An Enlightening Commentary Into the Light of the Holy Qur'an Volume 8

An Enlightening Commentary Into the Light of the Holy Qur'an7%

An Enlightening Commentary Into the Light of the Holy Qur'an Author:
Translator: Sayyid Abbas Sadr-'ameli
Publisher: Imam Ali Foundation
Category: Quran Interpretation
ISBN: 9645691028

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An Enlightening Commentary Into the Light of the Holy Qur'an

An Enlightening Commentary Into the Light of the Holy Qur'an Volume 8

Author:
Publisher: Imam Ali Foundation
ISBN: 9645691028
English

This book is corrected and edited by Al-Hassanain (p) Institue for Islamic Heritage and Thought


Notes:

The 20 Volumes of this book have been corrected and uploaded as you can go directly to any other volumes by just clicking on the volume numbers located on the left side.


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Section 10: Qur’an Inimitable

Surah Isra’ - Verse 85

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبّـِي وَمَآ اُوتِيتُم مّـِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً

85. “And they ask you about the spirit, say: ‘The spirit is of the command of my Lord, and you are not given of the knowledge but a little’.”

The Arabic term /rūh/ (spirit) has been mentioned 21 times in the Qur’an and used in certain cases. Anyway, man’s spirit is a complicated matter, unknown and a Divine blow which has got celestial dimensions, and only Allah knows it.

Imam Baqir (as) has commented upon the Arabic term /qalil/ in the sense of ‘few individuals’. That is, full knowledge has been only provided for only a select group of people and these are they who are exclusively aware of the soul.

Anyway, in this noble verse, pursuing previous verses, the Qur’an deals with some of the important questions of the pagans, or of the people of the Book, saying:

“And they ask you about the spirit, say: ‘The spirit is of the command of my Lord, and you are not given of the knowledge but a little’.”

Great commentators have been incessantly speaking about the commentaries of this verse, and we shall first deal with the meaning of ‘soul’, then its various forms of usage in the Qur’an and, afterwards, we shall deal with the comments of the verse and quotations in this regard.

1. The Arabic term /rūh/ (spirit), philologically signifies ‘breath’ and ‘running’. Some declare that this word and the Arabic term /rih/, meaning ‘wind’, are both derived from the same root.

If we find /rūh/ the spirit, which is an abstract and independent ‘gem’ called this way, it is because, from the viewpoint of mobility and creative form as well as its invisibility, it is like breath and wind. So much is for the meaning the word.

2. There are various usages for it in the Qur’an: At times, it refers to ‘the Holy Spirit’ who has assisted the prophets in their missions like, verse 253 of Surah Al-Baqarah, which says:

“And We made Jesus, son of Mary, clear Signs, and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit…”

At other times, it refers to the Divine spiritual power which reinforces and invigorates the believers, like verse 22 of Surah Al-Mujadalah, No. 58, which says:

“…these are they into whose hearts He has impressed the faith, and whom He has confirmed with a spirit from Himself…”

Occasionally, it has been named as the ‘exclusive angel of revelation’ and has been characterized as ‘Amin’ (truthful) as in the verses 193-194 of Surah Ash-Shu‘ara’, No. 26, saying:

“The Faithful spirit has descended with it,”

“Upon your heart that you may be of the warners,”

At other times, it has been applied as one of the great angels of the ‘exclusive Divine angels’ or ‘a creature superior to the angels’, as in verse 4 of Surah Al-Qadr, No. 97, which says:

“The angels and the Spirit descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every affair.”

We also read in verse 38 of Surah An-Naba’, No. 78:

“The Day (on which) the Spirit and the angels shall stood arrayed…”

On the day of the resurrection, the spirits and the angels stand up alongside one another forming one queue.

On other occasions, it has been regarded as the Qur’an or the Divine revelation like in verse 52 of Surah Ash-Shur a, that says:

“And thus did we reveal to you; an inspired Book by our command…”

And, finally, we find its venue used as human spirit, as we read in verses concerning the creation of man, saying:

“Then He fashioned him in due proportion and breathed into him of His spirit.”1

And He also reiterates:

“So when I have completed him and I have breathed into him of My Spirit, fall you down, prostrating yourselves unto him.”2

3. The issue in question now is what is meant by ‘the spirit’ in the verse under discussion? Which spirit is it that a group of curious people have inquired about it and the Prophet (S) answered in response to them implying that the issue of spirit is among those which solely concern my Lord and you know but little about it.

Out of the totality of the existing references in the verse, as well as out of it, one can infer that those investigating ones were inquiring about the gist of the truth about human soul; this very splendid spirit which differentiates us from animals, and which is our utmost superior quality that causes our nobility, whence all our power and activities originate from, by the aid of which we turn the skies and the earth into our spheres of influence.

With its assistance, we tend to split the secrets of the sciences, delving into the core of the existence of all beings.

They sought to know what is this prodigy of the world of creation. And, as the soul is different in its structure with the matter which is subject to the principles governing the matter and its physical and chemical attributes, the Prophet (S) is commissioned to utter this concise and meaningful sentence:

“The spirit is of the command of my Lord.”

that is, its creation process is complicated and mysterious.

Then, to stop them being stunned, the verse continues saying:

“And they ask you about the spirit, say: ‘The spirit is of the command of my Lord, and you are not given of the knowledge but a little’.”

Thus, it is not at all surprising that you do not acquire the mysteries embodied in ‘spirit’, though they might be more intimate to you than all other things.

In the commentary of ‘Ayyashi, there are quotations from Imam Baqir (as) and Imam Sadiq (as) who commenting on /yas’alūnaka ‘an-ir-rūh/ said:

“One of Allah’s creatures is ‘Spirit’ that has got senses of vision, power, and force as well. The Lord locates the spirit in the hearts of the prophets and of the believers”3 .

In another quotation, one of the two great Imams has been quoted as saying:

“Spirit is of invisible world and emanates from Allah.”4

In numerous quotations from the Shiite and Sunni sources, we have it that the Quraysh pagans, getting this question from the savants of the People of the Book, wanted to put the Prophet (S) to the test thereby.

They were told that in case Muhammad provided them with a great deal of information in this connection, this would be the reason for his dishonesty. Hence, the Prophet’s (S) concise and meaningful statement was surprising and miraculous for them.

However, in quotations received through Ahl-ul-Bayt (as) regarding the commentary of the above verse, we note that ‘spirit’ has been considered as a created being introduced as superior to Gabriel and Michael, who has always remained with the Prophet (S) and the Imams, and who has kept them all, in their godly line, from every kind of deviation.

These quotations not only are not incompatible with the comments which we made about the verse, but they are also consistent with them in their entirety, since man’s spirit has got a specific hierarchy.

That phase of the spirit which is found in prophets and in Imams, is surely an extraordinarily elevated stage, one of the consequences of which, is its infallibility and state of ‘flawlessness’ from deviations and sin as well as its full cognition state and its extraordinary state of knowledge. It is certain that such a phase of spirit excels all angelic stages, including those of Gabriel and Michael.

The Authenticity and Independence of the Spirit

The issue of the spirit and its structural forms along with its mysterious specifications has always been the focus of attention of the scientists since the recorded human history was begun, and every scientist has tried his share to delve and explore, as far as he can the mysterious environment of the spirit.

It is just for this very reason that the views expressed by men of knowledge are so widespread and various. Probably, our present knowledge, and even the knowledge of the future generations, for the recognition of the entire secrets of the mysterious nature of soul prove to be insufficient, though our spirit is in closer contact with us than anything else in this world.

However, we must not be caught by surprise, when we are incapable to understand the depth of this miracle of creation which is beyond matter, for the basic substance of the soul varies tremendously with whatever we have ever been associated with and got used to in this world.

This state of the spirit must not hinder us to explore its landscape by our sharp insight of our intellect, becoming aware of its underlying general principles and orders which are governing it.

The most important principle which must be recognized here is the issue of authenticity and independence of ‘spirit’ as against opposition raised by the materialistic schools which regard the spirit as something of material, considering it to be of the properties of the brain matter and the nerve cells, beyond which they believe in nothing to exist.

Our focus of discussion in here centers about this very issue, for all discussion of the ‘survival of the spirit’ and the issue of absolute abstraction or ‘purgatory abstraction’ relies heavily on it.

Before entering this discussion, however, we must point out to the fact that the interdependence of the spirit on the body as some have believed, is not a kind of interdependence like that of the introduction or, for instance, of the blowing of the wind into a bag pipe.

Contrarily, it is some kind of relationship and interdependence based on the administration and control of the spirit over the body and its domination and governance, that some have resembled it to the interdependence of ‘meaning’ to the utterance.

Certainly, this issue will best be clearly explained in the discussion of ‘the independence of the soul’. Now, we shall turn to our principal discourse.

There is no doubt as to the fact that man is different from stone and wood which are lacking in spirit, for, we well feel different with respect to the inanimate objects, even with plants. We understand, imagine, decide, determine, love, hate, etc.

However, plants and stones lack in all these aspects in this form. Thus, there is an original difference between them, and us which is that of possessing human soul. Neither the materialists nor any other factions deny or reject the principle of the existence of the ‘soul’ or ‘spirit’, and, it is for this reason that all consider psychology and psychoanalysis as a positive science.

Although both of these two sciences are in their infancy, they are those branches of knowledge which are pursued by professors and researchers at great world universities. As we shall see ‘the soul’ and the ‘spirit’ are not, in fact, separate from each other; but they are different phases of the same reality.

As far as the issue involved is that of the relationship of the spirit with the body and their mutual interdependence, we call it the ‘soul’, and, while, spiritual phenomena are being discussed away from the body, we tend to call it the ‘spirit’.

Briefly speaking, no one rejects the fact that there exists an entity which is called the ‘spirit’ and the ‘soul’ within us.

It now remains to be seen that the all-encompassing conflicts between the materialists, on the one hand, and the metaphysicians and spiritualists, on the other hand, are being waged in which domain?

The answer is that the theologians and the philosophers who are metaphysician believe that in addition to the substances which form the body of man, there is another entity or gem hidden in him which is not made of the matter, though man’s body is under its direct impact.

In other words, the spirit is a metaphysical entity, the structural form and activity of which is other than the structure and activity of the material world. It is true that it is constantly in contact with the material world, but it is not ‘matter’ or properly of matter.

On the opposite side, the materialist philosophers are aligned who say: We do not know of any independent being different from matter under the name of the spirit or under any other name; whatever exists is this material body or its physical or chemical effects.

We possess a system called the brain or nerve system which does an important part of our essential activities for us and which perform their functions like other bodily systems, acting under material laws.

Certainly, scientists reject this line of reasoning which is propounded by the material philosophers, declaring it is null and void. For further information, refer to Tafsir-Nemūnah, vol. 12, under the same verse.

To conclude this statement, the word /rūh/ (spirit) has been repeated 21 times in the Qur’an, and the reality of the ‘spirit’ is beyond the understanding of man’s knowledge which lies as one of the Divine secrets. Man’s knowledge, with respect to it, is limited and very minimal.

Surah Isra’ - Verses 86 - 87

وَلَئِن شِئْنَا لَنَذْهَبَنَّ بِالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ لاَ تَجِدُ لَكَ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا وَكِيلاً

إِلاَّ رَحْمَةً مِن رَّبّـِكَ إِنَّ فَضْلَهُ كَانَ عَلَيْكَ كَبِيراً

86. “And if We please, We would certainly take away whatever We have revealed unto you; then you would find no one thereover to defend you against Us,”

87. “Save the mercy from your Lord, verily His favour to you is great.”

Whatever you possess emanates from His Grace. The issue in question concerned the Holy Qur’an itself in several of the previous verses. He once again takes up the discussion on this subject.

At first, He says:

“And if We please, We would certainly take away whatever We have revealed unto you; then you would find no one thereover to defend you against Us,”

So, it is We Who has bestowed these sciences upon you so as to enable you to be the leader of the people and it is We Who will take back whatever We deem expedient, and there will be no interference allowed by anyone in this respect.

Therefore, this noble verse takes up a threatening attitude towards the holy Prophet (S) declaring that the Lord takes back those merits if He wishes in much the same way that he has bestowed.

The subsequent verse has got a soft and encouraging tone. In other words, the Qur’an, the revelations, prophetic mission, being the seal of Prophets, and intercession all are among Allah’s favors towards the holy Prophet (S), and they all originate from the position of Allah’s Lordship, and He will not take back all He has bestowed on him, though He is capable with firm power, and He can perfectly do that.

