ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Theological Instructions LESSON THIRTEEN: RESOLVING SEVERAL SPURIOUS DOUBTS Believing in an intangible existence One of the simplest doubts in the field of theology (knowing God) is how can one believe in the existence of an existent, which is not perceivable? This doubt is held by the simpleton who finds it hard to grasp the concept of there being an intangible reality.

However one will also find reflective thinkers who base their thinking upon the principle of sense perception, and also deny the possibility of an intangible existence, hence they are also influenced by this doubt. The answer to this spurious argument is that the perceptions of the senses are due to an outcome of coherence between bodily parts and bodies or substances etc, which is attained by virtue of corporeality.

Each one of our senses perceives a particular material form, which is proportional for that sense with defined conditions. In the same way, one cannot expect the eyes to have the sense of sound, or the ears to have the sense of sight and ability to see colours, hence one must not expect our senses to perceive each and every existent.

On the basis of the following reasons we will establish that we cannot perceive all existents through our outward senses: Firstly, among the material existents, there are things, which are not competent of being perceived through our senses such as: electrical waves or ultra-violet rays. Secondly, we perceive many realities through other than the means of our outward senses and we confidently believe in their existence.

For example, the states of love and fear, or of conscious intentions are psychological stations just as the spirit is not perceivable by the (bodily) senses. Essentially perception itself is immaterial and imperceptible (through the senses). Therefore just because a thing cannot be perceived through bodily senses, does not invalidate its existence and should not be the reason for such a thing being improbable and remote to the mind. a.

The role of fear and ignorance in belief in God Another spurious doubt asserted by the sociologist is that belief in God is an outcome of fear, especially of the dangers of natural disasters such as earthquakes, lightening etc. They believe that man in order to calm his mind has imagined an imaginary existence and named it God and started to worship it.