Belief in the Existence of Allah
Speaker: Mājid bin Sulaymān Ar-Rassī
First Sermon
Indeed, all praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His assistance, and we ask for His forgiveness. We seek Allah’s protection from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, no one can misguide; and whomsoever He leaves to go astray, none can guide. I testify that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah alone, without any partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ﴾
“O you who believe! Be mindful of Allah as He deserves, and do not die except as Muslims.” [Aal ‘Imraan:102]
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا﴾
“O mankind! Be mindful of your Lord, who created you from a single soul, and from it created its partner, and from both of them dispersed many men and women. And be mindful of Allah through whom you ask one another, and [fear breaking] the womb [i.e. family ties]. Surely, Allah is ever watching over you.” [An-Nisaa:1]
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا﴾
“O you who believe! Be mindful of Allah and speak in a straightforward manner. He will rectify your deeds for you and forgive you for your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly achieved a great success.” [Al-Ahzaab:70–71]
As for what follows,
Indeed, the best speech is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The worst of matters are those newly introduced (into religion), for every newly introduced matter is a bid’ah (innovation), every bid’ah is misguidance, and every misguidance leads to the Fire.
Dear Muslims,
Be mindful of Allah, the Most High, and be conscious of Him. Obey Him and do not disobey Him. Remember that faith in Allah consists of four aspects:
1) Belief in His existence
2) Belief in His rubūbiyyah (Lordship)
3) Belief in His ulūhiyyah (i.e. He alone deserves to be worshiped)
4) Belief in His names and attributes.
In this sermon, we will speak only about the existence of Allah.
Belief in the existence of Allah is proven by fitrah (human nature), logic, revelation and our senses.
Let us begin with human nature. The entire creation was created with natural belief in their Creator, without having to think about it and without being taught it. Allah affirms this in the Qur’an, saying:
﴿وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَى شَهِدْنَا﴾
“And [remember] when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants and made them testify regarding themselves. [Allah said to them], ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said, ‘Certainly, we testify.’” [Al-A‘raaf:172]
This verse shows us that by nature, man is inclined towards the existence of Allah. A person only turns away from the demands of this innate belief when something external influences their heart. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Every child is born upon fitrah (natural inclination towards faith), but it is their parents who make them a Jew, Christian, or fire worshiper.” (Bukhari)
It is for this reason that we find that whenever a person is harmed, their natural instinct is to call out: “Ya Allah (O God)!” Even the polytheists at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) affirmed Allah’s existence. Allah mentions them, saying:
﴿وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ فَأَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ﴾
“And if you were to ask them who created them, they would surely say: Allah.” [Az-Zukhruf:87] There are many other verses like this in the Qur’an.
Servants of Allah,
As for logic proving the existence of Allah, this is clear because the entire creation, including those before us or those yet to come, all have a Creator who brought them into existence. It is impossible for anything to come into existence on their own, because something non-existent does not have the ability to bring itself into existence. So, how can a non-existent entity ever create something else?
Moreover, the idea that the universe came into existence by coincidence, without any creator, is impossible for two reasons:
Firstly, anything created must have a Creator. This is affirmed by both logic and revelation. Allah, the Most High, says:
﴿أَمْ خُلِقُوا مِنْ غَيْرِ شَيْءٍ أَمْ هُمُ الْخَالِقُونَ﴾
“Were they created by nothing, or were they the creators?” [At-Tur:35]
Secondly, the incredible system and well synchronized coordination found in this universe—the seamless link between cause and effect, and between the entire creation, without any conflict or chaos—makes it absolutely impossible for it to have come into existence by chance without a creator. If something comes into existence by accident, it will have no organized system from its very beginning—so how can it maintain such precise order throughout its existence and progression?
