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Existence of Allah
Rational arguments in favor of existence of Allah and the Prophet hood of Muhammad (saw).
By Muhammad AnasDuring my study at university, once I related a saying of the Prophet (saw) to a class fellow he stopped me short saying that Muhammad (saw) was merely an intelligent person born in a prestigious family, who wanted to become a leader of his people. He wrote the Qur'an himself and then declared that it was revealed to him by Allah. I could only say to him that he was talking nonsense. Anyhow, it altogether changed my thinking and there upon I felt the need to show the real way to such misled etheist people. I felt that such people should be approached with purely rational arguments. From then on I started to compile such arguments and evidences which accounted for more than 250. If man is to ponder over this universe, its creation, his own creation and the Qur'an and Hadith, he will get innumerable evidences in favour of the truthfulness of the existence of Allah and Prophet hood of Muhammad(saw), Few such evidences are adduced below.
1- The history of mankind is replete with scientists but more often then not every scientist --- differed to some extent with the theories of other scientists. But contrariwise, there have been more or less one lac and twenty four thousand prophets sent to different peoples in different areas. But they all propagated one ideology, one belief, that is Allah is the Lord of this whole universe, He has no partners and none other than Him is worthy of worship. Here we should stop to think that is it merely a coincidence that all Prophets professed the same belief of the Oneness of Allah? Then it must also be remembered that these Prophets were born in different areas and different epochs, distanced from each other by thousands of miles and many centuries. Their languages, culture and norms were different from each other. They were even unaware of each other's teachings. But despite that their teachings were centered on the same beliefs. This phenomenon can be any thing but coincidental. It is in fact a candid evidence that there is someone who sent these Prophets with similar teachings, and then these prophets (saw) conveyed the message of their Lord in the face of all hardships.
2. Prophet Muhammad (saw) was born in Makkah, he spent his childhood and youth there. It was due to his immaculate character, humane disposition, truthfulness and trustworthiness that the people of Makkah used to call him Sadiq (truthful) and Ameen (trustworthy). Now is it possible that such a pious person who never lied in first forty years of his life could have written the Qur'an himself and then ascribed it to Allah. This is next door to impossible. This is the reason why when Dr. Iqbal's students asked him to give a rational evidence to prove the existence of Allah he said we know about the existence of Allah because our Prophet (saw) told us that our Lord is Allah. Here Iqbal referred to the fact that when the Prophet Muhammad (saw), who is the most truthful man, told us about Allah then it couldn't be a lie.
3. It is the nature of man that he condoms evil, if this were not so he would not have committed evils. How is it possible that Muhammad (saw) lied about the Qur'an which itself contained many warnings against lying. Following are some of the warnings of the Qur'an and Hadith against lying.
A) Who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or reject His signs? But verily the wrongdoers never shall prosper. (Al-Anam: 21)
B) The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: " there is destruction for the person who tells a lie to cause people to laugh. There is destruction and destruction for him." (Tirmizi) Abu Daud)
C) Ibn-e-Umar (Razi Allah Anho) narrated: the Prophet of Allah (saw) said: when a person tells a lie, angels draw a mile away from him due to the stench (of his lie). (Mishkat, Tirmizi)
D) Sufyan bin Asyed Hazry (Razi Allah Anho) narrated: I heard the Prophet Muhammad (saw) say: It is a great untrustworthy (on your post) that you relate a thing to your brother and he considers you truthful whereas you really are a liar. (Mishkat)
4. Allah Almighty blessed Muslims with victory in the battle of Badr, 70 disbelievers were killed and as many were taken captives. It is narrated in many traditions that when the captives were taken to the Prophet (saw) he held counsel with his companions(%) about their fate. Syedna Abu Bakr (Razi Allah Anho) opined that the captives should be freed after receiving Fidya (release money), Syedna Umar (Razi Allah Anho) suggested each captive should be handed over to his Muslim relative who would kill them so that it can be proved that the real basis of relationship among Muslims is Islam, no relationship apart from that is acceptable. Opinion among other companions was divided. One group favoured Syedna Abu Bakr's (Razi Allah Anho) opinion, and the other favoured Syedna Umar's opinion but the majority favoured Syedna Abu Bakr's opinion. Therefore the Prophet Muhammad (saw) adopted Syedna Abu Bakr's opinion. Many captives were so impressed with the attitude of the Prophet (saw) and his companions (Razi Allah Anho) that they embraced Islam. Even the Prophet's Uncle Syedna Abbas (Razi Allah Anho) also embraced Islam. The Prophet (saw) and his companions (RA) were elated over this. Now if the Prophet (saw) had written the Qur'an himself, there would have been great