Classes on Theology Sheikh Jaffer H Jaffer Masumeen

Classes on Theology Sheikh Jaffer H. Jaffer Masumeen Islamic Centre February 14 th, 2012

Proofs of the existence of God • We previously established the necessity of inquiring into Religion – Question: • Why is it necessary to inquire into Religion? • The foundation of Religion is belief in the Supreme Creator – This separates the Divine worldview from the materialistic worldview Lecture 2/Feb 14 th 2012 * Theology – Oneness of God * MIC * Sheikh Jaffer H. Jaffer

Proofs of the existence of God • How do we acquire knowledge of the Supreme Creator? – Knowledge by presence ﻓﻄﺮﻱ • An individual knows God through a type of inward witnessing, without any intermediary or mental concepts – Knowledge by acquisition ﺍﺭﺗﻜﺎﺯﻱ • Dependent upon something else – Acquired knowledge is established upon intellectual proofs and philosophical reasoning » This is what we will be discussing! Lecture 2/Feb 14 th 2012 * Theology – Oneness of God * MIC * Sheikh Jaffer H. Jaffer

Proofs of the existence of God ● First Proof: – – ﺑﺮﻫﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﻨﻈﻢ Proof based on organization/system – Aqli Proof: ● When one ponders over the organization, connection and harmony between things – Ex: The body and its organs; solar system…etc. ● It proves the necessity for this organization to have an organizer Lecture 2/Feb 14 th 2012 * Theology – Oneness of God * MIC * Sheikh Jaffer H. Jaffer

Proofs of the existence of God – Naqli Proof: • ﻧ ﻳ ﺍﺍﺍ ﻓ ﺍﻻ ﺍ ﻓ ﻧ ﺗﻳ ﺍﻟ • Soon We shall show them Our signs in the horizons and in their own souls until it becomes clear to them that He is the Real (fusilat 53) • ﻓ ﺍﻟ ﺍﺍ ﺍ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﺍ ﺍﺗ ﺗ ﻯ ﻓ ﺍ ﺍ ﻧ ﺍﻟ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﻥ ﺍ ﺍ ﺍ ﺗ ﺍ ﻳﺍ ﻥ ﺍ ﻳ ﺍﻟ ﺍ ﺍ ﻻ ﺍ ﻭ • Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, and the ships that sail at sea with profit to men, and the water that Allah sends down from the sky with which He revives the earth after its death, and scatters therein every kind of animal and the changing of the winds, and the clouds disposed between the sky and the earth, are surely signs for a people who apply reason (al-baqara 164) Lecture 2/Feb 14 th 2012 * Theology – Oneness of God * MIC * Sheikh Jaffer H. Jaffer

Proofs of the existence of God • Second Proof: – Proof of a Necessary Existent ﻭﺍﺟﺐ ﺍﻟﻮﺟﻮﺩ – What is meant by Necessary Existent? • an existent which does not need, require or depend upon any other existent for coming into being Lecture 2/Feb 14 th 2012 * Theology – Oneness of God * MIC * Sheikh Jaffer H. Jaffer

Proofs of the existence of God • Proof: – All propositions have two fundamental concepts (subject and predicate) • Example: The sun is shining – The establishment of a predicate for the subject (the shining in relation to the sun) can only have three states: • It is either impossible ( – )ﻣﻤﺘﻨﻊ ex: the number 3 is greater than the number 4 • It is necessary ( – )ﻭﺍﺟﺐ ex: the number 2 is half of 4 • It is neither impossible nor necessary ( –)ﻣﻤﻜﻦ ex: the sun is above our head

Proofs of the existence of God • In philosophy only existence is discussed – Therefore that which is impossible to exist is never discussed • So we are left with: – necessary - ( )ﻭﺍﺟﺐ – neither impossible nor necessary = possible - ( )ﻣﻤﻜﻦ

Proofs of the existence of God • Necessary existence ( )ﻭﺍﺟﺐ – Exists in-itself and does not depend upon another existent • No beginning and no end • Possible existence ( )ﻣﻤﻜﻦ – Does not exist in-itself and depends on another existent in order for it to be realized • Summary: Existence through intellectual perception is either necessary existence or possible existence

Proofs of the existence of God • Therefore we have three likelihoods: – 1) Every existent is a necessary existent – 2) Every existent is a possible existent – 3) Some existents are necessary existents and some are possible existents • #1 is impossible: – Based on the definition of necessary existent • All existents would have to be completely independent – Which is impossible.

Proofs of the existence of God • #2 - Every existent is a possible existent – Impossible as well – because: • All possible existents requires a cause ( )ﻋﺓ for it to come to existence • Therefore if all the causes were possible existents – No existent would ever come into being • Because it would lead to an infinite series ( )ﺍﻟﺘﺴﻠﺴﻞ of causes which is impossible. – Ex: B caused C and C caused D and D caused E and E caused F… • If B is also a possible existent it would require a ‘cause’ – which would lead to an infinite series of causes which is impossible

Proofs of the existence of God • This proves: – There must be an existence – which does not require a cause for its existence which would be the necessary existent ( )ﻭﺍﺟﺐ ﺍﻟﻮﺟﻮﺩ – Ex: D caused by C and C caused by B and B caused by A • A must be an existence which does not require a cause – making it the necessary existent • Therefore, it is not possible for all existents to be possible existent( ! )ﻣﻤﻜﻦ – This eliminates the second likelihood

Proofs of the existence of God • We are left only with #3 – Some existents are necessary existents and some are possible existents • Which is what we were trying to prove! – Question: • Can anyone detect a problem with this possibility? • Any Questions?