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Religion of Tuesday, 27 May 2014

Source: Husseini Yushau BabalWaiz

Re: Why I am an atheist – part 1…A Muslim Perspective

"While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God's creation." --- Maya Angelou , an American Author & Prolific Poet



"If anybody ask me, 'what is your philosophy of God?' I say 'Peace is my God' If they ask 'Where is He?' I reply, 'He is in me and He is everywhere. He is all peaceful: He is all serenity. He is to be felt and experienced within oneself." --- Swami Satchidananda, Beyond Words



In fact it is unfortunate that, Ros Lyn, who turned atheist in 2012, with the main reason, as he stated in his article, "Why I am an atheist-1", published on May 18 2012, on Ghanaweb that;…no one was able to convince him of the existence of God. And I would attribute his problem and confusion to lack of a meaningful literature with sound logical and intellectual discourse to enable him 'see' behind the façade of the existence of God, the omnipotent and omnipresent! And that exceptional and authentic literature is the QUR'AN, which is replete with convincing arguments indicating the existence of God.

Allah says in Qur'an chapter 14 verse 10, that "Their messengers(that I sent said Is there a doubt about Allah, the Creator of heavens and earth?" This is a rhetorical question[does not need an answer] Allah is posing in the Qur'an over 1400 years ago. In his commentary and analysis of this verse, Abdallah Yusif Ali, quoted the Prophet in one of his Ahadith that, "You cannot doubt the existence of Allah! Behold His works! We are not speaking for ourselves or deceiving you. We speak according to the message of inspiration from Allah." Notice that the doubters had said to the Prophets, "Ye invite us." The Prophets say: It is Allah Who invites you, and he does it to save you by His grace, and give you plenty of time[but not infinite time] for penitence and amendment." And in Jeremiah[Bible], God says," Before I formed you in the womb, I know you."

God, as defined by Encyclopedia Americana; is the name commonly given to the ultimate source and power of the universe and the subject of the religious devotion. Equivalent words are found in all the 6,909 languages in the entire world. The singular for monotheistic religions and is the plural for the polytheistic religions. The word "God" and "gods" have a great verity of religious and philosophical meanings. Two general types of definition are most frequent in the western world. The first type is represented by Martin Luther in his Greater Catechism: "Whatever, then thy heart clings to (I say), and relies upon, that is probably thy God." It is very logical that what has name exists.

Since the inception of time, no man on earth ever arrogated himself the name of God, Pharaoh only said, "I am your lord the most high". But the word God, with the capital 'G', is so powerful, pervasive and pregnant with superiority and authority that, man's own conscience will not tell him to use that as his name. As such, all race, tribes, clans and ethnic groups the world over have names that they refer to God in their various languages, and it is obvious that anything that does not exists have no name and because of the reality of His existence, the English, called Him; God, the Arabs called Him; Allah, the French called Him; Dieu, the Spanish called Him; Dois, the Jewish called Him Adonai in Hebrew, the Indians called Him; Krishna. And all the rest of human race have names they call Him!

I want Ros Lyn to just fancy these logical and rhetorical scenarios that I am going to elucidate here:

God created three basic factors that propel human and animal life on earth; food, water and air. Any life form can live without food for sometime, without water for sometime, but never without air for some few minutes. And just imagine, this air-without which one cannot live is unseen, nobody can see the air, it is only felt. So would rose tell us that, he believes there is air, even though he feels it and cannot see it?

Secondly, I want to ask Ros if he has a soul in him, and if he answers in affirmative, then he should tell us if he does see the soul? I know he would NO! So why should he believe he has a soul, yet he does not sees the it?

Assuming someone suggests to Ros that, the unerring arrangement of the words in the dictionary that me and him always use to write or communicate ideas, was the outcome of an explosion in a printer's shop, which caused the lead letters to be blown up in the air and then fall, just like that, in alphabetical order, the way they are in the dictionary, would your mind ever fathom and make sense of that, upon sober reflection?

