Realization of God in the Age of Science by Moulana wahiduddin khan
There is an incident which I like a lot and is connected to my life in Rampur. I lived in Rampur for about three years. In that period, an incident occurred. There was a child of a poor father. He once asked his father to bring him a bicycle. The father ignored his request. The child requested for a bicycle again. The father again ignored. When the child asked the third time, the father said that he had no money and could not bring a bicycle. He added angrily that if the child repeated his request he would be beaten. On hearing this the child began to cry. He exclaimed: “You are my father! If I do not ask of you, then whom should I ask?” On listening to this, the father also began to cry and said that he would bring a bicycle the next day. He then arranged for money from somewhere and brought a bicycle for his child.
I often think that this is the biggest prayer a person can do before God. If a person brings himself very close to God so that he realizes that he is really nothing and his Lord is everything, if he understands this truly and sincerely – that God is everything and he is nothing at all, if a person realizes this truth and cries out: “O God, You are my Lord. If I do not ask of You, then whom should I ask!” If a person speaks in this way, then God also utters the same thing which the father in the above incident said to his child. I am not saying this out of my own speculation, rather I have understood this through a hadith. The Prophet once said: “I have never seen a person who should be desirous of Paradise, but is lying asleep; and I have never seen a person who should be running away from the Fire, but is lying asleep.” The same spirit is reflected in this hadith.
I remembered this incident because today I was asked a question from Maulana Iqbal Oomeri. The questions is, “What is that one discovery in the age of science which has increased your faith to a Himalayan extent?” This is a very important question. I have a very specific answer to this question, and that is, quantum physics. When I read about quantum physics, my conviction in God increased to such an extent that there has been no other limit which I need to cross now. I had discovered the truth about quantum physics before having read it. Before shifting to Delhi, I met a professor in Lucknow. He was an atheist.
I hope everyone is able to hear me clearly. I must tell that today when I moved out of my home, I thought that I may not be able to speak at all. I began to pray to God. Then I understood a reality: God who has given me the ability to speak in the first instance, will grant me the ability to speak again. This thought came to my mind and I moved out of my home. Right now, I am sitting here and speaking.
So, I was talking about an incident from my Lucknow days. I met a person who called himself an atheist. When I spoke to him, he asked me something strange: “What criterion do you have to prove God’s existence?” At this, I spontaneously uttered: “The same criterion which you have to prove anything else.” This statement was issued from my lips spontaneously. The professor became silent at my response. He was a very learned person. I used to think why this professor went silent. I realized this when I studied further, especially when I read about quantum physics. This is because quantum physics has informed human knowledge that the material world is as non-existent as an atheist would think that God is non-existence. The professor’s claim was that God is non-existent since He cannot be traced. When I gave my reply to him, it was out of my conviction and not a result of knowledge. But later I realized that my answer was exactly in accordance with human knowledge and this knowledge has been provided to us by quantum physics.
Quantum physics tells us that the material world cannot be completely seen by either a telescope or a microscope. We have no means through which we can know, see or understand the material world completely. Then why do we believe in the existence of the material world? Why do scientists believe in the material world? The reason why we believe in the existence of the material world is that although we cannot see the material world, we can see its effects. The last unit of matter is the subatomic particle. This subatomic particle can neither be seen by a microscope nor a telescope. The reason why we still believe in the existence of the subatomic particle is because we can determine its effects. The subatomic particle’s rotation generates heat, and this heat can be detected by our instruments. This is how we conclude that this effect indicates that the subatomic particle indeed exists. This principle is true also of God. The creation (takhliq) is the effect of God (Khaliq). We cannot know the Creator directly, but we can know the Creator through His effects in the creation spread out around us.
This reality was first demonstrated in the time of the Prophet Moses. The incident has been related in the Quran thus. “And when Moses came at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, ‘My Lord, show Yourself to me so that I may look at You.’ He replied, ‘You cannot see Me, but look at the mountain; if it remains firmly in its place, then only will you see Me.’ And when his Lord manifested Himself on the mountain, He broke it into pieces and Moses fell down unconscious.’” (7:143) God gave a manifestation of His Being on the mountain, and the mountain was destroyed into pieces. Moses collapsed at this event. This was a direct demonstration from God – you cannot see God, but you can see God’s effects. The effect was that when God showed a part of His manifestation on the mountain, the mountain broke into pieces and Moses fell down unconscious.
This is what I have discovered through scientific analysis. People say that God cannot be seen. But matter (material world) is also in the unseen, then why do they believe in matter? It is because the effects of matter can be seen all around. Similarly, a believer has faith in God because he can see God’s effects in the creation. I have faced several events that made me realize the truth and my personality was, as it were, destroyed. In these moments, I realized God very closely. I often ask: “Will I never see my Creator? The Creator whom I loved, whom I made my concern and desired to live in His neighbourhood – will I never see this Creator?” The answer is in the hadith. The Companions once asked the Prophet: “Will we see God in Paradise?” The Prophet replied: “Yes, you will see God as you see the sun and the moon.” This is metaphorical language. We will see God the way we see the sun and the moon, but we do not know exactly what this ‘seeing’ would be. We can know it only when we actually see God in the Hereafter. When a person makes God his everything, his sole concern, he then thinks in this pattern.
The greatest discovery of a person is to find God Almighty. When you discover God Almighty, naturally a spirit is awakened in you. The spirit is reflected in a prayer of Asiya bint Muzahim. This is the strangest prayer in the Quran. When Pharaoh decided to kill his wife Asiya, she prayed to God saying that she did not care what Pharaoh wanted to do, rather she only wanted God. She said: “My Lord, build me a house in nearness to You in Paradise.” (66:11) I do not find a prayer better than this. Asiya was indeed a strange woman, as she did this prayer while Pharaoh’s sword hung right above her head.
