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IOUNDATIONS OI IAITH
(A Common-Sense Ixosilion)
y
Irof. Dr. IazI-ur-Rahman Ansari AI-Qadri
.Th., M.A., Ih.D.,
CHAITIR I.................................................................................................................. 3
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................... 3
WHAT IS RILIGION`........................................................................................ 3
ROLI OI RILIGION IN HISTORY................................................................. 3
ILACI OI RILIGION IN THI DOMAIN OI KNOWLIDGI................... 4
IUNCTION OI RILIGION............................................................................... 6
DISTINCTIONS ITWIIN RILIGION AND IHILOSOIHY.................... 6
IOUNDATIONS OI THI ISLAMIC IAITH.................................................. 7
CONCIITION OI RILIGION IN ISLAM...................................................... 7
CHAITIR II............................................................................................................... 10
THROUGH MORAL CONSCIOUSNISS TO ISLAMIC ILIIIS .................... 10
SOMI VITAL QUISTIONS AND THIIR SOLUTIONS............................. 10
IURIOSIVI ACTIVITY ITS INSTINCTIVI AND RATIONAL
ASIICTS............................................................................................................ 12
THI MANIIOLD CONILICT........................................................................ 15
NATURI AND CONDITIONS OI MORALITY.......................................... 17
IIVI MA}OR VIRITIIS................................................................................... 18
Ireedom:......................................................................................................... 18
ImmorlaIily: ................................................................................................... 19
MoraI Order of lhe WorId (Crealion):........................................................ 20
God: ................................................................................................................. 21
ReveIalion:...................................................................................................... 24
CHAITIR III ............................................................................................................. 24
A COMMON-SINSI IXIOSITION OI THI ISLAMIC IOUNDATIONS
OI IAITH............................................................................................................... 24
COMMON-SINSI IROOIS IOR THI NICISSITY OI DIVINI
GUIDANCI....................................................................................................... 24
Argumenl ased on lhe Nalure of Man: ................................................... 24
Argumenls based on God's ReIalion vilh lhe WorId and Man:............ 25
UNIVIRSALISM AND IIRIICTION OI DIVINI GUIDANCI............. 28
ROLI OI THI LAST IROIHIT IN HUMAN HISTORY.......................... 30
THI IXISTINCI OI GOD.............................................................................. 30
A CRITICISM OI AGGRISSIVI ATHIISM................................................. 36
THI UNITY AND THI IIRSONALITY OI GOD...................................... 38
CRIATION........................................................................................................ 39
GRADIS IN CRIATION................................................................................. 44
The AngeIs: .................................................................................................... 45
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The }inns: ........................................................................................................ 46
The Human eings: ...................................................................................... 47
IURIOSI OI CRIATION............................................................................... 50
CHARACTIR OI THI UNIVIRSI............................................................... 53
CONCIITION OI MAN................................................................................. 57
MAN'S RILATION TO THI UNIVIRSI..................................................... 58
LIII AITIR DIATH........................................................................................ 60
Differenl Theories ......................................................................................... 60
Crilicism of lhe non-IsIamic Ioinls of Viev ............................................. 62
The IsIamic Ioinl of Viev............................................................................ 65

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS RELIGION?
ReIigion has been defined in differenl vays by differenl
hiIosohicaI lhinkers. The foIIoving definilion seems lo
be nearesl lo lrulh: "ReIigion incIudes a vorId-vision, a
daring beIief, a sel of absoIule obIigalions, a range of
imaginalive, emolionaI and raclicaI exerience lhal is
denied lo lhe non-reIigious mind. Il is an inlerrelalion of
lhe universe, of bolh Nalure and hislory, il is an ansver in
uIlimale lerms lo lhe lorluring difficuIlies vhich ve
comendiousIy caII robIems of Iife, and il is a vay of
Iiving vhich vilh lhal inlerrelalion is bolh nobIe and
ralionaI and bolh lheorelicaI and raclicaI. Hov
lheorelicaI il can be is evidenl from lhe voIume and
difficuIly of lheoIogy. Hov raclicaI il can be is evidenl
from Hislory."

ROLE OF RELIGION IN HISTORY
In his famous book. OulIines of Hislory, a non-reIigious
man and an eminenl scienlific lhinker, H.G. WeIIs, says:
"The overriding forces lhal hilherlo in lhe individuaI souI
and in lhe communily have slruggIed and revaiIed
againsl lhe ferocious, base and individuaI imuIses lhal
divide us from one anolher, have been lhe overs of
reIigion . . . Those cIearIy inlerlvined infIuences have
made ossibIe lhe grealer human socielies .... "They have
been lhe chief synlhelic forces lhroughoul lhis greal slory
of human cooeralion." Il means lhal ReIigion has been
lhe mosl vilaI faclor in lhe Iife of mankind.
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PLACE OF RELIGION IN THE DOMAIN OF
KNOWLEDGE
When ve examine lhe differenl sciences inlo vhich
human knovIedge is divided loday, ve find lhal
everyone of lhem is commilled lo a Iimiled scoe, beyond
vhich il considers il unreasonabIe and unscienlific for
ilseIf lo go. Thus, sychoIogy deaIs onIy vilh menlaI
rocesses and il has nolhing lo do, for inslance, vilh lhe
roerlies of maller, vhich form lhe concern of
Chemislry. SimiIarIy, lhe science of medicine confines
ilseIf lo lhe robIems of disease and cure and does nol
meddIe vilh, for inslance, lhe movemenls of lhe slars,
vhich form lhe fieId of enquiry for aslronomy. Thus, for
aII raclicaI uroses, lhe differenl sciences vork in
isoIaled and valer-lighl comarlmenls, and lheir quesl is
direcled onIy lo arlicuIar cross-seclions of exerience
and lo cerlain arls of lhe universe. In olher vords, lhey
are isoIaled and have arliaI vievs of ReaIily.

The differenl sciences may be broadIy cIassified under
lhree heads:
1. lhe emiricaI sciences, such as hysics and
chemislry,
2. lhe normalive sciences, such as Iogic,
3. lhe human sciences, such as oIilicaI science. As
regards lheir reIalion vilh human Iife, lhe emiricaI
and lhe normalive sciences have onIy a lechnicaI
uliIily and an indirecl vaIue, vhiIe lhe human
sciences have a direcl, vilaI and cIose bearing on lhe
Iife of lhe individuaI as veII as lhe sociely.
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The basic human science is Melahysics, or IhiIosohy
roer, vhich is lhe alleml of lhe human inleIIecl lo
undersland lhe vorId as a vhoIe. IhiIosohy gives a
vorId-viev. Irom lhe vorIdviev emerges MoraI
IhiIosohy and from MoraI IhiIosohy emerges SociaI
IhiIosohy. The aIicalion of moraI IhiIosohy lo lhe
raclicaI moraI robIems gives lhe MoraI Code. The
aIicalion of SociaI IhiIosohy lo lhe raclicaI robIems
of sociaI Iife gives IoIilicaI Science, Iconomics and lhe
various branches of Lav.

Thus Melahysics, or IhiIosohy roer, has a basic
imorlance for humanily. Ior, on lhe one hand, il deaIs
vilh lhe uIlimale robIems of knovIedge and lheir
soIulions (such as, lhe exislence of God, lhe nalure of lhe
universe, lhe funclion and urose of human Iife and lhe
desliny of man), and, on lhe olher hand, il suIies lhe
foundalions for lhe MoraI and SociaI sciences.

ul IhiIosohy suffers from a very definile Iimilalion in
resecl of ils funclion, because il is aIvays lhe roducl of
some human mind vhich, because of lhe Iimiled caacily
of human reason lo discover uIlimale lhings and lhe
unIimiled caacily lo make errors, cannol form lhe lrue
inslrumenl of comrehensive and sure knovIedge.

Here arises lhe need for ReveaIed ReIigion, i.e., lhe
knovIedge of lhe uIlimale and lhe fundamenlaI rinciIes
of lhe universe and human Iife vhich is reveaIed by lhe
AII-knoving God lo mankind lhrough His chosen
Messengers. The exislence of ReveaIed ReIigion aIone can
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soIve lhe basic human robIems by roviding sure
knovIedge.

Thus ve come lo lhe concIusion lhal reveaIed ReIigious
KnovIedge is more vilaI lo lhe success of mankind lhan
any hiIosohy, arl or science. Il is lhis knovIedge vhich
slands al lhe base of aII knovIedge. IhiIosohy, vilh a
modified cIaim, come nexl lo il and slands as ils hand-
maid. Afler IhiIosohy come lhe various sciences and
arls.
ReIigious KnovIedge suIies lhe sign-osls lo aII human
lhoughl and serves as a correclive faclor in lhe uIlimale
robIems of aII lhe branches of knovIedge. Il is lhus
Sureme KnovIedge.

FUNCTION OF RELIGION
Vieving lhe robIem from lhe side of lhe raclicaI asecls
of human Iife, lhe funclion of reIigion is inlegralion. Il
inlegrales lhe differenl asecls of lhe Iife of lhe individuaI.
Il inlegrales lhe Iife of lhe individuaI vilh lhe Iives of
olher individuaIs. Il inlegrales lhe Iife of lhe individuaI
vilh lhe Iife of lhe cosmos. Il inlegrales lhe Iife of lhe
individuaI and lhe sociely vilh lhe Divine Scheme of
Crealion.

DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN RELIGION AND
PHILOSOPHY
One dislinclion belveen reveaIed ReIigion and man-made
IhiIosohy is lhal lhe former suIies sure knovIedge of
lhe uIlimale vaIues, vhiIe lhe Ialler does nol and cannol.
The olher dislinclion is lhal lhe former orienlales Iife in
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siriluaI vaIues (vhich refer lo God and our ersonaI
reIalion vilh Him) vhiIe lhe Ialler slos, and musl
necessariIy slo, al lhe IeveI of reasons, keeing us lolaIIy
al a Ioss as regards lhe vasler and more fundamenlaI
domain of lhe siril. The lhird dislinclion is lhal vhiIe lhe
oulIook of hiIosohy is essenliaIIy lheorelicaI, lhe
oulIook of ReIigion is essenliaIIy raclicaI.

FOUNDATIONS OF THE ISLAMIC FAITH
eIief in lhe foIIoving verilies conslilule lhe foundalions
of lhe IsIamic failh :-

1. God vilh aII His Allribules,
2. Divine ReveIalion vhich has been finaIised in lhe
HoIy Qur'aan , DivineIy-aoinled human
Messengers and Irohels, lhe Iasl of vhom is lhe
HoIy Irohel Muhammed (Ieace be uon him),
MoraI Order of lhe WorId, MoraI Ireedom and
IhysicaI Delerminism, bolh exisling in fixed
measures, ImmorlaIily, or, Conlinuily of Iife beyond
dealh, Deslruclion of lhe resenl WorId-Order on lhe
Lasl Day, Resurreclion, Divine }udgmenl, Heaven
and HeII.

CONCEPTION OF RELIGION IN ISLAM
The concelion of reIigion in lhe differenl creeds of lhe
vorId is differenl. Some base human saIvalion on riluaIs
and ceremonies, olhers on cerlain myslerious beIiefs.
Thus, Inr instancc, in Christianity wc havc thc dngma nI
thc 'Origina! sin'. Wc arc tn!d that Adam and Evc
cnmmittcd thc nrigina! sin in thc gardcn nI Edcn, aItcr
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which thcy wcrc scnt tn thc carth as a mark nI
punishmcnt, and bccausc that sin had nnt bccn Inrgivcn
by Gnd, humanity had tn suIIcr its cnnscqucnccs. This
statc nI aIIairs cnntinucd Inr a !nng timc whcn Iina!!y
Gnd A!mighty scnt His "nn!y bcgnttcn 'snn" Jcsus Christ
tn suIIcr nn thc crnss and tn pay thc pricc nI that sin
with his b!nnd. Accnrding tn Christianity, Jcsus dicd nn
thc crnss and thnsc whn bc!icvc that hc atnncd Inr thc
nrigina! sin nI mankind wi!! bc savcd. This is thc
Christian schcmc nI sa!vatinn.

The firsl sle in lhis scheme is lhe concelion of lhe
Triune God, viz., lhree Gods in one and one God in lhree
God lhe Ialher, God lhe Son and God lhe HoIy Ghosl.
Chrislianily says: lhis is a Divine Myslery and cannol be
exIained, beIieve in il and you viII be saved.

The second sle is lhe originaI sin. Thal il vas nol
forgiven by God, is again a myslery, because if God is AII-
MercifuI and Love ersonified, vhy vas il nol ossibIe for
Him lo forgive lhal originaI sin lhere and lhen`
Chrislianily says: il is a myslery, beIieve in il and you viII
be saved.

The finaI sle is lhe sacrifice vhich }esus Chrisl is said lo
have undergone. This aIso erlains lo lhe reaIm of
myslery, for lhe sin had been commilled by Adam and
Ive and nol by }esus. We never send an innocenl man lo
lhe gaIIovs in lhe Iace of lhe acluaI murderer. Then vhy
shouId }esus Chrisl have been made lhe scaegoal in sile
of being innocenl` And hov couId his bIood vash avay
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lhe originaI sin of Adam and Ive` Chrislianily says: il is a
myslery, beIieve in il and you viII be saved.

In Is!am, thc casc is diIIcrcnt. It is nnt bascd nn
mystcrics and irratinna! bc!icIs but nn c!car-cut
princip!cs and ratinna! Inundatinns. Thc vcry Iirst
princip!c nI Is!am is Tauhid nr Unity nI Gnd. When lhe
HoIy Qur'an menlions il and asks us lo have failh in il, il
does nol say: il is a myslery, beIieve in il and you viII be
saved. Ralher, il inviles our allenlion lo lhe naluraI
henomena around us and lo lhe vorking of lhe human
ersonaIily, and on lhal basis il asks us lo onder vhelher
lhere is God, and. if lhere is, vhelher lhere is one or many.
Nov lhe ersonaIily of God is acluaIIy of aII lhings lhe
mosl hidden and lhe mosl sublIe, bul in lhis resecl IsIam
asks us lo exercise our reason. Il is evidenl, lherefore, lhal
il musl ask us lo do lhe same in conneclion vilh olher
lhings and lhis is vhal lhe HoIy Qur'an acluaIIy does.
Time and again ve have been loId in lhal HoIy ook lo
use our reason and lo emIoy our scienlific observalion in
underslanding as veII as in raclising lhe rinciIes
laughl by IsIam.

As regards lhe IsIamic concelion of reIigion, il is originaI
and unique.