Our current and contemporary world is inundated with tremendous amount of technological and gadgetry tools-making our lives very convenient and comfortable, ranging from the state- of-the-art, vehicles, to computers, smart phones i-pads, etc. The million dollar question is; will Ros(intelligent and smart as I assume he is) tell the world that, these digital devices just sprang up out of the blues without designers or crafters who made them?

Take electricity for instance, if there is light out or light off, and the light comes back, do you have to see the current running inside the cable to believe the power is back to normal?

History has it that, during the second generation of the earlier Islamic society, Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq was a great city of the Islamic knowledge, having been the capital of the then Islamic empire, by virtue of the great number of scholars living there. One day, the ruler of Rome at the time sent an atheist envoy to Bagdad with three challenges for the Muslims, when the messenger reached the city, he informed the Khalifah[Muslim leader] that he was sent to ask them three questions , and whoever is able to give answers to those questions, will attract a handsome reward. The Khalifah gathered together all the scholars and intellectuals of the entire city at a big park and authorized the Roman messenger to mount a high platform and proceed with his questions. Upon mounting the platform he said; I have come with three questions, the first one is, "What was there before God?" the second one is, "In which direction does God faces?" and finally, "What is God doing at this time?"

In fact upon posing these questions, the great assembly of these galaxy of intellectuals was silent. In the midst of these brilliant scholars and students of Islamic knowledge was a man looking on with his young son. The son told his father; "Oh my dear father! I will answer him and silence him." When his father hesitated, the boy insisted and sought permission of the Khalifah himself to give the answers to those questions, and the permission was granted him. He then told the Roman to ask his questions one by one.

The Roman: "What was there before God?" the Boy: "Do you know how to count?" The Roman: "Yes of course!" The Boy: "Then count down from ten!" The Roman counted down, "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, " and he stopped counting. The boy asked, "But what comes before '1' ?" The Roman said, "There is nothing before one-That is it!" The boy said: "Well, then if there is obviously nothing before the arithmetic '1', then how do you expect that there should be anything before the "One who is Absolute, Truth, All External, Everlasting, the First, the Last, the Manifest, The Hidden…" The Roman was surprised by this direct answer, which he could not dispute. So he posed the second question: "Then tell me, which direction does God face?" The boy said, "Bring a candle and light it up, then tell me which direction the flame in facing." The Roman said in wonderment, "But the flame is just light, it spreads in each of the four directions; North, South, East and West. It does not face only one direction only.", the boy cried, "If this physical light spreads in all the four directions such that you cannot tell me which way it faces, then what do you expect of God, the light of Heaven and Earth? Light upon Light, God faces all directions, at all times!" The Roman was stupefied and astounded, that here was a young child answering his challenges in such a way that he could not argue against the proves. So he desperately wanted to try his final question but before doing so, the boy said, "Wait! You are the one who is asking the questions and I am the one giving the answers to these questions, it is fair that you come down to where I am standing and I should go up, right now in order that all people here in gathered could see the one answering your questions." This seemed reasonable to the Roman, so he came down from the platform, and the boy mounted. Then the man repeated his final challenge, "Tell me what God is doing at this moment?" The boy proudly answered him, "This is a moment when God found upon this platform, an atheist, a lair, and mocker of His faith of monotheism(Islam), an He caused him to descend and brought him low. And as for the one who believed in God, He raised him up and established the Truth!" He concluded with a verse in Qur'an chapter 55, Alrahman, the Gracious, that, "Of Him seeks(its needs) every creature in the Heavens and on Earth: everyday He (shines) in (new) Splendor." The Roman had nothing to say, since he got convincing answers from a small boy, except to present the reward he was sent with to the boy, and to return back to his country defeated. This boy grew up to become one of the most famous scholars of Islam. God blessed him with high retentive memory such that, whenever he reads a book, he would commit the previous page into memory instantly, before he flips to the next page. His name was[Imam] Abu Hanifah Al-Nuhman Ibn Thabit. He was known in Islam as the greatest Imam, the first among the custodians of the fourth schools of thought regarding Islamic (fiqh) jurisprudence.

