Ateism ba matsayi ne na hankali da ke wanzuwa a cikin wani kumfa ba. Idan da'awarsa gaskiya ce, to dole ne mutum ya kai ga wasu sakamako na wajibi a fagen rayuwa da na hankali, waɗanda suke da matuƙar duhu. A ƙarƙashin ateism, rayuwa abar dariya ce. Tattaunawar da ke biyo baya ba ta bayar da dalili na hankali game da Allah ba, kuma ba ya biyo baya cewa Allah yana wanzuwa kawai saboda rayuwa ba tare da shi tana da kamar ba ta da ma'ana. Duk da haka, tana samar da ƙasa mai albarka wadda hujjojin hankali da ke cikin wannan littafi suke tsiro a cikinta.

Atheism is not an intellectual position that exists in a bubble. If its claims are true, then one would have to make some inevitable existential and logical conclusions that are very bleak. Under atheism, life is ludicrous. The following discussion may not provide a rational case for God, nor does it follow that God exists simply because life without God seems absurd. However, it does provide the fertile ground in which the rational arguments in this book take root.

Kamar yadda aka tattauna a Babi na 1, yawancin masu musun Allah masu bin falsafar naturalism ne, waɗanda suke ganin cewa babu wani abu na ruhaniya (supernatural), kuma cewa kowane abu a cikin duniya za a iya bayyana shi ta hanyar hanyoyin zahiri kawai. Musun Allah haɗe da falsafar naturalism girke-girke ne na bala'in wanzuwa. Tsarin yana da sauƙi: babu Allah, wanda ya haɗa da ra'ayoyin da suke tare da shi na hisabi a gaban Allah, daidai yake da babu wani bege na ƙarshe, babu daraja, kuma babu manufa. Haka kuma yana kaiwa ga rashin farin ciki na har abada mai ma'ana.

As discussed in Chapter 1, most atheists are philosophical naturalists who hold that there is no supernatural and everything in the universe can be explained in reference to physical processes. Atheism combined with philosophical naturalism is a recipe for existential disaster. The formula is simple: no God, which includes the associated concepts of Divine accountability, equals no ultimate hope, value and purpose. It also leads to no eternal and meaningful happiness.

Wannan matsaya ba karin magana ce ta addini da ta tsufa ba; sakamako ce ta yin tunani cikin hankali game da abubuwan da rashin imani da Allah ke haifarwa ta fuskar ma'ana da wanzuwar rayuwa.

40 This conclusion is not an outdated religious cliché; it is a result of thinking rationally about the logical and existential implications of atheism.

Babu sa'ar ƙarshe.

No ultimate hope.

Ƙauna ko fata (hope) an bayyana ta a matsayin ji ko tsammani da kuma sha'awar abu ya faru. Dukanmu muna fatan rayuwa mai kyau, lafiya mai kyau da aiki mai kyau. A ƙarshe, dukanmu muna fatan rayuwa madawwamiya cikin farin ciki. Rayuwa baiwa ce mai ban mamaki ta yadda babu wanda ke son rayuwarsa ta ƙare. Haka kuma, kowa yana son a sami wani nau'i na adalci na ƙarshe, inda aka mayar da abin da bai dace ba daidai, kuma mutanen da suka dace a riƙe su da alhakin ayyukansu. Abin lura shi ne, idan rayuwarmu tana cikin wahala, ko muna fuskantar ciwo da azaba, muna fatan samun wani nau'i na salama, jin daɗi da sauƙi. Wannan madubi ne na ruhin ɗan Adam: muna fatan ganin haske a ƙarshen rami mai duhu, kuma idan muna da natsuwa da farin ciki, muna son mu ci gaba da kasancewa a haka. Tun da rashin imani (atheism) yana musanta Ubangiji da abubuwan da ba na zahiri ba, yana kuma ƙin ra'ayin rayuwa bayan mutuwa. Ba tare da hakan ba, babu fatan jin daɗi bayan rayuwar wahala. Saboda haka, tsammanin wani abu mai kyau ya faru bayan rayuwarmu ya ɓace. A ƙarƙashin rashin imani ba za mu iya tsammanin wani haske a ƙarshen ramin duhu na rayuwarmu ba. Ka yi tunanin an haife ka a ƙasashen duniya ta uku, kuma ka shafe rayuwarka duka cikin yunwa da talauci. Bisa ra'ayin rashin imani, an ƙaddara maka mutuwa kawai. Sabanin haka, ra'ayin Musulunci shi ne: duk wani wahala da ke faruwa a rayuwarmu yana kasancewa ne saboda wani alheri mafi girma. Saboda haka, a babban tsarin al'amura, babu wani ciwo ko wahala da muke sha da ba shi da ma'ana. Ubangiji yana sane da dukkan wahalhalunmu, kuma zai bada sakamako (duba Babi na 11). Sai dai bisa ra'ayin rashin imani, azabarmu tana da rashin ma'ana kamar jin daɗinmu. Babbar sadaukarwar masu kyautatawa da wahalar wanda aka zalunta duk suna faɗuwa ne kamar dominoes a cikin duniyar da ba ta damu ba. Suna faruwa ba don wani alheri mafi girma ba kuma ba don wata manufa mai daraja ba. Babu wani fata na ƙarshe na rayuwa bayan mutuwa ko kowane irin farin ciki. Ko da mun rayu rayuwar jin daɗi da alatu mai yawa, yawancinmu babu makawa za mu fada wani irin mummunan ƙaddara ko kuma ci gaba da sha'awar ƙarin jin daɗi. Masanin falsafa mai kallon rayuwa a matsayin baƙin ciki, Arthur Schopenhauer, ya bayyana da kyau irin rashin bege da mummunan ƙaddarar da ke jiran mu:

