ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Mystery of Life God: From Seeking God to Faith in God The History of Belief in God The history of theism is probably equal to the history of mankind itself. Since man's mental structure, capabilities and forces have not undergone dramatic change throughout at least the last 40000 years, we must say that belief in God has at all times existed.

The supernatural tendencies and prayers that have accompanied man's life ever since he came into being, prove that man has never been without believing in God. Of course, man has at times erred in his supernatural tendencies and worshiped other beings rather than God. Some sociologists studying religions have attempted to prove that in order to evolve from ignorance to knowledge, man had to begin with idolatry, and subsequently turn to monotheism.

They present these two reasons in defying the history of monotheism: 1- Man's worshipping idols and statues instead of God shows that monotheism has not existed since ancient times. In response, we must say that there are still a great many unsolved things about primitive men - such as the magic some say they did - that cannot be scientifically considered to be true and that man worshiped nothing but those; such findings should not be generalized as being the only things that really were.

Even today, there are sacred places around the world in which people, although believing in God, still have deep respect for. 2- Throughout history, man has always been attracted by “gods.” Even after Abraham, “gods” were still very popular and were given specific duties. Some writers seem to have imagined that these gods were really worshiped instead of the one God. There are several reasons proving that the word god has been used referring to particularly sacred or respected things and people.

a) As Abu -Reihan Biruni quotes from Galen, “Great men who have achieved extreme mastery and skill in industries or medicine deserve to be included among 'gods.' “ b) Abu -Reihan Biruni believes that the fact that the public are more interested in what they can sense rather than the rational is the reason why sculptures have been so popular in nations all over the world. c) Plato, a monotheist philosopher, believed that human spirits were made by secondary gods.

Plato used the term “gods” referring to abstract and adducent objects.