Listen to the words of Allah, the Most High:
﴿لَا الشَّمْسُ يَنْبَغِي لَهَا أَنْ تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ﴾
“It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night precede the day. They are all floating in an orbit.” [Yaseen:40]
A Bedouin was once asked, “How do you know your Lord?” He replied, “Camel dung is a sign that a camel passed by. Donkey droppings are a sign that a donkey passed by. Footprints indicate a trail. So, a sky filled with stars, an earth with pathways, and oceans with waves—do these not all point to the existence of Allah, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing?”
Servants of Allah,
Among the most astonishing creation of Allah is the mosquito. Despite its tiny size, Allah placed within it a great amount of purpose. Allah has given it strong memory and reasoning, as well as a sense of touch, sight, and smell. It has a passage for food, an internal system with veins, a brain, and even a skeleton. So, glory be to the One who destines and guides. He did not create everything except with a purpose.
So, if we deduce that it is impossible for any of the creation to have brought themselves into existence, or for them to exist by chance, then there must be a creator who brought them into existence. This creator is none other than Allah, the Lord of the universe.
Servants of Allah,
In fact, this rational argument and clear proof has been mentioned by Allah in Surah At-Tur, where He says:
﴿أَمْ خُلِقُوا مِنْ غَيْرِ شَيْءٍ أَمْ هُمُ الْخَالِقُونَ﴾
“Were they created by nothing, or were they the creators?” [At-Tur:35]
Meaning they were neither created without a creator, nor did they create themselves. This establishes that they have a Creator, who is Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High.
It is for this reason that these verses deeply affected Jubayr bin Mut‘im (may Allah be pleased with him). He was still a polytheist at the time when he heard the Prophet (peacw and blessings be upon him) reciting these verses of Surah At-Tur:
﴿أَمْ خُلِقُوا مِنْ غَيْرِ شَيْءٍ أَمْ هُمُ الْخَالِقُونَ أَمْ خَلَقُوا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بَلْ لَا يُوقِنُونَ أَمْ عِنْدَهُمْ خَزَائِنُ رَبِّكَ أَمْ هُمُ الْمُصَيْطِرُونَ﴾
Jubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “My heart nearly flew [out of my chest]. That was the first time faith settled in my heart.” (Bukhari)
May Allah bless me and you by way of the noble Qurán, and may He allow us to benefit from its verses and wise reminders. I say these words, and I ask Allah to forgive us all. Seek His forgiveness for indeed He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Sermon
All praise is due to Allah alone, and may peace and blessings be upon the last of all prophets.
As for what follows,
Servants of Allah, be mindful of Allah and remember that revelation affirms the existence of Allah, the Most High. Every divine book testifies to this. Moreover, the laws and commands found in them uphold the best interests and well-being of mankind. This is a clear indication that these laws can only come from a Lord who is Most Wise and All-Knowing regarding the best interests for His creation.
Furthermore, the reports contained within these scriptures, which are confirmed by reality and facts, serve as additional proof that they come from a Lord who is fully capable of bringing into existence all that He informs us about.
The consistency of the Qur’an without any contradiction, as well as the way one part supports the other—is clear proof that it is from the All-Knowing and Most-Wise Lord. Allah, the Most High, says:
﴿أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِنْدِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا﴾
“Do they not then reflect on the Qur’an? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found many contradictions in it.” [An-Nisaa: 82]
This is another proof that the Qur’an is the word of Allah, the Most High.
Servants of Allah, as for evidence from our senses, there are two key aspects to it:
Firstly, we see and hear about prayers being answered and distressed people being saved. These are clear and undeniable signs of Allah’s existence. A supplication being accepted is proof in itself that there is a Lord who hears and responds to the call of those who supplicate to Him.
Allah, the Most High, says:
﴿وَنُوحًا إِذْ نَادَى مِنْ قَبْلُ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ﴾
“And [remember] Nuh (Noah), when he called upon Us before, and We responded to him…” [Al-Anbiyaa:76]
﴿إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمْ فَاسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ﴾
“[Remember] when you sought help from your Lord, and He responded to you…”
[Al-Anfaal:9]
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that once a man entered the mosque through a door facing the pulpit, while the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was standing and delivering the Friday sermon. The man stood facing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, [our] wealth is being destroyed, and the roads are cut off, so pray to Allah to send us rain.” Thereafter, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his hands and said:
“O Allah, send us rain! O Allah, send us rain! O Allah, send us rain!”
