by Dr. Zakir Naik

CONGRATULATING AN ATHEIST


Normally, when I meet an atheist, the first thing I like to do is to congratulate him and say, " My special congratulations to you", because most of the people who believe in God are doing blind belief - he is a Christian, because his father is a Christian; he is a Hindu, because his father is a Hindu; the majority of the people in the world are blindly following the religion of their fathers. An atheist, on the other hand, even though he may belong to a religious family, uses his intellect to deny the existence of God; what ever concept or qualities of God he may have learnt in his religion may not seem to be logical to him.

My Muslim brothers may question me, "Zakir, why are you congratulating an atheist?" The reason that I am congratulating an atheist is because he agrees with the first part of the Shahada i.e. the Islamic Creed, ‘La ilaaha’ - meaning ‘there is no God’. So half my job is already done; now the only part left is ‘il lallah’ i.e. ‘BUT ALLAH’ which I shall do Insha Allah. With others (who are not atheists) I have to first remove from their minds the wrong concept of God they may have and then put the correct concept of one true God.


LOGICAL CONCEPT OF GOD


My first question to the atheist will be: "What is the definition of God?" For a person to say there is no God, he should know what is the meaning of God. If I hold a book and say that ‘this is a pen’, for the opposite person to say, ‘it is not a pen’, he should know what is the definition of a pen, even if he does not know nor is able to recognise or identify the object I am holding in my hand. For him to say this is not a pen, he should at least know what a pen means. Similarly for an atheist to say ‘there is no God’, he should at least know the concept of God. His concept of God would be derived from the surroundings in which he lives. The god that a large number of people worship has got human qualities - therefore he does not believe in such a god. Similarly a Muslim too does not and should not believe in such false gods.

If a non-Muslim believes that Islam is a merciless religion with something to do with terrorism; a religion which does not give rights to women; a religion which contradicts science; in his limited sense that non-Muslim is correct to reject such Islam. The problem is he has a wrong picture of Islam. Even I reject such a false picture of Islam, but at the same time, it becomes my duty as a Muslim to present the correct picture of Islam to that non-Muslim i.e. Islam is a merciful religion, it gives equal rights to the women, it is not incompatible with logic, reason and science; if I present the correct facts about Islam, that non-Muslim may Inshallah accept Islam.

Similarly the atheist rejects the false gods and the duty of every Muslim is to present the correct concept of God which he shall Insha Allah not refuse.

(You may refer to my article, ‘Concept of God in Islam’, for more details)


QUR’AN AND MODERN SCIENCE


The methods of proving the existence of God with usage of the material provided in the ‘Concept of God in Islam’ to an atheist may satisfy some but not all.

Many atheists demand a scientific proof for the existence of God. I agree that today is the age of science and technology. Let us use scientific knowledge to kill two birds with one stone, i.e. to prove the existence of God and simultaneously prove that the Qur’an is a revelation of God.

If a new object or a machine, which no one in the world has ever seen or heard of before, is shown to an atheist or any person and then a question is asked, " Who is the first person who will be able to provide details of the mechanism of this unknown object? After little bit of thinking, he will reply, ‘the creator of that object.’ Some may say ‘the producer’ while others may say ‘the manufacturer.’ What ever answer the person gives, keep it in your mind, the answer will always be either the creator, the producer, the manufacturer or some what of the same meaning, i.e. the person who has made it or created it. Don’t grapple with words, whatever answer he gives, the meaning will be same, therefore accept it.

SCIENTIFIC FACTS MENTIONED IN THE QUR’AN: for details on this subject please refer to my book, ‘THE QUR’AN AND MODERN SCIENCE – COMPATIBLE OR INCOMPATIBLE?


THEORY OF PROBABILITY


In mathematics there is a theory known as ‘Theory of Probability’. If you have two options, out of which one is right, and one is wrong, the chances that you will chose the right one is half, i.e. one out of the two will be correct. You have 50% chances of being correct. Similarly if you toss a coin the chances that your guess will be correct is 50% (1 out of 2) i.e. 1/2. If you toss a coin the second time, the chances that you will be correct in the second toss is again 50% i.e. half. But the chances that you will be correct in both the tosses is half multiplied by half (1/2 x 1/2) which is equal to 1/4 i.e. 50% of 50% which is equal to 25%. If you toss a coin the third time, chances that you will be correct all three times is (1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2) that is 1/8 or 50% of 50% of 50% that is 12½%.