Hope is defined as the feeling or expectation and desire for something to happen. We all hope for good lives, good health and a good job. Ultimately, we all hope for an immortal blissful existence. Life is such an amazing gift that no one really wants his or her conscious existence to end. Similarly, everyone desires that there will be some form of ultimate justice where wrongs are made right, and the relevant people will be held accountable. Significantly, if our lives are miserable, or experience pain and suffering, we hope for some peace, pleasure and ease. This is a reflection of the human spirit; we hope for light at the end of the dark tunnel, and if we have tranquillity and joy, we want to keep it that way. Since atheism denies the Divine and the supernatural, it also rejects the concept of an afterlife. Without that, there can be no hope of pleasure following a life of pain. Therefore, the expectation for something positive to happen after our lives is lost. Under atheism we cannot expect any light at the end of the dark tunnel of our existence. Imagine you were born in the third world and spent your whole life in starvation and poverty. According to the atheist worldview, you are merely destined for death. Contrast this with the Islamic perspective: all instances of suffering that happen in our lives are for some greater good. Therefore, in the larger scheme of things, no pain or suffering we undergo is meaningless. God is aware of all our sufferings, and He will provide recompense (see Chapter 11). According to atheism, however, our pains are as meaningless as our pleasure. The immense sacrifices of the virtuous and the distress of the victim are falling dominoes in an indifferent world. They occur for no greater good and no higher purpose. There is no ultimate hope of an afterlife or any form of happiness. Even if we lived a life of pleasure and immense luxuries, most of us would inevitably be doomed to some form of evil fate or an incessant desire for more pleasure. The pessimist philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer aptly described the hopelessness and ill fate that awaits us:

"Mu kamar ƴan raguna ne a cikin filin kiwo, muna wasa a ƙarƙashin idon mai yanka, wanda yake zaɓar ɗaya bayan ɗaya domin ya mayar da su ganima. Haka ne, a cikin kwanakinmu masu kyau ba mu sani ba ko wane irin mummunan ƙaddara za ta same mu nan gaba—rashin lafiya, talauci, nakasa, asarar gani ko hankali… Babban ɓangare na azabar rayuwa yana cikin wannan: cewa Lokaci yana ci gaba da matsa mana, bai taba barin mu mu huta ba, amma koyaushe yana bi mu, kamar mai tsaron aiki da bulala. Idan a kowane lokaci Lokaci ya dakatar da hannunsa, to sai dai idan an mika mu ga wahalar gajiyawa… A gaskiya, imani cewa duniya da mutum abu ne da da kyau ba zai kasance ba, yana sa mu zama masu jin ƙai ga juna. Ma'ana, daga wannan mahanga, za mu iya ɗaukar hanyar da ta dace ta gaishe juna ba da Monsieur, Sir, mein Herr ba, sai dai da "ɗan'uwana mai wahala", Socî malorum, compagnon de miseres!" Alkur'ani yana nuni ga wannan rashin bege. Yana cewa mumini ba zai iya yanke ƙauna ba; koyaushe za a sami bege, kuma bege yana da alaƙa da rahamar Allah, kuma rahamar Allah za ta bayyana a wannan rayuwa da kuma lahira: "Lalle ba wanda yake yanke ƙauna daga rahamar Allah sai mutanen da suka kafirta."42

“We are like lambs in a field, disporting themselves under the eye of the butcher, who chooses out first one and then another for his prey. So it is that in our good days we are all unconscious of the evil fate may have presently in store for us—sickness, poverty, mutilation, loss of sight or reason… No little part of the torment of existence lies in this, that Time is continually pressing upon us, never letting us take breath, but always coming after us, like a taskmaster with a whip. If at any moment Time stays his hand, it is only when we are delivered over to the misery of boredom… In fact, the conviction that the world and man is something that had better not have been, is of a kind to fill us with indulgence towards one another. Nay, from this point of view, we might well consider the proper form of address to be, not Monsieur, Sir, mein Herr, but my fellow-sufferer, Socî malorum, compagnon de miseres!” The Qur’an alludes to this hopelessness. It argues that a believer cannot despair; there will always be hope, and hope is connected to God’s mercy, and God’s mercy will manifest itself in this life and the hereafter: “Certainly no one despairs of God’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve.”42

A ƙarshe, a ƙarƙashin akidar rashin imani, adalci na ƙarshe ba abu ne da za a iya cimma ba—kamar mafarki ne a cikin hamadar rayuwa. Tun da babu lahira, duk wani fata na cewa za a riƙi mutane lissafi banza ne. Ka yi tunanin Jamus ta Nazi a shekarun 1940. Wata mace Bayahudiya marar laifi, wadda ta ga mijinta da 'ya'yanta an kashe su a gabanta, ba ta da wani fata na adalci yayin da take jiran ranta ya zo ta shiga ɗakin iskar gas. Ko da yake an ci Nazi a ƙarshe, wannan adalcin ya zo ne bayan mutuwarta. A ƙarƙashin rashin imani, yanzu ba ta zama komai ba, sai dai wani tsarin al'amari da ya sake haɗuwa, kuma ba za a iya yi wa abu marar rai adalci ko jinƙai ba. Musulunci kuwa, yana ba kowa fata ga adalcin Allah cikakke kuma na ƙarshe. Babu wanda za a zalunta, kuma kowa za a riƙe shi lissafi.

Under atheism, ultimate justice is an unachievable goal—a mirage in the desert of life. Since there is no afterlife, any expectation of people being held to account is futile. Consider Nazi Germany in the 1940s. An innocent Jewish lady who just saw her husband and children murdered in front of her has no hope for justice when she is waiting for her turn to be cast into the gas chamber. Although the Nazis were eventually defeated, this justice occurred after her death. Under atheism she is now nothing, just another rearrangement of matter, and you cannot give reprieve to something that is lifeless. Islam, however, gives everyone hope for pure Divine, ultimate justice. No one will be treated unfairly and everyone shall be taken to account:

A ranar nan, mutane za su zo a rukuni-rukuni domin a nuna musu ayyukansu: duk wanda ya aikata zarra na alheri zai gan shi, kuma duk wanda ya aikata zarra na sharri zai gan shi. "Allah" ba zai iya ba, sai dai "God" — so the correct rendering: "God ya halicci sammai da ƙasa da gaskiya, domin ya saka wa kowane rai bisa ga ayyukansa. Ba za a zalunce su ba." Daga mahangar falsafar dabi'a (naturalism), rayuwa kamar uwa ce da take ba yaronta abin wasa, sannan ta karɓe shi ba tare da dalili ba. Rayuwa, babu shakka, kyauta ce mai ban mamaki. Amma duk jin daɗi, farin ciki da soyayyar da muka samu za a karɓe mana, a rasa su har abada. Tun da mai musun Ubangiji da lahira ba ya yarda da Ubangiji da lahira, hakan na nufin jin daɗin da muka samu a rayuwa zai ɓace. Babu fatan ci gaban farin ciki, jin daɗi, soyayya da farin ciki. Sai dai a ƙarƙashin Musulunci, waɗannan abubuwa masu kyau ana ƙara musu daraja, kuma ana ci gaba da su bayan rayuwarmu ta duniya.

