Abdal Hakim Murad - The Cambridge Companion to Islamic Theology

26 M. A. S. Abdel Haleem
‘Faith is to believe in God, His angels, His books, His messengers, and
the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny, whether good or bad.’ ’’ 16
This hadith merely repeats the information supplied in Qur’an 2:285,
adding the belief in destiny established elsewhere in the scripture, as at
57:22–3 and 64:11.
The first belief: monotheism
The Qur’an emerged in contestation with a polytheistic culture, and
affirming God’s unity (tawh _
ıd) is its most fundamental tenet. A characteristic
feature of the Qur’an is that its urging of faith in God is
accompanied by an argument, which is a straightforward argument from
design. 17 In numerous passages, the Qur’an argues for the existence,
unity and grace of God, for example in the many ‘‘Signs’’ verses:
Another of His signs is the way He created spouses of your own kind
for you to find repose with one another – He ordained love and
kindness between you. There truly are signs in this for those who
reflect. Another of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the
earth, the diversity of your languages and colours. There truly are
signs in this for those who know. (30:21–2)
the ‘‘Who’’ verses:
Say [Prophet]: ‘‘Who provides for you from the sky and the earth?
Who controls hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from
the dead and the dead from the living, and who governs all things?’’
They are sure to say: ‘‘God.’’ Then say: ‘‘So why do you not take
heed of Him?’’ (10:31)
and the ‘‘It is He’’ verses:
It is He who sends down water from the sky. With it We produce
the shoots of each plant, then bring greenery from it, and from that
We bring out grains, one riding on the other in close-packed rows.
From the date-palm come clusters of low-hanging dates, and there
are gardens of vines, olives and pomegranates, alike yet different –
watch their fruits as they grow and ripen! In all this there are signs
for those who would believe. (6:99)
Other inductive arguments:
If there had been in the heavens or earth any gods but Him, both
heavens and earth would be in ruins. (21:23)
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