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DIVINESINGULARITY:THEONENESSOFGOD
Imagineyouareanexplorerwhotookaspaceshiptoanotherplanettovisithumanlikecreatures.Onceyoulandonthe
planet,youmeetyourguide.HetellsyouthatyourspaceshiplandedonSphinga,theplanetsborderlesscountry.Youare
confusedandaskyourguideifthereareanyothercountriesontheplanet.Helaughsandreplies,Yes,therearetwo.You
retort,Well,howdoyouknowwhenyoureinanothercountryiftheresnothingtodifferentiatethem?Yourguidesighs
andsays,Yeah,wehavethesameproblem.Therearenobordersandthefeaturesofonecountryarethesameasthe
other.Youfinallyendthediscussionbysaying,Youshouldhavejustmadethemintoonecountrythen,becausethatis
whatitlooksliketome.
Youbothcontinueyourjourneytomeetagroupofofficialsforlunch.Duringthemealoneoftheofficialspraisesthe
kingsofthecountry.Uponhearingthis,youpolitelyask,Youmean,thereismorethanoneking?Theofficialreplies,
Yes,wehavetwokings.Youseemperplexedandaskhowthecountrycanfunctionwithtwokings.Howdoyouhave
harmonyinyourlaws,andorderinyoursociety?Theofficialreplies,Well,theyalwaysagree.Theirwillsareone.You
cannotholdyourselfbackandyourespond,Well,youdonotreallyhavetwokings,then.Becausetheyareactingin
accordancewithonewill.
ThisstorycontainsthreeofthefiveargumentsIwillpresentforthefactthattherecanonlybeoneGod.Thefirstpartof
thestorysummarisesanargumentthatIcallconceptualdifferentiation.Itpostulatesthatinorderformultiplicitytoexist,
theremustbesomeconceptsthatdifferentiateonethingfromanother.Forexample,ifIsaidthattherearetwobananason
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thetable,youwouldbeabletoverifythatstatementbyobservingthem.Thereasonyoucanseetwobananasisbecause
thereexistconceptsthatdifferentiatethemforexample,theirsize,shape,andlocationonthetable.However,iftherewas
nothingtodifferentiatethemyoucouldnotdistinguishbetweenthem.Similarly,sincethisbooksofarhasarguedthatthere
isanecessaryuncreatedcreatorwhoispowerful,knowing,AllAwareandtranscendent,thentoclaimthattherearetwo
wouldrequireaconceptthatdifferentiatesthem.ButinorderfortheCreatortobeacreator,Hemusthavetheseattributes,
sosayingtherearetwowithoutonebeingdifferentfromanotherisbasicallysayingthatthereisonlyonecreator.If
whateveristrueofonecreatoristrueofanother,thenwehavejustdefinedonecreatorandnottwo.
Thesecondpartofthestorysummarisesboththeargumentfromexclusionandtheargumentfromdefinition.The
argumentfromexclusionmaintainsthattherecanonlybeoneDivinewill.Ifthereweretwocreatorsandonewantedto
createatree,onlythreeoptionswouldbepossible.Thefirstisthattheybothcanceleachotheroutthisisnotarational
possibilitysincecreationexists,andiftheycancelledeachotherout,therewouldbenocreationatall.Thesecondisthat
onecreatoroverpowerstheotherbyensuringhistreeiscreated.Thethirdoptionisthattheybothagreetocreatethesame
treeinthesameway.Bothoftheseoptionsimplythatthereisonlyonewill,andonewillinthecontextofourdiscussions
meansonecreator.
Theargumentfromdefinitionassertsthattherecannotbemorethanonecreator.Ifthereweremorethanonecreatorthe
cosmoswouldnotdisplaytheharmonythatitdoes.Aswellpresentingargumentsforacreator,thisbookhasalso
warrantedthetraditionalconceptionofGod.SincethetraditionalconceptionreferstoGodhashavinganimposingwill
thatcannotbelimitedbyanythingexternaltoHim,thenitlogicallyfollowstherecannotbetwounlimitedDivinewills.
Thisessaywillelaborateontheseargumentsandpresentanothertwotoshowthatthiscreatormustbeone:
Theargumentfromexclusion
Conceptualdifferentiation
Occamsrazor
Theargumentfromdefinition
Theargumentfromrevelation.
