In this thought-provoking lecture, a scholar takes the audience on a journey through one of humanity’s most fundamental questions: Does God exist? Rather than relying on abstract philosophy, the presentation uses interactive dialogue, everyday examples, and powerful analogies to demonstrate that belief in a Creator is not only rational but instinctive — embedded in the very nature of every human being, even if it is suppressed or forgotten in the distractions of daily life.
What Is a God, and Why Do People Worship?
The lecture begins by defining what a “god” actually is: anything that people believe can give them what they want and need, and that they dedicate worship, service, or sacrifice to in pursuit of those desires. Throughout human history, people have worshipped rain gods, war gods, sun gods, and even modern “gods” like money, fame, and pleasure. The critical question is: among all these false gods, is there one true God who actually has power over everything?
“A god is something that people believe can give them what they want and what they need. They worship it, sacrifice for it, and serve it — hoping to get what they desire. The question is: is there one being who truly has power over all things, or are all these gods false?”
The Instinct That Cannot Be Erased
- When people face genuine life-threatening danger — like a sinking ship — they instinctively call upon one supreme being, abandoning all other “gods” they relied on
- In that moment of pure desperation, no one calls upon money, fame, nationality, or any created thing — they call upon the Creator alone
- This instinctive knowledge of God is what Islam calls the “fitrah” — the pure, innate nature that every human being is born with
- The message of every prophet was the same: abandon the worship of false gods and worship the one true Creator alone
“When the ship is sinking, no one thinks their money will save them. Their passport will not help. The color of their skin is irrelevant. They forget every false god and call upon the one being they know instinctively has power over everything. That being is Allah — the Creator of all things.”
This lecture is a beautiful and accessible presentation of Islam’s core message: there is one God worthy of worship, and every human being already knows this in the depths of their soul. The invitation of Islam is simply to act upon that knowledge — to stop worshipping false gods and turn to the Creator alone, just as every prophet from Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon them all) taught.
