A Peculiar Question:

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The Proof of Cause and Effect in Philosophy and Rhetoric or eloquenceThe Explanation from Mafuradat

The above mentioned verse are part of nine verses of Surah Tur with eleven question expressed as a surprise. These verses bring mankind to a rare junction of questions and make him speechless so that he cannot but accept the truth.

The eleven questions are related to three purposes; one is the acceptance of Tawhid or the unity of God, the second is Qiyamat or Doomsday and the third is the Messengership of the Holy Prophet Muhammad but the important issue here is the unity of God and His Godship.

The first among the three verses mentioned says, “Were they created by nothing or were they themselves the creators?”

In other words that there is no doubt that every man is a creation and finite and he is not devoid of three conditions i.e. he was created without a cause or reason or is the cause of his own creation or the cause and reason for his creation is eternal and ever living God. Since the human intellect does not accept the first two conditions therefore, the third assumption is correct. This is the reason that surprise has been expressed in the question about this premise. When the first two hypothesis or conditions have been rejected intellectually then the third condition stands proven automatically.

This the proof of the real truth about cause and effect explained briefly in two sentences. But a fourth premise also rises at times which says that every person may be the result of some other cause and that cause itself may be effect of another cause. This will then continue without end but such hypothesis is given by philosophers only and the common man pays no attention to it.

 It may be the reason that the verses mentioned do not speak about it but incorrectness of this premise is very evident because the unending continuation of cause and effect is impossible in the light of logic and intelligence. More details about this will be mentioned under a separate explanation.

Most commentators have explained this in other ways but despite the words being different the purpose is to explain the problem of creation. They says that the creation of men has not taken place without an aim or purpose, duties, or the responsibilities of Amr and Nahi (The dos and don’ts), reward and punishment’ and grace and chastisement. The verse 115 of Surah Muminun explains this as “Do you think We have created you in play and you will not be brought back before Us?” (1)

  

But this premise stands rejected when we study the Verse because it contains the words, “Were they themselves the creator?” So we learn that the first sentence is also about the cause and effect in the creation of man and not the purpose of his creation. In other words this verse is connected to cause of the action and not the cause of its end.

The second verse speaks about the creation of the heavens and the same argument about cause and effect has been put about the creation of the heavens. The Book says, “Have they created the heavens and the earth?” means that there is no doubt that the heavens and earth are a creation and are finite and destructible because they are always subject to changes and accidents and thus keep changing forms. Anything that is subject to such changes cannot escape being contingent and thus the creator’s words will come forth, “who has created the heavens and the earth?’ Are they themselves the creator or have they come to exist out of nature or have the humans created themselves?

Since the answer to all these questions is in the negative we conclude that they have a creator and He is not a creation but eternal and ever-living. The most interesting thing here is that only the creation of humans has been mentioned in these verses and that too in the negative mode expressing surprise. The reason is that the second question has already been explained in the first two verses so it should not be mentioned again and repetition should be avoided.

 

We learn that the above two verses are describing the proof of cause and effect for the heavens and the humans. It is also clear that the second verse states that the issue is about the cause of action and not cause of the end and creation.

At the end the verse points out that truth that all problems about this issue are clear but the truth is that people themselves are not willing to believe. “But they have no firm belief.”

Indeed the truth is evident and clear but the people are against it and they bicker. The words “They have no firm belief” explains this only and this has also been revealed in verse 4 of Surah Jathiya that says, “And in your own creation, and in what He scatters in the earth of animals are signs for people sure in faith.” Surah Zariyat too in verse 20 says, “And on the earth are signs for those who faith with certainty.”

It is now certain that if they had attained certitude and became people absolute belief these signs would not be required. This is about those who are devoid of certitude but all willing to attain and accept the truth.

Some commentators have explained this sentence saying “They are not certain that they themselves are the creator of the heavens and earths but believe that God is the creator.” Surah Luqman says in verse 25, “If you ask them, “Who created the heavens and the earth?” they would certainly say, “Allah” (2)

But this kind of explanation does not seem correct. A weaker explanation has been given by those who say that the verse means, “That those people do not believe in their own words with certainty that the creator of the heavens and the earth is God” they do not have the certitude that could take them to worship and obey God. The incorrectness of this idea is evident from the fact that these verses do not discuss the issue of God as the creator of heavens and the earth then how could this be inferred from them?(3)

 In the third verse a conclusion has been drawn and it says, “Is there any god but Allah? Hallowed is God from what they associate with Him.

Actually this is a proof of the Tawhid and unity of God; since He is the creator of the universe He alone should be worshipped and not idols, sun, moon and stars nor any other creation for that matter.

As we have said before the three verses have been mentioned in the mode of negative surprise and there are other questions mentioned about the Messengership and other topics but since this discussion is on Tawhid or unity of God we do not need to discuss them.(4)





1. Tafsir Majmaul Bayan, Tafsir Kabeer, Tafsir Qartabi, Tafsir Al Mizan, Tafsir Al Ma’ani, and Tafsir Ruhul Bayan all mention the meaning of this verse as a premise.
2. For further clarifications see Zamakhshari’s Tafsir Kashaf and Tafsir Kabeer of Fakhr Razi
3. See Surah Ankabut verse 61, Zumar verse 38, Zukhruf Verse 9 and 87 and Luqman verse 25
4. For further clarification see Tafsir Amthal Verse 35 of Surah Tur



The Proof of Cause and Effect in Philosophy and Rhetoric or eloquenceThe Explanation from Mafuradat
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