A dice has got six sides. If you throw a dice and guess any number between 1 to 6, the chances that your guess will be correct is 1/6. If you throw the dice the second time, the chances that your guess will be correct in both the throws is (1/6 x 1/6) which is equal to 1/36. If you throw the dice the third time, the chances that all your three guesses are correct is (1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6) is equal to 1/216 that is less than 0.5 %.

Let us apply this theory of probability to the Qur’an, and assume that a person has guessed all the information that is mentioned in the Qur’an which was unknown at that time. Let us discuss the probability of all the guesses being simultaneously correct.

At the time when the Qur’an was revealed, people thought the world was flat, there are several other options for the shape of the earth. It could be triangular, it could be quadrangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, spherical, etc. Lets assume there are about 30 different options for the shape of the earth. The Qur’an rightly says it is spherical, if it was a guess the chances of the guess being correct is 1/30.

The light of the moon can be its own light or a reflected light. The Qur’an rightly says it is a reflected light. If it is a guess, the chances that it will be correct is 1/2 and the probability that both the guesses i.e the earth is spherical and the light of the moon is reflected light is 1/30 x 1/2 = 1/60.

Further, the Qur’an also mentions every living thing is made of water. Every living thing can be made up of either wood, stone, copper, aluminum, steel, silver, gold, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, oil, water, cement, concrete, etc. The options are say about 10,000. The Qur’an rightly says that everything is made up of water. If it is a guess, the chances that it will be correct is 1/10,000 and the probability of all the three guesses i.e. the earth is spherical, light of moon is reflected light and everything is created from water being correct is 1/30 x 1/2 x 1/10,000 = 1/60,000 which is equal to about .0017%.



The Qur’an speaks about hundreds of things that were not known to men at the time of its revelation. Only in three options the result is .0017%. I leave it upto you, to work out the probability if all the hundreds of the unknown facts were guesses, the chances of all of them being correct guesses simultaneously and there being not a single wrong guess. It is beyond human capacity to make all correct guesses without a single mistake, which itself is sufficient to prove to a logical person that the origin of the Qur’an is Divine.


CREATOR IS THE AUTHOR OF THE QUR’AN


The only logical answer to the question as to who could have mentioned all these scientific facts 1400 years ago before they were discovered, is exactly the same answer initially given by the atheist or any person, to the question who will be the first person who will be able to tell the mechanism of the unknown object. It is the ‘CREATOR’, the producer, the Manufacturer of the whole universe and its contents. In the English language He is ‘God’, or more appropriate in the Arabic language, ‘ALLAH’.


QUR’AN IS A BOOK OF SIGNS AND NOT SCIENCE


Let me remind you that the Qur’an is not a book of Science, ‘S-C-I-E-N-C-E’ but a book of Signs ‘S-I-G-N-S’ i.e. a book of ayaats. The Qur’an contains more than 6,000 ayaats, i.e. ‘signs’, out of which more than a thousand speak about Science. I am not trying to prove that the Qur’an is the word of God using scientific knowledge as a yard stick because any yardstick is supposed to be more superior than what is being checked or verified. For us Muslims the Qur’an is the Furqan i.e. criteria to judge right from wrong and the ultimate yardstick which is more superior to scientific knowledge.

But for an educated man who is an atheist, scientific knowledge is the ultimate test which he believes in. We do know that science many a times takes ‘U’ turns, therefore I have restricted the examples only to scientific facts which have sufficient proof and evidence and not scientific theories based on assumptions. Using the ultimate yardstick of the atheist, I am trying to prove to him that the Qur’an is the word of God and it contains the scientific knowledge which is his yardstick which was discovered recently, while the Qur’an was revealed 1400 year ago. At the end of the discussion, we both come to the same conclusion that God though superior to science, is not incompatible with it.


SCIENCE IS ELIMINATING MODELS OF GOD BUT NOT GOD


Francis Bacon, the famous philosopher, has rightly said that a little knowledge of science makes man an atheist, but an in-depth study of science makes him a believer in God. Scientists today are eliminating models of God, but they are not eliminating God. If you translate this into Arabic, it is La illaha illal la, There is no god, (god with a small ‘g’ that is fake god) but God (with a capital ‘G’).

Surah Fussilat:

"Soon We will show them our signs in the (farthest) regions (of the earth), and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that thy Lord doth witness all things?"

