Philosophers, in our contemporary time, have argued that the idea of Allah is either a fact like a mountain, or a fantasy like a superman. As a fantasy, they assert, it is a human creation, a very great invention. If the idea is actual, they argue, it is disputable. They raised the questions: Are there rational arguments that demonstrate that Allah exists or, at least, that His existence is probable? Is there evidence that counts against Allah’s existence? Is it impossible or inappropriate to approach this question in an objective way? Should we fall back on faith or subjective considerations in making up our minds?
They also answer these questions. They say: these questions are dealt by religions like Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. They assert some claims are made by religions but for them they are not objective and also not subject to demonstration of their truth. I am here not concerned with Judaism and Christianity. I want to discuss the position of Islam on Allah. The source of knowledge about Allah, according to Islam, is not human mind. The idea of the existence of Allah is not a human creation. The position of Islam on any subject or issue such as the existence of Allah, the origin of life, life hereafter, the existence of angels, etc. are not based on human faculties. It is based on the Qur’ān.
The Qur’ān contains knowledge and guidance – true, authentic and universal: “Surely We have brought them a Book which We expounded with knowledge; a guidance and a mercy to those who understand.” [7:52] Hence, such questions as raised by philosophers are subject to scrutiny and examination. Not to the blind following.
The Qur’ān also addresses these questions and answers them. The answers to these questions provided by the Qur’ān are neither the result of dogmas, myths, blind following nor of speculation and conjecture and discursive philosophy. We find answers raised by philosophers in the Qur’ān on the basis of knowledge – the knowledge of Allah, some part of which is revealed to mankind by Allah.
We observe that the views of philosophers and scholars on Islam, the existence of Allah and the Next World, which they deny or confine it to religion, are not supported by the Qur’ān. For example, Islam is presented by philosophers and scholars as theism, as a religion, as a myth. But these views are not endorsed by the Qur’ān. To the Qur’ān, Islam is not theism. It is not even a religion. It is the worldview and the way of life which is not created by human mind. It is revealed to mankind through revelation. We human beings are free to develop any system thought to understand this revealed worldview and the way of life. We are rather encouraged by the Qur’ān to apply the faculties of reason and sense perception to the study of the claims of the Qur’ān. Blind or literal acceptance is not acceptable to the Qur’ān. Hence, neither the idea of Allah nor Islam as the worldview is a human creation. The idea of the existence of Allah, therefore, is not a fantasy as asserted by philosophers. The knowledge of both the existence of Allah and Islam as the worldview is, in fact, revealed to mankind. Does human mind have the capacity to create the idea of Allah with His attributes as mentioned in the Qur’ān? If Allah exists, what is the nature of the existence of Allah? The answers to such questions given by philosophers about the nature of Allah seem to be the result of their ignorance, as we see our faculties in their final judgement end up with metaphysical speculation and conjecture.
TRUTH AND REALITY OF ALLAH
We find in the Qur’ān several statements about the existence of Allah which are made by Allah Himself. Look at the following statements of the Qur’ān:
Allah is All-Powerful as well as All-Wise [2:220]; Fear Allah, and know well that Allah has full knowledge of everything [2: 231]; Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware [31: 34]; Fear Allah, and know well that Allah has full knowledge of everything. [2: 231]
It is also said in the Qur’ān:
Allah, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting by Whom all subsist, there is no God but He. Neither slumber seizes Him, nor sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. Who is there who might intercede with him save with his leave? He knows what lies before them and what is hidden from them, whereas they cannot attain to anything of His knowledge save what He wills them to attain, His Dominion overspreads the heavens and the earth, and their upholding wearies Him not. He is All-High, All-Glorious. [2: 255]
ALLAH IS SOURCE OF TRUE, AUTHENTIC, UNIVERSAL KNOWLEDGE
Introduction of Allah comes with a clear and powerful declaration that the Qur’ān is revealed by none other than Allah swt–All-Knowledgeable, All-Wise and All-Powerful that contains the true, authentic and universal knowledge. Look at the following declarations of the Qur’ān:
Surely this is a revelation from the Lord of the universe [26: 192]; [O Muhammad], you are receiving the Qur’ān from the Most Wise, the All-Knowing. [27: 6]; This Book, beyond all doubt, was revealed by the Lord of the Universe [32:2]; Ha.Mim. The revelation of this Book is from Allah, Exalted in Power, and Full of Knowledge. [40: 1-2]; The revelation of this book is from Allah, the Exalted in Power, and Full of Wisdom. Verily it is We Who have revealed the Book to you in Truth, so serve only Allah, consecrating your devotion to Him. [39: 1-2]
…This is a Book which We have revealed to you that you may bring forth mankind from every kind of darkness into light and direct them, with the leave of their Lord, to the Way of the Mighty, the Innately Praiseworthy… [14: 1]; We have sent down the Book that you may explain to them the truth concerning what they are disputing and that the Book may serve as a guidance and mercy for those who believe in it. [16: 64]
Can we ignore Allah and His Guidance and reduce Him to the level of a religious god. Can we really understand the metaphysical realities based on the structure of philosophical thought? If we ignore Allah and His Book, is this attitude rational? Has any other philosopher, thinker, scholar or author made this kind of claim about himself? Who has the Unlimited-Knowledge, Wisdom and Power over each and every thing of this world, philosophers or Allah the Exalted? Is the reduction of Allah from the Truth and Reality to the existence of a religious God rational?
