In a Reply to My Atheist Friend


 Atheism, God, The Truth Allah, Atheism, Atheist, God, God in Islam, Pure Monotheism, purpose of life, The true religion, The Truth Alaa Subhi

     One day, an American Facebook friend, who is an atheist philosopher, sent me a paper from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy saying that there are a number of philosophical arguments that make a compelling case for atheism.

I replied to him saying:

To be honest with you, I’m not a good philosopher actually. I cannot even claim that I’m a good reader of philosophy. But I think I still can share with you my thoughts based on my own understanding.

I took a quick look (not in-depth to be honest) at the paper and found it is based on two main ideas; the hiddenness of God and the dilemma of evil. So let me try to summarize my reply in some points:

1- The Hiddenness of God


     Believe it or not! The Muslim’s faith and belief are all about believing in the unseen. The pillars of the Islamic faith are simply based on this idea, believing in the unseen!

In the very beginning of the Qur’an, you will find that the first characteristic of those who are conscious of God ‘Almighty Allah’ is the belief in the unseen.

This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah. Who believe in the unseen, …” [Qur’an 2:2-3] (1)

The Power of Mind


     Actually, I find this so logical and makes sense. If we cannot believe but in what we can see with our eyes, then where is the power of mind here?!

Not because I cannot see something, it means that it does not exist. Also, not because someone on the other side of the earth cannot see you, it means that you do not exist! Not because we cannot see our feelings and emotions, this means that they do not exist! I think this does not make sense. We still can believe in the existence of many things even when we cannot see them.

God ‘Almighty Allah’ gave us the mind as a tool, among other tools, to use in thinking, pondering and contemplating the signs around us in this universe. This reflective contemplation of the universe will ultimately lead us to Him.

And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect] that perhaps you would be grateful.” [Qur’an 16:78] (2)

We were ordered to use our intellect and to walk in the earth to think and ponder; from where and how all this came!

More Reflections


     You know what? Away from complicated philosophical thoughts, sometimes I talk to myself saying: Oh! This so simple-in-design light white paper can neither produce itself nor be produced by nothing nor move from here to there without a mover! Even if no person came to move it, at least some air did. So, still there is a doer! Then, how about this so intelligent, sophisticated, harmonized, accurate, amazingly systematic giant creature called “universe!” How come there is no doer, finder, or Creator behind it!

Say, [O Muhammad], “Travel through the land and observe how He began creation. Then Allah will produce the final creation [i.e., development]. Indeed Allah, over all things, is competent.” [Qur’an 29:20] (3)

So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts.” [Qur’an 22:46] (4)

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth are signs for a people who use reason.” [Qur’an 2:164] (5)

The Test


     Let’s look at the issue from another perspective. What if all people can easily see what they should and are ordered to believe in?

How could people be tested?! Yes, tested! What about that test, which is the core reason for this whole life?

And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days – and His Throne had been upon water – that He might test you as to which of you is best in deed…” [Qur’an 11:7] (6)

Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed.” [Qur’an 18:7] (7)

[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed – …” [Qur’an 67:2] (8)

And this point is also shared with the second point in the argument, which is the existence of evil.

2- The Evil


     So far I don’t know whether or not you agree that life is not fair and it’s, as I said earlier a test… big and hard test.

Let’s imagine this situation… Someone held a party and invited many people. In the place of the party, there were two entrances, one on the right and the other on the left. The owner of the party did not ask or force anyone to enter from a certain entrance of the two. He just opened them and let people “freely” choose which entrance to go through.

Man Made Evil


     This is exactly the same. God created both the good and the evil to test us. He did not force anyone to choose this or that. He informed us that in this life there will be good and evil, good things and bad things. God told us about the consequences of each of them; the reward and punishment that follow them. Then He allowed us to “freely” choose what to do, the good or the bad. This is so fair I think. We are “free” creatures with “free” wills. Moreover, we know, let’s say, “the manual” of life and “the options” that will be available. We know the consequences of each of these options in the afterlife. Now we are “free” to choose accordingly.

