4a. Oneness of Allah as the Absolute Creator and Sustainer

TAUHIID AL-KHALIQ-QIYYAH WAR-RUBUB-BIYYAH

(Attestation to the Oneness of Allah, as the Creator and the Sustainer)

INTRODUCTION

إِنَّمَا يَخۡشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِ ٱلۡعُلَمَـٰٓؤُاْۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ

"Of all His servants, only such as are endowed with (innate) knowledge stand (truly) in awe of Allah: (for they alone comprehend that) verily, Allah is Almighty, Much Forgiving."

(Q: Fatir: 35 :28 )

The terms "Tauhiid Al-Khaliq-qiyyah" refers to the approach of confirming the Oneness of God as the Creator (Al-Khaa-liq), verified from the evidence inherent in the whole of creation. And "Tauhiid Ar-Rubub-biyyah" is the approach of confirming His Oneness as the Sustainer or Cherisher (Ar-Rabb) ,in the evident of the wonderful order and harmonious existence of all things in this universe.

An invitation to reflect

إِنَّ فِى خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱخۡتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّہَارِ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬

لِّأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ

ٱلَّذِينَ يَذۡكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَـٰمً۬ا وَقُعُودً۬ا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمۡ

وَيَتَفَڪَّرُونَ فِى خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ

رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقۡتَ هَـٰذَا بَـٰطِلاً۬ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ

"Behold!In the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of Night and Day, there are indeed Signs for men of understanding, -

Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing sitting and lying down on their sides and contemplate the wonders of creation in the heavens and the earth, (with a thought): "Our Lord! You have not created this for nothing! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire."

(Q : Ali Imran 3 : 190-191 )

The greatest evidence of Allah s.w.t., for us to confirm and verify is the whole of creation. Nature and the study of nature both proclaim to us the fact that there is one God Who, in His infinite Wisdom has created and continues to sustain this universe. The superb organization and meaningfulness of the things in nature perceive by us cannot be explained except that it must have been brought into existence by a Creator - a Being with an infinite intelligence and not by a blind force. The highly complex order in things, the sophistication and intricacies of design towards certain utility does not portray haphazardness in nature but rather indicates a "Will" of One Who is Wise.

This is discernable by those who exercises their reasoning faculty when observing nature, a characteristic which Allah enjoins upon us Muslims to be. And Allah s.w.t. warns those who are heedless due to their neglect of the apparent signs and deem them as beasts or worse than that:

وَلَقَدۡ ذَرَأۡنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ ڪَثِيرً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِ‌ۖ لَهُمۡ قُلُوبٌ۬ لَّا

يَفۡقَهُونَ بِہَا وَلَهُمۡ أَعۡيُنٌ۬ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ بِہَا وَلَهُمۡ ءَاذَانٌ۬ لَّا

يَسۡمَعُونَ بِہَآ‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ كَٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ بَلۡ هُمۡ أَضَلُّ‌ۚ

أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡغَـٰفِلُونَ

"Many are the Jinns and men We have made for Hell: They have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle,- nay more misguided: for they are heedless (of warning)."

( Q : A'raf: 7 :179 )

Let us examine the closest thing apparent to us, i.e. "Ourselves"

Let us refer to human biology to see how certain parts of our organ performs vital and complex function in perfect coordination with one another, and not a jumble up product of "chance" devoid of purpose. And for it to still function surely, points to the "Will" of One Absolute Sustainer Who Sustains.

THE HUMAN BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM 1

The Brain is the centre which controls, directs and coordinates the varied activities of all the innumerable organs of the body. It receives messages from each of the senses, interprets them, sends the proper replies to the organs concerned so that the body reacts appropriately, and registers all the information received in the storage memory. Think of a huge telephone exchange in continual contact with every man, woman and child on earth, sending and receiving messages to and from each other one every few seconds ­and you have a faint idea of the incredibly complex organization of the brain.

