To deny God is to deny oneself and one's own nature. How? Because as God argues in the al-Qur'an: "Is there any doubt that Allah (God) is the Creator [and the Sustainer] of the heavens and earth?"
Ok. My existence and universe's existence is a proof of the existence of God, as argued in the quoted verse. Denying him is just like saying what I see and hear doesn't exists that I do not exist. Denial of God thus becomes artificial, provided I think with an unbiased mentality towards believing in him.
Intuition is at best a subjective argument. Your intuition is yours alone; it is invalid for anyone else. Hence, the Koran's rhetoric questions 'Is there any doubt...' can not be explained by appeal to intuition alone.
As far as the cosmological argument is concerned, the argument has had a long history in philosophy and is still debated. The arguments has been formulated with sophistications and there have been further refutations. You can read about it here:
Secondly, this argument is applicable only to universe as a whole, and not to your or mine individual existence, since our existence can easily be explained by physical causes preceding it.
There are other ways to understand this so to say 'rhetorical' question of Quran.
The word Allah is not a mere name of a deity, it carries with itself a whole world of attributes and characteristics. When Quran puts these questions to Us, it is actually to ask if we can really understand it to be untrue about the sustainer of our world? So collect a whole list of the attributes of God as mentioned in the Quran. Like God's quality to be Al-Hai, Al-Qayyum, Al Badee', Al-Baqee etc... Then try to figure if you can possibly assign these attributes to this universe which you see and however much you know or whether it is possible to deny or doubt 'Allah'.
Ah, I wanted to say my thoughts more but I don't have the fluency with pen like most of you bloggers :/ Still I hope it wasn't too vague or confusing.
No, no. It wasn't confusing nor vague. Very intellectual rather! Yes it helps.
Quote: "Then try to figure if you can possibly assign these attributes to this universe which you see and however much you know or whether it is possible to deny or doubt 'Allah'."
So that means, pondering over the creation and its scheme helps decode his personality?
"So that means, pondering over the creation and its scheme helps decode his personality?"
I am usually reluctant to give a yes or no to these suggestions unless the intent is explained with specific examples. But khair, at a time like this I don't want to hook myself up in a long exchange so in a general sense I do concur with what you understand. There are many verses to this effect in the Quran one of which is in Aal Imran which I quote from memory and can be roughly translated as:
Those who remember Allah standing, sitting and resting and contemplate on the creation of the heavens and the earth (say): "O our Lord, you haven't created them in vain. Glory be to You, save us from the torment of hellfire"
Now before I leave, I would like to draw your attention to something similar to the verse you quoted in this blogpost. It is the opening of Surah Al Fatir. Read it till the part "There is no Lord but Him, then where are you getting strayed?". And needless to say, it is again quoted out of memory and is a meaning of the translation.
Finally finished reading commentary of Frederick Copleston - indeed a very comprehensive and thought provoking one from phil-legal p.o.v - o...
Heart's Testification
Truly, all praise belongs to (God), we praise Him, seek His help and His forgiveness; And we seek refuge with Allâh from the evil of our selves and from our misdeeds. Whomsoever Allâh guides, none can [cause to] deviate; and whomsoever He [causes to] deviate, none can guide. I testify that there is no deity [worthy of worship] except Allâh, He is alone, having no partners, and I [further] testify that is His slave and His [final] Messenger.
Misplacement of Comedy
About this Blog
'Ah hello! its nice to see you (all) here. By now the (more) perceptive of you realised, this is hell. And, I'm the devil. But you can call me Toby, if you like to. We try to keep things informal here as well as infernal. That's just a little joke of mine, I tell it everytime'.
11 did criticisms:
I think u would have to be explain that a bit more, cause i don't see the link between the two: 'denying God' and 'denying one's own nature'.
Ok. My existence and universe's existence is a proof of the existence of God, as argued in the quoted verse. Denying him is just like saying what I see and hear doesn't exists that I do not exist.
Denial of God thus becomes artificial, provided I think with an unbiased mentality towards believing in him.
Humble regards!
...My existence and universe's existence is a proof of the existence of God...
Is this the Cosmological argument of God's existence?
I don't know whether it is one or not.
Are you using this argument?
1) Everything that exists has a cause
2) Universe exists
3) Therefore universe has a cause, and that is God
If not, then how else the mere fact of universe's existence proves God's existence?
Cosmological, I guess...
Let's presume I believe in this argument. Actually no reason is required for proving his existence intuitively.
However, I think that's a valid argument, you've just mentioned.
Intuition is at best a subjective argument. Your intuition is yours alone; it is invalid for anyone else. Hence, the Koran's rhetoric questions 'Is there any doubt...' can not be explained by appeal to intuition alone.
As far as the cosmological argument is concerned, the argument has had a long history in philosophy and is still debated. The arguments has been formulated with sophistications and there have been further refutations. You can read about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmological_argument
Secondly, this argument is applicable only to universe as a whole, and not to your or mine individual existence, since our existence can easily be explained by physical causes preceding it.
Well it is a very controversial topic and endless debate...
Umer,
There are other ways to understand this so to say 'rhetorical' question of Quran.
The word Allah is not a mere name of a deity, it carries with itself a whole world of attributes and characteristics. When Quran puts these questions to Us, it is actually to ask if we can really understand it to be untrue about the sustainer of our world? So collect a whole list of the attributes of God as mentioned in the Quran. Like God's quality to be Al-Hai, Al-Qayyum, Al Badee', Al-Baqee etc... Then try to figure if you can possibly assign these attributes to this universe which you see and however much you know or whether it is possible to deny or doubt 'Allah'.
Ah, I wanted to say my thoughts more but I don't have the fluency with pen like most of you bloggers :/ Still I hope it wasn't too vague or confusing.
Best wishes.
@ Anonymous
No, no. It wasn't confusing nor vague. Very intellectual rather! Yes it helps.
Quote: "Then try to figure if you can possibly assign these attributes to this universe which you see and however much you know or whether it is possible to deny or doubt 'Allah'."
So that means, pondering over the creation and its scheme helps decode his personality?
Thanks for the help, though.
Humble regards!
"So that means, pondering over the creation and its scheme helps decode his personality?"
I am usually reluctant to give a yes or no to these suggestions unless the intent is explained with specific examples. But khair, at a time like this I don't want to hook myself up in a long exchange so in a general sense I do concur with what you understand. There are many verses to this effect in the Quran one of which is in Aal Imran which I quote from memory and can be roughly translated as:
Those who remember Allah standing, sitting and resting and contemplate on the creation of the heavens and the earth (say): "O our Lord, you haven't created them in vain. Glory be to You, save us from the torment of hellfire"
Now before I leave, I would like to draw your attention to something similar to the verse you quoted in this blogpost. It is the opening of Surah Al Fatir. Read it till the part "There is no Lord but Him, then where are you getting strayed?". And needless to say, it is again quoted out of memory and is a meaning of the translation.
- The Anonymous from above
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