself
2. Everything is a
sign of God’s attributes
3. Life and death
are in the hands of higher Power
4. The example of
ancient peoples who rejected God
5. The verses of
the Qur’ān are Signs of God
Let’s start with
the first:
1.
Man did not create himself.
Qur’ān 52:33 – 36:
“Or
do they say, "He fabricated the (Message)"? Nay, they have no faith!
Let them then produce a recital like unto it—if (it be) they speak the truth!
Were they created of nothing, or were they themselves the creators? Or did they
create the heavens and the earth? Nay, they have no firm belief.”
This is perhaps the
most obvious argument for the existence of a Creator. If man is not
self-created, he is in need of an external creator. Man also did not create the
heavens and earth, so there must be some creator outside of creation which
brought them into being. While the Meccans believed that God existed, they did
not believe that God was an active Creator or that He could bring about a
resurrection. Time, they believed, was eternal—without beginning or end—and God
was merely the highest among many deities which had power over the world. They
also believed that Fate was the main determiner of life and death. The Qur’ān
argues that this is not the case—each human being is created by God; God
decides when one lives or dies; and fate (Arabic qadar) is merely what God has predetermined in the Mother Book—the
preserved Tablet—which contains the knowledge of all things, past and future.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá further elaborates on the argument that man did not create
himself:
“One
of the proofs and demonstrations of the existence of God is the fact that man
did not create himself: nay, his creator and designer is another than himself.
“It
is certain and indisputable that the creator of man is not like man because a
powerless creature cannot create another being. The maker, the creator, has to
possess all perfections in order that he may create.
“Can
the creation be perfect and the creator imperfect? Can a picture be a
masterpiece and the painter imperfect in his art? For it is his art and his
creation. Moreover, the picture cannot be like the painter; otherwise, the
painting would have created itself. However perfect the picture may be, in
comparison with the painter it is in the utmost degree of imperfection.
“The
contingent world is the source of imperfections: God is the origin of
perfections. The imperfections of the contingent world are in themselves a
proof of the perfections of God.”
(Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 5)
Thus the existence
of imperfection implies that perfection must exist. Plato held the same
essential argument, that perfection must exist and this world is merely an
imperfect reflection of a higher and perfect reality. He argued that what we
see as beautiful and wonderful, such as flowers and trees and rivers, etc. are
all imperfect reflections or shadows of a perfect reality. There is a perfect
tree, a perfect flower, etc. in another realm of existence. Regardless of
whether Plato’s idea is true or not, the concept of imperfection does imply, by
its very meaning, that perfection must exist. If there is dependency or
contingency, then independence and self-sufficiency must exist. If there is
plurality, there must also be singularity and oneness. Light implies the
existence of darkness, just as heat implies the existence of cold. If there
were no cold, heat could not be imagined. Likewise, if there were no heat, the
concept of ‘cold’ would be meaningless. Instinctively and intuitively, every
human being can understand that we are imperfect beings and that everything
around us is imperfect and contingent. We are incapable of creating ourselves
just as the universe is incapable of springing into being out of nothingness on
its own. Therefore, there must be a Creator and that Creator must be absolute
perfection and be completely independent; otherwise, it would be like its
creation and hence limited and constrained, incapable of creating anything.
2.
Everything is a sign of God’s attributes:
The Qur’ān says
(51:20 – 23):
“On
the earth are signs for those of assured Faith, as also in your own selves:
Will ye not then see? And in heaven is your Sustenance, as (also) that which ye
are promised. Then, by the Lord of heaven and earth, this is the very Truth, as
much as the fact that ye can speak intelligently to each other.”
According to this
concept, everything in existence is a sign (Arabic āyah) of God’s existence, from the largest stars to the smallest
ant, from the sun and moon to man himself and his inner being. The word ‘sign’
or āyah is also used to refer to the
verses of the Qur’ān. Thus each and every verse of the Qur’ān is also a sign of
God’s existence and a proof for those who can perceive its truth. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
writes:
“Throughout
the world of existence it is the same; the smallest created thing proves that
there is a creator. For instance, this piece of bread proves that it has a
maker.
