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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Great Muslim Scientist and Philosopher Imam Jafar Ibn Muhammad Al-sadiq (a.s) Chapter 4: Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (A.S) & Abu Shakir Jafar al-Sadiq (A. S.) was one of the most patient and tolerant teachers of his time. He used to take his classes every day. After his lectures he would listen and reply to the objections of his critics. He had asked his critics, who attended his classes, not to interrupt him during his lectures.

They were quite free to ask him any question or raise any objection after the classes were over. Once Abu Shakir, one of his opponents, said to him: "Would you allow me to say something and ask some questions?" "Yes, you can", replied Imam Jafar as-Sadiq. Said Abu Shakir: "Is it not a myth that there is Allah? You want people to believe in a thing which does not exist. If there was Allah, we could have felt his existence through our senses.

You may say that we can feel His presence by the help of our inner senses, but our inner senses also depend upon our five outer senses. We cannot conjure up an image of anything in which some of our senses were not involved.

We cannot conjure up the picture of a person whom we have not met; recall to our memory his voice if we have not heard him and feel the touch of his hand by our inner senses if we have never taken his hand in our hand." "You may say that we can perceive the presence of Allah by our intelligence and not through our inner or outer senses. But our intelligence also needs the assistance of our five outer senses, without which it cannot function.

We cannot make any reasoning or come to any conclusion without the help of our senses. By your imagination you have created a being, which is of your own image. Since you see, talk, hear, work and rest, He also does exactly what you do." "You do not show Him to anyone. To maintain your hold on the people you say that He cannot be seen. You also say that He was not born from the womb of a woman. He does not procreate and that He would not die.

I have heard that there is an idol in India, which is hidden behind a curtain and is not allowed to be seen by the Hindu devotees. The custodians of the idol say that it is out of mercy that their god does not appear before them, because whoever casts his eyes on it, would instantly die." "Your Allah is also like the veiled god of the Hindus. It is out of His mercy that He does not appear before us. If he does, we shall surely die.