Claude M. Hathaway, the designer of the “electric brain” for the U.S. National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics at Langley Field writes in an essay entitled “The Great Designer” of what he thinks of the rational bases of his belief in a supernatural God. He states, most pertinently that “design requires a designer.” It may not be possible to prove the existence of God by observing Him through a telescope, but it should be remembered that we do base our arguments for His existence on the meaningfulness and design of the visible universe.

When we reflect deeply on our world, we find clear signs of planning, design, and intelligent control all over the universe. These signs lead us to believe that there is a Creator of creatures, a Designer of designs, and a Mover of all movements. In such a situation, we will be compelled to say that our choice is not between ‘the universe with God’ and ‘the universe without God’. It is not an option. The real option is between ‘the universe with God’ or ‘no universe at all’. As we cannot opt for the proposition “no universe at all”, since the universe is too obvious for us to deny its existence, we have no option but to accept the proposition of “the Universe with God.”

In view of the recent advancement in scientific reasoning, true faith has proved to be as rational as any other scientific theory. Now, according to modern developments in science, one can safely say that religious tenets can be proved on the same logical plane as the concepts of science. Reason and faith are now standing on the same ground. In fact, no one can legitimately reject faith as something irrational, unless one is ready to reject the rationality of scientific theories as well.

In the pre-Einstein era, people held that the concept of God pertained to the unseen world and that since no direct argument was available to prove it, belief in God was illogical. They considered all the relevant indirect arguments as scientifically invalid since these were inferential in nature. But now the whole situation has changed. As nothing is really observable, the existence of anything can be established only by means of the inferential argument, not the direct argument.

Today, science holds the inferential argument as valid. If it is valid with regard to the unseen micro-world, it is also valid with regard to the existence of God and other religious truths. Bertrand Russell admitted the fact that the argument centering on design propounded by theologians seeking to offer evidence for the existence of God is scientifically valid. The fact is that when there is design, there must also be a designer. We see that our world is well-designed. This should lead us to believe that there is a Designer of it—God.

The concept: ‘Where there is design, there is a designer’ is the greatest evidence to prove the existence of God, as we can see the universe, which is God’s creation in front of us.

Throughout the universe, there are countless examples of superb organisation, far surpassing even the most advanced systems of man-made machines. It is simply unthinkable that the formidably complicated system of the universe could have come into existence without a Creative Intelligence being behind it. There is something utterly irrational in refusing to believe in the Organiser of an organised universe.

Nature proclaims the fact that there is one God Who, in the infinity of His Wisdom, has created and continues to sustain this universe. The very existence of the universe, with its superb organisation and immeasurable meaningfulness, is inexplicable except as having been brought into existence by a Creator—a Being with infinite intelligence—rather than by blind force.

The human mind has thus no rational grounds for denying the existence of God. We have to concede that there is a formidable array of facts in the universe that cannot be explained unless we admit the role of a superior Mind, or God Almighty.

The existence of God, as a designer (cause) was presumed to exist because His design (effect) could be seen to exist.

In view of the recent advancement in scientific reasoning, a true faith has proved to be as rational as any other scientific theory. Now, according to modern developments in science, one can safely say that religious tenets can be proved on the same logical plane as the concepts of science. Reason and faith are now standing on the same ground. In fact, no one can legitimately reject faith as something irrational, unless one is ready to reject the rationality of scientific theories as well.

This is because if the inferential argument is valid about the unseen micro-world, it is also valid about the existence of God. That is to say, if we believe in the material world based on inference, we have to believe in God based on the inferential argument: that if we can see a design (the universe), we have to believe that there is a Designer—God Almighty.

The truth is that, without a belief in God, the universe remains as unexplainable as the entire mechanism of light is, without a belief in electromagnetic waves.

Source: Spirit of Islam October 2016