The Truth Or The Religious Element (6)

The Truth Or The Religious Element (6)

In this way, reason and tradition contribute, according to the Qur’an, to establish the religion of One Unique God and to refute the idolatry and the association under all their forms,

“Say (O Muhammad to these pagans): “Think you about all that you invoke besides Allâh'? Show me. What have they created of the earth? Or have they a share in (the creation of) the heavens? Bring me a Book (revealed before this), or some trace of knowledge (in support of your claims), if you are truthful!” (XLVI, 4).

Yet, how do we explain why such a rational proposition, renewed by the positive teaching of the Prophets, can disappear so easily from people’s minds and give way to opposing ideas? This is so because man feels inclined to admire the creative power wherever it manifests itself. From admiration to worship the process is continuous and differs only in degree. The powers of nature are marvels apt to captivate the sound mind of a rather attentive observer. What about uncommon or supernatural prodigies of a magician? Guided most frequently by exterior senses, intellect tends easily to localise these phenomena in the immediate milieu which produced them. It attributes them to the object which manifests them as the effect of an efficient and autonomous cause. It is only by a voluntary effort of reflection - which does not often happens - that intellect may elevate from the actual phenomenon to its origins and from the sensible to the intelligible.

One of the first objectives of the Qur’an is to sustain that effort, reminding us that it is impossible for any creature to come out of nothing without a creative act, or to create by himself anything whatsoever in the skies or on the earth,

“Were they created by nothing? Or were they themselves the creators? * Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, but they have no firm Belief. (LII 35-6),

“Do they attribute as partners to Allâh those who created nothing but they themselves are created? * No help can they give them, nor can they help themselves. (VII, 191-2).

Even if a fly snatched something from the most powerful men in the world, they would not be able to restore it,

“O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully): Verily those on whom you call besides Allâh, cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly snatches away a thing from them, they will have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought.” (XXII, 73).

No one but God possesses even an atom's weight in the heavens or on the earth, “Say (O Muhammad to polytheists, pagans) “Call upon those whom you assert (to be associate gods) besides Allâh, they possess not even an atom's (or a small ant’s) weight either in the heavens or on the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor there is for Him any supporter from among them.” (XXXIV, 22).