Page 132 - Darwin's Dilemma: The Soul

Darwin’s Dilemma: The Soul

We may even dream of being hit by a car and receive a very
clear impression of the pains that result. We truly feel the fear we
experience as the car approaches, it speeds toward us, and the mo-
ment of impact. We have no doubt as to the reality of these sensa-
tions. The temperature of air, people’s expressions, the clothes we
are wearing and everything are exceedingly realistic. Yet we have
actually experienced none of these. No light or sound reaches us.
There is no cause of any image, sound or smell. The concept we re-
fer to as the external world has disappeared. This is all experienced
solely in our minds. Yet we do not realize that this is the case. Even
if we are told—in the dream—that we are actually dreaming, we
completely discount the possibility and are utterly convinced of
the reality of the dream world we are inhabiting. For us, the things
we see, smell, touch and feel in dreams have a definite reality. For
that reason, our fears, joys and doubts during dreaming are also re-
al. We have all the same physical experiences as when we are
awake. No evidence might require us to suspect that we are, in fact,
dreaming.
Dreaming is a powerful example demonstrating that the ex-
ternal world for us is in fact a perception. In the same way that
someone dreaming has no doubt that his surroundings are real, so
it is very difficult to be convinced that the reality of what we refer
to as “the real world” is only in our minds. Yet how we perceive the
images we call “real life” is exactly the same as how we experience
dreams. Both images form in the mind. We have no doubt as to the
reality of either set of images as we observe them. Yet we do have
proof that dreams are not real. When we awaken, we say, “It was
all just a dream.” So how can we prove that we are not dreaming
at this very moment?
Allah imparts this truth in His verses:

The Trumpet will be blown and at once they will be slid-
ing from their graves towards their Lord. They will

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