What is Faith?

When a person is born, he first tries to perceive the beings around him with his sense organs. These senses are like windows, opening to the physical world that surrounds the person. By this means, he sees, hears, touches and understands.

The following verse brings this truth to our attention: “And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and intellect that perhaps you would be grateful.” (Nahl, 16/78)

The physical environment is the first thing a person perceives and gains knowledge of. However, his/her knowledge is not limited to this. His senses and intellect will develop as he physically grows. He shows mental development over time. By perceiving objects, he turns his attention to other realms of existence and thinks that a being with power and might exists beyond the perceivable world.

A person thinks about himself and try to understand the concept of existence. He wonders about their past, dreams about their future, and tries to figure out the meaning of life. There is no other living being that has such an ability.

A person understands that his coming into existence is not voluntary, and it is not up to him to depart from this world either. His life may come to an end at an unknown time, in an unknown place. He might be forced to leave the life he love so much. Similarly, he will understand that many things happen outside of his own will: he has not chosen his own mother or father. He was not asked what gender he wanted. He did not choose his face, nor the color of his hair and eyes. So who is the possessor of this magnificent might that rules his life?

Living or lifeless, large or small, beautiful or not; humans try to understand all beings in nature. The earth, sky, seas and rivers are filled with visible and invisible beings. The mountains, valleys and fields are decorated with a thousand kinds of plants, trees and flowers. Who then is the owner of all these things? 

Hundreds of nations of different races, colors, languages and images are scattered all over the world. More importantly, billions of people with different faces and complexions live all around the world. Neither one is like the other. When a person sees the variety in creation, his astonishment increases and he wonders about the unique power of creation behind it.

When a person looks around himself carefully, he realizes that nature is not at all motionless. Be it the world of animals or the world of plants, man will witness the amazing occurrences happening in creation. From insects to spiders, from birds to fish; from whom did they get their work program? Will we attribute these perfect actions and behavior to the doings of powerless beings? Or is there a being with unique power and knowledge who governs everything?

Our book of Life, the Qur’an, answers the question as follows: 

“Indeed, Allah (swt) is the cleaver of grain and seeds. He brings the living out of the dead and the dead out of the living… He is the cleaver of daybreak and has made the night for rest and the sun and moon for calculation… And it is He who placed for you the stars that you may be guided by them through the darkness of the land and sea… And it is He who produced you from one soul… And it is He who sends down rain from the sky.” (An’am 6/95-102)

The world is like a mother’s womb. It embraces a fertilized cell, taking care of all its needs, feeding and fostering it. Similarly, the world embraces the living and takes care of all their needs.

The world is like a well-prepared dinner table and humans are like honorable guests invited for a meal. The table has all kinds of food and drinks. Everything a person can possibly need. When a person ponders over these blessings, he cannot ignore the following reminders of Allah (swt):

“O mankind! Remember the favor of Allah upon you: Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from the heaven and earth? (Fatir 35/3)