vista of order and consistency. We can observe, for example, the great
regularity with which the celestial bodies follow precise orbits, and marvel
at the way in which water from the seas is brought to the land by wind-driven
clouds, which are in turn formed by the evaporation of water: without this
replenishment, life would be impossible. We are also amazed by the migration
patterns of many species, including newborn eels, that trek through thousands
of miles of ocean, to nestle in their own local streams, and of bees, who use
sunlight for navigation in their quest for nectar. We may ponder as to why all
living things exist in pairs, and contemplate on the optimality of the
processes which comprise the whole universe. Even incredibly minute changes
would disrupt the balances in nature: after all, had the earth's orbit been
slightly offset in either direction, water and the resulting forms of life
would not have emerged. In fact, we observe great unity in the laws of the
cosmos; through the spectrum of life and non-life ranging from the microcosmic
subatomic particles to the macrocosmic expanse of the universe itself,
integration is manifested on every level.
Reflection may lead us to
pertinent questions: Could such encompassing order have arisen purely by
unintentioned accident? Or could there be an intelligent originator to this
spectacular array of living and non-living forms —a designer that may have
developed them through processes which have yet to be fully determined? What
conclusions are evidential?
Is it probable that all the
letters on this page unscrambled themselves by chance to form these meaningful
and structured sentences? How then, could a human being - with ears, eyes and a
mind - have been formed by chance? Is it credible that such a vast universe with
an inestimable billions of galaxies could have evolved by accident? Does not the
integration and complexity of a single cell far exceed that of a mere piece of
paper with some intelligible writing on it, let alone this universe and all that
it contains? (Especially since the universe also contains this piece of paper .
. .!)
We know that we are not the cause
of ourselves, for embryonic development is organized and directed in stages
under natural laws. But directed by what and by whose laws? Chance? Or
Intelligence? What about a multiplicity of infinite beings? Could such have been
responsible for this cosmological fabrication? Would not the resulting state of
this universe have then been disordered and chaotic due to the conflicting
commands of these infinitely powerful entities, who would have been trying to
accede to the throne of authority in rivalry? Indeed, in such a regime, we would
expect to see inconsistency in the universe as opposed to consistency. Instead
of rain, we might conceivably have received a heavy downpour of elephants from
the skies. (An umbrella would certainly not be terribly useful in such a
universe!) Such a scenario would also give rise to the question: which of the
infinite beings came first? And why? On the other hand, if such a multiplicity
of infinite beings were in perfect agreement for all time, then there would not
be any need for more than one - nor is there any evidence.
If our response to the
chance (unintentioned creation) and multiplicity (creation by two or more
beings) hypotheses is negative, then our answer has to lie between zero and two.
In other words, there can only be one unique governing intelligence - unique by
the virtue of having no demigods, intermediaries, mystical incarnate beings, or
any other human or nonhuman associates. This vast singular intelligence, then,
must have created and developed all living and non-living things, as well as
space-time itself, and must therefore be independent of it.
If this is our conclusion,
then it means that the myriad forms of matter and energy as well as the
physiological structure of the human being must be subject to the natural laws
of this singular and independent governing intelligence.
In addition to this
involuntary physiological dependence of human beings to the prescribed natural
laws, we are also endowed with a mind which has the capacity to voluntarily
question and reason. A reasoning person would be naturally drawn to the logical
conclusion of the existence of a unique originator, and therefore of a
meaningful purpose to this existence. Such a person would live with this
awareness, in peace with himself or herself and the rest of nature.
Indeed reasoning people live, and
have been living throughout the ages in all parts of the world. They can be
found dwelling in the midst of exuberant jungles or in our large, populous and
crowded cities. What would distinguish such individuals would be the employment
of reason as a foundation for life. If such a people are to be given a name
which linguistically denotes 'voluntary peaceful submission' to this unique
Intelligence, and which includes all of these attributes, a suitable term in one
language would be the word Muslim.
For further correspondence, you may write to:
A N A L Y S
University of Toronto
P.O. Box 572
Postal Station P.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5S 2T1