Does God exist, and how do we know? Workshop on tawhid at Camp UK, 2016. 4 classical proofs of God (Allah) found in Qur'an and hadith which are used across religious and philosophical traditions. Suggestions for discussion and personal reflection.

1. Does God Exist?
(And how do we know?)
Camp UK – August 2016
Amina Inloes

2. Warm-up: Does God exist?
With a partner, debate the existence
of God.
Jot down the arguments you both
used.
Share your arguments.

3. How can we know about God?
Logic and reason What we hear Intuition or experience
Which is most important to you?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of these?
BBC The Big Question: Which of the 3 approaches is this woman (at 40 minutes) using? Is it convincing? Why
or why not?

4. Rational arguments
in the Qur’an and
hadith (selected)
• Argument from design
• First cause
• Inner nature (fitrah)
• “Pascal’s Wager”
• “But none will grasp the message except those
with intellect.” (Qur’an 2:269)
• “We will show them Our signs in the horizons
and within themselves until it becomes clear to
them that it is the truth.” (41:53)
• “Have they not pondered upon themselves? Allah
created not the heavens and the earth, and that
which is between them, save with truth and for a
destined end.” (30:8)
• “And if you obey most of those in the earth, they
will lead you astray from Allah's way; they
follow but conjecture and they do but guess.”
(6:116)
• “And they will say, ‘Had we listened or applied
reason, we would not have been among the
inmates of the Blaze.” (67:10)

5. Rational arguments
in the Qur’an and
hadith (selected)
• Argument from design
• First cause
• Inner nature (fitrah)
• “Pascal’s Wager”
• “The intellect is the messenger of the truth.” – Imam
‘Ali (A)
• “Allah has two authoritative proofs over people: a
manifest proof and an inward proof. The manifest
proof is represented by the prophets and messengers
and Imams – peace be upon all of them –and the
inward proof is represented by the intellect.” – Imam
al-Kazim (A)
• “Allah has only sent prophets and messengers to
Allah’s servants in order that they may come to an
understanding of Allah, so the ones who best heed
their call are those who have the best inner
knowledge, and the ones who know Allah’s
command the best are those that have the best
intellects, and those that have the most perfect
intellects will be the ones with the highest status in
this world and in the Hereafter.” – Imam al-Kazim
(A)

6. Argument from design
In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the
alternation of the night and the day, and the ships that
run in the sea with that which profits people, and the
water that Allah sends down from the clouds, then
gives life with it to the earth after its death and
spreads in it all (kinds of) animals, and the changing of
the winds and the clouds made subservient between
the heaven and the earth, there are signs for a people
who understand. (2:164)
O people! A parable is set forth, therefore listen to it. Those
whom you call upon besides Allah cannot create a fly, though
they should all gather for it, and should the fly snatch away
anything from them, they could not take it back from it. Weak
are the invoker and the invoked. (22:73)
If the truth followed their own whims, the heavens and the earth and all between them would surely
have fallen into ruin. From this reminder, they turn away. (23:71)

7. Imam al-Sadiq (A) said, “If you saw a
single door [on its own], from what
normally comprises a pair [of doors],
with a protruding attachment, would
you ever imagine that this [single door
with a protrusion] was created in such
a way without purpose? Rather you
would certainly know that it was made
in such a way to connect with another
part... In the same way you find a male
animal as if he is part of a pair
equipped for its female partner, and
they unite in order to procreate and
carry on. Destroyed, defeated and
wretched are the claimants of [atheist]
philosophy. How did their hearts get
blinded from this wonderful creation so
as to deny the organization and
purpose in it?”
Imam al-Sadiq (A) was asked by al-Mufaddal,
‘O my master, there is a group of people that
claim that this [creation] is the doing of
nature [itself]’.
The Imam said, ‘Ask them about this nature,
does it have knowledge and power to carry
out such actions [as creation] or not? For if
they answer that it has knowledge and
power, then what is preventing them from
acknowledging the existence of a creator? –
for verily this is His creation. If they claim
that nature does these actions without
knowledge or without purpose while having
witnessed the exactness and wisdom therein,
it is [obviously] known that this is the work
of a very wise creator, and what they have
called ‘nature’ is the very system running
through creation.’