The holy verse says:

“Save the mercy from your Lord…”

However, as Allah is great with utmost superiority, His favor is also just as great, and His immense kindness is peculiar to the Prophet (S).

Thus the verse continues to say:

“…verily His favour to you is great.”

Allah’s great kindness is immense with regard to you, for He has selected you as His prophet, and granted the Qur’an to you so as to open up new gateways of knowledge facing you, and to make you aware of the secrets of human guidance, and, finally, to protect you from all errors, enabling you to serve as an example for all the people till the end of the world.

Surah Isra’ - Verse 88

قُل لَّئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَي أَن يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْقُرْءَانِ لاَ يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيراً

88. “Say: ‘If (the whole) mankind and the Jinn were to gather together to bring the like of this Qur’an, they could not bring the like of it though some of them be helpers of others’.”

The Arabic term /zahir/ is derived from /zahr/ meaning ‘backing up’ and ‘advocate’.

The verse is an answer to the pagans who used to say: We, too, can bring the like of the Qur’an if we want to.

This call of the Qur’an for challenging, and bringing an example like that, has remained unanswered for centuries and, up till now, the Arabic-speaking enemies from among the people of the Book as well as the atheistic schools, have been unable to bring the like of the Qur’an despite their hostility towards Islam and despite the support which they have enjoyed from the various sources of power.

Anyway, here the Almighty, addressing the Prophet (S), announces:

“Say: ‘If (the whole) mankind and the Jinn were to gather together to bring the like of this Qur’an, they could not bring the like of it though some of them be helpers of others’.”

This verse explicitly challenges all the beings of the world, including the small and the great, Arabs and non-Arabs, human beings as well as even intelligent non-human beings, scientists, philosophers, literary figures, historians, the genius and the non-genius, briefly speaking, all without exceptions throughout the centuries to face the challenge of producing the like of the holy Qur’an, proclaiming:

If you think that the Qur’an is not the word of the Lord and it is man’s own fabrication, you are also a man and you can fabricate one like that. And, whenever you felt unable, after struggling hard, while combining your efforts, this provides you with the best reason for the miraculous nature of the Qur’an.

This call for challenging with the Qur’an, which is in the vocabulary of the scholars, expert in theology, known as /tahaddi/, (challenge) is one of the pillars of every miracle and wherever such a meaning is in force concerning a subject, we find transparency as to the miraculous nature of that issue in question.

Incidentally, the unique specifications of the Holy Qur’an consist of being both miraculous while, at the same time, it is eloquent and varying; it foretells the future while containing the best of stories; it provides the best method of calling while it is expressive of all problems, whether social and individual needs, worldly and after-life requirements in all fields and at all times.

Surah Isra’ - Verse 89

وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِي هَذَا الْقُرْءَانِ مِن كُلّ‌ِ مَثَلٍ فَاَبَي أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ إِلاَّ كُفُوراً

89. “And We have explainer for the people, in this Qur’an, every (kind of) similitude, but incline not most of the people save denying.”

By means of the verses of the Qur’an, Allah has completed the argument to people. This verse, in fact, is the statement of one of the aspects of miracle and the inimitability of the Holy Qur’an, i.e. its comprehensiveness.

It implies that, in this noble Qur’an, Allah has displayed unto the people examples of everything so that all sorts of knowledge are gathered in it; yet most of the people refused to do anything but denying.

The verse says:

“And We have explainer for the people, in this Qur’an, every (kind of) similitude, but incline not most of the people save denying.”

Verily, this variety of the contents of the Qur’an, and emerging from an illiterate person in particular, is amazing. This heavenly Book contains both the firm rational reasoning together with its special elaborateness in the field of creeds, and the statement of the ever-sure ordinances based on the necessities of people in any grounds.

The Qur’anic discussions upon historical subjects are unique in their kind. They are exciting, awakening, interesting, shaking, and free from any kinds of superstition. Its ethical matters affect on the prepared hearts in the same manner that the rain of the spring does upon the dead lands.

The scientific points which are propounded in the Qur’an have made manifest some facts which, at least in that time, were not known to any scientist.

Precisely speaking, whatever fields the Qur’an arrives, it offers the best. That is why if the Jinn and humankind come to help each other in order to bring the like of it, they will not be able to do so.

Surah Isra’ - Verses 90 - 91

وَقَالُوا لَن نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّي تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الاَرْضِ يَنْبُوعاً

أَوْ تَكُونَ لَكَ جَنَّةٌ مِن نَّخِيلٍ وَعِنَبٍ فَتُفَجّـِرَ الاَنْهَارَ خِلاَلَهَا تَفْجِيراً

90. “And they said: “We shall never believe in you till you make a spring to gush forth from the earth for us,”

91. “Or till you should have a garden of date-palms and grapes in the midst of which you cause streams to flow forth,”

The Arabic term /yanbū‘/ refers to a fountain which will never dry up and which will always gush.

The pagans, who rejected the miraculous nature of the Qur’an, made their embracing the belief conditional upon attainment of some material gains, asking the holy Prophet (S) for some undue expectations.

They neglected the fact that the prophets would perform miracles so as to justify their prophetic mission. This is done not for meeting the whimsical demands of the obstinate people or for the sake of their entertainment or escaping from effort and endeavour.

In fact, undue expectation, callousness, obstinacy, seeking pretexts, unawareness of the aims, and rudeness, all intermingled with one another so as to put illogical requests to the Prophet (S), like a fountain, gardens, rivers, collapse and fall of the skies, summoning of the Lord and of the angels, golden houses, flight into skies, and a private letter from the Lord.

Anyway, the pagans of Mecca stated:

We do not confirm your prophetic mission unless you split the ground of Mecca which is scarce in water resources and make a fountain emerge out of it, which gashes.

The verse says:

“And they said: “We shall never believe in you till you make a spring to gush forth from the earth for us,”

Or they demanded from him a garden which had got plenty of date-palms and grape trees, covered by them, amidst which streams flow so as to water trees beneath them, little knowing that the goal of the prophets had been people’s guidance and leading them to monotheism, though some groups thought of gardens, gold and silver while such requests and expectations were not logical.

The verse says:

“Or till you should have a garden of date-palms and grapes in the midst of which you cause streams to flow forth,”

Surah Isra’ - Verses 92 - 93

أَوْ تُسْقِطَ السَّمآءَ كَمَا زَعَمْتَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفاً أَوْ تَأْتِيَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْمَلآئِكَةِ قَبِيلاً

أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِن زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَي فِي السَّمآءِ وَلَن نُّؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيّـِكَ حَتَّي تُنَزّ‌ِلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَاباً نَّقْرَؤُهُ قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبّـِي هَلْ كُنتُ إِلاَّ بَشَراً رَسُولاً

92. “Or you cause the heaven, as you think, to fall in pieces upon us, or bring Allah and the angels face to face with us,”

93. “Or there be for you a house of gold, or you should be flying in to the sky, and never will we believe in your ascending unless you bring down to us a book which we may read. Say: ‘Glory be to my Lord! Am I aught but a mortal messenger?’”

Miracles are among the exclusive characters of the Divinity of the Lord and have their origin in the Divine will and Wisdom. From among the conditions of miracles is that they must not be aimless, useless and utterly improbable.

The demands of the pagan from the Prophet (S) are worthless. Making the skies collapse will exterminate all and every thing, leaving no one alive to become a believer. Summoning of the Lord and the angels is also an utter impossibility, for they are not ‘bodies’ which can be summoned for us so as we witness them with our eyes.

Therefore, in this verse, the obstinate pagans reiterated that you thought you were a prophet and you possessed miracles, therefore, turn the sky into pieces, shredding everything and making them fall over us. Or you bring forth5 the Lord and the angels before6 us so as we can see them with our own eyes and witness that you are authentic and legitimate, your call being valid.

The verse says:

“Or you cause the heaven, as you think, to fall in pieces upon us, or bring Allah and the angels face to face with us,”

In the subsequent verse, the Qur’an says:

“Or there be for you a house of gold…”

Or you ascend to the sky. Even if we witness with our own eyes, doing that, we are not to believe, unless you fetch us each a book from Allah testifying to your prophetic mission, which we shall read.

The verse continues saying:

“…or you should be flying in to the sky, and never will we believe in your ascending unless you bring down to us a book which we may read…”7

We read at the end of these verses that Allah commands His prophet, culminating these contradictory and paradoxical proposals, to say to them that He is clean and pure of all these imaginary conjectures; that is, He is distant from performing miracles according to your wishes.

Thus, the holy Prophet (S), addressing them, said: I am also like other prophets. I am a human being. Those prophets used to perform miracles for their nations which were actualized by Allah.

This is not a matter of concern to me and up to me to do what I wish. It is up to Him alone, Who is aware of what is expedient. Thus, there is no reason as to why you demand such things from me.

The verse continues saying:

“…Say: ‘Glory be to my Lord! Am I aught but a mortal messenger?’”

Notes

1. Surah As-Sajdah, No. 32, verse 9

2. Surah Al-Hijr, No, 15, verse 29

3. Tafsir Nūr-uth-Thaqalayn, vol. 3, p. 216

4. Ibid, p. 215

5. The Arabic phrase /kama za‘amtum/ is an allusion made to the threats and the pledges of chastisement which the Prophet (S) states in Surah Saba’, verse 9.

6. The Qur’an ic term /qabil/ refers to what is placed before man and what he is confronted with.

7. The Arabic term /zukhruf/ denotes originally some kind of ornament, like gold which is one of the precious metals, and is used as ornament. This term is also applied for houses with paintings and decorations.

Section 11: No Cause for Anyone to Disbelieve Any Messenger of Allah

Surah Isra’ - Verse 94

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ جَآءَهُمُ الْهُدَي إِلاَّ أَن قَالُوا أَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَشَراً رَسُولاً

94. “And nothing prevented the people from believing when the guidance came to them except that they said: ‘Has Allah raised up a mortal as Messenger?’”

The only reason as to why the pagans were kept away from embracing the belief in the Qur’an and the command of the Prophet (S), was the fact that they could not accept the prophetic mission of a man from the side of Allah.

The noble verse says:

“And nothing prevented the people from believing when the guidance came to them except that they said: ‘Has Allah raised up a mortal as Messenger?’”

Therefore, the pagan people did not submit themselves to the reasons for obvious miracles, for they would say as to how could the Lord appoint a man for prophecy? The Lord’s envoy must be raised from among the divine angels.

This groundless paradox hindered them from believing in the holy Prophet (S). As was about the worship of the unitary essence of Allah, in which case, they proclaimed that:

“Our worship of Allah is not worthy of Him.”

Hence, they succumbed to the worship of the idols, and to their thinking, by this act they tried to glorify the Lord, while this act is not an act of glorification to Him. On the contrary, it is being heedless of the pure essence of Allah, the Glorified.

Certainly, those who do not possess a sound reasoning and rationale, regard a strong point as a weak one. The fact that the Prophet (S) was a human being is a strong point in him and not a weak one, for having instincts and motives as well as difficulties will cause him to grasp best the sufferings of men, and can provide a practical paradigm as well as a useful prescription.

Surah Isra’ - Verse 95

قُل لَوْ كَانَ فِي الاَرْضِ مَلآئِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنّـِينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَلَكاً رَسُولاً

95. “Say: ‘Had there been in the earth angels walking at peace, We would certainly have sent down an angel from heaven to them as messenger’.”

This noble verse refuses the attitude of those who raised objections to the fact that the Prophet (S) was selected from among the human beings, and implies that: The sending of the prophet is Allah’s way of treatment and a religious necessity.

Even if all the inhabitants of the earth were angels, and there were no quarrels and rows among them, and all of them were in perfect health and enjoying welfare, there would be some envoy from their progeny and gender coming from the side of Allah, for the mission of the prophets consists of enduing perfection and spiritual development as well as the provision of paradigms, and not merely the removal of hostilities from among them.

The Qur’an says:

“Say: ‘Had there been in the earth angels walking at peace, We would certainly have sent down an angel from heaven to them as messenger’.”

Incidentally the homogeneousness of the leaders with that of the people is a necessity for their education and their imitation of their identification figures. Mankind for mankind, and angels for angels can serve as best paradigms.

