Rational Proofs and Natural Certainty of God and the Hereafter

❖ God and the Hereafter: Rational Evidence and Natural Conviction ❖

◈ The Matter of God and the Hereafter​

At first glance, the concept of God and the Hereafter appears to be related to the unseen world. However, in reality, it is an essential part of human nature. Human nature inherently acknowledges God and the Hereafter as established truths.

◈ Two Levels of Recognizing God​

➊ Rational Level: At this level, a person attempts to comprehend the existence of God and the Hereafter through logical reasoning.

➋ Natural Level: At this level, the belief transforms into a complete and unwavering conviction.

◈ Purpose of Rational Arguments​

The purpose of rational arguments is merely to move a person away from doubt and enable him to accept God and the Hereafter as a plausible truth. Once this stage is reached, the door to innate nature opens, allowing one to recognize God and the Hereafter as natural realities.

◈ The Eye of Nature​

Every human possesses the ability to perceive God and the Hereafter. However, this ability is often veiled by mental conditioning. Rational reasoning lifts this veil, thereby enabling one to see the truth through the eye of nature.

◈ An Example​

Just as a child believes in the existence of his mother despite never witnessing his own birth, similarly, a human being comes to believe in the existence of God.

◈ The Limits of Logical Reasoning​

The topic of God and the Hereafter remains a matter of rational debate only until the mental veil is lifted. Once this veil is removed, a person recognizes God through inner awareness, a recognition clearer and more powerful than that of any known reality.

◈ The Example of Vision​

If someone’s eyes are blindfolded, evidence is needed to prove the existence of the sun. But once the blindfold is removed, such evidence is no longer necessary. The same is true in the case of God.

◈ Observation by Professor Philip Hitti​

Professor Philip Hitti, in his book “History of the Arabs”, stated that the most impactful parts of the Qur'an are those which deal with matters of the Hereafter (p. 130).

When non-Muslims read the Qur'an, they often derive such impressions. However, the situation is different for Muslims. Most Muslims read the Qur'an either for reward or pride, ignoring its fundamental subject: the Hereafter.

◈ Recognition of the Hereafter and the Failure of Philosophers​

Since the Hereafter pertains to the unseen, its true recognition is not possible through reason, science, or philosophy. Prominent philosophers of the past failed to reach this truth. For instance, Bertrand Russell admitted in his autobiography that he spent his life searching for truths that could never be known.

◈ Russell’s Confession​

"My life has been wasted; I kept trying to know things which are impossible to know."
(The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell, 1950, p. 395)

◈ The Source of Revelation​

Because metaphysical truths cannot be known through reason and philosophy, Allah introduced the medium of revelation. The purpose of the universe and human life has been clarified through revelation, and until now, no rational refutation has succeeded in challenging it.

◈ The Detail in Islam​

The explanation and elaboration provided by Islam are so rational and comprehensive that they remain irrefutable, while alternative approaches have proven to be failures.