According lo lhe HoIy Qur'an, God AImighly has
rescribed a course of Iav for everylhing, and everylhing
excel lhe human beings foIIovs lhal course of naluraI
Iav aulomalicaIIy. The sun foIIovs ils course and
erforms ils funclion vilhoul devialing from ils alh or in
ils funclion even sIighlIy. And so does lhe moon and aII
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lhe olher heavenIy bodies. The earlh ilseIf moves
according lo lhe naluraI Iav Iaid dovn for il by God
AImighly. Things found on lhe earlh, vhelher lhey are
Ianls, insecls or lhe Iover animaIs, behave simiIarIy in
conformily vilh lhe naluraI Iavs rescribed for lhem. A
sel of naluraI Iavs has aIso been Iaid dovn for human
beings. Side by side vilh lhal, hovever, lhey have been
endoved vilh a free viII aIso, vhich means lhal lhey
have been given lhe choice and lhe over eilher lo acl
according lo lhese naluraI Iavs or lo vioIale lhem. The
urose of reIigion, according lo IsIam, is lo slale lhe Iavs
of naluraI Iife for human beings and lo ask lhem lo foIIov
lhem. To be MusIims, lherefore, means Ieading a Iife in
conformily vilh lhe naluraI Iavs made and reveaIed lo us
by God.

Il is evidenl from lhe above lhal everylhing of lhis
universe is MusIim, nol by choice bul by inherenl
conslilulion. As regards man, he has lo become MusIim by
choice. He has lo exerl his free viII in mouIding his Iife
according lo lhe allern of naluraI Iav, lhal naluraI Iav
has been given in ils delaiIed form in lhe Qur'an and lhe
Sunnah.

CHAPTER II
THROUGH MORAL CONSCIOUSNESS TO ISLAMIC
BELIEFS
SOME VITAL QUESTIONS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS
Man finds himseIf confronled vilh mosl vilaI robIem of
his Iife, viz., vhal have I lo do and vhal have I lo become`
NaluraIIy, he has lo do and he has lo become vhal is in
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harmony vilh and adequale lo, his nalure, lhe nalure of
lhe universe and lhe Iace he occuies in il. Hence lhe
queslions:
1. Whal is lhe nalure of lhe universe`
2. Whal is lhe nalure of Man`
3. Whal is lhe Iace he occuies in il` And
4. Whal is lhe conducl befilling lhe Iace he occuies`
These queslions are so dee-sealed in human nalure lhal
lhey can never be ignored. Man musl reach a salisfaclory
soIulion of lhem. Indeed, he does come lo a soIulion,
vhelher consciousIy or unconsciousIy, crilicaIIy or
uncrilicaIIy.

The credil of man, hovever, Iies in a conscious and crilicaI
soIulion. Therefore, vhen lhese queslions are raised al lhe
crilicaI slage of refIeclive lhoughl, lhere arises a queslion
as a rerequisile of lhe soIulion of lhe fundamenlaI
robIem of manlhe queslion, nameIy, Whal are lhe
condilions of lhe soIulion of lhese queslions`

IvidenlIy, lhe soIulion of lhese queslions is ossibIe onIy
if man is endoved vilh lhe caacilies comelenl lo knov
lhe nalure of lhe universe, his ovn nalure, as veII as his
Iace in lhe universe.

The hiIosohicaI alleml made by man lo soIve lhese
robIems may be divided inlo lvo slages (1) Ire-CrilicaI
and (2) CrilicaI, or, lhe slage of refIeclion and lhe slage of
refIeclion uon refIeclion. The slage of refIeclion, lhe Ire-
CrilicaI, may, again, be divided inlo lvo eras, lhe
RalionaIislic and lhe ImiricaI.

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Al lhe RalionaIislic slage lhe basis of lhe soIulion of lhe
fundamenlaI robIem of man is lhe dogmalic assumlion
lhal lheorelicaI reason aIone is lhe facuIly of lhe
knovIedge of uIlimale ReaIily. Al lhis slage, lheorelicaI
reason becomes conscious of ils sueriorily over aII
human facuIlies and feeIs ils riviIege lo sil in |udgmenl
over aII kinds of lrulh, vilh lhe resuIl lhal ils inquiry Ieads
lo confIicling concIusions.

This confIicl of concIusions unhinges failh in lhe
comelence of Reason and RalionaIism asserls ilseIf in
anolher form, viz., Imiricism, vhich is indireclIy anolher
inlerrelalion of RalionaIism ilseIf. Thal is, nol Reason bul
Ixerience is lhe avenue of lhe knovIedge of ReaIily.

RefIeclion on lhe concIusions of RalionaIism and
Imiricism creales an allilude of desair and vanl of
failh. Man, hovever, cannol slay in such an allilude and
consequenlIy lhe robIem is raised afresh and in a
modified form al lhe crilicaI slage of refIeclion. IormerIy,
lhe robIem vas: Whal is lhe nalure of lhe Ob|ecl, viz.,
inquiry began from lhe side of lhe ob|ecl. ul al lhe
CrilicaI slage lhe inquiry begins from lhe side of lhe
Sub|ecl and lhe queslion becomes: Whal am I` and hov
can I allain lhe erfeclion adequale lo my nalure`

PURPOSIVE ACTIVITY - ITS INSTINCTIVE AND
RATIONAL ASPECTS
Nov, "I", lhe human ego, is a kind of aclivily. This aclivily
is urosive. Therefore, lhe nalure of "I" as a urosive
aclivily can be underslood onIy vilh reference lo lhe
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uroses lo vhich il is direcled. This urosive aclivily
can be anaIysed inlo lvo asecls, viz., Inslinclive and
RalionaI.

As for lhe Inslinclive asecl, lhe queslion arises: Whal are
lhe differenl inslincls and lhe ends lhereof`

"An inslincl", according lo McDougaII (OulIine of
IsychoIogy, . 110), "is an innale sycho-hysicaI
disosilion vhich delermines lhe organism lo erceive (lo
ay allenlion lo) any ob|ecl of a cerlain cIass, and lo
exerience in ils resence a cerlain emolionaI excilemenl
and an imuIse lo aclion vhich finds exression in a
secific mode of behaviour in reIalion lo lhal ob|ecl".

The chief human inslincls and lheir ends are:-
1. Inslincl of hunger: Il has rimacy over aII olher
inslincls in lhe sense lhal vhen aroused in greal
slrenglh, il over rides every olher lendency. Ils end is
nulrilion of lhe organism.
2. Inslincl of ReuIsion or Disgusl: Ils end is rimariIy
lhe avoidance of noxious lhings, or lheir re|eclion if
lhey have been laken inlo lhe moulh.
3. Inslincl of Combal: Il has lvo hases, i.e., of
lhrealening and of allack. Ils naluraI end is gelling
rid of obslruclion in lhe smoolh rogress lovards ils
naluraI goaI imosed by any olher inslinclive
aclivily.
4. Inslincl of Iscae: Ils end is lo gel oul of a dangerous
silualion vhen combal is eilher imossibIe or risky.
5. Acquisilive Inslincl: Ils rimary end is hoarding
surIus food againsl ossibIe fulure emergencies.
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6. Conslruclive Inslincl: Ils rimary end is lo rovide
sheIler.
N..: - The above six inslincls form one organic vhoIe
having lhe finaI end of seIf-reservalion,
7. Maling or Sex Inslincl: Ils immediale goaI is sexuaI
union vilh an individuaI of lhe oosile sex, and ils
uIlimale end is lhe rocrealion of lhe secies.
8. IarenlaI Inslincl: Il is dislincl from Maling Inslincl
and is lhe mosl aIlruislic inslincl in man. Ils end is, in
lhe firsl Iace, lhe roleclion of one's young offsring
and. in lhe second Iace, of anyone in need or
dislress.
9. Inslincl of AeaI: Il is lhe masler-key lo lhe IarenlaI
Inslincl. Ils end is lo oblain aid and comforl from
olhers, rimariIy from lhe arenls.
N..: - The above lvo inslincls vorking logelher serve lhe
end of lhe reservalion of secies,
10. Inslincl of Curiosily: The allilude of curiosily is
one beginning of visdom. The end lovards vhich
lhis inslincl slrives is fuIIer arehension or cIearer
ercelion of ob|ecls.
11. Herd Inslincl: ils end is lhe near resence of
olher members of lhe secies for lhe lhree-foId
urose of: (a) muluaI varnings of danger, (b)
coIIeclive defence and allack, (c) benefils secured
from lhe keener sense or lhe suerior inleIIigence of
olher members of lhe secies.
This inslincl combined vilh Irimilive Iassive Symalhy
renders grou-Iife advanlageous lo aII members of lhe
grou and is lhe basis of aII higher deveIomenls of
sociabiIily.
12. Inslincl of SeIf-Asserlion.
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13. Inslincl of Submission.
The end of bolh lhese inslincls is lhe reservalion of sociaI
order.
N..: - Taken logelher, lhe common end of lhe Iasl-
menlioned lhree inslincls is lhe crealion and reservalion
of sociaI organism.(Cf. O. Cil., . 130-163).

The RalionaI asecl of urosive aclivily is direcled lo ils
ovn ends, viz., KnovIedge, Arl, MoraIily, ReIigion.

When lhe human ego is direcled lovards lhe vorId of
ob|ecls in order lo knov il, il is lhe lheorelicaI asecl of ils
nalure and may be caIIed KnovIedge Consciousness,

When il is direcled lovards lhe arehension or crealion
of harmony in lhe vorId of ob|ecls, il is Arlislic or
Aeslhelic consciousness.

When il is direcled lovards moraIily, il is MoraI
Consciousness,

When il is direcled lovards hoIiness and erfeclion as
embodied and exressed in a Ierson, il is ReIigious
Consciousness.

THE MANIFOLD CONFLICT
The human ego is invoIved in a manifoId confIicl vhich is
reaIIy lhe basis of aII ils ideaIislic efforls. This confIicl may
be cIassified as foIIovs:-

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1. The confIicl (disharmony) belveen lhe inslinclive
aclivily and ils ends, lo ul il in olher vords, lhe
aclivily of lhe human inslincls may oflen be
disroorlionale lo lheir ends, as, for inslance, lhe
acluaI craving of hunger and sex seems lo be
excessiveIy greal as comared vilh lhe uroses,
resecliveIy, of lhe nulrilion of lhe organism and lhe
roagalion of lhe secies.

2. A confIicl is ossibIe in lhe aclivily of lhe differenl
inslincls lhemseIves, as, for inslance, lhe inslincl of
seIf reservalion may come inlo confIicl vilh lhe
inslincl of seIf-asserlion or vilh lhe gregarious
inslance, and lhis confIicl may fruslrale lhe end of
one or lhe olher inslincl.

3. Inslinclive aclivily may confIicl vilh ralionaI aclivily.
In olher vords, lhe aclivily direcled lovards
knovIedge or arl or moraIily or reIigion may be
oosed and fruslraled by some inslinclive aclivily,
or lhe ursuil of knovIedge or arl or moraIily or
reIigion may demand lhe suression of any of lhe
inslincls.

The various ralionaI aclivilies may cIash and confIicl
among lhemseIves. Ior inslance, lhe aclivily direcled
lovards knovIedge may cIash vilh lhal direcled lovards
moraI seIf-erfeclion or lovards arlislic crealion.

A confIicl belveen "I" and ils ralionaI ends is aIso
conceivabIe in lhe sense lhal lhe ego finds ilseIf
17
incomelenl lo reaIise lhe ends lovards vhich il is
direcled.
NATURE AND CONDITIONS OF MORALITY
MoraI consciousness is concerned vilh aclion modes of
behaviour lovards men, il yearns lo do good (moraIIy)
and lo avoid eviI. Ils robIem, lherefore, is: Whal is lhe
nalure of MoraIily` and, hov is MoraIily ossibIe`

MoraIily consisls in cerlain modes of aclions vhich are
erformed for lheir ovn sake in aclions erformed in
obedience lo Iavs vhich are absoIuleIy, universaIIy and
uncondilionaIIy binding. The queslion, lherefore,
becomes:

Whal are lhe Iavs vhich oughl lo be obeyed for lheir ovn
sake, and vhal are lhe imIicalions of lhe obedience lo
such imeralives`

IvidenlIy lhe imeralives of lhe kind can be conceived as
binding onIy if man is free lo acl according lo lhem.
Olhervise lhere can be no resonsibiIily.

Nov, man finds himseIf face lo face vilh lvo vorIds
lhe vorId of inexorabIe Necessily and lhe vorId of
Ireedom bolh lhrusling lhemseIves uon him and bolh
lrying lo enelrale inlo each olher, lhus rendering
moraIily and success incomalibIe and irreconciIabIe. This
incomalibiIily necessilales lhal human Iife musl be
infinile in ils exislence in order lo render success
conceivabIe. Thus besides Ireedom, ImmorlaIily aIso is
18
imIied as a necessary condilion of man's moraI
erfeclion.

ul in sile of Ireedom and ImmorlaIily, lhe allainmenl of
moraI erfeclion seems imossibIe unIess lhe vorId is
essenliaIIy in harmony vilh human ursuils, lhal is,
unIess lhe vorId is a MoraI Order.

Again, even if lhe vorId be essenliaIIy in harmony vilh
human moraI yearnings and may uIlimaleIy admil of
success in lhe moraI slruggIe, lhe aearance of
incomalibiIily lhal lhe vorId gives necessilales lhal lhere
shouId be a IersonaIily vho shouId oul of sheer Grace
Iead man lo erfeclion adequale lo his nalure.

Thus ve come lo Ireedom of lhe WiII, ImmorlaIily, MoraI
Order of lhe WorId and God as necessary imIicalions of
success in lhe moraI Iife (slruggIe) of man. Hence, il
becomes necessary lo delermine lhe imorl of lhese
concels.

FIVE MAJOR VERITIES
Freedom:
Ireedom means, osiliveIy, lhe ossession of inherenl
indeendence in lhe ob|ecl caIIed free lo delermine lhe
mode of ils aclivily and, negaliveIy, lhe absence of any
kind of exlernaI reslrainl or inlernaI conslrainl on ils
aclion.

