Existence of God In Light of the Holy Qur’ān
Existence of God In Light of the Holy Qur’ān
Mukhtar A. Cheema
Blessed is He in Whose hand is the kingdom, and He has power over all things.
Who has created death and life that He might try you—which of you is best in deeds; and He is the Mighty, the Most Forgiving. Who has created seven heavens in harmony. No incongruity canst thou see in the creation of the Gracious God. Then look again, seest thou any flaw? Aye, look again, and yet again, thy sight will only return unto thee confused and fatigued. (67:2-5)
It is said that a Bedouin living in the Arabian desert was asked for a sign to prove the existence of God. The Bedouin made a simple yet profound reply. He directed the inquirer towards the droppings of a camel and said, “If these droppings indicate the existence of a camel, then is not the universe itself sufficient proof to indicate a Creator?”
This wonderful answer was given by a simple Bedouin, who himself was neither literate nor educated. This simple undeniable truth is exactly what the Holy Qur’ān says,
Are you in doubt concerning Allāh, Maker of the heavens and the earth? (14:11)
In this modern age, Atheism is spreading like wild fire. Atheists generally believe that it is not God who created the universe rather the universe itself came into existence, via the big bang. The Big Bang theory is a widely accepted theory for the origin of the universe. According to this theory, approximately 13.7 billion years ago, the whole universe was compressed into the confines of an atomic nucleus. This is known as singularity, this is the moment before creation when space and time did not exist. The universe then emerged from this highly compressed and extremely hot state and as it rapidly cooled down it expanded.
The Big Bang theory provides an explanation of what may have happened at the moment the universe was created. At this point of origin, we encounter what physicists refer to as singularity, at state in which neither space nor time existed. Quantum theory suggests that moments after the explosion at 10 -43 seconds, the four forces of nature, strong nuclear, weak nuclear, electromagnetic and gravity were combined as a single “super force.”
However, we are forced to ask, if the universe had a beginning, then who caused this beginning? Scientists are unable to go beyond Big Bang. They have no idea what force was behind it. Yet, since the time immemorial, one group of people has always pointed towards the originator of this phenomenon, and they are the prophets. From the time of Adamas till now, all the prophets claimed to have a living relationship with that being who originated everything, a being known as God. More than all other prophets, the Holy Prophetsa of Islām projected the belief of the living God.
Some 80 ago years, in 1929, Edwin Powell Hubble put forward the idea that everything in the universe is moving away from everything else. The universe is expanding in every direction and that it is taking galaxies along with it. This is what is known as Hubble’s Law.
Hubble’s Law implies that the universe is “blowing up” like a balloon as time progresses. Considering this we must ask ourselves, what would happen if you were to run the timeline backwards? What was the universe like in the past? If the universe is currently growing, then the universe had to have been smaller in the past. There must have been some point in time when the universe was half its current size. Going further, there must have been a time when it was half that size. If you continue to run time backwards, you are bound to come a time when the universe was an infinitely small point. This is the basic idea behind the Big Bang as well. All matter and energy existed in an infinitely small point of infinite density a long time ago, and has since been expanding. The most important thing is that the Big Bang was not an explosion in the universe, but rather it is an explosion of the universe.
Today, scientists hypothesize that the universe before the Big Bang existed in an extremely tiny space at some time in the past. All this is based on scientific inquiry and calculations of the human mind. However, 1500 years ago, a poor child born in the desert of Arabia, somehow described the entire Big Bang theory in more accurate detail than these scientists. The child grew up, he had no connection whatsoever with the known civilized world, he had not gone to any school or college. He was a mere sheppard of goat and sheep. His name, was Muhammadsa. How was he able to describe the entire Big Bang theory, though without naming it, with more accuracy than the scientist? The simple answer is, because he received the information from his living God through revelation, which is in the Holy Qur’ān, a book fully preserved and protected by God. God says,
Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were a closed-up mass, then We opened them out? And We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? (21:31)
With just one stroke, a few words in one single sentence, the Holy Qur’ān, provides complete information regarding the creation of the universe, including the creation of mankind. It is pity that the same men, born in this modern age deny their own Creator.