The reason for such a homogeneity of the leader and of the followers is clear, for, on the one hand, the most important part of the propaganda section of a leader is his practical side, that is, serving as a paradigm and an identification figure which is only made possible when the leader possesses the human instincts and feelings and the same bodily structural forms and spiritual ones.

On the other hand, a leader must understand well all the pains and sufferings, needs and demands of his followers so that he can produce remedies for them and respond to them. It is for this reason that the prophets have risen up, and emerged from among the bulk of the people, while the accession to the position of the prophet is from the side of the Lord and it is not an elective office.

Surah Isra’ - Verses 96 - 97

قُلْ كَفَي بِاللَّهِ شَهِيداً بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيراً بَصِيراً

وَمَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِهِ وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَي وُجُوهِهِمْ عُمْياً وَبُكْماً وَصُمّاً مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنَاهُمْ سَعِيراً

96. “Say: ‘Allah suffices as a witness between me and you; verily He, of his servants, is All-Aware, All-Seeing.”

97. “And whomever Allah guides, then he is guided aright, and whomever He leaves to stray, you will never find for him guardians other than Him; and We shall muster them on the Day of Resurrection upon their faces, blind, dumb and deaf whose dwelling shall be Hell; whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the blaze.”

Pursuing the previous discussions, which centered around monotheism and prophetic mission as well as discourses with the opponents, here, in this verse, there is a sort of declaration of the termination of the current discussion, at this stage, and providing conclusion.

At first the Qur’an implies that if they do not accept your reasoning concerning monotheism, prophecy and resurrection, proclaim upon them, saying: It suffices for me that the Lord is an intermediary and a witness between you and I, for, He is aware of the feelings of His servants and He is All-seeing unto their works.

The verse says:

“Say: ‘Allah suffices as a witness between me and you; verily He, of his servants, is All-Aware, All-Seeing.”

In fact, there are two objectives in view in making this statement. The first one relates to the fact that the obstinate, and fanatic opponents receive a threat that the Lord is aware and All-seeing while He is witnessing all our deeds and all your acts. Do not imagine that you can escape His sphere of power or part of your acts remains hidden from Him.

The other objective is that the Prophet (S) should exhibit decisively his firm conviction as to what he has stated, for the speaker’s decisiveness in his speech leaves a great impact on the listener.

Maybe, this expression, which is firm and decisive coupled with a sort of mild threat, leaves its impact on them, shaking them in their hearts, and awakening them, calling them to the right path.

Afterwards, the Qur’an adds:

“And whomever Allah guides, then he is guided aright, and whomever He leaves to stray, you will never find for him guardians other than Him…”

The only way they have is to return to Him once again and seek the light of guidance from Him.

These two sentences, in fact, are allusions to the fact that the mere pounding reasoning is not sufficient for embracing the faith. On the contrary, before gaining the Divine success and proper eligibility of Allah’s guidance, it is impossible for him to embrace the faith.

A Persian poem indicates:

It is the clean sperm necessary to become worthy of receiving favour; Otherwise every pebble or piece of clay will never turn into shining stones or pearls.

Then, the Qur’an illustrates for them one of the scenes of the resurrection day as a challenging and pounding threat, which is the certain consequences of their actions, proclaiming that:

“…and We shall muster them on the Day of Resurrection upon their faces…”

Instead of them walking in an upright and erect standing position, the angels of punishment draw them on their faces, or they will be crawling over their faces and chests like reptiles. They will be entering into that great court in a state of blindness, deafness, and dumbness.

The holy verse continues saying:

“…blind, dumb and deaf…”

There are different stages and stop phases for the day of resurrection, in some of which the sinners are blind, deaf, and dumb, though in other platforms they regain their eyesight, their sense of hearing, and their tongues open up so as to enable them to witness scenes of punishment, listen to the blaming of others, and cry for help, expressing their weakness, which itself is one way for punishing them.

The culprits also are deprived from seeing what is the source of delight, and from hearing what is joyful, and from saying whatever is directed towards salvation; on the contrary, they only see, hear, and say what is a source of discomfort.

In the end of the verse, the Holy Qur’an implies that their eternal abode is Hell, but you must not imagine that its Fire will eventually be extinguished, like the worldly fire. Nay!

“Whenever it is about to fade away, We shall rekindle new flames to it.”1

The verse says:

“…whose dwelling shall be Hell; whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the blaze.”

Surah Isra’ - Verse 98

ذَلِكَ جَزَآؤُهُم بِاَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِاَيَاتِنَا وَقَالُوا أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَاماً وَرُفَاتاً أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ خَلْقاً جَدِيداً

98. “That is their recompense, for they disbelieved in Our signs and said: ‘What! When we become (mere) bones and decayed dust, shall we, then, indeed be raised, into a new creation?’”

The Arabic term /ruf at/ refers to straw particles which are so shredded into pieces which cannot be broken further.

In the previous verses we noted as to how an evil fate awaits in the world hereafter for the sinners; a destiny which makes every sane person to think and contemplate. Here, the Qur’an explains the reason of this matter in a different way.

It says:

“That is their recompense, for they disbelieved in Our signs and Said: ‘What! When we become (mere) bones and decayed dust, shall we, then, indeed be raised, into a new creation?’”

Certainly, the disbelievers have got no reasons for rejecting the resurrection, and whatever they utter is said as mockery and ridicule or is because of their astonishment, or considering as impossible.

Surah Isra’ - Verse 99

أَوَلَم يَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّماوَاتِ وَالاَرْضَ قَادِرٌ عَلَي أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَهُمْ أَجَلاً لاَّ رَيْبَ فِيهِ فَاَبَي الظَّالِمُونَ إِلاَّ كُفُوراً

99. “Have they not consider that Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth is able to create the like of them? And He has appointed for them a term in which there is no doubt; but the unjust refuse aught save disbelieve.”

The Holy Qur’an has repeatedly sought to remove all doubts concerning resurrection by pointing out to the creation of the heavens and the earth as well as to the enormity of the system of creation along with the Divine domination over the creation process. The Holy Qur’an implies whether the process of your creation is harder or the creation of the heavens which He has undertaken.

The verse says:

“Have they not consider that Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth is able to create the like of them?…”

That is, the best reason for establishing the possibility of something which is there, is its very existence and its very accidence.

In the doomsday, the decayed bones are the same worldly bones and the spirit to which it has joined is that same spirit. However, the Qur’an states /milahum/ (like those), it is just like the ‘raw bricks’ which, when pounded, it is possible to manufacture once again bricks of the same proportion and quality.

In this case, people say: These bricks are like the former ones, and not identical with them, or they say that the materials which have gone into them are the same.2

The best rationale to prove the resurrection is focusing our attention on the Divine power in nature.

Therefore, He remarks in this noble verse asking: Do those who regard resurrection as impossible, not know that Allah, Who has had the ability to create the heavens and the earth, can create like of them in the doomsday, for the creation of them is not harder than the creation of the heavens and the earth.

As the Qur’an says:

“Are you the harder to create or the creation of the heaven He made it?”3

The Lord designated for them a decisive destiny that the goal of which is death or the resurrection. However, these oppressors abstained from accepting the truth, and they added up to their rejections though the evidences were quite clear for them.

The verse says:

“…And He has appointed for them a term in which there is no doubt; but the unjust refuse aught save disbelieve.”

Surah Isra’ - Verse 100

قُل لَوْ أَنتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَآئِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبّـِي إِذاً لاَمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ الإِنفَاقِ وَكَانَ الإِنسَانُ قَتُوراً

100. “Say: ‘If you possessed the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, then you would definitely withhold (them) for fear of spending, and man is ever niggardly.”

The Arabic term /qatūr/ is derived from the word /qitr/, meaning: miserliness and avarice or withholding from sharing with others of one’s wealth.

As they insisted on the idea that the prophet must not be of the same genus as mankind, apparently some kind of jealousy and avarice stopped them from believing that, perhaps, Allah has bestowed this blessing on a human being.

Thus, He says in this verse:

“Say: ‘If you possessed the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, then you would definitely withhold (them) for fear of spending, and man is ever niggardly.”

These last three verses are the most obvious of the verses which provide justifications for the resurrection of the body, for the pagans astonishment concerned as to how the Lord can return to life once again those decayed bones which have turned into dust.

The Qur’an’s answer also covers this very point, implying: That Lord Who created the heaven and the earth, has also the potentiality to assemble all scattered human particles and to provide them with life.

Incidentally, one of the reasons stressed by the Holy Qur’an repeatedly for establishing the issue of resurrection, is the its taking recourse to the generalization of the Lord’s Omnipotence.

Notes

1. The Arabic term /xabat/ refers to the flame which is fading, and the word /sa‘ir/ means ‘to flame the fire’, and it is one of the names of Hell.

2. Tafsir Nūr-uth-Thaqalayn

3. An-Nazi‘at, No. 79, verse 27

Lesson 1: Why Religion?

1. Why Study Religion?

Why should we investigate about religion and study about God? What provokes us to consider religion? There are three reasons:

(A) Love of Knowledge

We all want to know the truth about the world in which we live: Did the heaven with its beautiful stars, the earth with its glorious landscapes, the beautiful birds, the colourful fish, the blue oceans and the high mountains - did all these come into being by themselves or are they the product of an All-Knowing and Powerful Creator?

Besides all this, the first question that comes to mind for all of us is the origin of ourselves: Where did we come from? Why are we in this world? Where are we heading to?

The love of knowledge and the searching spirit within us dictates that we must not rest until we find the answers to these questions.

Thus the first reason that compels us to inquire into religion is our thirst and love for knowledge.

(B) The Sense of Thankfulness

The world around us and the world within ourselves is full of marvelous things. The sun and moon, the plants and trees, the mines and minerals hidden deep in the heart of the earth; all of them are of great benefit to mankind.

Within ourselves, we have the digestive system, the respiratory apparatus, the heart and other organs of the body; but the greatest of all, however, is the intellectual ability of man himself through which he can make a mighty mountain crumble into pieces, and create from water and iron enormous power and the most delicate objects.

Now this question poses itself: Should we not engage ourselves in research and inquiry until, if there is a benefactor, we acknowledge that benefactor, to fulfill our duty and offer him our thanks?

This is the second reason why we should inquire into religion.

(C) Preventing Possible Danger

If a child were to come and tell you that he saw a poisonous snake go into the room you were in, you would immediately jump up from your chair and undertake a thorough search of every nook and cranny until you found it, or until you were satisfied that it was not there.

Similarly, while traveling by night in a dangerous country, if you learnt that bandits were waiting on the road ahead to ambush you - you would without any doubt wait until the way ahead was clear of danger, and would not take a single step forward until then.

In these two examples, we have made clear that reason compels us to investigate conceivable dangers. It is possible that some of the harmful things may turn out to be nothing at all, and that other people may not pay any attention to them; but if an inquiry carries the price of a human soul, then it cannot be ignored.

In the history of mankind, we learn of people who were famous for telling the truth and who lived an honest life. They claimed that they were messengers of God, and they called people towards God and to act in certain ways.

As a result of the efforts and the constant sufferings of these special people in all corners of the world, many groups believed in them.

Thus the birth of Jesus became the beginning of the Christian calendar and the migration of the Prophet Muhammad was taken by the Muslims as the beginning of their calendar.

Now, we see that these messengers attracted men to religion and to follow particular rules, caused them to fear punishment of their bad deeds and convinced them that they would be tried in the Great Court of Justice before the Righteous and Wise Judge.

They trembled at the hardships and perils of Resurrection and the harshness of the punishment there, and warned men of the dire consequences of evil deeds.

The question is: Do the warnings of these people make us realize the possibility of harm and danger in the same way as did the warning of the small child in the example mentioned above?

Is it right to ignore the words of the messengers of God who, after all, were men of high moral standards and who made greatest sacrifices for their cause?

Clearly, the words of the messengers - if they do not make a man certain - at least provoke him to think: perhaps what they say is true. If what they say is true, then what is our duty? What answer will we have in the Court of the Great Judge?

Common sense reckons the necessity of preventing this “possible harm”. What is more, these messengers and prophets call man to a healthy and civilized life, and they also say that after death an extensive new world and everlasting blessings await one who has performed his duty. Does reason allow us to ignore this important message?

There is a similar argument known as the “Pascal's Bet,” named so after the famous French mathematician, Pascal (d. 1662 CE). Pascal proved the importance of inquiring about religion in the following way: If you believe in the life-hereafter, you will gain everything if it really exists; and you lose nothing if it does not exist. Therefore, it is better to bet that it does exist.

