Introduction

A family who returns from a long holiday only to find that their home has been furnished with new items in a most ordered and perfect manner and that every detail has been thought of and provided to meet their needs, will be most astonished and affected. They will wonder who arranged this surprise, for how could they not in the face of such an extraordinary event? Would they really say: "We don't really care how this happened, just as long as it happened"? Or would they suppose that everything happened by itself or by chance, and that the new furniture decided on its own to install itself there? Such ideas are laughable, for all events are the result of a certain intelligence, consciousness, and power that makes them happen. For that reason, the existence of someone who has thought of everything and consciously arranged it is clear.

This example also applies to the universe, our world, and all of its living and non-living entities. There are countless infinitely complex systems and delicate balances in the universe, in all of existence and all phenomena, from the human body to the sky, from animals to the depths of the oceans. Everyone who can think and reason sees that only God, with His superior power and intelligence, could have created these complex systems and delicate balances.

These people encounter countless proofs of God's existence, such as brightly colored, sweet-smelling flowers; delicious fruits and vegetables that spring from muddy soil; the sense organs, which enable us to enjoy each created item's unique properties (e.g., smell and taste); the human body with its many complex systems, all of which work in harmony; the Sun, which illuminates and warms, and its ideal size and distance from our Earth; the rain, which brings bone-dry soil to life; and countless other proofs.

Each of these is a "sign leading to faith." In other words, they are miracles of creation and truths that guide people to faith and then increase that faith. Every unbiased person who thinks deeply about these proofs will come to faith by clearly seeing these reflections of God's existence and greatness. Thanks to these signs, believers will come to know God better and increase their faith in, love for, and fear [and awareness] of Him.

However, due to the pervasive materialist worldview to which they are subjected from childhood onward, most people cannot see these signs or else find it hard to see them. This misguided materialistic system, which suggests that everything depends on chance, coincidence, and natural phenomena, prevents people from seeing the evident miracles of creation that pervade the universe. It literally draws a curtain over their eyes. Most people do not look at these signs and say, "How beautifully God has created these"; rather, they say, "How nice." In other words, they look at them with a disinterested eye.

This book seeks to lift this curtain of indifference by dealing with the importance of these signs leading to faith. At the same time, it contains the views of several Islamic scholars of these signs and gives examples of them. Moreover, it also considers how these signs are the most effective way of disproving the superstitious teachings of the theory of evolution, the greatest deception of our time, and one that continues to lead people to atheism in the End Times.

The Qur'an and the Signs Leading to Faith

And He has made everything in the heavens and everything on Earth subservient to you. It is all from Him. There are certainly Signs in that for people who reflect.
(Qur'an, 45:13)

Islamic scholars define the "signs leading to faith" as all forms of truth, information, and evidence of creation that lead people to faith, serve as proofs of God's existence and oneness, and reveal His superior might, knowledge, and art. In short, they are the "truths that lead to faith and are a means whereby faith can be acquired and simultaneously enhanced, developed, and perfected."

Although people cannot see God directly, they can comprehend His existence, might, and some of His names by looking at His creation. Just as every painting introduces its artist, all living and inanimate entities introduce us to God, their Creator. Human beings must consider this and bear witness to the proofs of creation. Indeed, in the Qur'an God gives us examples of various animals (e.g., the camel, gnat, bee, and spider) as well as plants, trees, mountains, the Earth, and sky, that serve as signs leading to faith. In other words, we are expected to view them as miracles of creation. Some of the relevant verses in this context are given below:

Have they not looked at the camel—how it was created? And at the sky—how it was raised up? And at the mountains—how they were embedded? And at the Earth—how it was smoothed out? (Qur'an, 88:17-20)

God is not ashamed to make an example of a gnat or of an even smaller thing. As for those who believe, they know it is the truth from their Lord. But as for those who do not believe, they ask: "What does God mean by this example?" He misguides many by it and guides many by it. But He only misguides the deviators.  (Qur'an, 2:26)

Your Lord revealed to the bees: "Build dwellings in the mountains and the trees, and also in the structures that people erect. Then eat from every kind of fruit and travel the paths of your Lord, which have been made easy for you to follow." From inside them comes a drink of varying colors, containing healing for humanity. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who reflect.  (Qur'an, 16:68-69)

He appointed the Sun to give radiance and the Moon to give light, assigning it phases so that you would know the number of years and the reckoning of time. God did not create these things except with truth. We make the Signs clear for people who know. In the alternation of night and day, and what God has created in the heavens and Earth, there are Signs for people who guard against evil.  (Qur'an, 10:5-6)

For thinking and unbiased people, a kitten, a bird, or a flower are all signs leading to faith.

The signs emphasized in these verses are important means whereby every person who thinks about the subject in an unbiased manner can grasp God's existence and draw near to Him.

Of course, these signs are not limited to the examples in these verses, for many other entities, both visible and invisible, also serve this same function. An ant walking in a garden, a flower on a table, a cat in a street or in a house, a dog or a bird, our bodies, the order in the Earth and the sky, rain, the atmosphere that both surrounds us and protects us from harmful rays and objects from outer space, and an infinite number of other things—all of these are signs that lead to faith for people who seek to know God. Just as the life of a giant star can be a great proof of faith, so can our bodily organs be signs leading to faith.

All believers are responsible for using God's verses to understand whatever they see and hear, and to think deeply about them. Every unbiased person is aware of this. Believers also know that they will be unable to account for their behavior if they live among the millions of living things created by God that exist between Earth and the boundless heavens, and yet fail to think about them.