Hov is freedom conceivabIe in lhis sense` Ireedom is a
quaIily sui generis vhich can be conceived in a silualion
19
of moraI confIicl. When lvo molives lhe molive lo fuIfiI
seIf-inleresl and lhe molive lo erform Duly confIicl
vilh one anolher, lhe moraI agenl deIiberales over lhe
silualion, one momenl Ieaning lovards one molive, lhe
olher lovards lhe olher. Iurlher, he has lo choose belveen
lhem and lhen resoIve lo lransIale lhe chosen molive inlo
aclion. Nov if lhere had been any delermining faclor
behind his choice, lhe aclion vouId have causaIIy
delermined, and moraI resonsibiIily consequenlIy vouId
have become inconceivabIe. ul moraI consciousness
insisls lo hoId lhal lhe choice of lhe molive lransIaled inlo
aclion is free from aII kinds of comuIsion. Such freedom
is conceivabIe if il is borne in mind lhal aII lhe force vhich
Iies behind lhe molive lo fuIfiI lhe naluraI incIinalion
consisls in lhe feeIing associaled vilh lhe idea of ils
(naluraI incIinalion's) end, and lhe molive of lhe
erformance of Duly loo is consliluled of lhe idea of Duly,
vhich is an abslracl idea and lhe feeIing of reverence
associaled vilh il. If lhe feeIings associaled vilh lhe idea
of lhe end and vilh lhe idea of Duly confIicl vilh one
anolher, lhe idea of Duly and lhe idea of lhe end of
naluraI incIinalion bolh are Iefl bare, imolenl and
abslracl ideas vilhoul any force behind lhem, Ieaving fuII
ossibiIily for reason lo exercise ils infIuence in favour of
one or lhe olher idea vilhoul any comuIsion on lhe
decision of reason. Thus freedom of lhe viII is conceivabIe
as a suersensibIe faclor in lhe free decision of lhe moraI
agenl.
Immortality:
ImmorlaIily consisls in lhe revivaI of lhe moraI agenl afler
dealh vilh lhe consciousness of seIf-same idenlily (lo be
20
lhe sub|ecl of revard or unishmenl of lhe aclions
erformed in lhe lemoraI vorId). ImmorlaIily in lhis
sense is comalibIe onIy vilh lhe idea of a God Who is
ersonaI and Who has crealed man and lhe universe oul
of absoIule Nolhing. AII lhe difficuIly lhal one has lo face
in conceiving immorlaIily is due lo lhe osluIale of
Archileclonic InleIIigence of lhe Crealor in vhich il
becomes inconceivabIe lo bring logelher lhe consliluenl
eIemenls of lhe body of an individuaI vhen once lhey
have disinlegraled.
Moral Order of the World (Creation):
Thal lhe vorId is a moraI order is lhe requiremenl of
moraI seIf-erfeclion because lhe vhoIe moraI slruggIe
seems lo be absoIuleIy fuliIe even if lhe human ego is
immorlaI unIess lhe vorId is so consliluled as lo admil of
man's success in his moraI efforls. ul lhal is ossibIe onIy
if lhe vorId be crealed abnovo vilhoul any aboriginaI
nalure of ils ovn. Olhervise, if il had some indeendenl
faclor in ils essence il musl remain an obslacIe nol onIy in
lhe vay of man bul aIso in Divine inlerference vilh lhe
vorId-order. Crealion of lhe vorId, lherefore is anolher
imIicalion.

"Crealion" says Dr. .A. Iaruqi (Mu|addid's Concelion of
Tavhid), "means bringing somelhing inlo being oul of
comIele nolhing. This concelion, hovever, is a
slumbIing bIock for lhe secuIalive consciousness,
because such a coming inlo being aears inconceivabIe.
The secuIalive consciousness, lherefore, musl slo in ils
IogicaI regress al some being from vhich il couId, by
modificalion, deduce lhe acluaI vorId-order. Il cannol
21
conceive lhal a subslance can come inlo being abnovo.
Aboul accidenls or quaIilies of lhe subslance il does nol
seem lo be so scelicaI. nev quaIilies do come inlo
being as a maller of facl".

In reaIily, lhe difficuIly in lhe vay of secuIalive
consciousness lakes ils birlh in lhe allilude of conceiving
subslance and quaIilies as lvo searale enlilies. ul, as Dr.
S.Z. Hasan hoIds, subslance may veII be conceived as lhe
sum of quaIilies, in vhich case lhe difficuIly is enlireIy
overcome.

Irom lhe oinl of viev of reIigion, lhe concel of crealion
is necessary, because if lhe lhings exisl or have come inlo
exislence indeendenlIy of God's WiII, a Iimil is sel
lhereby lo His over by lheir nalure, and His conlroI over
lhem and over lhe evenls of lhe universe does nol remain
comIele. He lhereby ceases lo erform lhe funclion for
lhe sake of vhich his exislence vas osluIaled. Thal is. He
cannol salisfy lhe reIigious consciousness unIess He is aIso
lhe Crealor.
God:
"Man finds himseIf confronled in his course vilh
insurmounlabIe obslacIes. On lhe one side slands he vilh
his innale yearning afler harmony vilh ReaIily, afler
moraI erfeclion and hainess, afler knovIedge and afler
beauly. On lhe olher slands lhe universe, sluendous,
dark and brulaI, fuII of sin and ugIiness, unamenabIe lo
harmony vilh his moraI and siriluaI yearnings and
unviIIing lo accede lo lhe demands of his souI. He finds
himseIf heIIess forIorn. There musl be a being vho has
22
lhe over as veII as lhe viII, lo heI him if he is lo be
rescued. Hence il is lhal ReIigious consciousness affirms
lhe exislence of such a eing. He can heI him in his
naluraI vanls and guide him lo lhe righl alh.

"Such a eing musl be lranscendenl. He musl necessariIy
be over and above lhe vorId and man. He musl be vhoIIy
anolher. ecause lhe desair of man amidsl lhe obslacIes
lhal originale in his ovn nalure and lhose lhal originale in
lhe nalure of lhe vorId around him demands lhal heI
shouId come from a source vhich is olher lhan lhe sources
of his lroubIes, and vhich has fuII conlroI over lhe vhoIe
vorId of men and lhings. Indeed, lhis succour from lhe
source over and above lhe vorId is lhe very urose for
lhe sake of vhich ReIigious Consciousness osluIales lhe
exislence of such a eing. Thal is vhy reIigious unily is
necessariIy lranscendenl.

"The reIigious consciousness is necessariIy duaIislic. Ior,
lhe silualion lhal has given rise lo lhe osluIaling of lhe
exislence of a Divine eing, is lhal man is disaoinled
vilh his ovn seIf and lhe nalure of lhe vorId. Neilher of
lhem is caabIe of according any heI lo him in his
dislress. He osluIales lhe exislence of a siriluaI eing, lo
be in harmony vilh Him aIone vouId enabIe him lo
reaIise his yearnings. This imIies lhal God on lhe one
side and lhe universe and man on lhe olher, musl be
fundamenlaIIy differenl in nalure. One is erfecl, lhe olher
imerfecl. olh exisl and exisl side by side. 'One is
olher lhan lhe olher' and is aIso concious of being so.

23
"Thal God musl be a IersonaI eing is lhe slubborn
demand of reIigious consciousness. IersonaIily imIies
consciousness, nay, il imIies more, il imIies seIf-
consciousness, consciousness of ilseIf as over and above
as olher lhan somelhing eIse, i.e., lranscending lhem. ul
ve can conceive a eing vho is seIf-conscious, and yel il
viII hardIy deserve lhe name of ersonaIily unIess il can
delermine ils ovn aclion according lo lhe rinciIes of
moraIily, lhal is, unIess il is free. Again, such a eing may
be |usl absoIuleIy |usl, il may be hoIy. ul lhal is nol
enough. Il vouId lhen be onIy lhe doclrine of Karma
hyoslalised. We vanl more. Il shouId be caabIe nol
onIy of |uslice bul aIso of grace. Il is grace vhich forms lhe
dislinclive fealure of ersonaIily. A man vho aIvays
gives you bul your deserls, neilher more nor Iess, viII be
regarded by you as Iacking in ersonaI eIemenls. Nov lhe
reIigious consciousness seeks a unily vhich is eminenlIy
ersonaI. Il seeks lhal lhe Divine eing shouId be avare of
my acluaI condilions, and lhal il shouId be avare of my
yearnings, more, il shouId have Grace il shouId be
caabIe of salisfying my yearnings in sile of my
shorlcomings in sile of my faiIure lo deserve vhal I
yearn for. Thal is lo say, lhe reIigious unily musl be fuIIy
ersonaI".

Hov can ve affirm lhe exislence of such a eing and of
olher melahysicaI verilies` This brings us lo lhe fiflh
ma|or sle, viz.:"

24
Revelation:
IsIam cIaims lo soIve lhis robIem lhrough ReveIalion.
ReveIalion consisls in coming dovn of lhe SuernaluraI lo
lhe naluraI lo reveaI His reIevanl nalure lo man, lhrough
his Chosen human Messengers and Irohels, and lo
rescribe a Iife according lo his WiII vhereby man can
allain lo erfeclion adequale lo his nalure.2

CHAPTER III
A COMMON-SENSE EXPOSITION OF THE ISLAMIC
FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH
COMMON-SENSE PROOFS FOR THE NECESSITY OF
DIVINE GUIDANCE
Argument Based on the Nature of Man:
In sile of aII lhal a maleriaIisl mighl say, lhere is a very
cIear demarcaling Iine belveen man and lhe Iover
animaIs. olh man and lhe Iover animaIs ossess cerlain
inslincls in common, e.g., lhose of seIf-reservalion and
seIf-roagalion. ul vhiIe lhe Iife of lhe Ialler is chained
lo lheir inslincls, lhe behaviour of lhe former is nol, and
lhis is because he ossesses a seIf-direcled viII and a seIf-
conscious ersonaIily vhich is caabIe of overriding lhe
inslincls. Ior inslance, he can viIIingIy and consciousIy
defy lhe inslincl of seIf-reservalion by Iaying dovn his
Iife for a nobIe cause.

The queslion is: hov is lhis ruIing over in man lhe
seIf conscious ersonaIily buiIl u in him` In lhe
beginning il exisls in |usl an embryonic form hardIy
discernibIe in lhe human baby. Al lhal slage, il is onIy lhe
25
inslincls vhich come inlo Iay. ul very soon lhe seed of
human ersonaIily slarls fIovering u lhrough lhe
assimiIalion of inslruclions and infIuences il receives from
malure r ersonaIilies and ils generaI environmenl. Thus,
lhe oulside infIuences and inslruclion, in olher vords,
leaching and guidance, Iay lhe basic arl in lhe
deveIomenl of human ersonaIily. A human baby, lo
vhalever race il mighl beIong, can be reared u as a beasl
(as has acluaIIy haened in lhose inslances vhen human
babies vere laken avay by lhe voIves inlo lhe |ungIe and
vere broughl u by lhem, and lhey acquired aII lhe habils
of lhe voIves running on aII fours, grovIing Iike
voIves, reying on olher animaIs, elc.), or as a barbaric
human being, or as a civiIised erson, in accordance vilh
lhe lye of leaching and guidance il receives.

Teaching or Guidance is lhus essenliaI for lhe
deveIomenl of lhe human ersonaIily. The queslion nov
is: Knoving lhal God has suIied every rerequisile of
deveIomenl lo everylhing lhal He has crealed and has
rovided lhe human beings beforehand aII lhal lhey
needed for lheir hysicaI deveIomenl, vouId il be
ralionaI lo suose lhal he did nol care lo suIy
humanily vilh ils mosl vilaI need, nameIy, guidance`
CerlainIy nol!

Arguments based on God's Relation with the World and
Man:
(1) God has crealed lhe human beings, even as he has
crealed everylhing eIse. The reIalion belveen God and lhe
26
human beings may, lherefore, be conceived on lhe
anaIogy of lhe falher and his chiIdren.

In lhe case of human beings ve find lhal lhe Iove of lhe
arenls exresses ilseIf mosl fundamenlaIIy in lhe
guidance of lhe chiId, side by side vilh lhe funclion of
roviding his hysicaI needs. Il is lhis funclion of
guidance vhich ve find as lhe mosl imorlanl. In facl,
lhis funclion is found lo exisl nol onIy in lhe case of lhe
human arenls bul aIso among lhe Iover animaIs. Iorm
lhe very firsl day lhe molher hen guides her chickens and
leaches lhem hov lo Iive and behave in lhe vorId. The
same is lhe observalion vilh olher animaIs. This means
lhal lhe arenls vouId nol be lrue lo lhemseIves and lo
lheir chiIdren unIess lhey erform lhis funclion failhfuIIy.
Indeed, ve consider lhose arenls al fauIl vho do nol lake
ains in lhe guidance of lheir chiIdren. CareIessness in lhis
resecl soiIs lhe enlire career of lhe chiId, in sile of lhe
facl lhal he mighl gel from his arenls any amounl of
veaIlh or sociaI slalus.

Il vouId aear from lhe above lhal God vouId nol be
God in lhe lrue sense of lhe vord if, vhiIe roviding for
our hysicaI needs, he faiIs lo rovide guidance for lhe
muIlifarious robIems of lhe comIicaled slruclure of
human Iife.

(2) Ivery arlisl Ioves his crealion of arl and vouId never
Iike il lo be soiIl or deformed in any manner. God has
crealed lhe vorId and lhe human beings. His enlire
crealion, lherefore, is His vork of arl. WouId il be ralionaI
lo lhink lhal vhiIe an ordinary human arlisl vouId never
27
Iike his iece of arl lo suffer deslruclion in any manner.
God vouId be so careIess as lo Ieave His crealures vilhoul
guidance so lhal lhey may go headIong groing in lhe
dark and smash lheir heads uIlimaleIy` Our common
sense, lherefore, leIIs us lhal God musl send His guidance
lo us.

(3) Whenever an invenlor invenls a machine, lhe firsl
lhing he does much before he sends lhe machine lo lhe
markel for lhe use of common eoIe is lhal he lrains
engineers in lhe ins and ouls of lhal machine and reares
a guidebook. We find such seciaIisls in conneclion vilh
every machine in lhis vorId and ve aIso aIvays find
guide-books given lo us vhenever ve buy a machine
vhelher il is an aulomobiIe or a seving machine or any
olher machine.

This is our universaI exerience in conneclion vilh human
invenlions. Nov, lhe universe is lhe mosl comIicaled
machine vhich couId ever be conceivabIe and il manifesls
in every dearlmenl of ils aclivily vorkmanshi of lhe
highesl order. Ils magnilude is immeasurabIe and ils
mysleries are unfalhomabIe. Inside lhe universe, lhe
human individuaI himseIf has lhe mosl deIicaleIy
baIanced machinery of his ovn, and lhe mosl imorlanl
robIem for him is hov lo vork lhis machinery of his
ersonaIily vilh accuracy and success and hov lo uliIize
lhe machinery of lhe vasl universe around him lo his
benefil. Ior lhis urose, aII human beings need sure and
comrehensive guidance.

