Objection
An objection may arise regarding the arguments we have presented to prove the existence of Allah, which are primarily based on lived certainty (badaha ma‘asha). This objection asks: “If certainty through lived experience establishes that every creation has a creator and every existing thing has a maker, then who created Allah?”
At first glance, this objection may seem valid, but upon deeper reflection, it is fundamentally flawed. Materialists often base their argument on this objection, claiming that matter is uncreated and does not require an external force.
They argue: “If, at the end of the chain, you lead us to an uncreated being and ask us to accept this, then we may as well declare from the outset that matter is an uncreated entity, requiring no creator.”
This reasoning, however, is clearly flawed. Matters of existence are not resolved so simplistically. They cannot be determined arbitrarily or randomly.
Existence comprises two aspects: the imperfect (an-naqis) and the perfect (al-kamil). The intellect can comprehend and define the imperfect, and through comparison, it can recognize something more perfect than the imperfect. It also observes that the imperfect evolves toward perfection.
Thus, the intellect comprehends the imperfect, recognizes relative perfection, and can conceive of absolute perfection (al-kamal al-mutlaq).
We observe imperfection in the world and witness its progression toward relative perfection. It is clear to us that every level of perfection is surpassed by an even greater level of perfection. From this, our imagination allows us to extend the concept of perfection endlessly. Hence, there must be a perfection without limit, which we can conceptualize as existing, even if we cannot fully comprehend its nature.
This infinite perfection can be termed “absolute perfection.”
Our inability to grasp the nature of absolute perfection stems from the fact that our intellects are bound by sensory inputs. The absolute, however, is unbound (ghayr ma‘qul, meaning "not confined"). The term "ma‘qul" itself comes from the root ‘aql, which refers to a tether or restraint.
Scientific methodology requires that we do not deny the absolute simply because we cannot comprehend its nature. Instead, we must affirm its existence, believe in it, and patiently pursue understanding, knowing that we can never fully encompass it. If we could, it would cease to be absolute.
The existence of the absolute is the foundation of hope within the evolutionary perspective of life. Our lives evolve from imperfection toward relative perfection, striving for absolute perfection. This pursuit implies that there is no final limit to the perfection of our existence.
Inorganic matter is imperfect, while organic matter - living cells - is more perfect. For example, an ant is more perfect than the sun. Similarly, organic matter in lower life forms, such as ants and small creatures, is imperfect compared to the lives of mammals, which are more advanced. However, mammalian life is also imperfect, and human life surpasses it in perfection.
Among humans, the life of the ignorant person is imperfect, while the life of the knowledgeable person is more perfect. Furthermore, the more knowledgeable a person is, the more perfect they are compared to those with lesser knowledge: “Above every knowledgeable person, there is one more knowledgeable.” (12:76)
However, even the life of the most knowledgeable individual falls short of absolute knowledge. Their perfection is therefore relative, limited by the relativity of their knowledge. Life evolves in stages, striving for absolute knowledge.
Absolute knowledge is an understanding that the intellect can recognize, conceive, and believe in, striving to attain it. This absolute knowledge is the knowledge of Allah - and it is Allah Himself.
The imperfect requires a creator, and its imperfection lies in its dependency on something beyond itself. Similarly, the relatively perfect also requires a creator, as its relative perfection is still marked by dependency.
In contrast, The Absolutely Perfect - that which possesses absolute perfection - requires no creator because its perfection is unbounded. It is neither preceded by non-existence nor followed by non-existence, and it is free from any dependency.
The Quran establishes this truth: “O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.” (35:15)
When we conclude that, at the end of the chain, there is an existent being that does not require a creator, we do so in a manner that the intellect not only accepts but cannot otherwise conceive. Thus, what is given by lived certainty (badaha) is, in its essence, profoundly precise.
It goes without saying that there is but one Creator for both the imperfect and the relatively perfect. This unity of the Creator establishes the unity of existence, reflecting the interconnectedness of all beings under the Absolute Perfection of Allah.
