Voice of British Muslim Women

Iffat Mirza, Raynes Park

Within each of us, a belief of God lives. For some it burns brighter. For others it may only be in the form of latent heat not quite a spark yet. Even the most adamant of atheists must have pondered over the possibility, however small they may perceive it to be, that there is something larger than us. Something stronger.

One only needs to look around themselves to consider the ways in which God has manifested Himself. God has testified Himself, in the Holy Qur’an, “He is the Mighty, the Most Forgiving; Who has created seven heavens in harmony. No incongruity canst thou see in the creation of the Gracious God. Then look again. Seest thou any flaw? Aye, look again, and yet again, thy sight will only return to thee confused and fatigued, having seen no incongruity.”

Nature holds all the secrets of the universe that the human mind cannot comprehend. Whether it is the glimmer of the guiding stars or the vast ocean, there still remains an infinite amount to be discovered. It is an undeniable fact that the human race has not yet even understood an iota of this universe. Yet we are brazen enough to consider it a coincidence. The universe has become a creation with no creator.

For those who believe it is was scientific discoveries which made God’s existence redundant are ignorant to the fact that it is God Himself Who encourages man to use logic, reason, and rationality to justify His existence. The rise of scientific understanding has led man to question the necessity of God yet it needn’t be as such. In fact, the compatibility of science and religion is undeniable for those who wish to understand both. Certainly, the Muslim physicist Dr Abdus Salam extracted his hypotheses from the verses of the Holy Qur’an. His discovery merited him a Nobel Prize.

Though Atheism is nothing new, it has certainly increased rapidly which one may attribute to our increasingly materialistic and fast paced world. We simply no longer have the patience to pray, to sacrifice, or even to hope any more. It is no coincidence that it was during the 1960s, with the rapid increase of the technological world that TIME Magazine published the controversial issue with the cover reading in bold red letters ‘IS GOD DEAD?’

Which prompts me, as a practicing Muslim, to ponder over the signs of a living God. Surrounded by mainly atheist friends, many have tried to convince me of what they see as the flaws of God’s existence – yet to me not only His existence, but His Being, has been so glaringly obvious. God never abandoned us. Rather it is us who have abandoned Him. We dived into a world that is radically different from any world our ancestors may have witnessed. Consequently, we put our faith in the seen, the tangible, the man-made, and as a result we have forgotten God. We have led ourselves to believe that He has died. But it is of course in our intrinsic nature to remember God.

Amongst God’s numerous attributes, a most beautiful and, indeed, relevant one is ‘Al-Hayy’. That is ‘The Living’. God knew that one day man would try to kill Him. But if we were to only want to pause this world for a second we would realise that this is not possible. At the core of human nature is the need to feel peace and security. Is it any coincidence that today that the wellness industry is worth up to £2.8 trillion worldwide? Mindfulness and mediation are both common across the world as the human race has recognised the need to pause and reflect. Considering this is exactly what prayer teaches us, it is my humble opinion that these are the burning scintillas of sparks of our faith in God, buried deep within us, that refuse to be snuffed out.

God lives on and He will continue to do so. Al-Hayy cannot die, despite what TIME Magazine publishes. Nor has He abandoned us. Indeed, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) has stated it is God’s promise that “when a servant of Mine advances towards Me a foot, I advance towards him a yard, and when he advances towards Me a yard, I advance toward him the length of his arms spread out. When he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.”

It is upon us to find God, to rediscover Him. The human race has a clear necessity for God, and it has tried to replace Him, be it with nationhood, or wealth, or science. The need to humble ourselves in front of a greater being or idea has remained consistent. This is the essence of recognising God within us. The glowing scintilla of a spark that defies and continues to burn brighter. We only need to provide it a spiritual fuel.

The Holy Qur’an, translated by Maulvi Sher Ali (ra) Chapter 67, Verses 3-5.
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1979/salam/facts/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/tips-for-the-future/future-of-health-wellbeing-beauty/