The Company of the Creator of Existence:
As soon as my new book “War on Truth” was published, I received a comment from a respected Sheikh saying:
“The book does not begin with the name of God nor with praise for God The Almighty.”
At that moment, I had mixed feelings between his comment and my firm conviction to avoid mentioning the Basmala (In the Name of God).
I responded to him:
“As for starting with the name of God, I sometimes avoid it when the book is directed to atheists, in order to initially draw them into reading with neutrality.
I gradually take them from their need for security to proving the existence of a Creator of the universe and all the other points mentioned in the book,
He replied with another comment: “Writing the name of God at the beginning of any written work is essential.
Every matter of importance that does not begin with the name of God is cut off from blessings.”
So, I immediately added it and sent a revised version of the book for republication.
I kept thinking about the matter for two days till the day of my scheduled flight to Jeddah, heading to Mecca to deliver a lecture.
I took my preferred seat by the window, and next to me sat a young Muslim boy and his brother, both around ten years old.
I was astonished by something unusual in the behavior of the boy and his brother.
Whenever one of them stood up, he said “In the name of God.” When he sat down, he said ” In the name of God.”
He would open his bag to take out his phone and say, “In the name of God,” then close the bag, and adjust his seat to start playing, saying also, “In the name of God.”
Then he would change the game, again saying, “In the Name of God.”
At that moment, I realized it was a message from the Lord of the worlds, addressing my doubts and confusion over the past two days regarding the mentioning of the Name of God at the beginning of the book.
Upon my return from the trip, I came across a remarkable book by adistinguished scholar, which contained profound reflections on the
significance of mentioning ‘In the name of God‘ .
The author wrote: “The Bedouin who travels across the desert must be put under the protection of a tribal chief to secure his safety from the wicked and to complete his tasks and fulfill his needs.
Otherwise, he will wander alone, confused and troubled by a multitude of enemies and limitless needs .Similarly…”
The author continued:
“Two individuals set out on such a journey; one was humble, and the other arrogant. The humble one sought affiliation with a chief, while the arrogant one refused. As they traveled through the desert, wherever the one who sought affiliation arrived, he was met with respect and hospitality, in honor of the chief’s name.
If a highwayman confronted him, he would say, ‘I travel under the protection of that chief,’ and the bandit would leave him alone.”
“As for the arrogant one, he encountered countless misfortunes and calamities that cannot be described. Throughout the journey, he lived in constant fear and anxiety, humiliating and degrading himself.”
The author continued:
“Indeed, the phrase ‘In the name of God’ is an immense treasure that never fades. With it, your ‘poverty’ is connected to boundless mercy greater than all creation, and your ‘weakness’ is tied to absolute power, which governs everything from atoms to galaxies.
Your weakness and poverty become intercessors accepted by the Almighty, the Merciful, the Majestic.”
“Whoever moves and acts in the name of God is like a soldier operating under the authority of a state. He acts on behalf of the law and the state, fearing no one, as he speaks in the name of authority. He completes his tasks and stands firm in the face of all challenges.”
“All creatures perform their duties in the name of God. Tiny seeds carry on their heads, in the name of God, massive trees and heavy burdens.
Every tree declares, ‘In the name of God,’ and fills its branches with fruits from the treasury of Divine Mercy, offering them to us. Every garden says, ‘In the name of God,’ turning into a kitchen of Divine Power, where delicious foods are prepared. Each of the blessed and beneficial animals like camels, goats, and cows says, ‘In the name of God,’ becoming a fountain of pure, nourishing milk, presented to us by the Sustainer as the cleanest and most pleasant nourishment.”
At the end, I realized that the young boy, the great scholar, and the respected sheikh had all taught me a valuable lesson.
The Wisdom of the Creator of Existence:
A young Latina woman once said to me:
“People hate evil. If there is a Creator, as you say, then why did the Creator create evil, since He created everything?”
I replied:
If there is no Creator, then where did all the goodness we have come from in the first place?
Assuming the Creator created evil, why did humans choose to do the very evil they claim to hate?
Creating evil is not inherently wrong, because creation concerns the outcome. There is no absolute evil. Rather, it is those who choose evil, ike humans, who embody it.
Evil does not come from the Creator. Evil is not an existential matter; existence itself is pure good.
If someone hits another and paralyzes them, they acquire the trait of injustice, and injustice is evil.
- The strength in the person who picks up the stick and strikes another is not evil.
- The will that God gave him is not evil.
- The ability to move his hand is not evil.
- The striking force in the stick is not evil.
All of these existential elements are good in themselves and do not acquire the label of evil unless they are misused, leading to harm such as paralysis in the previous example. Similarly, the existence of a scorpion or snake is not inherently evil unless they harm a person by stinging them. The Creator cannot be attributed with evil in His Actions, which are pure good. Rather, in the events that God allows to occur through His Decree, there is profound wisdom and many benefits, even though He has the power to prevent them. These events result from the misuse of the good by humans.