Argumentfromexclusion
Thisargumentmaintainsthattheexistenceofmultiplecreatorsisimpossiblebecausetherecanonlybeonewill.Sincethe
Creatoriseternalandbroughtintoexistencetheuniversewhichbeganatapointintime,itmeansthattheCreatorchosethe
universetocomeintoexistencechoiceimpliesawill.Questioninghowmanywillscanexistleadsusnicelytodiscussthis
argumentindetail.
Forthesakeofargument,letssaythereweretwocreators.CreatorAwantedtomovearock,andcreatorBalsowantedto
movethesamerock.Therearethreepossiblescenariosthatcanarise:
1.Oneofthecreatorsoverpowerstheotherbymovingtherockinadifferentdirectionfromtheother.
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2.Theybothcanceleachotherout,andtherockdoesnotmove.
3.Theybothmovetherockinthesamedirection.
Thefirstscenarioimpliesonlyonewillmanifestsitself.Thesecondscenariomeansthatthereisnowillinaction.Thisis
notpossiblebecausetheremustbeawillactedupon,aswehavecreationinexistence.Thethirdscenarioultimately
describesonlyonewill.Therefore,itismorerationaltoconcludethatthereisonlyonecreatorbecausethereisonlyone
will.
Ifsomeonearguesthatyoucanhavemorethanoneentityandstillhaveonewill,Iwouldrespondbyasking:howdoyou
knowthereismorethanoneentity?Itsoundslikeanargumentfromignorance,becausethereisnoevidencewhatsoeverfor
suchaclaim.Thisleadsustothenextargument.
Conceptualdifferentiation
Fortwocreatorstoexist,theymustbedifferentinsomeway.Forexample,ifyouhavetwotrees,theywilldifferinsize,
shape,colourandage.Eveniftheyhadidenticalphysicalattributes,therewouldbeatleastonethingthatallowsusto
distinguishthattheyareinfacttwotrees.Thiscanincludetheirplacementorposition.Youcanalsoapplythistotwinswe
knowtherearetwopeoplebecausesomethingmakesthemdifferent.Thiscouldevenbethemerefactthattheycannot
occupythesameplaceatthesametime.
Ifthereweremorethanonecreator,thentheremustbesomethingtodifferentiatebetweenthem.However,iftheyarethe
sameineverypossibleaspect,thenhowcanwesaytherearetwo?Ifsomethingisidenticaltoanother,thenwhatistrueof
oneisalsotruefortheother.Saywehadtwothings,AandB.Iftheyarethesameineveryway,andnothingallowsusto
differentiatebetweenthem,thentheyarethesamething.Wecanturnthisintoahypotheticalproposition:Ifwhateveris
trueofAistrueofB,thenAisidenticaltoB.
NowletusapplythistotheCreator.Imaginethattwocreatorsexist,calledcreatorXandcreatorY,andthatwhateveris
trueofcreatorXisalsotrueofcreatorY.Forinstance,creatorXisAllPowerfulandAllWiseso,creatorYisAll
PowerfulandAllWise.Howmanycreatorsarethereinreality?Onlyone,duetothefactthatthereisnothingto
differentiatebetweenthem.Ifsomeoneweretoarguethattheyaredifferent,thentheywouldnotbedescribinganother
creatorbutsomethingthatiscreated,asitwouldnothavethesameattributesbefittingtheCreator.
Ifsomeoneisadamantinclaimingthattherecanbetwocreatorsandtheyaredifferentfromeachother,thenIsimplyask,
Howaretheydifferent?Iftheyattempttoanswerthequestion,theyentertherealmofarguingfromignorance,because
theywillhavetomakeupevidencetojustifytheirfalseconclusion.
Occamsrazor
Inlightoftheabove,wemightfindafewirrationalandstubbornpeoplewhostillpositapluralityofcreatorsorcauses.In
lightofOccamsrazor,thisisnotasoundargument.Occamsrazorisaphilosophicalprincipleattributedtothe
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14thcenturylogicianandFranciscanfriarWilliamofOccam.Thisprincipleenjoins:Pluralitasnonestponendasine
necessitateinEnglishPluralityshouldnotbepositedwithoutnecessity.Inotherwords,thesimplestandmost
comprehensiveexplanationisthebestone.