Once Prophet Musah(Moses), [who communicates to Allah directly, without any intermediary] saw a fire, he became scared and God addressed him saying: "Oh Musah" and he replied quickly saying, "At your service, I do hear your voice and I do not see your location, where are you?" Then God replied him saying: "I am on top of you, in front of you, on your right hand side as well as your left hand side." Musah then realized that this attribute or quality is only for God alone and is not possible for anybody to possess it. Musah further asked: "Is it your voice that I am hearing or the voice of your messenger?" Allah replied: "You are rather hearing my voice, Oh Musah." This communication between Allah and Musah coincides with a Philosopher, Sathyasai Baba's view that, "When asked where God is, people often point to the sky or some far and distance region; no wonder then that, He does not manifest Himself! Realize that, He is in you, behind you, with you and all around you; and He can be "see"[his signs] and felt everywhere!"

The Qur'an throws more light on another instance when Musah demanded to see Him(Allah). This is located in chapter 7 verse 143, it says, "When Moses came to the place appointed by Us(Allah),and his Lord addressed him, He said: "O my Lord! Show(Yourself) to me, that I may look upon You(see you). Allah said: "By no means can you see Me: But look at the mountain; If it abide in its place, then Shall you see Me." When his Lord manifested Himself[just His light, not even His physical being] to the Mountain, He made it as dust[it fragmented and disintegrated into dust], and Moses fell down in a swoon, or coma [fainted!]. When he recovered his sense he said: "Glory be to You! To You I turn in repentance, and I am the first to believe." Allah further says in Qur'an chapter 6 verses 102-103, that: "No vision(eye) can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision(He sees everyone): He is above all comprehension, yet He is acquainted with all things."

In another instance, the children of Israel or Jews once declared to Moses that, they would never believe unless they see God clearly. God says in Qur'an chapter 2 verse 55(as He was narrating to Prophet Muhammad what happened before his existence) that: "And remember you said: "O Moses! We shall never believe in you until we see God manifestly, "but you were dazed with thunder and lightning even as you looked on. Then We raised you up after death: you had the chance to be grateful." The(original) Bible in so many occasions coincides with the Qur'an, it says in John chapter 1 verse 18 that, "No man has seen God at any time." And in same John chapter 20, verse 29, God says: "Blessed are those who have not seen(God) and yet believed (in Him)."

Dr. W.W. Dyer wrote in his, "Inspiration, Your Ultimate Calling", that, "There is perfect timing in the Universe, your arrival on Earth was a part of that synchronicity. In other words, we were an idea of God's whose time had come." Rodney Collin, also stated in his, "Theory of Conscious Harmony" that, "Physical body was given to him(man) by nature(God) at birth. Somewhere exists the original Divine spark launched from God and which will resound his conscious spirit." Madeleine L. Engle observed that, "When I look at the galaxies on a clear night-when I look at the incredible brilliance of creation, and think that this is what God is like, then instead of feeling intimidated and diminished by it, I am enlarged…I rejoice that I am a part of it.” Gar Franks wrote in his book, "Searching for the Promised Land", "…I strongly believe that if an atheist were to follow me around for a year, he would become a believer in God. He would be persuaded to adhere to the law of God-The Ten Commandments- and would aspire to live in the Kingdom of God in Heaven…Bringing people back to God is difficult thing to do. It takes those who have been blessed to communicate the wonders of God to those whose faith may be weak or nonexistent. Physicist and Nobel Laureate William D. Phillips wrote that, "When I examine the orderliness, understandability, and beauty of the universe, I am led to the conclusion that a higher intelligence designed what I see. My scientific appreciation of the coherence, and the delightful simplicity of physics strengthens my belief in God." Astronomer George Greenstein stated: " As we survey all the evidence, the thought insistently arises that some supernatural agency-or, rather, Agency-must be involved. Is it possible without a Supreme Being? What do you think? Which explanation best fits the fine-tuning observable in the cosmos? Purposeful design or mindless process?" God himself answers this question in Qur'an chapter 14 verse 32-33 that: "It is God Who had created the heavens and the earth and sends down rain from the skies, and with it brings out fruits wherewith to feed you; it is He Who has made the sea by His Command; and He has made the rivers(also) subject to you, And He has made subject to you, the sun and the moon, both diligently pursuing their courses; and He has(also) made the night and the day subject to you."And in a hadith (Prophetic wisdom) which is related on the authority of Abi Zar, a companion of the Prophet who said: "The Prophet once asked me; "When the sun sets, do you know where it goes?" I said; it is God and His messenger who know!" The Prophet then revealed, "She goes and prostrate under the Throne of God, she would seek to be given the chance to make (further) prostration and (God) would say to her: "Go back to where you come from and rise again from its west."