… And We test you with evil and with good as trial; …” [Qur’an 21:35] (9)

God will judge every one according to his free choices which he makes in this present life.

Do you know when we can doubt that there is something wrong and there is, let’s say, a kind of randomness? If there is no other certain point of time, beyond this unfair time and place, when everyone will take what he really deserves, either good or bad, so fairly and justly.

Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned.” [Qur’an 21:35] (10)

And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be wronged [i.e., treated unjustly].” [Qur’an 2:281] (11)

This is the last revealed verse of the Qur’an.

Out-of-Man-Control Evil

     Prophets and Messengers of God ‘Almighty Allah’ are the most honorable and sacred persons chosen by Allah, Lord of all worlds. However, they are also the most severely tested people. Probably to be an example for us on how to conduct ourselves in this life; this life that is not the real one, and is not the real measurement of goodness and fairness. In Islam, God greatly rewards the believer for every hardship or calamity he faces if he accepts and shows patience towards it. Nothing will go in vain.

And be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.” [Qur’an 11:115] (12)

 How wonderful is the case of a believer, there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him.” [Hadith] (13)

If a thorn pricks a Believer or he is hurt more than that then that is expiation for his sins.“ [Hadith] (14)

Also,

Nothing afflicts the believer, whether fatigue, grief, disease – even a worry that concerns him – except that by it, Allah removes something from his bad deeds.“ [Hadith] (15)

Furthermore,

… and know that in patience with regard to something that you dislike there is much goodness. …“ [Hadith] (16)

The Other Face of Evil


     This is one side of the issue. Another side is that every face of evil, pain, or hardship, carries a face of goodness, even if it was a hidden face. There is no 100% pure evil!

Even the events that are beyond the control of humans, such as diseases, natural disasters, and so on, happen also for a reason and wisdom, and guess what? They also carry a positive and good face.

        With evil, life has meaning. Goodness is meaningless without the existence of evil.


        Evil is a stimulus to many things, like:


A. Knowing the philosophy of life and faith.

B. Generating innovations and inventions; since evil is a problem that humans seek to solve through inventing a cure for the disease and a solution to the difficulty.

C. Building up a challenging spirit for overcoming evil and gaining virtue and morality. Prof. Ewing, the Professor of Ethics at Cambridge, says: “We must overcome an evil to obtain the virtue of overcoming evil.”

D.  Developing human abilities through facing evil and its various forms and levels.

E. The test in life is meaningless without evil; what is the meaning and importance of the values of charity, generosity, mercy, empathy, consolation, patience, support, cooperation, etc., without the existence of evil?!

     Finally, If we can understand that behind this orderly and intelligently designed universe an All-Knowledgeable and All-Wise Maker, I think we will be able to understand also that everything happens for a reason and wisdom. We will be able to understand that there is wisdom behind everything, even the evil, pain, and suffering that take place in the world. Even if we do not know this wisdom or cannot understand it, we still will be able to believe that it exists!

These are my spontaneous thoughts for the moment.

Forgive me for this terribly long reply.

Conclusion


     Here, my reply to my atheist friend ends. But there is an important note I have to tell you, my dear reader. Yes, he is an atheist. However, I talked to him with words like “Allah” and “Qur’an.” This is because he is searching for God, and is reading the Qur’an. Thus, I talked to him with the concept of God I believe in, and according to the Qur’an he reads.

Oh! I forgot to say something. I forgot to say that he is now an ex-atheist. He is not an atheist anymore. Now he believes in God. He believes that there is God.

The Forgotten Nature and the Forgotten God 

   A Little strange, isn’t it? The forgotten Nature and the forgotten God?! Who forgets nature or forgets God? Even atheists don’t forget God and often talk about Him, maybe even more than many believers!


