What are the reasons for the mistakes of atheists and materialists?

The Answer

Dear Brother / Sister,

7.4.1.The reasons for the mistakes of materialists
7.4.1.1- They seek everything in matter

Those who base their philosophies on materialism want the eye to fulfill the task of the mind and hence make a mistake.

           Allah creates every organ for a certain task. The use of these organs in the wrong place causes misconceptions. For example, the eye was given to us in order to see, the tongue in order to taste and the mind in order to think and to understand the beings. Those who base their philosophies on materialism want the eye to fulfill the task of the mind and hence make a mistake. What the eye sees is only matter. However, the minds of those who seek everything in matter are in their eyes. The eye is blind in spirituality. It is impossible for the eye to see spiritual things such as spirit and mind. The existence of the spirit and the mind is understood by their works; similarly, the existence of Allah can only be understood by his wonderful works that He created to introduce himself. 

What the eye sees is only matter. However, the minds of those who seek everything in matter are in their eyes but the eyes are blind in spirituality.

            An infinite number is not compared with a finite number; can Allah, all of whose attributes are in infinity, be compared to beings with finite attributes?

The creatures are created out of nothing by a creator and undergo change again and again any time. The following are the reasons for the change, moving from one state to another, in the beings: 

Firstly, they were created later.

The second point about which materialists make a mistake in knowing the Creator originates from comparing the created beings with the creator. The creator cannot be of the same kind as the creature. It is a wrong comparison to compare the created beings with the creator.

Secondly, they need to be renewed and move from one state to another in order to become perfect.

Thirdly, they have needs.

Fourthly, they are material beings. 

Fifthly, they are beings that were created afterwards. 

However, God Almighty is pre-eternal.

He is also infinitely perfect in all aspects.

He does not need anything.

He is free from matter. That is, he has a characteristic that is different from all properties of matter.

He is Wajib al-Wujud. That is, he is necessarily existent. He does not need anyone else to exist. It is impossible for Him to change and to transform from one state to another because He is not one of beings that were created later. He is far from all deficient attributes.

He is also pre-eternal; He has no beginning and ending.

He is infinitely perfect in all aspects.

He is never in need of anything. He has a nature different from all of the properties of created beings that can come to mind. 

7.4.1.2-Creation of beings very easily and quickly

One of the reasons for the error of materialists is the infinite ease seen in the creation of beings, extreme quickness and high speed in the works. Although they are evidence for the infinity of Allah’s power, knowledge, and will, materialists conclude that they are created on their own, which is absolutely irrational, since they do not admit that they happen by Allah’s infinite power. This makes the evidence of an infinite power proof for its absence and opens the door to infinite impossibilities. That is, it opens the door to ways of denial that the mind cannot accept. For, in that case, it becomes necessary to attribute the infinite power that is peculiar to Allah and His infinitely perfect attributes like His all-encompassing knowledge to particles so that they can come into being on their own. This means not to accept a single deity but to accept as many deities as the number of particles.

7.4.1.3-They attribute Allah’s works to nature

One of the reasons why naturalists are wrong is that they base Allah’s works on nature. However, nature is an art of Allah; it cannot be an artist. It is a book of Allah written by the pen of power; it cannot be a writer. Nature is an embroidery; it cannot be an embroiderer. It is a notebook; it cannot be a bookkeeper. It is  a law; it cannot be a power. The nature that they accept as the creator of things is the manifestations of the power, wisdom, and will of Allah, who creates everything out of nothing.

The nature that they accept as the creator of things is the manifestations of the power, wisdom, and will of Allah, who creates everything out of nothing.

7.4.1.4-They regard matter as pre-eternal

One of the points that the materialists are mistaken about is that they attribute Allah’s attribute called pre-eternity to matter and accept it as pre-eternal. They see the manifestation of Allah’s power in the beings, but they do not know where it comes from and cannot understand where it is managed from; therefore, they speculate that matter and force are pre-eternal. Thus,  they attribute the works of Allah to the movements seen in matter and to particles.

