question:
As-salamu `alaykum.
The signs in the Qur'an assure me it's divine and prove that Allah is the Creator. But I had a problem answering a question posed by an atheist friend. He asked me who created Allah?
He also said that if we believe that Allah can do anything, then can He create something that He cannot destroy? If I say "no," I go against the statement He can do anything.
Salam dear questioner,
Thank you for your question.
Atheists and skeptics voice questions of the kind you quoted above, with a view to sowing the seeds of doubt in the minds of believers. If we analyze those questions, we can see they are in fact nonsensical ones based on absurd premises.
Consider the first question: "Who created Allah?"
The first premise underlying the question is that every thing (or being) known to exist in the world was created. The second premise is that Allah is known to exist in the world. So the conclusion is that Allah also was created.
In fact, there are problems with the second premise as well as the conclusion. The point is that Allah does not exist in the world unlike material objects or physical beings. Allah's existence transcends the world of space and time, as it is He Who has created not only all the objects and beings of the world, but also all the laws of space and time governing material and temporal existence.
In other words, Allah is beyond the limits and constraints of space and time and so He is not subject to the physical rules and norms that determine the nature of things and beings in the visible world.
We can view the issue from another angle. If everything in the universe needs a cause, then Allah also needs a cause.
It is important to note here that everything in the universe has a beginning; it is because of this that everything needs a cause, whereas Allah does not have a beginning and He does not need a cause.
Einstein has shown that time is the fourth dimension contiguous with space. In other words, we live in a world that is a space-time continuum.
And as Allah is the Creator of time as well as space, He is not limited either by space or time, so He has no beginning in time. Therefore, He does not have a cause.
Also, there is enough evidence that the universe had a beginning. This can be shown from the laws of thermodynamics, the most fundamental laws of the physical sciences.
Now the question is: Is it possible to have a universe with a beginning, but without a cause?
The answer is obviously in the negative for the following reasons:
It is self-evident that things that begin have a cause. Indeed, no science is possible without the law of cause and effect, and the study of history would not make sense if causes do not lead to effects. What is more is that we cannot hold the absurd logical position that the universe created itself, because nothing comes out of nothing!
In short, to the question, "Who created Allah?" we can give this answer: By definition, Allah is the First Cause and the Uncreated Creator of all. For everything to exist or begin to be, a Ground of Being is necessary, and Allah is the Ground of Being. So without Allah, nothing can be, nothing is possible. So the question "Who created Allah?" is nonsensical; it takes us nowhere; it is a meaningless question somewhat like "What is the color of music?"
The second question you quoted is as illogical as the first one: "Can Allah create something He cannot destroy?" Or, it can be put this way: "Can Allah make a rock too big for Him to lift?"
There are many variations to this question, but they all present the same dilemma. If Allah cannot make a rock too big for Him to lift, then it proves that Allah is not all-powerful because there is something He cannot do. If Allah can create a rock that is too big for Him to lift, again it proves that He is not all-powerful because He cannot lift the rock!
Or as you put it, if Allah cannot create something that He cannot destroy, He is not Omnipotent. If He can create something that He cannot destroy, then again He is not Omnipotent!
Indeed, the question here is one of logical impossibility: Can an omnipotent God do anything and everything, including what is logically impossible?
Many religious people may think so; for them this is what omnipotence amounts to. Some Christians may quote the Bible:
With God all things are possible. (Mark 10:27)
and they maintain that we should never say, "God cannot do this or that."
There are people who say that God could bring about even logical impossibilities, such as creating a square circle. This alone is enough for us to reject any view that implies an absurdity. For example, can we assume at this moment, at this place that it is both day and night at the same time?
If we say "yes," obviously we are trashing logic and reason. We should be wise enough to accept the reliability of reason and logic here as elsewhere. Proper understanding and communication rest on the principle of non-contradiction — that no statement is both true and false at the same time. What could it mean if we are told that not only can God create logical impossibilities but also cannot create them?
If we do not presuppose the principle of non-contradiction in our discussions, it is difficult to understand what we were saying and what we mean to say. Therefore, accepting the principle of non-contradiction is crucial to any meaningful discussion. Further, it is hard to make sense of a God to whom the principle of non-contradiction does not apply.
The question above represents what we may call a false dilemma. It is based on a false premise, where people assume Allah's omnipotence to mean that Allah can do anything. But as a matter of fact, since Allah is Perfect there are things Allah cannot do because they imply some sort of imperfection. For example, He cannot lie, err, sin, or die because these actions are contrary to His nature. So, Allah will never act in a way that is contrary to who He is.
http://www.readingislam.com/servlet...kAboutIslamE/AskAboutIslamE&cid=1173694786498
I hope it helped the brother with his dilemma Let us seek refuge with Allah from Satan in all our actions, Insha Allah 