Inthiscase,wehavenoevidencethattheCreatoroftheuniverseisactuallyacombinationoftwo,threeorevenone
thousandcreators,sothesimplestexplanationisthattheCreatorisone.Postulatingapluralityofcreatorsdoesnotaddto
thecomprehensivenessoftheargumenteither.Inotherwords,toaddmorecreatorswouldnotenhancethearguments
explanatorypowerorscope.ToclaimthatanAllPowerfulcreatorcreatedtheuniverseisjustascomprehensiveas
claimingthattwoAllPowerfulcreatorscreatedit.Onecreatorisallthatisrequired,simplybecauseitisAllPowerful.I
wouldarguethatpostulatingmultiplecreatorsactuallyhasreducedexplanatorypowerandscopethisisbecauseitraisesfar
moreproblemsthanitsolves.Forexample,thefollowingquestionsexposetheirrationalityofthisformofpolytheism
howdomanyexternalbeingscoexist?Whataboutthepotentialofanyconflictingwills?Howdotheyinteract?
ApopularobjectiontothisargumentisthatifweweretoapplythisprincipletothepyramidsinEgypt,wewouldabsurdly
adopttheviewthattheyweremadebyoneperson,becauseitseemstobethesimplestexplanation.Thisisamisapplication
oftheprinciple,becauseitignoresthepointaboutcomprehensiveness.Takingtheviewthatthepyramidswerebuiltbyone
personisnotthesimplestandmostcomprehensiveexplanation,asitraisesfarmorequestionsthanitanswers.Forinstance,
howcouldonemanhavebuiltthepyramids?Itisfarmorecomprehensivetopostulatethatitwasbuiltbymanymen.In
lightofthis,someonecansaythattheuniverseissocomplexthatitwouldbeabsurdtopostulatethatonlyonecreator
createdit.Thiscontention,althoughvalid,ismisplaced.ApowerfulBeingcreatingthewholeuniverseisafarmore
coherentandsimpleexplanationthanapluralityofcreators,becauseapluralityofcreatorsraisestheunanswerable
questionsstatedinthepreviousparagraph.Nevertheless,thecriticmaycontinuetoarguethatitwasntonepersonthat
createdthePyramids,butanAllPowerfulcreator.TheproblemwiththisisthatnothingwithintheuniverseisanAll
PowerfulBeing,andsincethePyramidsarebuildings,andbuildingsarebuiltbyanefficientcause(apersonorpersons
thatact),thenthePyramidsmusthavebeencreatedbythesametypeofcause.Thisleadsusbacktotheoriginalpoint,that
morethanoneofthesecauseswasrequiredtobuildthePyramids.
Theargumentfromdefinition
Reasonnecessitatesthatifthereweremorethanonecreator,theuniversewouldbeinchaos.Therewouldalsonotbethe
leveloforderwefindinthecosmos.TheQuranhasasimilarargument:HadtherebeenwithintheheavensandEarth
godsbesidesGod,theybothwouldhavebeenruined.[1]
TheclassicalcommentaryknownasTafsiralJalalaynstates:HeavenandtheEarthwouldhavelosttheirnormal
orderednesssincetherewouldhaveinevitablybeeninternaldiscord,asisnormalwhenthereareseveralrulers:theyoppose
oneanotherinthingsanddonotagreewithoneanother.[2]
However,onemightpointoutthatsincemorethanonepersonmadeyourcaronepersonfittedthewheels,andsomeone
elseinstalledtheengineandanotherpersoninstalledthecomputersystemmaybetheuniversewascreatedinthesame
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way.Thisexampleindicatesthatacomplexobjectcanbecreatedbymorethanonecreator.
Inordertorespondtothiscontention,whathastobeunderstoodisthatthemostrationalexplanationfortheoriginsofthe
universeistheconceptofGodandnotjustacreator.Theremaybeanabstractconceptualpossibilityofmultiplecreators,
ashighlightedbythecarexample,buttherecannotbemorethanoneGod.ThisisbecauseGodbydefinitionistheBeing
thathasanimposingwillthatcannotbelimitedbyanythingexternaltoHim.IfthereweretwoormoreGods,theywould
haveacompetitionofwills,whichwouldresultinchaosanddisorder.Theuniverseweobserveisgovernedby
mathematicallawsandorderthereforeitmakessensethatitistheresultofoneimposingwill.Interestingly,theobjection
aboveactuallysupportsDivineoneness.Inorderforthecartowork,thedifferentpeoplewhowereresponsibleformaking
ithadtoconformtotheoverallwillofthedesigner.Thedesignlimitedthewillsofthoseresponsibleformakingthecar.