Allah is free from space, but He is everywhere; He is in the invention of everything and near everything. He sees, knows and manages everything. Can it be such insanity as to attribute the beings, which are His works, to inanimate, blind, unconscious, will-less, unmeasured particles and molecules that are shaken by storms of coincidence and to their movements? It is necessary for those who are a bit sane to know what an ignorant and superstitious idea it is.

Since they do not accept Allah, they are forced to accept numerous deities. In other words, they are forced to accept the pre-eternity and divinity of the innumerable inanimate particles since they are unable to accept in their minds Allah’s pre-eternity and creativity, which are the requirements of His essence.  However, these particles, which are regarded as deities, are like a regular and magnificent army that is moved under Allah’s infinite power and command. How can the neat shapes, the beneficial results, the orderly and wise creations that are composed of those particles be attributed to the mindless, unconscious and ignorant particles? For, if there is an order and system in something, it shows knowledge, will and power.

7.4.1.5- They think the Creator must change too

         There is a continuous activity and change in the universe. That is why they say that the being that makes this activity and change must also change from one state to another state and must not remain in the same state.

         The change of the mirrors on the earth does not show the change of  the sun in the sky but rather the renewal of its manifestations and movements. So, the change of mirrors, pieces of glass, water particles, etc. on the earth that reflect the sun’s light does not indicate that the sun will change too. On the contrary, it shows that the sun does not change, and that it is fixed and permanent, but that the mirrors showing the existence of the sun are renewed and change.

         Every being in the universe is a mirror on which the names and attributes of Allah become manifest and which show the owner of the names:

  • Their creation shows the name Khaliq (Creator).
  • Their tidiness and orderliness show the names Nazim (Organizer), Munazzim (Arranger).
  • Their peculiars shapes show the name Musawwir (Giver of Shape).
  • The living beings show the names Hayy (Living) and Muhyi (Giver of Life).
  • Their death shows the name Mumit (Taker of Life).
  • When the beings that need sustenance are given sustenance, they show the names Razzaq (Sustainer), Rahman (All-Merciful), Karim (Generous), Rahim (All-Compassionate).
  • Their adorned and beautiful creation show the names Muzayyin (Adorner), Jamil (beautiful).

        Allah states the following in a verse:

         Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day,- there are indeed Signs for men of understanding.1

          Thus, as it is stated in the verse, a person who thinks takes a lesson from everything. There are lessons to be learned from the constantly changing activity in the universe and the constant renewal of the beings mirroring the above-mentioned names. One of those lessons is to know the existence of a constant being with unchanging beauty and kindness, a being that is creative and artistic, that provides sustenance, that does not need anything but meets all needs of the needy, whose existence has no beginning and ending, behind this beautiful, perfectly created but constantly changing screen of beings.

        7.4.1.6- They do not know the wisdom behind the change in the universe

        They do not know what kind of wisdoms are behind the continuous change of the beings in the universe. However, if the wisdoms behind the change taking place in the universe are known, the existence of the changer behind them will be understood. Some of the wisdoms behind the change in the universe are as follows:

        Firstly, increasing their beauties.

        Secondly, renewing their flavors.

        Thirdly, refreshing for the display of new works of art. 

        Man always wants change due to his nature. The desire and wish to change things in a room, to change his clothes are inherent in man.  Thus, Allah changes the world, which is like the home of man, at any moment in accordance with his nature and makes His existence felt, showing Himself to eyes. Since there is a change, there will be a creator that changes these pages of the earth and sky, day and night, summer and winter, youth and old age.

        Thus, a person who thinks of these meanings will increase the pleasure, enthusiasm and admiration he will receive from the world by understanding the wisdom behind everything and at the same time he will know Allah’s existence behind these veils of change and thank Him.

1.Aal-iImran, 190.

Questions on Islam

Was this answer helpful?
In order to make a comment, please login or register