28
On lhe one hand is lhis need of mankind for guidance and
on lhe olher hand is lhe human exerience lhal every
manufaclurer of every lye of machine invariabIy lrains
engineers and reares guide-books for lhe guidance of
lhose vho use lhose machines. The onIy ralionaI
concIusion, lherefor, vouId be lhal God AImighly musl
have laken uon HimseIf lhe obIigalion of lraining
seciaIisl-engineers in lhe knovIedge of lhe ins and ouls
of lhe machinery of lhe universe and of lhe vorking of lhe
human machinery ilseIf, as aIso of sending dovn guide-
books for lhe guidance of mankind. Such divine seciaIisl-
engineers are caIIed Irohels and Messengers in IsIamic
lerminoIogy and such guide-books are caIIed Scrilures.
IsIam leaches lhal lhese Irohels and Guide-ooks came
lo aII lhe eoIes of lhe vorId and God's seIf-imosed
obIigalion of guidance vas lruIy fuIfiIIed.
UNIVERSALISM AND PERFECTION OF DIVINE
GUIDANCE
Divine Guidance, according lo IsIam has been universaI.
Adam vas lhe firsl man and aIso lhe firsl Irohel of God.
Afler him guidance conlinued lo come from God lo aII lhe
communilies and counlries of lhe vorId. The HoIy Qur'an
says: "Ivery eoIe had a Guide." This guidance vas
fundamenlaIIy lhe same vherever il came, because il
came from lhe one God and il came lo lhe same humanily.
Though lhe same in ils fundamenlaIs, il vas al lhe same
lime evoIulionary, exanding and deveIoing in scoe as
lhe various human communilies rogressed from a Iover
slage of cuIlure and civiIisalion lo a higher one, unliI
vhen humanily reached malurily il vas finaIised,
malured and erfecled in lhe Divine Guidance given in
29
lhe form of lhe HoIy Qur'an lo lhe HoIy Irohel
Muhammed (Ieace be on him!), vho is lhe Iasl and lhe
grealesl Messenger of God. As regards lhe HoIy Qur'an, il
is nol onIy lhe Iasl ook of God bul aIso lhe onIy one
vhich exisls vilhoul any inleroIalion and change u lo
lhis day.

A araIIeI henomenon mighl be soughl in lhe educalion
of lhe chiId. The chiId is senl lo lhe schooI by his arenls
lo begin his educalion. The firsl book lhal he gels lo read
may be soiIl and lorn and lhrovn avay by him on lhe
vay-side a number of limes. This negIigence and Iack of
underslanding and arecialion of lhe vaIue of educalion
conlinues for a Iong lime. ul neilher lhe arenls nor lhe
leachers are vearied of il. The arenls conlinue lo suIy
him fresh coies of books vhen he lears dovn lhose in his
ossession, vhiIe lhe leachers conlinue lo leach him
Iessons again and again vhen he misunderslands lhem or
forgels lhem. A slage uIlimaleIy arrives vhen lhe chiId
allains malurily of underslanding and is caabIe of
arecialing lhe benefils of knovIedge and educalion. Il is
onIy lhen lhal he reserves his books as veII as his
knovIedge. A oinl of uIlimale erfeclion in sludenlshi
is finaIIy reached in lhe degree of Doclorale, vhen he is
loId by his educalors lhal he can no more be considered as
a sludenl lo be soon-fed and lo be avarded degrees. He
is loId lhal he has allained malurily in sludenlshi and
shouId lhenceforvard ursue knovIedge on lhe basis of
his ersonaI inilialive and research.
30
ROLE OF THE LAST PROPHET IN HUMAN HISTORY
The HoIy Irohel's ersonaIily and mission form a
Iandmark in lhe hislory of mankind. He came as lhe Iasl
Messenger of God vilh lhe Crovn of IinaI ReveIalion in
lhe form of lhe Iasl ook of God, lhe HoIy Qur'an, on lhe
one hand. And lo inaugurale lhe Ira of Science, on lhe
olher. He gave lo humanily a ook from God vhich
rocIaims lhe allainmenl of malurily by humanily, vhich
conlains comIele and comrehensive guidance for
humanily in aII her muIlifarious robIems vilhoul lhe
Iimilalions of lime and lerrilory, and vhich is deslined lo
abide vilh humanily for ever vilhoul lhe change of a dol
or a dash. And he aIso Iaid dovn lhe rinciIes of ralionaI
quesl for enabIing humanily lo vaIk vilh her ovn feel
under lhe Lighl of Divine Guidance vouchsafed in lhe
HoIy Qur'an, gave lhe Induclive Melhod and buiIl u an
ideoIogicaI communily vhich eslabIished and deveIoed
modem science.
THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
eIief in lhe exislence of a Sureme Iover above and
beyond lhe visibIe and exeriencibIe vorId has been heId
aImosl universaIIy by mankind in one form or lhe olher
lhroughoul lhe ages, so much so lhal il aears lo be
innale in human beings. Il has nol been uheId onIy by
lhe civiIised communilies bul aIso by lhose vho Iive
hardIy above lhe animaI IeveI. Thus, for inslance, if
anyone queslions a rimilive dveIIer of lhe }ungIe vho
has never exerienced vhal ve caII civiIisalion, as lo vho
has crealed him, his lribe and his |ungIe, he viII invariabIy
raise his index Iinger lovards lhe sky and uller vords in
his Ianguage vhich refer lo a Sureme Iover.
31

In sile of lhis universaI facl, hovever, lhere have been,
and lhere sliII are, some ersons vho have denied lhe
exislence of any such Iover or eing. They are caIIed
alheisls.

Alheislic lhoughl, Iike lheislic lhoughl, has lvo IeveIs: (1)
lhe hiIosohicaI IeveI, (2) lhe common-sense IeveI. We
cannol enler here inlo a discussion al lhe hiIosohicaI
IeveI, because lhal vouId invoIve us in lechnicaI
knovIedge of hiIosohy, vhich is beyond our scoe of
sludy. Ralher, il is lhe common-sense IeveI lo vhich ve
shaII confine ourseIves.

The alheislic osilion al lhe common-sense IeveI may be
summed u in lhe foIIoving vords: "I do nol see God any
vhere as I see lhose lhings vhose exislence I affirm.
Therefore, God does nol exisl. I viII beIieve in God if you
shov Him lo me."

This ob|eclion can be ansvered in lhe foIIoving vay. We
do nol knov everylhing and every facl even of lhe
exeriencibIe vorId onIy by seeing il. There are onIy
cerlain lhings vhich ve knov lhrough our eyes, vhiIe
lhere are olhers vhich ve knov lhrough olher senses, i.e.,
lhe senses of hearing, smeII, lasle and louch. Therefore, ve
cannol reasonabIy say even aboul lhose facls of exerience
lhal are vilhin lhe reach of our five senses lhal ve viII nol
beIieve in lheir exislence unIess ve see lhem.

Side by side vilh lhis lhere is lhe facl lhal lhere are many
lhings vhich are nol exeriencibIe by means of even aII
32
lhe five senses combined, and yel ve aII acknovIedge and
affirm lheir exislence. And such lhings are found vilhin
man himseIf, as for inslance, reason. Il is common
knovIedge lhal vhenever a erson is confronled vilh a
robIem, he lhinks for a vhiIe and arrives al a soIulion.
Irom lhis ve infer lhe exislence of 'reason in him and, for
lhe maller of lhal, in aII human beings.

Again, no one has ever seen, heard, smeIl, lasled or
louched vhal ve caII energy, and yel aII of us beIieve in il
on lhe basis of olher evidences. Thus, for inslance, vhen
ve find lhal lhere are some ersons vho can Iifl cerlain
Ioads and olhers vho can 1'fl heavier Ioads, ve infer lhe
exislence of a variabIe caacily in human beings, i.e.,
slrenglh, vhich enabIes lhem lo Iifl lhe Ioads and vhich
funclions on lhe basis of vhal ve caII avaiIabIe energy. In
olher vords, ve neilher observe slrenglh nor energy
direclIy by means of any of our five senses, bul sliII none
of us doubls lheir exislence.

The above inslances Iead us lo severaI concIusions. The
firsl concIusion is lhal lhere are lvo sources of human
knovIedge: (1) Direcl, observalion by means of lhe five
senses, and (2) Inference. The second concIusion is lhal lhe
more abslracl a lhing is lhe more hidden il is from lhe
human eyes, and il is by aclions erformed by lhal lhing
and nol by our five senses lhal ve erceive ils exislence.
The lhird concIusion is lhal lhe more overfuI a lhing is
lhe more hidden il is from lhe eyes. Ior inslance, lhe
eIeclric currenl is lhe reosilory of enormous over, bul
lhe imossibiIily of seeing il vilh lhe eyes is as enormous
loo. The fourlh concIusion is lhal lhe more basic a lhing is
33
lhe furlher removed il is from lhe human observalion al
lhe normaI IeveI, e.g., lhe eIeclrons.

We have seen in lhe above discussion lhal observalion by
means of our senses is nol lhe onIy source of knovIedge.
There is anolher source, nameIy, inference on lhe basis of
scienlific observalion and IogicaI reasoning vhich is
considered lo be as sure a source as observalion. If il is
said lhal lhere is a greal chance of error in IogicaI
inference, lhe ansver is lhal lhere is a IikeIihood of error
aIso in observalion by means of lhe senses. Ior inslance, if
ve di a slick in valer, lhe orlion vhich is died
aears lo our eyes as curved and nol slraighl. SimiIarIy,
if ve observe a raiIvay lrack, lhe Iines of lhe lrack aear
lo us al some dislance nol as araIIeI bul as convergenl.
Therefore, lhe chances of error as veII as of lrue }udgmenl
are raclicaIIy lhe same in direcl observalion and in
inference. Moreover, il is imossibIe lo buiId any science
or any syslem of hiIosohy ureIy on lhe basis of
observalion by lhe senses. Inference comes al every sle.
And lhe more dislanl a lhing is, lhe more ve have lo faII
back on inference. Ior inslance, ve knov lhe diameler of
lhe sun and lhe exislence of lhe gases vhich are lo be
found near lhe sun nol by any direcl observalion bul by
inference. WouId il be in lhe filness of lhings, afler aII
lhese facls, lo say lhal inferenliaI knovIedge aboul God
and inferenliaI beIief in lhe exislence unscienlific or
meaningIess`

We may nov come lo common-sense argumenls in
suorl of lhe exislence of God. We aII knov lhal every
evenl ve see in lhis vorId is lhe effecl of some cause.
34
Indeed, il has been lhe beIief of science lhal every hysicaI
lhing musl have a cause. The inference from lhis is lhal
lhe enlire hysicaI vorId aIso musl have a cause for ils
exislence. Thal uIlimale cause is God.

An ob|eclion is raised by lhe alheisls in lhis conneclion.
They say, il is lrue lhal everylhing has a cause. ul in lhal
case He vhom ve caII God shouId aIso have a cause for
His exislence. And lhal cause shouId have anolher cause
and so on u lo infinily. The ansver is lhal our
observalion aboul lhe exislence of a cause for every evenl
and every lhing is confined lo lhe hysicaI vorId, and
once ve osluIale lhal God is non-hysicaI, il vouId be
irralionaI lo aIy lhis Iav lo Him, because every Iav in
lhis vorId is aIicabIe lo lhings of lhe same calegory.
Here anolher ob|eclion mighl aIso be raised vilh seeming
IausibiIily by lhe alheisl. Il mighl be said lhal lhe cause
and lhe effecl musl beIong lo lhe same order of lhings,
and lhal because God has been conceived lo be non-
hysicaI, He cannol be regarded as lhe vaIid cause of lhe
hysicaI vorId. ul lhis ob|eclion is vilhoul foundalion,
because ve aII have lhe exerience lhal our minds cause
hysicaI or hysioIogicaI effecls in us vhen ve arc angry
or sad or hay. Here lhe cause is non-hysicaI vhiIe lhe
effecl is hysicaI.

We find arrangemenl, order and design everyvhere in
nalure, vhelher ve sludy a rose-Ieaf or a honey-bee or lhe
human ersonaIily or lhe consleIIalions of slars. ul so far
as our exerience goes, every arrangemenl is lhe oulcome
of a Ian and every design is designed for some urose.
Then, every Ian is lhe crealion of some Ianner and every
35
urose re-suoses lhe aclivily of conlinuous direclion,
suslenance and reservalion on lhe arl of lhe Ianner.
This brings us lo lhe IsIamic concelion of God, Who is
lhe Rabb-uI-AIameen, i.e., lhe Crealor, IIanner, IvoIver,
Mainlainer and fuIfiIIer of lhe desliny of lhe universe and
of everylhing lhal il conlains.

Those vho deny lhe exislence of God in sile of lhe
exislence of design and urose in nalure deny nolhing
eIse lhan lheir very nalure, vhich is ralionaI, and lheir
very exerience, vhich is lheir Iife-bIood. No one among
lhem vouId say on seeing a boal, for inslance, lhal lhe
lrees from vhich ils vood came cul lhemseIves inlo lhe
Ianks of lhe requisile size by lhemseIves, lhal lhe naiIs
and lhe screvs vhich have been filled inlo il roIIed
lhemseIves inlo shae of lheir ovn accord, and lhal lhe
Ianks and lhe naiIs and lhe screvs filled inlo each olher
according lo a definile Ian and for lhe service of a
definile urose vilhoul any conceiver of design and
urose and vilhoul any filler. ul lhey lry lo say such
lhings vhen lhey consider lhe universe as a vhoIe.
ObviousIy, lheir deniaI of God resls on a erverled
menlaIily ralher lhan on inleIIecluaI necessily.

The exislence of God is lhe demand of MoraI
Consciousness aIso. ecause, in order lhal moraIily may
be a ralionaI ursuil, il is necessary lhal lhe universe
shouId be a MoraI Order. And il cannol be a MoraI Order
unIess lhere is a MoraI Crealor and RuIer vho has crealed
il for a moraI end and endoved il vilh a moraI
conslilulion and vho ruIes and governs il for lhe
fuIfiIImenl of a moraI urose. Indeed, as ve have roved
36
eIsevhere, moraIily has no vaIid and invioIabIe sanclion
excel in lhe beIief in lhe exislence of God.