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “By Allah, we did not see a cloud in the sky—not even a trace of one—and there was no house or structure between us and (the mountain of) Sal‘. Then, suddenly, a cloud appeared from behind the mountain like a shield. When it covered the center of the sky [above us], it spread out and then poured rain. By Allah, we did not see the sun for an entire week.”
Then, the next Friday, another man entered through the same door while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was [again] standing delivering the sermon. The man stood facing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, [our] wealth is being destroyed, and pathways are cut off, so pray to Allah to stop the rain.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his hands and said: “O Allah, [let it rain] around us and not upon us! O Allah, [let it rain] on the hills, the mountains, the hillocks, the valleys, and the areas where trees grow.” Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) then said: “Thereafter, the rain stopped, and we walked out into the sunshine.” (Bukhari & Muslim)
Those who sincerely turn to Allah while fulfilling the conditions for an accepted prayer will surely see their prayers being answered.
Servants of Allah, the second way our senses indicate towards the existence of Allah is by either seeing or hearing about signs gifted to the Prophets, which are also known as mu‘jizāt (miracles). These miracles are clear proof of the One who sent them—Allah, the Most High—because they are beyond the natural capabilities of man. Allah, the Most High, sends them to assist His messengers and grant them victory.
Take for example the miracle of Mūsa (Moses, peace be upon him), when Allah commanded him to strike the sea with his staff. When he did so, the sea parted into twelve dry paths, while the water rose between them like mountains. Allah, the Most High, says:
﴿فَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنِ اضْرِبْ بِعَصَاكَ الْبَحْرَ فَانْفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَالطَّوْدِ الْعَظِيمِ﴾
“Then We revealed to Mūsa, ‘Strike the sea with your staff.’ And it split, and each part was like a huge towering mountain.” [Ash-Shu‘araa:63]
Dear Muslims,
Since acknowledging Allah’s existence is something innate, proven by a person’s natural disposition and senses—the messengers would say to their people:
﴿أَفِي اللَّهِ شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ﴾
“Can there be any doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth?”
[Ibraheem:10]
In conclusion, belief in the existence of Allah is firmly rooted in human nature, confirmed by logic, our senses, and revelation. No one denies it except an atheist whose heart has gone astray. These people are a few among mankind – praise be to Allah.
***
Remember that Allah, the Most High, has commanded you with something great. May Allah have mercy on you. He says:
﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا﴾
“Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe, send peace and blessings upon him.”[Al-Ahzaab:56]
O Allah, send Your peace and blessings upon Your servant and Messenger, Muhammad. Be pleased with his rightly guided successors, his companions, and all those who follow them in goodness until the Day of Recompense.
O Allah, grant honor to Islam and the Muslims. Humiliate shirk (polytheism) and the polytheists. Destroy Your enemies—the enemies of this religion—and grant victory to Your believing servants.
O Allah, grant us security in our homelands. Rectify our leaders and those in charge of our affairs. Make them rightly guided and a source of guidance.
O Allah, guide all Muslim leaders to rule according to Your Book, uplift Your religion, and make them a means of mercy to those under their care.
O Allah, whoever intends to afflict us, Islam or the Muslims with evil—preoccupy them with their own selves and turn their plots against them.
O Allah, protect us from inflation, diseases, interest, fornication, earthquakes, trials, and tribulations—whether apparent or hidden—especially in our country and all Muslim countries, O Lord of the worlds.
O our Lord, grant us goodness in this world and goodness in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they describe. Peace be upon all the messengers, and all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the universe.
This sermon was prepared by:
Majid ibn Sulaymān ar-Rassī in the city of Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
