Everything in the universe sends out the message of God-realisation in natural terms as if the entire universe is an excellent library of God-realisation. When a thinking person reflects, he discovers incredible miracles of creation, from his existence to the rest of the universe. Then, he spontaneously calls out that, without a doubt, there is a Creator of this universe and that he should acknowledge Him and surrender before Him. The library of the universe is an absolute treasure of the realisation of God. Belief in God is another name for this conscious discovery. This belief, or realisation, is an intellectual revolution of nature that transforms man’s entire personality. With this belief, a new spiritual (Rabbani) personality emerges. The realisation is the beginning of faith. It means trying to recognize God through the observation of His creation. By discovering signs in the creation, we can discover God. Another name for this is conscious discovery of one’s Creator.
Source: Discovering God
The realisation of God means that man discovers God by deeply pondering upon and contemplating His signs rather than by rumination upon His being. (Al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Quran, al-Raghib al-Isfahani, p. 331) These Signs of God refer to the Signs in the universe or God’s creation. Modern science is another name for discovering these Signs of God in creation. The most significant source of achieving the realisation of God is the contemplation of the creation of God. Science has provided a vast library of unlimited supporting data for contemplating God’s creation for seekers of maarifah. Man can discover the Creator by pondering upon His creation and finding the unseen world in the seen world. For if there is creation, there must be a Creator.
Source: Discovering God
Throughout the Quran there are numerous verses enjoining the reader to observe and reflect on the universe and the phenomena of nature. A verse in chapter 3 says:
There are signs in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day for people of understanding. (Quran 3:191)
This is because the Quran wants people to discover God through study and contemplation. God should be an intellectual discovery for believers.
God wants that people should stand on self-discovered faith and does not want faith to be imposed upon them. He has given intelligence to human beings so that they can evaluate and make a self-discovery of the truth. The spirit of enquiry is essential for this self-discovery.
Source: The Seeker’s Guide
No, science actually supports religious truths, like the existence of God. The modern age was regarded by some as anti-religious. They went to the extent of calling it the Age of Atheism. Certain people asserted, on the strength of scientific findings, that modern research had destroyed the foundations of religion quite definitively, saying: “Science has shown religion to be history’s cruelest and wickedest hoax”. But today, science, which was supposed to have brought religion to an ignominious end, has at last been turned against the atheists. Science itself has brought a revolution in thinking.
The reason certain people said that science has shown religion to be a hoax, as in the pre-Einstein era, people held that the concept of God pertained to the unseen world and that since no direct argument was available to prove it, belief in God was illogical. They considered all the relevant inferential and indirect arguments as scientifically invalid. But now the whole situation has changed. Today, science holds the inferential argument as valid.
With the splitting up of the atom, it has been proved that nothing is really observable, and the existence of anything can be established only by means of the inferential argument, not the direct argument. We have to then say, if the inferential argument is valid with regard to the unseen micro-world, it is also valid with regard to the existence of God and other religious truths. Bertrand Russell admitted the fact that the argument centering on design propounded by theologians seeking to offer evidence for the existence of God is scientifically valid. If we believe in the universe—the creation of the Creator—through the inferential argument, we also have to believe in the Creator, God Almighty. Science itself has razed the walls of atheism to the ground. Today science stands in support of religion.
Prophet Muhammad and his Companions ushered in the monotheistic revolution in the 7th century in the wake of Islam. This monotheistic revolution continued to predominate for one thousand years. Then history witnessed a new age—the age of atheism. It was in the 18th and 19th centuries that it reached its culminating point. During this epoch, it was asserted, on the strength of scientific findings of that time based on the direct argument that only those things exist that can be seen, and as God is invisible, we cannot believe in His existence. The argument often offered to negate the existence of God was His being invisible.
But new scientific investigations, carried out at the beginning of the 20th century, with the splitting of the atom, and the acceptance of the inferential argument as a scientific argument turned the tide against the credibility of this position. It became apparent and accepted that there are many aspects of nature that are invisible yet they exist. One of the books written on this new world discovered by science is Science and the Unseen World by Sir Arthur Eddington. Now the world is witnessing the same momentous revolution in thinking toward monotheism, as took place in the seventh century with the advent of the Prophet of Islam. God himself has razed the walls of atheism to the ground and science stands ready to bear out His word.