Did one find any claim or statement of the Qur’ān as being false? He needs to prove it. If not, how can we ignore the Qur’ān that contains the true, authentic and universal knowledge? If we do that, does it not mean that our attitude is irrational and conjectural? In fact, in our studies we have ignored all these facts and have reduced the All-Powerful Allah to a god of a religion. Irrespective of the existence of a number of philosophers and thinkers, accepted by ignorant people, the fact remains that the domain of true, authentic and universal knowledge about the metaphysical realities of this world in its entirety belongs exclusively to the Eternal Being – Allah – Who is indebted to no one for His existence. Allah the All-Knowing alone knows the Truth and Reality of both metaphysical and physical worlds which are not two but only one in reality but it has two dimensions. Hence, instead of making a rational or empirical search on the basis of our limited reason and sense perception, we must make our philosophical and metaphysical search on the basis of true, authentic and universal knowledge and guidance generally known as the Islamic Revealed Knowledge given by Allah. Is this not a reasonable and rational way of understanding?
Why should we be biased about the Qur’ān? Why do we think that the Qur’ān is a religious book and also a book solely for Muslims? Why do we neglect true, authentic and universal knowledge and depend upon conjecture and speculation. In reality, the Qur’ān is neither a religious book nor the book for Muslims alone; rather it is a Book from Allah Who has the Unlimited-Knowledge, Unlimited-Wisdom and Unlimited-Power. It is revealed for the Guidance and benefit of all mankind. This Book is the continuation of other previous Books of Allah. This Book is revealed by Allah Who, in fact, is not only Self-Existent, but upon Him rests the entire order of the universe. He alone wields all sovereign authority over His dominion. None shares either His attributes or His power and might, and no one has the same claims against the creatures as He. Hence, if anywhere in the heavens or the earth someone sets up anything or anybody as equal, either instead of or in addition to the One True God – Allah, this amounts to declaring a war on Truth and Reality.
Hence, it is genuinely asserted that on the basis of the study of the Qur’ān, one can easily comprehend that the theory of Social Law; of the Three Stages of Human Development, presented by August Comte based on his faculties, which has now become an integral part of the dominant concept of modern secular knowledge, science and education, is also based on philosophical reasoning and speculative and conjectural philosophy instead of and rather than true, authentic and universal knowledge. This theory advocates that man reached maturity through the process of primitive stages i.e. religious, philosophical and scientific. In his primitive stage, man lived in total darkness i.e. without true, authentic and Universal Knowledge of metaphysical reality. In this theory, it is also claimed that man had no knowledge about himself, society and metaphysical reality.
Even the doctrine of evolution which postulates that man has gradually come out of darkness into light; that life has advanced in a unilinear fashion, towards increasingly better condition is contradicted by the Qur’ān. Contrary to this, the Qur’ān presents altogether a different Reality. The Qur’ān forcefully rejects such theories which deny the existence of Allah as the Truth and Reality of this world and also the existence of the true, authentic and universal knowledge about this world. It proclaims that man, in his primitive stage of life, did not open his eyes in the darkness of metaphysical Truth and Reality. Instead, the Qur’ān makes it clear that since the time of inception of life on this earth, man was given by his Creator – Allah – true, authentic and universal knowledge of the physical and metaphysical world. Hence, neither human life nor the world is a mystery. According to the Qur’ān, the true, authentic and universal knowledge of Truth and Reality of the physical and metaphysical world was revealed again and again to man since his inception through the Messengers. Hence, the Qur’ān postulates that human life began in the full light of true, authentic and universal knowledge.
It was also made clear in the Qur’ān that this true, authentic and universal knowledge was given to man by none but Allah, the Creator of man and universe. It was also made clear, beyond any doubt, in the Qur’ān that this Creator is none other than Allah Who is All-Knowledgeable, All-Wise and All-Powerful and the Lord of the universe, Who, alone, is Possessor, Sustainer, Cherisher, Provider of this world. In favour of this claim, the Qur’ān provides several empirical evidences from the physical body of man and the natural world. Look at the following statements of the Qur’ān.
