Article appeared Friday, December 18, 2015 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (406)

yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Have we ever thought about the nature of belief demonstrated by humans? Can there be more
than one type of belief? An immediate response would be yes, either disbelief or belief.
However, while disbelief would represent an unwillingness to consider belief, it is when one
professes belief that the question of the type of belief {1} arises. To understand this, we may
start with the definition that belief would imply that some given thing exists. We may then
consider the classic example of belief in God, i.e., belief in the Creator. The statement, I believe
that God exists is a belief in the external or outer world. Belief actually lies {1} in a personal
perception or internal inference of what is in the outer world. As such, belief is what we perceive
truly exists. If God truly exists, how can one internally perceive His Existence?
As far as perception goes, when we want to internally analyze the existence of God, we may
start with an association. An association would be looking for similar or comparable examples or
relationships. For example, how can we internally associate the concept of the Creator to His
creation? An association may be, just as a car is manufactured by design, the Creator has
conceived, designed and created each one of us. With this realization, a further question may
be are these two situations equivalent? That is, is the manufacturing analogy exactly the same
as the creation situation? Here we would find, for example, that the car manufacturer does not
manufacture the diesel, petrol or gas which the car would use for energy. However, in the case
of humans, the Creator would have to create all the varieties of food that He has blessed us
with. As pointed out {1}, another internal inference would be causation. If a manufacturer did not
deliberately decide to conceive, design and manufacture a particular brand of cars, cars would
not exist. Similarly, we would not have existed had the Creator not deliberately decided to create
us. Therefore the cause behind creation must necessarily exist before.
Just as cars are well designed, the Creator has created each individual human beautifully so
much so that we generally love ourselves. With such internal realizations, a human being may
want to know more about the Creator. For example, why are cars made? A comparable question
would be why has the Creator created intelligent human beings? In case of the car, it not only
fulfills a need, but as the manufacturer has placed a logo or an emblem, he wants to be known
as the manufacturer. Similarly, could it be that the Creator wants to be known for what He
means to His creation?
So, internally attempting to perceive belief leads to a chain of questions that we have to
individually answer for ourselves and would thereby start serving the purpose of our creation.
Those with realization may also look for confirmation of their thoughts from external sources.
What could be external sources? Such realization would not be perceived by the brains of those
who wish to disbelieve or by those who simply say they believe without any analysis. How
should the Creator respond to those who do not wish to believe or do an internal analysis of
belief? Should He classify the wish to disbelieve a sin against Him?
One external source for confirmation of internal perceptions would be the messengers or
apostles sent by the Creator throughout the ages. However, as pointed out in Chapter 15 of the
Quran,
But never came an apostle to them but they mocked him. [15.11]

Those who do not internally sort out the meaning of belief, would not understand or perceive the
role of apostles or messengers. They would not know how to receive or benefit from the
revelation given by the messengers. As such, they would look for excuses to disregard and
thereby disrespect the apostles. How should the Creator respond to such people? The response
of the Creator is documented in the subsequent Verse in Chapter 15 of the Quran.

15.12 Even so do We let it creep into the hearts of the sinners.

As pointed out in Verse 15.12, such people grievously sin against the Creator this is the main
sin. The Creator then permits and allows such people to demonstrate their preference for
disbelief by mocking and ridiculing the messengers.

15.13 That they should not believe in the (Message); but the ways of the ancients
have passed away.
The Creator allows such people to demonstrate and prove their disbelief. However, this is how
our ancestors treated the messengers. Without analyzing the role of the Creator, our ancestors
assumed many gods including the Creator. Should we, now, in this day and age, continue to
follow the ways of our ancestors or should we consider internal realization? Those without
analysis would not understand the purpose of their creation even if they were placed on the
gateway leading to heaven.

15.14 Even if We opened out to them a gate leading to heaven and they were to
continue ascending towards it all day.
They would still not understand belief even they saw heaven. They would say,

15.15 They would only say: "Our eyes have been intoxicated: nay we have been
bewitched by sorcery."
Their brains would not be able to process what they see and feel. To help internal processing
and realization, the Creator has placed His Signs everywhere to see the beauty of His Designs
and work out who He is.

15.16 It is We who have set out the Zodiacal Signs in the heavens and made
them fair-seeming to (all) beholders.
An example of His Signs is the signs of the Zodiac. As given {2}:
the constellations can provide entertainment and a source of imagination. They can
help the lost to find their way. They aid skywatchers in the search for planets, comets, or
other events, by a process called star hopping. And, as they surely did with the ancients,
they can provoke a sense of timeless wonder.
Work out the beauty that the Creator has put into the Zodiacal Signs and given us the ability to
behold such design.
------------{Notes}:
{1} http://changingminds.org/explanations/belief/types_of_belief.htm
{2} http://www.space.com/15722-constellations.html