Attributes of the Creator

When we contemplate upon the Creator, we deduce that it can only be either
of three things; Created by something else, Creator and created at one and the
same time, or eternal self-subsisting. To be created means that it is limited and
therefore part of the creation and therefore not the ultimate Creator. It is
absurd that something can be creating itself and exist at the same time.

Therefore the Creator can only be eternal and not dependant on anything in
any time or space. This attribute of eternity, or of infinity cannot be fully
perceived by us, man is limited and cannot perceive everything. If we hear a
knock at the door, we have a strong feeling that there is someone behind the
door, but we do not know who, we can only speculate. To speculate upon the
essence or description of the Creator is not necessary, and can only be
unproductive. We are concerned to prove the existence of a Creator, rather
than speculate upon that Creators detailed description which is in any event
beyond us.

The desire for greater understanding of something so important in our lives is
only natural. To gain greater understanding of something we cannot perceive,
and we cannot perceive something that is infinite and totally independent,
requires that we seek only verifiable data from that Creator. To speculate
about the Creator can only lead to misery and error as the unknown can not
be deduced by our limited minds.

Further, we have not yet addressed the comprehensive question, of what is
man, life, and the universe, what was before the life and what was after it, and
what is the relationship between them all. The answer to this comprehensive
question will act as the basis, or creed for all sub problems relating to life, and
act as the reference for all the complex systems of life that man implements;
social systems, economic, political, foreign policy, judicial, etc. In short this
will explain mans very purpose in life, and give us direction for true progress.
So far we have examined the existence of a Creator, what is the relationship
with the Creator ? and interrelationships with man, life, and what is after
creation ?

The Islamic Answer to Man’s Greatest Question
Islam has answered this question, by stating that man, life and the universe are
all created by a one and only Creator (God in English, Allah in Arabic) and
that before the life of the world was God, God is beyond this life and the
universe, and is eternal, and self-subsistent. After this life there will be an
ending and day of reckoning or judgement, in which man will return to his
Creator, to be followed by an everlasting existence in paradise or hell. Islam
has made the intellectual acceptance of this view a prerequisite for entering it.
We therefore should examine closely, intellectually, these points in order to
assess them, and decide upon their correctness or otherwise.

Before we continue we complete the Islamic basis or creed (aqeeda in Arabic)
upon which all problems and further questions in life will be referred. The
creed of Islam is that there is only one God that created man, angels and jinn,
Muhammad (may Gods peace be upon him) is the last in the chain of
Prophets sent from God to guide mankind, the Qur’an is the word of God
sent as guidance for all of mankind, that after this life man will be resurrected
to face judgement concerning his actions, that after judgement follows
paradise or hellfire. The Muslim (who submits to the will of God) should be
intellectually convinced of these points as irrefutable facts, if this is the case
the Muslim will guide all actions and refer all problems great and small to this
basis or creed. Islam as an ideology or complete way of life (deen in Arabic)
has this basis as given by God, and all of lifes systems emanate and are
directed from this basis.

We recall the ground rules that we need to apply to our assessment of this or
any other creed or comprehensive solution. The solution should be:

1. Comprehensive and answer the whole question leaving nothing unanswered.
2. Agreeable with reality as a fact, agreeing with man’s nature and satisfy the mind intellectually.
3. Assessed based upon our limits of perception, and not what we cannot perceive or sense.

An issue as important as the basis of our lives and how we lead them should
not be accepted without the most strenuous of examinations based upon these
criteria which can satisfy our minds and lead our hearts to contentment.

Posted in: spiritual