The theme of this argument was presented by the Shi'a Imams long before Pascal. We also know that Pascal had read Abu Hamid al Ghazali's works.

It, therefore, seems quite possible that Pascal might have read this argument from Imam 'Ali (a.s.), the first. Shi'a Imam, as quoted in Mizdnu 'l-A’mal of al-Ghazali. Imam 'All said:

The astrologer and the physician both say, The dead will never be resurrected.

I say: ‘Keep your counsel. If your idea is correct, I will come to no harm; but if my belief is correct, then you will surely lose.’

2. Some Necessary Qualities of Religion

The religion which can fulfill the needs of mankind must have the following qualities:

(a) It must satisfy the intelligence and intellect of human beings.

Islam gives foremost importance to human intelligence. Islam emphasizes that you must understand the faith and then believe in it. Belief follows understanding, and not vice versa.

(b) It must teach and demonstrate dignity of human beings.

Islam places human beings over and above all other creations of God; it promotes equality among human beings. Islam does not allow human beings to lose their dignity by bowing down in worship to a fellow man, animal or an inanimate object.

(c) It must be a complete guide to develop the body, mind and spirit of humans as a whole.

Islam does not only develop the soul at the expense of the body; nor does it promote the care of the body at the expense of the soul.

It promotes development of all aspects of human life in a balanced way. Islam not only talks in general terms about the code of life; it gives specific details and also provides examples in the lives of the prophets and imams.

(d) It must conform with human nature.

The teachings of Islam takes the human nature into consideration. It does not promote, for example, celibacy which is completely against human nature.

(e) It should not be a tool in the hands of oppressors to suppress the masses.

Islam promotes social justice and rejects the theory of predestination. The oppression of a tyrant ruler is not predestined by God. This leaves no room for the tyrant rulers and oppressors to say that the masses have been predestined for serving the ruling class.

* * *

This lesson is based on:

Sayyid Sa’eed Akhtar Rizvi, Need for Religion, Tanzania 1970.

Dar Rah-e Haq, The Roots of Religion, Qum 1982.

Nāsir Makārim Shirazi, Principles of Islamic Ideology, Tehran 1985.

It has been compiled & edited for this course by S.M. Rizvi.

Question Paper For Lesson 1

Question 1: [20 points]

True or False:

(a) Study of religion involves a sincere inquiry into the possible existence of a supreme creator.

(b) Our rational thinking provokes us to reflect upon this infinite universe and a possible creator.

(c) Religion is a set of rituals.

(d) The birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was taken by Muslims as the beginning of their calendar.

(e) Religious investigation can be thought of as an investment which might generate profit in the life hereafter but guaranteed to produce no loss.

(f) Islam condones the theory of predestination.

(g) Our sense of gratitude dictates that we should offer our thanks to our creator if He exists.

(h) Islam promotes the suppression of legitimate desires.

(i) Faith has no rational basis. The truth is what one believes in.

(j) Prophets were pious people who preached good things and forbade people from doing evil things.

Question 2: [20 points]

From the statements given below, give a number (in order of preference) to the ones that best describe the essential qualities of an effective religion. If you think that a statement is completely disqualified as a quality of an effective religion, then do not assign any number to it.

(a) Preaches unity of creator and creatures.

(b) Promotes faith based on understanding.

(c) Preserves human dignity.

(d) Preaches division of society into various classes to create order, discipline and cohesion.

(e) Promotes and practically implements equality, fairness and justice.

(f) Conforms to human nature.

(g) Promotes abandonment of the material luxuries of life to elevate the soul.

(h) Promotes celibacy as a means of spiritual upliftment.

(i) Provides a complete and comprehensive code of life.

(j) Promotes suppression of natural desires to achieve closeness to God.

Question 3: [10 points]

Describe three reasons of your own (other than those discussed in this lesson) that might provoke humans to contemplate on religious matters.

Lesson 2: Ways of Knowing God

From time immemorial, man has found different ways of knowing God. Human beings of various intellectual levels have found their own ways to God. Common people have found simple ways; whereas thinkers and philosophers reached the same conclusion on a higher plane of thought. The two most common ways of knowing the Creator are:

• the inner way (which is also the closest way).

• the outer way (which is also the clearest way).

First Method: The Inner Way

God has created the inner light in each and every human being. If we go deep within ourselves and touch our souls, we hear the message of God.

History and anthropology has shown that if man is left alone and is not indoctrinated by any school of thought - then, sooner or later, his inner voice will lead him to believe in a power as the Creator and Maintainer of this world.

However, at times this natural feeling is subdued by external means. But it re-emerges when that person finds himself in difficulties - he naturally prays to a Power whom he believes to be above all powers.

This is very well portrayed in the talk which Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.), the sixth Imam of the Shi'a Muslims, had with an atheist.

Knowing that the atheist had gone on sea voyages several times, the Imam asked:

“Have you ever been caught in a fierce storm in the middle of nowhere, your rudder gone, your sails torn away, trying desperately to keep your boat afloat?” The Atheist: “Yes.”

The Imam: “And sometimes perhaps even that leaking boat went down leaving you exhausted and helpless at the mercy of the raging waves?” The Atheist: “Yes.”

The Imam: “Was not there, in all that despair, a glimmer of hope in your heart that some unnamed and unknown power could still save you?”

When the atheist agreed, the Imam said, “That power is God.” That atheist was intelligent. He knew the truth when he saw it. The “inner way,” in spite of being the natural and closest way of knowing God, is also a very personal way. It is only sufficient for the person who has seen the light within himself.

Second Method: Experiment Beyond Sensation

The second way of knowing God is by studying the signs of His presence and power in the world within us and around us. The Qur'an has mentioned both these signs as follows: “We shall show to them Our signs upon the horizons (i.e., space) and in their own selves so that it may become manifest to them that He is the Truth.”

(41:53) This method of knowing God is based on the principle of “cause” and “effect”. The signs of nature are the effects of which the ultimate cause is God.

Now, let us try to understand the nature and scope of this method more clearly.

Nature & Scope of this Method

Whenever we see a beautiful building of great splendour and design, we can easily understand that its architect was an expert in his own craft.

Similarly, by looking at a car, an airplane, a computer or any other well-designed product or artifact, we are invariably guided to well-informed and knowledgeable inventors, designers and manufacturers, and we are also made aware of their skill and learning.

In none of these instances is it necessary to actually see the builder, the manufacturer or the designer of such an artifact with our own eyes to testify to his existence.

Moreover, when observing all these things, it is not with any of our external senses that we perceive the knowledge and skill of the builders and manufacturers. But, nevertheless, we believe in his expertise and knowledge. Why?

Because the design and order which we perceived in the artifacts forces us to recognize the knowledge of their builders. And from this we reach the conclusion that it is not necessary that something whose existence we wish to believe in should be visible or tangible.

There are many things which are not perceptible to our external senses, but we become aware of them through their effects. For every wise person understands that there can be no effect without a cause, nothing orderly without a wise and knowledgeable designer.

Based on the above, we can divide the things of this world into two categories:

1. Things which are evident to one or more of the five senses; we observe visible things with the eyes, we hear sounds with the ears, we become aware of pleasant and unpleasant smells with our nose, we know bitter and sweet tastes with our tongue, and we feel hot and cold or rough and smooth with the skin of our body.

2. Things which are not perceived by any of the five senses, but whose existence we can deduce by considering their effects. These facts are not all of one kind, some are material and some are non-material. We shall mention a few of them here.

Electricity: By merely looking at two wires, one of which is electrified, we can never determine which of them has an electric current. We can only discover the existence of this current from the effect of electricity, e.g., a lamp being lit.

So electricity is something which exists although our eyes cannot directly see it. Gravity: If you let go of the book which you now have in your hand, it will fall to the ground, i.e., the ground will pull the book towards itself.

This power is something which we do not directly perceive through our senses. Gravitation is again one of those things which is not visible, but we come to know its existence by observing its effect: the falling of bodies to the ground.

Magnetism: When we place a magnet beside a piece of iron, we do not see anything except the two objects. But when the iron is pulled towards the magnet, we discover that magnetism exists around the magnet.

Invisible Radiation: If we shine white sunlight through a prism we see on the other side of the crystal six colours (the spectrum) which are: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. No more colours are to be seen on both extremes of the spectrum.

However, scientists have discovered that in the place where the eyes see no more light, further ‘colours’ exist which have heating and chemical properties. These lights' are called infra-red and ultra-violet.

Intelligence & Mental Image: All of us are aware of ourselves, i.e., we perceive that we exist; and we also arrive at concepts in a gradual manner concerning matters outside ourselves which we explain by this kind of statement: “I solved the most difficult mathematical problem.”

Also, man is aware of his own knowledge: he knows that he knows. Intelligence is not something visible or audible in the sense that man can see it with his eyes or hear it with his ears; but everyone finds it in himself.

Others cannot learn about my intelligence through the five senses, but they can deduce its presence from the effect it produces. For example, when a scientist is expounding on a problem, it becomes clear that he has understood it.

People can construct in their own minds any form that they wish, e.g., a tower similar to the Eiffel Tower whose construction in the external world required many years, a thousand sorts of different building materials and substances, and hundreds of workers; this can be built in the mind in an instant.

It is clear that others cannot be informed directly of the creations of our minds, because they are not visible and audible, but they can discover their existence from our speech.

Life: A beautiful chicken, moving towards the water, falls into a pond, and, before we can rescue it, it dies. At this very moment, what change has taken place in the chicken; and what difference has occurred that it no longer moves, plays or eats?

There surely was something in the live chicken but which does not exist in the dead - life itself. Life is not an object of the senses. We only perceive the effects of life: movement, feeding, etc., and from these effects we discover its existence.

The facts mentioned above make it thoroughly clear that over and above the beings that we perceive with our sensory organs, there are also things which we do not directly perceive, but we know about them only through the effects they produce.

Thus we draw the conclusion that it is not right for us to reject something which we do not see only because it is not visible, because invisibility is different from non-existence.

Moreover, the way of discovering something is not confined to the eyes or other external senses. The human mind can discover something by means of the effects of those things, as we saw in the examples mentioned above.

We do not wish to say that God is similar to the scientific examples mentioned above, because God is a reality above those things, nothing is equal or comparable to Him. Our intention, however, is to say that in the same way as we discover the existence of those things through their effects, we can also discover the existence of God through His signs.

Discovering the existence of God through His signs is the “outer way” of knowing Him.

Thus, those who deny the existence of God just because they cannot see Him with their eyes, are blind as far as their eyes of wisdom and contemplation is concerned - since we know that His existence can be demonstrated through the precise design and order of creation.

To these people we say, with the poet: Open thy heart's eye for your soul to see, And what is invisible will be manifest to thee.

* * *

This lesson is based on the followings:

Dar Rah-e Haq Board, The Roots of Religion, Qum 1982.

Nāsir Makārim Shirazi, Principles of Islamic Ideology, Tehran 1985.

Syed Sa’eed Akhtar Rizvi, Need of Religion, Tanzania 1970.

It has been compiled & edited for this course by S.M. Rizvi.

Question Paper For Lesson 2

Question 1: [10 points]

True or False:

(a) Anything that has order or design implies a creator.

(b) Invisibility implies non-existence.

(c) The inner way is the clearest way of knowing God.

(d) We can perceive things by observing their effects.

(e) Science and reasoning cannot measure everything that exists in this universe.

Question 2: [20 points]

Name at least three things (besides the examples described in this lesson) that cannot be detected by our five common senses, i.e., vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Question 3: [20 points]

Lesson 2 states that there are two most common ways of knowing the Creator, namely (1) the inner way and (2) the outer way. Explain this idea using somewhat different terminology from that used in this lesson.

Lesson 3: Designs in The Universe

In this universe, from the smallest atom to the largest celestial body, in everything we see, we are reminded of its perfect orderliness and exact regulation, so much so that great scientists have been provoked to amazement.

One look at the world around us makes it clear that all things in it are in full coordination with one another.

The nourishment of living creatures, for example, depends on the coordination between the sun, clouds, rain, earth and its resources. All this points to the existence of one coordinated system in the universe.

There is so much orderliness in nature that the scientists, by using the immutable laws of nature, can explain the course any phenomenon will take before it occurs.

