How do we know which religion is true when they all contradict each other in some respects? Can there be multiple truths?
According to the Islamic scholar, Imam Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi, in his introduction to Ayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari’s book Islam and Religious Pluralism (n.d.), pluralism can be delineated into two meanings: “Social Pluralism” in the sociological sense means a society which consists of a multi-faith or multi-cultural mosaic. “Religious pluralism” in the theological sense means a concept…
If God is Omniscient, then how is it possible that we have free will at all?
One argument commonly used against free will is that if God is All-Knowing and already knows about the future, then everything must be predetermined. It is thought that God’s Omniscience contradicts free will. Either humans do not have free will or God is not All-Knowing. The problem in this argument is that it equates God’s…
How do we know there is a God?
Cosmological Argument One of the oldest arguments for the existence of God is the Cosmological Argument, which is also called the First Cause Argument. The premise of this argument is that everything that begins to exist has a cause. The universe began to exist, therefore the universe must have a cause that exists independently of itself. Since…
Do we have total free will or is everything predestined?
If everything was predestined by God, it would mean humans have absolutely no control over their actions. God would then not be able to judge humans for their actions as they were not the ones who caused them to occur. If He did judge them, He would be considered unjust, which is impossible. It cannot be said…
If God is Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Just, why is there evil in the world?
The argument for the problem of evil assumes that God does not have any reason as to why evil and suffering should be permitted. This assumption is a misinterpretation of the Islamic concept of God. Although God is good, and All-Powerful, He has many other attributes as well. For example, one of His attributes is that…
What are some of the objections to Pascal’s wager versus Theory of defending against possible harm?
Pascal’s Wager Is Pascal’s wager a common argument for believing in religion or believing in God? One of the most common arguments for believing in religion is known as Pascal’s wager or Pascal’s bet. This wager can be simplified in the following manner: If you believe in God and the hereafter, and it does exist, then…
Can God create another like Himself? Can God cause Himself to cease to exist?
Since these questions are paradoxes, the above answer would apply to them as well. They are fallacious questions and cannot have a logically sound answer. However, below is an argument for why a second God cannot be created, and why God cannot cease to exist. One of the essential qualities of God is that He is Eternal/Infinite—has…
If God is All-Powerful, can He create a stone that is too heavy for Him to lift (stone paradox)?
This question is often used by atheists to put the theist in a bind. By answering yes, the theist is saying that God is not All-Powerful, and by saying no he is admitting that He is limited. Both these responses are false. Imam Ali was once asked a similar question. He was asked, if it is possible…
Is there truth to Evolutionary Theory?
The question of evolution in relation to Islam is one that is engaged with on a spectrum of theories and debates. As it stands, there is no single understanding of the relations between Islam and Evolutionary theories. It is helpful to begin by understanding the different concepts around the theory of Evolution. First, it is crucial to understand the…
What problems arise in atheistic arguments?
The Argument from Nonbelief One common atheistic argument against the existence of God is that, if there really was a God, there would not be so many people who did not believe in Him. If He wanted people to believe in Him, then He could have made Himself more obvious in the most effective way possible. Furthermore, someone as powerful and knowledgeable as God would…
