I am thinking of converting to Islam, because my husband is Muslim and I know that the easiest way for my family to lead a harmonious daily life would be if I was Muslim too. Even not being a Muslim I do not object to my husband teaching about Islam to our daughters and I try to support him in his daily journey as a Muslim, adjusting my way of being to his believes e.g. by dressing modestly or waking up at night to cook for him during Ramadan. However, when it comes to my own religiosity I always have so many doubts that cannot enter Islam even I wish too. It is hard for me to find the right words to express my feelings. I really enjoy interaction in Muslims as I always have been a calm, not-drinking person, I often spend Muslim festivities with mu daughters in Muslim cultural centers and I feel peace and good energy. I love and respect my husband Muslim family. But then I have these doubts.. Starting with the big one: I cannot say that God for sure does not exist, but to be honest with myself I have to accept that I have no way of being 100 % sure that He does exist. I have problems with accepting the idea of punishment in Hell or tomb and many others… Putting a long story short: is it possible to become a Muslim with so many doubts? Any insight would be useful...
Thank you in advance for you reply,
Kathy
Answer
Short Answer: What’s the point of this world and all the corruption and injustice if there is no Judgment Day where every single person will take his/her fair retribution and will be held accountable for their deeds? If we disbelieve and don’t take the right path, we live a life of uncertainty and no real meaning. Then, we die and find that we’re doomed on Judgment Day and for eternity. How can we go with the option of disbelief knowing that there is a very high probability of being wrong and once we die our reckoning begins and there is no one to help us then?The Quran itself is the Direct Verbatim Word of God. It is the biggest proof. If you say you can’t be certain, then this is your way to certainty. Read it and judge for yourself.
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Good morning Kasia(Kathy),
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, and for sending your great questions. We’re more than happy to help and answer your questions.
Let’s calmly and reasonably think about everything you asked about together.
1- Is belief in God a better option or disbelief?
First of all, as you already said, you cannot prove that God does not exist. As a matter of fact, there is absolutely no way you can disprove 100% that there will be life after death and there will be a Judgment Day and eternal life according to people’s deeds.
Without even making any arguments yet, we have two options.
We either believe in the unseen and we have a powerfully convincing proof in the Quran for it. Or, we disbelieve in the unseen and we have no authority over it nor can we disprove anything about it.
What’s the result of both choices?
If we are right and there is a God who created us for a purpose and there are Hell and Heaven, then we have saved ourselves and secured eternal happiness. If we are wrong, we literally have nothing to lose! We live a meaningful, upright life, and it is scientifically proven that belief in God makes people happier and more satisfied in life.
On the other hand, if we disbelieve, then we only have this worldly life and this life can never fully satisfy you even if you accumulate piles of worldly gains. Many people who have everything in life end up committing suicide. There is no meaning and no purpose in life without God. Please watch this short video.
What’s the point of this world and all the corruption and injustice if there is no Judgment Day where every single person will take his/her fair retribution and will be held accountable for their deeds?
If we disbelieve and don’t take the right path, we live a life of uncertainty and no real meaning. Then, we die and find that we’re doomed on Judgment Day and for eternity.
How can we go with the option of disbelief knowing that there is a very high probability of being wrong and once we die our reckoning begins and there is no one to help us then?
How Does Disbelief in God Affect People?
Disbelief in God does not simply eliminate Him from our hearts and minds. As a matter of fact, a study has shown that atheists implicitly fear God. The study showed that what those who disbelieve in God claimed with their tongues is not how they actually felt as their brains were aroused when they made negative statements about God.
So, remaining in disbelief never really brings people a pure, sustainable, and deep sense of peace, even if some people claim otherwise.
2- Establishing Certainty in the Existence of God
Who created us and who created the universe?
Disbelieving requires you to submit to something highly illogical and implausible: “perfect things came out of nothing for no reason!”
But things don’t simply come out of nothing.
If you were in a desert and you found, let’s say, an iPhone. What will you conclude?
Will you conclude that a group of metals suddenly gathered together, perfectly placed themselves into a rectangular shape, and then some glass perfectly placed itself on top forming a screen, and some wires embedded themselves perfectly together inside this rectangle to make it work?