[Al-Quran 41:53]

A pot calling the kettle black . . . . .whats the difference between an atheist and a muslim?. , . , . NONE

what are their similarities?. . . . . .unless they both acknowledge JESUS as GOD and accept His gift of salvation, both are Hell-bound.

There are over 30,000 christian sects that accept JESUS as GOD and also accept his salvation. . . .they can't all be right,so which are heaven bound?

@ post
Atheists have no methodology with islam. We don't strap on bombs and blow innocent women and children to pieces-(respect for women indeed)
it's one thing to claim islam is a peaceful religion and another to see whats happening on ground.

The key part of Christianity is "salvation" and the acknowledgement of Christ as "GOD". This acknowledgement coupled with grace makes one heaven bound. Issues about sects or denominations are very very secondary.

@noetic,
So all sects are heaven bound?

Do u have a problem understanding simple english?

@Noetic this thread isn't meant for u is for atheist, tudor do u believe in the creator of d universe

My special congratulations to you", because most of the people who believe in God are doing blind belief - he is a Christian, because his father is a Christian; he is a Hindu, because his father is a Hindu; the majority of the people in the world are blindly following the religion of their fathers

and muslims aren't following the religion of their fathers right?

You got to love when theists fight with each other.

@Bawomolo: You wanted a scientific proof, from the informations, the signs in Quran, the verses revealed to Muhammad (AS), over 1400 years ago, you have at least amply amount of currently acceptable scientific facts. Read the entry that started the thread, again. All you have focused on, after all of that is the unwaranted statement from Noetic, Mr. Christian. Is that all you can do, using the envious statement of the defender of the cross, the neo-crusader ready to bomb the muslims, to divert the undeniable facts that the writer have presented?

I always liked your argument. But in this case, I am very disappointed. Not that my opinion matters much, but can you poke holes or a hole in the presentation, as soon as you can? Don't be deluded by the illusion of the time and the society that you live in. Freedom has its limit. No one should have the freedom to tell blatant lie. No one should have the freedom to deny the truth when it is stirring them right in the face!

Am sure Huxley2 would have a different approach, rather than dismissing it, off handedly.

olabowale:

@Bawomolo: You wanted a scientific proof, from the informations, the signs in Quran, the verses revealed to Muhammad (AS), over 1400 years ago, you have at least amply amount of currently acceptable scientific facts. Read the entry that started the thread, again. All you have focused on, after all of that is the unwaranted statement from Noetic, Mr. Christian. Is that all you can do, using the envious statement of the defender of the cross, the neo-crusader ready to bomb the muslims, to divert the undeniable facts that the writer have presented?

I always liked your argument. But in this case, I am very disappointed. Not that my opinion matters much, but can you poke holes or a hole in the presentation, as soon as you can? Don't be deluded by the illusion of the time and the society that you live in. Freedom has its limit. No one should have the freedom to tell blatant lie. No one should have the freedom to deny the truth when it is stirring them right in the face!

Am sure Huxley2 would have a different approach, rather than dismissing it, off handedly.

my position is a simple one. Most people are compelled to follow the religions of their parents (whether it be hinduism or islam).

are you arguing we are born to be muslim? I just find that hard to believe.

@Bawomolo: I only respond to your post before my earlier entry. I wonder by my response why your post did not address the first post of the thread, since you are an atheist? Or do you actually believe in God, not in god, which could be anything, borne out of personal or communial designation?

Allah is God. The Truth and Godship and Lordship cover all, those who accept Him and those who knowingly rject Him and those who out of pure ignorance denies His existence. While Jesus, Holy Ghost and Father of the Christian faith, Humanity, Nature of the Atheist and Agnostics, Buhddah of the Buhddist, and Rabbi, etc of the Jews, and other "deities" of other religions, are gods. None of the deities that falls in the god category, have any power, completely alone, in the position of true master.

Now go back and read the post that started the thread. Respond to it, with fullness of good analytical mind. You are an atheist, respond to a piece challenging the conscience of your group. The piece is stating that your conscience at best is half awake. It is hoping that it can be shocked to full consciousness.

Do I believe that every child is born muslim? I want you to look at the fetus in the womb. How it crutches together. I want you to notice the shape, paying attention to the tilting of the head forward, the folding of the arms and the tucking of the legs. You know what is called a fetus position when adult is lying down? Remember these positions, both of the baby in the womb and the adult lying in bed. Compare them to the position of muslim in postration during prayers.