“Praise
be to God! the least change produced in the form of the smallest thing proves
the existence of a creator: then can this great universe, which is endless, be
self-created and come into existence from the action of matter and the
elements? How self-evidently wrong is such a supposition!”
(‘Abdu'l-Bahá, SomeAnswered Questions, p. 6)
God can only be
understood through His attributes, which are mentioned in the various
Scriptures which have been revealed to mankind. For instance, the Qur’ān says
(59:22 – 24): “God is He, than Whom there is no other god—Who knows (all things) both
secret and open; He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. God is He, than Whom there
is no other god—the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and
Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in
Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to God. (High is He) above the
partners they attribute to Him. He is God, the Creator, the Evolver, the
Bestower of Forms (or Colours). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names:
whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory:
and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (55:78): “Blessed be the name of thy Lord, full of Majesty, Bounty and Honour.”
Each of these
attributes, and the many other attributes of God, are mirrored and evidenced in
ourselves and the created world. For example, everything in the universe
possesses a power of attraction by virtue of gravity. All objects, both large
and small, bend space to a greater or lesser degree. The essence of beauty is
the power of attraction. Those who reflect on beauty and attraction can see in
this power signs of the existence of ultimate and perfect Beauty, which is an
attribute of God.
The order and power
of the universe are also signs that there is an ultimate Being who ordered
existence and set the celestial bodies into motion. The Qur’ān says 36:37 – 40:
“And a Sign for them is the Night: We
withdraw therefrom the Day, and behold they are plunged in darkness;
And
the sun runs his course for a period determined for him: that is the decree of
(Him), the Exalted in Might, the All-Knowing. And the Moon—We have measured for
her mansions (to traverse) till she returns like the old (and withered) lower
part of a date-stalk. It is not permitted to the Sun to catch up the Moon, nor
can the Night outstrip the Day: Each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit
(according to Law)”.
The orbits of the sun and moon, one around the galactic centre and the other
around earth, are thus fixed and determined by a higher Power who has brought
this tremendous order into being. We also know that the physical universe was
once a single point which was then expanded through the Big Bang. Even now, the
expansion of the universe is constantly accelerating. This is another proof of
God’s power and might for those who can perceive.
The Qur’ān says
(51:47 – 49): “With power and skill did We
construct the Firmament: for it is We Who create the vastness of space. And We
have spread out the (spacious) earth: How excellently We do spread out! And of every thing We have created pairs:
That ye may receive instruction.” That is Yusuf Ali’s translation. However,
verse 47 actually reads wa-s-samā’-a
banaynā-hā bi-ayd-in wa-’innā la-mūsi‘ūna – literally meaning “And the sky, we created/built it
with-strength and verily-We [are] the Expanders” (my translation), implying
that God created the heavens (i.e. the physical universe) and then expanded and
continues to expand it. If God had expanded the heavens once, He would have
used a past tense verb. Instead, He uses a nominal sentence with two emphatic
particles, ’inna and la-, and then an active participle,
implying that He is still expanding the universe. The plural is used because it
is the divine or royal ‘We’. Also, in Qur’ān 21:30, God says that the universe
was once a single point that God expanded. In the following verses, He also
says that all life came from water (Arabic fa-ja‘al-nā mina l-mā’-i kull-a shay’-inHayy) and that all celestial bodies “swim along” (Arabic yasbaHūn),
each in a rounded course (Arabic falak), implying that all celestial
bodies are subject to gravity (verses 21:30 – 33):
“Do
not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as
one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every
living thing. Will they not then believe?
And We have set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should
shake with them, and We have made therein broad highways (between mountains)
for them to pass through: that they may receive Guidance. And We have made the
heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these
things (point to)! It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and
the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course.”
When it says “We
have made the heavens as a canopy”, this literally means “And We made the sky
as a protective ceiling” (Arabic wa-ja‘al-nas-samā’-a saqf-an maHfūZ-an). In other words, this is not a reference to
the sky being a dome. It’s a reference to the sky above earth being a
protective shield (i.e. the earth’s magnetic field), protecting us from solar
radiation. With regards to the reference to mountains, I would refer the reader
to explanations on the scientific miracles of the Qur’ān, which mention
the Qur’ānic references to mountains, the sky, rain, waves, the barrier between
seas, embryology, etc. as well as the beneficial properties of certain foods.
