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Necessary
Creator and Contingent Creation - Reason and Beauty Signify
Unity:It is argued that the world is both
rational and intelligible - `the principle of sufficient reason'
i.e., everything in the world is, as it is, for some reason.
We believe that there must be some reason why it is
like that. Entire scientific enterprise is built
upon the assumed rationality of nature. Theologians also advocate
the same principle. In confronting the deep issues of existence,
we have to consider the possibility of two distinct classes
of things: In the first class are facts about
the physical universe, such as the planets in the solar system..
Because an explanation for the features of the solar
system depends on something other than itself, these
features are said to be `contingent'. Something is contingent
if it could have been otherwise, so that the reason why it
is the way it is, depends upon something else; something beyond
itself. The second class refers to fact or
object or event that is not contingent. Such a things is called
`necessary'. Something is necessary if it
is what it is quite independently of anything else.
A necessary thing contains the reason for itself within
itself. And it would be completely unchanged
if everything else were different. Furthermore, if
something is necessarily what it is, then it must always be
and must always have been what it is: it cannot change. A
necessary thing makes no reference to time.
It is not possible to find `necessary' things
in nature. All the objects and events depend in some or the
other way on the rest of the world. Since the state of the
world continually changes with time, all physical things that
partake of that change must be contingent. If we examine the
definition of `time' and include it in the `universe as a
whole' - none is necessary independently or collectively:
What about the laws of physics? Are they necessary or contingent?
The individual forces turn out to be contingent on other forces.
But is it possible that there exists a super force
or even a completely unifying super law, that is necessary?
Many physicists think so. They maintain that it is gratuitous
to seek for further explanation in metaphysics. These scientists
look forward to a time when all the laws of physics will be
combined into a single mathematical scheme.
Pope John Paul II has been deeply impressed by
the spectacular progress made in linking the various elementary
particles of matter and the four fundamental forces of nature,
and recently saw it fit to address a scientific conference
on the wide implications: “Physicists possess a detailed,
though incomplete and provisional knowledge, of elementary
particles and of the fundamental forces through which they
interact at low and intermediate energies. They now have an
acceptable theory unifying the electromagnetic and weak nuclear
forces, along with much less adequate but still promising
grand unified field theories which attempt to incorporate
the strong nuclear interaction as well. Further in the line
of this same development, there are already several detailed
suggestions for the final stage, super unification, that is,
the unification of all four fundamental forces, including
gravity. Is it not important for us to note that in a world
of such detailed specialization, as contemporary physics,
there exists this drive towards convergence? “
Many scientists think that the `Theory of Everything’
is feasible and we may almost have such a one in the Superstring
Theory’, as a serious attempt to amalgamate all the
fundamental forces and particles of physics, as well as the
structure of, into a single, all embracing mathematical scheme-
space and time. The very concept of existence of One Super
force or One Unified Law, and the present research for formulating
a Unification Theory is the recognition of monotheism
– i.e. One God Who is Creator and Sustainer Himself
Alone.
It is not only mathematics, physics or order in
the universe, as Paul Davies argues, but "the laws distinguish
themselves in other, more subtle ways, such as by their aesthetic
value. It is widely believed among scientists that beauty
is a reliable guide to Truth, and many advances in theoretical
physics have been made by the theorists demanding mathematical
elegance of a new theory."
Several Aspects
of the `Too-Good Universe’:The general
orderliness of the universe: The natural world is not just
concoction of entities and forces, but a marvelously ingenious
and unified mathematical scheme. Consider some of the facts,
e.g., following:
(i) It does not merely display
arbitrary regularities; it is ordered in a very special manner.
Even within the mechanistic world view, explaining motion
of material bodies perfectly adequately in terms of inertia
and forces, one puzzles over the way in which these have been
arranged in the universe.
(ii) `A Place for Everything and Everything
in Its Place'.
(iii) The general coherence and
unity of nature.
(iv) The processes that occur
at larger scale- e.g. in astrophysics- are so fine tuned at
the microscopic level also that in the whole range of their
occurrences they produce very interesting and varied effects
for existence and life.