In the white and grey matter of the brain there are nearly a thousand million nerve cells. Each is an electric battery and a small telegraph transmitter. Each cell branches out into a number of fine conducting threads, the nerve fibres, which extend to all parts of the body. A large number of them run down the hollow back­bone, twisted together into a thick cable, the spinal cord. Admirably, this is protected by the bony and well-cushioned walls of the spine. Through these tiny threads, each of which is covered with an insulating sheath, a current flows at the speed of about 70 m.p.h., carrying messages through and from the brain, with marvellous speed and accuracy. There is an elaborate system of relays, condensers, switches etc .. (to use technical terms), which permits the transmission of the most unexpected messages between the brain and each of the millions of cells it controls, without the least confusion or delay.

Obvious conclusion

From the foregoing, we cannot imagine that the brain is just a lump of matter, accidently placed in our head! On the contrary, it is invested with profound significance for which we should exclaim glorification, "SubhaanAllah! Alhamdulillaah! Mashaa-Allaah! Allahu Akbar!" The scientific fact shows that its existence and sustainment requires a "Will" or an "Intelligent Being” who is both its Creator and the Sustainer. It is impossible for anything so meaningful and complex and yet orderly in its function to exist 'without the need for Allah, the Absolute One God, Who is the Creator, Sustainer, Nourisher of the Universe.

.......... to be continued.

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Footnotes:

1. pg. 71 "God Arises - Evidence of God in nature and in Science" by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan (The Islamic Centre, New Delhi -1991).

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CLASS EXERCISE (TAMRIN)

• 
  Unlike other religion, Islam does not reject science. In the paradigm of Tauhiid, knowledge encompasses all subject which can benefit man towards realization of the Truth. Thus Islam not only stress the importance of revealed knowledge alone (categorised as Absolute knowledge), but requires recognition of our surroundings through empirical sciences (or what is termed as Relative knowledge.)
• 
  Using of Reason is an important aspect towards inculcation of Iiman (Faith). Although it (reason) is not the source of truth, it is the means by which we are asked to confirm truth.
• 
  Although in matters intangible, our senses may not be able to perceive its essence yet we can confirm its existence by using the deduction. (e.g. analogy of the T.V. set falling from one of the galaxy –previously alluded)

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(1) Reflect upon the following verses and discuss:

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٍ۬ وَٲحِدَةٍ۬ فَمُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬ وَمُسۡتَوۡدَعٌ۬‌ۗ

قَدۡ فَصَّلۡنَا ٱلۡأَيَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ۬ يَفۡقَهُونَ

“He (Allah) it is who [* أَنشَأَ = ansha-a] has brought you (all) into being out of one living entity and (has appointed for each of you) a time-limit (on earth) and a resting-place (after death): clearly indeed have We spelled out these messages unto people who can grasp the truth”

(Q : An’ am 6 : 98)

*The word " أَنشَأَ ansha-a" meaning "produced; made you grow, increase, develop, reach maturity" : another process of creation.

(2) We are to ponder upon our own being, how we have been created and constantly nurtured. As a start choose one aspect of our organs in our physical body.

Reflect upon how it has been meticulously created. How sophisticated and complex they are. These are the closest 'Signs' of Allah's greatness in our own physical selves. Perhaps we have been neglectful of its wonderful function, thereby we have been guilty of being unmindful of Allah s.w.t. - Who is our Creator and Nurturer (Sustainer).

Apply the question, "Did we create it ourselves ?" or "Did it just simply come into being, accidently?” or “Is this not the Sign of the Existence of Allah s.w.t.”?

(c) You are to present your findings convincingly, to prove the existence of the One God.

Do you not now realise the importance of Biology? Do you not realise the importance of connecting its findings towards making our Faith (Iiman) in Allah s.w.t., stronger?

Note:

The opposite of "Iiman" (Faith) is "Kufur" which means "denial of the Truth." This attitude is of rejecting, concealing (perhaps by ignoring it), refusal to accept what is obvious Truth etc., is to be eradicated from ourselves. Allah s.w.t. has created us human; with faculties far more sophisticated than those given to the animals.

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