Signs of Allah's Existence

Signs of Allah's Existence



Imam Ibn Kathir

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged), Volume 1

© 2000 Darussalam



O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those
who were before you so that you may acquire taqwa (piety).

Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a
canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky and brought forth
therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals
unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He alone has the right
to be worshipped." Qur’an, 2:21-22

Several scholars of Tafsir, like Ar-Razi and others, used this
Ayat (verse) as an argument for the existence of the Creator, and
it is a most worthy method of argument. Indeed, whoever ponders
over the things that exist, the higher and lower creatures, their
various shapes, colors, behavior, benefits and ecological roles,
then he will realize the ability, wisdom, knowledge, perfection
and majesty of the Creator. Once a Bedouin was asked about the evidence
to Allah’s existence, he responded: "All praise is due
to Allah! The camel’s dung testifies to the existence of the
camel, and the track testifies to the fact that someone was walking.
A sky that holds the giant stars, a land that has fairways and a
sea that has waves, does not all of this testify that the Most Kind,
Most Knowledgeable exists?" [Ar-Razi 2:91]

Hence, whoever gazes at the sky in its immensity, its expanse,
and the various kinds of planets in it, some of which appear stationary
in the sky – whoever gazes at the seas that surround the land
from all sides, and the mountains that were placed on the earth
to stabilize it, so that whoever lives on land, whatever their shape
and color, are able to live and thrive – whoever reads Allah’s
statement:

"And among the mountains are streaks white and red, of varying
colours and (others) very black. And likewise, men and ad-Dawwabb
(moving, living creatures, beasts) and cattle are of various colours.
It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear
Allah." (35:27-28)

Whoever thinks about the running rivers that travel from area to
area bringing benefit, whoever ponders over what Allah has created
on earth; various animals and plants of different tastes, scents,
shapes and colors that are a result of unity between land and water,
whoever thinks about all of this then he will realize that these
facts testify to the existence of the Creator, His perfect ability,
wisdom, mercy, kindness, generosity and His overall compassion for
His creation. There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,
nor is there a Lord besides Him, upon Him we rely and to Him we
turn in repentance. There are numerous Ayat in the Qur’an
on this subject.