For this reason, scientists endeavour to discover these laws. For if these laws did not hold would not every kind of effort in this field be fruitless? So let us look at some examples of the order and design in the universe:

The earth in which we live, with respect to its size, its distance from the sun, the speed of its orbital movement, etc., is so arranged that it is able to act as the support for life. If the smallest change were to take place in its condition, losses of unacceptable dimensions would occur.

“The earth rotates on its axis at one thousand miles an hour; if it turned at one hundred miles an hour, our days and nights would be ten times as long as now, and the hot sun would then burn up our vegetation during each long day while in the long night any surviving sprout would freeze.

“Again, the sun, the source of our life, has a surface temperature of 12,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and our earth is just far enough away so that this “eternal fire1 warms us just enough and not too much! If the sun gave off only one-half of its present radiation, we would freeze, and if it gave half as much more, we would roast.

“The slant of the earth, tilted at an angle of 23 degrees, gives us our seasons; if it had not been so tilted, vapours from the ocean would move north and south, piling up for us continents of ice.

If our moon was, say, only 50 thousand miles away instead of its actual distance, our tides would be so enormous that twice a day all continents would be submerged; even the mountains would soon be eroded away.

If the crust of the earth had been only ten feet thicker, there would be no oxygen without which animal life must die. Had the ocean been a few feet deeper, carbon dioxide and oxygen would have been absorbed and no vegetable life could exist.”1

The atmosphere, most of whose constituent elements are lifegiving gases, is sufficiently viscous that it can, like a shield or armour, protect the earth from the deadly attack of 200 million meteors every day, which approach the earth with a speed of 50 km per second.

The responsibility for regulating the temperature of the earth's surface within limits which maintain life also belongs to the atmosphere, and if it did not exist, inhabited land, like the dry deserts, would become incapable of supporting life.

“Because of these, and a host of other examples, there is not one chance in millions that life on our planet is an accident.”2 But why are we taking the long way round in explaining these things?

Nearer than anything else is our own body. The mysteries of man's existence are without number, so much so that the world's scientists, after years of research and study, have not yet been able to fathom all the wonders of it.

After many years of study, Dr. Alexis Carel wrote a book called L 'homme, cet inconnue (Man, the Unknown). He confessed that biology and other sciences were still unable to discover the facts about the working of the human body, and that many problems remained to be unraveled. Now let us examine some of the marvels of our own existence. THE CELLS OF THE BODY: A human body is like a building.

It is composed of small building blocks called cells, each of which is itself a living entity. In the structure of the cells most metals such as iron, copper and calcium are used as are other elements like oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur.

The number of cells in the body of man is about 10*6 which is equivalent to ten thousand, million, million.

Each one of these living cells works in perfect cooperation with the next, and all of them follow the same aim. They are very quick to suffer, having low tolerance levels, and nourishment must be correctly supplied for their needs.

The blood, with the help of the heart, performs this duty very well. The structure of the heart is well-designed and has perfect dimensions, so that it can supply blood to the whole body through the agency of the blood vessels and the capillaries.

The blood, after it has delivered nourishment to the cells, absorbs poisonous substances which have accumulated there and returns to the heart with a dull colour.

The heart delivers this to the lungs, a filtering apparatus for the blood, whereupon it is resupplied to the whole body with a bright colour and greater freshness.

While passing through the kidneys, another part of these poisonous matters are removed, so that no kind of disturbance arises in the general working of the body.

Do we not see in the precise combination and quantity of the metals and elements from which the cell is formed, and also the amazing structure of the heart and its way of working, a plan of perfect and superior design? And if we see in the human body, a mysterious whole and at the same time a design, are we exaggerating?

Without doubt, no.

* * *

In the same way we must confess that the world of existence firmly rests on the foundation of perfect orderliness, and undoubtedly every orderliness and design is the creation and accomplishment of a wise and powerful maker.

The same argument demonstrates that design and orderliness must have originated from a source of knowledge and power, and that chance cannot be the origin of marvels having design and orderliness simply because everything produces a particular effect: it is incorrect to suppose that design and order should come from chance or mere accident. The scientific “law of probability” makes it impossible to explain the coordination in this world on the basis of chance. According to the law of probability, for example, an illiterate person can never write an essay by randomly hitting the keys of a typewriter. Similarly, the present system in our universe could never have come to exist on the basis of chance or accident.

It therefore follows that the wonderful design and order that is observed in the human body and in the universe around us constitutes complete evidence and living proof that the universe has a wise and powerful designer and creator. The more we learn about the system of creation, the more aware we become of the greatness of its Creator.

Even the things produced by human beings themselves reflect the knowledge and intelligence of the Creator, because it is not possible for someone who has no understanding and intelligence to give to His creations such understanding and intelligence.

* * *

This lesson is based on the followings:

Dar Rah-e Haq Board, The Roots of Religion, Qum 1982.

Few details have been added from S. Sa’eed Akhtar Rizvi, God of Islam, Tanzania, 1969 and Nāsir Makārim Shirazi, Principles of Islamic Ideology, Tehran 1985.

It has been compiled & edited for this course by S.M. Rizvi.

Question Paper For Lesson 3

Question 1: [15 points]

Fill in the blanks:

(a) Intelligent creations are possible only by an _____________ creator.

(b) The more we come to know about the universe, the more we realize how ___________ we know.

(c) The number of cells in human body is ___________.

(d) Organization and discipline in this universe indicates a _________ and powerful ___________.

(e) Dr. Alexis Carel wrote a book called “_____ the ___________”.

Question 2: [20 points]

This lesson gives some examples of design and orderliness in the universe. Give three examples of your own observation of design and orderliness in this universe.

Question 3: [15 points]

(a) The physical meaning of the fraction 1/2 is “one part out of two parts”. What is the physical meaning of the fraction 1/0?

(b) Think about your answer in part (a). Is it possible? Relate your answer to the material you learnt in this lesson and then write one sentence that describes the essence of this lesson.

Lesson 4: More About God

1. The Eternal Need for God

Examine the following examples, and then you will realize the extent to which the creatures of this world show the presence of a Creator.

1. How do those who construct airplanes work together to produce a plane? These specialized engineers assemble the body sections in a specific manner according to exact equations so that the plane may fly, carrying passengers and cargo.

Of.course, the work of the construction engineers is to assemble the basic material according to their plans, in such a way that when their work is finished their activity ends.

As for the engines, the electronic control systems, the interior setting and decor, etc., these do not depend upon the body constructors.

2. If we want to build a house and we are in possession of all the raw materials, is that sufficient? Surely, we need a builder and his workmen, not in order to produce the raw materials, but so as to put them together according to their craft.

It is clear that we do not need the workmen for producing the materials used in the building, but that we need them only in so far as the use of these materials is concerned. In this way a house can be built from these materials.

3. A person who has never seen the Eiffel Tower can nevertheless construct it in his imagination in no time at all, merely from having heard about it. He can even construct it higher than it is, and imagine people climbing it.

The existence of the Tower in the imagination is, as the previous two examples suggest, the work of the one who has imagined it.

The basic materials of the plan and the house were not produced by their constructors, but all the materials for the imagined Tower were made by the one who imagined it, not obtained from some place or another.

That is why their size is not dependent on the quality of raw material available, and it can be made larger according to the wish of the one who imagines it. We can see that imaginary forms derive their existence from ourselves.

They remain in our minds as long as we want them to, and when we forget about them they become nothing again, and have no further existence in our imagination.

From this last example, we can conclude that anything whose existence depends on the existence of something else can not be independent, and at every moment has need of the other.

Now we can understand the condition of the created things of this world which have come into existence from nothing and which are the creation of God.

Are these created things, at every moment, in need of their creator? Some people may think that the created things of this world, after their creation, do not stand in need of their creator for their continued existence.

However, this is a completely erroneous concept, because the things in the world are the effects and creations of God and are identical with the imagined forms which we ourselves can construct in our imaginations, in that at every moment they need the One who created them in order to continue existing.

In order to understand this better, imagine a human figure, speaking, walking and working according to his will. Does this figure have any independence? Clearly his existence is due to you, for if you cease to want him to exist, he will be annihilated and returned to nothingness.

This is the condition of the entire universe of creation which is completely from God, created by Him, and in no way independent. It is always in need of God. Also, if God ceased to will its existence, it would return to nothingness.

The Qur'an says:O men, you are the ones that need God; He is the All-sufficient, the Alllaudable. If He will, He can put you away and bring a new creation. (35:15-16)

This is a subject to which Islam directs the attention of its followers. For example, it is instructed that in daily prayer when one rises one should say “bi hawli 'l-lahi wa quwwatihi aqumu wa aq’ud - with the power of Allah do I stand up and sit down.”

2. God Occupies No Space

The world we see with our eyes is a material world composed of atoms. Every object has a special place and special properties, which vary from situation to situation.

Distance plays a role in the action of these properties and the nearer the cause is to the effect the stronger the effect is; the further away it is, the weaker the effect, until a distance is reached where the cause has no action at all. To elucidate this point we shall give one or two examples.

(a) The power of a magnet is not the same at all distances: the nearer the metal is to the magnet, the stronger the power of attraction. If a nail is placed at a distance of two centimeters from a magnet, the attraction will be stronger than if it is placed at a distance of ten centimeters.

(b) The light of a lamp may reach a hundred meters, but within this distance the intensity is not uniform. The nearer to the lamp we are, the greater the intensity of its light.

These two examples show that all things which are situated in a certain place do not have an equal effect at all distance, the nearer we are to the center of something, the greater its effect will be, and vice versa.

Does God Have a Center?

Some people may possibly think that like the sun and other material things, God has a place and that He has a seat from which He exerts His influence over His creation.

However, this is not the case, because His influence on creation, which is His own work, is the same in every place, from the depths of the oceans to the furthest parts of outer space. There is no place to which His influence does not reach in sufficiency.

This influence is not such as has a center, such that the further we go from it the weaker it becomes, until we reach a point where there is no trace of his influence and chaos reigns. For if God had a place like other material things, His influence would vary throughout the universe.

Therefore we can deduce from this that the Creator of this world has no location and no center. Indeed, God is the Creator of “place” and it is impossible that the Creator should be dependent on what He has created.

God cannot be compared with an inventor, because, as we explained previously, an inventor is not a creator. His only genius is that he understands the properties of things and is successful in bringing together certain elements to make something which, in some cases, he is himself in need of. But God, who is the Creator of all creation, is not in need of what He has created.

3. Is God Visible?

Now, since we have seen that God has no place, it is clear that he has no body either, because a body needs a place, and there can be no body which has no place. Since God has no body, he cannot be seen, because our eyes can see only bodies.

4. God is in Need of Nothing

Since God is the Creator of nourishment and other necessities of life and all things, we must agree that He has no need of any of these things. God, therefore, is the entire Truth who is in need of nothing. Unlike human beings, He does not need shelter, nourishment, and the other necessities of life, rather all people and things are in need of Him.

Maybe you will now ask: “If God has no body, occupies no space and cannot be seen, then what is He and how can we say that He exists?”

To understand this, take the following example. We can say that electricity is neither solid, nor liquid, nor gas. These negations do not deny the existence of electricity, and it could never be true to say that because electricity is none of these things, therefore it does not exist. We have to admit that electricity is a fact which is not describable by any of the aforementioned conditions.

Now, when we say that God, the Self-Sufficient, has neither body, nor place, nor can He be seen, nor is He in need of anything, we mean that none of these imperfections can be found in the perfect, unlimited Being of God, who is the source of all existence.

Here there can only be Perfection and Self-Sufficiency.

These properties distinguish His Being from other beings, and this is the God in Whom we must believe. Intelligence and human nature can accept such a God. No wise and honest person can deny His existence.

The supremacy and glory of Islam can be seen when we compare this concept with the belief that God is on a level with man, having a body, children and other such attributes and appendages.

In fact, we might say that many materialists reject God because the true God has not been made known to them, and what they have considered is not the real God.

5. God's Omniscience

The grandeur and mystery of creation cannot be compared to a man-made machine. The infinite details seen in living beings and inanimate objects indicate the unlimited knowledge of God. Let us examine the following:

(a) Newton said that a study of the components of the ear and the eye would lead us to understand that the maker of the ear was thoroughly acquainted with the laws of acoustics, and that the maker of the eye was thoroughly acquainted with the laws of light and vision; a study of the heavenly bodies, he said, would lead us to understand the Truth which governs the universe.