The Qur'an Emphasizes the Signs' Importance

He Who created and molded. He Who determined and guided. He Who brings forth green pasture, then makes it blackened stubble.
(Qur'an, 87:2-5)

The Qur'an clearly reveals that human beings were created by God to worship and serve Him, and that they can expect to live eternally in the Hereafter. Furthermore, He calls upon them to think deeply about the proofs that bear witness to these truths. The Qur'an refers to the phenomena and entities that are certain proofs of God's existence, oneness, and names as "signs." Just as these are written in the Qur'an, they also exist in the world and in a person's soul, for: "There are certainly Signs in Earth for people with certainty, and in yourselves as well. Do you not then see? "  (Qur'an, 51:20-21) The same truth is also stated in other verses:

We will show them Our Signs on the horizon and within themselves, until it is clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not enough for your Lord that He is a witness of everything?  (Qur'an, 41:53)

In the heavens and Earth there are certainly Signs for the believers.  (Qur'an, 45:3)

Among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and Earth and all the creatures He has spread about in them ... (Qur'an, 42:29)

These proofs are not restricted to the Qur'an, but are found everywhere around us. Whether it be a bird alighting on a tree branch, a flower in a garden, or a star in the sky, everything we encounter constitutes a message sent by our Lord to be read in our souls. From this point of view, even a single flower represents an entire letter bearing a message from our Creator to those who can read it.

On the other hand, some signs leading to faith confirm that the Qur'an is the word of God, for God revealed a great many of these signs in a miraculous manner 1,400 years ago. Among these signs are such facts as the expansion of the universe and its creation from nothing, the separation of Earth from the sky, the orbits of heavenly bodies, the Earth's round shape, the sky's role as a protective shield, the atmosphere's layers, the formation of rain, the existence of erosive winds, and why the oceans do not mix with each other. All of these facts have been confirmed by modern science. The fact that information unknown to anyone at the time of the Qur'an's revelation is set out clearly in its verses once again demonstrates that the Qur'an is the word of God.

Thinking and Acquiring Knowledge for Deep Thought

Unbiased people know that everything around them constitutes a proof of faith. They are aware that a seagull diving into the sea to catch its prey, a tiny ant walking on the ground, an apple tree that produces fruit every year, or clouds that remain suspended in the air despite weighing several tons—in short, everything they see—are proofs of God's existence.

The Qur'an refers to two other important features that lead to these signs being deepened and understood: thinking deeply and possessing knowledge.

There is no creature on Earth that is not dependent upon God for its provision. He knows where it lives and where it dies. They are all in a Clear Book.
(Qur'an, 11:6)

• In the Qur'an, God constantly calls on people to think about the proofs of creation in the skies, on Earth, and in all that lies between—in other words, about the signs leading to faith:

In the creation of the heavens and Earth, and the alternation of the night and day, and the ships that sail the seas to people's benefit, and the water that God sends down from the sky—by which He brings Earth to life when it was dead and scatters about in it creatures of every kind—and the varying direction of the winds, and the clouds subservient between heaven and Earth, there are Signs for people who use their intellect. (Qur'an, 2:164)

Several verses state that God expects us to think deeply about what He has created and to learn about the limits He has imposed upon us. All living and non-living things have been created in a way that is designed to encourage us to ponder His superior power of creation, art, and knowledge. As the verses above indicate, everything has been created for a purpose. Ignoring and failing to give these matters their due importance means turning one's back upon His verses, something that all believers must avoid. Indeed, the Qur'an emphasizes that those who turn their backs on God's verses and the proofs of creation are unbelievers.

We sent down cascading water from the clouds, so that by it We might bring forth grains, plants, and luxuriant gardens.
(Qur'an, 78:14-16)

The importance of constantly thinking about these signs to an individual's growth and certainty of belief is emphasized in many verses, such as:

In the creation of the heavens and Earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are Signs for people with intelligence: those who remember God, standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and Earth: "Our Lord, You have not created this for nothing. Glory be to You! So safeguard us from the punishment of the Fire."  (Qur'an, 3:190-191)

God has revealed that the signs leading to faith have a great significance for thinking people. However, the thinking referred to here does not consist of such clichéd reactions as "How splendidly God has created these" or "What a magnificent animal." We must think long and hard, as well as deeply and in a wide-ranging manner, about what God has created so that we can identify the wisdom and detail in that creation and thus bear witness to His infinite knowledge, might, and artistry.

One method that can be employed is that of questioning and comparing the entities and phenomena around us. In one verse, God gives us an example of such thinking:

If We had willed, We could have made it [the water that you drink] bitter. So will you not give thanks?  (Qur'an, 56:70)

Water, a blessing that covers much of the Earth, almost always can be found with ease. The great majority of people have perhaps never even thought once about the water they drink every day. They regard water's existence and how it meets our needs as something that does not require any consideration. The fact is, however, that water's physical and chemical properties could have been very different, had God so willed.

In addition, the atmosphere's structure or temperature could have been different. If that were the case, there would be no clouds and thus no sources of fresh water on Earth. All we would have is the oceans' salt water, in which case humanity either would not have survived or would have done so only in a state of great difficulty and constant crisis. Without fresh water, there would have been no agriculture, and the world would have become a vast desert whose only product is famine. Yet God gave us fresh water just about everywhere in the world. For this, we must thank Him.

People have only to look at their food. We pour down plentiful water, and then split the ground into furrows. Then We make grain grow in it, as well as grapes and herbs, olives and dates.
(Qur'an, 80:24-29)

But to genuinely feel and express that gratitude, first of all we must realize that water is a blessing. This, in turn, depends on "thinking." The example of water applies to all natural entities, living things, and phenomena around us, each of which is a blessing from God. Yet in order to comprehend this, we need to ask: "What would have happened had things been different?" and make the necessary comparisons. And along with this, we must understand that God has created the most delicate balances in all things. The importance of thinking about natural phenomena and "using one's reason" with regard to them is described in another verse:

And in the alternation of night and day, and in the provision God sends down from the sky, bringing Earth to life by it after it has died, and in the varying direction of the winds, there are Signs for people who use their intellect.  (Qur'an, 45:5)

Those "people who use their intellect" are believers, because both intelligence and reason are acquired only through faith. Since unbelievers are bereft of reason, they cannot comprehend His signs and so pass by these countless proofs without seeing any of them. Indeed, unbelievers are characterized by a lack of interest in the countless signs in Earth and sky and by behaving as if they were unaware of them. As the Qur'an states:

How many Signs there are in the heavens and Earth! Yet they pass them by, turning away from them. Most of them do not believe in God without associating others with Him. (Qur'an, 12:105-06)

• The second feature required in acquiring a deeper appreciation and understanding of the signs leading to faith is possessing knowledge. But in order to see a subject as a sign leading to faith, there is no need to know its most striking aspects or to have wide and detailed information about it. Rational people, upon looking around themselves, immediately realize the extraordinary nature of what they see and that everything has a Creator. When they see an insect, such as a dragonfly, they know that it has a Creator. The mere existence of a living thing is enough to understand that it is a sign leading to faith. Thinking about the detailed information one can gather about that creature is a means whereby faith and enthusiasm can be increased.

