Question 58: English physicist Stephen Hawking says, “Modern physics leaves no place for God in the creation of the universe.”Is there really no place for God in the universe?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Answer: According to the God in the world of Hawking, it is quite normal that God has no place in the formation of the universe because his God does not have enough power to manage and control the universe.

In parallel with the triple deity of the teachings of Christianity, each one of the European scientists has an understanding of deity that they accept according to their own worlds and they draw the limits and authority of the deity. According to some of them, this God or these Gods want to interfere with unwanted or painful and agonizing natural events, but they are not powerful enough to do it. According to some others, God prepared and arranged the events in the universe like a clock and then retired. According to the opinions of some philosophers, the things that are good and nice for us are under the control of God. Unwanted events and things that are bad for us are not the work of God, but of nature and chance.

In short, it is not exaggeration to say that there are as many understandings of deity in the Western World as there are thinkers. It is not possible for them to reach the truth due to such complicated information pollution about deity. Unfortunately, they are also deprived of the understanding of deity of Islam as they approach Islam with a prejudice. Therefore, the understanding of deity of Hawking and philosophers of science like him is not healthy. They are deprived of knowing the concept of Allah Almighty of Islam. Allah states in many verses in the Quran that they will not be able to find the truth unless they approach Islam sincerely in order to understand its concept of Allah.

As a matter of fact, a few verses from the chapter of al-Baqara are as follows:

Allah will throw back their mockery on them, and give them rope in their trespasses; so they will wander like blind ones (To and fro). These are they who have bartered Guidance for error: But their traffic is profitless, and they have lost true direction. Their similitude is that of a man who kindled a fire; when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in utter darkness. So they could not see. Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path).¹

As to those who reject Faith, it is the same to them whether thou warn them or do not warn them; they will not believe. Allah hath set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and on their eyes is a veil; great is the penalty they (incur).²

In the understanding of deity of Islam, Allah has infinite power, will and might. All activities and actions in the universe are under His control all the time. No deed and no action can occur without His permission and will. He man ages everything personally. No deed is hard for Him.

The sun is in relationship with all plants on earth with its seven colors, heat and light. If we assumed that the sun had life and its seven colors were its attributes such as seeing, hearing, and speaking, it could speak to all plants at once and hear the sound of all of them. One would not prevent the other.

Since the sun, which is a being created by Allah, has this ability, it is definitely easy for Allah Almighty, who has infinite power and might, to manage all creatures just like managing an atom, and to see and hear them just like hearing an atom.

Since Hawking is deprived of such an understanding of deity, he cannot attribute the management of the universe to Allah. If he had a true understanding of Allah, he would also confirm that everything from atoms to galaxies occur with the knowledge, will and power of Allah. He would also accept that it is Allah who enables three thousand different reactions in a second in each of the one hundred trillion cells in his body.

Having too much knowledge in the field of science and philosophy does not necessarily make a person know Allah. It is possible to know Allah as it is necessary to know him only through the light of belief. It is not possible for those who are deprived of this light, or those who cannot get enough of it, to know Allah. The main condition for the slave to have the light of belief is to use his will in this way. That is also not enough. It is necessary for Allah Almighty to bestow on him the light of belief. This bestowal depends on His grace.

May Allah Almighty not deprive us of this light of belief! Amin.

1.al-Baqara, verses 15-18.
2.al-Baqara, verses 6-7.

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