Establishing the Existence of God

This note is a summary outline for the text The Clear Light - Fundamentals of Religious Beliefs by Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi. Translated by Fahim Hoosen.

There are three objectives to this text:

1. To mention the evidences and proofs for religious beliefs, so that the person who reads these can advance from (the level of mere) imitation to (the level of) certain knowledge.
2. For those evidences or most of them to be taken from the Quran, as it is God’s supreme proof and His firm rope, and to show that the Quran contains the knowledge of the earlier and later ones.
3. We have only talked about the main issues that the Shariah has mentioned and that were discussed by the early predecessors, and we have ignored the various controversies and debates that occurred after them. We omitted those matters that were the cause of disagreement amongst the various sects, so that the person who acquires (an understanding of) this book can tread the clear path and adhere to the firm handhold.

This book contains three fundamentals:

1. The First Fundamental is with respect to Divine Matters.
   1. Section One: Establishing the Existence of God, Most High and that He is the Lord of the Worlds and the Creator of all Creation
   2. Section Two: Monotheism: The meaning of ‘There is no god but God’
   3. Section Three: Establishing God’s Attributes Section Four: Transcendence of God Almighty
2. The Second Fundamental is with respect to Prophets, Rulers, Leaders and Companions.
   1. Section One: Establishing Prophethood
   2. Section Two: Establishing the Prophethood of the Final Messenger
   3. Section Three: Angels
   4. Section Four: Rulers and Companions
3. The Third Fundamental is with respect to the Hereafter.
   1. Section One: Establishing the Afterlife
   2. Section Two: What will take place before the Day of Rising
   3. Section Three: The Day of Rising and its States
   4. Section Four: Paradise and Hell-Fire

First Fundamental

Section 1 - Existence of God

There are three ways mentioned in this text:

1. Inference from the signs that He has placed in the various things that exist.
2. Inference from the Reports of the Prophets.
3. The existence of God Almighty is attested to by sound disposition

From the first way three questions can be posed:

1. What is the evidence that these things that exist were created after having been non-existent? There are two approaches to answer this question.
2. What is the evidence that these things that are created need a creator and that they do not create themselves? There are three approaches to answer this question.
3. What is the evidence that the Creator of all things in existence is God Almighty? There is one response to this question.

From the second way one question can be posed:

1. If it is said that the reports of the prophets are only known through the information provided by the lawgiver, then how can this be evidence against a person who denies the sacred law? There are two approaches to this question.

Section 2 - Monotheism - The Meaning of ‘There is no god but God’

The Meaning of ‘There is no god but God’ refers to the Oneness of God. Thus, this is what is proven.

There are four approaches proving the Oneness of God.

1. Everything created is created by one creator, because a single act cannot proceed from two doers. Thus, it is established that the creator is one, and this is God Almighty.
2. Everything that exists besides God Almighty is created and originated and that it is God Who created it. A created thing cannot be a partner, counterpart or equivalent of its creator, because it is His slave. He created it when He wished and He can destroy it when He wishes.
3. If there were two gods with conflicting wills, only one outcome can prevail, indicating that the one whose will prevails is the true God, revealing the impossibility of multiple gods.
4. The interconnectedness and perfect arrangement of all created things suggest the existence of only one autonomous creator, God Almighty.

Response to Christians beliefs

Four approaches to prove the evidence for the falsity of the claim “Jesus is God’s son.”

1. God has the ability to create a child without a father, just as He was able to create Adam without a mother or father.
2. A child has to be of the same species of its parent and a wife must be of the same species as that of her husband. God Almighty - there is nothing like unto Him. Jesus and his mother were from the human species. This proves that God has no child or spouse.
3. A spouse and child are only taken when there is a need for them. It is not correct to assert that God Almighty has a need for anything else and thus He does not take any child or spouse.
4. Everything that exists besides God Almighty is other than Him, because He created it and gave it existence. It therefore cannot be His child.

Four approaches to disprove the Christian claim “God is the Messiah son of Mary.”

1. The Messiah used to worship God.
2. He used to sleep, eat and drink, become hungry and thirsty and was subject to human issues, all of which are not possible for God Almighty.
3. They claimed that he was crucified and killed. This contradicts their claim that, “He is God” because God is living and does not die. They falsely claimed that, “Jesus was crucified and killed.” This was something they acquired from the fabrications of the Jews.
4. Jesus was a child and later became an adult. God Almighty is free of this.

Three approaches to disprove the Christian claim “God is the third of three.”

1. The (previous) evidences of God’s Oneness and the impossibility of there being two gods.
2. Both Jesus and Mary used to worship God, offer prayers and fast. If they had been gods, they would not have worshipped another being. Jesus himself acknowledged that God was his Lord.
3. Both Jesus and Mary were subject to human issues, which do not apply to a god.

Response to Idol Worshippers

Four approaches proving the invalidity of the idol worshipping religions:

1. Idols are created things as these people themselves made them with their own hands. A created thing cannot be a god.
2. Idols do not possess the attributes of divinity such as life, knowledge, power etc.
3. Idols are subject to ruin and degradation.
4. The previously mentioned evidences for God’s Oneness.

Response to the Magi

Two approaches proving the falsehood hood in respect of their claim that goodness comes from light and evil comes from darkness and in response to those who worship the fire, the sun and the like.

1. The previously mentioned evidences for God’s Oneness.
2. The sun, moon, stars, light, darkness etc. all contain features of being made and evidences of being created. Consider the inference of Abraham that they were not gods based on their setting. Also, consider the changes that occur to them such as eclipses etc. and this will show you that they are created and in need. Anything that is like this cannot be a god nor can it give effect to any occurrence.

