aslam ala mun itabal huda!!!
Truth Revealed
A Professor walks in the class and asks, "Has any one of you seen God? Has any one of you touched God? Therefore God doesn't exist".
A Student stands up and addresses the class, "Has any one of you seen Professor's brain? Has any one of you touched Professor's brain? Therefore..."
The universe exists. We are here. The birds sing, the wind blows, the stars shine. Why do things exist, instead of nothing? Is the universe eternal or was it created by God? If it was created by God, then is it One God or many Gods ? Of the hundreds of religions, which one is true? These are questions raised since antiquity.
Can we arrive at definite answers? And after arriving at the 'truth', are we brave enough to accept and follow it? Let the quest for truth begins...
For the paragraphs below, follow the relevant segment in the flow chart to the accompanying this article
Is the Universe Infinitely Old?
To answer this question, let's see if the concept of actual infinity itself is true.
Self-Evident Assumptions
1) Impossible for anything to possess two contradictory attributes simultaneously.
2) When a body is added to one of the two equal bodies, the one receiving the addition becomes greater than it was before, hence the greater of the two bodies.[1]
Now If...
a = infinity and
b = infinity + 1 = infinity. 'b' should be bigger than "a", see assumption #2
Therefore we have two infinities !, one is bigger than the other; 'b' is both equal to 'a' and simultaneously bigger than 'a', Which is absurd. Therefore, actual infinity doesn't exist. See assumption # 1. Also... What is infinity minus 1, or plus one, or infinity minus infinity. Thus, the concept of infinity leads to all kinds of absurdities.
Conclusion
Therefore actual infinity doesn't exist, see # 1. It is impossible to continue subtracting numbers (Or segments of time) to reach negative 'infinite', and likewise it is impossible to add up numbers (or segments of time) to reach positive 'infinite' future.
Aristotle states: "Though we can imagine infinite, it is impossible for it to actually exists"[2]
David Hilbert, the greatest mathematician of this century likewise states, "The infinite is nowhere to be found in reality. It neither exist in nature nor provide a legitimate basis for rational thought...the role that remains for the infinite to play is solely that of an idea..." [3]
Scientific Confirmation of Universes' Beginning
Big Bang: Edwin Hubble's discovery in 1929 of the red shift in light from distant galaxies implies that the universe is expanding. 'If we trace this expansion back in time, the universe becomes an infinitely dense point. An infinite density is synonymous with 'nothing'. Cambridge astronomer Fred Hoyle points out, 'the Big Bang theory requires the creation of matter from nothing'.[4]
Second Law of Thermodynamics: 'Processes taking place in a closed system always tend to move towards a state of equilibrium (entropy)'. The universe is a gigantic closed system (since it is everything that there is, and no energy is being fed into it from outside). Therefore, this Law implies that given enough time, the universe will reach a state of thermodynamic equilibrium, known as "heat death" of the universe.[5]
Since the universe is not now in a state of heat death, it means it is not infinitely old.
Therefore the universe had a beginning (it is 'temporal').
Who created the universe?
Self-Evident Assumptions
1) Everything that begins to exist has a cause of its existence.[6]
2) Out of nothing comes anything.
3) Only an existing entity can cause a change or produce something.
4) Infinite succession of events doesn't exist, because actual infinity doesn't exist in reality.
Conclusions
a) Can it be by no one: Impossible. See assumption # 2
b) Can it be itself: impossible. See #3
c) Can it be another temporal entity: yes, but who then created this Second temporal entity; you can take this chain of causes back to infinity. But that's not possible, see #4. Therefore, you reach an 'entity' that doesn't need anyone to push it into existence. An entity that created the universe and itself was uncaused. We call this entity "Necessary to exist".
d) Can it be by a 'Necessary to exist': Yes, see the above point.
Attributes of this 'Necessary to exist'...
1) Creator
2) Eternal
3) Independent
We will add more attributes later.
This 'Necessary to Exist' is God!
How many Gods?
Many, 3 in 1 (Trinity), or Only One
Self-evident Assumptions
1) If 'x' has all the properties as 'y', then 'x' is the same entity as 'y' - The principle of Indiscernibility of Identities.[7]
2) For two items to have separate entities, they have to be different in at least one property.
3) Impossible for two contradictory attributes to exist in an entity, simultaneously.
4) A physical body is dependent on the space it is occupying. No space = no physical body.
5) For an entity to change in form, it has to be made of parts. The parts have to rearrange to assume this new form.
6) Anything that is made of parts needs someone to assemble the parts; therefore dependent on someone outside.
7) If made of parts, then it was not in the present form before. The old unassembled form disappeared and the new assembled form now exists, hence its only 'Temporal'.
8) Removing a portion from an entity makes that entity less whole; therefore not perfect (anymore).
9) If someone produces an entity, it means that this entity is not independent.