A spiritual atheist is spiritual only in the partial sense. Because spirituality needs a basis, and in atheism or the philosophy of atheism there is no basis for spirituality. Spiritual atheism is like a rootless tree. Religion gives us a basis for spirituality. For example, life is full of disadvantages. When an atheist faces these disadvantages, he may fall prey to frustration. However, a believer will not become frustrated, because his belief in God provides him unlimited conviction and trust, which an atheist does not possess.
It is a fact that God is All-Powerful and man is completely helpless. But this reality does not dawn on man till he faces problems and shocks that he cannot manage. When a state of helplessness is awakened in man, he realizes that God is All-Powerful. When this discovery becomes a part of human thinking, penetrating to the innermost recesses of one’s psyche is genuine realisation.
Maarifah or realisation of God is, therefore, a discovery of one’s helplessness in relation to God. When man becomes fully aware of his own helplessness, he comes to acknowledge God’s bounties in the true sense of the word. Having discovered God as one’s Creator, Sustainer, one’s whole being turns toward God. His soul lies prostrate before God. When all these feelings find verbal form, they are called praise and gratefulness to God. God is the greatest being of the universe. Yet, in a universe visible to all, God’s supreme glory remains invisible. Realisation of God is to discover this hidden greatness. This realization finds expression in words such as ‘Praise be to God—Lord of the Worlds.
Source: Love of God
Man’s life has been fashioned in such a way that he continuously lives in a feeling of dependency. This feeling of helplessness persists in every human being. It forces man to clutch onto a support that is more powerful than him; one that can deliver him from his weakness. It is this feeling of helplessness that drives Man in his search for God. Man needs such a God before whom he can pour out his feelings of gratitude; on to whom he can entrust all his affairs; in whose faith he will find succour even at times when there is no one to help him. Man desires a God he can trust, who will grant him success after every disaster, and who can remove all difficulties from his path. Man’s feeling of helplessness can never be overcome unless and until he discovers this God.
The state of helplessness makes you competent to pray. When a person is in a state of helplessness, he calls out to God with prayers that invoke divine help.
Source: Discovering God
The spectacle of the universe leads to the discovery of two important things. First, the existence of an All-Powerful God, who is its Creator as well as its Sustainer. If one can bring to mind this scene of the massive universe, one’s heart will testify that the universe itself is proof of its Creator. And, secondly, the utter helplessness of man. God is an indispensable need of man. Without God, man’s very existence is impossible. When one discovers this reality, one would race toward God and call out wholeheartedly, “God! Please help me! Without You, nothing is possible for me.” In this vast universe, it is God who is man’s support. He alone can help us cross this river of life and lead us to the other shore safely. Belief in God is everything for man. Without this belief, man is nothing at all. For each one of us, our nature is continuously calling out to us, telling us that we need God, that without God, our life cannot be complete, and that without God’s help, we can never be truly successful.
Source: Love of God
The greatness of a machine is a demonstration of the great engineering mind that prepared that machine. So is the case with the Universe. The Universe is so great that even the most advanced telescopes cannot fathom its expanse. This mind-boggling greatness of the Universe is undeniable evidence that there is a Great Creator who created it and is sustaining it in the most perfect manner! Such scientific discoveries impart two lessons. On the one hand, they strengthen the conviction that this Universe has an all-powerful Creator. On the other hand, they highlight that this all-powerful Creator is so Merciful that within this custom-made universe, He created planet Earth perfectly designed for mankind. This realisation inculcates modesty in man, which is a destroyer of all kinds of evil within man.