3.
Life and death are in the hands of a higher Power:
| A human embryo |
There is a famous
story narrated in the Qur’ān which illustrates an argument between an ancient
king (presumably Nimrod) and the Prophet Abraham (upon whom be peace). It goes
as follows (2:258):
“Hast
thou not turned thy vision to one who disputed with Abraham about his Lord,
because God had granted him power? Abraham said: "My Lord is He Who giveth
life and death." He said: "I give life and death". Said Abraham:
"But it is God that causeth the sun to rise from the east: Do thou then
cause him to rise from the West." Thus was he confounded who (in
arrogance) rejected faith. Nor doth God Give guidance to a people unjust.”
Abraham maintained
that God was the giver of both life and death. The arrogant king argued that he
could also bestow life and death (presumably by having the right to execute and
make war). What he did not realise was that his own power was limited whereas
God’s power was ultimate and unlimited. Human beings may be capable of
producing children and of taking life through killing one another, but the
reality is that a higher power causes both life and death. This may be
understood by considering the question, ‘who brought life into being in the
first place? Who created the clouds which bring rain and the seeds which bring
new plant life? Who set the earth in motion around the sun and who brought
about the seasons which provide for new life in spring and death in winter?’
Every abundance, every life-giving sustenance, every drop of water, is a bounty
from God. Human beings developed on this planet and found it as it was, full of
animals, plants, water, warmth and shelter. Did mankind bring these into being
or were they provided here for our benefit? Just as a parent provides his or
her children with what they need for life, so God has provided everything that
humans need to live and grow. When He determines, we are born and fashioned in
the womb according to a preordained pattern and then we grow old and die at a
time when God has determined. All of this is within the hands of a higher
Power.
When the king
argued that he was the cause of life and death, Abraham argued: “But it is God that causeth the sun to rise
from the east: Do thou then cause him to rise from the West”. If the king
were truly a god or possessed of all power, he should have been able to comply with that command. Realising his own impotence, however, the king was completely
confounded. The sun moves in its own orbit and the earth rotates on its own
axis and circles round the sun. None of these things can be controlled by man—a
limited and finite being. Rather, their order was ordained and established by a
higher Power which is the source of all order and movement. This is not a
separate argument from the one above. On the contrary, Abraham uses the concept
of the sun rising from the West to demonstrate the impotency of man to be able
to do aught that God is capable of. Bringing about life and death is really
equivalent to causing the sun to rise (from any horizon). It is a miracle which
lies in the hands of God. This theme of God as the giver of life and death is
repeated throughout the Qur’ān, as in the following verses:
46:33: “See they not that God, Who created the
heavens and the earth, and never wearied with their creation, is able to give
life to the dead? Yea, verily He has power over all things.”
2:28 – 29: “How can ye reject the faith in God—seeing
that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die,
and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return. It is He Who
hath created for you all things that are on earth; moreover His design
comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven
firmaments; and of all things He hath perfect knowledge.”
One of the signs of
God is that the earth becomes dry and barren (as in the desert) and then rain
comes and brings life to the dead plain. The water causes seeds to germinate
and spring out of the dead earth and plants, insects and animals proliferate. A
wadi rushes forth in the
formerly-barren desert and flows like a river, giving drink to men and animals.
This is an allusion which the desert Arabs could easily comprehend and relate
to, for they saw this miracle of life every year. The materialist will see this
as nature following its course, while the spiritually-minded person sees
providence, mercy and bounty from God, who provides the rain and gives life to
the earth, as the Qur’ān says in the following verses:
41:39: “And among His Signs in this: thou seest
the earth barren and desolate; but when We send down rain to it, it is stirred
to life and yields increase. Truly, He Who gives life to the (dead) earth can
surely give life to (men) who are dead. For He has power over all things.”
10:31 – 32: “Say: ‘Who is it that sustains you (in
life) from the sky and from the earth? or who is it that has power over hearing
and sight? And who is it that brings out the living from the dead and the dead
from the living? and who is it that rules and regulates all affairs?’ They will
soon say, ‘(God)’. Say, "will ye not then show piety (to Him)?" Such
is God, your real Cherisher and Sustainer: apart from truth, what (remains) but
error? How then are ye turned away?”
