The Search for Certainty: Why Atheism is the Most Illogical Position
As-salamu alaykum, dear friends. We often find ourselves on a journey, don’t we? A journey to understand our place in this vast, beautiful creation. A journey for meaning, for purpose, for something that just… makes sense. And in this journey, many paths are presented to us, some of which seem to lead to a dead end. One such path, an odd one indeed, is atheism. Today, with the help of a profound work by Dr. Haitham Talaat titled “Clear Proofs”, let’s reflect on why this path is fundamentally illogical and why our innate disposition, our fiṭrah, points to something far greater.
This article draws inspiration from the intellectual project of Dr. Haitham Talaat’s book, “Clear Proofs.” Dr. Talaat, with 18 years of experience criticizing atheism, has crafted a monumental work to strengthen our certainty and explain the evidences for the validity of Islam.
The Oddity of Denying the Obvious
Atheism, at its core, requires a person to deny what is self-evident. It’s a position built on ignoring the very signposts of reality that are all around us. Think about it. Can you truly deny what your own mind and heart tell you is true? Dr. Talaat beautifully highlights a number of these undeniable “axioms” that we all know to be true.
The Axiom of Causality: Nothing Comes From Nothing
Look around you. Everything has a cause. A table has a carpenter. A painting has an artist. The universe, with its breathtaking laws and critical precision, could not have simply appeared from nothing. It is a logical necessity that it must have a Creator, an originator, a source for its very existence. To deny this is to deny the most basic principle of our rational minds.
This world, with all its laws and all its critical boundaries, appeared suddenly, and thus it must have a creator.
The Axiom of Perfection: A Symphony of Design
Hold up your hand. Look at the intricate network of nerves, muscles, and bones. Consider the cycle of the seasons, the precise orbit of the planets, or the delicate balance of our ecosystem. Could all of this perfection, this incredible design, be a random accident? Every atom, every cell, every star seems to be managed with a purpose. This perfection requires a Manager and a Sustainer, the One we know as Allah.
The Inescapable Truth of Your Existence
The Quran itself challenges this strange position in a way that resonates with every human heart. Allah (SWT) asks:
“Or were they created by nothing, or are they ˹their own˺ creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth?” (Quran 52:35-36)
This is a question that cuts through all intellectual gymnastics. You know you exist. You know you weren’t created by nothing. You also know you didn’t create yourself. The logic is so simple, so profound, it’s almost a given. Yet, atheism demands we pretend we don’t know this.
The Innate Knowledge of Accountability
Deep down, within your innate disposition—your fiṭrah—you have a sense of right and wrong. You know you are accountable for your actions. This isn’t a learned behavior; it’s a whisper from your conscience. It’s the knowledge that you are mukallaf (religiously accountable). Atheism seeks to silence this whisper, to tell you it’s a social construct, but you know in your heart that there is a truth to it. The great Imam Al-Ghazali captured this beautifully when he said:
“We can imagine a mule building the pyramids, but we cannot imagine what atheists accept as true without any proof.”
This isn’t an intellectual argument alone; it’s a reaction, often psychological, against a perceived problem. It’s an attempt to fill a void by denying its very existence. But as Allah reminds us in a most beautiful way:
“O humanity! It is you who stand in need of Allāh, but Allāh ˹alone˺ is the Self-Sufficient, Self-Praiseworthy.” (Quran 35:15)
You have an inherent, indispensable need for your Creator. Not a single breath exits your chest without His permission, nor does your heart beat once without His grace. To deny Him is to deny the most essential part of your own being.
The Ultimate Fortress: The Book of Allah
Just as Dr. Haitham Talaat concluded his magnificent work by inviting people to ponder the Book of Allah, I end with the same call. The Quran is not just a book of law; it is a brilliant light, a fortress of protection from doubt, nihilism, and error. Pondering its verses from cover to cover is the easiest and most direct path to certainty. It is the greatest antidote to the whisperings that seek to confuse us.
My hope is that this humble reflection helps wash away the filth of doubt and strengthens your belief in the One who created you, manages you, and sustains you. May Allah grant us all a heart full of unshakable faith. Amin.