praise of this decision. But Allah Almighty, who is All Wise and All Knower, did not like this decision of the Prophet (saw) therefore He expressed anger in a very harsh tone. It is not fitting for a Prophet (saw) that he should leave prisoners of war until he has thoroughly subdued the land. You look for the temporal goods of this world. But Allah looks to the Hereafter: and Allah is exalted in might, Wise. Had it not been for a previous ordainment form Allah, a severe punishment would have reached you for the ransom that you took. (Al-Anfal 67,68) These verses are candid evidence that the Qur'an is a revelation. The incident that looked quite sensible was condemned by Divine Reason. Furthermore, it is also proved that the Prophet (saw) conveyed whatever words were revealed to him. The Qur'an says: The Prophet (saw) frowned and turned away. Because there came to him the blind man (interrupting). But what could tell you but that perchance he might grow in purity? Or that he might believe admonition, and the Reminder might profit him? As to one who regards himself as self-sufficient to him do you attend, though it is no blame to you if he grows not in purity. But as to him who came to you striving earnestly, and with fear (in his heart), of him what was you unmindful. By no means (should it be so) For it is indeed Message of remembrance. Therefore let whose will, keep it in remembrance. (Abasa: 1-12) These verses were revealed in response to a small incident, Once the Prophet (saw) who sitting with the chiefs of the polytheists of Makkah. The Prophet (saw) was preaching them because their acceptance of Islam would have given strength to Islam. Therefore, the Prophet (saw) was preaching them with great attention. In the meantime, Syedna Abdullah Ibn-e-Maktoom (raz), who was blind, arrived and started asking questions to understand the teachings of Deen. The Prophet (saw) disliked his butting in and averted his face. On this Allah Almighty revealed the above quoted verses. (Shokani) You would agree that from the point of view of prudence it was not a mistake or crime to give preference to chiefs over a blind man. Therefore had the Prophet (saw) not been a true Prophet then he should not have realized this minor mistake of His, and even if he had, he would not have made a mention of it in the book he himself wrote, and even if he had considered it imperative to do so he would not have used such a harsh tone. It all proves that the Qur'an is not written by the Prophet (saw), rather it is a world of a being in whose eye poor and rich all are equal, and only he who is pious is honorable. Here it is worthwhile to note that after this event the Prophet (saw) started to treat Abdullah bin Maktoom (Razi Allah Anho) with great respect. So there is great evidence in it.
5 It is a fact that even if a lay person ponders a little he can see that each and every word of the Qur'an and every phenomena of the universe speak of existence of Allah and his innumerable attributes. We ponder over some verses of the Surah Rum to bring out this point. Among His Signs is this, that he created you from dust; and then, - behold you are mere scattered (far and wide)! And among His signs is this that he created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts); Verily in that are signs for those who reflect. And among this signs is the creation of the Heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colours: verily in that are sings for those who know. And among your sings is the sleep that you take by night and by day, and the quest that you (make for livelihood) out of His Bounty. And among this signs, He shows you the lightning, by way of both fear and of hope, and He sends down rain from the sky and with it gives life to the earth after it is dead: Verily in that are signs for those who are wise. (Ar-Rum 20-24) In these verses, Allah has commanded those who posses reason to ponder over his creation. In the first place, man has been invited to ponder over his own creation. Has man come into being on his own? Does this idea sound plausible to reason? Not at all. Those who subscribe to it should conduct a simple experience. Take a glass of water, pour it over on the ground. The water on the ground will be spilt making a certain shape. If we spill another glass the resultant shape will be altogether different. Even if we repeat this experiment thousand times no two shape will be identical. This is so because these shapes developed accidentally and cannot be identical. If in the same manner each man had been coming into existence accidentally, no two men would have look so identical in shape. Every man would have had completely different features and shape. Still we see despite all this resemblance, the Creator has made our features different from each other so that we could recognize each other. Then if man's creation had been accidental, there would not have been male and female sexes rather all humans would have had the same sex. But the Creator made two sexes of mankind thus lent beauty to His universe and moreover He inculcated love for each other between the two sexs, without human race would not have flourished. Those who believe that this life is just accidental can hardly explain what kind of accident is it that newborn baby starts to suckle its mother, how come he knows how to suckle. Or is it a chance that mother's breast starts producing milk soon after child's birth. Likewise a bird's chick soon after its birth starts to peck at its food. It uses its tongue to tell its food room other things. Does the chick acquire this ability by chance? It is a clear evidence that the entire creation did not come into being accidentally; it has a Creator. Then we see that the entire creation is flawless. Whereas we see the inventions made by man are based on research and every now and then improvements are made in it but no invention can be referred to as perfect. On the other hand we find no defect in Allah's creation. In this concern Allah Almighty has said: He who created the seven heavens, one above another, no want of proportion will you see in the Creation of Allah Most Gracious. So turn your vision again see you any flaw? Again turn your vision a second time: (your) vision will come back to you dull and discomfited, in a state worn out. (Al-Mulk 3,4) In other words, we cannot see any defect in Allah Almighty's creation. Likewise, no atheist can prove any principle or rule of Islam to be unnatural. In fact all principles of Islam are being verified by modern science. Allah Almighty says. And among His signs, He shows you the lightning, by way both of fear and of hope and He sends down rain from the sky and with it gives life to the earth after it is dead: Verily in that are signs for those who are wise. (Ar-Rum, 24) Just think about the phenomenon of rain. How water evaporates from the southern oceans and forms rain-being clouds which travel northward and thus cause rain when they are blocked by higher northern mountains. At the mountains or places of higher altitude it snows instead. In summer this now melts leading to streams flowing southward to lower areas and then these streams combine to make rivers. Are all these phenomena merely accidental? We can undoubtedly see some planning at work behind all these phenomena. Had this not been the case things would certainly have gone awry. For instance, rain would have been confined only to oceans, but we see all natural phenomena working according to a fail-safe scheme. The Creator of all these phenomena Almighty Allah has left no defect in any creation of His. Now let us take a look at a prophecy made by the Qur'an: The Roman Empire has been defeated in a land close by: but they, (even) after (this) defeat of theirs, will soon be victorious within a few years. With Allah is decision, in the past and in the future: on that Day shall the believers rejoice with the help of Allah. He helps whom He will, and He is exalted in Might, Most Merciful. (It is) the promise of Allah. Never does Allah deport from His promise but most people understand not. (Ar-Rum 1-6) The circumstances of this revelation are the long-continuing was between the Persians and Romans. As the latter were the people of the Book, the Muslims had their sympathies with them. The Persians, on the other hand were fire-worshippers, therefore, the polytheists of Makkah wished for their victory. Some five years after the Prophethood of Muhammad (saw), there took place a battle between the two and the Persians overpowered their opponents. The polytheists of Makkah expressed great delight over this, Muslims, on the other hand were dejected. It was on that occasion that these verses were revealed. According to first prophecy, in a few years, from five to nine years Romans will defeat the Persians and the second prophecy said that the same day Muslims would also celebrate a significant victory. Both these prophecies were against human reason and logic as Romans at the time were defeated by Persians, and their re-emergence, it looked, would take many centuries. And the prophecy that Muslims would defect that polytheists looked beyond the realm of possibility. They were weak and being tortured and terrorized by the polytheists so much so they would not declare having accepted the Faith and would perform worship surreptitiously. Obviously, in the case of both prophecies the circumstances looked highly unlikely for the fulfillment of these prophecies therefore, there was no way the Prophet (saw) would have made these prophecies on his accept that they use revealed to him by Allah. Just see how clear the both prophecies are there is no ambiguity. In fact, Allah said in a very candid manner: It is a promise of Allah that the does not go back on this promise but many people do not know this. The Prophet (saw) and his companions had firm belief in the truthfulness of these verses. We see Abu Bakr put a bet of one hundred camels (at that time betting was not unlawful) on the victory of Romans with in five years with a polytheist. When the Prophet (saw) learnt of it he (saw) advised Abu Bakr (Razi Allah Anho) to increase the time period to nine years for the word used in the Qur'an means a period from five to nine years and Abu Bakr (Razi Allah Anho) extended the period. History bears witness that with nine years, in the second year of Migration Romans defeated Persians and conquered the area up to Madayan and the same day Muslims defeated polytheists in the battle of Badr. Therefore, the Muslims had double delight and the polytheists had double dejection, and due to the coming true to these prophecies many people embraced Islam. There are many other incidents which speak of the existences of Allah but we do not fonder ones them, we do not study the Qur'an and Sunnah, and the natural phenomena properly. At the end we pray that may Allah enhance our faith by enabling us to understand the Qur'an and the act upon it. Ameen.
