2.5 Those who deny the existence of Allah the All Exalted


The affirmation of the existence of the Creator and that the universe has an originator that originated it and manages its affairs is indeed a natural belief predisposed in the inner depths of the pure human constitution not influenced in the least by sudden changes. The disputes and arguments of the atheists and polytheists who show enmity towards the Messengers of all nations who are intermediaries between them and Allah the All Exalted were not pertaining to His Divine Lordship as this is unanimously agreed upon.

However their dispute with the Messengers and their nations is regarding another matter which is the Oneness of Divine Godship. Allah the All Exalted upon whom all nations agree on His Lordship and that He is the Creator and that to Him alone is directed all forms of worship in complete sincerity without any portion of it being directed to any other from among the intermediaries, claimed partners and intimate associates. And among them are those who have completely denied the existence of the Creator and, Allah forbid, have chosen instead to call their people to worship him instead. The most infamously known personality for his arrogance and obliviousness in his rejection of the Creator is none other than Pharaoh who was internally certain of the existence of the Creator.


2.5 Those who deny the existence of Allah the All Exalted


Sheikh Ibn Abi al-Iz al-Hanafi-may Allah show him mercy-said:
“This Oneness has not been disputed by any from among the children of Adam, but rather that hearts are naturally predisposed to affirm it more than it is inclined to affirm anything else from among existence. We are informed through what Allah says the Messengers have said:

[الإسرَاء:١٠٢] (( قَالَتْ رُسُلُهُمْ أَفِي اللَّهِ شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ ))
"Thou knowest well that these things have been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as eye-opening evidence” [17:102]

And the most famous for his disregard and pretension of the denial of a creator is Pharaoh who was internally certain of this truth as Allah has mentioned:

[الإسراء:١٠٢] (( قَالَ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا أَنْزَلَ هَؤُلاءِ إِلَّا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ بَصَائِرَِ ))
Moses said, "Thou knowest well that these things have been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as eye-opening evidence." [17:102]


2.5 Those who deny the existence of Allah the All Exalted


It is not known that anyone belonging to any sect has said that the world is his and has two creators perfectly symmetrical in attributes and actions.” Allah says:

[النمل:١٤] (( وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً ))
And they rejected those Signs in iniquity and arrogance. [27:14]


2.5 Those who deny the existence of Allah the All Exalted


For this reason when he said: Who is the Lord of the Worlds? In the sense of pretended

رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُوقِنِينَ قَالَ لِمَنْ حَوْلَهُ أَلا تَسْتَمِعُونَ قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ آبَائِكُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ))
(( قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَكُمُ الَّذِي أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ لَمَجْنُونٌ قَالَ رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
[الشعراء:٢٨-٢٤]
(Moses) said: "The Lord and Cherisher of the heavens and the earth, and all between - if ye want to be quite sure." (Pharaoh) said to those around: "Did ye not listen (to what he says)?" (Moses) said: "Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers from the beginning!"(Pharaoh) said: "Truly your apostle who has been sent to you is a veritable madman!" (Moses) said: "Lord of the East and the West, and all between! If ye only had sense!" [26:24-28]


2.5 Those who deny the existence of Allah the All Exalted


The remaining Quranic verses indicate that Pharaoh was an outright rejecter of the existence of Allah and denied that Allah created this world requesting proof of His existence. With this Moses (PBUH) infers evidence that Allah is naturally known and the verses and evidence of His Lordship are too evident and numerous to be questioned. Rather He is too known, manifest and evident for Him to be ignored. Knowledge of Him which is naturally predisposed is greater than any other known thing.” Here ends his remarks.

The intended meaning is that the level of shirk, even if its existence in this world is widespread, whereby a person completely rejects the existence of the Creator is indeed limited. Even the polytheist pre-Islamic Arabs with their associating deities as partners to Allah the All Exalted and idol worship did not reach to the level of rejecting the existence of the Creator, but rather that they worshipped their idols like: ‘Hubal’, and ‘Laat’ and ‘al-Uzzah’ and ‘Mannat’ believing that they are deities that draw them closer to Allah the All Exalted. Even though they worshipped these idols and believed them to be divine deities they also believed that Allah the All Exalted is the biggest God or the God of gods. Allah narrates to us of them:

[الزُّمَر:٣] (( مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى ))
"We only serve them in order that they may bring us nearer to Allah." [39:3]


2.5 Those who deny the existence of Allah the All Exalted


[صٓ:٥] (( أَجَعَلَ الْآلِهَةَ إِلَهاً وَاحِداً إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ ))
"Has he made the gods (all) into one Allah? Truly this is a wonderful thing!" [38:5]

For this reason they used to recite in their pilgrimage chant: Here I am oh Allah, there is no partners to You oh Allah, except for the partners who You own and their possessions.

Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah-may Allah show him mercy-said: “As for Divine Lordship they used to affirm it, Allah says:
[لقمَان: ٢٥] (( وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ ))
If thou ask them, who it is that created the heavens and the earth. They will certainly say, "(Allah)". [31:25]

Not one among them believed that the idols brought rain and sustains the world and manages it, but rather that their shirk, as we have mentioned, ascribed equals to Allah of whom they love like the love of Allah. This indicates that whosoever loves another like their love for Allah the All Exalted has committed shirk.” Here ends his remarks.