THE TRUTH AND REALITY OF LIFE AND THE WORLD
We do not need a so-called modern Western philosophical or scientific discussion to know the Truth and Reality of Allah. We need to understand and appreciate the powerful ethical discourse of the Qur’ān which has been followed by historical and empirical evidences. We genuinely need to reflect and ponder over the statements of the Qur’ān. Concerning the creation of man and this world, it is stated in the Qur’ān:
It is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between the two, in six days, and then He established Himself on the Throne… He governs from the heaven to the earth and then the record [of this governance] goes up to Him… He knows all that is beyond as well as all that is within a creature’s sense-perception. He is the Most Mighty, the Most Compassionate. He Who excelled in the creation of all that He created. He originated the creation of man from clay, and then made his progeny from the extract of a mean fluid, then He duly proportioned him, and breathed into him of His spirit, and bestowed upon your ears and eyes and hearts. And yet, little thanks do you give. [32: 4-9]
Surely your Lord is none other than Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then ascended His Throne, Who causes the night to cover the day and then the day swiftly pursues the night, Who created the sun and the moon and the stars making them all subservient to His command. Lo! His is the creation and His is the command. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the Whole Universe. [7: 54]
The above-mentioned statements of the Qur’ān, on one side, clear all doubts and confusions about the Truth and Reality of Allah and on the other, undoubtedly expound the Truth of Life and the World. The existence of Allah is the Truth of this World and the Reality is that Allah is the Creator of Life and the World. The validity and authenticity of the statements of the Qur’ān has been demonstrated in the Qur’ān itself. At the moment it is enough to know that Allah’s “creations, for example, in the Universe are innumerable. Of them, none is flawed or blemished, or out of tune with the overall scheme of things. On the contrary, each object has an elegance and grace of its own; each is well proportionate and in its proper place. Allah has created everything in the best shape and has invested it with the most suitable features…Man cannot identify any flaw in Allah’s grand design.” [Maudoodi, Towards Understand the Qur’ān, Vol. 8, 2007, 163]
The command of Allah to create everything manifests everywhere in the creation. Look at “a single cell creature, notwithstanding its simple appearance is so complex, delicate and replete with such wisdom that it would be patently foolish to consider it to have come into being accidently rather than by Allah’s command. Such a notion is much more unscientific and illogical than the concept of direct creation which the adherents of the theory of evolution find hard to digest.” [Maudoodi, V 8, 164] This is the reason that Allah invited thinking minds to think about the Qur’ānic statements. Such as look at the following:
Have they not observed the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and all that Allah has created, and that their term of life might have drawn near?… (7:185)
Have these people never seen how Allah originates the creation, and then repeats it? Surely this (repetition) is easier for Allah. Say to them, “Go about in the earth and see how He has begun the creation; then Allah will recreate life: surely Allah has power over everything.” (29:19-20)
It is Allah Who has raised up the heavens without such pillars as you could see: then He sat Himself upon the Throne of His Kingdom: He subjected the sun and the moon to a law. Everything in the universe is running its course to its fixed term. And Allah alone is directing the whole affair. He makes His signs plain: perhaps you may be convinced of meeting your Lord.
And it is He Who has spread out the earth, and fixed the immovable mountains in it, and made the rivers flow on it. He has created in pairs every kind of fruit, and He covers the day with the veil of night. Surely there are great Signs in these for those who reflect upon them. (13:2-3)
Say: Allah is the Creator of all things; He is the One, the Irresistible. [13:16]
Have they never reflected in their own selves? Allah has created the earth and the heavens and all that lies between them, with the truth, and only for an appointed term; but most people disbelieve in the meeting with their Lord. (30:8)
Ask them: ‘Is there any among those whom you associate with Allah in His divinity that brings about the creation of all beings in the first instance and will then repeat it?’ Tell them: ‘It is Allah Who brings about the creation of all beings and will then repeat it. How are you, then, being misled?’ [10: 34]
He is Allah: there is no god but He; the knower of the unseen and the manifest, He is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. [23] He is Allah: there is no god but He: the king, the Holy, the All-Peace, the Giver of security, the Overseer, the Most Mighty, the Overpowering, the All-Great. Exalted be He from whatever they associate with Him [24] He is Allah, the Planner, Executer and Fashioner of creation. [the Maker Who shapes all forms and appearances!]
His alone are the attributes of perfection. All that is in the heavens and on earth extols His limitless Glory: for He alone is Almighty, Truly Most Wise! [59: 22-24]
Allah and His acts are marvellous, excellent and wondrous manifestations of His power and wisdom. We simply overlook the reality of Allah:
Say [O Prophet]: “If the sea were to become ink to record the Words of my Lord, indeed the sea would be all used up before the Words of my Lord are exhausted, and it would be the same even if We were to bring an equal amount of ink.” [18: 109]