Is this not sufficient proof of a living God, the Creator of the universe? 1,500 years ago, He Himself brought up this issue and addressed atheists with it. It is absolutely astonishing; atheists deny the Creator but do not themselves have any information regarding the universe before time and space. On the other hand, the Holy Qur’ān is addressing atheists and while bringing their attention to the exact same matter, it is providing them with a claimant of who caused that mass to split, and also a claimant of creator of the condensed mass itself. The Holy Qur’ān says,
We opened that closed up mass. (21:31)
Then in another place it says,
He is Allāh, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner. His are the most beautiful names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Him, and He is the Mighty, the Wise. (59:25)
These verses clearly tell us that God not only caused the Big Bang to occur, but that He also created the initial condensed mass. The words Al-Khāliq and Al-Bāri indicate without a doubt that God is not only the creator but also he is the maker, inventor and originator. This is the claim which is made only by God through His prophets. As for science, is still glance back looking for the maker of the mass before the Big Bang.
The Holy Qur’ān also describes the early stage of the development of the universe in the following words,
Then He turned to the heaven while it was something like smoke… (41:12)
This describes the gaseous state of the universe, before it became condensed. Here the Holy Qur’ān is talking about the situation the universe was passing through more 13 billion years ago.
The Holy Qur’ān does not stop here, no, it goes even further and answers more questions that are troubling scientist today. Today, scientist wonder if there are other inhabitable planets, similar worlds and environments just as the one we are enjoying. The Holy Qur’ān says,
‘Has not He Who created the heavens and the earth the power to create the like of them?’ Yea, and He is indeed the Supreme Creator, the All-Knowing. (36:82)
The Holy Qur’ān clearly says that Big Bang is not the start rather God is the one who was before everything existed, He is and will remain forever.
He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden, and He knows all things full well. (57:4)
So we see 1,500 years ago, the Holy Qur’ān had disclosed the secrets of the creation of the universe and life. At a time when the most advance scientific research was nowhere to be found. Realizing this, we must accept that the Holy Qur’ān is not an ordinary book of religion, rather it is a book from an authority that not only has knowledge of all hidden secrets rather is Himself the Creator and Fashioner of the universe.
As far as the creation of life is concerned, the Holy Qur’ān talks about different stages life passed through in the following words,
‘What is the matter with you that you expect not wisdom and staidness from Allāh? And He has created you in different forms and different conditions. (71:14-15)
Mankind did not come ready made in the shape and form it currently possesses. Rather, mankind passed through different phases of life before reaching to this stage. The Holy Qur’ān then talks about pre-biotic soup, the primordial soup, a stage life passed through nearly 4.5 billion years ago, and goes on to talks about Pyrococcus Bacteria which appeared in blasts of fire. The Holy Qur’ān says,
And the Jinn We had created before from the fire of hot wind. (15:28)
This verse tells us about early bacterial life that evolved in blasts of fire.
At present, scientists think they can understand the creation of God but their case is akin to a person who is counting grains of sand, while sitting at the bank of the ocean.
The Holy Qur’ān addresses atheists in the following words,
Are you in doubt concerning Allāh, Maker of the heavens and the earth? (14:11)
Those who do not believe in God insist on asking, if God exists then why it is not possible to see Him? Apparently, this seems to be a very genuine inquiry but in reality it is a baseless question. There are a lot of thing we do not see but we still believe in them. Scientists themselves believe that space is not empty, according to them it is occupied with something referred to as Ether, yet they are not yet able to see or even to detect it. Every one of us, one way or the other, relies upon others and will believe what anyone says. I do not think that any one of us have been on the North Pole but still we believe in it. How many of us have gone to Tuvalu Island? Yet, we cannot deny the existence of it. This is because we trust those who have been there and witnesses such things. If that is the case then why not trust those who have experienced God in their lives?
God the Almighty gives proof of his Divine being by manifesting his mighty signs, this is how he unveil himself to others
Since time immemorial thousands of prophets appeared for the guidance of mankind, they brought the message of God and bore testimony of God’s existence. They were a living example of the existence of living God. Adamas, Noahas, Abrahamas, Mosesas, Jesusas, the Holy Prophetas of Islām and the latter day Messiah Hadrat Mirzā Ghulāmas of Qādiān, all of these were those who claimed to have experienced the living God.