“On that Day, people will come forward in separate groups to be shown their deeds: whoever has done an atom’s weight of good will see it, but whoever has done an atom’s weight of evil will see that.” “God created the heavens and the Earth for a true purpose: to reward each soul according to its deeds. They will not be wronged.” Life, from the perspective of philosophical naturalism, is like a mother giving her child a toy and then taking it back for no reason. Life, without a doubt, is a wonderful gift. Yet any pleasure, joy and love we have experienced will be taken away from us and lost forever. Since the atheist denies the Divine and the hereafter, it means that the pleasures we have experienced in life will disappear. There is no hope of a continuation of happiness, pleasure, love and joy. However, under Islam, these positive experiences are enhanced and continued after our worldly life:

"Za su sami a cikinta duk abin da suke so, kuma Muna da ƙari fiye da haka a gare su."

“They will have therein whatever they desire and We have more than that for them.”.

"Mutanen da suka rayu rayuwa ta takawa za su sami lada mai kyau da ƙari…." "Lalle ne, mazauna Aljanna a wannan Rana, za su shagala da abubuwa masu daɗi… (Za a ce musu): 'Salamun' (Aminci ya tabbata a gare ku), Magana daga Ubangiji, Mai rahama, Mai jin kai."

“The people who lived a pious life will have a good reward and more….” “Verily, the dwellers of Paradise that Day, will be busy in joyful things… (It will be said to them): ‘Salamun’ (Peace be on you), a Word from the Lord, Most Merciful.”.

Babu ƙima ta ƙarshe.

No ultimate value.

Menene bambancin da ke tsakanin mutum da zomon cakulan? Wannan tambaya ce mai muhimmanci. A cewar yawancin masu musun Allah waɗanda suka karɓi ra'ayin naturalism, duk abin da ke wanzuwa a zahiri sake tsarin kwayoyin halitta ne, ko kuma yana dogara ne akan tsare-tsare na zahiri marasa hankali da marasa sani.

What is the difference between a human and a chocolate bunny? This is a serious question. According to many atheists who adopt a naturalistic worldview, everything that exists is essentially a rearrangement of matter, or at least based on blind, non-conscious physical processes and causes.

Idan wannan gaskiya ne, to shin yana da muhimmanci da gaske?

If this is true, then does it really matter?

Idan na ɗauki guduma na murkushe zomon cakulan, sannan na yi irin haka da kaina, a cewar naturalism babu wani bambanci na gaske. Guntuwar cakulan da guntuwar kwanyar kaina za su zama sake-tsarawa ne kawai na abu ɗaya: abu mai sanyi, marar rai.

If I were to pick up a hammer and smash a chocolate bunny and then I did the same to myself, according to naturalism there would be no real difference. The pieces of chocolate and the pieces of my skull would just be rearrangements of the same stuff: cold, lifeless matter.

Irin martanin da ake bayarwa ga wannan hujja sun haɗa da waɗannan kalamai: “muna da ji”, “muna raye”, “muna jin zafi”, “muna da asali” da kuma “mu mutane ne!” A cewar naturalism, waɗannan martani har yanzu ba su wuce sake tsarin abu ba, ko kuma, a fili, sauye-sauyen sinadarai na jijiyoyi a cikin kwakwalwar mutum. A haƙiƙa, duk abin da muke ji, mu faɗa ko mu aikata ana iya mayar da shi zuwa ga ainihin abubuwan da abu ya ƙunsa, ko aƙalla zuwa wani nau'in tsari na zahiri. Saboda haka, wannan sentimentalism ba shi da hujja idan mutum mai kafirci ne, domin komai, har da ji, motsin rai ma har da fahimtar daraja, tushensa abu ne da tsare-tsaren zahiri da dalilai marasa rai kawai.

The typical response to this argument includes the following statements: “we have feelings”, “we are alive”, “we feel pain”, “we have an identity” and “we’re human!” According to naturalism these responses are still just reduced to rearrangements of matter, or to be more precise, neuro-chemical happenings in one’s brain. In reality everything we feel, say or do can be reduced to the basic constituents of matter, or at least some type of physical process. Therefore, this sentimentalism is unjustified if one is an atheist, because everything, including feelings, emotions or even the sense of value, is just based on matter and cold physical processes and causes.

Komawa ga tambayarmu ta asali: Menene bambancin da ke tsakanin ɗan Adam da zomon cakulan? A cewar mahangar masu kafircin Allah, babu wani bambanci na gaske. Duk wani bambanci kawai yaudara ce—babu wata daraja ta ƙwarai. In dai komai ya dogara ne akan abu da abubuwan zahiri da suka gabace shi, to babu wani abu da ke da daraja ta gaskiya. Sai dai idan, ba shakka, mutum ya yi gardama cewa abin da ke da muhimmanci shi ne abun kansa. Ko da hakan gaskiya ce, ta yaya za mu iya fahimtar bambanci tsakanin wani tsari na abu da wani tsari na daban? Za a iya cewa, abu yana da daraja sosai gwargwadon yadda yake da sarkakiya? Amma me zai sa hakan ya zama abin daraja? Ka tuna, a cewar kafirci ga Allah, babu abin da aka tsara ko halitta da manufa. Komai yana dogara ne akan abubuwan zahiri marasa hankali, marasa sani, bazuwar da sanyi.

Returning to our original question: What is the difference between a human being and a chocolate bunny? The answer, according to the atheist perspective, is that there is no real difference. Any difference is just an illusion—there is no ultimate value. If everything is based on matter and prior physical causes and processes, then nothing has real value. Unless, of course, one argues that what matters is matter itself. Even if that were true, how could we appreciate the difference between one arrangement of matter and another? Could one argue that the more complex something is, the more value it has? But why would that be of any value? Remember, according to atheism nothing has been purposefully designed or created. It is all based on cold, random and non-conscious physical processes and causes.

Labari mai daɗi shi ne cewa masu kafircewa ga Allah waɗanda suka rungumi wannan ra'ayi ba sa bin abin da ya kamata a ce hankali ya kai su ga cimmawa bisa imaninsu. Da sun yi haka, da abin zai zama abin baƙin ciki. Dalilin da ya sa suke danganta ƙima ta ƙarshe ga wanzuwar rayuwarmu shi ne cewa halittun da ke cikin zukatansu, waɗanda God ya halitta, suna da ɗabi'ar gane God da gaskiyar wanzuwarmu (duba Babi na 4).