(b) The physiology of the bat is full of amazing things. In order to be able to find its way in the dark without flying into obstacles, the animals sends out ultrasonic waves in front of itself rather like radar. If there is an obstacle in the way, the sound waves reach it and are reflected back, and thus the bat can steer clear of the obstacle.

(c) Although insects are very small, they are very delicate and wonderful in their structure. For example, some of them, instead of eyes with one lens, have compound eyes made up of individual visual units called ommatids, every one of which has three parts: a cornea, a lens and a retina.

The number of ommatids varies between insects. Glow-worms have about 2,500, but in others there can be between 10,000 and 28,000. Because insects cannot rotate their heads, they can be permitted, by these compound eyes, to see things which happen beside them or behind them Now we must ask if God knows all the things after He has created them. And the answer is, yes, of course He does.

God knows about things, whatever their place and whenever they happen. He is aware of the shinning of the furthest star in the highest heaven, of the tempestuousness of the foaming blue waves breaking on the furthest shores of the ocean, of the most mysterious hollows of the most remote valleys in the folds of the mountains, of the rustling of even one leaf in the gentle breeze, of the doleful coo of the owl in the deepest silence of the forest, of the flicker of the glow-worm among the leaves, of the innumerable fish with their infinite colours and variety in all the waters of the world, of the birth of the fawn of the honey-coloured gazelle in the depths of the forest, of the falling of the clear, pearly dew-drop from the petal of the half-opened rosebud in the recess of the rocks. He knows the height of the mountains, the covering of the sky, the expanse of the lands and the seas and the treasures of the mines, the hidden depths of the caves and of all and everything.

The Basis Of God’s Knowledge

He who creates and gives existence is aware of His creation and always attends to it, in the same way as we are not unaware of the forms we create in our own imaginations. As long as we wish them to exist, they remain in our minds, but when we turn our attention away from them, they cease to exist.

If you imagine a person, you are necessarily aware of all his movements and his resting, and his actions are never hidden from your mind, because this imaginary person is your creation, that is, he did not exist before you thought of him, and you brought him into existence by your imagination.

God, who created the world and all of creation, whose existence comes from Him, oversees it all and is never unmindful of it. Of course, the difference between us, who imagine various forms in our minds, and God, who created the universe, is that we ourselves depend on God for our existence and that our existence comes from Him. However, God is independent of all things and has given existence to all things. It is for this reason that we call only Him the real Creator.

The Difference Between Creator & Maker

The maker of a computer is not its creator and did not give it its existence; his only skill was that he gave a new’ form to what was already in existence. He was not aware of the computations and the information that will be stored in it in the future.

Similarly, other inventors, discoverers and artisans are not informed of all the minutiae of the movements and stillness of what they have made, because they have not given existence to them, they have not brought them from non-existence into existence.

The raw materials were already in existence in the world. Only, by analysing and constructing, have they changed their form.

Take the case of the airplane, which is made from raw materials in mines which were extracted, smelted and forged and made into the finished products. Clearly, then, the makers did not create what they made; they only changed the form of the materials.

For this reason, they are not permanently aware of their artifacts, and one cannot, therefore, properly call them creators. If, in some cases they have to be called creators, they have only been called so figuratively, not literally.

But God, Who has given existence to all things, is always aware and knowledgeable of their actions, because He is the real and true Creator. The Qur'an says,“Shall He not know who created?” (67:14)

Now we have understood that we ourselves and all the creatures of this world are not separated from the glorified presence of God.

Wherever we are and to whatever land we travel, in the depths of the oceans, in the outer reaches of space, in the narrow places of the valleys, we are not hidden from Him. He sees the smallest of our good or bad deeds, and will reward and punish accordingly.

Can someone who has such a God and believes in Him ever fall prey to sin? Think about it.

* * *

This lesson is based on the followings:

Dar Rah-e Haq Board, The Roots of Religion, Qum 1982.

It has been edited for this course by S.M. Rizvi.

Question Paper On Lesson 4

Question 1: [18 points]

True or False:

(a) Imaginary forms derive their existence from the external world.

(b) Independent existence implies self-sufficiency.

(c) God's influence is uniform throughout the universe.

(d) Men are capable of creating and destroying things in this universe.

(e) God's influence on a person depends upon his faith.

(f) Man can neither create nor destroy anything in this universe. He can only change the form, shape or size of things to suit his needs.

Question 2: [12 points]

Describe four essential attributes of God.

Question 3: [20 points]

Explain the difference between us as the creator of our imagination and God as the Creator of this universe.

Lesson 1: Why Religion?

1. Why Study Religion?

Why should we investigate about religion and study about God? What provokes us to consider religion? There are three reasons:

(A) Love of Knowledge

We all want to know the truth about the world in which we live: Did the heaven with its beautiful stars, the earth with its glorious landscapes, the beautiful birds, the colourful fish, the blue oceans and the high mountains - did all these come into being by themselves or are they the product of an All-Knowing and Powerful Creator?

Besides all this, the first question that comes to mind for all of us is the origin of ourselves: Where did we come from? Why are we in this world? Where are we heading to?

The love of knowledge and the searching spirit within us dictates that we must not rest until we find the answers to these questions.

Thus the first reason that compels us to inquire into religion is our thirst and love for knowledge.

(B) The Sense of Thankfulness

The world around us and the world within ourselves is full of marvelous things. The sun and moon, the plants and trees, the mines and minerals hidden deep in the heart of the earth; all of them are of great benefit to mankind.

Within ourselves, we have the digestive system, the respiratory apparatus, the heart and other organs of the body; but the greatest of all, however, is the intellectual ability of man himself through which he can make a mighty mountain crumble into pieces, and create from water and iron enormous power and the most delicate objects.

Now this question poses itself: Should we not engage ourselves in research and inquiry until, if there is a benefactor, we acknowledge that benefactor, to fulfill our duty and offer him our thanks?

This is the second reason why we should inquire into religion.

(C) Preventing Possible Danger

If a child were to come and tell you that he saw a poisonous snake go into the room you were in, you would immediately jump up from your chair and undertake a thorough search of every nook and cranny until you found it, or until you were satisfied that it was not there.

Similarly, while traveling by night in a dangerous country, if you learnt that bandits were waiting on the road ahead to ambush you - you would without any doubt wait until the way ahead was clear of danger, and would not take a single step forward until then.

In these two examples, we have made clear that reason compels us to investigate conceivable dangers. It is possible that some of the harmful things may turn out to be nothing at all, and that other people may not pay any attention to them; but if an inquiry carries the price of a human soul, then it cannot be ignored.

In the history of mankind, we learn of people who were famous for telling the truth and who lived an honest life. They claimed that they were messengers of God, and they called people towards God and to act in certain ways.

As a result of the efforts and the constant sufferings of these special people in all corners of the world, many groups believed in them.

Thus the birth of Jesus became the beginning of the Christian calendar and the migration of the Prophet Muhammad was taken by the Muslims as the beginning of their calendar.

Now, we see that these messengers attracted men to religion and to follow particular rules, caused them to fear punishment of their bad deeds and convinced them that they would be tried in the Great Court of Justice before the Righteous and Wise Judge.

They trembled at the hardships and perils of Resurrection and the harshness of the punishment there, and warned men of the dire consequences of evil deeds.

The question is: Do the warnings of these people make us realize the possibility of harm and danger in the same way as did the warning of the small child in the example mentioned above?

Is it right to ignore the words of the messengers of God who, after all, were men of high moral standards and who made greatest sacrifices for their cause?

Clearly, the words of the messengers - if they do not make a man certain - at least provoke him to think: perhaps what they say is true. If what they say is true, then what is our duty? What answer will we have in the Court of the Great Judge?

Common sense reckons the necessity of preventing this “possible harm”. What is more, these messengers and prophets call man to a healthy and civilized life, and they also say that after death an extensive new world and everlasting blessings await one who has performed his duty. Does reason allow us to ignore this important message?

There is a similar argument known as the “Pascal's Bet,” named so after the famous French mathematician, Pascal (d. 1662 CE). Pascal proved the importance of inquiring about religion in the following way: If you believe in the life-hereafter, you will gain everything if it really exists; and you lose nothing if it does not exist. Therefore, it is better to bet that it does exist.

The theme of this argument was presented by the Shi'a Imams long before Pascal. We also know that Pascal had read Abu Hamid al Ghazali's works.

It, therefore, seems quite possible that Pascal might have read this argument from Imam 'Ali (a.s.), the first. Shi'a Imam, as quoted in Mizdnu 'l-A’mal of al-Ghazali. Imam 'All said:

The astrologer and the physician both say, The dead will never be resurrected.

I say: ‘Keep your counsel. If your idea is correct, I will come to no harm; but if my belief is correct, then you will surely lose.’

2. Some Necessary Qualities of Religion

The religion which can fulfill the needs of mankind must have the following qualities:

(a) It must satisfy the intelligence and intellect of human beings.

Islam gives foremost importance to human intelligence. Islam emphasizes that you must understand the faith and then believe in it. Belief follows understanding, and not vice versa.

(b) It must teach and demonstrate dignity of human beings.

Islam places human beings over and above all other creations of God; it promotes equality among human beings. Islam does not allow human beings to lose their dignity by bowing down in worship to a fellow man, animal or an inanimate object.

(c) It must be a complete guide to develop the body, mind and spirit of humans as a whole.

Islam does not only develop the soul at the expense of the body; nor does it promote the care of the body at the expense of the soul.

It promotes development of all aspects of human life in a balanced way. Islam not only talks in general terms about the code of life; it gives specific details and also provides examples in the lives of the prophets and imams.

(d) It must conform with human nature.

The teachings of Islam takes the human nature into consideration. It does not promote, for example, celibacy which is completely against human nature.

(e) It should not be a tool in the hands of oppressors to suppress the masses.

Islam promotes social justice and rejects the theory of predestination. The oppression of a tyrant ruler is not predestined by God. This leaves no room for the tyrant rulers and oppressors to say that the masses have been predestined for serving the ruling class.

* * *

This lesson is based on:

Sayyid Sa’eed Akhtar Rizvi, Need for Religion, Tanzania 1970.

Dar Rah-e Haq, The Roots of Religion, Qum 1982.

Nāsir Makārim Shirazi, Principles of Islamic Ideology, Tehran 1985.

It has been compiled & edited for this course by S.M. Rizvi.

Question Paper For Lesson 1

Question 1: [20 points]

True or False:

(a) Study of religion involves a sincere inquiry into the possible existence of a supreme creator.

(b) Our rational thinking provokes us to reflect upon this infinite universe and a possible creator.

(c) Religion is a set of rituals.

(d) The birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was taken by Muslims as the beginning of their calendar.

(e) Religious investigation can be thought of as an investment which might generate profit in the life hereafter but guaranteed to produce no loss.

(f) Islam condones the theory of predestination.

(g) Our sense of gratitude dictates that we should offer our thanks to our creator if He exists.

(h) Islam promotes the suppression of legitimate desires.

(i) Faith has no rational basis. The truth is what one believes in.

(j) Prophets were pious people who preached good things and forbade people from doing evil things.

Question 2: [20 points]

From the statements given below, give a number (in order of preference) to the ones that best describe the essential qualities of an effective religion. If you think that a statement is completely disqualified as a quality of an effective religion, then do not assign any number to it.

(a) Preaches unity of creator and creatures.

(b) Promotes faith based on understanding.

(c) Preserves human dignity.

(d) Preaches division of society into various classes to create order, discipline and cohesion.

(e) Promotes and practically implements equality, fairness and justice.

(f) Conforms to human nature.

(g) Promotes abandonment of the material luxuries of life to elevate the soul.

(h) Promotes celibacy as a means of spiritual upliftment.

(i) Provides a complete and comprehensive code of life.

(j) Promotes suppression of natural desires to achieve closeness to God.

Question 3: [10 points]

Describe three reasons of your own (other than those discussed in this lesson) that might provoke humans to contemplate on religious matters.

Lesson 2: Ways of Knowing God

From time immemorial, man has found different ways of knowing God. Human beings of various intellectual levels have found their own ways to God. Common people have found simple ways; whereas thinkers and philosophers reached the same conclusion on a higher plane of thought. The two most common ways of knowing the Creator are:

• the inner way (which is also the closest way).

• the outer way (which is also the clearest way).

First Method: The Inner Way

God has created the inner light in each and every human being. If we go deep within ourselves and touch our souls, we hear the message of God.