Let's recall the example of water. We know how important this substance is for our lives. Yet when we possess basic physical, chemical, and geographical information about water, we can better comprehend its importance. When we consider its properties in greater detail, we can clearly see that from its properties of freezing, expansion, and viscosity to its chemical properties, water has been created in the most ideal way to support human life. (For more details, see Harun Yahya, The Creation of the Universe, Al-Attique Publishers Inc., Canada, 2000.) This, in turn, is a means to increase our depth of thinking and gratitude.

The shape of raindrops is also the product of a special design.

Both a small child with very limited information and a superbly educated professor who has spent years studying can both see and witness God's signs when they approach the matter with sincerity and an unbiased view. However, in order for people to think deeply about those entities that they cannot see, they require wide-ranging information. With regard to what they can see, they need to learn about them in order to deepen their consideration. Otherwise, their consideration will remain with fixed bounds and may, at times, be superficial. For example, those who have no knowledge of the systems in space but who nevertheless look up at the sky and ponder them will inevitably have different thoughts than those who have a deep knowledge of astronomy. Similarly, the way in which someone with a broad knowledge of the human body's physiology and anatomy comprehends the fine detail, miracles, and marvels apparent in humanity's creation will be deeper and broader than that of someone with no knowledge of the subject. Indeed, God informs us that from the point of view of reasoning and comprehension, those with knowledge are superior to those who have no knowledge:

Such metaphors—We devise them for humanity, but only those with knowledge understand them.  (Qur'an, 29:43)

Among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and Earth and the variety of your languages and colors. There are certainly Signs in that for those who know.  (Qur'an, 30:22)

What about the one who spends the night hours in prayer, prostrating and standing up, mindful of the Hereafter, hoping for the mercy of his Lord? Say: "Are they the same—those who know and those who do not know?" It is only people of intelligence who pay heed.  (Qur'an, 39:9)

However, we need to recall that "information" unaccompanied by the intellect, conscience, and foresight necessary to interpret it, does not lead a person to the truth. The detailed knowledge possessed by a sincere unbiased person is important in his or her quest to know God better and to draw closer to Him. Thus, today's advances in science and technology help us see and witness the knowledge, wisdom, artistry, and fine detail in God's creation from a much closer observation point.

Thanks to such advances, the miracles and beauties in God's creation are beginning to emerge more clearly and in greater detail. People who acquire this information and evaluate it in the light of the wisdom and beauty in God's creation become even more amazed at His infinite might.

The Importance of the Signs Leading to Faith

Signs Leading to Faith Help People Faith

Signs leading to faith are one of the most important means that lead people to belief. Those without faith live in deep heedlessness and cannot see any of the surrounding proofs of creation. As their societies have moved away from religion, their minds have drowned in the details of day-to-day life, and their perceptions and consciousness have become so weak that they cannot recognize these countless proofs. But as long as such people are sincere and unbiased, there is hope that when they are told of the signs leading to faith, they will believe in God's existence and oneness, that He created all that exists from nothing, and perceive His infinite knowledge and might.

Since this world is a place of testing, it would be a mistake to expect to witness such a great miracle that would force everyone to choose faith whether they wanted to or not. For example, if a seed thrown onto the ground sprouted into a giant tree in a matter of seconds, the people who witnessed it would describe it as a great miracle. However, since billions of trees do the same thing, but only very gradually, this does not create the impression of a miracle at first sight.

Let's consider another example. Imagine that the human body, which ages as one grows older, suddenly aged before one's eyes. If a new-born baby grew rapidly and became fully developed within a few minutes, matured, and grew old, this would be something astonishing and encourage those who witnessed it to think. And yet this actually happens—the only difference is the time span. The fact that such miraculous phenomena actually take place so slowly that we almost do not recognize them may appear to be something very ordinary to people whose attention, consciousness, and imagination are weak. However, such phenomena are miracles, regardless of the amount of time involved. In order to be aware of these miracles, we need to examine their details in a sincere and open-minded way so that we can see the wisdom and fine calculations within those details.

The Qur'an tells us that those who are heedless cannot see that everything that exists, including their own bodies, are miracles:

Do you not see that God sends down water from the sky and threads it through the ground to emerge as springs, and then by it brings forth crops of varying colors, which then wither and you see them turning yellow, and then He makes them into broken stubble? There is a reminder in that for people of intelligence.  (Qur'an, 39:21)

Providing a detailed account of these signs, in all of their perfection and detail, is very important, for such an account helps unbelievers overcome their usual heedlessness. If their attention is drawn to these signs with which everyone is familiar and which few people bother to consider, then they will experience a consciousness of faith, the awakening of their conscience, and the elimination of unbelief's superstitious suggestions.

The first thing that comes to the mind of these newly aware people is that these signs could not have come about by chance or be self-generated. Thus, they will realize and believe in the existence of God, the Lord of infinite might Who created them.

Signs Leading to Faith Deepen Belief

And luxuriant gardens, orchards, and meadows for you and your livestock to enjoy.
(Qur'an, 80:30-32)

Signs leading to faith are not only important to unbelievers, but also to deepening the believers' understanding and belief. In the Qur'an, God emphasizes the importance of His signs by commanding believers to think deeply about the proofs of creation He displays throughout the universe.