In another verse,
God contrasts the creation of man with the creation of the heavens. When
speaking about Pharaoh, who declared himself to be a deity, God provides the
following argument (79:27 - 33): “Are ye
the harder to create, or the heaven which He hath built? He reared its height
and fashioned it, and gave darkness to its night, and brought out its light,
and afterwards stretched forth the earth, He brought forth from it its waters
and its pastures; and set the mountains firm for you and your cattle to enjoy”.
Here God is asking those who deny they are created by God whether it is easier
to create the heavens and the earth or to create man? In other words, since the
universe must be originated, and is hence created, how can anyone deny that
they are also created? If the universe must be created, and this is far greater
creation, so too must each one of us accept that we are created beings.
Likewise, we should appreciate the fact that God has created night and day, has
formed the earth with all its water and pastures, its mountains and plains for
humans and their livestock to enjoy. All of these wonders are signs of God and
the power of His creative agency. They are also signs of His mercy and care for
His creatures. Likewise, in 56:63 - 64, He asks whether people they
think that they are the ones who cause crops to grow. We may sow the seed, but
it is a higher power—God—which causes that seed to spring forth: “What think ye? That which ye sow, is it ye
who cause its upgrowth, or do We cause it to spring forth?”
In Surah Ar-Rahman (the chapter of the
All-Merciful), there is a constant, mesmerising refrain of ‘Which, therefore, of your Lord’s benefits will ye ungratefully deny’
(fa-bi-’ayyi ’ālā’-i rabb-i-kumā
tukadhdhibān), where numerous benefits or bounties of God are described and
these are contrasted with the ungratefulness of man. This is a way of waking
the listener up from slumber so that they realise that all the blessings of creation
derive from God and should be appreciated. Each line is short, rhythmic and
pulsating, like waves on the sea.
(55:1 – 6, 10 -
13): “The Merciful hath taught his
servant the Qur’ān. He created man: He hath taught him distinct speech. The sun
and the moon run their courses according to a certain rule: and the vegetables
which creep on the ground, and the trees submit to His disposition... And the earth hath He prepared for living
creatures: therein are various fruits, and palm-trees bearing sheaths of
flowers; and grain having chaff, and leaves. Which, therefore, of your LORD’S
benefits will ye ungratefully deny?”
4.
The example of ancient peoples who rejected God:
 |
| Remains of the people of Thamud |
One of the
recurring themes of the Qur’ān is that God has sent Messengers and Prophets to
every people with a message in their own language. It lists a number of these
stories, both of Biblical and ancient Arabian Prophets, the arguments of their
peoples and God’s response to their actions. Each of these are signs for people
to understand God’s interactions with humanity. In Qur’ān 14:9 – 18, we see an
example of this:
“Has
not the story reached you, (O people!), of those who (went) before you?—of the
people of Noah, and 'Ad, and Thamud? - And of those who (came) after them? None
knows them but God. To them came apostles with Clear (Signs); but they put
their hands up to their mouths, and said: "We do deny (the mission) on
which ye have been sent, and we are really in suspicious (disquieting) doubt as
to that to which ye invite us." Their apostles said: "Is there a
doubt about God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? It is He Who invites
you, in order that He may forgive you your sins and give you respite for a term
appointed!" They said: "Ah! ye are no more than human, like ourselves!
Ye wish to turn us away from the (gods) our fathers used to worship: then bring
us some clear authority."
“Their
apostles said to them: "True, we are human like yourselves, but God doth
grant His grace to such of his servants as He pleases. It is not for us to
bring you an authority except as God permits. And on God let all men of faith
put their trust. No reason have we why we should not put our trust on God.
Indeed He Has guided us to the Ways we (follow). We shall certainly bear with
patience all the hurt you may cause us. For those who put their trust should
put their trust on God."
“And
the Unbelievers said to their apostles: "Be sure we shall drive you out of
our land, or ye shall return to our religion." But their Lord inspired
(this Message) to them: "Verily We shall cause the wrong-doers to perish!
And verily We shall cause you to abide in the land, and succeed them. This for
such as fear the Time when they shall stand before My tribunal,—such as fear
the punishment denounced."
