Our God — Page 36
36 everyone agrees that such precautionary measures are necessary and beneficial. Thus, when we ponder the existence of God based on this principle, our reason concludes that it is certainly safer and more prudent to believe in God than to deny Him. If there is no God and this universe came into existence by chance, obviously our belief in God can do us no harm. However, if there is indeed a God, our belief will certainly be useful and beneficial. There can only be two logical answers to this question: either this universe came into existence all by itself and is self-propelled and God is a false notion (God forbid), or the universe has a Creator and Master who has created it and is managing it. Our reason does not suggest any third possibility. Now, if we deny the existence of God, the possibility that He might exist potentially poses serious problems for us; whereas if we believe in a God that does not actu- ally exist, this has no dangerous implications whatsoever for us. 1 ُّيَاَف ِنْيَقْيِرَفْلا ُّقَحَا ِنْمَاْلاِب١ۚ ْنِا ْمُتْنُك َنْوُمَلْعَت Meaning that, which of the two parties then has greater right to security, if indeed you know—the one that denies or the one that believes? Thus, it is established that belief in God is prudent because there is no harm in it, whereas denying the existence of God can potentially be harmful. It is narrated that someone asked Hadrat Ali ra for proof God’s existence. Seeing that the man was a simple man, he replied: It is enough for you to realise that if there is no God, the believers and 1. S u rah al-An‘ a m, 6:82.