8. In The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben shares his deep love of woods
and forests and explains the amazing processes of life, death, and
regeneration he has observed in the woodland and the amazing scientific
processes behind the wonders of which we are blissfully unaware. Much like
human families, tree parents live together with their children, communicate
with them, and support them as they grow, sharing nutrients with those
who are sick or struggling and creating an ecosystem that mitigates the
impact of extremes of heat and cold for the whole group. As a result of such
interactions, trees in a family or community are protected and can live to be
very old. In contrast, solitary trees, like street kids, have a tough time of it
and in most cases die much earlier than those in a group.
Drawing on groundbreaking new discoveries, Wohlleben presents the
science behind the secret and previously unknown life of trees and their
communication abilities; he describes how these discoveries have informed
his own practices in the forest around him. As he says, a happy forest is a
healthy forest, and he believes that eco-friendly practices not only are
economically sustainable but also benefit the health of our planet and the
mental and physical health of all who live on Earth.
Interlude – Is this design?

9. First Cause (or a Creator)
َ‫خ‬ ْ‫م‬َ‫أ‬ َ‫ون‬ُ‫ق‬ِ‫ل‬‫َا‬‫خ‬ْ‫ال‬ ُ‫م‬ُ‫ه‬ ْ‫م‬َ‫أ‬ ٍ‫ء‬ْ‫ي‬َ‫ش‬ ِ‫ْر‬‫ي‬َ‫غ‬ ْ‫ن‬ِ‫م‬ ‫وا‬ُ‫ق‬ِ‫ل‬ُ‫خ‬ ْ‫م‬َ‫أ‬َّ‫ّل‬ ‫ل‬َ‫ب‬ َ‫ض‬ ْ‫ر‬َ ْ‫اْل‬ َ‫و‬ ِ‫ت‬‫ا‬ َ‫او‬َ‫م‬َّ‫س‬‫ال‬ ‫وا‬ُ‫ق‬َ‫ل‬
َ‫ون‬ُ‫ن‬ِ‫ق‬‫و‬ُ‫ي‬
“Were they created by nothing, or were they themselves
the creators? Or did they create the Heavens and the
earth? Nay, they have no firm belief” (53: 35-36)
1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause.
2. The Universe began to exist.
3. Therefore, the Universe had a cause.
Did the universe have a beginning?
Creator of the heavens and the earth from
nothingness, He has only to say when He wills a
thing, “Be,” and it is.
(2:117)
Do they not reflect within themselves: Allah did not
create the heavens and the earth and what is
between them two but with truth, and (for) an
appointed term? And most surely most of the
people are deniers of the meeting of their Lord. (3:8)
Had there been in heaven or on earth any deities
other than God, both [the heaven and earth] would
surely have fallen into ruin. But limitless in His
glory is God, enthroned in His awesome
almightiness far above anything that people may
devise. (21:22)
Does God Exist? The Cosmological Argument

10. Imam al-Baqir (A) was asked by a scholar from Damascus, ‘So, the thing, did He create it from something else
or from nothing?’ The Imam replied, ‘He created a thing whereby nothing existed before it. Were He to have
created from something then there would be infinite regress and there would always have been something
existing alongside Allah when in actual fact Allah existed when nothing else was in existence.
Imam al-Sadiq (A) when asked by Abu Shakir al-Daysani, ‘What is the proof that you have a creator?’ The
Imam (A) answered, ‘I found within myself that there can only be one of two possibilities, that either I was the
one who created my own self or that someone other than me created me, so if I created myself, then that can
only mean one of two possibilities, either I created myself and I was in existence beforehand or I created
myself from non-existence, so if I created myself and I was already in existence beforehand, then I was free of
any need to be created by the fact that I already existed. If I was in non-existence then surely you know that
non-existence cannot bring about anything into existence. Thus, the third meaning affirms that I have a
creator and He is Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.’ Abu Shakir had no response, so he stood up and left.

