How do we know God exists? Based on an article by Justin Parrott. How can we say with conviction that God exists? Justin Parrott is a cognitive scientist.
He showed that scientifically, belief in God's existence is formed in two ways. One, non-reflective intuition resulting from experience. And two, reflective conscious beliefs resulting from thoughts.
Basically, intuition and experience plus logic and thought. Similarly, the Qur'an and sunnah show that belief in God's existence is formed in two ways.
One, by appealing to the heart, intuition and experience. And two, by appealing to the mind, logic and reason. But how exactly do the two ways work together to allow a person to comprehend the existence of God?
Let's break it down by category. Human beings can recognize the existence of God through intuition and experiences that appeal to the heart. Intuitions of the heart start with pure instinct. Humans can sense that a power higher than them exists.
In Islamic spiritual terms, this is because before the world was created, God gathered all the souls together and they made a covenant that they would recognize their creator.
This primordial covenant results in an innate impulse within people that compels them to seek out a higher power. To the point that some scientists today argue that belief in God or a higher power is hardwired into our genes.
Early Islamic scholars defined knowledge of God as a light within the heart. Reinforced by reason but living primarily in the heart. Where do we find this light? Through the visceral experiences of the heart.
Experiencing peace, comfort, and contentment in worship provides the greatest proof for the existence of God.
Having the sweetness of faith or being grounded and certain in the truth of faith to the point of feeling spiritual pleasure is another proof.
This experience results in a stability of being so that believers are always calm no matter what hardships they go through. And the recognition of God in the heart is complete. But it still needs to appeal to the mind, logic, and reason.
This starts when humans begin to ask themselves, Why am I here? Why is there a world and a universe? Why is there something and not nothing? Since the universe is one giant series of causes and effects,
it's reasonable to conclude that it had an original cause that set it in motion. God says in the Quran, Were they created out of nothing? Were they the creators? Did they create the heavens and the earth?
No, they do not have faith. Logically, the universe couldn't have appeared out of nowhere without any sort of force to give it energy or direction. And human beings couldn't have created themselves if they didn't exist in the first place.
So the only reasonable conclusion is that the universe was caused. It was created by something more powerful than itself. It is also natural and intuitive for us to recognize teleology, that everything has a purpose.
The design of the universe from the macroscopic stars to the microscopic world of microbes and everything in between contains a set of natural laws that produce order and have purpose.
The Quran constantly asks humans to think deeply and reason about the design of the universe to find purpose in life. It says in the Quran, There truly are signs in this for those who use their reason.
And it also says, Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the great ships which sail through the sea, with that which benefits people,
and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness, and dispersing therein every kind of moving creature,
and his directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth, are signs for a people who use reason. All of the forces in the universe work together towards a common end,
the creation of the world and the sustaining of life. We can infer that there is a single intelligent force behind all of it.
The precise fine-tuning of the universe actually scientifically validates the existence of an intelligent designer. The laws of nature are configured in astonishingly precise measurements
in order for the universe to exist and for life to thrive. According to physicist Robin Collins, if the initial explosion of the Big Bang had differed in strength as little as one part in 10 to the power of 60,
the universe would have either quickly collapsed back on itself or expanded too rapidly for stars to form. In either case, life would be impossible. The universe is designed for life, not a random occurrence.
Using the faculties of the mind and heart together allows a person to comprehend the existence of God. The truth of theism through the Qur'an and Sunnah is simple, straightforward, supported by logic,
and accessible to all people regardless of their education.
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