History and anthropology has shown that if man is left alone and is not indoctrinated by any school of thought - then, sooner or later, his inner voice will lead him to believe in a power as the Creator and Maintainer of this world.

However, at times this natural feeling is subdued by external means. But it re-emerges when that person finds himself in difficulties - he naturally prays to a Power whom he believes to be above all powers.

This is very well portrayed in the talk which Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.), the sixth Imam of the Shi'a Muslims, had with an atheist.

Knowing that the atheist had gone on sea voyages several times, the Imam asked:

“Have you ever been caught in a fierce storm in the middle of nowhere, your rudder gone, your sails torn away, trying desperately to keep your boat afloat?” The Atheist: “Yes.”

The Imam: “And sometimes perhaps even that leaking boat went down leaving you exhausted and helpless at the mercy of the raging waves?” The Atheist: “Yes.”

The Imam: “Was not there, in all that despair, a glimmer of hope in your heart that some unnamed and unknown power could still save you?”

When the atheist agreed, the Imam said, “That power is God.” That atheist was intelligent. He knew the truth when he saw it. The “inner way,” in spite of being the natural and closest way of knowing God, is also a very personal way. It is only sufficient for the person who has seen the light within himself.

Second Method: Experiment Beyond Sensation

The second way of knowing God is by studying the signs of His presence and power in the world within us and around us. The Qur'an has mentioned both these signs as follows: “We shall show to them Our signs upon the horizons (i.e., space) and in their own selves so that it may become manifest to them that He is the Truth.”

(41:53) This method of knowing God is based on the principle of “cause” and “effect”. The signs of nature are the effects of which the ultimate cause is God.

Now, let us try to understand the nature and scope of this method more clearly.

Nature & Scope of this Method

Whenever we see a beautiful building of great splendour and design, we can easily understand that its architect was an expert in his own craft.

Similarly, by looking at a car, an airplane, a computer or any other well-designed product or artifact, we are invariably guided to well-informed and knowledgeable inventors, designers and manufacturers, and we are also made aware of their skill and learning.

In none of these instances is it necessary to actually see the builder, the manufacturer or the designer of such an artifact with our own eyes to testify to his existence.

Moreover, when observing all these things, it is not with any of our external senses that we perceive the knowledge and skill of the builders and manufacturers. But, nevertheless, we believe in his expertise and knowledge. Why?

Because the design and order which we perceived in the artifacts forces us to recognize the knowledge of their builders. And from this we reach the conclusion that it is not necessary that something whose existence we wish to believe in should be visible or tangible.

There are many things which are not perceptible to our external senses, but we become aware of them through their effects. For every wise person understands that there can be no effect without a cause, nothing orderly without a wise and knowledgeable designer.

Based on the above, we can divide the things of this world into two categories:

1. Things which are evident to one or more of the five senses; we observe visible things with the eyes, we hear sounds with the ears, we become aware of pleasant and unpleasant smells with our nose, we know bitter and sweet tastes with our tongue, and we feel hot and cold or rough and smooth with the skin of our body.

2. Things which are not perceived by any of the five senses, but whose existence we can deduce by considering their effects. These facts are not all of one kind, some are material and some are non-material. We shall mention a few of them here.

Electricity: By merely looking at two wires, one of which is electrified, we can never determine which of them has an electric current. We can only discover the existence of this current from the effect of electricity, e.g., a lamp being lit.

So electricity is something which exists although our eyes cannot directly see it. Gravity: If you let go of the book which you now have in your hand, it will fall to the ground, i.e., the ground will pull the book towards itself.

This power is something which we do not directly perceive through our senses. Gravitation is again one of those things which is not visible, but we come to know its existence by observing its effect: the falling of bodies to the ground.

Magnetism: When we place a magnet beside a piece of iron, we do not see anything except the two objects. But when the iron is pulled towards the magnet, we discover that magnetism exists around the magnet.

Invisible Radiation: If we shine white sunlight through a prism we see on the other side of the crystal six colours (the spectrum) which are: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. No more colours are to be seen on both extremes of the spectrum.

However, scientists have discovered that in the place where the eyes see no more light, further ‘colours’ exist which have heating and chemical properties. These lights' are called infra-red and ultra-violet.

Intelligence & Mental Image: All of us are aware of ourselves, i.e., we perceive that we exist; and we also arrive at concepts in a gradual manner concerning matters outside ourselves which we explain by this kind of statement: “I solved the most difficult mathematical problem.”

Also, man is aware of his own knowledge: he knows that he knows. Intelligence is not something visible or audible in the sense that man can see it with his eyes or hear it with his ears; but everyone finds it in himself.

Others cannot learn about my intelligence through the five senses, but they can deduce its presence from the effect it produces. For example, when a scientist is expounding on a problem, it becomes clear that he has understood it.

People can construct in their own minds any form that they wish, e.g., a tower similar to the Eiffel Tower whose construction in the external world required many years, a thousand sorts of different building materials and substances, and hundreds of workers; this can be built in the mind in an instant.

It is clear that others cannot be informed directly of the creations of our minds, because they are not visible and audible, but they can discover their existence from our speech.

Life: A beautiful chicken, moving towards the water, falls into a pond, and, before we can rescue it, it dies. At this very moment, what change has taken place in the chicken; and what difference has occurred that it no longer moves, plays or eats?

There surely was something in the live chicken but which does not exist in the dead - life itself. Life is not an object of the senses. We only perceive the effects of life: movement, feeding, etc., and from these effects we discover its existence.

The facts mentioned above make it thoroughly clear that over and above the beings that we perceive with our sensory organs, there are also things which we do not directly perceive, but we know about them only through the effects they produce.

Thus we draw the conclusion that it is not right for us to reject something which we do not see only because it is not visible, because invisibility is different from non-existence.

Moreover, the way of discovering something is not confined to the eyes or other external senses. The human mind can discover something by means of the effects of those things, as we saw in the examples mentioned above.

We do not wish to say that God is similar to the scientific examples mentioned above, because God is a reality above those things, nothing is equal or comparable to Him. Our intention, however, is to say that in the same way as we discover the existence of those things through their effects, we can also discover the existence of God through His signs.

Discovering the existence of God through His signs is the “outer way” of knowing Him.

Thus, those who deny the existence of God just because they cannot see Him with their eyes, are blind as far as their eyes of wisdom and contemplation is concerned - since we know that His existence can be demonstrated through the precise design and order of creation.

To these people we say, with the poet: Open thy heart's eye for your soul to see, And what is invisible will be manifest to thee.

* * *

This lesson is based on the followings:

Dar Rah-e Haq Board, The Roots of Religion, Qum 1982.

Nāsir Makārim Shirazi, Principles of Islamic Ideology, Tehran 1985.

Syed Sa’eed Akhtar Rizvi, Need of Religion, Tanzania 1970.

It has been compiled & edited for this course by S.M. Rizvi.

Question Paper For Lesson 2

Question 1: [10 points]

True or False:

(a) Anything that has order or design implies a creator.

(b) Invisibility implies non-existence.

(c) The inner way is the clearest way of knowing God.

(d) We can perceive things by observing their effects.

(e) Science and reasoning cannot measure everything that exists in this universe.

Question 2: [20 points]

Name at least three things (besides the examples described in this lesson) that cannot be detected by our five common senses, i.e., vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Question 3: [20 points]

Lesson 2 states that there are two most common ways of knowing the Creator, namely (1) the inner way and (2) the outer way. Explain this idea using somewhat different terminology from that used in this lesson.

Lesson 3: Designs in The Universe

In this universe, from the smallest atom to the largest celestial body, in everything we see, we are reminded of its perfect orderliness and exact regulation, so much so that great scientists have been provoked to amazement.

One look at the world around us makes it clear that all things in it are in full coordination with one another.

The nourishment of living creatures, for example, depends on the coordination between the sun, clouds, rain, earth and its resources. All this points to the existence of one coordinated system in the universe.

There is so much orderliness in nature that the scientists, by using the immutable laws of nature, can explain the course any phenomenon will take before it occurs.

For this reason, scientists endeavour to discover these laws. For if these laws did not hold would not every kind of effort in this field be fruitless? So let us look at some examples of the order and design in the universe:

The earth in which we live, with respect to its size, its distance from the sun, the speed of its orbital movement, etc., is so arranged that it is able to act as the support for life. If the smallest change were to take place in its condition, losses of unacceptable dimensions would occur.

“The earth rotates on its axis at one thousand miles an hour; if it turned at one hundred miles an hour, our days and nights would be ten times as long as now, and the hot sun would then burn up our vegetation during each long day while in the long night any surviving sprout would freeze.

“Again, the sun, the source of our life, has a surface temperature of 12,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and our earth is just far enough away so that this “eternal fire1 warms us just enough and not too much! If the sun gave off only one-half of its present radiation, we would freeze, and if it gave half as much more, we would roast.

“The slant of the earth, tilted at an angle of 23 degrees, gives us our seasons; if it had not been so tilted, vapours from the ocean would move north and south, piling up for us continents of ice.

If our moon was, say, only 50 thousand miles away instead of its actual distance, our tides would be so enormous that twice a day all continents would be submerged; even the mountains would soon be eroded away.

If the crust of the earth had been only ten feet thicker, there would be no oxygen without which animal life must die. Had the ocean been a few feet deeper, carbon dioxide and oxygen would have been absorbed and no vegetable life could exist.”1

The atmosphere, most of whose constituent elements are lifegiving gases, is sufficiently viscous that it can, like a shield or armour, protect the earth from the deadly attack of 200 million meteors every day, which approach the earth with a speed of 50 km per second.

The responsibility for regulating the temperature of the earth's surface within limits which maintain life also belongs to the atmosphere, and if it did not exist, inhabited land, like the dry deserts, would become incapable of supporting life.

“Because of these, and a host of other examples, there is not one chance in millions that life on our planet is an accident.”2 But why are we taking the long way round in explaining these things?

Nearer than anything else is our own body. The mysteries of man's existence are without number, so much so that the world's scientists, after years of research and study, have not yet been able to fathom all the wonders of it.

After many years of study, Dr. Alexis Carel wrote a book called L 'homme, cet inconnue (Man, the Unknown). He confessed that biology and other sciences were still unable to discover the facts about the working of the human body, and that many problems remained to be unraveled. Now let us examine some of the marvels of our own existence. THE CELLS OF THE BODY: A human body is like a building.

It is composed of small building blocks called cells, each of which is itself a living entity. In the structure of the cells most metals such as iron, copper and calcium are used as are other elements like oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur.

The number of cells in the body of man is about 10*6 which is equivalent to ten thousand, million, million.

Each one of these living cells works in perfect cooperation with the next, and all of them follow the same aim. They are very quick to suffer, having low tolerance levels, and nourishment must be correctly supplied for their needs.

The blood, with the help of the heart, performs this duty very well. The structure of the heart is well-designed and has perfect dimensions, so that it can supply blood to the whole body through the agency of the blood vessels and the capillaries.

The blood, after it has delivered nourishment to the cells, absorbs poisonous substances which have accumulated there and returns to the heart with a dull colour.

The heart delivers this to the lungs, a filtering apparatus for the blood, whereupon it is resupplied to the whole body with a bright colour and greater freshness.

While passing through the kidneys, another part of these poisonous matters are removed, so that no kind of disturbance arises in the general working of the body.

Do we not see in the precise combination and quantity of the metals and elements from which the cell is formed, and also the amazing structure of the heart and its way of working, a plan of perfect and superior design? And if we see in the human body, a mysterious whole and at the same time a design, are we exaggerating?

Without doubt, no.

* * *

In the same way we must confess that the world of existence firmly rests on the foundation of perfect orderliness, and undoubtedly every orderliness and design is the creation and accomplishment of a wise and powerful maker.

The same argument demonstrates that design and orderliness must have originated from a source of knowledge and power, and that chance cannot be the origin of marvels having design and orderliness simply because everything produces a particular effect: it is incorrect to suppose that design and order should come from chance or mere accident. The scientific “law of probability” makes it impossible to explain the coordination in this world on the basis of chance. According to the law of probability, for example, an illiterate person can never write an essay by randomly hitting the keys of a typewriter. Similarly, the present system in our universe could never have come to exist on the basis of chance or accident.

It therefore follows that the wonderful design and order that is observed in the human body and in the universe around us constitutes complete evidence and living proof that the universe has a wise and powerful designer and creator. The more we learn about the system of creation, the more aware we become of the greatness of its Creator.