In addition to praying, fasting, and fulfilling their other religious obligations, sincere believers must be able to think deeply. Pondering the proofs of creation in "the heavens and Earth," which the Qur'an tells us to do, enables believers to increase their faith by acquiring definitive information about it. The Qur'an also reveals that the proofs of God's existence are directed toward faith with sure knowledge:

There are certainly Signs in the earth for people with certainty, and in yourselves as well. Do you not then see?  (Qur'an, 51:20-21)

This verse states that the signs leading to faith, which are visible both in this world and in one's body, will lead people to belief by enabling them to acquire sure and certain knowledge. Such a faith will lead to a greater fear [and awareness] of God, which will cause believers to abide by His commands and prohibitions in a more conscientious manner. As they perform their religious obligations in submission to God, those who ponder the proofs of creation will come to believe that God sees all of their deeds and will reward them for their good actions. Similarly, the fact that God knows even their slightest sin will lead them to repent and strive to abandon these sins.

How many creatures do not carry their provision with them! God provides for them and He will [provide] for you. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
(Qur'an, 29:60)

God calls on believers in the following terms:

O you who believe! Have fear [and awareness] of God, seek the means of drawing near to Him, and strive in His Way so that, hopefully, you will be successful. (Qur'an, 5:35)

As revealed in this verse, trying to draw closer to God is a means of hoping for salvation. Therefore, the signs leading to faith are means that help believers draw closer to Him by acquiring a deeper comprehension and understanding of His existence and nature. For instance, meditating on the living beings He has created, as well as observing and thinking about their perfect internal structures and systems, enable people to witness God's infinite might and power from a closer vantage point.

For example, people who learn about the human body's magnificent structures see the clear evidence of God's existence and artistry, and realize that everything, including their own bodies, is His work and is controlled by Him at every moment. At the same time, they draw closer to God by comprehending their own helplessness. Feeling themselves moving ever closer to God causes them to turn more toward gaining His mercy and good pleasure. For instance, they decide to use the time that they formerly wasted in ways designed to gain His good pleasure and perform their religious observations with greater enthusiasm.

Finally, signs leading to faith play a most important role in moving from a superficial and imitative faith to an unshakeable and powerful one.

Signs Leading to Faith Defeat Atheism

And people, beasts, and livestock are likewise of varying colors. Only those of His servants with knowledge have fear [and awareness] of God. God is Almighty, Ever-Forgiving.
(Qur'an, 35:28)

In our own time, atheists and all enemies of religion are making intense efforts to deny God's existence and oneness. In return, God offers believers many proofs and means that they can use to defeat and overcome these distorted and misguided philosophies. Signs leading to faith head the list of these proofs.

The greatest untruth asserted by those who deny God is that everything, living or otherwise, came about as the result of chance. In order to invalidate this superstitious belief and bring the proofs of creation into the light of day, we need to study and explain these signs according to the tenets and practices of modern science. Unbiased people who come to see the magnificent structures in living things, as well as the extraordinary systems and countless delicate balances in the universe, realize that these cannot have come about by chance and that God created everything through His infinite might. Thus, the unbelievers' claim that all of creation is the result of chance are swept aside. As the Qur'an tells us: "Say: 'Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Falsehood is always bound to vanish'" (Qur'an, 17:81).

Those who are unaware of the signs leading to faith are defenseless in the face of atheism's assertions. For example, all of us have seen people who were raised in conservative families and received a religious upbringing rapidly lose their faith during their high school or university years because of what they hear and see around them. The reason for this is that atheists adorn their superstitious beliefs with "reason and science" in order to portray themselves as people who know everything about nature and the universe, who have grasped the laws of life and unearthed all of the relevant facts. In this way, they influence and mislead those people with conservative upbringings but who are unaware of the signs leading to faith, for their faith is not built on sure and certain knowledge.

However, someone who knows about these signs can easily identify and deal with the atheists' lies and falsehoods. Such people are more useful both to themselves and to those around them. Being unaware of these signs leaves a person defenseless when confronted by atheists, whereas knowing, comprehending, and explaining these signs makes them intellectually superior to all forms of atheism.

Signs Leading to Faith Enable Us to Appreciate God Properly

That is God, your Lord. There is no deity but Him, the Creator of everything. So worship Him. He is responsible for everything.
(Qur'an, 6:102)

Thinking deeply about the signs leading to faith and seeing how they reflect God's names allows one to move closer to Him. Thanks to this virtue acquired by those who begin to know God better and see His manifestations in all places, they come to appreciate His might.

For instance, those with a deep knowledge of and concentration on the signs leading to faith understand that God controls all people and knows each moment of their lives. The body's trillions of cell, as well as the bodies of all people and of all the living things, exist and survive only by His will. Clearly, such a system can continue only because an infinite power, knowledge, intelligence, and reason—God—exists. Just thinking deeply about this one point enables people to witness His names from a closer vantage point and to appreciate His might properly.

After citing the example of a tiny fly as a sign leading to faith, God speaks of those who are heedless of these truths and do not properly appreciate His might:

O humanity! An example has been given, so listen to it carefully. Those whom you call upon besides God are not even able to create a single fly, even if they were to join together to do it. And if a fly steals something from them, they cannot get it back. How feeble are both the seeker and the sought! They do not measure God with His true measure. God is All-Strong, Almighty.  (Qur'an, 22:73-74)

While referring in other verses to those who do not think about these signs, God says that these people have no fear of Him:

Say: "Who provides for you out of heaven and Earth? Who controls hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living? Who directs the whole affair?" They will say: "God." Say: "So will you not guard against evil?" That is God, your Lord, the Truth, and what is there after truth except misguidance? So how have you been distracted?  (Qur'an, 10:31-32)

He sends down water from the sky. From it you drink, and from it come the shrubs among which you graze your herds.
(Qur'an, 16:10)

As can be seen from these verses, researching, learning about, and meditating on the signs leading to faith are means of understanding, with sure and certain knowledge, God's absolute control and dominion over all of creation. This understanding leads to submission to God. Believers who ponder the body's many systems and delicate balances understand that the body itself did not establish these perfectly functioning systems. They realize that the body is a collection of cells formed from atoms devoid of any consciousness, sensory organs, and reasoning ability. Given this reality, they form the sure opinion that everything in their bodies, down to the single cell and even the single atom, functions at His command and by His will. Thus, there is no place for chance or coincidence in any phase of any phenomenon.