“But
they sought victory and decision (there and then), and frustration was the lot
of every powerful obstinate transgressor. In front of such a one is Hell, and
he is given, for drink, boiling fetid water. In gulps will he sip it, but never
will he be near swallowing it down his throat: death will come to him from
every quarter, yet will he not die: and in front of him will be a chastisement
unrelenting. The parable of those who reject their Lord is that their works are
as ashes, on which the wind blows furiously on a tempestuous day: No power have
they over aught that they have earned: that is the straying far, far (from the
goal).”
Money, wealth,
political power and sovereignty, wives and children, camels and other
livestock—all of these are fleeting. The parable above says that the works of
the transgressors are like ashes which the wind blows away on a tempestuous
day. They have no power to preserve or protect what they have earned—their
physical possessions and their symbols of power and authority will vanish away
and disappear. Even if we cannot historically substantiate the existence of a
particular Prophet, such as Hud, Salih or Noah, the message of these verses is
clear: those who oppose God and His teachings pass away like ashes in the wind
while God and His Message endure. As an example, one may consider the ancient
Egyptian civilization with all its pomp and pageantry. They worshipped many
gods and goddesses and Egypt was the breadbasket of the Mediterranean. It was a
land of milk and honey, full of gold and riches, science and technology,
military might and power. However, what has endured of this pomp and glory? Its
god-king Pharaohs no longer reign, its religion has been exterminated, its
monuments are worn-down, its language has become all but extinct and its glory
has faded. Yet the religion of Moses, the Revealer of the Torah, endures and is
recognised by over two billion people on the planet, including almost all
Egyptians (whether they be Jewish, Christian, Muslim or Bahá’í). The Jewish
people, the descendants of the Israelites, endure and continue to make amazing
contributions to science, technology and culture, while ancient Egyptian
civilization has lost its splendour.
Another example is
the Roman Empire. Jesus Christ was a poor, unlettered Hebrew from Galilee, a
remote corner of the Roman Empire—a land under foreign occupation. His
followers were uneducated and mostly illiterate, including twelve disciples
(one of whom betrayed Him to the Sanhedrin) and several women. He was executed
after a short ministry, His body being suspended on a cross, and His followers
became distraught and abandoned His teachings. Peter (originally called Simon Kefa—the ‘Rock’), even denied Him three
times in public, refusing to admit His connection to the Prophet. Yet, after
three days, the entire community was revivified and, inspired by the Holy
Spirit, set out to spread His Message—the Good News or ‘Gospel’—across the face
of the earth. Within three centuries, it had spread throughout the Roman Empire
and, after much persecution, was granted recognition by Constantine the Great,
who converted to Christianity on his death bed. Thereafter, it expanded to
become the majority and official religion of the Roman Empire. Finally,
Germanic Christians moved into Italy and brought the empire to its end, such
that the pomp and might of Rome no longer exist. Indeed, for many centuries,
Rome would be known only as the city of the Bishop of Roman—the Pope—not as the
capital of a mighty and expansive empire. The Roman Empire fell and its
monuments wore away to ruins; its legions no longer exist; its language has
been transformed by a dozen subject peoples, and its Senate, consuls and
emperors no longer exist. Their wealth, their riches and glory faded away like
ashes in a tempestuous wind. What endured was the Message of Jesus Christ.
Likewise, the Qur’ān
urges the Meccans to accept the Message of Islam and reflect on what befell
past peoples. In Qur’ān 30:9 – 10, He mentions the ruins of past civilizations,
which are a sign to those who reflect:
“Do
they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before
them? They were superior to them in strength: they tilled the soil and
populated it in greater numbers than these have done: there came to them their
apostles with Clear (Signs). (Which they rejected, to their own destruction):
It was not God Who wronged them, but they wronged their own souls. In the long
run evil in the extreme will be the end of those who do evil; for that they
rejected the Signs of God, and held them up to ridicule.”
Again, in 22:45 –
48:
“How
many populations have We destroyed, which were given to wrong- doing? They
tumbled down on their roofs. And how many wells are lying idle and neglected,
and castles lofty and well-built? Do they not travel through the land, so that
their hearts (and minds) may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to
hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts which are in
their breasts. Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But God will not
fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand
years of your reckoning. And to how many populations did I give respite, which
were given to wrong-doing? in the end I punished them. To me is the destination
(of all).”
