By Mourad El Hanafi
Morocco World News
Oujda, June 22, 2013
Lately, I have been coming across some blasphemous postings about Islamic issues on one of my friend’s Facebook account. The postings were opposing the Islamic creed in particular. I thought my friend was playing a tricky game to receive abundant likes…I thought he aimed at brainstorming or triggering the followers to heat a debate. These were my assumptions to satisfy my thirsty curiosity and to give my friend the benefit of the doubt, and not to judge him for anything he might not actually believe. But things started getting clearer when I had a short chit-chat with another friend. The first question he posed was “Where is your atheist pal?” I was really shocked to hear such hair-raising statements, but I still could not believe it. Few days later, my phone rang and it was my friend. I tried to act as normal as possible, as if I did not hear anything about him. After miscellaneous topics we debated and poked fun at; study, girls, and so forth, I was thinking of how to shift the conversation to the news I was obsessed with about him. Finally, I stated it clearly after I failed to find a short-cut.
“I heard that you posted some odd things on your Facebook wall”, I told him. After some slight hesitations he declared, “I can’t be a hypocrite anymore! I don’t believe in Allah and his existence! I don’t pray! I don’t believe in that paradise about which you are always tearing off our heads apart!” That was the first time I heard a tone of indignation from a friend of mine. I did not know where to start with him! The only one question that came automatically was, “Why do you deny the existence of Allah?” Instantly he said, “that’s a long story! Let’s adjourn it to next time!” and he hung up with a quick farewell.
Having heard all that information, my mind was being crippled by so many exclamations and questions. How could my comrade, who memorized more than the half of the holy Qur’an, change his mind about Islam easily? How could my closest friend, who excelled as a great reciter of the holy Qur’an, say that about his Lord? Which book did he read? Which ideas did he come across? Which self-proclaimed writers, thinkers, or intellectuals infected him with those viruses of doubt? How could he naively succumb to their tricks? How could he not easily detect the plot they are weaving against the Islamic creed? Is that what you learned over these years in the university?
Dear friend, I am sure that you love Descartes. He is one of your iconic figures of doubt and inspiration. But before rushing to doubt the existence of your lord, check first whether your brain operates well or not. Before you over-entrust your mindset, doubt the amount of phosphor your tiny brain harbors; it might be expired so that it cannot lead to the so-called truth you are lagging behind. That’s what Descartes asked you to do! Doubt everything! I don’t want to delve into the labyrinth of those metaphysical questions and ideas with you. It’s better to treat things simply. Your withdrawal from Islam only bespeaks your scourge. You might not feel that welfare you are supposed to enjoy. Well, why do not you stand with your innermost self and ask some probing questions. Were you worshiping Allah as it should be? You cannot find that pleasure if you treat Prayer as mere movements! Solely pure and honest worship waters our souls! Only heartfelt hymns can make our tears run down our cheeks! Sorry, you cannot reach that delight because you might take your religion for granted.
Being born in a Sunni community is already a grace from our lord. But unfortunately, you turned it to a curse by your hasty decision. It’s true that we inherited Islam from our ancestors; we didn’t get it by undergoing obstacles the Prophet (PBUH) and The Companions (May Allah Be Pleased With all of them) faced. That is what makes us sometimes take it for granted. But this can never be an excuse to revert to atheism and reproaching people for being Muslims. After all, let me debrief your commonsense. Before we turn our backs on something, we should know it very well, and then, map out its pitfalls that might prompt us to reject it. Have you done this before you forsook? I am strongly sure that if you had had done, it would not have resulted in that decision.
Is your brain defused to deny the existence of the Almighty? How can this well-organized universe come into existence by coincidence? Look at yourself in the mirror! … The design of your faculties…how your tongue utters language…think of language itself…how letters and words are organized to serve you when you want speak…how your fingers moving on the keyboard…let alone all organisms surrounding us… can all this be a span of coincidence?
Once upon a time there was an atheist in Baghdad. He kept saying to Muslims, “there is no God, you can’t see him nor you can hear him. You are just squandering your time believing such legends”. Those few Muslims attending this event didn’t want not take up the challenge and debate with the atheist. They knew that there was a great debater that would be fit for the mission. The best debater of that time was The Imam Abu Hanifah, the founder of El Hanafi School of Islamic jurisprudence. Muslims sent a messenger to him, as he was on the other side of the river, and he accepted.
Few hours dragged by and the Imam had not come yet. As a result, Muslims’ faces started to bear a mien of worry. In turn, the atheist started laughing and mocking Muslims saying, “ha…ha…ha…your so-called great debater is too scared… He is too frightened to come and debate with me”. After a long time,, Abu Hanifah eventually showed up. Muslims rushed toward him and inquired about his lateness. He first apologized for the lateness and then he started explaining the reasons behind his lateness. Muslims were listening and the atheist, too.
“When I managed to come, I realized that there was no boat at the river’s bank. I waited a long time for any boat or any sailor in order for me to cross the river and get here, but in vain. Nevertheless, I went on looking around as it was getting darker. But suddenly as I was standing at the river’s bank, something caught my attention. I looked and to my astonishment, I recognized planks rising to the surface of river by themselves. I was really astounded to see ready-made palnks joining together without anyone’s intervention. Nails, by themselves too, came up fixing the planks without being banged. Full of wonderment, I could also see a sealant sealing the gaps between the planks without being poured by anyone. I was looking closer…A boat was shaped before my eyes… Oh! I could not believe what was happening before my proper eyes…Planks…Nails…Sealant…And finally a boat formed. The boat started moving toward me without a sailor…Oh God! how can this happen! It stood floating beside me as if telling me to embark onto it. Though I was astonished, I decided to sail on this boat. Without a sailor or any one programmed it, the boat was heading toward my destination until I got here…”
After listening to Abu Hanifah’s story, the atheist burst into an irresistible laughter and said “Oh Abu Hanifah, I thought you are the best debater…the wisest…the most knowledgeable from amongst the Muslims and your people. But today you proved to be the opposite. You talk about a boat coming from nowhere and nothing. You speak of a boat built and formed by itself, that’s blatant legends and lies. You look ridiculous… I swear I do not believe a word of it!’
The Imam turned to the atheist and replied, ‘You don’t believe a word of it? You don’t believe that this can happen by itself?”
“Yes I can’t believe a word of it!” The atheist remarked defiantly.
“If you cannot believe that a boat came into being without a maker, planks rose and joined together by themselves, nails appeared by themselves, a sealant poured by itself, and a boat moved without a navigator, and this is just a boat, how can you believe that the whole world, the universe, the stars, the oceans, and the planets came into being without a creator?”
Dumbfounded he was, the atheist got up and fled.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy
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