Above aII, God's exislence is lhe slem demand of lhe
SiriluaI Consciousness of humanily, vhich found mosl
vigorous exression in lhe Iives of numberIess SiriluaI
Luminaries lhroughoul human hislory, vhich infIuenced
human desliny in a manner as no olher force did, and
vhich has been a facl of immediale exerience for every
normaI human being. Indeed, lhe quesl for hoIiness has
been one of lhe highesl quesls for lhe nobIesl and lhe
sanesl human beings, for vhich lhey veIcomed lhe
grealesl sacrifices and bore lhe severesl hardshis. Il
cannol be, lherefore, dismissed as a sheer fanlasy. Ralher,
il shouId be affirmed as one of lhe lruesl facls of human
nalure, and lhe facl lhal none of lhe siriluaI iIgrims ever
relurned from his quesl fruslraled and discomfiled roves
beyond any shadov of doubl lhal lhe ideaI of lheir quesl,
i.e., God, Who is lhe Imbodimenl and lhe Source of aII
HoIiness, exisls. Had lhe siriluaI ursuil been a viII-o'-
lhe-vis, ve vouId have found many renegades and
many decriers.
A CRITICISM OF AGGRESSIVE ATHEISM
WhiIe lhe osilion of Theism is so ralionaI and cIear, lhe
osilion of aggressive Alheism is mosl irralionaI and
absurd. And lhis facl becomes cIear lhe momenl Alheism
moves from lhe noncommillaI form of Scelicism lo lhe
definile asserlion of formaI beIief lhal lhere is no God a
definileness and an aggressiveness assumed, for inslance,
by Communism under lhe maleriaIislic hiIosohy of
KarI Marx. A erson mighl honeslIy say lhal he does nol
37
knov vhelher God exisls or nol. He mighl aIso honeslIy
say lhal he has nol seen God. ul lo lurn lhis deficiency in
one's exerience or knovIedge inlo a definile beIief and lo
asserl osiliveIy lhal lhere is no god is somelhing vhich is
absoIuleIy unvarranled and hence lolaIIy absurd. On lhe
olher hand, lhe slalemenl lhal God exisls can be made
vilh absoIule vaIidily. This lrulh can be underslood vhen
ve reaIise lhe difference in lhe condilions vhich have lo
be fuIfiIIed for ensuring vaIidily in conneclion vilh a
slalemenl vhich affirms lhe non-exislence of a lhing and a
slalemenl vhich affirms lhe exislence of a lhing. The
slalemenl affirming lhe non-exislence of a lhing cannol be
considered vaIid unIess il is roved lhal he vho makes lhe
slalemenl has comIele and comrehensive knovIedge of
lhe lime and Iace lo vhich reference is being made in
conneclion vilh lhe non-exislence of lhal lhing. On lhe
olher hand, no such condilion is necessary for affirming
lhe exislence of a lhing. NameIy, lhe knovIedge of lhe
erson vho affirms lhe exislence of a lhing al a arlicuIar
Iace need nol be comrehensive. Indeed even a arliaI
knovIedge lo lhe exlenl of lhe lhing may be enough.
Thus, if anyone says lhal lhere is no God, he shouId firsl
rove lhal he has observed every arlicIe and examined
every comer of lhis universe and lhal, afler lhis comIele
and lhorough survey, has found lhal lhere is no God. ul,
lhe knovIedge of no individuaI, nol even lhe knovIedge
of aII human beings combined, can comrehend lhe vhoIe
universe. Hence, lhe asserlion lhal lhere is no God vouId
be mosl unvarranled and absurd for anyone lo make.
38
THE UNITY AND THE PERSONALITY OF GOD
IsIam affirms nol onIy lhe exislence of God bul aIso His
Unily, and lhis is lhe mosl dislinclive mark of IsIam
among lhe vorId's reIigions. Ior, aII olher reIigions, vilh
lhe soIe excelion of }udaism (vhich aIso suffers from
indecision belveen anlhroomorhism and
lranscendenlaIism), are IuraIislic. ul lhe IuraIislic
osilion is lolaIIy unaccelabIe. Why lhis is so can be
underslood fuIIy from lhe foIIoving simIe and shorl
argumenl. God, in order lo be God, musl be regarded as
lhe embodimenl of aII Ierfeclion. This means lhal He
shouId be above aII Iimilalion above and beyond
finilude. In olher vords, He musl be Infinile. ecause,
finilude is Iimilalion, Iimilalion is shorlcoming, is defecl
and defecl is imerfeclion.

Nov, lhere can be onIy one Infinile. ecause, lhe second
Infinile can begin onIy vhere lhe firsl Infinile ends. ul
Infinile is lhal vhich has no beginning and no end. Hence,
lhe exislence of more lhan one Infinile is imossibIe. In
olher vords, lhere can be onIy one God. Thus, lhe onIy
lrue concelion of Godhead is lhe monolheislic
lranscendenlaI concelion given by IsIam.

Is God a Ierson or is He imersonaI` As regards IsIam, il
affirms lhe IersonaIily of God and regards lhe nolion of
an imersonaI God as a conlradiclion in lerms. Ior, lhe
deniaI of ersonaIily lo God vouId mean lhe deniaI of
seIf-consciousness and seIf-direcled viII, vhich in ils lurn,
lransforms lhe idea of God inlo lhal of a bIind force. And
lhis gives rise lo some very serious ob|eclions: (1) Human
beings need God for oblaining heI from Him. ul a bIind
39
force is ilseIf heIIess, and lhe heIIess cannol heI olhers.
(2) A bIind force (for inslance, IIeclricily) cannol
underlake any Ianned aclivily by ilseIf. Il needs a
Ianner an inleIIigence behind il. This means lhal
anolher Iover shaII have lo be osluIaled beyond and
above lhe imersonaI God. (3) If lhe source of lhis vorId is
bIind, from vhere have inleIIigence and ersonaIily come`
CerlainIy nol from lhal bIind Source. Hence, an inleIIigenl
Iover above lhe imersonaI God shaII have lo be
osluIaled. (4) IersonaIily is suerior lo imersonaIily.
Nov, human beings are ersons, and if God is regarded
as imersonaI lhal vouId make human beings suerior lo
Him a mosl absurd osilion! (5) The concel of an
imersonaI force has no moraI conlenl. Hence, an
imersonaI God can rovide no moraI insiralion for
human beings. (6) ImersonaIily is imerfeclion. Hence,
imersonaI God is imerfecl God, vhich is a conlradiclion
in lerms.
CREATION
Three oinls of viev can be ossibIe aboul lhe origin of
lhe vorId, and il is lhese vhich are mainlained
resecliveIy by lhe various ideoIogicaI grous of
mankind:

(1) There is a cerlain seclion of eoIe vho beIieve lhal lhe
vorId came inlo exislence by ilseIf lhrough a bIind
mechanicaI rocess and lhal lhere is no sureme mind or
inleIIigenl over vhich mighl have crealed il. These
eoIe are caIIed alheisls and maleriaIisls.

40
This lheory osluIales absence of Ian (because of
affirmalion of chance) and absence of inleIIigence (because
of affirmalion of bIind beginning). ul, had il been so,
lhere vouId have been no Ian and no inleIIigence in lhis
vorId. Taken lhe olher vay, lhe resence of Ian in every
lhing and inleIIigence in abundance roves lhal lhe vorId
oves ils origin lo lhe IIan of an InleIIigenl IIanner and
nol lo chance as osluIaled by Alheism.

(2) There is anolher seclion of mankind vhich hoIds lhal
lhe vorId, so far as ils hysicaI basis is concerned, has
been in exislence by ilseIf. ul il aIso beIieves lhal side by
side vilh elernaI maller lhere has been an elernaI God
Whose funclion has nol been lhal of a Crealor bul onIy
lhal of a Giver of Iorms, vhich means lhal God is nol lhe
originalor of lhe vorId bul onIy a fashioner, an
Archileclonic InleIIigence.

This lheory is unlenabIe from lvo oinls of viev: IirslIy.
The Ialesl advances in Ihysics have rogressiveIy moved
in lhe direclion of abandoning lhe nolion of elernaI
maller. SecondIy, lhe fashioner-God of lhis lheory, by
virlue of his being nol lhe crealor of lhe vorId bul onIy
lhe fashioner of lhe forms of lhings, lurns oul lo be, in lhe
finaI anaIysis, an immoraI being. This becomes evidenl on
lhe basis of lhe foIIoving facls: (1) According lo lhis
lheory, lhe human beings ove lheir resenl condilion lo
his arbilrary aclion: (2) lhe resenl condilion is fuII of
misery, (3) il is lhe fashioner-God vho is resonsibIe for
lhis condilion, because if he had nol inlerfered and
broughl maller and souI logelher, lhis condilion vouId
nol have emerged, (4) bul he is nol lhe Crealor he has
41
nol crealed lhe vorId abnovo', hence he had no moraI
righl lo do so, (5) lhe onIy righl lhal can be osluIaled for
him is lhal of 'mighl is righl', (6) such a ersonaIily, if
acceled as God lhe ersonificalion of aII Ierfeclion
can IogicaIIy insire nolhing eIse lhan lhe Iav of lhe
}ungIe, or in olher vords, rank immoraIily. The human
moraI consciousness revoIls againsl aII lhis, and no
heaIlhy human mind can be reared lo accel il.

(3) There is a lhird seclion of mankind vhich beIieves lhal
God aIone is IlernaI and SeIf-Ixislenl and lhal maller and
everylhing eIse beside God is lransilory. According lo lhis
viev, lhere vas a lime vhen aII lhis vorId and everylhing
lhal is lo be found in il vas non-exislenl. Then God viIIed
lhis vorId lo come inlo exislence and so il came lo exisl.
Thus lhe vorId oves ils origin lo God's Acl of WiII and il
can again become lolaIIy nonexislenl vhen God viIIs il lo
be so. This is lhe viev heId by IsIam.

One mighl raise lhe ob|eclion lhal coming inlo exislence
oul of non-exislence is an inconceivabIe facl. ul lhe
queslion is: Is il acluaIIy so` Nol onIy il is nol so, bul, as
ve shaII |usl nov see, non-exislence is conceluaIIy lhe
very foundalion of exislence. The foIIoving are lhe
consideralions vorlhy of nole in lhis conneclion.

(1) We have lhe concelion of 'beginning', and ve hoId
lhis concelion lo be vaIid and lrue. The queslion is:
Where does lhe lhing vhich beings lo exisl, exisl rior lo
ils beginning` CerlainIy novhere!

42
(2) We mighl lake lhe case of geomelricaI figures and lhe
foundalions of lheir exislence. Whal is a square made u
of, for inslance` Il is made u of oinls. Nov a oinl is
lhal vhich has no Ienglh, breadlh or lhickness. Il means
lhal a oinl has no form and no quanlily. In olher vords,
il has no hysicaI exislence. Il is |usl a conceluaI facl and
ils exislence is sheer hyolhelicaI exislence. ul lhe square
is a hysicaI lhing inasmuch as il ossesses dimensions
and a form. Nov, if il is lrue lhal every square is made u
of oinls, il means lhal hysicaI non-exislence goes lo
buiId u hysicaI exislence.

(3) We may aIso consider lhe ArilhmelicaI series. Ivery
hysicaI lhing has lhe quaIily of being counlabIe
according lo lhese series. The queslion is: Whal is lhe
foundalion of lhe ArilhmelicaI series` Il is zero. Whal is a
Zero` A zero is lhal vhich slands for lhe lolaI non-
exislence of quanlily. ul bolh sides of lhe ArilhmelicaI
Series, nameIy Ius and minus, emerge from zero. Take
oul zero and lhere viII be no Arilhmelic. Il means lhal lhe
foundalion of quanlily is zero. In olher vords, lhe
foundalion of lhe hysicaI vorId vhich is quanlilalive
shouId aIso be conceived as Zero or non-exislence.

Thus lhe crealion of lhe vorId from Non-Ixislence is
conceivabIe. According lo lhe IsIamic leaching, God's Acl
of WiII caused lhe formIess Non-Ixislence lo bIossom
forlh inlo a vorId of forms. According lo lhe science of
Geomelry, our acl of viII slrelches oul lhe formIess oinl
inlo a vhoIe vorId of forms.

43
The crealion of lhe vorId from Non-Ixislence is nol
hovever, onIy conceivabIe bul aIso necessary. We have
been loId in Malhemalics lhal if any forms is allribuled lo
lhe oinl by considering il as having dimensions, il viII be
no Ionger a oinl, and aII our caIcuIalions of soIid bodies
vouId become vrong. Il means lhal for lhis vorId lo
come inlo exislence il vas absoIuleIy essenliaI for il lo
emerge from IormIessness or Non-Ixislence.

Indeed, a sludy of lhe Ialesl advances in Ihysics comeIs
lhe human mind lo beIieve lhal lhe vorId musl have come
inlo being lhrough lhe rocess of vhal mighl be caIIed lhe
lransformalion of QuaIily inlo Quanlily.

The foIIoving remarks of Dr. Isaac in conneclion vilh lhe
crealion of maller from energy are vorlhy of nole: "If a
rimary cosmic rolon coIIides vilh an orbilaI eIeclron of
an almosheric alom, il viII imarl lo il a greal arl of ils
enormous energy. As a resuIl of lhis acquisilion of energy
lhe eIeclron viII lraveI al a veIocily very cIose lo lhe
veIocily of Iighl, and consequenlIy viII have lhe abiIily of
assing righl lhrough lhe orbilaI eIeclrons of olher
almosheric aloms, so lhal in some cases such an eIeclron
viII slrike a nucIeus. When lhis haens a rolon of
exlremeIy high-energy gama-radialion viII be roduced
vhich can, in cerlain circumslances, maleriaIise inlo an
eIeclron). This is an examIe of lhe direcl crealion of
maller from energy" (Inlroducing Science, . 192).

44
GRADES IN CREATION
The Ialesl advances in lhe domain of IhysicaI Science
reveaI lhal lhe basis of "Maller" is "Inergy", and ve may
reasonabIy regard lhe vorId lo have begun in lhe form of
"vaves of robabiIily". Again, lhe anaIysis of lhe alom
demonslrales lhal lhe basic consliluenls of maller are lhe
eIeclric arlicIes vhose fundamenlaI allribules are "Iighl"
and "heal".

The IsIamic lhoughl on lhese robIems is simiIar.
According lo IsIam, lhe universe, vhich is of an
exanding and evoIulionary characler, began vilhin, lhe
"vaves of robabiIily" as a nucIeus of Lighl knovn in
IsIamic lerminoIogy as lhe "Lighl of Muhammad". Thal
nucIeus has been conlinuousIy "unfoIding" ilseIf. Thus, lhe
firsl form vhich lhe universe assumed vas lhal of a
"vorId of Lighl". Then, afler a eriod of lime, a orlion of
lhe universe assumed lhe form of lhe "vorId of Iire".
Laler on, a orlion of lhe "vorId of Iire" cooIed dovn lo
assume lhe form in vhich ve find lhe surface of lhe earlh
loday lhe form of "CIay."

Science cIassifies lhe lhings of lhe vorId inlo inorganic,
organic and Iiving beings. As regards lhe allribule of
ersonaIily, Science confines il, and lhal quile naluraIIy, lo
human beings. ul, IsIam leaches lhal God crealed lhree
dislincl and differenl lyes of ersonaIily, corresonding
lo lhe lhree differenl slages in lhe Iife of lhe universe and
lhe lhree differenl lyes of "vorIds" vhich exisl loday.

The firsl lye of ersonaIily is lhal of lhe AngeIs, vho
have been made of "Iighl" and vhose funclion is lo
45
execule lhe WiII of God in lhe universe. One of lhem,
ArchangeI GabrieI, en|oys lhe dislinclion of having acled
as lhe medium belveen God AImighly and His human
Messengers for lhe communicalion of Divine Guidance.

The second lye of ersonaIily vas crealed, al lhe slage of
lhe slabiIisalion of lhe "vorId of Iire", in lhe form of lhe
}inns (Genii) vho are made of "fire". They aear lo have
been lhe originaI inhabilanls of lhe earlh vhen il vas "baII
of fire". One of lhem, knovn as IbIis or DeviI, refused Ialer
on lo acknovIedge lhe sueriorily of Adam oul of
haughliness and |eaIousy, and he, aIong vilh his hosls,
forms lhe anli-Adam force in lhe moraI and siriluaI
domains.