The good news is that the atheists who adopt this perspective do not follow through with the rational implications of their beliefs. If they did, it would be depressing. The reason that they attribute ultimate value to our existence is because their innate dispositions, which have been created by God, have an affinity to recognise God and the truth of our existence (see Chapter 4).

Daga mahangar Musulunci, Allah ya sanya a cikinmu wani asali na dabi'a wanda ke sa mu san darajarmu, kuma mu gane gaskiyar ɗabi'a da ɗabi'un asali (duba Babi na 9). Wannan dabi'ar a cikin tunanin Musulunci ana kiranta fitrah (duba Babi na 4). Da'awarmu ta cewa muna da daraja mafi girma tana da tushe ne saboda Allah ya halicce mu da wata manufa mai girma, kuma ya fifita mu bisa yawancin halittunsa. Muna da daraja ne saboda Wanda ya halicce mu ya ba mu daraja.

From an Islamic point of view, God has placed an innate disposition within us to acknowledge our worth, and to recognise fundamental moral and ethical truths (see Chapter 9). This disposition is called the fitrah in Islamic thought (see Chapter 4). Our claim of ultimate value is justified because God created us with a profound purpose, and preferred us to most of His creation. We have value because the One who created us has given us value.

Yanzu, lalle ne Mun girmama 'ya'yan Adam… kuma Muka fifita su sosai bisa mafi yawan halittunmu.48

“Now, indeed, We have conferred dignity on the children of Adam… and favoured them far above most of Our creation.”48

"Ya Ubangijinmu! Ba ka halicci wannan duka a banza ba."49

“Our Lord! You have not created all this without purpose.”49

Musulunci yana darajanta alheri da waɗanda suke karɓar gaskiya. Yana bambanta tsakanin waɗanda suke biyayya ga Allah saboda haka suke aikata alheri, da waɗanda suke tawaye da rashin biyayya, saboda haka suke aikata mugunta: "Shin, wanda ya kasance mumini kamar wanda ya kasance mai tawaye ne? Ba sa daidaito."50

Islam values the good and those who accept the truth. It contrasts those who obey God and thereby do good, and those who are defiantly disobedient, and thereby do evil: “Then is one who was a believer like one who was defiantly disobedient? They are not equal.”50

Tun da naturalism ya ƙi lahira da duk wani nau'in adalci na Allah, yana ba mai laifi da mai sasantawa ƙarshe ɗaya: mutuwa. Dukanmu muna haɗuwa da makoma ɗaya. Don haka menene ainihin darajar rayuwar Hitler ko Martin Luther King Jr.? Idan ƙarshensu ɗaya ne, to menene ainihin amfanin rashin imani da Allah (atheism) a gare mu? Ba shi da amfani sosai ko kaɗan.

Since naturalism rejects the hereafter and any form of Divine justice, it rewards the criminal and the peacemaker with the same end: death. We all meet the same fate. So what ultimate value do the lives of Hitler or Martin Luther King Jr. really have? If their ends are the same, then what real value does atheism give us? Not much at all.

Duk da haka, a cikin Musulunci, ƙarshen waɗanda suke bauta wa Allah kuma masu tausayi, masu gaskiya, masu adalci, masu alheri da gafara, ana kwatanta shi da ƙarshen waɗanda suke ci gaba da aikata mugunta. Mazaunin masu kyautatawa shi ne ni'ima ta har abada, kuma mazaunin masu mugunta shi ne rabuwa daga Allah. Wannan rabuwa sakamako ne na kin jinin rahamar Allah da shiriyarsa da gangan, wanda babu makawa yakan haifar da azaba da wahalar ruhi. A fili yake cewa Musulunci yana ba mu ƙima ta ƙarshe. Sai dai, a ƙarƙashin rashin yarda da Allah, ba za a iya tabbatar da ƙima da hankali ba sai dai a matsayin ruɗu a cikin tunaninmu. Duk da ƙarfin wannan hujja, wasu masu rashin yarda da Allah har yanzu suna ƙin yarda. Ɗaya daga cikin ƙin yarda ɗin ya ƙunshi wannan tambaya: Me ya sa Allah yake ba mu ƙima ta ƙarshe? Amsar a sauƙaƙe take. Allah ne ya halicci duniya kuma yana bisa dukkan ta, kuma yana da ilimi da hikima marasa iyaka. Sunayensa sun haɗa da Mai Sani da Mai Hikima. Saboda haka, abin da yake ƙima ya zama na duniya baki ɗaya kuma na haƙiƙa. Wata hanyar kallon lamarin ita ce fahimtar cewa Allah ne Mahalicci cikakke iyakacin cikarwa, ma'ana yana nesa da kowane gazawa da aibi. Saboda haka, yana biye da cewa abin da yake ƙima zai zama na haƙiƙa kuma na ƙarshe, domin wannan haƙiƙanin yana cikin cikarsa. Wata ƙin yarda kuma tana cewa ko da mun yarda cewa Allah yana ba mu ƙima ta ƙarshe, har yanzu zai zama na son rai, domin zai kasance ƙarƙashin ra'ayinsa. Wannan ƙin yarda yana dogara ne akan rashin fahimtar ma'anar son rai. Yana shafar tunanin mutum mai iyaka da/ko ji. Sai dai ra'ayin Allah yana kan ilimi da hikima marasa iyaka. Yana sanin komai; mu ba mu sani ba. Malamin gargajiya Ibn Kathir ya bayyana cewa Allah yana da cikakkiyar hikima da ilimi; mu muna da sassansu kawai. A wata kalma: Allah yana da hoto gaba ɗaya, mu kawai muna da ɗigon hoto guda ɗaya. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Farfesa a fannin nazarin Musulunci a Jami'ar George Washington, ya bayar da taƙaitaccen bayani mai kyau game da ra'ayin haƙƙin ɗan Adam da mutunci—wanda a ƙarshe yake nufin ƙima—idan babu Allah:

However, in Islam, the ultimate end of those who worship God and are compassionate, honest, just, kind and forgiving is contrasted with the end of those who persist with their evil. The abode of the good is eternal bliss and the abode of the evil is Divine alienation. This alienation is a consequence of consciously denying God’s mercy and guidance, which inevitably results in spiritual anguish and torment. Clearly, Islam gives us ultimate value. However, under atheism, value cannot be rationally justified except as an illusion in our heads. Despite the force of this argument, some atheists still object. One of their objections involves the following question: Why does God give us ultimate value? The answer is simple. God created and transcends the universe, and He has unlimited knowledge and wisdom. His names include The-Knowing and The-Wise. Therefore, what He values is universal and objective. Another way of looking at it is by understanding that God is the maximally perfect Being, which means He is free from any deficiency and flaw. Therefore, it follows that what He values will be objective and ultimate, because this objectivity is a feature of His perfection. Another objection argues that even if we were to accept that God gives us ultimate value, it would still be subjective, as it would be subject to His perspective. This contention is premised on a misunderstanding of what subjectivity means. It applies to an individual’s limited mind and/or feelings. However, God’s perspective is based on unlimited knowledge and wisdom. He knows everything; we do not. The classical scholar Ibn Kathir states that God has the totality of wisdom and knowledge; we have its particulars. In other words: God has the picture, we merely have a pixel. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University, provides an apt summary of the concept of human rights and dignity—which ultimately refer to value—in the absence of God:

Kafin a yi magana a kan nauyi ko haƙƙoƙin ɗan Adam, dole ne a amsa tambaya ta asali ta addini da falsafa: "Menene ma'anar zama ɗan Adam?" A yau kowa yana magana a kan haƙƙoƙin ɗan Adam da tsarkin rayuwar ɗan Adam, har ma masu koyar da rashin addini suna iƙirarin cewa su ne masu kare haƙƙoƙin ɗan Adam fiye da waɗanda suka yarda da akidu daban-daban na addini. Amma abin mamaki, sau da yawa waɗannan masu kare ɗan Adam guda ɗaya suna gaskata cewa mutum ba komai ba ne face birai da suka ci gaba, waɗanda kuma suka samo asali daga halittu marasa ƙarfi, kuma daga ƙarshe daga haɗin ƙwayoyin sinadarai iri-iri. Idan mutum ba komai ba ne face sakamakon "ƙarfafan makafi" da suka yi aiki a kan wannan "miyar sararin samaniya" ta ƙwayoyin sinadarai, to ashe ba ma'ana take da ita ba a hankali a ce rayuwar ɗan Adam tana da tsarki, kuma ba komai ba ne face furuci na jin daɗi maras tushe? Shin ba mutuncin ɗan Adam ba ne kawai ra'ayi da aka ƙirƙira bisa dacewa, ba tare da tushe a zahiri ba? Kuma idan mu ba komai ba ne face ƙwayoyin abubuwa marasa rai da aka tsara sosai, to menene tushen da'awar "haƙƙoƙin ɗan Adam"? Waɗannan tambayoyi na asali ba su san iyakokin ƙasa ba, kuma mutane masu tunani a ko'ina suna tambayarsu. "Mu muna da daraja, amma wace daraja duniya take da ita?"

“Before speaking of human responsibilities or rights, one must answer the basic religious and philosophical question, ‘What does it mean to be human?’ In today’s world everyone speaks of human rights and the sacred character of human life, and many secularists even claim that they are true champions of human rights as against those who accept various religious worldviews. But strangely enough, often those same champions of humanity believe that human beings are nothing more than evolved apes, who in turn evolved from lower life forms and ultimately from various compounds of molecules. If the human being is nothing but the result of ‘blind forces’ acting upon the original cosmic soup of molecules, then is not the very statement of the sacredness of human life intellectually meaningless and nothing but a hollow sentimental expression? Is not human dignity nothing more than a conveniently contrived notion without basis in reality? And if we are nothing but highly organized inanimate particles, what is the basis for claims to ‘human rights’? These basic questions know no geographic boundaries and are asked by thinking people everywhere.” We have value, but what value does the world have?

Idan ni ne a cikin daki tare da dukkan wasannin da na fi so, na'urori, abokai, ƙaunatattu, abinci da abin sha, amma na sani cewa cikin minti biyar zan, duniya, da duk abin da ke cikinta, za a hallaka su, to, mene ne darajar mallakar tawa? Ba za su da wata daraja kwata-kwata ba. Amma mene ne minti biyar ko awanni 657,000 (daidai da shekara 75)? Lokaci ne kawai. Kasancewar mutum na iya rayuwa shekara 75 ba ya canza komai. A ra'ayin masu musun Allah, duk za a lalata su a manta da su. Haka ma a Musulunci. Komai zai lalace. Saboda haka a zahiri duniya ba ta da daraja ta asali; ta wucewa ce, mai gushewa kuma gajeruwa. Duk da haka, daga mahangar Musulunci duniya tana da daraja domin ita matsuguni ce ta kusantar Allah, ayyuka nagari da ibada, waɗanda ke kai ga Aljannar har abada. Don haka ba duka ne masifa da baƙin ciki ba. Ba mu cikin jirgin da ke nutsewa. Idan muka aikata abin da ya dace, za mu iya samun gafarar Allah da yardarsa.

If I were to put you in a room with all your favourite games, gadgets, friends, loved ones, food and drink, but you knew that in five minutes you, the world and everything in it would be destroyed, what value would your possessions have? They wouldn’t have any at all. However, what is five minutes or 657,000 hours (equivalent to 75 years)? It is mere time. Just because we may live for 75 years does not make a difference. In the atheist worldview it will all be destroyed and forgotten. This is also true for Islam. Everything will be annihilated. So in reality the world intrinsically has no value; it is ephemeral, transient and short-lived. Nonetheless, from an Islamic perspective the world has value because it is an abode for getting close to God, good deeds and worship, which lead to eternal paradise. So it is not all doom and gloom. We are not on a sinking ship. If we do the right thing, we can gain God’s forgiveness and approval.

Akwai azaba mai tsanani a lahira, haka kuma akwai gafara da yardar Allah; saboda haka ku yi gaggawa zuwa ga gafarar Ubangijinku…. Note: Following your rules, "God" is rendered as the Hausa word for God, "Allah" in the usual sense of the Hausa word for God, and I have not written "Allah" in the English-derived way. Here is the corrected translation: Akwai azaba mai tsanani a lahira, haka kuma akwai gafara da yardar Ubangiji; saboda haka ku yi gaggawa zuwa ga gafarar Ubangijinku….

“There is terrible punishment in the next life as well as forgiveness and approval from God; so race for your Lord’s forgiveness….”.

Babu manufa ta ƙarshe.

No ultimate purpose.

