Creator of the Universe since time immemorial. The duty of the
prophets of Allaah was not so much to inform their people of Allaah's
existence as to warn them against associating others with Him, and to
teach them how to serve Him. Allaah Says (what means): "Their
messengers said, 'Is there any doubt concerning Allaah, the originator
of the Heavens and the Earth?'" [Quran 14:10]
The early Muslim scholars did not even have to address the issue of
the Existence of Allaah, for it was a blatantly obvious fact, which
nobody questioned. It was only around the fourth century after the
Prophet's migration to Madeenah, when people's doctrine started being
infiltrated with atheism and permeated by unbelief, that the scholars
had to address the issue.
The existence of Allaah is established by various categories of
proofs, which may be conveniently classified under four categories.
Scriptural evidence
The major religions of the world have scriptures, which teach the
existence of the Creator. In particular, the Quran, the only revealed
book which has remained totally intact and preserved, establishes the
existence of Allaah by compelling rational arguments, while at the
same time serving as an enduring miracle testifying to His reality. It
decisively establishes His uniqueness and non-resemblance to creation,
and emphasizesthat worship is only for Him.
The proof of "Fitrah" (natural inborn belief in Allaah)
As already mentioned, the human being has an inherent and inborn
recognition of his Creator. This is a consequence of a pledge which
Allaah took from the soul of every one of us before we came into this
world, Allaah Says (what means): "And [remember], when your Lord took
from the children of Aadam,their children behind them, and made them
testify over their ownselves, [saying to them], 'Am I not your Lord?'
They said, 'Yea.'" [Quran 7:172]
Every human being is born with this natural disposition, which is
called in Arabic " Fitrah ". Abu Hurayrah has reported that the
Messenger of Allaah ( ) said: "Every child is born upon Fitrah, then
it is his parents who make him Jewish, or Christian, or Magian
(Zoroastrian), just as an animal delivers a perfect baby animal; do
you find it mutilated?" [Al-Bukhaari]
But, this "Fitrah" sometimes becomes latent, especially when the human
being is in a corrupt and spiritually degenerate environment,which is
devoid of reminder and exhortation towards the Lord. The " Fitrah "
surfaces, however, in times of calamity and distress. How many avowed
atheists find themselves raising their hands to the skies in
supplication when in affliction! And how do the staunch unbelievers
cry out for deliverance when they are faced withdeath!
Allaah Says (what means): "[Allaah] it is who causes you to travel
over land and sea; until, when you are in the ships, and they sail
with [their passengers] with a fair breeze, and they are glad therein,
a tempestuous wind reaches them, waves are coming at them from
everywhere, and they think that they are overwhelmed therein; [then]
they call to Allaah, making their faith pure for Him [alone], 'IfYou
save us from this, we will surely be among the thankful!'" [Quran
10:22] Yet, this sincerity is often short-lived. Allaah Says (what
means): "Then, when He saves them, behold, they rebel upon the earth
wrongfully." [Quran, 10:23]
Mankind is all too apt, during the course of his daily life of comfort
and enjoyment, to forget his Lord. Allaah Says (what means): "And when
some trauma touches man, he calls to his Lord, turning repentant to
Him. Then, when He grants him a favor from Himself, he forgets that
for which he called to Him before, and sets up partners to Allaah."
[Quran 39:8]
It is to awaken and alert this " Fitrah " that Allaah, in His mercy
and wisdom,sent Messengers to remind people of their true religion,
and to direct them towards fulfilling their commission of serving
their Lord. Allaah has ordered His prophet to proclaim, Allaah Says
(what means): "O mankind! Ifyou are in [any] doubt regarding my
religion, then [know that] I do not worship those whom you worship
besides Allaah, but I worship Allaah Who will take your souls." [Quran
10:104]
The specific mention of death here drives home the stark reality,
which even the pagans must concede to when faced with the glaring,
intuitive evidence, that Allaah alone causes death. The rational
individual, then, should prepare for this inevitability by responding
to his Lord. Islam is merely a hearkening by man to hisnature, an
acceptance of that which is naturally good and intuitively right.
