Believing in an intangible existence
- Updated On Friday, 15 August 2014
- Written by Ayatullah Misbah Yazdi
- Editor Kawther Rahmani
- Supervisor Sayyed Roohullah Musavi
- Published on Saturday, 31 July 2010
- Hits: 692 views
- Hits: How can we believe in the existence of a God who is not intelligible and perceivable?
One of the simplest doubts in the field of theology (knowing God) is how one can believe in the existence of an existent which is not perceivable. This doubt is held by the simpleton who finds it hard to grasp the concept of there being an intangible reality. However, one will also find reflective thinkers who base their thinking upon the principle of sense perception and also deny the possibility of an intangible existence, hence they are also influenced by this doubt. The answer to this spurious argument is that the perceptions of the senses are due to an outcome of coherence between bodily parts and bodies or substances, etc., which is attained by virtue of corporeality. Each one of our senses has a limited ability and perceives a particular material form which is proportional for that sense with defined conditions. In the same way, one cannot expect the eyes to have the sense of sound, or the ears to have the sense of sight and ability to see colours, hence one must not expect our limited senses to perceive each and every existent. On the basis of the following reasons we will establish that we cannot perceive all existents through our outward senses. Firstly, among the material existents, there are things which are not capable of being perceived through our senses such as electrical waves or ultra-violet rays. Secondly, we perceive many realities through other than the means of our outward senses and we confidently believe in their existence. For example, we are conscious of the states of love, fear and our intentions, while all of these are psychological stations just as the spirit and are not perceivable by the (bodily) senses. Essentially perception itself is immaterial and imperceptible (through the senses). Therefore, just because a thing cannot be perceived through bodily senses does not invalidate its existence and should not be the reason for such a thing being improbable and remote to the mind.