R.E Section 1 UNIT4

Believing in Allah

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  • Created by: Amina
  • Created on: 09-05-12 17:57

KeyWords

Miracle Something that seems to break a law of science and makes you think only Allah could have done it.

Numinous The feeling of the presence of something greater than you.

Omniscient The belief that Allah knows everything that has happened and everything that is going to happen.

Conversion When your life is changed by giving yourself to Allah.

Moral evil Actions done by humans that cause suffering

Prayer An attempt to contact Allah, usually through words

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Key Words

Omnibenevolent The belief that Allah is all-good       

Agnosticism Not being sure whether Allah exists.

Free will The idea that human beings are free to make their own choices

Natural evil Things that cause suffering but have nothing to do with humans.

Omnipotent The belief that Allah is all-powerful.

Atheism Believing that Allah does not exist.

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Muslim Upbringing

The way you are brought up shapes who you are. Muslim upbringing:

Mother insures the home is halal.

Aqiqa-the baby is named a good name

Children are taught to read Quran and pray Salah

Khitan-boys are circumcised

Children go to madrassah

These lead to belief in Allah when older.

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Religious experience

Some people come to believe in Allah through miracles, answered prayers, a numinous experience or a conversion experience.

A miracle: People who experience these are convinced that only Allah could have done this. This provides them with evidence or strengthens their belief in Allah.

An answered prayer: This provides the person who prayed evidence that Allah exists because he answered the prayer.

A numinous experience: For some people this experience is so powerful it convinces them that Allah must exist.

A conversion experience: Life changing experience in which one suddenly becomes aware of Allah whether from a choice or from a confrontation from someone. 

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The design argument

The world is so well ordered and everything is balanced to sustain life - the world is complex - the complex world must have been designed - if it is designed it must have a designer - Allah is powerful so he must have designed the universe.

Paley's Watch:

Analogy between the world and a watch; both have complex features. It is naturally assumed that something that was so carefully made with all the correct pieces must have been designed by a very clever person. 

The same can be said of the universe which is much more complicated. The creator must be powerful. Paley concluded that this must be God and so he exists. 

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The causation argument

Nothing can happen by itself - everything has to be cause by  something else - the universe cannot have simply happened by itself - a very powerful force must have caused the universe as it is so great - only Allah is great enough to be the cause - this means that Allah must exist.

Everything that exists has a cause The universe exists so it must have a cause, It's cause must be powerful The only uncased cause being powerful enough ti make the universe is Allah. 

DESIGN- Everything made has a purpose

CAUSATION- Everything made has a beginning/cause.

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Science and how it might cause non-belief in Allah

The big bang:

The idea that an explosion of matter took place about 15 Billion years ago and that from this explosion the universe came into being and that it continues to expand and evolve without any involvement from any outside power.

Evolution:

Charles Darwin came to the conclusion that all living things had changed to suit the environment in which they found themselves in.

These theories lead some people to doubt Allah's existence is because they are supported by evidence, e.g fossils. 

Muslim response:

Muslims believe that Allah created the universe so they believe in creation not science. Some believe that something must have caused the beginning of the worlds existence and that something was Allah. It could not have happened randomly.

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Unanswered prayers

Atheists believe that if Allah exists and if he is omnibenevolent and omnipotent why does he not answer every one's prayers. 

Muslims response:

  • Allah is omnipotent so will answer plans that fit into Allah's plan for the world. 
  • Allah is omniscient and he knows what is best for us.
  • This life is a test and unanswered prayers is part of that test.
  • Allah is omni-benevolent and cares for us so sometimes the best answer is no.
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Evil and Suffering

Against:

If Allah is omniscient he woiuld know how to remove the causes of suffering.

If Allah is benevolent he would not want people to suffer and would remove the suffering

If Allah is omnipotent he wold be able to remove the causes of suffering. 

Muslim Response:

Life is a test and suffering is part of the test. Passing the test is rewarded.

Man can use his free will to help those that suffer.

Man can misue his free will and cause suffering to others. 

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The media

Media can infliuemce pur attitudes by prsenting ideas as if they  were facts or facts as if they were fiction.  Media broadcast many scenarios that portray people believing in Allah. These can have both positive and negative effects on peoples attitudes towards belief in Allah.

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