Ashraf Schneider – Dawah Training #8 – The Existence of God

As Salaam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh peace blessings and mercy be upon you all. Welcome to the eighth episode of gala Thursdays. And in our episode today we are going to be taking our first step into the methodology of Dawa, we are going to be discussing the existence of an Almighty Creator. So once you've had an opportunity to have a conversation with an individual, to connect with them on a human basis, and to start that first process of initiation through either passive or active dollar in itself, then of course, you would like to tell them a little bit more about this creator that we believe in, because that is the first step of bringing them towards the concept of

tawi. In one of our previous episodes, we talked about speaking to individuals based on their level of understanding. Now within this approach of speaking about the existence of the Almighty Creator, we need to apply this because fundamentally, if we speak to a person that is very intellectual, we would apply a means of rational argumentation for the existence of God. However, if you speaking to someone that is not as intellectual, you would focus on the names and attributes of the Almighty Creator. So we are going to be discussing both of these points today. But first, I would like to start with a rational argumentation and something that might be a little bit more intrinsic within

an objective understanding of this existence. For myself upon my journey of embracing Islam, this is something I found very attractive within the Holy Quran, is that all the profound questions we might have about life? What is our individual purpose? Why are we here as a collective as humanity? Or does God really exist? Can we rationalize his existence? All these profound questions are answered within the Holy Quran. And of course, we need to reference one of these verses within the Quran to analyze the existence of this Almighty Creator. So this will take us to the Holy Quran and chapter 52, verse 35, to 36. Weird reads as follows, or were they created by nothing? Or are they their own

creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? In fact, they have no firm belief in Allah. What Allah subhanho wa Taala is doing in this verse is is giving us four possibilities for existence. And you will of course, relate this information to the person that you speak to, to give them a rational argumentation from a Quranic perspective as to why Allah Subhana Allah why he exists. So in the first option, Allah subhanaw taala is asking us, where they created by nothing. So fundamentally, we know that out of nothingness, complete void, something within our material existence cannot just pop into creation. If this argument did not exist within our universe, then an

elephant can just pop up into this room, and we would think nothing of it. So fundamentally, we know that it is completely impossible. The second option is that we were created by ourselves. Now, that is illogical in itself, because something cannot create itself without existing. For instance, to give you an example, a mother cannot give birth to itself, it is illogical to think that she can, right. The third option is that we were created by something prior to us, for instance, from the point of the Big Bang, that there was another universe before this universe that then exploded and then imploded to create our universe. And fundamentally, if we think about this, and contemplate it,

that cycle will continue ad infinitum, until there is a beginning. So that is also an illogical argument. And therefore, Allah subhanho wa Taala is telling us that the only objective and rational explanation for existence is that we were created by something that is itself uncreated, we were created by something that is itself all powerful to produce the power and energy in order to put this universe into motion. And we were created by something that is itself all knowledgeable, because it was able to create a universe for the coexistence of planetary bodies. And we will also create it by something that is itself self sufficient, not in need of anything within this universe.

It doesn't need to eat, it doesn't need to sleep, it doesn't need to go to the restroom, it doesn't need to pray on to itself or anything as such. Now, this is one way to rationally and objectively speak about the existence of an Almighty Creator. And something that you can relate to the people that you speak to, let's say, you are speaking to someone that doesn't necessarily comprehend all these explanations for this kind of individual, you would relate the names and attributes of the Almighty Creator, and you would speak to them about Allah subhanho wa Taala, that he is all powerful because he created this universe out of nothing. He is all knowledgeable because he created a

universe for the coexistence of planetary bodies, and he is self sufficient, in that he is not in need of anything within this universe. For instance, he doesn't need to eat, he doesn't need to sleep, he doesn't need to go to the restroom to the advocate. He doesn't need to pray on to himself or force onto himself for spiritual protection. And fundamentally, most people comprehend and understand these names and attributes of the Almighty Creator, and they will be able to relate to that. So once you've taught them about these names and attributes, you've explained as to who is this creator that we believe in so after each of these sections, you would ask the individual, do

you understand and comprehend why I believe in an Almighty Creator and that person will be

Let yes or they might say no. And then you delve a little bit deeper into what their understanding is. And you would find ways of speaking about that. So in our next episode, we are going to be looking as to how to apply these names and attributes of Allah subhanaw taala to explain the concept of Tajweed and why we don't associate any partners with Allah, and why we declare that anything within this creation cannot be this Almighty Creator that is far beyond and above all these things because he's Almighty, maximally perfect in all these names and attributes. I hope that you enjoyed today's episode, and if you have, please leave a like and share this with your friends, and I look

forward to seeing you at the next episode. All the best blessings in your family