(v) There is coherent interweaving
of the all aspects of nature.
(vi) There is curious uniformity
of nature - Laws of physics at work in the laboratory equally
apply in the distant galaxy.
(vii) Uniformity in the spatial
organization of the universe: On a large scale, matter and
energy are distributed extremely evenly, and the universe
appears to be expanding at the same rate everywhere and in
all directions: `that means that an alien being in
another galaxy would see very much the same sort of large-scale
arrangement of things that we do. - we share with other galaxies
a common cosmography and a common cosmic history.’
(viii) Nature's `Lawfulness'
is evident in all aspects of all and everything,
(ix) Simplicity of the laws,
i.e. the laws can be expressed in simple terms e.g. mathematical
functions.
(x) Working of ecological systems,
`Fitness of Environment', arrangements in the planetary system
and coordination in the universe, (Only a Unified
Law may explain such a match!). Newton believed that
the solar system appeared too contrived to have arisen solely
from the action of blind forces: The most beautiful
system of sun, planets and comets, could only proceed from
the Command of an Intelligent and Powerful Being.
(xi) The universe is
unfolding according to some `plan or blueprint.'
“With Power, did We (Allah) construct the heaven.
Verily, We are Able to extend the vastness of space thereof.”
(51-47)
The essential feature is that something of `value'
emerges as the result of processing according to some ingenious
pre-existing set of rules. These rules seem to be the
product of intelligent design. The universe is remarkably
well adjusted to the existence of all entities.
(xii) The universe is consistent
with our own existence.
(xiii) There is great ingenuity
and skill in the Design. The enterprise of particle physics
is discovering only a part of this design.
(xiv) Everything with a Purpose:
"...We need to take into account the many `coincidences’...
in connection with the Anthropic Principle and the requirements
of biological organisms. The apparent `fine-tuning' of the
laws of nature necessarily, if conscious life is to evolve
in the universe, then carries the clear implication that God
has designed the universe so as to permit such life and consciousness
to emerge. It would mean that our own existence in
the universe formed a central part of God's plan."
(Paul Davies, ‘Mind of God’, p.213).
Muhammad Munir in his article,“States of
consciousness”, (The Dawn, 14.9.2003), goes to the extent
to say: “The fact that the unified physical laws of
the Earth, dominate the fixed laws of the whole cosmos rationally,
without overthrowing them, establishes the fact that the Earth
exists, acting as something like the brain or index of the
whole universe.” Is it because the universe has been
subjected and harmonized for man who lives on this Earth?
Or is it due to this reason that the heavens have been referred
in plural in the Holy Quran and the Earth in singular, being
the singular central key to the entire complex of creations
in the rational order of the universe around? Anyway it is
not surprising that Earth always occupied pivotal position
in earlier cosmological studies and speculations!
When the particle known as `muon' was discovered
in 1937, the physicist Isidor Rabi was astonished. The `muon’
is a particle more or less identical to the electron in all
respects except its mass, which is 206.8 times bigger. This
big brother to the electron is unstable, and decays after
a microsecond or two, so it is not a permanent feature of
matter. Why does nature need another sort of electron, specially
one that disappears so promptly. How would the world be different
if the muon simply did not exist? The problem has since become
more marked. There are now known other elementary particles
in their own right and not composite of other particles. But
nothing is created in vain or in play (21-16
& 17). Even such, almost instantly decaying, elementary
particles play a great role in nature. Most of the
rays that reach the surface of the Earth are in fact muons.
These rays form part of the background of radiation, and contribute
to the genetic mutations that drive evolutionary
change- another example of the felicitous dovetailing of the
large and the small.