11. Human nature (fitrah)
ِ‫ت‬َّ‫ال‬ ِ َّ‫اَّلل‬ َ‫ة‬ َ‫ر‬ْ‫ط‬ِ‫ف‬ ‫ا‬ً‫ف‬‫ي‬ِ‫ن‬َ‫ح‬ ِ‫ِين‬‫لد‬ِ‫ل‬ َ‫ك‬َ‫ه‬ْ‫ج‬ َ‫و‬ ْ‫م‬ِ‫ق‬َ‫أ‬َ‫ف‬ِ‫ل‬ َ‫ل‬‫ِي‬‫د‬ْ‫ب‬َ‫ت‬ َ‫ّل‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ه‬ْ‫ي‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬ َ‫اس‬َّ‫ن‬‫ال‬ َ‫ر‬َ‫ط‬َ‫ف‬ ‫ي‬ِ َّ‫اَّلل‬ ِ‫ق‬ْ‫َل‬‫خ‬
ْ‫ع‬َ‫ي‬ َ‫ّل‬ ِ‫اس‬َّ‫ن‬‫ال‬ َ‫ر‬َ‫ث‬ْ‫ك‬َ‫أ‬ َّ‫ن‬ِ‫ك‬َ‫ل‬ َ‫و‬ ُ‫م‬ِ‫ي‬َ‫ق‬ْ‫ال‬ ُ‫ِين‬‫الد‬ َ‫ك‬ِ‫ل‬َ‫ذ‬َ‫ون‬ُ‫م‬َ‫ل‬.
So set your face purely to the din – the nature which
Allah created humanity upon. There is no change in
Allah’s creation. That is the right din, but most
people do not know. (30:30)
َّ‫ي‬ ِ‫ر‬ُ‫ذ‬ ْ‫م‬ِ‫ه‬ ِ‫ور‬ُ‫ه‬ُ‫ظ‬ ْ‫ن‬ِ‫م‬ َ‫م‬َ‫د‬‫آ‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫ن‬َ‫ب‬ ْ‫ن‬ِ‫م‬ َ‫ُّك‬‫ب‬ َ‫ر‬ َ‫ذ‬َ‫خ‬َ‫أ‬ ْ‫ذ‬ِ‫إ‬ َ‫و‬ْ‫م‬ِ‫ه‬ِ‫س‬ُ‫ف‬ْ‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ ٰ‫ى‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬ ْ‫م‬ُ‫ه‬َ‫د‬َ‫ه‬ْ‫ش‬َ‫أ‬ َ‫و‬ ْ‫م‬ُ‫ه‬َ‫ت‬ُ‫ت‬ْ‫س‬َ‫ل‬َ‫أ‬
َ‫م‬ ْ‫و‬َ‫ي‬ ‫وا‬ُ‫ل‬‫و‬ُ‫ق‬َ‫ت‬ ْ‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ ۛ ‫َا‬‫ن‬ْ‫د‬ِ‫ه‬َ‫ش‬ ۛ ٰ‫ى‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ب‬ ‫وا‬ُ‫ل‬‫ا‬َ‫ق‬ ۖ ْ‫م‬ُ‫ك‬ِ‫ب‬ َ‫ر‬ِ‫ب‬ِ‫ل‬ِ‫ف‬‫َا‬‫غ‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ذ‬َٰ‫ه‬ ْ‫ن‬َ‫ع‬ ‫ا‬َّ‫ن‬ُ‫ك‬ ‫ا‬َّ‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬ ِ‫ة‬َ‫م‬‫ا‬َ‫ي‬ِ‫ق‬ْ‫ال‬َ‫ين‬*ْ‫و‬َ‫أ‬
ِ‫ر‬ُ‫ذ‬ ‫ا‬َّ‫ن‬ُ‫ك‬ َ‫و‬ ُ‫ل‬ْ‫ب‬َ‫ق‬ ْ‫ن‬ِ‫م‬ ‫َا‬‫ن‬ُ‫ؤ‬‫ا‬َ‫ب‬‫آ‬ َ‫ك‬ َ‫ر‬ْ‫ش‬َ‫أ‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬َّ‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬ ‫وا‬ُ‫ل‬‫و‬ُ‫ق‬َ‫ت‬َ‫م‬ِ‫ب‬ ‫َا‬‫ن‬ُ‫ك‬ِ‫ل‬ْ‫ه‬ُ‫ت‬َ‫ف‬َ‫أ‬ ۖ ْ‫م‬ِ‫ه‬ِ‫د‬ْ‫ع‬َ‫ب‬ ْ‫ن‬ِ‫م‬ ً‫ة‬َّ‫ي‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬َ‫ف‬ ‫ا‬
َ‫ون‬ُ‫ل‬ِ‫ْط‬‫ب‬ُ‫م‬ْ‫ال‬
When your Lord drew forth from the Children of
Adam – from their loins – their descendants, and
made them testify concerning themselves “am I not
your Lord?”, they said “Yes! We do testify!” – lest
you should say on the Day of Judgment “we were not
mindful of this.” Or lest you should say “our fathers
before us took false gods, and we are their
descendants; will You destroy us because of what
they did in falsehood” (7:172-3)
Every newborn is born with the inner nature that Allah
gives it - that is, inner knowledge that affirms that Allah
created it. This is meaning of Allah's words: "If you ask
them who created the heavens and the earth, they will
surely say, Allah.“ – Prophet Muhammad (S)