Even the things produced by human beings themselves reflect the knowledge and intelligence of the Creator, because it is not possible for someone who has no understanding and intelligence to give to His creations such understanding and intelligence.

* * *

This lesson is based on the followings:

Dar Rah-e Haq Board, The Roots of Religion, Qum 1982.

Few details have been added from S. Sa’eed Akhtar Rizvi, God of Islam, Tanzania, 1969 and Nāsir Makārim Shirazi, Principles of Islamic Ideology, Tehran 1985.

It has been compiled & edited for this course by S.M. Rizvi.

Question Paper For Lesson 3

Question 1: [15 points]

Fill in the blanks:

(a) Intelligent creations are possible only by an _____________ creator.

(b) The more we come to know about the universe, the more we realize how ___________ we know.

(c) The number of cells in human body is ___________.

(d) Organization and discipline in this universe indicates a _________ and powerful ___________.

(e) Dr. Alexis Carel wrote a book called “_____ the ___________”.

Question 2: [20 points]

This lesson gives some examples of design and orderliness in the universe. Give three examples of your own observation of design and orderliness in this universe.

Question 3: [15 points]

(a) The physical meaning of the fraction 1/2 is “one part out of two parts”. What is the physical meaning of the fraction 1/0?

(b) Think about your answer in part (a). Is it possible? Relate your answer to the material you learnt in this lesson and then write one sentence that describes the essence of this lesson.

Lesson 4: More About God

1. The Eternal Need for God

Examine the following examples, and then you will realize the extent to which the creatures of this world show the presence of a Creator.

1. How do those who construct airplanes work together to produce a plane? These specialized engineers assemble the body sections in a specific manner according to exact equations so that the plane may fly, carrying passengers and cargo.

Of.course, the work of the construction engineers is to assemble the basic material according to their plans, in such a way that when their work is finished their activity ends.

As for the engines, the electronic control systems, the interior setting and decor, etc., these do not depend upon the body constructors.

2. If we want to build a house and we are in possession of all the raw materials, is that sufficient? Surely, we need a builder and his workmen, not in order to produce the raw materials, but so as to put them together according to their craft.

It is clear that we do not need the workmen for producing the materials used in the building, but that we need them only in so far as the use of these materials is concerned. In this way a house can be built from these materials.

3. A person who has never seen the Eiffel Tower can nevertheless construct it in his imagination in no time at all, merely from having heard about it. He can even construct it higher than it is, and imagine people climbing it.

The existence of the Tower in the imagination is, as the previous two examples suggest, the work of the one who has imagined it.

The basic materials of the plan and the house were not produced by their constructors, but all the materials for the imagined Tower were made by the one who imagined it, not obtained from some place or another.

That is why their size is not dependent on the quality of raw material available, and it can be made larger according to the wish of the one who imagines it. We can see that imaginary forms derive their existence from ourselves.

They remain in our minds as long as we want them to, and when we forget about them they become nothing again, and have no further existence in our imagination.

From this last example, we can conclude that anything whose existence depends on the existence of something else can not be independent, and at every moment has need of the other.

Now we can understand the condition of the created things of this world which have come into existence from nothing and which are the creation of God.

Are these created things, at every moment, in need of their creator? Some people may think that the created things of this world, after their creation, do not stand in need of their creator for their continued existence.

However, this is a completely erroneous concept, because the things in the world are the effects and creations of God and are identical with the imagined forms which we ourselves can construct in our imaginations, in that at every moment they need the One who created them in order to continue existing.

In order to understand this better, imagine a human figure, speaking, walking and working according to his will. Does this figure have any independence? Clearly his existence is due to you, for if you cease to want him to exist, he will be annihilated and returned to nothingness.

This is the condition of the entire universe of creation which is completely from God, created by Him, and in no way independent. It is always in need of God. Also, if God ceased to will its existence, it would return to nothingness.

The Qur'an says:O men, you are the ones that need God; He is the All-sufficient, the Alllaudable. If He will, He can put you away and bring a new creation. (35:15-16)

This is a subject to which Islam directs the attention of its followers. For example, it is instructed that in daily prayer when one rises one should say “bi hawli 'l-lahi wa quwwatihi aqumu wa aq’ud - with the power of Allah do I stand up and sit down.”

2. God Occupies No Space

The world we see with our eyes is a material world composed of atoms. Every object has a special place and special properties, which vary from situation to situation.

Distance plays a role in the action of these properties and the nearer the cause is to the effect the stronger the effect is; the further away it is, the weaker the effect, until a distance is reached where the cause has no action at all. To elucidate this point we shall give one or two examples.

(a) The power of a magnet is not the same at all distances: the nearer the metal is to the magnet, the stronger the power of attraction. If a nail is placed at a distance of two centimeters from a magnet, the attraction will be stronger than if it is placed at a distance of ten centimeters.

(b) The light of a lamp may reach a hundred meters, but within this distance the intensity is not uniform. The nearer to the lamp we are, the greater the intensity of its light.

These two examples show that all things which are situated in a certain place do not have an equal effect at all distance, the nearer we are to the center of something, the greater its effect will be, and vice versa.

Does God Have a Center?

Some people may possibly think that like the sun and other material things, God has a place and that He has a seat from which He exerts His influence over His creation.

However, this is not the case, because His influence on creation, which is His own work, is the same in every place, from the depths of the oceans to the furthest parts of outer space. There is no place to which His influence does not reach in sufficiency.

This influence is not such as has a center, such that the further we go from it the weaker it becomes, until we reach a point where there is no trace of his influence and chaos reigns. For if God had a place like other material things, His influence would vary throughout the universe.

Therefore we can deduce from this that the Creator of this world has no location and no center. Indeed, God is the Creator of “place” and it is impossible that the Creator should be dependent on what He has created.

God cannot be compared with an inventor, because, as we explained previously, an inventor is not a creator. His only genius is that he understands the properties of things and is successful in bringing together certain elements to make something which, in some cases, he is himself in need of. But God, who is the Creator of all creation, is not in need of what He has created.

3. Is God Visible?

Now, since we have seen that God has no place, it is clear that he has no body either, because a body needs a place, and there can be no body which has no place. Since God has no body, he cannot be seen, because our eyes can see only bodies.

4. God is in Need of Nothing

Since God is the Creator of nourishment and other necessities of life and all things, we must agree that He has no need of any of these things. God, therefore, is the entire Truth who is in need of nothing. Unlike human beings, He does not need shelter, nourishment, and the other necessities of life, rather all people and things are in need of Him.

Maybe you will now ask: “If God has no body, occupies no space and cannot be seen, then what is He and how can we say that He exists?”

To understand this, take the following example. We can say that electricity is neither solid, nor liquid, nor gas. These negations do not deny the existence of electricity, and it could never be true to say that because electricity is none of these things, therefore it does not exist. We have to admit that electricity is a fact which is not describable by any of the aforementioned conditions.

Now, when we say that God, the Self-Sufficient, has neither body, nor place, nor can He be seen, nor is He in need of anything, we mean that none of these imperfections can be found in the perfect, unlimited Being of God, who is the source of all existence.

Here there can only be Perfection and Self-Sufficiency.

These properties distinguish His Being from other beings, and this is the God in Whom we must believe. Intelligence and human nature can accept such a God. No wise and honest person can deny His existence.

The supremacy and glory of Islam can be seen when we compare this concept with the belief that God is on a level with man, having a body, children and other such attributes and appendages.

In fact, we might say that many materialists reject God because the true God has not been made known to them, and what they have considered is not the real God.

5. God's Omniscience

The grandeur and mystery of creation cannot be compared to a man-made machine. The infinite details seen in living beings and inanimate objects indicate the unlimited knowledge of God. Let us examine the following:

(a) Newton said that a study of the components of the ear and the eye would lead us to understand that the maker of the ear was thoroughly acquainted with the laws of acoustics, and that the maker of the eye was thoroughly acquainted with the laws of light and vision; a study of the heavenly bodies, he said, would lead us to understand the Truth which governs the universe.

(b) The physiology of the bat is full of amazing things. In order to be able to find its way in the dark without flying into obstacles, the animals sends out ultrasonic waves in front of itself rather like radar. If there is an obstacle in the way, the sound waves reach it and are reflected back, and thus the bat can steer clear of the obstacle.

(c) Although insects are very small, they are very delicate and wonderful in their structure. For example, some of them, instead of eyes with one lens, have compound eyes made up of individual visual units called ommatids, every one of which has three parts: a cornea, a lens and a retina.

The number of ommatids varies between insects. Glow-worms have about 2,500, but in others there can be between 10,000 and 28,000. Because insects cannot rotate their heads, they can be permitted, by these compound eyes, to see things which happen beside them or behind them Now we must ask if God knows all the things after He has created them. And the answer is, yes, of course He does.

God knows about things, whatever their place and whenever they happen. He is aware of the shinning of the furthest star in the highest heaven, of the tempestuousness of the foaming blue waves breaking on the furthest shores of the ocean, of the most mysterious hollows of the most remote valleys in the folds of the mountains, of the rustling of even one leaf in the gentle breeze, of the doleful coo of the owl in the deepest silence of the forest, of the flicker of the glow-worm among the leaves, of the innumerable fish with their infinite colours and variety in all the waters of the world, of the birth of the fawn of the honey-coloured gazelle in the depths of the forest, of the falling of the clear, pearly dew-drop from the petal of the half-opened rosebud in the recess of the rocks. He knows the height of the mountains, the covering of the sky, the expanse of the lands and the seas and the treasures of the mines, the hidden depths of the caves and of all and everything.

The Basis Of God’s Knowledge

He who creates and gives existence is aware of His creation and always attends to it, in the same way as we are not unaware of the forms we create in our own imaginations. As long as we wish them to exist, they remain in our minds, but when we turn our attention away from them, they cease to exist.

If you imagine a person, you are necessarily aware of all his movements and his resting, and his actions are never hidden from your mind, because this imaginary person is your creation, that is, he did not exist before you thought of him, and you brought him into existence by your imagination.

God, who created the world and all of creation, whose existence comes from Him, oversees it all and is never unmindful of it. Of course, the difference between us, who imagine various forms in our minds, and God, who created the universe, is that we ourselves depend on God for our existence and that our existence comes from Him. However, God is independent of all things and has given existence to all things. It is for this reason that we call only Him the real Creator.

The Difference Between Creator & Maker

The maker of a computer is not its creator and did not give it its existence; his only skill was that he gave a new’ form to what was already in existence. He was not aware of the computations and the information that will be stored in it in the future.

Similarly, other inventors, discoverers and artisans are not informed of all the minutiae of the movements and stillness of what they have made, because they have not given existence to them, they have not brought them from non-existence into existence.

The raw materials were already in existence in the world. Only, by analysing and constructing, have they changed their form.

Take the case of the airplane, which is made from raw materials in mines which were extracted, smelted and forged and made into the finished products. Clearly, then, the makers did not create what they made; they only changed the form of the materials.

For this reason, they are not permanently aware of their artifacts, and one cannot, therefore, properly call them creators. If, in some cases they have to be called creators, they have only been called so figuratively, not literally.

But God, Who has given existence to all things, is always aware and knowledgeable of their actions, because He is the real and true Creator. The Qur'an says,“Shall He not know who created?” (67:14)

Now we have understood that we ourselves and all the creatures of this world are not separated from the glorified presence of God.

Wherever we are and to whatever land we travel, in the depths of the oceans, in the outer reaches of space, in the narrow places of the valleys, we are not hidden from Him. He sees the smallest of our good or bad deeds, and will reward and punish accordingly.

Can someone who has such a God and believes in Him ever fall prey to sin? Think about it.

* * *

This lesson is based on the followings:

Dar Rah-e Haq Board, The Roots of Religion, Qum 1982.

It has been edited for this course by S.M. Rizvi.

Question Paper On Lesson 4

Question 1: [18 points]

True or False:

(a) Imaginary forms derive their existence from the external world.

(b) Independent existence implies self-sufficiency.

(c) God's influence is uniform throughout the universe.

(d) Men are capable of creating and destroying things in this universe.

(e) God's influence on a person depends upon his faith.

(f) Man can neither create nor destroy anything in this universe. He can only change the form, shape or size of things to suit his needs.

Question 2: [12 points]

Describe four essential attributes of God.

Question 3: [20 points]

Explain the difference between us as the creator of our imagination and God as the Creator of this universe.


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