So what do I mean by that?! What is this forgotten nature and who is that forgotten God?

The Forgotten God


     Well, let’s start with the basics. What inspired me to write this article is that many people, especially atheists, have forgotten what we mean when we say “God”. For many people “God” became a word to describe something that is just “supernatural” or at the next level. Just a person with superhuman abilities, even if he himself is humanoid or limited!

Basically a “superman”, and surely enough nowadays, it isn’t even that odd to hear superman being called God!! And it doesn’t even stop with superman; basically anyone who surpasses the limits of humanity by having just a little bit of power could be called God! And the famous logical image of God being just an old man living in the sky still exists in people’s minds until this very day!! This is what many people think of when the word “God” is said to them, unfortunately. 

 And that is what I mean by the forgotten God. I am talking about the Omnipotent being who created us and everything around us; The One Who nothing in the universe stand or take place unless by His power and will. The Only Creator who made Nature itself and set it’s laws, The Only Sustainer Who keeps these laws steady each and every second, even as you are reading these words, The Unique One Who is beyond our imagination and isn’t even closely similar to his creation or us humans in any shape or form!

     He is God, The Real God, before they ever changed what it means in a vulgar straw man fallacy for whatever motive they had. And maybe because of this a lot of Muslims prefer to use the name “Allah” to refer to Him, because it is really clear in referencing all that clearly and distinctively. 

The Forgotten Nature


     Obviously as a result of the twisted perception of God, people got really confused. And so we see a lot of atheists nowadays.

Think about it, what will you say if all these nonsensical and fictional stories were presented to you and they told you “This is God”!! Of course you would think (This is Just a myth or a fiction); actually  saying “God doesn’t exist” isn’t that unthinkable anymore. 

And if you talked to them and asked them (What evidence would you like to believe in God?) they would tell you things like (To see Him) or (Something supernatural happening)!!

    And you can totally get where did that came from, if you are thinking of the word “God” as referring to superman for example or (a man) with powers beyond the humans; or even thinking of God as just supernatural being that can change the universe and defy its laws. But have nothing to do with the laws themselves being there. Obviously, that is what you would ask to know whether God exists or not.

The Major Problem


    But isn’t that the major problem? Denying the existence of the Creator of the heavens and the Earth, just because of a false misconception that is being pushed on people???!!!


The forgotten nature I am talking about is the nature that is actually the evidence for God Himself; The One who made its laws.The One who is enforcing these laws. And The One keeping them steady every single second of time. He is even The One who makes the time flows to begin with! 

Nature itself and its laws are clear evidence for God, and that is what the forgotten nature is. It always pains me when I hear an atheist saying, “I don’t believe in God, because I didn’t see anything supernatural!“


Then what about the nature itself?!


You and everything around you!?


Who made these laws?


Who is enforcing them?


And who is keeping them steadily functional in literally all of the universe and down to the smallest particles of atoms?!! 

The Lawmaker


Every Law has a Lawmaker, logic isn’t it? Thus, we simply refer to that lawmaker as “God”.


God is the one who made Nature and its laws. Accordingly, that is the whole point to why we even say that He is the one who can change it or make something that is supernatural, so why do people just forget that and seek just the supernatural as evidence!! 

To Conclude: 


This is just a simple reminder to people, believers and non-believers. To remember the real God, Allah, The Creators, after the meaning of the word “God” has been twisted and manipulated.

And this is a reminder that God isn’t just some supernatural being, but rather God ‘Allah’ is the one that fashioned nature itself and made its laws. He is the one keeping it steady every single second and everywhere. 

     So think more about nature and its laws. Think more about everything around you. And how would it be if these laws weren’t there keeping everything in order. Think about how if it wasn’t for God you wouldn’t be able to even take your breath, Inhale and exhale while reading these words! Man, think about that you can even read these words!

All of these laws are clearly screaming out to us about the Marvelous law maker who made it and fixated it.


