Atheist or agnostic · Start where the evidence starts

“I need a reason, not a feeling.”

A real conversation about why anything exists, and whether a book from the 7th century could know what it seems to know.

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Verses for this conversation

“Were they created by nothing, or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth?”

Quran 52:35–36

How the conversation unfolds

  1. 01Does the universe really explain itself?

  2. 02One God, not an endless chain of borrowers

  3. 03A book that knew far too much

  4. 04This life is surely not the end

  5. 05A messenger you can test yourself

Let's talk

A conversation between Atheist or agnostic and Muslim

Muslim

Alright? I'm Omar. What's your name?

You

Alex. Yeah, not bad thanks.

Muslim

Nice one, Alex. What's your background, faith-wise, if you don't mind me asking?

You

Honestly? I don't believe in any of it. Atheist, I suppose.

Muslim

Fair enough, no judgement. So where do you reckon all this came from? The universe, you, me, everything.

You

The Big Bang. Science covers it.

Muslim

Science tells us how it happened, no argument there. But why is there anything at all, rather than nothing?

You

Maybe it's always been here. Or it just caused itself.

Muslim

Can't cause yourself though, can you? You'd have to exist before you exist. Let me put it another way.

You

Go on.

Muslim

Say you need a tenner. I ask Ahmed, he asks Sara, she asks someone else, forever. Nobody's actually got it. Do you ever get paid?

You

No. Nobody's got the money.

Muslim

Exactly. Everything around us borrows its existence from something else. Something has to just exist, no borrowing. That's what we mean by God.

You

Okay, but that doesn't mean He cares about us.

Muslim

True, that's step one. But look how finely tuned everything is. Nudge gravity a tiny bit and there's no stars, no planets, no us.

You

Could be luck. Or a multiverse.

Muslim

Could be. But inventing endless universes nobody's seen, just to avoid one Maker? That takes faith too, mate.

You

Say there is a Creator. Why Islam?

Muslim

If He made us able to ask questions, He'd probably talk to us. And the Qur'an talks about the universe expanding, way before scientists found it in 1929. Like it says in 51:47, 'We built the heaven, and We are expanding it.'

You

People stretch verses all the time though.

Muslim

Totally, so be strict with it. The Qur'an actually dares you to check. Like it says in 4:82, 'If it were from other than God, they would have found many contradictions in it.'

You

Death is the bit I struggle with.

Muslim

Think about it. Loads of people get away with terrible stuff. If this is all there is, they win. Islam says everyone gets a fair hearing. Like it says in 21:47, 'No soul will be wronged in the least.'

You

And why trust Muhammad?

Muslim

Everyone called him 'the trustworthy' before he ever preached. He lost money, safety and status for this, and never claimed to be God. Bit odd for a con man.

You

So what do you actually want me to do?

Muslim

Nothing dramatic. Read the Qur'an, and maybe just ask Him, honestly, 'If you're there, show me.' He says He's close. Like it says in 2:186, 'I answer the call of the caller.'

You

And if I wanted to go further?

Muslim

Then it's the Shahada: 'There is no god but God, and Muhammad is His messenger.' No ceremony, no fee. Whenever you're ready, Alex. No rush.

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