Only Those With Knowledge Fear God as They Should

Does He Who created the heavens and Earth not have the power to create the same again? Yes indeed! He is the Creator, the All-Knowing. His command when He desires a thing is just to say to it "Be!" and it is.
(Qur'an, 36:81-82)

Researching and acquiring information about these signs and thinking about them gradually leads to a deep accumulation of knowledge. People with such knowledge "grow profoundly in knowledge" or "possess knowledge," in the words of the Qur'an. And, these same people witness that God encompasses all places and that there is no deity but Him:

God bears witness that there is no deity but Him, as do the angels and the people of knowledge, upholding justice. There is no deity but Him, the Almighty, the All-Wise.  (Qur'an, 3:18)

People who possess knowledge see His manifestations at every moment in their own bodies and all around them. For example, people who know that a tiny ant performs its duty with perfect obedience and proficiency, and that it has a planned and flawless working system to carry food back to the colony, see God's superior mind and might in every ant.

People with knowledge who acquire a closer knowledge of God by thinking deeply about these signs acquire a better understanding of His great might and power. However, those with only a little knowledge of these signs think that it is enough simply to say: "How well God has created this" when they see a bird flying, for example. Those with knowledge, on the other hand, know that the birds' wings are designed for flight, that they fly in a "V" formation to conserve energy, and that their feathers' have a special design. In short, they are aware that everything in each bird, from flight to reproduction, from the shape of their feathers to their colors, was created within God's superior order and design.

But when such people see a new-born baby, they just say, "What a pretty baby. May God give it a long life." Of course, remembering God when looking at a baby is excellent behavior. However, it is much better to consider the developmental phases that this baby will go through, to remember that God created all of these phases, and to praise and thank God. In fact, people with true knowledge think about the miraculous aspects of a baby's pre-birth stages and the extraordinary nature of a single sperm reaching the egg that is so far away from it, remember that these two cells from two different bodies come together in perfect harmony, and see the perfection of how they turn into a seeing, hearing, and thinking human being. When they consider examples of such superior creative artistry, their faith in the face of God's superior power and knowledge grows. Their fear [and awareness] of God also grows and is strengthened to the same degree that they feel His names. This characteristic is revealed thus in the Qur'an:

… Only those of His servants with knowledge have fear of God. God is Almighty, Ever-Forgiving. (Qur'an 35:28)

And Earth—We spread it like a carpet, and how well We smoothed it out! And We created all things in pairs so that, hopefully, you would pay heed.
(Qur'an, 51:48-49)

The Qur'an praises the people of knowledge for such superior qualities. All believers must seek to achieve this same level. To that end, they must see all of the events they experience and all of the entities with which they come into contact as signs leading to faith, and then think deeply about them.

Signs Leading to Faith Broaden a Person's Mental Horizons

Learning and thinking about the signs leading to faith, as well as understanding their wisdom and detail, are very important to broadening a person's mental horizons.

The Sun and the Moon both run with precision. The stars and the trees all bow down in prostration.
(Qur'an, 55:5-6)

In our own time, people live monotonous and restricted lives in the suffocating atmosphere of crowded cities. They cannot see the signs leading to faith that surround them, and ignore them even if they do see them. Yet for believers, everything is a sign leading to faith. Knowing that God created the order in the universe, they evaluate all living or non-living entities from that perspective. For example, even nonbelievers are signs leading to faith, for God revealed in the Qur'an that there will be such people. Moreover, their unbelief, despite His clear existence, is a means to increase the believers' fear [and awareness] of God and encourage them to thank Him for the gift of faith. In terms of these signs, believers do not think only about the astonishing features of trees, flowers, or animals, but also about the facilities created by God (e.g., transport vehicles, telephones, or computers) as more signs leading to faith. They know that they all exist with God's permission and thank Him for the way in which they make life easier.

The tense, angry, weary, thoughtless, crude, and disrespectful behavior we see all around us comes from those people who are unaware that God has created all things. However, those who interpret everything as signs leading to faith and duly think about these, grow and broaden in spiritual terms.

In the Qur'an, God compares people who lack spiritual depth and understanding, as well as those who think along narrow lines and with simple logic, to the "Badawis" (bedouins). These were nomadic Arabs, in the days of our Prophet (May God bless him and grant him peace), as opposed to urbanized Arabs. While they had literary and aesthetic cultures, the bedouins were an ignorant, hard, and crude-natured lot. Having such a nature is a major obstacle to understanding and living by religion. That is why God states:

The desert Arabs are more obdurate in disbelief and hypocrisy, and more likely not to know the limits that God has sent down to His Messenger. God is All-Knowing, All-Wise.  (Qur'an, 9:97)

The "bedouin character" represents ignorance, thoughtlessness, and vulgarity. In order to put that character right, people need to work to become cultured, deep-thinking, and capable of comprehending the superior artistry and wisdom in God's creation. Studying, learning and thinking about, and interpreting the signs leading to faith is the basis of what God requires from us. In one verse, He describes this feature of Muslims as follows:

[People with intelligence are] those who remember God, standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and Earth: "Our Lord, You have not created this for nothing. Glory be to You! So safeguard us from the punishment of the Fire."  (Qur'an, 3:191)

Conclusion

... "The Lord of the East and the West and everything between them, if you used your intellect." (Qur'an, 26:28)

So far, we have considered how the signs leading to faith enable people to have faith by knowing Him better. We have mentioned how they increase believers' faith, implant an unshakeable faith in their hearts, and allow them to appreciate God properly. All of these qualities engendered by learning and thinking deeply about these signs increase believers' fear [and awareness] of God, and causes them to adhere to God's commands and prohibitions in a more enthusiastic and conscious manner. For that reason, they are a means of attaining God's mercy, which consists of God's gifts of what is auspicious, abundance, beauty, knowledge, wisdom, peace, joy and happiness, an increase in reason, and the granting of blessings. In the Hereafter, on the other hand, it means salvation from the eternal suffering of Hell and attaining the infinite blessings of Paradise and God's constant compassion.

Paradise consists of different levels, which believers reach according to the level of their faith. Therefore, believers who grow within the signs of faith bear closer witness to His infinite names and so possess an unadulterated and superior faith based on sure and certain knowledge. These people are, by His will, superior to the same extent in the levels of Paradise. (And God knows best.)