So think more about that, and try to think more about God, the real God. Not the one they make up and then deny!


Allah is The One who is closer to you than your own vines, and He is The One who knows everything that happens in your life, no matter how it is big or small and it happens only by His power. Not an old man in the sky or a superman!!! 

God is The Greater ‘Allahu Akbar’.


Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth are signs for a people who use their minds.” [Qur’an 2-164] (1)

  Between the one who denies God and the one who submits to Him and live by His will, there are a lot to talk about.

     I thought to start from what we all know and recognize. The Fact that this life ends, my friend. “The heart beats of the man is telling him, life is but moments and seconds.” Every moment, every hour, every day and every year that goes by are only bringing death closer and closer to us. We can’t get back to what we have already done nor can we push the end away when it comes. We only have these moments. And what we do shall be recorded and pass into the past just like all the past passed.

     So we can’t just let life pass without knowing what it means, without knowing what we should do in it or where shall be our final destination, can we? We need to think now. our future is just a delayed present. We can’t “just ignore it,” because it is us who will live tomorrow. It may have already been too late.

     But when we think of these questions we can’t possibly find an answer for all by ourselves. it is simply beyond us.

     This life and it’s meaning, our purpose, what we should do in it, why it ends and where are we heading after it; are all questions. Only the One who gave us life can answer. You may speculate all you want. You may deny it all. But those existential questions will always remain my friend… And you will find no answer for them anywhere expect from the One who created you.  

Between Heart and Mind


     I know atheists just like Christians live in a struggle between heart and mind. To clarify, while there is constantly this voice inside you calling you to connect to your Lord, Christianity is too irrational to be the way to do so. That is why Christians live this struggle of heart and mind when they chose to go with the heart and throw their mind away.

     Just as the Atheists who couldn’t accept the irrationality and went with the mind, yet they always feel this void inside. However, they always have no answers for anything. Furthermore, they find their hearts constantly seeking connection to something more than this material world. Unfortunately, all they know is Christianity, and all they know is that it isn’t the right way. In addition, whatever you chose, you always find yourself in this struggle between heart and mind. You know that the mind tells the truth from false, but the heart seeking what is beyond and you are in between.

Core of Answer


     My Friend, You are only in this struggle because you haven’t found the true answer yet. If the heart is seeking more than the material world and can’t find peace in only matters, and the Mind seeks the truth and can’t accept the irrational falsehoods, then to end the struggle you simply need to find the right way. There is one consistent and most rational to provide answers for all the questions we (humans) seek answer to. And of course it will be the most fulfilling one to your heart and soul when you accept it, because it will present the connection that your heart always yearned for.

     Christianity doesn’t really fulfill the heart nor Atheism fulfill rationality, my friend. To clarify, you may feel some emotions or feel a bit rational when you don’t accept irrationality, but in the end worshiping men or accepting void as an answer will never fulfill the heart or the mind.

Islam has the Answer


     As a Muslim, I am sending you this message to share that cure for heart and mind with you. You may think this is a cliché. Also, you may think everyone says this. But the difference is that I am simply inviting you to know and search before you judge and decide. the reason is that I know that what I am saying is truth, and I have already checked it out and I am constantly doing so. Indeed, there is nothing like Islam that provides evidence fulfilling for the mind to know that it is the actual truth. Nothing is like Islam to be consistent and have a worldview that is so simple and yet includes all aspects of life. Nothing is like Islam in providing answers that makes sense for all our questions.

     And I am inviting you to check all this out for yourself. Explore Islam my friend. Discover it from its authentic sources, away from the hatred and lies being spread about it to keep you away.

     Learn for yourself, and then judge for yourself. And you don’t have to believe me when I tell you that. if you are seeking the truth and search Islam objectively, you will find the fulfilling answer and the calm of peace in heart. You will know it for yourself when you do so.

And I conclude this message with the greeting of Islam, Peace be upon he who seeks the truth.