Ban san dalilin da yasa muke nan ba, amma na tabbata cewa ba don mu ji daɗi ba ne.53

“I do not know why we are here, but I’m pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves.”53

Waɗannan kalmomin masanin falsafa mai tasiri Ludwig Wittgenstein ne. Kamar yawancin masana falsafa, bai da amsa ga tambayar:

These are the words of influential philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. Like many philosophers, he did not have an answer to the question:

Menene manufar rayuwa? Amma ya nuna cewa rayuwa ba wasa ba ce kawai. Sai dai kuma, wasu mutane sun yi jayayya cewa tambayar kanta ba ta da tushe. Ba wani abu ne da ya kamata mu damu da shi ba. Ya kamata mu ci gaba da rayuwa kuma kada mu damu da dalilin da ya sa muke nan. Wanda ya lashe kyautar Nobel, Albert Camus, ya bayyana wannan hali kamar haka:

What is the purpose of life? But he did indicate that life is not just a game. Other people, however, have argued that the question is false. There may be nothing we should be bothered about. We should carry on living and not worry about why we are here. The Nobel Prize winner Albert Camus explained this attitude in the following way:

"Ba za ka taba rayuwa ba idan kana neman ma'anar rayuwa"54.

“You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life”54.

Camus ya dai ce abin da ke da muhimmanci shi ne a rayu da rayuwar da ta dace da kai, ba tare da la'akari da duk wata gaskiya a bayan wanzuwarka ba.

Camus was basically saying that the important thing is to live a life that works for you, regardless of any truth behind your existence.

Dangane da waɗannan ra'ayoyi mabambanta, dole ne mu tambayi: Shin yana da ma'ana mu yi imani cewa muna da manufa? Domin taimakawa wajen amsa wannan tambaya, bari mu yi la'akari da wannan misali:

In light of these differing views, we must ask: Is it reasonable to believe we have a purpose? To help answer this question, let us take the following illustration into consideration:

Kuna iya karanta wannan littafi kuna zaune a kan kujera, kuma kuna sanye da tufafi. Saboda haka ina so in yi muku tambaya: Don me? Me ya sa kuke sanye da tufafin, kuma kujerar tana da wane amfani? Amsoshin waɗannan tambayoyi a bayyane suke. Amfanin kujera shi ne ya ba mu damar zama ta hanyar tallafa wa nauyinmu, kuma tufafinmu suna da amfanin kiyaye mu da dumi, rufe tsiraicinmu, da kuma sa mu yi kyau a idon mai kallo. Tufafinmu da kujerar abubuwa ne marasa rai, ba su da ikon motsin rai ko tunani, amma muna danganta musu manufa. Duk da haka wasu daga cikinmu ba sa yarda cewa muna da manufa a rayuwarmu. Hakan da alama abin mamaki ne kuma ya saɓa da hankali. Samun manufa ta ƙarshe ga rayuwarmu yana nuna cewa akwai dalili na wanzuwarmu, wato wata irin niyya da manufa. Ba tare da manufa ta ƙarshe ba, ba mu da dalilin wanzuwa, kuma rayuwarmu ba ta da wata zurfafa ma'ana. Wannan shi ne ra'ayin naturalism. Yana nuna cewa mun fito ne kawai daga wasu tsare-tsaren zahiri da suka gabace mu. Waɗannan tsare-tsare makafi ne, bazuwar, kuma ba su da hankali. Kammalawar ma'ana ta wannan ra'ayi mara ruwa game da wanzuwarmu ita ce cewa muna tafiya a cikin jirgin ruwa mai nutsewa. Wannan jirgin ruwa na misali shi ne duniyarmu, domin a cewar masana kimiyya wannan duniya tana tafiya zuwa ga ƙarshenta babu makawa, kuma za ta sha abin da suke kira 'mutuwar zafi'. Rayuwar ɗan Adam za ta lalace kafin wannan mutuwar zafi, domin Rana a ƙarshe za ta halaka Duniya. Saboda haka, idan wannan jirgi zai nutse, ina tambayar ku, menene amfanin sake tsara kujerun jirgin ko bayar da gilashin madara ga tsohuwa? Alƙur'ani ya bayyana matsayin ɗan Adam na fahimta a kan wannan batu: "Ya Ubangijinmu! Ba ka halicci wannan ba a banza ba."

You are probably reading this book sitting on a chair, and you are wearing some clothes. So I would like to ask you a question: For what purpose? Why are you wearing the clothes, and what purpose does the chair have? The answers to these questions are obvious. The chair’s purpose is to allow us to sit down by supporting our weight, and our clothes fulfil the purpose of keeping us warm, hiding our nakedness and of course making us look aesthetically pleasing. Our clothes and the chair are lifeless objects with no emotional or mental abilities, and we attribute purpose to these. Yet some of us do not believe we have a purpose for our own existence. Naturally, this seems absurd and counter-intuitive. Having an ultimate purpose for our lives implies that there is a reason for our existence—in other words, some kind of intention and objective. Without an ultimate purpose we have no reason to exist, and we lack a profound meaning for our lives. This is the perspective of naturalism. It dictates that we merely spring from prior physical processes. These are blind, random and non-rational. The logical conclusion of this indifferent view on our existence is that we are riding on a sinking ship. This metaphorical ship is our universe because, according to scientists, this universe is heading towards its inevitable demise and will suffer what they call a ‘heat death’. Human life will be destroyed prior to this heat death as the Sun will eventually obliterate the Earth.55 Therefore, if this ship is going to sink, I ask you, what is the point of reshuffling the deck chairs or giving a glass of milk to the old lady? The Qur’an represents humanity’s intuitive stance on this issue: “Our Lord! You have not created all this without purpose.”56.

Sannan, akwai rikice-rikice da dama da ke fitowa daga wannan muhawara. Na farko, mai kafirci zai iya cewa rashin wani dalili na wanzuwarmu yana ba mu ƙarin 'yanci wajen ƙirƙirar manufa ga kanmu. Domin ƙara bayani, wasu masu falsafar wanzuwa sun yi iƙirarin cewa rayuwarmu ba ta dogara da komai ba, kuma daga wannan babu komai za mu iya ƙirƙirar sabuwar duniya ta yiwuwa ga rayuwarmu. Wannan ya ta'allaka ne a kan ra'ayin cewa komai a zahirinsa ba shi da ma'ana, don haka muna da 'yancin ƙirƙirar ma'ana ga kanmu domin mu rayu cikin cika da gamsuwa. Matsalar wannan hanya ita ce, ba za mu iya tserewa daga ma'ana da gaske ba. Musanta manufa a matsayin tushen wanzuwarmu, sa'an nan kuma danganta wata manufa da aka ƙirƙira wa rayuwarmu, ta ma'anarta, ruɗin kai ne. Ba shi da bambanci da ce wa kanmu, "Bari mu yi kamar muna da manufa." Wannan kuma ba ya bambanta da yara da ke kwaikwayon likitoci da ma'aikatan jinya, ko maharba da 'yan asalin Amurka, ko uwaye da uba. Duk da haka, dole ne mu duka mu girma mu fuskanci gaskiyar cewa rayuwa ba wasa ba ce kawai.

