Page 132 - The Vision of Islam

Modern Possibilities

only one God. But this scientific discovery has given its final
verdict in favour of Islam’s concept of monotheism, it being
in complete consonance with the oneness of the universe
as postulated by science. It has been established as a valid
concept, not just because the universe functions under one
universal law, but because matter itself demonstrates that
sameness in its being analysable into a single basic unit, the
atom, or unobservable electronic waves.
3. Science, in the last analysis, has finally established that
the means of acquiring knowledge at our disposal gives
us only partial knowledge of the universe. It can never
fully encompass the whole truth. This is true, not only
on account of our inadequate means of observation, but
also because the nature of reality is such, that with our
limited natural capabilities we could never observe the
truth in toto. This makes it understandable that in order
to understand the universe of fact, which is unlimited, man
needs some source of knowledge other than mere sensory
perception, which is limited. Due to this discrepancy, we
are permanently incapable of reaching the final reality.
4. Science has discovered that reality, in its final form, is
unobservable. We can only infer it from its manifestations.
We cannot directly see it. This reinforces the Islamic
standpoint that man’s inability to see either God or the
world Hereafter in his present life does not disprove the
existence of either, and that if he will but ponder over the
signs of nature, he will certainly find proof therein of God
and the Afterlife.
5. To ancient philosophers the most cogent basis for rejecting
religion was the concept of the eternal quality of matter.
That is to say, the belief that the universe had always existed;
that, in fact, it had never had a beginning. Where then
was the need to believe in a Creator? But modern science
has proved that the life of the world is limited, and this
settled the problem once and for all. But then the theory
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