Fethullah Gulen - The Essentials of the Islamic Faith
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Published: 2005
Tag(s): "Islam" "Islamic Faith" "Religion" "Prophet""Muhammad" "Resurrection" "Afterlife" "Quran" "Koran" "Spiritual""Destiny" "Bible" "Muhammad in Bible" "Death" "Existence""Angels"
The existence of God is too evident to need any arguments. Somesaintly scholars have even stated that God is the most manifestbeing, but that those lacking insight cannot see Him. Others havesaid that His Self-manifestation's intensity conceals Him fromdirect perception.
However, the massive influence of positivism and materialism onscience and on all people of recent centuries makes it necessary todiscuss such arguments. As this now-prevalent "scientific"worldview reduces existence to what can be perceived directly, itblinds itself to the far vaster invisible dimensions of existence.To remove the resulting veil, we will review briefly severaltraditional demonstrations of God's necessary existence.
Before doing so, let's reflect on one simple historical fact:Since the beginning of human life, the overwhelming majority ofhumanity has believed that God exists. This belief alone is enoughto establish God's existence. Unbelievers cannot claim to besmarter than believers. Some of the most innovative scientists,scholars, researchers have been-and are-believers, as are thefield's experts: all Prophets and saints.
In addition, people usually confuse the non-acceptance ofsomething's existence with the acceptance of its non-existence.While the former is only a negation or a rejection, the latter is ajudgment that requires proof. No one has ever proven God'snon-existence, for to do so is impossible, whereas countlessarguments prove His existence. This point may be clarified throughthe following comparison.
Imagine a palace with 1,000 entrances, 999 of which are open andone of which appears to be closed. Given this, it would beunreasonable to claim that the palace cannot be entered.Unbelievers are like those who, in order to assert that the palacecannot be entered, confine their (and others') attention only tothe door that is seemingly closed.
- Everything is contingent, for it is equally possible thatthey will exist or not exist. Anything can exist any time andanywhere, in any form, and with any character. Nothing or no onehas a role in determining the way, time, and place of its cominginto existence, or its character and features. So, there must be apower that chooses between a thing's existence and non-existence,and that gives it unique characteristics. This power must beinfinite, have absolute will and all-comprehensive knowledge.Necessarily, it is God.
- Everything changes. Therefore it is contained in timeand space, meaning that it begins and ends. That which has abeginning needs a beginningless one to bring it into existence, forit cannot originate itself, as this would require an infiniteregression of originators. As reason cannot accept such asituation, an originator who is infinitely self-existent,self-subsistent, and immune to change is needed. This originaloriginator is God.
- Life is a riddle (scientists cannot explain it withmaterial causes or discover its origin) and transparent (itdisplays a creative power). Given this, life declares: "Godcreated me."
- Everything that exists, and the universe as a whole,display a magnificent harmony and order in themselves and in theirinterrelationships. The existence of one part necessitates theexistence of the whole, and the whole requires the existence of allparts for its own existence. For example, a deformed cell maydestroy an entire body. Similarly, a pomegranate requires thecollaborative and cooperative existence of air, water, soil, andthe sun, as well as their mutual and well-balanced cooperation, forits existence. This harmony and cooperation point to a creator oforder, who knows the relationships and characteristics ofeverything, and who can order everything. The creator of order isGod.
- All of creation exhibits an overwhelming artistry ofdazzling worth. Yet it is brought into being, as we see it,with great ease and speed. Furthermore, creation is divided intocountless families, genera, species, and even smaller groups, eachof which exists in great abundance. Despite this, we see nothingbut order, art, and ease in creation. This shows the existence ofone with an absolute power and knowledge, who is God.
- Whatever has been created has a purpose. Take theexample of ecology. Everything, no matter how apparentlyinsignificant, has a significant role and purpose. The chain ofcreation up to humanity, its last link, is clearly directed to afinal purpose. A fruit-bearing tree's purpose is to yield fruit,and its whole life is directed toward that goal. Similarly, the"tree of creation" yields humanity as its final and mostcomprehensive fruit. Nothing is in vain; rather, every item,activity, and event has many purposes. This requires a wise one whopursues certain purposes in creation. Since only humanity canunderstand those purposes, the wisdom and purposiveness in creationnecessarily point to God.
- All living and non-living beings cannot meet almost none oftheir own needs on their own. For example, the universe canoperate and maintain itself only by such universal laws as growthand reproduction, gravitation and repulsion. But these so-called"natural laws" have no actual external, visible, ormaterial existence; they are nominal. How can something nominal,completely devoid of knowledge and consciousness, be responsiblefor such a miraculous creation that requires absolute power andabsolute knowledge, wisdom, choice, and preference? So, one who hasall of these attributes has established these "naturallaws" and uses them as veils to cover His operations for acertain purpose.
- Plants need air and water, as well as heat and light, tosurvive. Can they fulfill their own needs? Humanity's needsare infinite. Fortunately, all of our essential needs, from ourbeginning in the womb to death, are met by someone who is able tomeet them and chooses to do so. When we enter this world, we findeverything prepared to meet all the needs of our senses andintellectual and spiritual faculties. This clearly shows that onewho is infinitely merciful and knowledgeable provides for allcreated beings in the most extraordinary way, and causes all thingsto collaborate to that end.
- All things in the universe, regardless of distance, helpeach other. This mutual helping is so comprehensive that, forexample, almost all things, among them air and water, fire andsoil, the sun and the sky, help us in an extraordinarilyprearranged manner. Our bodily cells, members, and systems worktogether to keep us alive. Soil and air, water and heat, andbacteria cooperate with each other to benefit plants. Suchactivities, which display knowledge and conscious purpose, byunconscious beings show the existence of a miraculous arranger.That one is God.
- Before humanity began to over-pollute the air, water andsoil, the natural world was cleansed and purified continually.Even now, it still preserves its original purity in many regions,mostly where modern life has not yet taken hold. Have you everwondered why nature is so clean? Why are forests so clean, eventhough many animals die in them every day? If all files born duringthe summer survived, the Earth would be covered completely withlayers of dead flies. Nothing is wasted in nature, for each deathis the beginning of a new birth. For example, a dead bodydecomposes and is integrated into the soil. Elements die and arerevived in plants; plants die in the stomachs of animals and peopleand are promoted to a higher rank of life. This cycle of death andrevival is one factor that keeps the universe clean and pure.Bacteria and insects, wind and rain, black holes and oxygen inorganic bodies all sustain the universe's purity. This puritypoints to one who is all-holy one, whose attributes includecleanliness and purity.
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