Allaah Says (what means): "So, set your face toward the religion in
uprightness. That is the "Fitrah" of Allaah, upon which He has created
mankind. Let there be no changing of Allaah's creation." [Quran 30:30]
There are others who stubbornly resist this truth and reject Allaah's
message when it is presented before them, although they are well aware
of its veracity. Thiswas the attitude of Pharaoh and his supporters,
and its consequences are severe,in this world and the Hereafter,
Allaah Says (what means): "They rejected[Our signs], although their
own souls were convinced of their truth, [and this they did] out of
iniquity and arrogance. See, then,what was the sequel for those who
cause corruption!" [Quran 27:14]
Yet, even hardened deniers who stand in the way of truth and resist it
may grab hold of it at thelast moment, before it is too late, for on
account of the surfacing of the " Fitrah ", a disbeliever who is faced
with death on the battlefield may suddenly embrace Islam. The Muslim
who fights in Jihaad will similarly be exposed to death frequently,
thus enhancing and sharpening his awareness of Allaah.
Rational proof
It is intuitively obvious, and confirmed by science, that the
universehad a beginning. Every action requires a doer, and thus the
existence of creation necessarily indicates the existence ofthe
Creator. Allaah appeals to the human mind and rationality in the
Quran, saying, (whichmeans): "Were they created from nothing, or are
they [themselves] the creators?" [Quran 52:35]. Quite obviously, we
have been created, and brought into existence after beingnon-existent,
and it is also plain that we do not create ourselves.
A few years ago, the sands in the "Rub' Al-Khaali" desert (the Empty
Quarter ) were blown away by a windstorm to reveal the ruins of a city
that had been covered by the sands. Scientists began toexamine the
contents of the city to try to determine the period in which it had
been built. Nobody among the archaeologists or others even suggested
that this city could have appeared as a result of the natural actions
of the wind, rain, heat and cold, and not bythe actions of man. If
anyone had suggested such a thing, people would have regarded him as
crazy and would have taken pity on him. So how about if someonehad
said that this city was formed by the air from nothing in the far
distant past, then it settled on the earth?
Having recognized the necessity of the existenceof a Creator, one then
realizes that there can only be one Creator. Allaah Says (what means):
"If there were in [the heavens and the earth] gods other than Allaah,
[the heavens and earth] would surely have been disordered." [Quran
21:22] Allaah Says (what means): "Allaah has not taken a son, nor is
there any god with Him, for in that case, each god would assuredly
have championed that which he created, and some of them would surely
have overcome others. Glorified be Allaah above that which they
allege!" [Quran, 23:91] Further, this one and onlyCreator cannot
possibly resemble creation. Allaah Says (what means): "Is, then, He
Who creates, like he who does not create? Do you not reflect?" [Quran
16:17]
Perceptual experience
We witness and experience the answering of prayers, and this in itself
indicatesthe existence of Allaah. Allaah Says (what means): "When you
sought help of your Lord, and He answered you." [Quran 8:9]
Al-Bukhaari and Muslim have both narrated the Prophet's saying in
whicha bedouin asked the Prophet ( ) to pray for rain, since crops
were perishing and people were starving. The prophet prayed to Allaah
for rain, and almost immediately clouds began to gather and it began
raining heavily. Also in this category of evidence are the miracles
which people witness at the hands of their prophets, including the
splitting of the moon by Muhammad ( ), and the enduring miracle of the
Quran.
Finally, we should bear inmind that abundant as the proofs may be,
they are only of avail to those who honestly and sincerely search for
the truth. As for those obdurate ones who simply refuse to believe,
they will not cease their idle disputation. Allaah Says (what means):
"And they say, 'Our hearts are in a covering from that to which you
call us, and in our ears is a deafness, and between us and you is a
veil, so act, we [also] are acting." [Quran 41:5] Allaah Says (what
means): "Those against whom the decree of your Lord has been verified,
will not believe, although every sign should come to them, until they
see the painful punishment."
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