12. A Christian view

13. The “God-shaped hole”
This is what it is
here for.
This is what it
can do.vs
.
Purpose
Causality
Fixed moral code People create artifacts
Supernatural beings
create natural things

14. When a wave like mountains covers
them they call upon Allah, being sincere
to Allah in obedience, but when Allah
brings them safe to the land, some halt.
Only ungrateful betrayers deny Our
signs. (31:32)
Aspects of human nature (fitrah)
Are there
atheists on a
sinking ship?

15. “Pascal’s Wager”
Humans all bet with their lives either that God exists or that
he does not. A rational person should live as though God
exists and seek to believe in God. If God does not actually
exist, such a person will have only a finite loss,, whereas they
stand to receive infinite gain and avoid infinite loss.
1.God is, or God is not. Reason cannot decide between the two
alternatives.
2.A Game is being played... where heads or tails will turn up.
3.You must wager (it is not optional).
4.Let us weigh the gain and the loss in wagering that God is.
Let us estimate these two chances. If you gain, you gain all;
if you lose, you lose nothing.
5.Wager, then, without hesitation that He is. (...) There is here
an infinity of an infinitely happy life to gain, a chance of
gain against a finite number of chances of loss, and what
you stake is finite. And so our proposition is of infinite
force, when there is the finite to stake in a game where there
are equal risks of gain and of loss, and the infinite to gain.
6.But some cannot believe. They should then 'at least learn
your inability to believe...' and 'Endeavour then to convince'
themselves.
Imam al-Sadiq (A) said to ‘Abd al-Karim ibn Abi al-
‘Ajwaa’, who denied the creation and end [of the
universe]: ‘If it is as you say – and, of course, it is not –
then both of us will be saved. However, if it is as we say –
which, of course, is the truth – then we will be saved, and
you will be destroyed.’
Then ‘Abd al-Karim turned to his disciples and said, ‘My
heart is anguished and anxious, so take me from here,’ so
they took him away, and he soon died.

16. Discussion
• Are these arguments convincing?
• What are the advantages and
disadvantages of them?
• Is believing in these arguments the same
as having faith? Can you reject these
arguments and believe in God?
• Can you use scientific/material arguments
to prove God or spiritual realities? Should
you?
• Can you test prayer? Should you? Have
you? Are there aspects of prayer that can’t
be quantified?

17. Miracles• “Then do they not reflect
upon the Qur'an? If it had
been from other than Allah ,
they would have found
within it much
contradiction.” (4:82)
• “Say: If all mankind and the
jinn would come together to
produce the like of this
Quran, they could not
produce its like even though
they exerted all and their
strength in aiding one
another.” (17:88)
• Story of Moses, the Pharaoh,
and the Pharaoh’s magicians
• Jesus
-
• They swear by Allah with the
strongest of their oaths, that if a
sign came to them they would
most certainly believe. Say: “Signs
are only with Allah. How can you
be certain that when it comes, they
will not believe?”
• The parting of the Red Sea and the
golden calf (Qur’an 2:47-61)
Are miracles effective proofs of God?
Why or why not?

18. Fate?

19. Spiritual experiences and intuition?

20. Imam ‘Ali said in reply to Dha‘lab’s question about his being able to see
his Lord, ‘Woe to you O Dha‘lab! I do not worship a Lord Whom I
cannot see!’ So Dha‘lab asked, ‘But how do you see Allah? Describe
Allah to us.’ The Imam (A) replied, ‘Woe betide you! Eyes do not see
Allah by sight; it is the hearts that behold Allah with the realities of
faith.’
‘When I was taken on my Night Journey to the heavens, Gabriel took
me up until a place wherein he himself had never set foot. The veils
were pulled away for me and Allah, Mighty and Exalted, showed me
whatever He liked from the light of His Greatness.’ – the Prophet (S)
‘Verily Allah, Blessed and most High, displayed to His Prophet in his
heart, whatever He liked from the light of His Greatness.’ – Imam al-
‘Askari (A)