Conclusions
a) If there are many gods, then they each have to be different from one another in at least one attribute. See # 1. If they are different in attributes, then some lack the attributes the others have. Therefore, some of these gods are missing in least one attribute. Therefore they are not perfect. See # 8. Therefore, they can't be Gods. It is impossible for an all perfect being to be more than One.
b) God does not assume human (or any physical) form. See #4. Therefore, Incarnation of God is impossible.
c) Change of form means composed of parts. Therefore, it is not independent See #6.Therefore God is not made of parts.
d) An entity can't be both dependent and independent simultaneously. see #3. It is Impossible for anyone to be both 100% human (dependent) and 100% divine (independent) simultaneously.
d) God is not begotten. See #9
e) Begetting involves a part of one transferring into other. Therefore God doesn't beget anyone. See #8
Derived Attributes of God
1. Absolutely One
2. Creator
3. Independent, Eternal
4. Formless and Timeless
5. Doesn't come down in physical form
6. Not made of parts
7. Is not begotten
8. Doesn't beget
9. All Powerful
10. All knowing.
Down to Two Religions...
Of the pure monotheistic religions, only two fully recognize the above attributes of God. Judaism and Islam.
Self-Evident Assumptions
1) A Perfect Being doesn't contradict
2) An All-Moral Being doesn't deceive or confuse us.
3) A Perfect Guide, guides us with Clear 'Signs".
Conclusions
a) A true religion must recognize all the above attributes of God
b) Two religions that possess all the above attributes of God can't have contradictions between them. If they contradict, then one or both can't be true. See # 1, and #2
c) A true religion must possess a clear cut distinguishing feature. see #3
Criteria of a Miraculous Feature
1. If this feature (miracle) is produced by God, then none among the creation can match (equal) it.
2. Even the smallest portion of this miracle can't be matched.
3. This miracle should come down to us in an unaltered, pure form.
4. This miracle should be available to us to examine.
Judaism Examined
Miracles related in the Old Testament can't be witnessed by us now, to test or match them.
a) The oldest complete written copy of the old Testament is only from 900 AC (After Christ).[8]
The complete Old Testament hasn't been memorized in successive generations and hasn't reached us in that form.
Therefore doesn't satisfy criteria #3 and #4
b) If the miracles happened in the distant past and those records haven't comedown to us (from the time of the event to our time) in a pure and unaltered form, how can we be certain that they actually happened? Therefore neither the Old Testament or its miracles satisfies the above criteria.
Islam Examined
Islam proclaims the Quran, the revelation given to Prophet Muhammad (P), as that miracle.
A) The complete Quran was memorized since its inception and this method was maintained in successive generations by millions to our present time in an unaltered and pure form. Muslims recite the Quran from memory in their five daily prayers. Satisfies Criteria #3.
B) At least two written copies from initial times are preserved to our day.[9]
Therefore satisfies criteria #3.
C) Quran as revealed in Arabic is available in an unaltered and pure form in our hands for examination. Satisfies Criteria #4
D) God challenges any doubters to produce a book as perfect as the Arabic Quran.[10]
This challenge is open to all, and for all times. Satisfies criteria #1
E) God challenges the unbelievers to match even a single chapter of the Arabic Quran.[11] Satisfies criteria #2
Scientific Miracles in the Quran
Since Quran is the word of our Creator for all humanity, it gives us a hint about how the universe came about and how it is organized.
a) Big Bang: "Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together then We split them apart..." [12] ("We" is the Arabic plural of respect and not the Christian plural of trinity)
b)Expanding Universe: "And the firmament, we constructed with power and skill and verily We are expanding it".[13]
Conclusion
The best gift of God to us is our mind. Using which, we have successfully proven that the universe had a beginning and the cause of it was God. This God is One, Omniscient, Omnipotent, independent, doesn't beget and the rest of the attributes. Furthermore it was proven that out of the maze of hundreds of religions, only Islam fully satisfied all the derived attributes of God and posses a testable unique and unalterable miracle, which is a complete guidebook for all Humankind. Quran, along with the example of Prophet Muhammad (P), provides solutions to problems plaguing the world.
Now we can shun the above truths and continue following our ancestral religions. But then, we have to shun rationale too and be plagued by it for the rest of our lives, and regret it on the Day of Judgment. Or we could accept Islam, the revealed Truth, and preserve our rational.
Welcome to Islam.
Notes
1. Al-Kindi, On First Philosophy. pg. 67-73.
2. Aristotle, Physica, 3. 4-8. 202b30-208a20.
3. David Hilbert, "On The Infinity", in Philosophy of Mathematics, ed. Paul Benacerraf and Hilary Putnam, 1964. pg 151.
4. William Craig, "The Existence of God and the Beginning of the Universe". Truth: A Journal of Modern Thought, 3 (1991) pg. 85-96
5. Ibid.
6. William Craig, The Kalam Cosmological Argument, pg.63
7. Thomas Morris, Understanding Identity Statements, Chap. 6
8. Jimmy Williams, President of Probe Ministries International, "Are the Bible Documents Reliable", pg 2 (
www.leaderu.com)
9. Abdur-Raheem Green "On the Inimitability and Authenticity of the Quran" pg. 1 (
www.debate.domini.org/rws/green02.html)
10. Quran: Chapter 17, verse 88
11. Quran: Chapter 2, verse 23
12. Quran: Chapter 21, verse 33
13. Quran: Chapter 51, verse 47