Interestingly, no person can sleep for an extended period of time, keeping the body perfectly straight. But people can sleep deeper and for a longer period, if the body is crutched together, almost to that exact position and shape as in muslim prostration during prayers. The shape of the contour/Humps/Creases of the right ear, if given critical look you will see Allah spelled out; Longest line as Alif, and two smaller linesjoined together as the two following Lam, lam, and the last hump before the ear opening, as the Ha.

Let me answer your question: Yes I believe we are all born Muslims. My father actually reinforced my continuation in the religion of islam. While your parents, if not Muslims helped your being what you are, an Atheist. Inidentally, my mother was a christian, until just few years ago. She is now a muslim. Alhamdulillah. You live in Chicago. Am sure you have seen yanks, white, black and otherwho have no pimary contact with Muslim, not by marriage or the usual silly point of arguments that the Muslim haters give for the rapid spread. These yanks are turning to Islam. We have a slew of them in North East.

Finally, my dear wife Zainab is from a home where Islam as a religion is more remote that a white man being a member of a black african family by blood and not just through marriage.

fellis:

@noetic,
So all sects are heaven bound?

did you READ his post at all? Let me repeat it here again . . .

[size=15pt]The key part of Christianity is "salvation" and the acknowledgement of Christ as "GOD". This acknowledgement coupled with grace makes one heaven bound. Issues about sects or denominations are very very secondary.[/size]

The words of Christ - John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Salvation is about WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH . . . nothing about sects here.

davidylan:

did you READ his post at all? Let me repeat it here again . . .

[size=15pt]The key part of Christianity is "salvation" and the acknowledgement of Christ as "GOD". This acknowledgement coupled with grace makes one heaven bound.     Issues about sects or denominations are very very secondary.[/size]

The words of Christ - John 3:15  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Salvation is about WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH . . . nothing about sects here.

But you go around telling Catholics(Lady and friends) that they are hell bound even when they tell you that they believe in the salvation of Jesus. 

@David,go sidon jare. The verse John 3v15-6 was not said by Jesus but JOHN. Majority of you use that to preach thinking it was said by Jesus. Go read again,come back and tell me that it was Jesus making that statement.

@Bawo, the Prophet said every baby is born a muslim and even have convenant with Allah but his parent make him convert

Abuzola:

@Bawo, the Prophet said every baby is born a muslim and even have convenant with Allah but his parent make him convert

babies are born ignorant. Are you saying Islam is ignorance?

There is really no way to prove babies are born muslims and if they are born muslims, are they sunni or shia?

I don't think atheism has much in common with Islam, maybe a mutual disdain for christianity.

Bawo u had a convenant with ALLAH to believe in him but the devil make u forget,

shia/sunni is a doctrine, what makes a person muslim is d belief of one GOD i.e Allah and muhammad a messenger kalas

If u say a baby is ignorant, then i want u to perform this experiment below:

Give a baby a breast for the first time and it will recognise it as food and therefore knows how to suck and he suck

Was it the mother that taught the new born baby that the milk is a food or how to suck ? nay, so thats how it is

Abuzola:

Bawo u had a convenant with ALLAH to believe in him but the devil make u forget,

How did the devil make me forget?

d first thing a baby does when it comes into the world is cry, the devil inject an insulin into ur memory making u 4get

The prophet said it is d injection that cause the baby pain which result to cry,

Do u still recall the activities u had when u were one or two years old ? thats the methodology

Abuzola:

d first thing a baby does when it comes into the world is cry, the devil inject an insulin into ur memory making u 4get

insulin used for breaking down sugar makes you lose your memory?

I used insulin as a sample 4u to get d picture, only Allah knows d ingredient d devil inject to cause man 2b forgetful

@Bawomolo

my position is a simple one. Most people are compelled to follow the religions of their parents (whether it be hinduism or islam).

I didnt follow th religion of my parent sir.

are you arguing we are born to be muslim? I just find that hard to believe.

We discussed this here:
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-246849.0.html

what was your original religion

@Bawomolo

what was your original religion

My parent were/are christians.

Where did quran said the earth is circle? if it is so then yusuf(Boko Aram guy) is hell bound coz one of it(boko aram) belief is that the issue of the earth circle is western and it contradict quran. So who is lying here? I guess the poster!