SinceGod,bydefinition,cannothaveHiswilllimitedbyanythingoutsideofHimself,itfollowsthattherecannotbemore
thanoneDivinewill.
However,onemayarguethatmultipleGodscanagreetohavethesamewillortheycaneachhavetheirowndomain.This
wouldmeanthattheirwillsarenowlimitedandpassive,whichwouldmeantheyarenotGodsanymorebydefinition.
The12thcenturyMuslimthinkerandphilosopherIbnRushd,alsoknownasAverroesinthewesterntradition,summarises
thisargument:
Themeaningoftheverseisimplantedintheinstincts[ofman]bynature.Itisselfevidentthatiftherearetwokings,
theactionsofeachonebeingthesameasthoseoftheother,itwouldnotbepossible[forthem]tomanagethesamecity,
fortherecannotresultfromtwoagentsofthesamekindoneandthesameaction.Itfollowsnecessarilythatiftheyacted
together,thecitywouldberuined,unlessoneofthemactedwhiletheotherremainedinactiveandthisisincompatible
withtheattributeofDivinity.Whentwoactionsofthesamekindconvergeononesubstratum,thatsubstratumiscorrupted
necessarily.[3]
Theargumentfromrevelation
AsimplerwayofprovidingevidenceforGodsonenessistorefertorevelation.ThisargumentpostulatesthatifGodhas
announcedhimselftohumanity,andthisrevelationcanbeproventobefromHim,thenwhatHesaysaboutHimselfis
true.However,ascepticmayquestionsomeoftheassumptionsbehindthisargument.TheseassumptionsincludethatGod
hasannouncedHimselftohumankindandthattherevelationisintheformofabook.
Letsfirsttacklethelastassumption.IfGodhasannouncedHimselftohumankind,thereareonlytwopossiblewaystofind
out:internallyandexternally.WhatImeanbyinternallyisthatyoucanfindoutwhoGodissolelybyintrospectionand
internalisation,andwhatImeanbyexternallyisthatyoucanfindoutwhoGodisviacommunicationfromoutsideof
yourselfinotherwords,itisinstantiatedintherealworld.FindingoutaboutGodinternallyisimplausibleforthe
followingreasons:
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1.Humanbeingsaredifferenttheyhavewhatpsychologistscallindividualdifferences.TheseincludeDNA,
experiences,socialcontexts,intellectualandemotionalcapacities,genderdifferences,andmanymore.These
differencesplayaroleinourabilitytointernaliseviaintrospectionorintuition.Therefore,theresultsofthinking
willdiffer.IftheseprocessesweresolelyusedtofindoutaboutGod,inevitablydifferencesinourconceptionof
Himwouldarise.Thisistruefromahistoricalpointofview.Fromtheancientworldof6000BCEtothepresent,
therearerecordsofapproximately3,700differentnamesandconceptsforGod.
2.SincethemethodusedtoconcludethatGoddoesexistisacommonsensemethod,orwhatphilosopherscall
rationalthoughtandwhatMuslimtheologianscallinnatethinking,thentryingtofindoutaboutwhoGodis,
ratherthanjustaffirmHisexistence,wouldbefallacious.Therearelimitstoourreasoning.Abstractthinkingand
reflectionsonthephysicalworldcanonlyleadustotheconclusionthatacreatorexists,andHeispowerful,
knowing,etc.Togobeyondthoseconclusionswouldbespeculative.TheQuranaptlyasks,Doyousayabout
Godthatwhichyoudonotknow?[4]TryingtofindoutwhoGodisviaintrospectionwouldbelikeamouse
tryingtoconceptualiseagalaxy.Thehumanbeingisnoteternal,uniqueandpowerful.Thereforethehumanbeing
cannotconceptualisewhoGodis.Godwouldhavetotellyouviaexternalrevelation.
Takethefollowingexampleintoconsideration.YourknowledgethatGodexistsisliketheknockingofthedooryousafely
assumethatsomethingisthere,butdoyouknowwhoitis?Youwerentexpectinganyone,sotheonlywaytofindwhois
behindthedoorisifthepersontellsyou.ThereforeyoucanconcludethatifGodhassaidorannouncedanything,itmust
beexternaltothehumanbeing.Anythingelsewouldbemerespeculation.