In 29:38, the
ancient ruins of the peoples of ‘Ad and Thamud are specifically referred to.
The remains of Thamud can be seen in Mada’in Saleh in northern Saudi Arabia to
this day. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“(Remember
also) the 'Ad and the Thamud (people): clearly will appear to you from (the
traces) of their buildings (their fate): the Evil One made their deeds alluring
to them, and kept them back from the Path, though they were gifted with
intelligence and skill.”
In 29:39 – 44, He
refers also to the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh and his minister, Haman, and Korah
(called Qarun in Arabic) who rebelled against Moses: “(Remember also) Qarun, Pharaoh, and Haman: there came to them Moses
with Clear Signs, but they behaved with insolence on the earth; yet they could
not overreach (Us). Each one of them We seized for his crime: of them, against
some We sent a violent tornado (with showers of stones); some were caught by a
(mighty) Blast; some We caused the earth to swallow up; and some We drowned (in
the waters): It was not God Who injured (or oppressed) them: They injured (and
oppressed) their own souls. The parable of those who take protectors other than
God is that of the spider, who builds (to itself) a house; but truly the
flimsiest of houses is the spider's house—if they but knew. Verily God doth
know of (every thing) whatever that they call upon besides Him: and He is
Exalted (in power), Wise. And such are the parables We set forth for mankind,
but only those understand them who have knowledge. God created the heavens and
the earth in true (proportions): verily in that is a Sign for those who
believe.”
5.
The verses of the Qur’ān are Signs of God:
The Qur’ān
maintains that not only is every creature, man and natural phenomenon a sign of
God, but the verses revealed to His Prophets are also signs (Arabic āyah, pl. āyāt). The Qur’ān is presented as a scripture which is pure,
complete and free from corruption, so each of the verses thereof can be
regarded as the Word of God and a sign, not only of His existence but of His
might and power, His attributes, and a verification of the Prophet Muhammad. In
fact, the Qur’ān challenges anyone who denies it to produce a surah like even
one of the surahs of the Qur’ān in order to disprove its claim. Yet, after 1400
years, no such counter-surahs exist. The only comparable writings to the Qur’ān
are the previous scriptures, e.g. the Bible, which contains both man-made
writings (e.g. epistles, etc.) as well as prophetic writings, and the
scriptures which have come after the Qur’ān, (e.g. the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá, theBayán, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and other writings revealed by the Báb and
Bahá’u’lláh). These, however, are not challenges to the Qur’ān—they are divine
revelations in succession to the Qur’ān, as they also contain āyāt ‘verses’. The Bahá’í Writings thus
claim a common authorship and are a confirmation and fulfilment of the Qur’ān.
The Qur’ānic challenge is posed at those who deny the divine revelation of the Qur’ān
and claim that it is mere poetry, soothsaying or simply man-made collections of
stories.
- The Qur’ān
challenges those who deny it produce the like thereof:
17:88 – 89: “Say: "If the whole of mankind and
Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur’ān, they could
not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and
support. And We have explained to man,
in this Qur’ān, every kind of similitude: yet the greater part of men refuse
(to receive it) except with ingratitude!”
- Later, the Qur’ān
challenges its deniers to produce 10 surahs like it:
11:13: “Or they may say, "He forged it,"
Say, "Bring ye then ten suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid)
whomsoever ye can, other than God—if ye speak the truth!”
- Finally, it
challenges anyone to produce one surah like unto a single surah of the Qur’ān:
2:23: “And if ye are in doubt as to what We have
revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto;
and call your witnesses or helpers (If there are any) besides God, if your
(doubts) are true.”
10:38: “Or do they say, ‘He forged it’? say:
‘Bring then a surah like unto it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can besides
God, if it be ye speak the truth!’”