Does this make sense to you?
Or does it make more sense to conclude that someone must have created and designed this iPhone for a specific purpose?
If you were at the beach and you saw a ship in the sea, what is the most logical conclusion? Will you assume that the trees cut themselves perfectly into straight pieces of wood, and then assembled themselves into this unique shape that perfectly fits sailing in the sea, and then some metal needles jumped and placed themselves in holes to keep the wood perfectly assembled together?
Does this make sense?
So, if you cannot accept that a simple phone or ship created themselves, how can you accept that the entire universe perfectly and intricately designed and created itself randomly without a Creator and for no purpose?
Everything in the creation has a purpose
Even the tiny mosquitos have a purpose and role in the ecosystem. If these mosquitos were to be extinct, our own lives would end soon after.
Something as tiny as the mosquito or your eyelashes or nails have a purpose, but we don’t?
Do you know that if the earth orbited a bit closer to the sun, we will burn to death, and if it orbited a little farther from the sun, we will freeze to death?
Is this random?
Seeing the creation IS THE SIGN for its Creator.
When something is very well designed, we attribute that to a great designer, not to randomness and nothingness.
He Almighty says in His Direct Verbatim Revelation:
In The Name of Allah, The Continuously Merciful, The Especially Merciful
“And how many a sign within the heavens and earth do they pass over while they, therefrom, are turning away.” (Quran 12: 105)
“It is Allah who subjected to you the sea so that ships may sail upon it by His command and that you may seek of His bounty, and perhaps you will be grateful. And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth – all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” (Quran 45: 12-13)
All the signs around you are there to help you reflect and accept, not deny and reject.
You Lord is not silent. He Spoke. Your Proof is in the Quran.
In this previous answer, we analyzed all options around the source of the Quran and came to the undisputed conclusion that the Qur’an IS from the One & Only Creator of the heavens and the earth and everything therein. Please read it.
The Quran itself is the Direct Verbatim Word of God. It is the biggest proof. If you say you can’t be certain, then this is your way to certainty.
Read it and judge for yourself.
Can’t accept the Punishment of Hell/Tomb
All actions have reactions and consequences.
If you didn’t study, you’ll fail.
If you didn’t do your job, you’ll get fired.
If you committed a crime, you’ll be jailed.
So, how come you accept that every action has consequences in this life, but the Creator has no right to judge or place consequences?
Let’s put our emotions aside and be fair, if someone raped your daughter and raped one hundred girls and ruined their lives physically, emotionally and psychologically, and never got any retribution in this life as he wasn’t caught. Do you think it is fair for this person to go unpunished?
If someone murdered hundreds of people, and there are so many serial killers and tyrants in this world if these people continued to commit crimes viciously and never got judged or trialled in this life, is it fair that they earn the same paradise as the victims?
Is it fair to equate the good and evil?
If we think it’s fair to equate the good and evil in the same place, we’re not really being fair.
Mind you, Allah is Most Merciful, and He is also fair in His actions.
Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) saying among what he narrated from Allah, the Most High that He has said:
“My slaves! I have forbidden injustice for Myself and I have made it forbidden among you, so do not wrong one another.” [Related by Muslim]
And Allah says:
“Indeed, Allah does not do injustice, [even] as much as an atom’s weight; while if there is a good deed, He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward.” (Quran 4: 40)
The punishment is there to warn people and deter them from doing the evil and the wrong.
If Allah was unfair, He never would have mentioned Hell or mentioned retribution, and then suddenly surprise people on Judgment Day with Hell and randomly throw people there.
But Allah’s words and actions are clear and fair. He sent the message. He made it clear to people way beforehand. Hell is not there to be imposed on people unjustly. Allah will not impose Hell on anyone except those who deliberately choose it.
And most importantly, paradise is MUCH easier to enter than Hell.
Allah is offering unimaginable and countless opportunities for forgiveness and high rewards much more than people deserve or work for or even imagine.
And Allah knows best.
I hope this helps.
Salam and please keep in touch.
Please continue feeding your curiosity, and find more info in the following links:
Dr. Abutaleb: How to Deal with Questions & Doubts About Islam