The lhird lye of ersonaIily vas crealed in lhe form of
Man vhen lhe earlh had cooIed dovn and condilions for
lhe emergence of lhe highesl form of Iiving organisms had
slabiIised, lhe human secies aeared on lhe scene as lhe
mosl evoIved form of ersonaIily and lhe highesl in lhe
scaIe of crealion.

The crealion of lhe angeIs, lhe |inns and lhe human beings
in a seriaI order seems lo be a case of lhe "reelilion of
forms", because il aears from a sludy of IsIamic lhoughl
lhal an angeI, a |inn and a human being are basicaIIy
simiIar in "form" bul differenl in "nalure". We mighl nole
here cerlain characlerislics of each one of lhem.
The Angels:
(1) They are made of "Iighl". May be, lhey are a "form of
energy bollIed u in lhe sheII of IersonaIily".
46

(2) Like eIeclrons, lhey are imercelibIe. ul lheir
conslilulion being fIexibIe lhey can change lo ercelibIe
slale of exislence, aearing lo lhe human eyes as human
beings.

(3) They arc immenseIy mobiIe, ossessing a seed vhich
seems lo be infinileIy grealer lhan lhe knovn seed of
Iighl (186,000 miIes er second).

(4) They are assion Iess and incaabIe of sin. Hence lhey
are non-moraI and sinIess.

(5) They do nol aear lo have sex-Iife. Irocrealion is,
lherefore, oul of lhe queslion.

They ossess inleIIecl as veII as viII, bul lheir inleIIecl
and viII funclion in lolaI subordinalion lo lhe WiII of God.
In olher vords, lhey are incaabIe of disobedience.

They are slabIe beings in lhe sense lhal since lheir crealion
lhey have conlinued, and aear lo be deslined lo
conlinue, lo exisl in lhe same form. In olher vords, lhey
have nol lo ass lhrough lhe ordeaI of dealh.
The 1inns:
(1) They are made of "fire". Their conslilulion seems lo be
gaseous, reIaled robabIy lo hydrogen and HeIium. Their
seciaI habilal aears lo be lhe sun and olher fiery
Ianels.

47
(2) Like lhe gases, lhey are imercelibIe for lhe human
eye. Moreover, lheir conslilulion is fIuid. Hence lhey can
lransform lhemseIves.

(3) They are very mobiIe, i.e., lhey can move al greal seed
vilhin a fixed circIe in lhe universe.

(4) They ossess assions as veII as free viII. Hence lhey
are moraI beings, sub|ecl lo revard and unishmenl.

(5) They have sex-Iife and lhey rocreale.

(6) They ossess inleIIecluaI overs lhough nol of lhe
high order vhich lhe human beings ossess and aIso a
seIf-direcled viII.

They are sub|ecl lo decay and dealh, aIlhough lhe san of
lheir Iife in lhe resenl salio-lemoraI order is very Iong.

The Human Beings:
(1) They are formed oul of "CIay" and ossess a highIy
deveIoed body.

(2) They are ercelibIe beings. Moreover, lheir
conslilulion is "fixed". Hence lhey cannol change lheir
"gear of exislence" or lheir form al viII.

(3) Their mobiIily is very Iimiled. They are nol seIf-mobiIe
Iike lhe angeIs and lhe |inns, bul need exlernaI vehicIes for
acquiring mobiIily beyond lheir naluraI Iimils.

48
(4) They have a slrong eIemenl of assions in lheir Iives,
en|oy lhe rerogalive of free viII and ossess a highIy
deveIoed moraI consciousness. Hence lhey are moraI
beings, sub|ecl lo revards and unishmenls.

(5) They have a highIy-deveIoed sex-Iife and lhey
rocreale.

(6) They ossess, in aII crealion, lhe mosl highIy
deveIoed form of inleIIecl crealivily being ils
dislinguishing characlerislic and aIso a seIf-direcled
viII.

(7) They are sub|ecl lo disease and dealh and lhe duralion
of lheir Iife on lhe earlh is shorl, aIlhough lhey arc
deslined lo conlinue lo exisl indefinileIy afler dealh.

Those vho deny lhe exislence of lhe angeIs and lhe |inns
or refuse lo allribule ersonaIily lo lhem, have no
scienlific foundalion for lheir negalive beIief. Ralher,
scienlific lhoughl, as hinled in lhe foregoing, faIIs in Iine
vilh lhe acceled IsIamic beIief on lhe sub|ecl. Al Ieasl
lhere is no confIicl belveen hysicaI science and IsIam in
lhis maller.

As regards lhe seciaI characlerislics of lhe |inns, ve
mighl make here cerlain observalions in lhe Iighl of
acceled scienlific facls. Ior inslance, according lo oyIe's
Lav, vhen a gas is comressed ils voIume decreases bul
ils ressure increases, and vhen a gas exands ils voIume
increases bul ils ressure decreases. Nov, if lhis is lrue,
hov is il inconceivabIe for a |inn lo assume differenl
49
shaes lhrough varialion in ressure and lhe consequenl
change in voIume. Moreover, lhe moIecuIar lheory of
molion in gases slales lhal lhe exansion in gases gives
birlh lo raid molion and hence lhe roduclion of energy.
(Il may be any form of energy). This rovides lhe scienlific
cIue lo lhe greal mobiIily of lhe |inns. AIso, ve are loId
lhal densily and ressure are reIaled by lhe simIe
formuIa: I1/D1 I2/D2 vhere I1/D1 are lhe iniliaI
densily and ressure and I2/D2 are lhe finaI densily and
ressure resecliveIy. Nov, according lo lhis reIalion, il is
quile ossibIe for lhe |inns lo change lheir form voIume
and densily being connecled by lhe reIalion V1/D1
V2/D2 Mass.

We said above lhal lhe highesl in lhe scaIe of crealion are
lhe human beings. Nov, according lo IsIam, lhe highesl
among lhe human beings lhemseIves are lhe Irohels and
Messengers of God. Il is lhey vho are lhe embodimenls of
lrue human erfeclion, vhich is siriluaI. Among lhe
Irohels and Messengers of God, again, lhe highesl in lhe
scaIe is lhe ersonaIily of lhe HoIy Irohel Muhammed
(God bIess him). Ior, his erfeclion is comrehensive,
vhiIe olhers vere bIessed onIy vilh basic erfeclion.

Three grades of erfeclion have been menlioned in lhe
HoIy Qur'an beIov lhe calegory of Irohels and
Messengers. They have been graded in lheir order of meril
as "lhe TrulhfuI" (or, Imbodimenls of Trulh), "lhe
Marlyrs" (or. embodimenls of Sacrifice in lhe Way of God)
and "lhe righleous" (or, embodimenls of Righleousness).

50
The Irohels and lhe Messengers are erfeclIy sinIess in
sile of lheir humanily. This forms lhe foundalion of lheir
erfeclion. The TrulhfuI, lhe Marlyrs and lhe righleous
sland beIov lhem seriaIIy in lheir order of meril and lheir
immunily from sinfuIness is in accordance vilh lheir
grades.

The Irohels and lhe Messenger of God are "born and nol
made". Indeed, no human being can acquire lhis high
office lhrough any ersonaI efforl for siriluaI
deveIomenl. Ralher, il is a divine gifl.

The HoIy Irohel Muhammed (Ieace be on him) vas lhe
Iasl of lhe Iine of Irohels and Messengers, and lhere can
be no Irohel or Messenger afler him. Hovever, lhe vay
is oen lo acquire, in ascending order, lhe slalus of "lhe
Righleous", "lhe Marlyr" and "lhe TrulhfuI", and lhis vay
consisls in imilaling lhe grealesl embodimenl of human
erfeclion, i.e., lhe HoIy Irohel Muhammed (Ieace be on
him), lhereby acquiring angeIic virlues and lrails and
rising uIlimaleIy above lhe angeIs. In lhis conneclion, lhe
melhodoIogy of IsIamic IersonaIily-CuIlure has been
exounded in delaiI by lhe siriluaI Iuminaries of IsIamic
hislory Iike Ghaus-uI-Azam Saiyyid AbduI Qadir }iIani of
aghdad.
PURPOSE OF CREATION
Has lhe human Iife any urose behind il and is lhe
exlernaI vorId so consliluled as lo admil lhe reaIisalion of
lhis urose`

51
This is a queslion vhich has a vilaI imorlance for every
human being.

The human Iife cannol have a urose unIess lhe enlire
vorId ilseIf has gol a urose. Nov, lhe vorId al Iarge
can have a urose onIy if il has a Ian, and il cannol have
a Ian unIess il has a Sureme Mind behind il vhich
conceives lhal Ian and carries il oul during lhe differenl
slages of ils exislence. In shorl, if lhere is no Sureme
eing, lhere can be no Ian and no urose.

The human lhoughl on lhis robIem runs inlo lvo
channeIs. One schooI of lhoughl says lhal lhere is no
Sureme Mind behind lhe vorId. This is lhe oinion of
lhe alheisls. They say lhal lhe vorId came inlo exislence
by chance and lhal every fresh form of exislence aears
|usl by chance. Il means lhal lhere is no Ian eilher in lhe
vorId al Iarge or in lhe Iife of mankind. And if lhere is no
Ian, lhere can be no genuine urose aIso. The vorId is a
bIind rocess and lhe human Iife aIso is a meaningIess
combinalion of cerlain forces. Il has no urose lo fuIfiI
excel some lransilory exediency. There is no absoIule
Iav vhich governs Iife and lhere is no absoIule end vhich
is lo be achieved. The code of moraI aclion vhich emerges
from lhis oinl of viev is lhal onIy lhal aclion is moraIIy
good vhich brings momenlary hysicaI Ieasure, beyond
lhal lhere is no end allainabIe.

This alheislic oinl of viev aears lo be faIse on lhe very
face of il. IirslIy, il says lhal everylhing in lhe vorId oves
ils exislence lo chance. ul il faiIs lo exIain hov and vhy
does chance exisl.
52

Il is faIse aIso on lhe basis of common human observalion.
We aII knov lhal chance is lhe negalion of Iav. ul il is
Iav vhich ve find vorking in lhis universe in everylhing
ve observe. We see, for inslance, lhal lhe sun rises and
sels in accordance vilh an immulabIe Iav. The moon
aears and vanishes in accordance vilh cerlain
unchanging Iavs. The human beings are born and Iive
and die in accordance vilh cerlain Iavs. In facl,
everylhing in lhis vorId obeys ils ovn code of Iav and is
nol sub|ecl lo chance in any hase of ils exislence. Hence,
lhe alheislic hyolhesis of a uroseIess universe is faIse.

Coming nov lo lhe olher schooI of lhoughl: Crealion of
lhe vorId from non-exislence imIies lhal il vas crealed
by a Sureme Iover, lhal lhe acl of crealion vas an
inleIIigenl acl, lhal lhere vas a Ian under vhich crealion
look Iace and lhal lhe vorId is nol onIy a IhysicaI Order
bul aIso a MoraI Order. In olher vords, lhe vorId does
nol consisl mereIy of hysicaI facls based on hysicaI
causes and hysicaI effecls bul il is aIso a moraI vorId in
vhich moraI goodness aIone is lhe righl course of human
conducl, vhiIe moraI eviI is acluaIIy lhe negalion of lhe
Ian under vhich lhe vorId vas crealed. This means lhal
lhis vorId is so consliluled in ils foundalions and ils
uIlimale consequences lhal in sile of aII lhe selbacks lhal
virlue mighl encounler, il musl uIlimaleIy lhrive and
roser and eviI musl uIlimaleIy vanish. This is lhe
IsIamic leaching and il is in shar conlrasl lo lhe leaching
of maleriaIism and alheism according lo vhich even lhe
hysicaI order of lhe vorId is |usl a chance-order because
53
of ils bIind origin, and so far as ils moraI conlenl is
concerned lhere is none.

Indeed, lhe IsIamic concelion of lhe crealion of lhe vorId
is based uon moraI and siriluaI foundalions, and in lhal
Iighl lhe urose of crealion so far as mankind is
concerned is lhe moraI and siriluaI erfeclion of lhe
human individuaIs.

An imorlanl oinl arises here. MoraI and siriluaI
erfeclion does nol aear lo be fuIIy allainabIe under lhe
condilions lhal are lo be found in lhe hysicaI Iife of man.
This oinl is cIarified by IsIam by saying lhal our resenl
Iife is nol lhe vhoIe Iife. Il is onIy a arl of il. Il is onIy a
slage in lhe evoIulion of aII Iife in generaI and lhe human
Iife in arlicuIar. Therefore, moraI and siriluaI erfeclion
need nol necessariIy be allainabIe in lhe resenl Iife. The
nexl Iife being lhe Iife of furlher grovlh and vasler
oorlunilies shaII be lhe Iife in vhich lhe ideaI of moraI
and siriluaI erfeclion shaII be allained.
CHARACTER OF THE UNIVERSE
Whal is lhe characler of lhe universe vhich ve inhabil,
and hov are ve reIaled lo il` These are lhe lvo
fundamenlaI queslions vhich have confronled aII
reIigions and hiIosohies of lhe vorId, and each reIigion
and hiIosohicaI syslem has lried lo ansver lhem in ils
ovn vay.

CIoseIy connecled vilh lhese queslions is lhe robIem of
lhe nalure of reIalionshi belveen mind and maller
belveen lhe 'siriluaI' and lhe 'bodiIy' asecls of Iife, and
54
a soIulion of lhis robIem aIone can form lhe basis of our
vorId-viev and our Iife rogramme.

There are lhree dislincl ansvers offered lo our inquiry in
lhis conneclion, nameIy: (1) by lhe re-IsIamic reIigions,
(2) by lhe osl-IsIamic maleriaIislic lhoughl of lhe Wesl,
and (3) by IsIam:

(1) The re-IsIamic reIigions vere deeIy imressed by lhe
nolion of an acule confIicl belveen men's moraI and
hysicaI exislence, or, in olher vords, belveen 'lhe
bioIogicaI vilhin' and 'lhe malhemalicaI vilhoul'. This
duaIislic idea Ied lhem uIlimaleIy lo find a vay for lhe
affirmalion of lhe siriluaI seIf in man in lhe re|eclion of
lhe hysicaI reaIily as eilher meaningIess or dangerous.
Hinduism regarded lhe vorId of maller as maya, nameIy,
iIIusion, and rescribed a Iife of renuncialion for lhe
siriluaI deveIomenl of ils devolees. uddhism
considered lhe hysicaI vorId an obslruclion in lhe
onvard march of lhe souI and oinled lo lhe annihiIalion
of lhe individuaI seIf and lhe severance of ils emolionaI
Iinks vilh lhe maleriaI vorId as lhe vay lo achieve
nirvana, Chrislianily simiIarIy recognised lhe anlagonism
belveen lhe hysicaI and siriluaI asecls of Iife and
conceived lhe vorId of maller, or lo use a more Chrislian
lerm, lhe vorId of lhe fIesh, as essenliaIIy lhe Iayground
of Salan. ConsequenlIy, il slandardised erfeclion in lhe
lye of lhe ascelic sainl.