Trials like illness, orphanhood, homelessness, or hunger have produced great talents, heroes, and outstanding individuals around us. These hardships instilled in them virtues like perseverance, which ultimately led them to make history.
When disasters occur on Earth that harm humans, like diseases, volcanoes, earthquakes, and floods, God’s Names and Attributes such as”The Powerful,” “The Healer,” and “The Protector” are manifested, as He heals the sick and protects the survivors. His Attribute “The Just” is also manifested when He punishes the oppressor and sinner. His Attribute “The All Wise” is revealed in testing the non-sinner, who are rewarded if they endure patiently or punished if they get disgruntled. Through these trials, humans come to know the Greatness of their Lord, just as they come to recognize His beauty through blessings.
If a person only recognizes the beautiful attributes of God, it is as if they have not truly known God at all.
I also told her:
The believer is always at peace in heart and soul, seeing with the light of
their insight that this world is a place of testing and tribulation, a temporary passage and not a permanent abode. It is a temporary
guest house where both evil and good are transient. The one who is patient here is the winner, and the grateful one is the triumphant.
If the ultimate purpose of the universe’s existence were not to create a human brain capable of recognizing its own existence, what would be the benefit of creating a universe that no one is aware of?
The Alternative to the Creator:
One of the most beautiful things I’ve read was a series of profound questions posed by a young man, where he asked:
- Is nature an architect or a construction engineer, or both?
- Is nature so ingenious as to invent laws for the universe with such precision? Or is nature an artist, painting flowers, birds, and butterflies with such beauty and creativity?
- Is nature a mathematician, with the language of mathematics reflected in everything, even our minds, forming the basis of all things in the universe?
- Or is it a software engineer, crafting genetic codes that create the marvels of life?
- Do nature and its lifeless materials possess a mind and all those astonishing qualities?
- Is nature so brilliant that intelligence permeates every atom, every creation, and every precise law within it?
These questions are incredibly logical. Deaf, lifeless nature is incapable of creating even a single atom or fly, nor can it establish a physical law expressed in the language of mathematics or program the genetic code of life that precise blueprint that defines every intricate detail of every living being, turning dead materials and elements into a living, moving, hearing, seeing, and thinking creature.
Thus, humans must believe in something. They may call that something a “god” or at least give it any other name. That god could be a tree, a movie star, a star in the sky, a national hero, a woman, a boss at work, a scientific theory, or even a personal desire. But a person must believe in something, follow it, revere it, defend it and its rights, and refer to it in guiding their life. They may even die for it; this is what we call worship.
Here we come to understand the meaning of the Name of God, who is the One and Only God, The Source of existence and Creator of the universe, not nature or any of its creations.
Facts:
- The universe has a great Creator, who created it for a great purpose.
- Humankind has a great Creator, who created them for a great purpose.
- The Creator is separate from humans and other creations.
- The Creator is different from humans and other creations.
- The Creator does not come to Earth in the form of a human or an animal.
- The Creator created Jesus without a father and created Adam without a father or a mother. He creates but does not beget.
- Humans are separate from each other.
- Each person has an independent soul.
- The universe is separate from the Creator and from humans.
- This universe and this life have an end, where the Creator will judge humankind for their deeds.
- The Creator sent one message to all nations through different messengers.
The message is that the Creator owns what He creates and has the ultimate right to establish the laws of life that humans must follow,
These laws are:
- Monotheism: Belief that there is no god but the Creator alone, with no partners or children, and that He is the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe and everything within it.
- Worship: Worship the Creator alone, without associating anyone or anything else with Him in worship.
- Belief in the Messengers: Follow the messengers and believe in what they brought during their respective times (including the glad tidings of the coming of Prophet Muhammad and the encouragement to follow him and believe in him for those who have heard of him).
- Morality: Do good and avoid evil.
I conclude with these beautiful words: Know for certain that the highest purpose of creation and the greatest outcome of human nature is faith in God (the Creator). The highest rank of humanity and the most noble position of humankind is knowing God (the Creator) through that faith. The brightest happiness for mankind and jinn and the sweetest blessing is the love of God (the Creator), born from that knowledge. The purest joy for the human soul and its greatest delight is the spiritual pleasure that springs from that love. If we know God (the Creator) in such depth and truth, we will sure be able to plan our lives well and strive to walk on this path.
Reference:
From the book “Letters of Light” by Said Nursi
Said Nursi, a Kurdish Muslim scholar.
Quotes from Dr. Mustafa Mahmoud
From the book “War on the Truth” by Faten Sabri.
The Muslim scholar, Said Nursi