Ch 2 — Universal Evidence of God and the Hereafter / Science Confirms Religious Truths
God And The Universe — Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Badges mark quoted or attributed material (Qur'an, hadith, another author, an opposing view). Unbadged passages are Maulana Wahiduddin Khan's own words.
If you cut a tree and then plant it in the soil, on the first day, it will appear to be green and verdant, but the very next day, its leaves will likely begin to wither, so much so that it will soon dry up and die. The same has been the case with atheism in the present era. Initially, it appeared as if the Age of Religion had ended and human history had entered an age of irreligiousness that might last forever. However, soon, things began to change, and religion returned to human life with new strength and vigour. p. 74
Until the end of the 19th century, what was called ‘scientific atheism’ dominated the intellectual world. However, new scientific findings in the 20th century weakened ‘scientific atheism’ and rendered it weightless. For example, in the early 20th century, the English physicist, astronomer, and mathematician Sir James Jeans declared that the universe that modern science had discovered was refusing to accept a mechanical interpretation. Moreover, in the 21st century, many scientists interpret the universe so that without acknowledging God, one cannot adequately explain the universe. p. 74original + quote
In 1988, the British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking authored a book titled A Brief History of Time. In the book, he stated that, according to the Big Bang theory, the universe has continued to expand since its beginning. Hawking noted that this process is very well-calculated. The initial rate of expansion of the universe had been established with exceeding accuracy and precision because this rate of expansion was very close to the critical rate needed to prevent the universe from collapsing. This means that if the model of the Big Bang is correct and it is from this that time has begun, the universe’s initial conditions must have been selected with exceeding care. Had this not been the case, the universe would have ended by now. p. 75
This phenomenon cannot be explained without accepting that the universe’s expansion rate had been selected with exceeding care beforehand. Relating such details, Hawking, who is said to have been an atheist, writes: p. 75original + quote
“It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us.” p. 75other source
The amazing quality of the universe is that it does not accept any interpretation other than a Divine one. The universe is a known phenomenon. It is not possible to deny its existence. This is why some of the best minds have sought its explanation and interpretation at every age. Some have claimed that the universe has always existed and is eternal. Some opined that it came about independently and is running by itself. Others have argued that a chain of cause and effect has given everything in the universe existence. However, others have tried to prove the principle of evolution to be the creator of the universe. And so on. However, reality negates, rebuts, and rejects all these explanations. The more knowledge man obtains about the system of the universe, the more hollow the claim appears to be that the cause of the universe is anything other than the One God. The very existence of the universe testifies that its cause is God. To consider anyone or anything other than God as the Creator of the universe is only a hollow speculation, in support of which there is no real, objective evidence whatsoever. All claims or theories that posit any factor other than God as the cause of the universe have been proven to be baseless in the light of modern scientific knowledge. p. 75