Response to Those Who Believe in the Force of Nature

The evidence for the falsehood of their claim is based on two approaches:

1. Nature does not possess the attribute of life, power or will and therefore no act can be attributed to it.
2. The difference in things is evidence that nature does not have any effect, as it can only produce one type of thing.

Section 3 - Establishing God’s Attributes

The evidence for the establishment of these attributes is based on three approaches:

1. These are attributes of perfection and grandeur and their opposites are attributes of deficiency such as inability and ignorance. God Almighty cannot be described with defects and it is thus necessary to describe him with their opposites.
2. These attributes are mentioned in the sacred sources and therefore must be believed in.
3. To infer each attribute from its specific evidence.\

Section 4 - Transcendence of God Almighty

Know that God, may He be glorified, possesses supreme majesty and absolute perfection and that He is free from any defect and absolved of any imperfection.

Second Fundamental

Prophets, Angels, Rulers and Companions

Section 1 - Establishing Prophethood

There are three wisdoms in sending prophets to mankind:

1. That people are of different intellects and divergent views. Therefore, God sent the prophets (peace be upon them) to clarify the disagreements between people.
2. God created the world for worship, established rules for guidance, appointed prophets to communicate these rules, and without them, creation would be lost and ignorant of how to worship, as emphasized in His message of sending messengers to give news and warnings.
3. God Almighty sent the prophets to establish proof against the creation and to remove their excuses.

Section 2 - Establishing the Prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

He was sent to all mankind and jinn.

The evidences that point towards the validity of His mission and His prophethood are grouped into five categories:

1. The Noble Quran that God Almighty revealed to him.
2. The remarkable miracles and clear signs that appeared at his hands.
3. The great merits and noble character traits that God Almighty gifted him with, and the beautiful attributes and majestic qualities that He brought together for him.
4. Inference from the signs that appeared prior to his being granted prophethood.
5. Inference from the signs that appeared after him.

For the first category, the Quran proves the validity of his prophethood in ten ways:

1. Its eloquence and purity of style that distinguishes it from all other speech.
2. The Prophet ﷺ called on the creation to produce something similar to it, but they were unable to do so.
3. The incidents of the former communities and the stories of the prophets and others that it narrated, which it could not have known except by revelation from God Almighty as God.
4. What it mentioned about unseen events that had not yet occurred and thereafter occurred exactly as it had predicted.
5. The knowledge of religious beliefs that it contains.
6. The rulings that are instituted therein.
7. Being protected from replacement and change.
8. Having been made easy to remember.
9. Anyone who recites or listens to it does not become tired or bored despite its frequent repetition.
10. The incantations and invocations that it contains, which provide a cure for sickness and disorders.

For the second category, the miracles of the Prophet ﷺ fall under two categories:

1. Those that we know definitively because the Quran explicitly mentioned its occurrence.
2. Those whose type we know about definitively due to their frequent occurrence although we do not have definitive knowledge about the individual incidents.

Responding to the Jews who denied the Prophet ﷺ

The response to them is based on seven approaches:

1. Abrogation does not imply new knowledge coming to light (or inconstancy in the divine will).
2. Their sacred law had abrogated those before it.
3. Moses (may God bless him and give him peace) informed his followers of Muḥammad (may God bless him and give him peace) and it became binding on them to accept him.
4. Islamic creed requires belief in Moses, Jesus, Muḥammad and all the other prophets.
5. The followers of all creeds from amongst the Jews, Christians and the Arabs are unanimous in the reverence of Abraham.
6. The people of the book, the Jews and the Christians, had altered and changed their religion and differed therein.
7. The argument that had they been entitled to good-fortune in the hereafter, they would have wished for death to attain this good-fortune.

Section 3 - Angels

Know that the angels are servants of God Almighty, who are honoured in His sight.

Section 4 - Rulers and Companions

Know that Abū Bakr Al-Ṣiddīq, ͑Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, ͑Uthmān ibn ͑Affān, and ͑Alī ibn Abi Ṭālib (may God be pleased with them) were just rulers, each one of whom assumed the caliphate being entitled thereto.

The Third Fundamental

The Hereafter

Section 1 - Establishing the Afterlife

The evidence that it is a possible occurrence is based on three approaches:

1. God Almighty has the ability to restore bodies after their annihilation, just as He was able to create them the first time.
2. God Almighty had the ability to create the heavens and the earth, which undoubtedly are larger than the creation of man. Likewise, He has the ability to give life to the creation after their death.
3. God Almighty gives life to the earth by the rain after its death.

There are two wisdoms in the resurrection:

1. One
2. two

Section 2 - What will take place before the Day of Rising

Know that there is mention in the sacred law about things that will take place between the time a person dies and the day of rising, and these must be believed in, such as the questioning by the two angels and the punishment in the grave.

Section 3 - The Day of Rising and its States

Know that the sacred law has mentioned things that will take place on the day of rising, and these must be believed in, such as the bridge, the balance, reckoning, retaliation, reading of the books of deeds, the pool of the Prophet (may God bless him and give him peace) and his intercession, and the testimony of the limbs.

Section 4 - Paradise and Hell-Fire

Know that God Almighty has made paradise the home of comfort and reward, and He has made hell-fire the home of punishment and retribution.

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Source

1. Ibn Juzayy Al Kalbi Al Gharnati. The Clear Light - Fundamentals of Religious Beliefs. Translated by Fahim Hoosen. South Africa: Dar al-Hikma Publizations, 2017.