Source: Discovering God
Once a man has put his trust in God, he finds that all his problems can be appropriately solved and that, in order to do what is right, he no longer feels any hesitation in embarking on courses which had previously struck him as too difficult, unpleasant, or even dangerous. He is then armed with the knowledge that engaging in right action gives one strength, and that adopting the wrong course can only bring about one’s downfall. Right action will take him closer to God and wrong action further away from Him. One who deliberately turns away from his Saviour will find himself in the hands of the devil, whereas one who turns to God will be given shelter and support, and guidance as to the correct response to give in any situation calling for principled behaviour. Those who turn to Satan seldom realize that they are launching themselves on the downward path to self-destruction. Man has only to turn to Him to receive divine succour.
Source: The Spirit of Islam
The Quran states: “Put your trust in God.” (33:48) One who discovers God as the All-Powerful Being and discovers his own helplessness, places his complete trust in God. Those who put absolute trust in God do not fear anything or anyone. The faith that God, a Live and All-Powerful Being, is always there to help one, makes one bold in the face of every other power. A person’s greatest strength, when faced with an enemy, is fearlessness. Have no fear of any foe, and he himself will start fearing you. Trust in God means, in effect, trust in the laws of nature. Following the laws of nature designed by the Creator is the only practicable course to adopt in this world.
Source: Discovering God
When one believes in one God, one puts his complete trust in Him. One believes that nothing can happen unless God wills it. Life and death are entirely in His hands. They remain content because they believe that power, wealth, and success come from God alone. He gives them to whom He wants and takes them away from whom he wants. Trust in the oneness of God brings about a unique blend of submission to God with human dignity and freedom.
Source: The Spirit of Islam
A believer should have absolute trust in God; his Guardian and Protector. Only then can one do everything for God’s sake. Only then can one submit to God in the true sense. A believer is like a small infant who owes everything to his parents and his life revolves around them. A believer’s life should reflect and revolve around God. He should fear and love God alone.
Source: Simple Wisdom
The God-oriented life begins with the discovery of God. When individuals, whether men or women, discover God, it means they have found the truth. And this truth pervades their whole being. This feeling of having discovered the truth becomes such a thrilling experience that it fills them with everlasting conviction, removing all frustrations from their lives. Therefore, losses are no longer such a problem; for, in spite of them, they never lose the feeling that their greatest asset, i.e. God, is still with them.
Man experiences this realization by pondering upon God's creations. The truth is that the universe is an expression of God’s attributes. In this respect, the universe is a complete introduction to God. God is visible in His creations, just as a human being sees his own reflection in the mirror, without having any doubts about it.
The vastness of space tells man that God, its Creator, is boundless. The observation of the sun and the stars shows us that God is all light. The heights of the mountains show us the greatness of God. The waves of the sea and the flow of the river tell us that God is a storehouse of boundless blessings. We see God’s bounties in the greenery of the trees. Man’s existence becomes a proof of God's existence. In the waft of air he experiences a divine touch. In the chirping of the birds, he hears God’s songs.
The God-oriented life for man starts by his remembering God. He begins to feel the presence of God. Everything serves to remind him of God. God's remembrance is never absent from his heart and mind. His mornings and evenings are spent as if he is living in God’s neighbourhood. Just as rain replenishes the crops, so does he remain ever immersed in the remembrance of God.
Source: Spirit of Islam June 2014
God is the Creator. When I see my existence, it is but natural for me to think how this existence came into being. The renowned French philosopher Rene Descartes said, ‘I think, therefore, I exist.’ Following this dictum, I would say, ‘I exist, therefore, God also exists.’ Because when there is a creation, a Creator is also bound to exist. Modern science tells us that our universe is vast, proportional, and continuously expanding. It is an intelligent universe, but a right approach would be to say that the universe is the work of an Intelligent Creator.
In order to better understand the idea of creation, let us also reflect on the development of human knowledge. Human knowledge has two different phases—the pre-Einstein period and the post-Einstein period. In the pre-Einstein period, knowledge was confined to the macro world, which was observable and measurable. It was believed that matter was eternal and had not been created. But, in the post-Einstein period, with the development of quantum physics and discovery of the phenomenon of the Big Bang, this thinking changed.