These Messengers have We exalted, some of them above others: among them there are those to whom Allāh spoke; and some of them He exalted by degrees of rank…(2:254)
So if we are willing to believe common men regarding the existence of things, places etc., then it is only reasonable to assert that prophets deserve our attention as well.
By the grace of Allāh many of us experience God in our lives. For this reason, it is time for Ahmadīs to stand up before the violent storm of atheism and tell them that we experience God in our lives. He is a living God, He hears our supplications and responds our cries. We have to tell them we cannot force God to be seen with our eyes but he reaches to the eyes of whom He pleases, as is clearly stated in the Holy Qur’ān,
Eyes cannot reach Him but He reaches the eyes, and He is the Incomprehensible, the All-Aware. (6:104)
Mankind has been endowed with various senses. Through these senses we have the ability to feel the existence of various things. Some of us have very strong senses and some have very weak. It is also true that not everyone is facilitated with every sense. If a blind person says he cannot see the world and concludes that the world does not exist, without a doubt every one of us will laugh at him.
That dear friend of mine is a part of my body from top to my toes, oh wicked enemy of mine be cautious in making me target.
The faculties required to be able to communicate with God are also provided by God. The more a person is inclined towards God, the greater the chances are for him to have communion with God. How can it be possible that on one side a person denies the existence of God and yet still wants to see God? Achieving communion with God demands great effort. The Holy Qur’ān says in this regard,
And as for those who strive in Our path, We will surely guide them in Our ways, and verily Allāh is with those who do good. (29:70)
The key word mentioned in this verse means, to strive in his cause, to put every possible effort, to try utmost by abiding by his laws and dictates, being humble before him, and supplicating for Him to show the path which leads to Him. This results in the fine tuning of the senses required in human to perceive God and finally to communicate with Him. It is a reality that He hears the supplicant and gives a response to his cries as it is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān,
And when My servants ask thee about Me, say: ‘I am near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he prays to Me. So they should hearken to Me and believe in Me, that they may follow the right way.’ (2:187)
My dear friends, the doors to God are wide open. Communication with Him is possible, but only if someone qualifies for it. There is no monopoly of any religion or any individual to establish relations with God or to communicate with Him rather this field is open for everyone. This is the message delivered by God through the Holy Prophetsa of Islām to mankind as is recorded in the Holy Qur’ān. All that is required to achieve this is also clearly mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān,
Say, ‘I am only a man like yourselves; but I have received the revelation that your God is only One God. So let him who hopes to meet his Lord do good deeds, and let him join no one in the worship of his Lord.’ (18:111)
Here are three things very criteria important mentioned in this verse, they are,
To have the desire to communicate with God
To do good deeds
Not to join any one in worship with him
This is the formula given by God to mankind to establish their relationship with their Creator. People have tested this formula in their live throughout the ages. Now I want to give proofs of the living God in the lives of human being, especially in the lives of the prophets. Almighty Allāh says in the Holy Qur’ān;
Allāh has decreed: ‘Most surely I will prevail, I and My Messengers.’ Verily, Allāh is Powerful, Mighty. (58:22)
The lives of the prophets are before our eyes without exception. It is 100 % true that prophets in spite of being weak and helpless, and not having any worldly powers and means became successful in their missions.
On the other hand, enemies being strong in position in every aspect finally were defeated by prophets sent by God. How can this happen without exception?
There was no comparison between Abrahamas and Nimrod, Pharaoh and Mosesas, The Holy Prophet of Islām and his enemies but history is witness that Nimrod was a looser not Abrahamas and pharaoh was the looser not Moses. In spite of all the weakness and lack of means, it was the Holy Prophetsa of Islām who became victor against the joint forces of his enemies and proved that he was the prophet of God, and ultimately the existence of God. Just visualize the situation when the prophet of Islām along with his companion Hadrat Abu Bakrra took shelter in the cave of Thaur and the enemies were standing at the mouth of the cave and God revealed to him;
Fear not, for Allāh is with us... (9:40)
Is this not sufficient proof of the existence of God?
In this age Hadrat Mirzā Ghulām Ahmadas of Qādiān and the community established by him is a sufficient proof of the living God..
This article was published in Nov-Dec 2011 issue of Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada
