Imam Abu Hanifa and he replied,"Forget it! At the moment,I am busy
thinking about this ship. People tell me there is a big ship, it
contains
different goods on board. There is no one to steer it,no one
maintaining it. Yet, this ship keeps going back and forth; it even
traverses big waves on the oceans; it stops at the locations that it
is supposed to stop at; it continues in the direction that it is
supposed to head. This ship has no captain and no one planning its
trips."
The atheist who posed the question interrupted and exclaimed, "What
kind of strange and silly thought is this? How can any intelligent
person think that some thing likethis can occur?"
Imam Abu Hanifa said, "I feel sorry about your state! You cannot
imagineone ship running without some one looking after itsaffairs. Yet
you think that for this whole world, which runs exactly and precisely,
there is no one who looks after it, and no one owns it."
Hearing the reply, the atheist was left speechlessbut he found out
more about Haqq (The Truth) and proclaimed Islam.
Imam Shaa'fi replied to the question in the following way, "The leaves
of Toot (berries) are all but one. Each leaf tastes exactly the same.
Insects, honey bees, cows,goats, and deer live off of it. After eating
these the insects produce silk; bees produce honey; deer give musk (a
special kind of scent), cows and goats deliver off-springs. Is this
not clear evidence that one kind of leaf has so many qualities, and
who created these qualities? It is the Khaliq (Creator) whowe call
Allah (S.W.T.) Who is the Inventor and the Creator."
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal reflected on the question in the following way.
He said, "There is an incredibly strong fort, it has no doors, there
is no way to get in. In fact, there is not even a hole init. From
outside it glows like the moon and from inside it shimmers like gold.
It is sealed from all sides, matter of fact it is air tight. Suddenly
one of its doors breaks down, a living thing with eyes andears, a
beautiful looking animal appears yelling and wandering all over. So is
not there a creator who made it possible for life to take place in
this secured and closed fort? And is not this Creator better than
humans? This Creator has no limit." Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was
referring to an egg which is closed from all sides but Allah (S.W.T.)
The Khaliq (Creator) puts life in it and a chick pops out.
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