Nevertheless, various disputes emerge from this discussion. First, an atheist can argue that the absence of any reason for our existence gives us more freedom to create purpose for ourselves. To further explain, some of the existentialists have argued that our lives are based on nothing, and from this nothingness we can create a new realm of possibilities for our lives. This rests on the idea that everything is intrinsically meaningless, and therefore we have the freedom to create meaning for ourselves in order to live fulfilling lives. The flaw with this approach is that we cannot really escape meaning. Denying purpose for the basis of our existence, while attributing some made-up purpose to our lives is, by definition, self-delusion. It is no different in saying, “Let’s pretend to have purpose.” This is no different from children who pretend to be doctors and nurses, cowboys and Indians, or mothers and fathers. However, we must all grow up and face the truth that life is not just a game.

Wani rashin jituwa kuma shi ne da'awar Darwin cewa manufar rayuwarmu ita ce yada DNA dinmu; kamar yadda sanannen masanin ilimin ba Allah ba, Richard Dawkins, ya gabatar a cikin littafinsa, The Selfish Gene, jikunanmu sun bunkasa ne domin su yi hakan kawai.57 Matsalar wannan ra'ayi ita ce tana mayar da wanzuwarmu zuwa wani al'amari na bazata ta hanyar dogon tsarin halittu. Wannan yana sa mutum ya zama ba komai ba face abin da ya samu ta hanyar wani abu, wani halitta na gefe wanda ya fito ta hanyar karon barbashi da sake tsarin kwayoyin halitta ba da gangan ba. Ra'ayin Musulunci game da manufar rayuwarmu yana da sauki kuma yana karfafa gwiwa. Yana daukaka wanzuwarmu daga kayayyakin abu da lokaci zuwa halittu masu hankali wadanda suke zabar kulla dangantaka da Wanda ya halicce mu (duba Babi na 15). Ba-Allahntaka da dabi'a ba su bayar da wata manufa ta karshe ga wanzuwarmu ba.

Another disagreement consists of the Darwinian claim that our purpose is to propagate our DNA; as the famous atheist Richard Dawkins proposes in his book, The Selfish Gene, our bodies have developed to do just that.57 The problem with this view is it relegates our existence to a random accident via a lengthy biological process. This renders the human nothing more than a by-product, an incidental being that emerged via the random collision of particles and the random rearrangement of molecules. Islam’s view on the purpose of our lives is intuitive and empowering. It elevates our existence from products of matter and time to conscious beings who choose to have a relationship with the One who created us (see Chapter 15). Atheism and naturalism provide no ultimate purpose for our existence.

Babu farin ciki madawwami kuma mai ma'ana.

No eternal and meaningful happiness.

"[A]kuma makoma mai kyau na kasance ga waɗanda suke taƙawa Shi."58.

“[A]nd a happy future belongs to those who are mindful of Him.”58.

Neman farin ciki wani muhimmin bangare ne na yanayin ɗan Adam. Dukkanmu muna son mu yi farin ciki—ko da yake wani lokaci ba ma iya bayyana ainihin abin da ‘farin ciki’ yake ba. Shi ya sa idan ka tambayi mutum na yau da kullum dalilin da ya sa yake son samun aiki mai kyau, mai yiwuwa zai amsa da cewa, “Don in sami isassun kuɗi in rayu cikin jin daɗi”. Amma idan ka ci gaba da tambayarsa dalilin da ya sa yake son rayuwa cikin jin daɗi, sai ya ce, “Saboda ina son in yi farin ciki”. Idan kuma ka tambaye shi, “Me ya sa kake son ka yi farin ciki?”, zai shiga cikin rashin amsa, domin farin ciki a ƙarshe ƙarshe, shi ne manufa, ba hanya ba. Shi ne makoma ta ƙarshe, ba lallai ne tafiyar ba. Dukkanmu muna son mu yi farin ciki, kuma babu wani dalili da ya sa muke son yin farin ciki sai dai farin cikin kansa. Shi ya sa muke ci gaba da neman hanyoyin da za su taimaka mana mu kai ga wannan yanayi na farin ciki na ƙarshe.

The pursuit of happiness is an essential part of our human nature. All of us want to be happy—even when sometimes we cannot pinpoint exactly what ‘happiness’ is. This is why if you were to ask the average person why they want to get a good job, they would probably reply, “To earn enough to live comfortably”. However, if you questioned them further and asked why they want to live comfortably they would more than likely say, “Because I want to be happy”. If you then asked them, “Why do you want to be happy?” They would be stuck for an answer, because happiness is ultimately an end, not a means. It is the final destination, not necessarily the journey. We all want to be happy, and there is no reason why we want to be happy other than happiness itself. This is why we endlessly seek ways to help us achieve that final happy state.

Tafiyar da mutane ke nema ta bambanta daga wannan mutum zuwa wani. Wasu sun shafe shekaru suna ƙara cancanta da takardun sana'a a sunayensu. Wasu kuma suna aiki ba dare ba rana a dakunan motsa jiki don samun siffa cikakkiya. Waɗanda ke marmarin soyayyar iyali sukan ƙare da sadaukar da rayuwarsu ga kula da matarsu da 'ya'yansu, yayin da wasu ke shagalin ƙarshen mako tare da abokai, suna neman hutu daga zagayen aiki mara ƙarewa. Jerin yana da yawa ba iyaka. Hakan ya haifar da tambaya: Menene farin ciki na gaskiya, mai ma'ana? Domin taimakawa wajen amsa wannan tambayar, ka yi tunanin yanayi mai zuwa: Yayin da kake karanta wannan, an sa ka cikin barci mai nauyi ba tare da son ranka ba. Ba zato ba tsammani ka farka ka tarar da kanka a cikin jirgin sama. Kana cikin aji na farko. Abinci yana da daɗi kamar na aljanna. Kujerar gado ce mai faɗi, an tsara ta don jin daɗi da kwanciyar hankali. Nishaɗi ba shi da iyaka. Hidimar tana da ban mamaki. Ka fara amfani da dukkan kayan alatu masu kyau. Lokaci ya fara wucewa. Yanzu ka yi tunani na ɗan lokaci, ka tambayi kanka: Shin zan kasance cikin farin ciki?