(xv) The biological systems
have very special and intriguing requirements. These are harmoniously
and happily met by nature with lots of choice, comfort,
and beauty. In 1913 the distinguished Harvard biochemist
Lawrence Henderson wrote: `The properties of matter
and the course of cosmic evolution are now seen to be intimately
related to the structure of the living being and its activities;..
the biologist may now rightly regard the Universe, in its
very essence as biocentric.' (Explanations
at (xiv) above also refer. Henderson was led to this surprising
view from his work on the regulation of acidity and
alkalinity in living organisms, and the way this
depends crucially upon special properties of certain
chemical substances. He was also greatly impressed
by how water, which has a number of anomalous
and special properties, is incorporated into life at the basic
level.
“Do
not the unbelievers see that
the heavens and the earth were joined together
before We (Allah) clove them asunder,
and of water made every thing living.
Why they not then believe?” 21-30
“And
put forward to them the example of the life of the world:
As (how) water, We (Allah) send
it (in the same state as water)
down from the sky?
And the vegetation of the earth mingles with
it,
And becomes fresh and green.
But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces,
which the winds scatter.
And Allah is Ever All-Able to do everything.”18-45
A more clear
picture is now emerging with the development of biochemistry,
genetics, and molecular biology.
Additions
in and Upgradations of Human Faculties:"History
records the early hominid, who had evolved 5 million years
ago, as having had merely 500cc of brain tissue.
This then grew to around 700 cc after two
million years. The increase can be attributed to evolutionary
effects on the hominid over that period. Much later on, the
cranial capacity of the Homo erectus leaped to 900-1000
cc. The Homo erectus eventually evolved into Homo
Sapiens , with cranial capacity vastly increased from 500
cc to 1450 cc. What could have brought this
dramatic evolution? A single mutant gene could be
held responsible. This.. gene, having survived through generations,
because it was beneficial to humans, resulted in their brains
evolving into a complex structure, which could eventually
conceive mathematics, spacecraft design, complex theories,
music", etc.
(Farah Azam,"Intelligence
and the X-factor", `Sciencedotcom,The Dawn, July 13,
2002.)
Distinguishes
the brain from a kilogram of ordinary matter is its complex
organised form, in particular the elaborate interconnections
between neurons. This wiring pattern cannot be explained by
the laws of physics alone. It depends on many other factors,
including a host of well calculated, designed and purposeful
interventions, that must have occurred during evolutionary
and upgradation processes. The mystery in all this is that
human intellectual powers are presumably determined by biological
evolution.. It has been argued that the structure of our brains
has been evolved and upgraded to reflect the properties of
the physical world, including its mathematical content, so
that it is no surprise that we discover mathematics in nature.
From Hominid to Homo Sapien (to Adam); is this
the same leap as from `Insaan' (humanbeing) to `Adam' (man),
the difference from 500 cc to 1450 cc? Is this the same leap
that upgradations were made in the brain tissue and `LAN'
(Local Area Networking), within the brain, and its connectivity
in the WAN (Wide Area Networking) in the universe were established?
Does this refer to process and period when upgradation and
addition of modules of recognition, memory, processing, articulation,
expression, eloquence etc. took place; the performance of
which was presented by Adam (Peace be upon him), before angels
also?! (Wallaahu A’alamu).
In this connection, it may be interesting to refer
to Saulat Ali Khan’s book, ‘Taareekh-e-Islaam
Aur Musalmaan’, 1991, which discusses certain concepts
and developments of this nature.
“Chance”
Stands No Chance:Some scientists and scholars
use vague terms like “first cause uncaused” or
the “first mover unmoved”, which is indicative
of a confusion in accepting the Existence of God by taking
cover under fig leaf of unclear jargon. But modern scientists
are increasingly becoming skeptic of the idea that the universe
came into being by chance. Such skepticism about accidental
creation of the universe was expressed even about four centuries
ago by Francis Bacon in his ‘Novum Organum’, that
“chance is the name of a thing that does not exist.”
As a strong disclaimer of unbelief and atheism, he pronounced,
“I would rather believe all the fables in the Legend
and the Talmud and Al-Koran than that this universe is without
a mind.”