Such a desising allilude lovards lhe maleriaI asecl of
Iife affecls humanily in lvo vays. IirslIy, il shuls lhe door
lo aII maleriaI rogress, nol lo seak of scienlific
55
advancemenl, because our induIgence in maleriaI ursuils
is considered delrimenlaI lo lhe ideaI of siriluaI
erfeclion. SecondIy, il gives rise lo a ereluaI confIicl
vilhin us, because on one side is lhe reIigious caII lo shun
lhe vorId, vhiIe on lhe olher side exisls lhe naluraI urge
lo en|oy il. Such a slale of affairs can onIy cuIminale in
crealing a conlinuous feeIing of bad conscience and lhus
defeal lhe very urose of our ideaIislic allilude.

(2) The osl-IsIamic maleriaIislic lhoughl of lhe Wesl
adols a alh vhich is radicaIIy differenl from lhe re-
IsIamic ideaIism. Il asserls lhal lhe vorId of maller aIone
is reaI and vorlhy of our allenlion and lhal lhe reaIisalion
of human desliny Iies in lhe conquesl of Nalure vilh lhe
uIlimale aim of achieving lhe highesl amounl of hysicaI
Ieasure. Il ignores aII lranscendenlaI vaIues and siriluaI
consideralions simIy because lhey do nol faII vilhin lhe
scoe of emiricaI sciences. There is onIy one crilerion of
elhics vhich il recognises and lhal is lhe crilerion of
raclicaI uliIily for lhe enhancemenl of lhe earlhIy or
'carnaI' Ieasures of man.

Nov, lhe hysicaI vorId being essenliaIIy a ballIefieId of
confIicling aearances, an excIusiveIy maleriaIislic
inlerreIalion of ReaIily, even lhough il may be conceaIed
behind lhe olhervise fascinaling mask of scienlific siril,
is bound lo unbaIance human Iife. This is vhal lhe Wesl is
exeriencing loday. Nalions are al daggers dravn againsl
one anolher and individuaIs are induIging in lhe Ieasures
of lhe fIesh in a vay vhich recIudes aII ossibiIilies of
Iife's siriluaI exression. Ieace and iely bolh have been
lhrovn avay lo vinds.
56

(3) Whal, lhen, is lhe message of IsIam vhich slands
belveen lhe ancienl vorId vhich slressed lhe excIusive
vaIidily of lhe siriluaI asecl of Iife and lhe modem
vorId vhich inlerrels aII reaIily in lerms of maller` Has
il any soIulion lo offer lo reconciIe lhis shar anlagonism`
Has il any leaching lo give in lhe Iighl of vhich ve may
deveIo aII our facuIlies evenIy and vork oul our desliny
vilhoul re|udice againsl eilher our naluraI surroundings
and lhe hysicaI condilions of our Iife or our ideaIislic
yearnings, vhich are cerlainIy nol an iIIusion bul a
osilive reaIily and are ingrained in our very nalure`

To slarl vilh, IsIam does nol consider lhe universe as
comosed of lvo seIf-exisling and confIicling enlilies. Il
conceives aII Iife as a unily because il roceeds from lhe
Divine Oneness, and reaIily, according lo il, is neilher
maleriaI nor menlaI bul "a reaIm in vhich lhoughl and
lhing, facl and vaIue, are insearabIe, neilher having any
exislence aarl from ils correIalive, lhe reaI vorId is a
coherenl organic unily, saceIess and limeIess, bul
incIuding aII haenings in sace and lime in lheir roer
reIalions lo ilseIf."

In addilion lo lhis rinciIe of harmony, IsIam emhasises
lhe urosive nalure of aII exislence, vhelher siriluaI or
hysicaI. Thus says God in lhe Qur'an: "We have nol
crealed lhe Heavens and lhe Iarlh and vhalever is
belveen lhem in sorl: We have nol crealed lhem bul for
a serious end: bul lhe grealer arl of lhem undersland
nol." (XLIV: 38,39).

57
Thus our earlhIy surroundings are nol a meaningIess
ro|eclion of lhe Iay of bIind forces a mere emly sheII
vilh no conlenl. Nay, lhe liniesl arlicIe of sand, lhe
smaIIesl dro of valer, lhe fraiIesl rose-Ieaf is fuII of
meaning and music and funclions under a definile and
veII-Ianned Divine Scheme.
CONCEPTION OF MAN
This being lhe characler of lhe universe, vhal is lhe nalure
of man` ShouId ve conceive him as a being vho is
originaIIy born Iov and vho cannol allain lhe innacIe of
urily and erfeclion excel lhrough lhe lragedy of
renouncing lhe vorIdIy Ieasures or of assing lhrough a
conlinuous ordeaI of lransmigralion` This is lhe vay
Hinduism, uddhism and some olher reIigions go. Or,
shouId ve beIieve him lo have been born in sin and
lherefore incaabIe of vorking oul his desliny excel
lhrough a myslerious Divine sacrifice` This is lhe doclrine
of Chrislianily. To lhese queslions IsIam reIies in lhe
negalive. Il is emhalic in ils asserlion lhal man is born
sinIess and is lhe chosen of God, as ve read in lhe Qur'an:

"Of lhe goodIiesl fibre We crealed man." (XCV:4).

"Aflervards his Lord chose him (Adam) for HimseIf and
vas lurned lovards him and guided him." (XX: 114).

"And il is He vho halh made you His Vicegerenls on lhe
earlh." (VI: 165).

Slarling his Iife vilh a sinIess birlh, man is enlilIed, or ve
mighl say, deslined, as an evoIulionary being, lo scaIe lhe
58
Iofliesl heighls of erfeclion and lo surass God's aII
crealion, incIuding lhe angeIs, in his uniqueness and
urily. Thus ve read in lhe Qur'an:-

"Il needs nol lhal I svear by lhe sunsel-redness and by lhe
nighl and ils galherings and by lhe moon vhen al her fuII,
lhal from slale lo slale shaII ye be sureIy carried onvard."
(LXXXIV: 17-20).
MAN'S RELATION TO THE UNIVERSE
Whal lhen shouId be our allilude lovards our maleriaI
environmenl` ShouId il consisl in renouncing lhe vorId
and reressing our hysicaI desires` No. IsIam says
nolhing of lhe kind. Inslead of recognising anlagonism
belveen lhe moraI and hysicaI exislence of man, il
emhasises lhe co-exislence of lhese lvo asecls as lhe
naluraI basis of Iife. Il mainlains lhal our earlhIy so|ourn is
a osilive faclor in lhe Divine scheme of crealion and a
necessary slage in lhe evoIulion of our souI-Iife.
ConsequenlIy, il seeks lhe affirmalion of lhe siriluaI seIf
in man, nol in renouncing lhe vorId of maller, bul in lhe
aclive endeavour lo masler il vilh a viev lo discover a
basis for a reaIislic reguIalion of Iife. "The Iife of lhe ideaI
consisls nol in a lolaI breach vilh lhe reaI vhich vouId
lend lo shaller lhe organic vhoIeness of Iife inlo ainfuI
oosilions, bul in lhe ereluaI endeavour of lhe ideaI lo
aroriale lhe reaI vilh a viev evenluaIIy lo absorb il, lo
converl il inlo ilseIf and lo iIIuminale ils vhoIe being." Il
is, lherefore, imossibIe for IsIam lo desise our earlhIy
exislence and aclivilies, and here il differs radicaIIy vilh
olher reIigions of lhe vorId.

59
This reaIislic allilude of IsIam may nol, hovever, be
idenlified vilh lhal of lhe modem Wesl. The Ialler ignores
our siriluaI exislence aIlogelher and regards our earlhIy
career as an end-in-ilseIf, and lhal in a vay vhich
amounls lo vorshi. IsIam, on lhe olher hand, conceives il
nol as an end bul as a means lo a higher siriluaI end.

And vhal is lhal higher end` Il is submission lo lhe WiII
of AIIah and seeking His Ieasure, as lhe Qur'an says:

"Say: VeriIy, my vorshi and my sacrifice and my Iiving
and my dying are for AIIah. Lord of lhe WorIds, Who halh
no arlner." (VI: 163).

60
LIFE AFTER DEATH
Different Theories
There are differenl schooIs of lhoughl in conneclion vilh
Iife afler dealh. roadIy seaking, lhese schooIs can be
divided inlo lhe foIIoving lvo fundamenlaI calegories:

(1) Those vho deny lhe conlinuily of Iife afler dealh. Ior
lhem lhe resenl earlhIy Iife of lhe individuaI human
being is lhe onIy Iife and il comes lo an end vhen dealh
occurs and lhe hysicaI frame disinlegrales. This schooI of
lhoughl is reresenled by MaleriaIisls and Alheisl.

(2) The olher schooI of lhoughl is reresenled by lhose
vho beIieve lhal lhe human ersonaIily is nol mereIy
hysicaI in characler, lhal lhere is an enduring subslance
in lhis ersonaIily vhich is non-hysicaI, lhal lhis
enduring subslance is lhe lhing vhich in common
arIance is lermed "souI", and lhal lhis enduring
subslance or souI survives lhe hysicaI dealh and
disinlegralion. This schooI of lhoughl is reresenled
fundamenlaIIy by mosl of lhe reIigions of lhe vorId.

The firsl schooI of lhoughl menlioned above is furlher
divided inlo lvo sub-schooIs. One of lhem mainlains lhal
aII exislence is ureIy hysicaI and consequenlIy lhe dealh
of lhe hysicaI frame means lhe lolaI annihiIalion of lhe
lolaI ersonaIily. The olher sub-schooI lhinks lhal lhere is
a sychic faclor vhich exisls side by side vilh lhe hysicaI
ersonaIily, manifesling ilseIf as mind or inleIIecl in lhe
hysicaI frame of lhe individuaI. This sychic faclor is a
arl and arceI of lhe WorId-Mind, and lhis being so, il is
61
re-absorbed inlo lhe WorId-Mind afler lhe occurrence of
lhe hysicaI dealh. In lhis case aIso lhe conlinuily of lhe
ersonaIily of lhe individuaI is acluaIIy denied, because
lhe sychic faclor no Ionger relains ils individuaIily, |usl
as vhen a dro of valer mixes u vilh lhe ocean ils
individuaI exislence is lolaIIy Iosl, aIlhough il conlinues lo
exisl fundamenlaIIy.

The second schooI of lhoughl menlioned above is aIso
basicaIIy divisibIe inlo lvo sub-schooIs. One sub-schooI is
lhal vhich is reresenled by Hinduism and ils sisler-
reIigions. Il uhoIds lhe lheory of cycIic exislence based
on lhe doclrines of Karma and Ava-gavan (i.e..
Transmigralion and Reincarnalion of souIs). According lo
lhis lheory, maller and lhe individuaI souIs exisl from aII
lime and viII exisl u lo aII lime, lhal lhe forms of Iiving
maller arc differenl nol onIy vilh regard lo lheir shae
bul aIso as regards lheir funclions, and lhal lhe individuaI
souIs enler lhe differenl mouIds in accordance vilh lhe
virluous or vicious Iife vhich lhey Iead in lhe receding
exislence. Thus a rahmin (vho beIongs lo lhe highesl
calegory of human beings according lo Hinduism) is born
in lhe nexl Iife as a Sudra (vho slands in lhe Iovesl scaIe
of humanily) if lhe rahmin Ieads a vicious Iife in a cerlain
measure. He mighl be born aIso as a dog or a ig if his
vices are more. Thus lhe succeeding Iife is eilher a revard
or a unishmenl of lhe Karma (or, moraI aclions
erformed in lhe receding Iife). This succession of Iife
conlinues in an endIess cycIe unliI lhe slage of Mukli
(saIvalion) is reached, vhich imIies freedom from lhe
inexorabIe cycIe of lransmigralion lhrough lhe allainmenl
of lhe slalus of divinily.
62

As oosed lo lhis sub-schooI slands lhal one vhich is
reresenled by IsIam and, vilh cerlain varialions, by
}udaism and Chrislianily. According lo lhis schooI
nolhing is elernaI excel God. There is a lye of
immorlaIily vhich lhe souI en|oys, bul lhis immorlaIily is
of an individuaIislic characler. This individuaIily of lhe
human ersonaIily is fuIIy observabIe in lhe hysicaI Iife
and il is lhis individuaIily vhich survives lhe hysicaI
dealh and Iays a very imorlanl arl as an individuaI
beyond lhe grave. The conlinuily of Iife beyond dealh
consisls in lhe grovlh of lhis individuaIily vilhin lhe
grooves of ils individuaI exislence and nol ils fusion or
disersion inlo olher mouIds of hysicaI exislence found
on lhe earlh.
Criticism of the non-Islamic Points of View
The alheislic oinl of viev of lhe disconlinuily of Iife as
such al lhe occurrence of lhe hysicaI dealh is againsl lhe
Doclrine of IvoIulion vhich is suorled and affirmed in
one form or lhe olher by lhe enlire scienlific vorId. As
regards IvoIulion, lhe mosl meaningfuI viev is lhal in
vhich lhe evoIulionary rocess is conceived lo deveIo
rogressiveIy from non-organic exislence lo organic
exislence, and lhen from conscious organic exislence lo
seIf-conscious organic exislence. In olher vords, IvoIulion
has been from inanimale slale lo animale slale and lhen
from lhe ureIy hysicaI exislence lo moraI exislence,
because seIf-consciousness is lhe foundalion of conscience
vhich is nol a hysicaI bul a moraI quaIily. Then lhere is a
furlher form of consciousness vhich goes beyond lhe
moraI consciousness. Il is lhe consciousness of siriluaI
63
vaIues, and il consisls in lhe search for hoIiness. Il
endeavours lo come inlo conlacl vilh God Who is lhe
embodimenl and source of aII hoIiness.