Believers who study and learn about these signs will be rewarded with high ranks in Paradise, by His will, on account of their deep thinking and trembling fear [and awareness] of God:

The believers are those whose hearts tremble when God is mentioned, whose faith is increased when His Signs are recited to them, and who put their trust in their Lord; those who perform prayer and give of what We have provided for them. They are, in truth, the believers. They have high ranks with their Lord, as well as forgiveness and generous provision.  (Qur'an, 8:2-4)

Islamic Scholars and the Signs Leading to Faith

One important source that reveals these signs' importance and shows how they are to be interpreted is the works of past and present great Islamic scholars. These holy people, who lived and thought in complete obedience to the Qur'an and Sunnah, attached great importance to this activity. In their works, they always gave pride of place to the signs leading to faith. In this chapter, we look at some of their examples and ideas.

Imam Ghazali

Imam Ghazali (1058-1111), an Islamic scholar from Khurasan, was considered one of the sharpest intellects of his time, as well as the mujaddid (renovator) of his time (a great scholar referred to in the hadiths and sent at the beginning of every Islamic century to teach the signs of faith according to the requirements of the age). His broad knowledge, superior intellect, and powerful judgment caused his fame to spread throughout the Islamic world and even in the West. Imam Ghazali effectively invalidated those beliefs that are distant from the Qur'an's morality and the ideas of several contemporary thinkers, particularly those influenced by classical Greek philosophy, and kept faith alive in the face of such errors.

In all of his teachings and discourses, this famous scholar gave broad and detailed consideration to the signs leading to faith. Some examples of the signs in his works and some of his pronouncements on their importance are as follows:

No ruler can administer his country in a manner that is more orderly than God's order, Who ensures the regulation of the dominions of the heavens, Earth, and this universe. No one is more excellent and perfect than God. This being the case, is there a more delicious glance than looking at Him? Then one realizes that knowing God and His secrets is more delicious than any other information.

The taste of the heart is knowing God, the Glorious. Each sensory organ has something from which it derives pleasure and taste. For the eye, it is to see beautiful things; for the ear, it is to hear pleasurable things; and for lust (desire), it consists of such things as tasting good things or gaining victory over foes. The more one proceeds on the way to knowing Him, the more taste he/she acquires. What could be more delicious than the craft that manifests the attributes and names, secrets and divine purposes, works and artistry, sovereignty and majesty of God, the Creator and Owner of the universe? What could be greater than being close to Him and having the honor and happiness of knowing Him? 1

Humanity, who is created from a drop of water, is one of God's signs... Think of your previous state and what you have become. If jinn and human beings had come together, could they have created an eye, an ear, or power, science or soul, or wisdom from a drop of water? Could they have created bones, veins, nerves, skin, or hair? These aside, once God created all of them, they would fail to understand a human being's beauty and nature, and the essence of his/her existence...

He has made night and day subservient to you, as well as the Sun and the Moon and the stars, all subject to His command. There are certainly Signs in that for people who use their intellect.
(Qur'an, 16:12)

Look at what God has bestowed and His grandeur, that glorious power and His purposes, and how they embrace human beings. It is a wonder that someone who admires a work of art thinks about the artist's talents and expresses his glorious artistry and skills. However, they do not think of God's artistry and purpose when they look at this magnificient universe and what has been created.2

The Sun, Moon, stars, cloud, rain, wind, and all powers in nature... are all under God's sway and command. They are like the pens in a clerk's hand.3

In the sky, there are many stars hundreds of times larger than Earth. They look like a single dot, for they are so far away. This fact reveals the greatness of the heavens. Despite their haughtiness, all of these stars are seen as very small in your eyes. For this very reason, you can grasp the mightiness and sovereignty of the One Who creates them all.4

Take a look at these numerous stars... their movements, spins, and their spinning speeds are all different. Some rotate once a year, some every 12 years, and others every 30 years. The astounding knowledge there is immense. ... Any attempt to convey the knowledge provided by God about this issue in this short life of the world would continue for days.5

Turn your face to the heavens; to the stars in the sky, to how they rise and set continuously and without mistake; and to the Sun and the Moon. Consider their regular movements that will continue until the Day of Judgment, as well as their orbits that will never deviate, and take lessons from them! Think about the great number of stars, their shapes and colors. Look at the movement of Sun within a year. Without its rising and setting, there would be no day or night. If there were no difference between them, there would be no seasons. ... Examples are legion. Every entity in the universe has many purposes. If the universe were a house, the heavens would be its roof.6

Al-Imam Al-A`zam Abu Hanifa

Abu Hanifa (d. 767), founder of the Hanifa sect and known during his own lifetime as "al-Imam al-A`zam" (The Great Scholar), strove to communicate the message of Islam and teach people God's commandments. The signs leading to faith constituted the most important method he used to spread Islam and prove God's existence. As an example of just how much importance this great scholar attached to these signs, consider the following dialogue with an atheist (a naturalist or materialist who does not believe the Hereafter):

When Abu Hanifa, who lived on the opposite shore of Baghdad, failed to take his place at the hour for debate, various questions arose in the mind of the atheist and the crowd. Everyone wondered: "Why hasn't he come? Will he really not come? Is he afraid? Has he been unable to find any proof?" and so on. Al-Imam al-A`zam arrived shortly after the appointed time. The atheist had been encouraged by this, and his arrogance and pride had grown…

Abu Hanifa apologized and began to explain why he was late: "I could not find a boat to carry me from the other shore. I began waiting, thinking that perhaps a skiff or a raft would come. … At that moment, I saw that the trees suddenly fall over, turn themselves into timber, and the timber become a skiff. And then I saw an oar and a sail create themselves and assume their proper forms. I was delighted that I would no longer have to keep you waiting and so jumped into the skiff, which then brought me here by itself…"

The atheist and the crowd were unable to understand these words. The atheist, who believed that everything was created by nature, said that it was impossible for such an event to take place … which was just what al-Imam al-A`zam had been expecting …

Smiling, he replied: "How can you accept that a tiny skiff cannot come into being of its own accord without a builder and an artist, and yet you still believe that this magnificent universe could have come into being of its own accord, without a maker or a creator? The universe is the work of God, not of itself. There is no need to initiate a debate and dispute when all this is so apparent." 7