When the atom was split, the world of logic underwent a colossal change. Splitting of the atom revealed the micro world. It came to be known that subatomic particles, which constitute matter at the most fundamental level, cannot be observed even by the most powerful microscope. The question is when we cannot see then, how do we believe that they exist? They cannot be visually seen, but every scientist believes in their existence, for the reason that although we cannot see these things directly, we can measure their effects. We believe in the existence of all of these things, not by observation but by the effects they produce. In other words, the existence of these unobservable particles of the micro world can be proved by way inferential argument – they cannot be seen, but can be known by way of their effects. And if inferential argument is valid with regard to the unseen elements of the micro world, it is also valid with regard to the existence of God or the Creator.
Moreover, scientific studies of today tell us that about 13 billion years ago there occurred a big bang in space. After this, our universe came into existence. Scientists have found evidence to believe that in the beginning there was what they call a cosmic ball. All the particles now present in the universe were tightly bound to each other in this cosmic ball in a highly compressed and dense state. Then, according to astronomical studies, this cosmic ball suddenly exploded. The compact particles scattered outwardly and as they were moving away they started interacting and the present universe as we see it (galaxies, stars, etc.) came into existence. This was the beginning of matter, but the question was which external source caused the intervention so that the compact particles scattered outwardly?
Source: In Search of God
Discovery of God means realisation of God. Man can discover God by deeply pondering upon and contemplating on His signs in nature. The source of the realization of God is, in the words of the Quran, reflection (tafakkur and tadabbur) (3:191). The attainment of God- realization by contemplation is entirely a function of the mind. In the human body, the act of thinking is done only by the brain. What is achieved by this process of thinking has been defined as God-realization.
Everything has its price. Without paying the price, one cannot receive the things one desires. Similarly, the discovery of God also has its price, and this price is man’s being. Nothing less than that can be the price of the discovery of God. It can be attained only at the cost of the negation of one’s self. If one is not willing to negate oneself, one cannot achieve the discovery of God.
One’s negation does not mean some kind of mysterious words counted out on the rosary. It can be done only through reflection and contemplation rather than by doing physical exercises in the name of spirituality. What is self-negation? Self-negation for man is to discover the Lord to the extent that his existence in comparison to that of God becomes valueless. This is true discovery of God.
Source: Discovering God
According to religious belief in Islam, Satan has a role to play. A person’s mind has ego and desires. Each desire is an entry point for Satan wherefrom it enters. When Satan enters one’s mind, the Quran says:
When any evil suggestion from Satan touches those who fear God, they are instantly alerted and become watchful. (Quran 7:201)
The final decision rests with man and man alone is accountable for his actions. Satan cannot make a person commit sins. He can only act as a catalyst.
The quantum theory made inferential argument as valid as direct argument. For example, subatomic particles are not visible and can be known only through their effects. Their effects lead scientists to conclude that subatomic particles do exist. The same argument is applicable to religious matters. That is, although we do not see angels directly, we can believe in them indirectly by their effects.
How do things around us function? How does photosynthesis take place in the leaves? How does cow take in grass and make milk? How does the salty water of seas get converted into fresh water in the rain? How is everything in nature so systematic? These effects would lead to an inference that there is someone who is controlling all these natural processes. God has His angles positioned to take care of these processes. One may say that these processes are ‘automatic processes’ or ‘self-occurring processes’, but I would say these are just another name of ‘angelic processes’. Someone may use the word ‘automatic’, I use the word ‘angelic’. Thus, the concept remains the same.
Man attains his highest distinction only when he leads a purposeful life. Such a life characterizes the most advanced stage of human development. This does not mean that by taking up just any task, which is apparently significant, man’s life becomes truly purposeful. A really purposeful life is one in which man discovers his supreme status; a life in which his personality makes manifest its unique distinctive quality. An animal strives to obtain food; a bird flies in search of a better country when the seasons change; a wasp busies itself building up its own home from tiny particles of earth; a herd of deer takes measures to protect itself from wild beasts of prey. All of these appear to be purposeful actions. But when the phrase ‘a purposeful life’ is applied to man, then it does not refer to efforts of this nature. Without doubt arranging for one’s food, clothes and habitation are some of the tasks that man has to perform in this world; but this is a level of purposefulness in which men and animals, being concerned only with bare survival, are equal. Its true application in relation to man can only be one in which he appears in all his dignity. Man’s life becomes purposeful only when it goes beyond common animalism and takes the form of superior humanism.
