If God is One, then why is there Judgment Day? - A Decisive Intellectual Dialogue
Article (59)
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful __ When a person looks at the universe, the first and most fundamental question that comes to mind is: Is the creator of this great, organized, and interconnected universe one or many? Islam's unequivocal answer is: No, the creator is one - and that is Allah.
If there were many creators, each would want to impose their own will, their own law, and their own system. The inevitable result of this would be conflict, chaos, and destruction in the universe. You have read in Article (58) that the Quran describes this very truth with a decisive argument:
﴿لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَا آلِهَةٌ إِلَّا اللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا﴾(Al-Anbiya: 22) If there were gods other than Allah in the heavens and the earth,
the system of both would be disrupted.
Here, an important intellectual misconception arises. Some people say:
“If the Quran says that if there were many gods, there would be chaos, then perhaps many gods exist, and the chaos caused by them is what we call Judgment Day?”
This sounds profound, but in reality, it is a clear logical fallacy.
First Point: The verse is stating impossibility, not possibility.
The Quran is not proving the existence of many gods here, but rather declaring their existence intellectually impossible. It is exactly like saying: "If a car has two drivers, there will be an accident."
This sentence does not mean that having two drivers is possible, but rather it is being stated that the safe running of the car itself is proof that there is only one driver. Similarly, the continuous, organized, and balanced functioning of the universe is evidence that the command is of one, the decision is of one, and the creator is also one.
Therefore, the verse ﴿لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَا آلِهَةٌ إِلَّا اللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا﴾
does not depict a possible battle of gods, but rather states an immutable rational law: Two rulers cannot run one system.
Second Point: Judgment Day is not chaos, but divine justice.
The Quran has not made Judgment Day a blind belief but has declared it a reality to be accepted on the basis of reason. Not seeing Judgment Day does not mean that it is irrational, but rather that it is a future event - like death, which everyone believes in, but no one has believed in it after seeing their death beforehand. Science can tell "what is," but "why is" is beyond its scope. Science can tell how the body dies, but it cannot tell why a person is accountable. Judgment Day is not related to the laboratory, but to the requirement of justice. If there is no final accountability, then:
Life becomes meaningless.
Morality becomes meaningless.
The oppressor and the oppressed become equal.
Is this possible?
Absolutely not. That is why the Quran says: ﴿كَمَا بَدَأْنَا أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيدُه
(Al-Anbiya: 104)
Just as We created the first time, We will bring it back again.
Third Point: Judgment Day is an organized and predetermined event.
If Judgment Day were the result of the chaos of gods, then:
It would have no system.
Its stages would not be fixed.
It would be a disjointed accident.
But the Quran declares the opposite:
﴿إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا﴾(Taha: 15)
The Hour is coming; I have almost concealed it (for wisdom). And further stated: ﴿يَوْمَ نَطْوِي السَّمَاءَ كَطَيِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ﴾(Al-Anbiya: 104)
Here, "We" is the plural of majesty, which makes it clear that Judgment Day is an organized process completely under the control of Allah. The One who created the universe in order will also end it in order.
The Quran states decisively:
﴿كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ﴾(Al-Qasas: 88)
That is, destruction is also under a law, not under chaos.
Therefore:
Judgment Day will not come because God could not run the system,
but because after establishing the system, accountability will be taken.
﴿أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا
(Al-Mu'minun: 115)
And: ﴿لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا﴾
(An-Najm: 31)
Therefore, the conclusion is very clear:
The creator is one.
Therefore, the universe is organized.
The ruler is one.
Therefore, the law is one.
The judge is one.
Therefore, Judgment Day will be established.
The Quran seals this decision: ﴿ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ﴾(Al-An'am: 102) And
﴿مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ﴾ So Judgment Day is not proof of corruption, but the final and definitive declaration of the Oneness, power, and divine justice of Allah.
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O One Lord: Illuminate our hearts with the light of Tawhid (Oneness of God) and prepare us for the Day of Reckoning. Amen, O Lord of the Worlds.
By Qalam Mahmoodulbari
mahmoodulbari342@gmail.com