[It was a glorious summer morning. The sun was shining brightly. Salma and her school friends Mary and Barbara were playing in the garden at the back of Salma’s house. Salma’s mother Bushra was also enjoying the sunshine. She was sitting in a chair reading a magazine.
Suddenly Barbara saw a brightly coloured beautiful butterfly, which was hovering over the flowers. She called Salma and Mary and asked them to have a close look at it. Mary looked at the butterfly.]
MARY—It is indeed very beautiful.
SALMA—It has lovely colours. We should thank God, Who created such wonderful creatures. They are not only beautiful to look at but also serve some useful purpose.
BARBARA—Do you really believe that there is a God?
SALMA—Yes, that’s why I offer my prayers regularly. I ask His forgiveness for all my faults and sins and seek His help in every matter.
[Mary followed the butterfly for a while and came back.]
MARY—Have you ever seen God?
SALMA—No, I haven’t.
MARY—Then how do you know that God really exists?
BARBARA—Well! I have seen pictures in books where God is shown as an old man with a long white beard sitting on a cloud surrounded by angels. Different religions have different ideas about God. My friend Neeta is a Hindu and I have seen pictures where God is shown as an elephant or sometimes a human figure with many arms.
MARY—Our teacher told us that the ancient Egyptians used to worship a God that looked like a jackal. She also told us that some Egyptians worshipped cats.
Now tell us, what does your God look like?
SALMA—I don’t think He looks like anything we know of. The concept of God in Islam is completely different to what you have been saying.
MARY & BARBARA—Let us ask your mother.
SALMA—That seems to be a good idea.
[The girls went to Salma’s mother and greeted her.]
BUSHRA—Hello girls! Have you stopped playing already?
SALMA—No mother, we want to ask you some questions about God
BUSHRA—Well, what do you want to know about God?
SALMA—My friends are not sure about the existence of God. Does God exist? And if He exists what does He look like?
BUSHRA—Let us deal with the first part of the question first. Lots of people have wondered about the existence of God. Some totally deny His existence. Others say that He was once alive but now He is dead.
According to Islam, God is the Creator of the whole universe and everything in it. He is Eternal and Everlasting. The Holy Quran has set forth many excellent proofs of the existence of God.
At one place it says:
لَا الشَّمۡسُ یَنۡۢبَغِیۡ لَھَاۤ اَنۡ تُدۡرِکَ الۡقَمَرَ وَلَا الَّیۡلُ سَابِقُ النَّھَارِ ؕ وَکُلٌّ فِیۡ فَلَکٍ یَّسۡبَحُوۡنَ
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day. All of them float in an orbit. (36:41)
This verse points to the excellent design and order that exists throughout the universe. There is a perfect harmony in what He has created. There is absolutely no incongruity or discord in His creation.
For example if we look at the heavenly bodies we observe that each one of them is performing its allotted task regularly, punctually, and unerringly, without trespassing on another’s sphere of action. Each one is gliding through space with precision. A slight disorder in the movement of any one of the heavenly bodies would bring about the ruin of the whole world. If they are not under the supervision of a Super Being, how is it that such a grand organisation continues to carry on through numberless years entirely on its own?
We also know from history that the presence of perfect symmetry and the existence of perfect harmony in the laws of nature has convinced many scientists to believe in God. Even the great scientist Einstein had to declare that there is a Creator of this well organised universe, who created it with perfect wisdom.
MARY—Auntie! The argument, which the Quran presents, is very valid. The only conclusion, which can be drawn from such a well organised universe, is that there is a Creator, who created everything according to a plan.
BUSHRA—The Holy Quran gives another proof. It says:
قَالَ رَبُّنَا الَّذِیۡۤ اَعۡطٰی کُلَّ شَیۡءٍ خَلۡقَہٗ ثُمَّ ھَدٰی
Our Lord is He Who gave unto everything its proper form and then guided it to its proper function. (20:51)
If we reflect upon the shapes and forms of all the creatures, which inhabit this universe, we are impressed with the Wisdom of God Almighty. All animals, including man, who live on land and in the sea and birds that soar in the skies, are created in the best form and God has bestowed upon them such properties that are best suited to their particular requirements and needs. If they make use of them properly they can attain their fullest development. You should also remember that God Almighty has been sending Prophets, from time to time, to guide mankind towards Him. These Prophets have shown thousands of heavenly signs proving the existence of God. Even in the present age, the true followers of the Holy Prophet of Islam have shown signs to the world, which prove conclusively that God does exist with all His Glory.
MARY—We believe in Prophets and we know that they always speak the truth, so there must be a God Who speaks to them and tells them of future events, which come to pass exactly as they were told.
BUSHRA—We also find that belief in God is a universal phenomenon. History tells us that such a belief was common to all ages. Even among the Aborigines of Australia and the ancient Maya people of Mexico and Central America, there does exist some sort of belief in an Omnipotent and Ultimate Supreme Being, whom they regard as the Creator of the universe.
Even though the vision of God varies in detail from people to people, we find the belief in God is common in the people of all ages. This leads us to believe that belief in God is something innate in human beings. So it requires a more serious inquiry than just a superficial glance at the subject.
Philosophers have been debating the issue from time immemorial. There are committed atheists who categorically deny the existence of God. There are agnostics who, although they do not deny the existence of God, maintain that as far as they are concerned there is no proof of God’s existence. In spite of their denial, the fact is that a large majority of people including great philosophers and teachers do maintain a firm belief in the existence of God.