Of the myriad of testimonies to the existence of a Creator, the ones I believe to be the most compelling are:
1- Infinite variety:
Ordaining that no two creatures are entirely identical.
Laws of science imply that similar inputs produce similar output. When two elements interact, they produce the same result. When molecular hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) react together, under similar conditions, they form either water or hydrogen peroxide, not an array of different compounds. Yet what we witness in life is a boundless variety of creations in: kind, species, look, details, fingerprint, retinal print, DNA, even attitude, personality, aspirations, weaknesses, and creativity. We’re not even looking at a limited variety; we’re talking inconceivable diversity. Identical twins are not really identical, though coming from the same mother, father, womb, diet and surrounding conditions, even egg and sperm (i.e. DNA). They remain distinguished in countless aspects, not just one or two.
Some relevant compelling questions then:
- How were these variations caused?
- Why weren’t humans created sexless?
- Why weren’t they created as replicas? Producing abundant quantities of the same just to populate Earth and perform whatever their intended functions are.
- What is the aim/purpose behind diversity? Why bother create more than one distinct identity (in the case of identical twins), and an unlimited number of creatures (in the case of the universe in general)? Again, the variation is not limited to one, two or even a few attributes. It’s amazingly countless.
The easy alternative scenario could’ve been identical productions of a finite number of species, each with own functions in the life cycle.
There has to be an instigator/force that caused the output to diversify despite coming from the same inputs. The varieties, known and unknown, ancient, currently existing and yet to exist, in creatures of all kinds are just unfathomable. No one can claim to know them all, let alone fully understand even the most primitive of them.
Logically, Whatever/Whoever is causing the variations (the instigator) has the “Will” and “Intent”, the “Intelligence” and “Knowledge”, and immense “Creativity” to do so, such that these variations are not anomalies or defective copies. Creatures in each biological kind are relatively equivalent in overall capacities and features, yet unique in boundless facets. It’s as if their “Creator” intends it as yet another evidence of His power of creation. Not only did He create the whole universe, He continues to amaze us with new distinct creations Every Single Day!!
2- Beauty:
Wonderment and Delight in Observing
The Creator of all beings has both an astounding degree of creativity, as well as an inclination for captivating beauty. Beauty perceived in almost everything, in the design, motion dynamics, details, colors, complementary functionality between beings, flavors, smells and texture. Beauty that artists were only able to devise, and only learned, by observing and emulating other creations. The colors of flowers, birds and leaves. The geometry in a Spider’s web, and the bird’s nest. Awe inspiring beauty that amazes, dazes, inspires, and deeply moves us to the core as we observe the creatures in the sky, on land and under water. No justification and nothing in all the laws of science dictates beauty or requires it in any product, nor does lack of it impair functionality. Creatures could simply be ordinary looking machines/robots that don’t necessarily look good yet perform their intended functions.
Beauty is instead a “Choice”, a “Decision” by the Beautiful Creator of things and beings.
3- Instinct:
The innate, basic knowledge every living creature is born with.
What/Who is the source of knowledge observed in the behaviors of newborns from the first instance of their life? Nature is not a living thing. It doesn’t possess knowledge and isn’t capable of creating nor passing it on. Offspring of several types of species are not “taught” anything by the parent, because the mother dies immediately after giving birth. So how did they learn to survive, fly, swim, feed, create structures, build a web, without a teacher passing it on to them? Where did their initial knowledge come from? Where did the unbelievable amount of data found in our DNA come from when nature itself is a non-intelligent creation?
These three things alone necessitate a Creator possessing essential elements:
1- A Will to create such infinite diversity
2- Knowledge to do so and to instill bits of this knowledge within every newborn living creature
3- Unimaginable Creativity (A designer)
4- Inclination for Beauty that gives us a testimony to the existence of an “All Knowing”, Beautiful Creator with every single creation that comes to be every second of every day
5- The Power to make this all happen
Every creature is intended as a miracle, proof of a Creator, and an inspiration.
To conceive of any other explanation than the existence of a Creator takes a ridiculous amount of absurdity. And what I find completely inexplicable is how vehemently atheists refuse the possibility of a Creator. They’re willing to take any illogically founded explanation, as full of weaknesses as it may be, except the notion of a God and a Hereafter. Even the dilemma they put forward for injustice in the world and if there was a God how can He allow bad things to happen to children is based on a fallacy of denying a God, a Hereafter and the ultimate justice day!! It’s a self-contradictory statement.
Ironically enough, as Dr. Hamza Yusuf puts it, it is the atheists that have God on their mind more than believers, they tend to bring up the issue of His existence a lot more.
As mentioned, there are boundless evidences to His existence in every single one of His creations and in most facets of life. It’s unimaginable how a logical human would not accept that a glass of water can just exist on his table without someone crafting the glass, pouring water into it, and putting it there, yet they are willing to concede the existence of this unfathomable universe, as baffling, precise, and managed as it is, without a Creator.