In the United States, for example a survey conducted by Newsweek magazine in 2005 found that, 80 percent of the people "believe that God created the universe." Is this believe due to education? Well, do any scientists believe in God? The science journal Nature reported in 1997 that almost 40 percent of biologists, physicists, and mathematicians surveyed believe in God who not only exists but also listen to and answers prayers.

There are so many evidence indicating the existence of God who created man. Even our reproductive systems alone attest to this. The description of human reproductive system in the Qur'an perfectly fits in with how the biologists described it in theory. Allah says in Qur'an chapter 23 verses-12-17,[Muhminum or the Believers): "We created mankind from a progeny and from clay(epitome of clay) Then we placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest firmly fixed. Then we made the sperm into a clot of a congeal blood; then of that clot we made of (fetus) lumps; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh: Then we developed out of it a different creature, so blessed be God, the Best to create. And after which you would die. And you would be resurrected on the Day of Judgment." A Prophetic hadith or tradition that perfectly goes with this verse was narrated by Abi Abduln Rahman Abdallah Bun Masu'd said; The Prophet was reported to have said that: "Verily, the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mothers' belly for 40 days in the form of seed(sperm). He would become a leech-like object and after which would be transformed in a congealed blood. And then life would be injected into him and he would be commanded with four matters: His means of livelihood, his work, life span and whether happy or unhappy."

And regarding those nagging questions Ros keeps on contemplating and cogitating about how we(human) and the universe were created, these are specific and direct answers from the Qur'an that will enlighten and guide you to the straight path, the path of Islamic believe:

Beginning of the Universe as a gaseous mass

"He comprehended in His design the heaven, when it was (only) a smoke."

--- Qur'an 41:11

Origin of the Universe as one entity

"Have they not who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one piece), then we parted them and we made water the source of every life form." [the big bang theory?]---Qur'an 21:

Presence of more than one world(planets)

"Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds." --- Qur'an 1:1

Expansion of the Universe

"With power did We construct the heaven, verily, We are (continuously) expanding it."

--- Qur'an 51:47

Formation of the sub-terrain Oil

"Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High Who created everything, and then proportioned it. And Who measured (everything), and then guided(mankind to His path), who brought forth the pasture and turned it into a black "Ghussah" (flood water)." --- Qur'an 87:1-5

Activation of life on earth by rain

"Allah sends down from the sky water in due measure; We revive therewith a land that was dead; even so shall you by brought forth." --- Qur'an 43:11

"And of water We(Allah) fashioned every living thing. Will they Not believe?" --- Qur'an 21:30

Sun as the only source of light

"We have built above you seven strong (heavens) and placed therein a blazing lamp(sun)."