God’s creations in this world fall into two categories: animate and inanimate. Obviously, animate objects enjoy a certain superiority over inanimate objects. The former can be divided into three classes: the vegetable, the animal and the human. Modern scientific research has shown that plants also possess life, in that they nourish themselves, they grow and they have feelings.
But animals and men surely represent a higher form of life. In what way does man excel animals? Many theories have been advanced in answer to this question over the ages, and great minds are still studying it. But modern biologists have come to the conclusion that it is man’s capacity for conceptual thought, which distinguishes him from other life forms. Animals lack this quality, whereas man is conscious of the fact that he is thinking. He consciously forms a plan of action in his mind; in his everyday life his actions are determined by himself. Whereas this is not the case with animals. Though many of their actions appear to be like those of men, they are not the result of thought; they all stem from pure instinct. Animals are simply led intuitively by their desires and their needs in a certain direction. Their actions are governed by environmental stresses from without and physical pressures from within.
It is in terms of this unique conceptual quality of man that we can conceive of what his higher purpose in life should be. The latter can only be one, which does not result from the pressures of desire or of immediate exigencies. It must emanate from his own urge to worship God.
Man’s true purpose in life can only be one, which reflects the higher side of his personality; one, which displays him as the superior being, he is.
If one pauses at this stage to take note of what the Qur’an has to say, one will find that it gives us clear guidance in this matter. Man’s purpose in life has been explained in the Qur’an in the following words:
“I created mankind and the jinn that they might worship Me. I demand no livelihood of them, nor do I ask that they should feed me. God alone is the Munificent Giver, the Mighty One, the Invincible.
These verses specify man’s purpose in life as worship. This is a purpose, which elicits from man his uniqueness in its ultimate form. It raises man to a much higher plane than that of animals. Not a trace of animalism contributes to the achievement of such a goal. God does not demand of you a livelihood, the verse states, rather He himself is responsible for your livelihood. This means that worship of God is a purpose, which is motivated neither by inward desires nor outward influences. Rather it comes into being through thought alone. Only when a person goes beyond his self and his environment can he understand that there is a higher purpose on which he should focus his life.
The motive force towards the fulfillment of this purpose is not the urge to satisfy one’s needs or those of others. The worshipper seeks neither to gratify his own desires nor those of the Being he worships. It is a purpose which sets before man a goal far above all these things—a goal which does not follow internal needs or external pressures, but results purely from conceptual thought.
When a person works, makes money, builds a house, makes an effort to improve his standard of living, he appears to be engaged in efforts towards some worthy end. But a life of this nature cannot be called a purposeful life, for these activities do not demonstrate man’s unique status. It might seem as if they are the result of deliberation, but if one looks at the matter in depth, one will see that in actual fact the motive force behind these actions is the same urge that motivates an animal in various ways, in its concern for its own survival. It is the driving force of one’s desires; the pressure of one’s needs, and the wish to fulfill the demands of one’s self that underlie such a life. These are the considerations which, in fact, guide a person in his search for his livelihood.
When man grows up, he realizes that there are certain material necessities without which he cannot live. He requires food, clothes, a place to live; he requires a reliable source of income to sustain him throughout his life. He is forced by these considerations to obtain these things. Then he sees that those who have an abundance of these material things enjoy respect and apparently possess every form of happiness and luxury in this world. Thus he is driven on to do more than just seek a livelihood; he desires to earn to a degree greatly in excess of his actual requirements.
In bustling markets, grandiose offices, and opulent buildings, he is not really guided by deliberate thought. Rather, he is being guided by inflated ideas of his own needs, desires, longings and ambitions to achieve fame and high status in this world. For this reason these activities cannot be considered as being directed towards the purpose which sets man apart from the animal and lends him a higher distinction.
To determine the purpose of life is, in short, the effort to make life meaningful. It must surely, therefore, be one which is in accordance with man’s unique status; it must be one which leads man on the path to success and progress in terms of his true nature.