Here it may be pertinent to present two more concepts
in this regard. Some scientists follow one of these two trains
of thought. The Multiple Universe theories in one form or
another propose that there are an infinite number of universes,
and ours is the only one that just happens to have all the
right characteristics for life and its evolution. The Anthropic
Principle proposes that if any of the conditions of our universe
had been different, it could not possibly exist. So it is
a meaningless question to ask why this? Such thinking is not
adequate for anyone whose mind has not been totally turned
off to the concept of God.
The Anthropic Principle essentially says, in one
way or another, that things are the way, they are, because
they had to be. Otherwise we would not be here. This does
not really explain anything at all. All it does is to state
the obvious fact that we are here so it should not really
be taken seriously as an explanation. The same also applies
to the Multiple Universe theories. These ideas are probably
showing a degree of desperation to stick to any idea that
supposedly negates God.
The Anthropic Principle is self contradictory
when seen in the light of purpose and design, not only in
the `Creation’ but also in the `Providence’ with
all encompassing beauty, harmony, benevolence and mercy. So
far the concept of `Multiple Universes’ is concerned
the Quran explains the `plurality’ of heavens obeying
a set of laws in harmony as a unified whole. The concepts
like `unification theory’ and `megaverse’ elaborate
the fact presented by the Quran. Examine carefully verses
17-42, 21-22 and 23-91. At the same time the universe is not
`infinite’ as asserted by some. If it were, scientists
explain; just one consequence, as an example, that the sky
would have appeared as one shining bright plate like sun,
because at every point there would have been a star. Furthermore,
there are collapsing questions about its sustainability, etc,
etc. This does not in any way belittle its immense enormity
and plurality of planes of existence. But it may be clarified
that it is not like one galaxy. A universe of just one galaxy,
say of 100 billion stars, would have expanded for only about
30 days and would have collapsed, with no possibility of life
or anything else for that matter. It is God Alone Who has
Designed all this for sustainable existence and evolution
of life. Of course, God is God. He could have designed any
system. The existing one, He has created in harmony for supporting
life. For the disbelievers it does not make any difference
whether there is one galaxy or 100 trillion galaxies. For
them it is always too little, too large, too this and too
that!
“Say: `Note! All that is in heavens and
the earth.
But neither Signs nor warnings,
help people, who have decided not to believe.”
10-101
But for the
believers who reflect, praise and thank God, there is no end
to His Signs of Power, Glory and Greatness manifest all around
in the universe and within man himself.
“They
are the ones, whose hearts rejoice in remembering God.
Absolutely, upon remembering God, the hearts
shall rejoice.” 13-28
There is a
new line of explanation on the part of some main line researchers
and scientists, who have finally begun to use the word ‘Design’
with the capital letter ‘D’ – in a serious
way. They believe that the conditions in our universe really
do seem to be uniquely suitable because of being Designed
as such for life forms like ourselves. All evidence suggests
that this is not just any old universe, but one which is amazingly
adjusted and fine tuned for existence of human beings. At
every step it looks as if universe is just unfolding according
to some plan or blue print. These rules look as if they are
the product of Intelligent Design. (Hussein Kowsari, “Signs
in the heavens and the earth”, 17.7.2002 and “Universal
Laws of Science.”, 14.7.2002, Universalunity.net)
Today there are many scientists for whom it is
too much to suppose that the subtle and harmonious organization
of nature is the result of mere `chance’. Robert Boyle
(famous for Boyle's Law) articulated: "The excellent
contrivance of that great system of the world, and specially
the curious fabric of the bodies of the animals and the uses
of their sensories and other parts, have been made the great
motives that in all ages and nations induced philosophers
to acknowledge a Deity as the author of these admirable structures."
The most striking examples of `the contrivances of nature'
are to be found in the biological domain. Consider the eye
which provides the faculty of sight and wings of a bird for
the purpose of flight - bespoke providential arrangement by
an intelligent designer!