Atheists subject God to the rules and laws known of this life, even though He created them. Nonetheless, if we still go along and apply them, let’s ponder upon on a few issues.
- Order: Monitoring, Management, and Rectification
This extremely precise, orderly and systematic way each individual creature, and the universe as a whole, runs must be controlled and managed by a magnificent All-Knowing All-Encompassing power. It can’t be an unplanned sequence of events. Every system established by man (e.g. machines, governments, production lines, health systems, schools, etc. ) has a manager or a parallel mechanism that performs the checks and balances, controls and monitors it to ensure it operates/runs properly and correct any mistakes should it deviate from normal/intended path. We’re living by this law of life daily. We also cannot assume each entity or part is managed separately, else systems would clash. Consequently, every creation is managed separately, concurrently, and collectively with all other systems/creations in perfect harmony and integration. A symphony orchestrated so majestically and beautifully we can only observe it play before us in complete awe, unless we’re blind-hearted. Can you imagine what that would require in workforce, intelligence, plus organizational, decision-making management capacity?!!!
- Accountability & Justice:
The Destination, Ultimate Judgement and Retribution.
Every human system that exists applies the rules of accountability in almost every facet in life, ever since we were children, at home, in school, college, at work.. etc. So, in the holistic life-system, does it make sense that we don’t get held accountable for how good or bad we are? If not, where’s the justice in that? What could possibly motivate us to excel and do more in charity and kindness? What compels us to go above and beyond the basic law-enforced duties and do the right thing? On the flip side, what’s to stop us from stealing, killing, being mean, spiteful, jealous, tyrant if we can evade getting caught?
How can you possibly ask someone who’s been badly mistreated to not seek revenge without waiting for an incompetent or manipulatable human-created justice system? How can a person forgive someone for killing or hurting his child or loved-one had he no faith that ultimately justice shall be done? How would you accept that a tyrant (in any form) that succeeded in escaping punishment throughout his life, even died a normal death, will never be accountable for his wrong doings? Wouldn’t this be the ultimate injustice!!
- Purpose: The “Why” question.
Every object and living thing that exists in our life serves a purpose in the wholistic life system, so what is the purpose of ours? How can we assume that everything has been created for a purpose except us? Why do we even bother to get up in the morning and work, if we’re eventually going to die and it totally ends our journey? Having absolutely no purpose or believing there is nothing else comes after this temporary life, would cause all kinds of moral catastrophes, eventually leading to the quick demise and extinction of humans. For example, what would stop society from “ridding itself” of the non-productive elderly, totally handicapped or the terminally ill, and ease their, and society’s suffering? Why can’t the answer to any struggle in life be to end it altogether painlessly, if we were to assume this whole life is for nothing, no purpose, no creator, no accountability whatsoever, and no afterlife? What motivates us to continue living, working hard, getting up in the morning, if all was in vain?
- Morality: Ethics & kindness
What is our source of morality? Atheists sometimes argue that we can be non-believers yet conduct ourselves in the highest ethical standards. True, but…
Who’s to say or decide what’s right or wrong? Where is the reference if not religion? From the days of Cane and Abel, why was it deemed unacceptable/sinful to kill another? Where did we get that incest and adultery are forbidden? Why would people get married when they can just fulfill their desires like animals, out in the open, with whoever, or whatever for that matter. Where did the laws of conduct come from? And let’s say you happen to be a civilized, well-balanced, ethical human, don’t you think there are very bad atheists, with absolutely no moral inclination? Wouldn’t you then fear for your children, daughter, sister, mother, the elderly? How would the society look like when people have no predisposition and absolute reference as to what’s right and wrong?
- Sleep: The spiritual recharge.
What’s the explanation for man’s vital need for deep sleep just like his need for air, water and food, from which a prolonged deprivation would lead to delirium and madness, eventually death?… There is yet no substantiated quantifiable physical or physiological justification/process that the scientists or doctors could accurately pinpoint as in the case of the body’s need for food, drink or air… Why can’t the body perform during relaxation-only what it can perform during deep sleep?
God explained this very simply by calling sleep the “Minor Death”… (In Islam)
A human is made up of three components, not two like previously assumed, the body, mind and spirit. The body and mind have their needs and so does the spirit. As in death, the spirit proceeds during sleep time to depart the mortal body, with its physical needs and biological limitations, to approach the Divine Being and draw from Him its needs of energy, tranquility, love and light… Then, unless the sleeper’s ordained lifespan is over, the spirit will return to that mortal body to continue living. The spirit needs this recalibration and recharge just like the body needs nutrients.
That’s why when a Muslim wakes up, he is encouraged to be thankful to God for “bringing him back to life, after having taken it away during sleep”.