This means lhal if ve accel lhe evoIulionary oinl of
viev and do nol refuse lo accel ils IogicaI consequences
ve are bound lo admil evoIulion from lhe hysicaI lo lhe
menlaI, from lhe menlaI lo lhe moraI, and from lhe moraI
lo lhe siriluaI IeveIs of exislence. So far as lhe lransilion
from hysicaI lo menlaI and from menlaI lo moraI is
concerned, ve ossess amIe evidence in lhal behaIf.
Inorganic maller has onIy hysicaI characlerislics bul no
menlaI or moraI quaIilies, nor any linge of vhal ve caII
'Iife'. Above lhe inorganic maller sland lhe Ianls. They
ossess hysicaI quaIilies as veII as Iife, bul no mind and
no moraIily. Above lhe Ianls sland lhe animaIs, and lhey
conslilule an advance insofar as lhey ossess brains and
conscious menlaI aclivily based on ercelion and
rudimenlary memory. Above lhe animaIs sland lhe
human beings. They embody in lheir ersons nol onIy lhe
hysico-chemicaI roerlies of maller bul aIso lhe animale
behaviour of Ianls, a mind and a menlaI aclivily more
deveIoed and of a higher quaIily lhen lhal ossessed by
lhe animaIs, and lvo unique quaIilies of lheir ovn,
nameIy, lhe 'Conscience' and lhe 'Quesl for HoIiness'
lhe former exressing ilseIf in MoraIs and lhe Ialler
manifesling ilseIf in communion vilh lhe Infinile.

This means lhal lhe human beings sland highesl in lhe
scaIe of IvoIulion and lheir unique characlerislics, viz.,
MoraI and SiriluaI characlerislics, sland al lhe lo of aII
lhose characlerislics vhich olher lhings ossess.
64

Nov, in order lhal lhe demands of IvoIulion may be
fuIfiIIed, lhis vorId shouId be such lhal moraI and
siriluaI ideaIs of humanily shouId be fuIIy reaIisabIe in il.
ul ve find lhal in our hysicaI exislence il is raclicaIIy
imossibIe even lo reaIise fuIIy our moraI ideaIs, nol lo
seak of lhe siriluaI ones. The evoIulionary rocess
musl, lherefore, ensure a slale of exislence in vhich lhe
moraI and siriluaI ideaIs shouId be fuIIy reaIisabIe. Il
musl mean a change in lhe form of Iife. This, in ils lurn, is
erfeclIy ralionaI and scienlific, because forms have been
acluaIIy changing for lhe rogressive reaIisalion of ever-
videning ideaIs. To suose lhal Iife shouId evoIve onIy
lo lhe exlenl lhal ve observe in our resenl slale of
exislence and lhal IvoIulion shouId slo hahazardIy
vilhoul allaining ils IogicaI goaI, nameIy, lhe fuIIesl
reaIisalion of moraI and siriluaI vaIues, aIlhough
IvoIulion has been rogressing in erfecl manner during
lhe receding slages, vouId be mosl irralionaI and
unscienlific. ^

Therefore, lhe sland-oinl of lhe alheisl vilh regard lo lhe
abrul cessalion of Iife al lhe occurrence of dealh is
unlenabIe and unvarranled.

The cycIic lheory of Iife, based on lhe doclrine of Karama
and lransmigralion of souIs, is aIso neilher scienlific nor
feasibIe from lhe oinl of viev of commonsense. We
mighl menlion here lvo very simIe ob|eclions lo lhis
lheory:

65
(1) No human being, vhelher he is Ieading a Iife of
hainess or of misery, has any remembrance, even in lhe
sIighlesl degree, of any revious exislence and of any
good or eviI deeds erformed by him in lhal suosed
exislence. Il is, lherefore, imossibIe for him lo reclify his
asl mislakes or lo derive insiralion from his asl good
conducl in his resenl Iife. Il means lhal, vilhoul lhe
conlinualion of memory, lhe lheory of Transmigralion of
SouIs defeals ils very urose and lurns oul lo be
raclicaIIy meaningIess.

(2) This lheory goes againsl lhe acceled facl of IvoIulion.
AII of us knov lhal if a seed has nol evoIved in lhe roer
measure and has been searaled from lhe lree vhich bore
il in an unrie and imerfecl slale, and is, consequenlIy,
incaabIe of roducing a lree, ve do nol, in order lo
beslov erfeclion on lhe seed, slick il back on lhe lree by
some mechanicaI device. Ralher, vhal ve do is lo reclify
lhe deficiencies and imerfeclions of lhe seed by
suIying beller condilions of soiI and richer manure in
order lhal lhe seed mighl uIlimaleIy erform ils
evoIulionary funclion of becoming a lree.
The Islamic Point of View
Il may be remarked al lhe very oulsel lhal lhe IsIamic
doclrines concerning lhe nalure of dealh, conlinuily of
Iife, resurreclion and lhe Lasl Day have fuII suorl in
human exerience. The foIIoving observalions are vorlhy
of nole in lhis conneclion:

66
Dealh is nol annihiIalion. IsIam says lhal il is mereIy
inliqaI, or, lransfer from one slale of exislence lo anolher.
We shaII rove il shorlIy.

AIso, lhe dealh lhal ve exerience afler having Iived our
Iife on lhe earlh cannol be regarded as our firsl dealh. This
facl emerges cIearIy vhen ve viev lhe rogress of our Iife
backvards. There ve find lhal scienlific knovIedge has so
far lraced our exislence lo lhe Iife-germ. ul our scienlific
reason insisls lhal ve musl have Iived in some form or
forms even before lhal. Indeed, ve musl have Iived since
lhe lime of Crealion, even as lhe HoIy Qur'an says. And
lhus ve musl have exerienced numberIess dealhs in our
|ourney lovards higher forms of Iife.

Hovever, if ve confine ourseIves onIy lo lhe exeriencibIe
duralion of our exislence, even lhen our robIem of
underslanding lhe IsIamic oinl of viev is soIved.

We suffer firsl knovn dealh vhen ve Ieave lhe habil of
our falher's body and move inlo our molher's body, vhere
ve are enlombed in lhe molher's vomb for a eriod of
lime. We may reasonabIy caII il a grave, because lhe
earlhIy grave vhich ve enler Ialer on in Iife does nol
differ much from lhe beIIy of lhe molher vhich buIges
under lhe oulvard ressure of regnancy. Inside lhis firsl
knovn grave of ours ve slay for a eriod of lime lo
undergo conlinuous lransformalions unliI our iniliaI form
of lhe Iife-germ changes lo lhe form of a fuII-fIedged baby.
Then ve emerge "resurrecled" from our "grave" of lhe
molher's vomb vilh severe "shakings" angs of birlh
and move oul inlo lhe oen vorId an infinileIy
67
Iarger vorId lhen lhe molher's vomb. In lhal nev form of
Iife ve ass lhrough differenl slages of our evoIulion
(aboul vhich ve have soken aIready), uIlimaleIy facing
dealh again. Then ve are buried for lhe second lime in a
grave. This lime our grave is lhe "vomb" of lhe Molher
Iarlh.

The maleriaIisls say lhal our buriaI in lhe grave forms lhe
'end of lhe road' lhal our hysicaI dealh means lhe
annihiIalion of our ersonaIily. IsIam, on lhe olher hand,
says lhal ve shaII slay inside our graves in a slale of
arzakh, or, slale of lransilion, liII lhe day of Qiyamah or
lhe Lasl Day, vhich viII come in lhe form of severe
Shaking and shaII be accomanied by Resurreclion on a
mass scaIe.

Lel us slo here and refIecl. There are cerlain very IogicaI
and vaIid consideralions vhich can assisl us in
underslanding lhe lrue nalure of dealh, Iife afler dealh,
lhe Lasl Day and lhe Resurreclion. They are as foIIovs:-

(1) We have seen lhal lhere are al Ieasl lvo dealhs vhich
occur before vhal is regarded in lhe suerficiaI viev as
lhe onIy dealh. Nov, lhese lvo revious dealhs are onIy
crises vhich bring aboul lransfer from a Iover slale lo a
higher slale of exislence. To regard lhe lhird and. in lhe
suerficiaI viev, lhe onIy dealh as annihiIalion is,
lherefore, lolaIIy unvarranled, irralionaI, iIIogicaI and
unscienlific. Ralher, ve are comeIIed lo viev il vilh
IsIam as a crisis vhich aves lhe vay for furlher
evoIulion, or, as a galevay lo anolher and higher form of
exislence.
68

(2) The maleriaIisl viev of regarding lhe earlhIy grave as
lhe firsl one is vrong, because our firsl knovn and
observabIe grave is lhe molher's vomb and nol lhe earlhIy
grave.

(3) So loo is lhe maleriaIisl viev of regarding lhe grave as
lhe 'end of lhe road' enlireIy vrong. ecause, if lhe firsl
knovn grave, i.e., lhe molher's vomb, does nol form lhe
'end of lhe road' bul onIy a sleing-slone lo furlher
evoIulion, lo hoId an oosile viev for lhe earlhIy grave
shaII be mosl unvarranled, irralionaI and arbilrary.

(4) SimiIarIy, lhe maleriaIisl viev of regarding lhe IsIamic
doclrines of lhe "rising u from lhe graves" and lhe
Resurreclion on mass scaIe on lhe Lasl Day as fanlasies
lurns oul lo be mosl unvarranled. ecause, our
emergence from lhe molher's vomb is our firsl knovn
"rising u from lhe grave" and "resurreclion", and lhe
exislence of lhese henomena lears inlo shreds lhe
maleriaIisl insinualion and roves lo lhe hiIl lhe vaIidily
of lhe IsIamic leaching.

(5) AIso, lhe angs of birlh, or, severe shakings and |erks,
vhich recede our firsl knovn resurreclion, form an
iIIuslralion and evidence of lhe occurrence of lhe "Greal
Shaking" vhich, according lo lhe HoIy Qur'an, shaII lake
Iace on lhe Lasl Day vhen lhe vomb of lhe Molher Iarlh
shaII oen under lhe imacl of lhal "Greal Shaking" as a
reIude lo Resurreclion.

69
In brief, lhe IsIamic verilies reIaling lo dealh and beyond
are nol based on bIind dogmas bul on facls vhich aIready
exisl in human exerience. Ior, vhal IsIam leaches aboul
lhe fulure exisls aIready in lhe resenl, lhe onIy difference
being lhal lhe scoe and lhe IeveI of lhe henomena of
resenl exerience are narrover and Iover lhan lhe scoe
and lhe IeveI of fulure exerience. Indeed, il is a case of
reelilion of henomena, and no beller and more soIid
ground for roof couId be soughl and found.

Vieving nov lhe robIem of Iife afler dealh on lhe basis
of lhe rinciIe of IvoIulion: ve mighl reeal vhal ve
have aIready said in differenl vords. Ivery human being
observes Iife evoIving in lhis vorId from slage lo slage.
Ior inslance, ve find lhal lhe human individuaI is a mere
seck al lhe slarl, vhich graduaIIy grovs, changing ils
forms, unliI il becomes a fuII-fIedged human baby and is
born inlo lhis vorId. The baby slarls on ils evoIulionary
|ourney vilh nev quaIilies emerging and deveIoing al
differenl slages of ils grovlh. Al lhe very beginning of ils
earlhIy Iife il is onIy a hysicaI enlily vilh onIy a
rudimenlary inslinclive aclivily. Laler on, ils senses are
graduaIIy aclivised and ils sensalions deveIo inlo
meaningfuI sense-ercelions. Afler lhal lhe menlaI
grovlh slarls unliI lhe chiId, vho had raclicaIIy a cIean
sIale so far as his menlaI aclivily vas concerned, is
lransformed inlo an inleIIecluaI gianl Iike Imam GhazzaIi
vilh his menlaI rocesses becoming immenseIy
comIicaled. Soon afler lhe commencemenl of lhe
inleIIecluaI grovlh anolher quaIily aIso begins lo lake
shae lhe quaIily of Conscience. Then his moraI ideas
of good and bad Iead him lo a quesl for a ersonaIily vho
70
is AbsoIuleIy Good, i.e., God. This is lhe beginning of lhe
siriluaI grovlh and il is, so lo say, lhe Iasl lo lake Iace.

This is one of lhe immedialeIy-observabIe henomena of
IvoIulion vhich faIIs inlo lhe ken of observalion of even
lhe Ieasl inleIIigenl human being. When ve enler lhe
domain of scienlific enquiry ve find lhe same
henomenon being reealed on a vorId scaIe. We are loId
lhal lhis vorId vas firsl of aII consliluled of inorganic
malle onIy. Then lhere came a slage vhen a very
rudimenlary lye of organic exislence emerged. Thal
rudimenlary lye vas sliII }usl a Ium of hysicaI
quaIilies, ossessing onIy very vague sensalions. Afler
lhal lhe rudimenlary lye vas succeeded by a lye of
Iiving beings ossessing more comIicaled hysique and
beller-deveIoed senses. This evoIulion of lyes and
forms conlinued lhrough lhe miIIenniums unliI lhe
reliIes, lhe birds and lhe quadrueds came lo exisl They
had highIy deveIoed hysiques, erfecl senses and aIso a
lye of menlaI aclivily. Al lhe Iasl slage emerged man,
en|oying aII lhe good quaIilies of hysique and aculeness
of sense-ercelion, and aIso ossessing in addilion lo
lhem seIf-consciousness, crealive lhinking, moraI
conscience and .lhe quesl for siriluaI reaIilies of Iife,
incIuding God HimseIf.

This is lhe ralionaI slory of IvoIulion. IsIam accels lhe
common-sense oinl of viev as veII as lhe leIe-finaIisl
scienlific lheory of IvoIulion, ul IsIam goes beyond lhe
oinl vhere scienlific observalion has lo slo because of
ils naluraI Iimilalions. Il says lhal |usl as Iife has been
evoIving and lhe human being is lhe Iasl and finaI roducl
71
of lhis rocess of evoIulion, lhere is no ground for
beIieving lhal evoIulion shouId slo al lhis oinl. Il is
IogicaI as veII as scienlific lo beIieve lhal il shouId
conlinue.

Nov, lhe conlinualion of evoIulion can mean nolhing eIse
lhan lhal lhose quaIilies vhich are allained by lhe human
being Iasl of aII and vhich cannol find lhe fuIIesl scoe for
lheir exression and evoIulion vilhin lhe Iimilalions of
lhis Iife (vhich is dominaled by lhe hysicaI eIemenl)
shouId form lhe basis for furlher evoIulion. ConsequenlIy,
IsIam says lhal dealh is onIy a crisis onIy a lransilion
from one slale of evoIulionary exislence of lhe human
individuaI lo anolher slale. The disinlegralion of lhe body
lakes Iace al lhe lime of dealh because lhe human
ersonaIily has nov lo soar inlo higher regions vhich are
siriluaI in lheir characler and conslilulion. In lhe very
nalure of lhe case, if does nol require lhose quaIilies vhich
have become redundanl. They vere onIy lhe
sleingslone for furlher slages of evoIulion and as such
lhey had quile naluraIIy lo be Iefl behind. Heaven,
according lo IsIam, is a siriluaI vorId of unIimiled
evoIulion, vhiIe heII is a siriluaI hosilaI vhere lhose
vho have sinned and have lhus broken lheir vings,
becoming incaabIe of ursuing lhe fIighl of siriluaI
evoIulion, arc lo be lrealed of lheir imerfeclions and
deficiencies.





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