Can We Think?


I started my PhD research in College of Engineering, University of Baghdad in 1998. I had to deal with mathematical and physics through that research and I knew that I had some 4 or 5 years ahead full of hard work, study and researches. I wanted to learn through that engineering research not just science, but also ethics, values and also I wanted to learn about creation and the Creator. Therefore, I decided to answer every question that digging in my mind for years even if they were so critical, so dangerous and so ultimate. The first questions that I wanted to face were;

- Dose God exists?
- How we can know Him?
- Can we find answers from mathematics and physics?

These questions were very difficult and critical for me at that time especially for a person living in an Arab, Muslim country like Iraq in the Islamic radical era. It is very easy to answer that question by a quick “Yes” without thinking or checking. But that ready-made answer, actually, is not an answer. I needed to check and search by myself. I have to achieve my own experience to find the reply and that what I wanted to do through my scientific research in structural engineering.

Many things can prevent us from searching and thinking about such ultimate questions about the Creator. Maybe we believe that we are so ignorant or not able to find answers. Others might be afraid from reaching to bad answers or to atheism. Other people may believe that the subject is so difficult. And others may believe that we are not even allowed to talk about that.

For me, and at the beginning of my PhD research, I wanted to do that challenge and to try finding answers through my study field as structural engineer. But first of all, I started reading Quran searching for permission to ask such questions.


Does Quran permit to ask critical questions?

In Quran there are many verses that ask us to examine and test the creation of God and to try by ourselves other ways and He is very sure that we would fail to find something similar that what He created. I list here just two examples about that, the first one you can find it in the fifth page in Quran;

[And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (If there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true (23) But if ye cannot- and of a surety ye cannot- then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones,- which is prepared for those who reject Faith (24)]
Al-Quran, 2:23-24 (Al-Baqara [The Cow])

It is very clear from these two verses that God ask any one that in doubt about this great message to try by himself to produce something similar and He is very sure that nobody can do that.

[He Who created the seven heavens one above another: No want of proportion wilt thou see in the Creation of (Allah) Most Gracious. So turn thy vision again: seest thou any flaw? (3) Again turn thy vision a second time: (thy) vision will come back to thee dull and discomfited, in a state worn out (4)]
Al-Quran, 67:3-4 (Al-Mulk [The Sovereignty, Control, Dominion])

In this second example, the Creator challenge the reader of Quran to search for flaw in the heavens and in the creation in general. Moreover, He order the reader to search twice just to find any single flaw. But the Creator is very sure that nobody can find that.

Moreover, the prophets according to their stories in Quran, asked such critical questions or even tried other ways of belief. The greatest example in Quran is in the following verses about prophet Abraham;

[Lo! Abraham said to his father Azar: "Takest thou idols for gods? For I see thee and thy people in manifest error." (74) So also did We show Abraham the power and the laws of the heavens and the earth, that he might (with understanding) have certitude. (75) When the night covered him over, He saw a star: He said: "This is my Lord." But when it set, He said: "I love not those that set." (76) When he saw the moon rising in splendour, he said: "This is my Lord." But when the moon set, He said: "unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray." (77) When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said: "This is my Lord; this is the greatest (of all)." But when the sun set, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to Allah. (78) "For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah." (79)]
Al-Quran, 6:74-79 (Al-Anaam [Cattle, Livestock])

According to this story, prophet Abraham tried to do worship for a star, the moon and the sun. But at the end, he realized that God is the only true Creator in this universe. It was an interesting experience for prophet Abraham to learn more about God and how to reach Him. The most interesting thing that we do not find any words of blaming from the God to Abraham about his worship to those celestial objects, rather we can read the following verse after that story;

[That was the reasoning about Us, which We gave to Abraham (to use) against his people: We raise whom We will, degree after degree: for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge. (83)]
Al-Quran, 6:83 (Al-Anaam [Cattle, Livestock])

Another story we can read about Prophet Abraham;

[When Abraham said: "Show me, Lord, how You will raise the dead, " He replied: "Have you no faith?" He said "Yes, but just to reassure my heart." Allah said, "Take four birds, draw them to you, and cut their bodies to pieces. Scatter them over the mountain-tops, then call them back. They will come swiftly to you. Know that Allah is Mighty, Wise." (260)]
Al-Quran, 2:260 (Al-Baqara [The Cow])

And similar story we can read about Jesus;

[Behold! the disciples, said: "O Jesus the son of Mary! can thy Lord send down to us a table set (with viands) from heaven?" Said Jesus: "Fear Allah, if ye have faith." (112) They said: "We only wish to eat thereof and satisfy our hearts, and to know that thou hast indeed told us the truth; and that we ourselves may be witnesses to the miracle." (113) Said Jesus the son of Mary: "O Allah our Lord! Send us from heaven a table set (with viands), that there may be for us - for the first and the last of us - a solemn festival and a sign from thee; and provide for our sustenance, for thou art the best Sustainer (of our needs)." (114)]
Al-Quran, 5:112-114 (Al-Maeda [The Table, The Table Spread])


It is very clear from these examples that the Creator is very confidence with the perfection of His creation and He dose not prevent us from trying or examine His creation because He is sure that if we think carefully, we would reach and believe in Him.

In comparison, It is exactly unlike any dictator regime in this world that prevent its people from reading, hearing or even thinking about any idea or thought against it or even just different from it. Saddam regime in Iraq, for example, was afraid from any idea or even one single word against the regime or belongs to other ideas. Therefore, that regime interdicted Internet, satellite TV channels, long list of magazines and journals, and even some radio stations.


Unique Experience

In 2002, I finished my PhD research from which I learned a lot of thing. It was a unique experience that I learned not just scientific theories and technical skills, but also I learn many things about life, about this universe, and about God. My view about life was changed since then. I am very thankful for those 5 years of study and insights and I am very proud with the values that I learned. For me and after that research, no longer the numbers remain just numbers but they can teach me ethics and values, and no longer the words remain just words but they can be tools.


That was my personal experience, but what about you, dear reader, do you ever searched for your own answers?! Do you ever examine what you believe? Don’t be afraid from doing that. Open you heart and your mind and start your own search because you will be face to face with the glory of God.