Fred Hoyle and others have calculated that the
chance of a random ordering of amino acids in a DNA, falling
into the right places would be 1 in 10 raised to the 20th
power. There are about 2000 enzymes, the probability that
all would fall in exactly the right places (sequence), is
1 in 10 raised to the 40,000th power, making it impossible
even if the entire universe consisted of the organic soup.
Conklin puts it like this: “The probability of life
originating from an accident is comparable to the probability
of the `unabridged dictionary’ resulting from an explosion
in a printing factory”.
Oparin, in his Origin of life, pointing to the
absurdity of chance, explains: “There is no logical
theory, none, except for the specific design of God that can
explain how this magnificent system would originate. A computer
will only function if it is programmed, and has a programming
intellect providing the information required to operate the
system.”
The astronomer Fred Hoyle noted that the element
Carbon (abundant in nature), crucial to terrestrial life,
is manufactured from Helium inside large stars. It is released
there from by supervonae explosions. Carbon nuclei are made
by a rather tricky process involving the simultaneous
encounter of three high-speed helium nuclei, which
then stick together. The reaction can proceed at a
significant rate only at certain well-defined energies (termed
`resonances').. By good fortune, one
of these resonances is positioned just above right to correspond
to the sort of energies that Helium nuclei have inside large
stars. A detailed study also revealed other
`coincidences' without which carbon would not be both produced
and preserved inside stars, as if `the laws
of nuclear physics have been deliberately designed
with regard to the consequences they produce inside the stars..
The universe looks like a `put-up job,' as though
somebody had been working with the laws of physics!
The early Greek philosophers recognized that the
order and harmony of the cosmos demanded explanation. In the
Christian era Aquinas offered the view that natural bodies
act as if guided toward a definite goal or end `so as to obtain
the best result'. The fitting of means to ends implies
an `intention’. But , seeing as natural bodies
lack consciousness, they can not supply that `intention’
themselves. Therefore some intelligent being exists
by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and
this Being we call God.
Allah created the universe, evolved it in a long
process of progression and attended to all aspects of its
requirements. Allah assigned the requisite length of time
to this process for the creation, evolution, and development
of the best of it - mankind, as He had to perfect the conditions
on earth for its rehabilitation. Allah is so solicitous and
generous that He did not ignore the spiritual requirements
too. In brief He is `Rabb’ not of one individual or
group of individuals and not of one world but of all universes-
all creations. His `Rubbuubiyat’, is not static but
a dynamic force progressively sustaining all and everything.
It is not confined to any one part or aspect of the complex
whole. It not only extends to all but extends them all to
unimaginable heights of progress, both physical as well as
spiritual. Even those who don’t believe, can’t
remain unmoved or untouched by different aspects of Allah’s
Creation and Rubuubiyah. Fred Hoyle puts it like this: "I
have always thought it curious that, while most scientists
claim to eschew religion, it actually dominates their thoughts
more than it does the clergy". Einstein was of the opinion
that in order to achieve an understanding of nature, one must
exercise considerable mathematical skill, physical insight,
and mental ingenuity, but nevertheless the goal of understanding
is attainable.
The organs in our bodies are placed asymmetrically.
This has remained a matter of great puzzle and interest for
the researchers. What is found on the left is not also or
necessarily found on the right. How this complicated pattern
develops and continues since the creation of man? Dr Hiroshi
Hamada of Osaka University in Japan and colleagues found that
embryos placed in an environment with fluid flowing towards
the left developed the correct left-right pattern of organ
placement. But when embryos were placed in fluid flowing to
the right, they did not develop organs in the proper places
in their bodies.
Multiplication of one cell into many is definitely
very amazing, but what is far more astonishing is the coordination
and the decision making after a number of cells have been
multiplied. Who decides as to which cell will go, say, to
form kidney and the other one the heart or the liver and so
on, in proportion and in overall simultaneous programming
of development of all organs and systems of the body?! The
Same One Creator Who created initially, continues to evolve,
develop and sustain - The Ever All-Lord-Master-Sustainer-Nurturer-Cherisher-Maker-Modeler-Fashioner!
See Appendix-11
for different aspects of Rubuubiyah.
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