I will say only one thing. The aim of the Quran was to become a warner (nadhir) for all nations, that is, the message of the Quran should reach in understandable language throughout the world. You should make yourself part of this cause. Give whatever you can for this cause. If you do not have anything to give, then pray for those who are working for this cause. The Quran should be translated in the language of every people. God created an entire world. God established the British empire. This British empire was a creation of God – it helped to bring about an international language for the first time in history. But Muslims were so involved in other things that in spite of the fact that the English language emerged as an international language after a long process, Muslims continued fighting against the British empire. The Muslims could not discover the blessing that God had brought about through the British empire. The hadith had also predicted: “God will help this religion through a secular person.” The British were secular people, a secular empire, which had given birth to an international language. Muslims should have translated the Quran in this understandable language of the time. But they kept fighting and complaining. They only fought, complained and had hatred for the British. They did not care to translate the Quran in the international language of the time. The Christians at that time had already translated the Bible in the understandable language of the time. The Christian model had been established for Muslims to draw a lesson from. Today there are 55 translations of the Quran in English, but there is no clarity in any of these translations. The translation published from our centre (Centre for Peace and Spirituality) is very clear and easy to read. This has been acknowledged by Mr. Khushwant Singh of India and Mr. Federico from Poland. I can say that members of our organization were able to do what great Muslim leaders could not do. They prepared and published the translation of the Quran in the understandable language of today.
I request all those who are listening to me to become part of this movement. If they cannot be part of this work, then they should pray for this cause. May God guide us.
Question and Answer Session
Q1. I believe that the real problem of not being able to connect to God is due to unlimited desires in ourselves. These desires stop us from remembering God. How to eliminate these desires and adopt simple living?
A1. A person should make all effort from his side and then pray to God. This principle in Arabic is stated thus: “As-sayi minni wal-itmam minallah.” Prayer on the one hand and one’s efforts on the other hand can help one achieve a high level of God-realization.
Q2. Sometimes I feel my marefat (level of discovery and realization of God) is high and other times I feel it is low. I feel frustrated at this fluctuation. How can I always be in a state of high marefat?
A2. This desire of yours is unnatural – the level of marefat can never be smooth, there will always be ups and downs. You should not always desire a high level of marefat, but rather continue to make effort on your part.
Q3. Will God forgive our grave sins on the Day of Judgment? What should I think so that I get solace?
A3. The Quran has answered this question. A verse in the Quran is considered by the Companions of the Prophet and all respected scholars as the most hopeful (arju) verse. The verse is: “Say, [God says] ‘O My servants, who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of God’s mercy, for God surely forgives all sins. He is truly the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.’” (39:53) Whenever I read this verse, I reflect on the word ‘jami’, or ‘all’. That is, the greatest gift of God for people is that if they do sincere repentance and truly ask for forgiveness from God, then God will surely forgive them. This is the most hopeful verse of the Quran.
Q4. You say CPS provides the translation of the Quran in understandable language. In Arabia, the Quran was revealed in the seventh century in the language of its people. But today there is no difference between these Arab peoples and people of other countries. How to bring about change?
A4. Bringing about change is not our goal. Our goal is to convey the message of God. Bringing about change is in God’s domain. Even the Prophet could not bring about change, it was entirely in God’s hands. The Prophet could not help Abu Talib accept Islam. So bringing about change is not in your hands. It is impossible for a person to bring about change.
Q5. What is the reason for sectarianism in Muslims? How to remedy this phenomenon?
A5. It is very simple. You should read Ibn Abdul Barr’s book Jami Bayan al-Ilm wa-Fazlihi. In one sentence I will say that the responsibility for this state of affairs is our fuqaha (jurists). When they began to collect traditions of the Prophet, they found that there was variety in the traditions narrated from different Companions of the Prophet. For example, some would believe in Amin bil-Jahr (saying Amin loudly after reciting Surah Fatiha in Namaz), while others in Amin bil-Sahr (saying Amin softly after reciting Surah Fatiah in Namaz). The right way in all of these matters was to accept ta’ddud (diversity) and not yearn for tawahud (unity). The principle of the fuqaha that the truth is one and there should be no diversity or variety, is wrong. Please read my book ‘Tajdid-e-Deen’ on this topic.
Q6. God commands doing jihad in Surah Saff. The return for this jihad would be Paradise. What is the meaning of jihad here – battle against others or struggle against oneself?
A6. These verses on war in the Quran are applicable to the situation when the other side has already attacked Muslims. There is no room in Islam for initiating attack. If someone thrusts war upon you, you can fight back in defence. But there is no offensive war in Islam. In Islam, war is only as defense.
Q7. We often say everything has been written by God. I think this goes against the creation plan of God, as it suppresses the free will of humans. Please tell us about the reality of destiny.
A7. It is true that God has given total freedom to man. God has the power to detach Himself in this matter and allow complete freedom to man. I have written on this topic. You can read more from my books.
Q8. Can we derive from Moses’ above incident that we should study the sciences which deal with discovery and realization of God?
A8. You should increase your study. Studying science is supportive in the task of God-realization.
Q9. Can you recommend any other book apart from the Quran and Hadith?
A9. I cannot pinpoint any one book. There are many books. I too have written many books. You need to find out yourself the books you should read. No other person can tell you.
Q10. The hadith says we should read different Surahs of the Quran in different situations. How to follow this?
A10. There is no such concept of reading a certain Chapter of the Quran on a certain occasion or moment of time. You can read whenever you want, depending on your situation.