Why Divine Hiddenness?!  

 By: Khalid Alkhaja

Divine Hiddenness is a philosophical contention frequently used as an argument against the existence of Allah the almighty (the Creator), and whether religions that claim to reveal His will have been made clear & obvious, as in 1+1=2.

"صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌۭ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ" سورة البقرة الآية ١٨.

I agree with the above verse from Quran 2:18 that one must be "˹willfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind" (arrogant and ignorant) to deny that the proof for existence of the Creator (Allah) is as clear as 1+1=2.

I know that we as human know almost NOTHING about what EXISTS in ourselves, our planet and our universe. What we know is significantly less than what we DON'T KNOW. But if 1+1=2 is about clarity, why the first result of me google search shows that we are NOT clear about 95% of the universe, as we can't even see it?!

Isn't 1+1=2 about clarity, hence, demanding that someone must exist who is 100% clear about the universe and what EXISTS in it? Who could be that someone, other than the Omnipotent and Omniscient Allah the almighty?!

رحم الله امرئ عرف قدر نفسه!

May Allah have mercy on someone who knows his own worth!

Therefore, as a proud engineer, I agree with Quran 2:18 that one must be "˹willfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind" (arrogant and ignorant) to ignore the 1400 years old Quran talking about the Iron being from the outer-space as in 57:25:

"لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ ٱلنَّاسُ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖ وَأَنزَلْنَا ٱلْحَدِيدَ فِيهِ بَأْسٌۭ شَدِيدٌۭ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُۥ وَرُسُلَهُۥ بِٱلْغَيْبِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌۭ" سورة الحديد الآية ٢٥.

"Indeed, We sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and with them We sent down the Scripture and the balance ˹of justice˺ so that people may administer justice. And We sent down iron with its great might, benefits for humanity, and means for Allah to prove who ˹is willing to˺ stand up for Him and His messengers without seeing Him. Surely Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty."

But there are people who conveniently mock and belittle the above verse of Quran due to their inability to refute its miraculous nature. This verse records that Iron came to us from the outer space. But such a mocking attitude is not enough to disqualify the above 1+1=2 clear and obvious verse, as a proof that Islam is a true religion of Allah the Creator, regardless of what the "˹willfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind" (arrogant and ignorant) say.

As a proud engineer, I also believe that ancient Egyptians have built the Pyramids in Egypt, without the need to see the builders. As mentioned in Quran 2:18, one must be "˹willfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind" (arrogant and ignorant) to deny that or claim that the nature built the Pyramids!

So, why these Pyramids are accepted as 1+1=2 clear and obvious signs for the existence of their Egyptian builders, but the sophisticated Universe is not accepted as a 1+1=2 clear and obvious sign for the existence of its creator?! Who other than the Omnipotent and Omniscient Allah the almighty could create such a 1+1=2 universe?!

Please denier, give my engineering mind a break!

Regardless of what the "˹willfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind" (arrogant and ignorant) say, the 1+1=2 universe is a clear and obvious proof that Allah the Creator exists, and I don't have to see him to believe that as, I don't have to see the ancient Egyptians who built the Pyramids to believe that they did so.

As a proud engineer, I agree with Quran 2:18 that one must be "˹willfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind" (arrogant and ignorant) to deny that every creation requires maintence, and without it all the inventions and products of mankind will default, breakdown and damage. Accordingly, the universe also requires maintence. But who other than the Omnipotent and Omniscient Allah the almighty could maintain and sustain the sophisticate universe?!

Please denier, give my engineering mind a break!

The sustainable 1+1=2 universe is a clear and obvious proof that the Omnipotent and Omniscient Allah the Creator exists, regardless of what the "˹willfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind" (arrogant and ignorant) say.

I am sure if you look around, you will find sophistries and those who "are ˹willfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind" (arrogant and ignorant) denying that 1+1=2. No matter what kind of logic, magic (miracles) and proof you use with them, they would NOT believe that 1+1=2. Does that make them right?!

There are people from all sects and cultures who deny Earth being round. No matter what 1+1=2 logic, magic (miracle) and proof you use with them, they would NOT believe that Earth is round. They could deny it, even if you take them to the International Space Station and make them see with their own eyes that Earth is round. Does that make them right?!

Such deniers think alike. They are hopeless cases, no matter how loud they argue and debate. They remind me of Quran 15:14-15:

"وَلَوْ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَابًۭا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَظَلُّوا۟ فِيهِ يَعْرُجُونَ (١٤) لَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتْ أَبْصَـٰرُنَا بَلْ نَحْنُ قَوْمٌۭ مَّسْحُورُونَ (١٥)" سورة الحديد.

 "And even if We opened for them a gate to heaven, through which they continued to ascend, still they would say, “Our eyes have truly been dazzled! In fact, we must have been bewitched.”

Last but not least, as a proud engineer, I don't see a need for Allah to reveal himself. In fact, I prefer that He doesn't, because I can see him crystal clear through His creation. Moreover, there is no meaning to freewill in the event of the permanent divine appearance, and His disappearance from sight helps the man kind to make his decisions voluntarily and freely. Furthermore, during a test, I appreciate a divine Hiddenness than a divine Conspicuousness, as much as I respectively prefer the easier closed-book exams to the tougher open-book exams. This reminds me of Quran 6:8 says:

"وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ مَلَكٌۭ ۖ وَلَوْ أَنزَلْنَا مَلَكًۭا لَّقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ ثُمَّ لَا يُنظَرُونَ" سورة الانعام الآية ٨.

 "They say, “Why has no ˹visible˺ angel come with him?” Had We sent down an angel, the matter would have certainly been settled ˹at once˺, and they would have never been given more time ˹to repent˺."

In conclusion: I thank the Omnipotent and Omniscient Allah the almighty for his hiddenness, thus granting me more time to repent!

To the deniers I say: If I were you, I would apologize to myself!

I pray to Allah to grant you and your loved ones the best of this life and the life after. Amen!