- Physical Evidence & Answers
Atheists argue that religion does not give us tangible proof or answers to all questions. Well, neither does science. In fact, relying on science only to explain life poses more unanswered questions, and replies that don’t add up. Yet atheists are willing to bet their lives and their infinite Ever-after on science, a creation in itself, with all its laws, dynamics and theories, rather than bet on The One who created such laws and sciences. A bet that, should it prove to be wrong, would bring on them unimaginable grave consequences and eternal loss; much more than what a believer stands to lose in case he got it wrong. This is not to say that atheists should “pretend to believe”, as they can’t fool themselves or God. But it is to say that any small amount of ego, worldly influences, trends, challenges, desires or attractions, should be put aside, and a strong, sincere quest for information to answer this question should be undertaken. Eternity is not to be risked, taken lightly, or ignored for the benefit of momentary, worldly, concerns.
They ask, “so who created God?”. A question that totally contradicts calling Him “The Creator of all things”.
They also say that the only truth in life is that there is no truth. Again, a sentence that is self-contradictory.
Contrary to what some atheists think, religion does NOT want you to negate your intellectual faculties, in fact it’s the absolute opposite. Never has the obligation to learn, ponder, think, analyze and above all READ, been more stressed than it is in Islam. I say obligation because it is presented as such in Islam. The very first word of the Revelation was “READ”. The call to learn, seek knowledge, ponder, observe, reflect, the exclamations “Will they not Understand?” “Will they not think?”, the statements similar in meaning to “So that they learn” “So that they know”, these all occur in abundance in the Quran in every chapter. This, along with numerous traditions from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) calling to seek knowledge and science, putting the scientists and teachers in an exalted status above other people.
God says in the Quran that of all the believers, it is scientists that have the most fear of God (having known His Power and Abilities through the study of His Creations). Of course, here we’re talking about scientists who are humble enough to admit, not those who perceive that science made them all powerful and too big to bow to a Creator, how little they become when they’re that inflated!
This is a Creator that gave us the blessing of mind and intellect and wants us to use it, making it a major sin to intoxicate it, or to any degree intently use anything to reduce mindfulness and optimum presence of senses. This is a Creator that wants you to be smart, diligent, and seek truth, because sought objectively and sincerely, it would definitely lead you to find Him.
The Ink of a Scholar is More Sacred Than The Blood of a Martyr
One cannot till this day claim absolute and wholesome knowledge of every detail concerning the tiniest/simplest of creatures. Yet, so arrogantly, many rise very confidently to discuss and question the power, wisdom, knowledge and even existence of the Creator.
Ego is rightfully placed amongst the biggest sins because it causes us to perceive ourselves as being much bigger and more knowledgeable than we actually are.
Yet, as insignificant as we are compared to the universe, our ego becomes so inflated with the minute amount of science we’ve come to learn that the first thing we decide to do is to challenge our Creator and deny His existence. Asking Him to prove Himself to us over and over, disregarding all the existing stark testimonies. Man is just created so argumentative.
Spiritually..
Faith is an innate need and urge.. He is in no need for us, it is We who need Him. We need to believe in the Great Creator that has brought us to being, and to hold on to faith in order to rest our, otherwise, troubled and lost souls trying to answer questions like who are we, and what is the purpose of all of this? And… What next?!!
This is particularly evident in times of severe and sudden psychological trauma, fear, or despair, when one gets freed from all reservations, and acts in absolute spontaneity. This is when even atheists find themselves begging for God’s Help and Mercy.
It is also the reason behind the noticeable tranquility, calmness in demeanor, peace and contented smile observed in people of strong faith. It is not attributed to wealth as it’s found with the poorest! Those who have strong, unshaken conviction based on knowledge and research feel certain they have found the last piece in the hugely complex puzzle of their spirituality that “Clicked” in place, causing them to experience satisfaction in wholesomeness and clarity, and are therefore relieved, reassured, and calm at last. They amazingly find privilege in calamity, knowing that hardships are God’s way of purifying a person of sins, evolving us into much stronger, more insightful and ethical humans, reminding the soul of its Creator, keeping it grounded not overtaken by ego, bringing it closer to Him and the warmth of His Mercy and Care.
Those that live without holding on to believing in God, on the other hand, mostly live in anxiety and restlessness, as reported by many ex-atheists who felt lost, confused, and in immense need for guidance. Looking at the numerous incidents of the rich and famous who apparently had it all, yet took their own lives away. What was missing?
You know what makes sense?
It is that we are here for a purpose, there is a Creator, this life is but a short phase that passes so quickly no matter how long we live, and we shall have to face all our deeds, good or bad, someday!!
God regards the pious amongst us in a status higher than angels for having willingly chosen to worship Him and seek first and foremost His pleasure, as unlike angels who have no will, no ability to choose and no desires other than obeying God, we had to struggle against all our desires and inclinations to indulge.
The stakes are just too high to ignore this matter. Read, research, learn, ask (pray) with all sincerity for guidance and truth, approach the topic with a totally open and unbiased mind, and above all, with humility. Humble yourself enough to conceive a possibility of a Creator that you should ask for help. And finally, put your ego, worldly considerations and other peoples’ influences aside.
God neither wins nor loses anything with or without you on His side. You stand to lose Everything, and Eternally. This is life’s most important project.
We only get one chance, one Worldly lifetime, it shouldn’t be wasted!!