The big question
is, what does this mean? Does this mean that no one can make a poetic
composition with the same rhyme pattern as the Qur’ān? Does it mean one
couldn’t imitate the Qur’ān by taking a few verses and switching the words
around? Some Muslims argue that this refers to the beauty of the original
Arabic of the Qur’ān—a beauty that cannot be surpassed. Others state that the
inimitability of the Qur’ān is not only linguistic but intellectual. In other
words, the ideas and concepts of the Qur’ān cannot be replicated or surpassed
by any human text. There may be truth to both of those ideas, but I think the
inimitability is more fundamental than that. It is not merely a question of the
words chosen and the order of those words or the rhyme patterns and sonorous
quality of the verses. Rather, the Qur’ānic verses have a spiritual potency and
impact which human speech is incapable of possessing. If I tell someone they
should do good things and encourage them to improve their lives, they may
listen to me or take my ideas on board, but the influence of my speech will be
limited. Even the best orators have only a limited impact with their words.
Lincoln’s Gettysburg address is inspiring, but it does not have the spiritual
impact or potency of divine verses.
The Qur’ān, on the
other hand, has such power and force that it transformed primitive,
warmongering Arab tribes of diverse loyalties into a single, spiritually-based
community. Myriads of pagan Arabs whose highest virtue was victory over one’s
enemies, learned the value of prayer, morality, and the virtues which lie at
the core of every true religion. Furthermore, Islam has united diverse tribes
and peoples from the Horn of Africa to the great Sahara desert, from Central
Asia to the land of Persia, from Eastern Europe to southern Spain. Where
animosities once existed, unity and brotherhood prevailed. Where women had no
rights, they now had definite rights. Science, technology, civilization and
education flourished during the Islamic Golden Age. As much as Plato or Socrates
were great orators, their words were incapable of such massive transformations
of human character and there is no denying that religion is the greatest
motivator in human civilization. In short, the verses of the Qur’ān are
miraculous and inimitable because of the effect of the words. They are
beautiful and amazing, but the impact of the words derives from the spiritual
potency of each verse, word and letter of the Qur’ān, all of which are pregnant
with meaning.
Furthermore, the
Word of God is creative. What does that mean? It creates whatever it states.
Thus if a verse is revealed stating that such-and-such a thing will happen,
that event will happen. Likewise, if it says that such-and-such a law has been
revealed, that law comes into force and is followed by the adherents of that
text for as long as it is in force. If God changes a law and abrogates a
previous one, that previous law is no longer in force from that moment. If it
says someone is a true believer, that person is reckoned as a true believer. If
it says someone is destined for hellfire, that person falls out of God’s grace.
Everything that is in existence, according to the Qur’ān, comes into being
through the power of the Word of God. This point is illustrated in the following
verse (2:117): “To Him is due the primal
origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it:
‘Be,’ and it is.” This primal Word, be (kun)
is the same as the divine Logos at the beginning of the Gospel of St. John. It
is the Primal Word of God, the Primal Point from which all creation has been
generated. While God is an inaccessible and incomprehensible Essence, we can
understand God through His Word, which is revealed in human language for our
benefit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In conclusion, let us
consider that the points above are not scientific proofs but indications (Arabic
dalā’il) or ‘signs’ which appeal to
the intuition, reason and spiritual receptivity of each human being. They make
sense because they appeal to that higher sensibility which is latent in each
human being. Every human being is born with an innate sense of dependency and a
recognition that there is something higher and more powerful than himself. This
is called fitrah in Arabic, which may
be translated as ‘instinct’, ‘common sense’ or ‘innate nature’. The Qur’ān
refers to this essential nature of man in 30:30: “So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish)
God’s handiwork (fiTrata llāh-i) according to the pattern on which He has
made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by God. That is
the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not.” The
arguments above appeal to this fitrah,
this inborn and instinctive awareness of the spiritual nature of man and the
need to find and worship the Creator. In my previous blogpost, refuting Stephen
Fry’s arguments against God, I mentioned that it is impossible to prove the
non-existence of God through rational proofs since it is impossible to conceive
of something which in indefinable and illimitable. If the illimitable could be
conceived, it would cease to be illimitable—it would become limited and
constrained. God, in His Essence, is exalted above and beyond every human
conception. What we can, to a very limited extent, understand—or try to
understand—are God’s attributes (e.g. mercy, compassion, justice, etc.). This article,
then, cannot be taken as an attempt to logically prove the existence of the
unknowable Essence that is God—rather, it illustrates the spiritual indications
which lead one to believe in God and accept His Prophets and Messengers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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