Third Lecture: Theism from two Secure Paths
Since antiquity, books about theism have been published and debates have been conducted constantly among experts.
Each scholar has adopted his own special technique and approach to the problem. However, there are two approaches which could safely guide us towards the Great Creator:
1. The way from within (which is the shortest way);
2. The way from without (which is the most enlightened way).
Through the first approach, we will come in contact with our consciences and listen to the call of monotheism from our inner selves.
Through the second approach, we will search in the wide world of creation and observe every sign of God on the forehead of every creature and any particle. Each one of these two approaches calls for a lengthy discussion. However, we will try to briefly discuss each approach.
Let us ponder over the following points:
Scientists inform us that anyone who thinks, from whatever race or class, if he himself examines without any special instruments, even to the extent of not hearing about the debate between the believers and the materialists, he would realize that there is a great power supervising the universe which is beyond the material world.
In the bottom of his heart, such a person will feel a delicate call inviting him towards an awesome source of knowledge and power that we call God. This is the call of our pure and flawless conscience.
A person might get distracted by the flashy, material aspects of life and might not hear this call. His involvement in worldly things might hinder him from listening to his own conscience. However, if this person were confronted with natural calamities such as earthquakes and floods, or a wrecked airplane in a hazardous climate, his inner feelings would overwhelm him and would drive him towards the Almighty God whose power lies beyond all other powers.
There are only a very few people in this world who would not resort to such a power at the time of disaster and misery. Of course, this innate feeling is always within us but it is amplified during calamities.
History has repeatedly shown us that those powerful statesmen who would normally abstain from calling God’s name have resorted to God when they felt the very pillars of their power and strength shaky and vulnerable.
Islamic history gives the account of Pharaoh, that when he found himself in the middle of the billowing waves crashing down upon him and realized that the very water which was the basis of the prosperity of his land and of his people was ordered to destroy him, he shouted out in his time of misery, confessing, “Now I admit that there is no God except for the God of Moses.” This cry emanated from his very conscience. Pharaoh and other people hear this call of conscience in the time of misery.
If you look within yourself and search your heart, you will acknowledge the presence of a light deep inside your heart which constantly leads you towards God. You might have repeatedly been faced with delicate problems the solution to which might have been beyond your power. Under such hard conditions you might definitely have resorted to the Supreme Power.
Under such circumstances, a hope mingled with love for that power encompasses your turbulent soul and puts aside the gloomy rays of despair.
However, there remains this touchy question: Is it not possible that we resort to God only because we have been conditioned by environmental factors and parental influence, and that the inner conscience is not the crucial factor?
One is justified to make such an assumption. However, we will present you with a solution in the following lecture. For the time being, let us hear what the Holy Qur’an says regarding this issue:
فَإِذَا رَكِبُوا فِي الْفُلْكِ دَعَوْا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَ
So when they ride in the ships they call upon Allah, being sincerely obedient to Him, but when He brings them safe to the land, lo! They associate others with Him. [Qur’an, 29:65]
Try to memorize the number of the above verse and its meaning so that you might get acquainted with the language of the Holy Qur’an.
Have you ever found yourself in a hopeless situation in which you last resort had been God’s Grace?
Why have we called this approach the shortest way?