Proofs from the Holy Quran of the Existence of God — A Summary of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s Arguments
Edited and translated by Imam Kalamazad Mohammed
Proof 03
The third proof that is disclosed by the Holy Quran is that man’s very nature bears testimony to the existence of God, for there are many kinds of sins that are totally repulsive to man’s inner self, for example, fornication with one’s mother or daughter, lying, or coming into contact with faeces or urine or similar kinds of filth. These kinds of pollution even an atheist avoids. Why is this so? If there were no God, why does he discriminate between his mother and sister and other women, and why does he consider falsehood an evil? What proofs are there to show who caused these above-mentioned abominations to be considered evil in his eyes? If there is no fear of a Supreme Being in his heart, why does he abstain from such sins? In his mind, there should be no distinction between truth and falsehood, injustice and fairplay, and he should follow whatever pleased his heart. What law is there that governs his passions? It is the sovereignty of God that holds sway over his heart, and although an atheist may deny with his tongue any such overriding power, yet he cannot escape from the ambit of the nature in which God has created him. And so, turning away from sin or at least from manifesting it publicly, serves as evidence, in his case, that there resides in his heart the fear of accountability before a Supreme King even though he may go on denying the existence of such an all-powerful Being.
As further proof, the Holy Quran tells us:
“Nay, I swear by the day of Resurrection! Nay, I swear by the self-accusing spirit!” (75:1-2).
In other words, people may think that there is no God and therefore no punishment. This is not so. Instead, in support of these matters, two pieces of evidence are put forward in the above verses.
Firstly, a day of resurrection has been appointed for every affair, when a decision is given and goodness is rewarded with goodness and evil with evil. If there were no God, how could righteousness and sinfulness be rewarded according to their just deserts? In fact, those who deny the eventuality of a day of accountability should open their eyes and see that resurrection begins in this very life. For example, adulterers sometimes suffer the calamity of syphilis and gonorrhoea. Even though they may not be married yet they perform one of the functions of married life.
The second testimony is the conscience of man (nafs-ul-lawwamah), that is, “the soul that complains.” In other words, man’s inner self or conscience warns him that a particular thing is evil or impure. Even an atheist looks upon adultery and falsehood as evil behaviour, and frowns upon pride and envy. Why is this so? The reason is that although he does not possess or adhere to a moral code yet his innerself warns him against these actions and guides him, as it has been inherently granted the instinct that it will be punished by a Higher power, but it could not express it in words. In support of this, there is another verse of the Holy Quran which states:
“So He revealed to it its way of evil and its way of good” (91:8).
Thus, the instinctive perception of good and evil in man’s heart is a very powerful testimony of the existence of God, for if there is no God, there is no reason for man to consider a particular thing as good and another as evil, and in that case, he will follow whatever impulse arises in his heart.