Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Introduction to Al-Tawhid 1.
1 Belief in the Existence of God Before believing in any of the

roots of religion, a believer should have strong faith in the existence of God. It is not enough to believe
in God because it is what most people do, or it is what has always been taught and believed by those
around us. Each human being has to know for himself/herself the reasons behind the belief in God. 1.2
Why should we know whether God exists? Before we learn about the ways of knowing that there is a
God, the first question we must answer is why should we even bother with that? Is it necessary to know
whether God exists or not? Would not life be much simpler if we did not ask this question in the first
place? To answer that, think of the following points. 1. Search for the Truth. It is a natural instinct to
search for truth. At some point in life, most people ask themselves basic questions such as how they
came upon the earth, who brought them here, what will be their ultimate end, etc. These questions
need answers, and cannot be ignored by suppression. Human beings, especially those who are curious
and intelligent, need to answer these questions in order to satisfy their search for the truth. 2. To thank
the Provider of Blessings. Good etiquette demands that we thank all those who carry out favors for us,
whether big or small. The more the favors, the more the appreciation and gratitude should be. Take an
example of a person who stays as a guest at someone's home. All preparations have been carried out to
meet his needs. He has a room ready for him, food on the table, clothes washed and dried, etc. Would
he not want to thank the person who did this for him? Good manners dictate that he should show his
gratitude at the favors received by him by thanking the host. If he does not know who the host is, he
should make an effort to find out. To ignore that, and just enjoy the benefits, would be considered ill
mannered and rude. When we come into the world, we see that there are a lot of blessings and favors
that have been prepared for us. We have a wonderful body, family, home, beautiful earth, trees, fruits,
flowers, animals, and numerous other blessings all of which are there for our use and benefit. Surely we
need to ask who these blessings came from, in order to thank the Provider. It would be most ungracious
if there really was a Provider and we did not bother to find out and thank Him. Grade 7 Fiqh 9 3. Basis
for Life. The way we live our lives is tremendously affected by whether we believe in a God or not. A
person who does not believe in God would base his life on material and worldly benefits only. He would
see no benefit in doing good deeds, as he would have no belief in the hereafter. The outlook on life for
such a person would be completely different from one who believes in a God, and consequently believes
in the life after this world. To be able to plan our life in the best and most fruitful way possible, we need
to first ask whether there is a God or not. Once we have answered the question, we can base our actions
accordingly. 4. Avoid possible harm. Whenever we are warned about something, we immediately take
heed and find out about the possibility of danger. For example, when there is a scare of a particular
disease in a country, and the doctors warn that many people may die of it, the people of that country at
once take heed. Most people would take necessary precautions after finding out if they were in danger
of falling sick from that disease. This is because it is inherent in the human being to save himself from
possible danger. Many Prophets have come to humankind to warn them about disbelief, and the
punishment awaiting those who reject faith in God. It is our duty, as people who have been warned, to
at least study these warnings, and find out if they are true or not. We have been warned of punishment
in the life hereafter, of Hell and the tortures awaiting the rejecters of faith. Common sense dictates that
we should pay heed to these warnings and ask questions about them. It would be foolish to ignore the
warnings, and then perhaps find out when it is too late, that they were actually true. This would bring
great harm upon us.

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Al-Tawhid 1.

1 Belief in the Existence of God Before believing in any of the

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