When we finish rolling our eyes, we get the point. Obviously, the palace was built by design, not by happenstance. To what (or more to the point, to Whom), then, should we attribute the origin of items of infinitely greater complexity, such as our universe and our lives?

Another classic argument for atheism focuses upon what people perceive to be the imperfections of creation. These are the "How can there be a God if such-and-such happened?" arguments. The issue under discussion could be anything from a natural disaster to birth defects, from genocide to grandmother's cancer. That's not the point. The point is that denying God based upon what we perceive to be injustices of life presumes that a divine being would not have designed our lives to be anything other than perfect, and would have established justice on Earth.

Hmm … is there no other option?

We can just as easily propose that God did not design life on Earth to be paradise, but rather a test, the punishment or rewards of which are to be had in the next life, which is where God establishes his ultimate justice. In support of this concept we can well ask who suffered more injustices in their worldly lives than God's favorites, which is to say the prophets? And who do we expect to occupy the highest stations in paradise, if not those who maintain true faith in the face of worldly adversity?

I would hope that, by this line of reasoning, we can agree upon the answer to the first "big question." Who made us? Can we agree that if we are creation, God is the Creator?

If we can't agree on this point, there probably isn't much point in continuing. However, for those who do agree, let's move on to "big question" number two—why are we here? What, in other words, is the purpose of life?

       Allah's Existence and Attributes

Proper scientific reasoning can be agreed upon as the only way to reach the truth of Allah's existence and attributes by all people (including the believers and the atheists). Since every one agrees that every action has a doer and every thing happens for a reason, nothing can be an exception to that rule; nothing comes out of nowhere and nothing happens for no reason. Examples of that are countless and evident. The entire universe including the living or the inanimate, the static and the mobile have been created from nothing. Common sense and science confirm that if there was some one who had created the universe whether His name is Allah, the Creator, or the Originator, it would not change the fact that the whole universe gives enough evidence to the existence of the Creator.

Studying and following up the Creator's work and products (creatures) is the way to get to know His attributes. For instance, a book signifies the knowledge, experience, culture, style, mentality and the ability to achievement and analysis of its writer. The manufactures give a vivid image and a comprehensive idea of its manufacturer's attributes. If people used this scientific reasoning in their approach to the universe and its creatures, they would be able to see the attributes of the Creator, the beauty of seas, the balance of the universe and the system of its movement, all the knowledge man has reached, nature, the accuracy of cells and the wise reasons behind its details made by the Creator. All of them demonstrate the Creator's greatness, knowledge and wisdom.

Whether people agreed or not upon the wise reasons behind the existence of the universe or the pains and hardships in life, that would not change the result, concluded by the scientific reasoning which confirms the existence of the Great Creator, the  Almighty, the All-Knowing and the Wise who believers agree to call Allah, the Almighty.   

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful (1) 

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, (2) The Beneficent, the Merciful. (3) Owner of the Day of Judgment, (4) Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help. (5) Show us the straight path, (6) The path of those whom Thou hast favoured. Not (the path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray. (7)

يا ليت قلبى قلبها---ودمع عينى سعدها------------ياليت حبى حبها--يسمو بحنين قلبها---------يا ويل حبى منها---يشقوا من نار حبها---------يا سعد شوقى لها---يهفوا لانفاس وجدها---------

"And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!"

34. Such is 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). (it is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or dispute).

35. It befits not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son [this refers to the slander of Christians against Allah, by saying that 'Iesa (Jesus) is the son of Allah]. Glorified (and Exalted be He above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, "Be!" and it is.

36. ['Iesa (Jesus) said]: "And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the Straight Path. (Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism which He did ordain for all of His Prophets)." [Tafsir At-Tabari]

1. By the heaven, holding the big stars .

2. And by the Promised Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection);

3. And by the witnessing day (i.e. Friday), and by the witnessed day [i.e. the day of 'Arafat (Hajj) the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah];

4. Cursed were the people of the ditch (the story of the Boy and the King).

5. Fire supplied (abundantly) with fuel,

6. When they sat by it (fire),

7. And they witnessed what they were doing against the believers (i.e. burning them).

8. They had nothing against them, except that they believed in Allah, the All-Mighty, Worthy of all Praise!

9. Who, to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth! And Allah is Witness over everything.

10. Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them and burning them), and then do not turn in repentance, (to Allah), will have the torment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the burning Fire.

11. Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise). That is the great success.

12. Verily, (O Muhammad ()) the Grip (Punishment) of your Lord is severe.

13. Verily, He it is Who begins (punishment) and repeats (punishment in the Hereafter) (or originates the creation of everything, and then repeats it on the Day of Resurrection).

14. And He is Oft-Forgiving, full of love (towards the pious who are real true believers of Islamic Monotheism),

15. Owner of the throne, the Glorious

16. He does what He intends (or wills).

17. Has the story reached you of the hosts,

18. Of Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and Thamud?

19. Nay! The disbelievers (persisted) in denying (Prophet Muhammad () and his Message of Islamic Monotheism).

20. And Allah encompasses them from behind! (i.e. all their deeds are within His Knowledge, and He will requite them for their deeds).

21. Nay! This is a Glorious Qur'an,

22. (Inscribed) in Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet)!

The difference between the Biblical and the Quranic conceptions of women is not limited to the newly born female, it extends far beyond that. Let us compare their attitudes towards a female trying to learn her religion. The heart of Judaism is the Torah, the law. However, according to the Talmud, "women are exempt from the study of the Torah." Some Jewish Rabbis firmly declared "Let the words of Torah rather be destroyed by fire than imparted to women", and "Whoever teaches his daughter Torah is as though he taught her obscenity" [8]

The attitude of St. Paul in the New Testament is not brighter:

"As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church." (I Corinthians 14:34-35)

How can a woman learn if she is not allowed to speak? How can a woman grow intellectually if she is obliged to be in a state of full submission? How can she broaden her horizons if her one and only source of information is her husband at home?

Now, to be fair, we should ask: is the Quranic position any different? One short story narrated in the Quran sums its position up concisely. Khawlah was a Muslim woman whose husband Aws pronounced this statement at a moment of anger: "You are to me as the back of my mother." This was held by pagan Arabs to be a statement of divorce which freed the husband from any conjugal responsibility but did not leave the wife free to leave the husband's home or to marry another man. Having heard these words from her husband, Khawlah was in a miserable situation. She went straight to the Prophet of Islam to plead her case. The Prophet was of the opinion that she should be patient as no revelation had come about suchan issue. Khawla kept pleading with the Prophet in an attempt to save her suspended marriage. Shortly, the Quran intervened; Khawla's plea was accepted. The divine verdict abolished this iniquitous custom. One full chapter (Chapter 58) of the Quran whose title is "Almujadilah" or "The woman who is arguing" was named after this incident:

"Allah has heard and accepted the statement of the woman who pleads with you (the Prophet) concerning her husband and carries her complaint to Allah, and Allah hears the arguments between both of you for Allah hears and sees all things...." (58:1).