He made the sea subservient to you so that you could eat fresh meat from it and bring out from it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships cleaving through it so that you can seek His bounty and so that, hopefully, you will show thanks.
(Qur'an, 16:14)

Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani

Like other Islamic scholars, al-Jilani (1077-1166) (known as al-Gawth [the arch-helper] of al-Imam al-A`zam), who lived in the eleventh century, attached great importance to the signs leading to faith. In his works, he called on people to consider the proofs of God. Various statements from his work The Divine Gift demonstrate this importance:

Every atom in the universe contains beautiful artistry. Each of these beautiful arts are proofs that demonstrate His existence, and everyone who adheres to them can reach God. Think deeply. As your thoughts deepen, you will rise and grow.8

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi

The great scholar Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1880-1960), regarded as the mujaddid of the last Islamic century, speaks of the importance of these signs throughout his Qur'anic commentary The Risale-i Nur Collection:

There is a palace with a hundred doors, all closed. When one of its doors is opened, the palace may be entered and the other doors opened. If all of the doors are open and one or two are closed, it may not be said that the palace cannot be entered. Thus, the truths of belief are the palace. Each evidence is a key; it proves the truths and opens a door. If one of the doors remains closed, the truths of belief cannot be abandoned and denied. Satan, however, as a consequence of certain things or by means of heedlessness or ignorance, points out a door that has remained closed, thus causing a person to disregard all of the positive evidence. Saying: "See, this palace cannot be entered. Perhaps it is not a palace, and there is nothing inside it," he deceives the person.9

And We send down water from the sky and make every generous species grow in it.
(Qur'an, 31:10)

In his Mektubat (Letters), he emphasized the importance of adhering to the signs leading to faith in our own time and said that many previous Islamic scholars, if they were alive today, would concentrate on freeing peoples' faith by teaching them about these signs:

In his Letters (Mektubat), Imam-i Rabbani (may God be pleased with him), the hero and a sun of the Naqshbandi Order, said: "I prefer the unfolding of a single matter of the truths of belief to thousands of illuminations, ecstasies, and instances of wonder-working." He also said: "The final point of all the ways is the clarification and unfolding of the truths of belief." ... In which case, the Naqshi way consists of three "veils": The first and most important is direct service to the truths of belief; Imam-i Rabbani traveled this way in his later years ...

Since the reality of the matter is thus, my conjecture is that if persons like Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir Jilani (may God be pleased with him) and Shah Naqshband (may God be pleased with him) and Imam-i Rabbani (may God be pleased with him) were alive at the present time, they would expend all of their effort in strengthening the truths of belief and tenets of Islam, for they are the means to eternal happiness. If there is deficiency in them, it results in eternal misery.10

In other writings, Bediuzzaman refers to these signs' importance in the following terms:

At this time the truths of belief must be the first objective, the first duty, and the fundamental aim. Everything else remains in the second, third, and fourth place. Serving them with the Risale-i Nur must be the primary duty, subject of concern, and fundamental aim … Those scholars outside the frame of the Risale-i Nur, and perhaps holy men too because of their links to this political and social life, leave the importance of the truths of belief to the second or third place and, under the influence of those tendencies, even come to love those hypocrites who share the same ideas with them … I think that while the true students of the Risale-i Nur are fulfilling their duty to explain the truths of belief at the level of eternal diamonds, their holy tasks must not be interrupted, and their minds must not be confused with the chess-like games of the cruel.11

Furthermore, one passage expresses the importance he attached to the signs leading to faith:

According to Bediuzzaman, the fundamental problem was for a person to perceive himself, other beings, the universe, and those of his kind within the axis of faith. The most important task is to bring that about … Making that analysis, Bediuzzaman then developed his remedial method, the essence and summary of which is "inquiring faith." It was time to raise people on the axis of "inquiring faith" who would be enriched by the technology of the age. This could be done by education.12

In his Tabiat Risalesi, Bediuzzaman devoted considerable space to the signs leading to faith. In his Barla Letters, he explained that one of the Risale-i Nur's most important features was its ability to silence materialist and naturalist intellectual trends by leading people to think deeply on the signs:

Against the destructions wreaked on hearts by leftist currents, the Risale-i Nur Collection, serving as a spiritual miracle of the Qur'an and a spiritual atomic bomb against our time's unbelief, mends the spirit of hearts and imparts an astounding power and basis of might into its readers' hearts. Moreover, it does so with the inspiration and guidance of the Qur'an. With the lessons it provides on contemplation over faith, it points to the light of God's Oneness for the issues that have stumped the naturalists and materialists. It explains the truths of belief with illustrations and evidence from the material world. It arises as a sun and provides the proof for the truths of belief for the very same matters in the high school and university science curricula. For such reasons, in our time the Risale-i Nur Collection is a spiritual diamond sword in the hands of the faithful that needs to be primarily undertaken by the people of faith and Islam. The lessons of the Qur'an, the common signs of knowing God, come through the knowledge and inspiration of the verses that address themselves to the awareness of the age, and the recognition and understanding of the time. It brings the most proper style to a person's needs and instructs.13

The two seas are not the same: the one is sweet, refreshing, delicious to drink, the other salty, bitter to the taste. Yet from both of them you eat fresh meat ...
(Qur'an, 35:12)

In many of his other works, the master drew attention to the proofs of faith in the creation of the universe and living things, saying that everything was a proof displaying God's superior might. Other of Bediuzzaman's statements about signs leading to faith are given below:

O man who is addicted to enjoyment and pleasure! I am seventy-five years old, and I know with utter certainty from thousands of experiences, proofs, and events that true enjoyment, pain-free pleasure, grief-free joy, and life's happiness are only to be found in belief and in the sphere of the truths of faith. While a single worldly pleasure yields numerous pains, as though dealing ten slaps for a single grape, it drives away all of life's pleasure.14

It is unlikely that a book, whose words hold the entire book within itself and whose letters hold an entire line within themselves, can come into being without the existence of an author. Likewise, the existence of the Book of the Universe depends on the existence of God, the Ever-Lasting.15