FromanIslamicperspectivethisexternalcommunicationistheQuran,asitistheonlytexttoclaimtohavecomefrom
GodthatfitsthecriteriaforaDivinetext.Thesecriteriainclude:
1.ItmustbeconsistentwiththerationalandintuitiveconclusionofGodexistence.Forexample,ifabooksaysGod
isanelephantwith40legs,youcouldsafelyassumethatthisbookisnotfromGod,asGodmustbeexternaltothe
universeandindependent.Anelephant,regardlessofform,isadependentbeing.Thisisbecauseithaslimited
physicalqualities,suchsize,shapeandcolour.Allthingswithlimitedphysicalqualitiesaredependentbecause
thereareexternalfactorsthatgaverisetotheirlimitations.Godisnotphysicalandisindependent.Therefore,
nothingwithlimitedphysicalqualitiescanbeGod.
2.Itmustbeinternallyandexternallyconsistent.Inotherwords,ifitsaysonpage20thatGodisoneandthenon
page340itssaysGodisthree,thatwouldbeaninternal,irreconcilableinconsistency.Additionally,ifthebook
saysthattheuniverseisonly6,000yearsold,thenthatwouldbeanexternalinconsistencyasrealityasweknowit
affirmsthattheuniverseisolderthanthat.
3.Itmusthavesignpoststothetranscendent.TherevelationmustcontainmaterialthatindicatesitisfromtheDivine
andthatitcannotbeadequatelyexplainednaturalistically.Insimpleterms,itmusthaveevidencetoshowthatitis
fromGod.
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TheQuranhassignpoststhatindicateitisaDivinetext.Thebookcannotbeexplainednaturalisticallytherefore,
supernaturalexplanationsarethebestexplanation.Someofthesesignpostsinclude:
1.TheQuranslinguisticandliteraryinimitability
2.SomeofthehistoricalaccountsintheQurancouldnothavebeenknowntomanatthetimeofrevelation
3.Itsuniquearrangementandstructure. [5]
Toconclude,sincetheonlywaytoknowwhatGodhasannouncedtohumankindisviaexternalrevelation,andthis
revelationcanbeproventobetheQuranthenwhatissaysaboutGodistrue.TheQuranisexplicitlyclearconcerning
Hisoneness:AnddonotarguewiththepeopleoftheScriptureexceptinawaythatisbest,exceptforthosewhocommit
injusticeamongthem,andsay,Webelieveinthatwhichhasbeenrevealedtousandrevealedtoyou.AndourGodand
yourGodisoneandweareMuslims[insubmission]toHim.[6]
ThesearesomeoftheargumentsthatcanbeusedtoshowthatGodisonehoweverthistopiconcetrulyunderstood
willhavesomeprofoundeffectsonthehumanconscience.IfoneGodhascreatedus,itfollowsthatwemustsee
everythingviaHisonenessandnotourabstractedperspectivesofdisunityanddivision.Weareahumanfamily,andifwe
seeourselvesthisway,itcanhaveprofoundeffectsonoursociety.IfweloveandbelieveinGod,thenweshouldshow
compassionandmercytowhatHehascreated.JustlikewhattheProphetMuhammadsaid:
ThosewhoaremercifulwillbeshownmercybytheMostMerciful.BemercifultothoseontheEarthandtheOneinthe
heavenswillhavemercyuponyou.[7]
Lastupdated16January2017.TakenandadaptedfrommybookTheDivineReality:God,Islam&TheMirageof
Atheism.Youcanpurchasethebookhere.
References
[1]TheQuran,Chapter21,Verse22.
[2]AlMahalli,J.andAsSuyuti,J.(2007)TafsirAlJalalayn.TranslatedbyAishaBewley.London:DarAlTaqwa,p.
690Mahali,J.andAsSuyutiJ.(2001)TafsiralJalalayn.3rdEdition.Cairo:DaralHadith,p.422.Youcanaccessa
copyonlineat:https://ia800205.us.archive.org/1/items/FP158160/158160.pdf[Accessed1stOctober2016].
[3]Avveroes.(2001)FaithandReasoninIslam.Translatedwithfootnotes,indexandbibliographybyIbrahimY.Najjar.
Oxford:OneWorld,p.40.
[4]TheQuran,Chapter7,Verse28.
[5]FormoreontheDivinenatureoftheQuranpleaseread:Khan,N.A.andRandhawa,S.(2016)DivineSpeech:
ExploringtheQuranasLiterature.Texas:BayyinahInstituteandZakariya,A.(2015)TheEternalChallenge:AJourney
ThroughTheMiraculousQuran.London:OneReason.
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