--- Qur'an 78:12

"Do you not see how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another; And made the moon a light in their midst, and made the sun a lamp." --- Qur'an 71:15-16

Orbital movement of sun and moon

"(Allah is the) One who created the night, and the day, and the sun and the moon,(all celestial bodies) swim along, each in its (own) or orbit." --- Qur'an 21:33

"It is not permitted to the sun to overtake the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day, each swims along in(its own) orbit." --- Qur'an 36:40

Origin of Man

"Was he (man) not a mere sperm drop which is emitted (in the mother's womb)?" --- Qur'an 75:37

Role of Male & Female in Pregnancy

"O mankind! We (Allah) created you from a single (pair) of a male and female." Qur'an 49:13

"And He (Allah) created the two sexes, the male and female from a mixed fluid, as it is emitted." --- 53:45-46

Covering of embryo by three veils darkness

"He(Allah) creates you in the wombs of your mothers, in stages one after the other, in three veils of darkness; Such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher." --- Qur'an 39:6

Labor & Delivery

"Woe to man! What has made him reject Him(Allah); From what stuff has He (Allah) created him? From a Nutfha(mixed drop of fluid). He has created him, and then molded him in due proportion; later does he make his path[delivery] smooth for him." --- Qur'an 80: 17-20

Mixing of river and sea waters

"It is He(Allah) who has let loose the two bodies of flowing waters, one palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; and He has made a barrier and a complete partition between them." --- Qur'an 25:53

Protected roof around the earth

"We(Allah) made the sky a protected roof(around the earth), yet they still turn away from our signs." --- Qur'an 21:32



Miracle of numbers in the Qur'an

The Qur'an states that there are 7 heavens, and this description appears in only 7 chapters of the Qur'an. The Qur'an states that numbers of months prescribed by Allah are 12. The Arabic word for month is; Shahar, and the word Shahar appears 12 times in the Qur'an. The Arabic word Eman means faith, the opposite of this word is Kufar, means denial. The word Eman appears in the Qur'an a total of 17 times, surprisingly, Kufur also appeared 17 times. The Arabic word Malaikah means angels and the word Shaitan refer to the devil. The two words in their attributes and roles are opposite to each other. The Qur'an has used the word Maliaka a total of 68 times. Surprisingly the word Shaitan also appears in the Qur'an a total of 68 times. The Arabic word Dunya means the world, and the word Akhirah means the hereafter: The word Dunya appears in the Qur'an 115 and the word Akhirah also appears in the Qur'an a total of 115 times. The Arabic word Fail means action and the word Ajr means reward. The word Fail appears in the Qur'an a total of 108 times, while the word Ajr also appears 108. The word Teen means clay and the word Nutfah means sperm. The Quran stated that man was created from Teen and then from Nutfah. The word Teen appears in the Qur'an a total of 12 times. In the same case with the word Nutfah, it also appears 12 times. This is to mention just a few of numerous coincidence of numbers that that crafted and calibrated in the Qur'an. The bottomline is if Allah was not the creator and inventor of this holy book, how possible would a book of coincidence of numbers, of 114 chapters, 6,136 verses, 86,430 words, 323,760 alphabets and 210,338 diacritical marks or signs be a creation of any other being apart of Allah?

Throughout history, there were many and myriad of scientists and scholars who attest to the validity of the Quran and converted to Islam and I will mention just two:

Professor Keith Moor a German Scientist stated in his book, "The Developing Human" that, "It is clear to me that, these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, or Allah, because most of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God, or Allah…I have no difficulty in my mind that reconciling that this is a divine inspiration or revelation, which lead him to these statements." Dr. Maurice Bucaille, an eminent French surgeon, scientist scholar and author of, "The Bible, Qur'an & Science" wrote, "A totally objective examination of the Qur'an in the light of modern knowledge, leads us to recognize the agreement between the two...It makes us deem it quite unthinkable for a man of Muhammad's time to have been the author of such statements…" I hope these information will enable Ros and his likes to have an open mind and read more about the Qur'an to guide them to the truth, which is belief in the existence of the Creator!



Husseini Yushau BabalWaiz, is the Research & Outreach Coordinator, Center for Media & Peace Initiatives, Author of three books including, "Not good without God", and a Tutor in New York.