No unbiased being in the universe can deny God, the All-Glorious, Who has as many witnesses as the components of the universe ... If it did, it would remain silent and indifferent, for the whole universe would deny it.16

Just as an ordinary machine, with its orderly and measured unity, reveals the existence of a skilful and scrupulous craftsman, each one of the countless (living) machines crowding the universe indicates thousands of miracles of wisdom. To the degree of the Sun's light, the glowworm's light brightly testifies that those living beings exist due to the existence of their skilful and eternal Master, and that He deserves to be worshipped.17

… Since an orderly act cannot occur without an author, a meaningful book cannot be without a scribe, and a beautiful piece of embroidery cannot be woven without an embroiderer, the purposeful acts which fill the universe surely have an author, and the meaningful letters and amazing embroideries which cover the face of the Earth and are renewed from season to season have a scribe and an embroiderer.18

There are three great and universal things which make our Sustainer known to us. One is the Book of the Universe … another is the Seal of the Prophets (May God bless them), the supreme sign of the Book of the Universe. The other is the Qur'an of Mighty Stature.19

Come, my friend! Now we shall leave these particular matters and turn our attention to the mutual positions of the parts of this wondrous world in the form of a palace. Look! Universal works are being carried out, and general revolutions are occurring in this world with such order that all of the rocks, soil, trees, in fact everything in this palace, observe the universal systems of the world and conform to them as if each were acting with its own will.20

All of these fruits and the seeds within them are miracles of Divine wisdom, wonders of Divine art, gifts of Divine mercy, material proofs of Divine unity, and bearers of the good news that Divine favors will be granted in the Hereafter. Just as they are all truthful witnesses to His all-embracing power and knowledge, each of them is a mirror confirming His unity in all the corners of the world of multiplicity and in all the parts of the world of this tree, a world that has become multiple. They turn the gaze from multiplicity to unity.21

Thus, if your mind is not submerged in delusions, you will understand that to make a word of power (e.g., a honey-bee) a minute index of most things, and to write in one page (e.g., a person) most of the matters in this Book of the Universe, and to include in one point (e.g., a tiny fig seed), the program of the mighty fig-tree, and to display in a single letter (e.g., the human heart) the works of all the Divine Names manifested in the pages of the macrocosm which encompass it, and to place in the human faculty of memory, which is situated in a place the size of a lentil, writings enough to fill a library, and to include in that tiny faculty a detailed index of all events in the cosmos—to do all of these things is most certainly a stamp particular to the Creator of All Things, the Glorious Sustainer of the universe.22

Mehmed Zahid Kotku

He stretched out the land and placed firmly embedded mountains and rivers on it, and made two types of every kind of fruit. He covers over day with night. There are Signs in that for people who reflect.
(Qur'an, 13:3)

Mehmed Zahid Kotku (1897-1980), spent his life guiding people with his wise words, teaching, and serving the Qur'an. Taking the Qur'an as his guide, he told all who would listen of the signs leading to faith, incontrovertible proofs of God's existence. Some examples of his writings are given below:

For thinking people, there are countless warnings and portents to be pondered on Earth and in the sky regarding God's existence and oneness. Looking at Earth and sky again and again, and drawing warnings and feelings from them, will definitely be a means of turning to God.23

Can we know the type and number of God's creatures on Earth, in the sky, in the sea, and in the air? Nobody other than our Creator—God—can know their number. In particular, think of those things that we call germs, which so frighten us, are invisible to the naked eye, and threaten people, animals, and even our fruits. We cannot defeat them. Is their existence not enough to prove His existence and oneness? How is it that these tiny creatures can suddenly cause a person to lay down on the ground and eventually die? This is, of course, a lesson for thinking people.24

Islamic scholars have always placed the signs leading to faith at the forefront of their message. As can be seen from the above passages, Islamic scholars have thought long and hard about these signs and then called on people to understand them as proofs of His existence and to think about His names.

We must take their considerations as models and learn more about, study, and interpret the signs leading to faith by using all of the scientific and technological possibilities available to us.

Footnotes

1 Online at: www.hakikat.com/nur/tsvf/tsvf16.html.

2 Imam Ghazali, Zubdet-ul-ihya, Huccet-ul-Islam (Sayings of Imam Ghazzali), Muhammad al-Qasimi, (Istanbul: Kitabevi Publishings, 1973), 579.

3 Imam Ghazali, Kimya-yi Saadet (Alchemy of Happiness), trans. by A. Faruk Meyan (Istanbul: Bedir Publishings), 712.

4 Ibid., 707.

5 Ibid., 706-07.

6 Imam Ghazali, Zubdet-ul-ihya (Sayings of Imam Ghazzali), 584.

7 Emin Arik, Ateizm'den Inanca (From Atheism to Belief), 4th ed. (Istanbul: Marifet Publishings, 1998), 68.

8 Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Ilahi Armagan (The Divine Gift), 39.

9 Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Risale-i Nur Collection, "The Flashes": The 13th Flash.

10 Ibid., "The Letters," The 5th Letter.

11 Ibid., "Kastamonu Lahikasi" (Kastamonu Additions), 84-85. Online at:www.yeniasya.org.tr/rslhtm/KAST_78.HTM.

12 For Bediuzzaman Said Nursi's life, see www.nesil.com.tr/wwwroot/turkish/nursi-tr/nursi.html.

13 Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Risale-i Nur Collection, "Barla Lahikasi" (Barla Additions), 412.

14 "The Rays," The 14th Ray.

15 Saban Dogen, Risale-i Nur'dan Vecizeler (Good Sayings From Risale-i Nur Collection), 2nd ed. (Istanbul: Genclik Publishings), 161.

16 Ibid., 162.

17 Ibid.

18 Nursi, The Risale-i Nur Collection, "The Words," The 31st Word.

19 Ibid., The 19th Word.

20 Ibid., The 22nd Word.

21 Ibid., The 32nd Word.

22 Ibid., The 22nd Word.

23 Mehmed Zahid Kotku, Tasavvufi Ahlak (Mystical morals), 4th ed. (Istanbul: Seha Nesriyat, 1991), 228.

24 Ibid., 229.