The journey that people seek varies from one person to the next. Some dedicate years to adding qualifications and career credentials to their names. Others work tirelessly in gyms to achieve a perfect figure. Those who desire the love of family often end up sacrificing their lives to the care of their spouse and children, while some party their weekends away with friends, seeking a release from the relentless cycle of work. The list is endless. It begs the question: What is true, meaningful happiness? To help answer this question, imagine the following scenario: While reading this, you are sedated against your will. Suddenly you wake up and find yourself on a plane. You’re in first class. The food is heavenly. The seat is a flatbed, designed for a luxurious, comfortable experience. The entertainment is limitless. The service is out of this world. You start to use all of the excellent facilities. Time starts to pass. Now think for a moment, and ask yourself the question: Would I be happy?

Ta yaya za ka iya kasancewa cikin farin ciki? Da farko kana bukatar amsoshin wadannan tambayoyi. Wa ya sanya ka barci? Ta yaya ka hau jirgin? Menene manufar tafiyar? Ina kake nufi? Idan wadannan tambayoyi ba su sami amsa ba, ta yaya za ka ji dadi? Ko da ka fara jin dadin dukkan alfarmar da ke hannunka, ba za ka taba samun farin ciki na gaskiya da ma'ana ba. Shin kayan zaki mai laushi na cakulan Belgium a kan teburin abincinka zai isa ya nutsar da tambayoyin? Hakan zai zama ruɗi, farin ciki na wucin gadi na karya, wanda ake samu ne kawai ta hanyar yin watsi da wadannan muhimman tambayoyi da gangan.

How could you be? You would need some questions answered first. Who sedated you? How did you get on the plane? What is the purpose of the journey? Where are you heading? If these questions remained unanswered, how could you be happy? Even if you started to enjoy all of the luxuries at your disposal, you would never achieve true, meaningful happiness. Would a frothy Belgian chocolate mousse on your dessert tray be enough to drown out the questions? It would be a delusion, a temporary, fake type of happiness, only achieved by deliberately ignoring these critical questions.

Yanzu ka yi amfani da wannan a rayuwarka, ka tambayi kanka, shin ina farin ciki? Zuwan mu cikin rayuwa ba ya bambanta da a yi mana allura da sa mu a jirgin sama. Ba mu taba zabar haihuwarmu ba, iyayenmu, ko inda muka fito. Duk da haka, wasu daga cikinmu ba sa yin tambayoyi ko neman amsoshin da za su taimaka mana mu cimma burinmu na karshe, wato farin ciki.

Now apply this to your life and ask yourself, am I happy? Our coming into existence is no different from being sedated and thrown on a plane. We never chose our birth, our parents or where we come from. Yet some of us do not ask the questions or search for the answers that will help us achieve our ultimate goal of happiness.

A ina farin ciki na gaskiya, mai ma'ana yake? Babu makawa, idan muka yi tunani a kan misalin da ya gabata, farin ciki a gaskiya yana cikin amsa muhimman tambayoyi game da wanzuwarmu. Daga cikinsu akwai: Menene manufar rayuwa? Ina zan nufa bayan mutuwata? A wannan hasken, farin cikinmu yana cikin zurfin ranmu, cikin sanin ko wane ne mu, da kuma neman amsoshin wadannan tambayoyi masu muhimmanci. Idan muna da'awar cewa mun yi farin ciki, amma ba mu tambayi wadannan tambayoyi ba, ko ba mu sami amsoshinsu ba, to yanayin farin cikinmu ba shi da ma'ana sosai. Zai zama kamar mashayin giya wanda ke da alamar farin ciki a lokacin da ya manta, na wani lokaci, da damuwar rayuwa.

Where does true, meaningful happiness lie? Inevitably, if we reflect on the previous example, happiness really lies in answering key questions about our existence. These include: What is the purpose of life? Where am I heading after my death? In this light, our happiness lies in our inwardness, in knowing who we are, and finding the answers to these critical questions. If we claim to be happy, but have not asked these questions or found any answers, then our happy state is not very meaningful. It would be like a drunken person who seems to be happy when he temporarily forgets life’s worries.

Ba kamar dabbobi ba, ba za mu iya samun gamsuwa ta hanyar mayar da martani ga ilhamun dabi'unmu ba. Biyayya ga sinadaran jikinmu da kawai bukatun jiki ba za su amsa wadannan tambayoyi ba ko su kawo farin ciki. Don fahimtar dalili, yi tunani a kan wani misali: Ka yi tunanin kai ne daya daga cikin mutane 50 da aka kulle a cikin wani karamin daki wanda babu fita. Akwai gurasa guda 10 kawai, kuma babu wani abinci har sai bayan kwanaki 100. Me kowa zai yi? Idan ka bi ilhamun dabbobi, za a zubar da jini. Amma idan ka yi kokarin amsa tambayar, ta yaya dukanmu za mu tsira? yana yiwuwa za ka tsira, domin za ka samo hanyoyin yin hakan.

Unlike animals, we cannot be content by reacting to our instincts. Obeying our hormones and mere physical needs will not answer these questions and bring happiness. To understand why, reflect on another example: Imagine you were one of 50 human beings locked in a small room with no exit. There are only 10 loaves of bread, and there is no more food for another 100 days. What do you all do? If you follow your animalistic instincts, there will be blood. But if you try to answer the question, how can we all survive? it is likely that you will, because you will devise ways to do so.

Misali ka tsawaita wannan misalin zuwa rayuwarka. Rayuwarka tana da abubuwa masu yawa da suka fi haka yawa, wanda hakan na iya haifar da sakamako kusan mara iyaka. Duk da haka wasu daga cikinmu kawai suna bin buƙatun sha'awa. Ayyukanmu na iya buƙatar digiri na PhD ko wasu cancanta, kuma muna iya cin abinci da shan abin sha tare da abokan zamanmu, amma duk wannan yana komawa ne kawai ga ilhamomin rayuwa da haihuwa. Farin ciki mai ma'ana ba zai samu ba sai mun gano ko wane ne mu da gaske, mu kuma nemi amsoshin muhimman tambayoyin rayuwa.

Extend this example to your life. Your life has many more variables, which can result in almost an infinite number of outcomes. Yet some of us just follow our carnal needs. Our jobs may require Ph.Ds. or other qualifications, and we may wine and dine with our partners, but all of that is still reduced to the mere instincts of survival and procreation. Meaningful happiness cannot be achieved unless we find out who we really are and search for answers to life’s critical questions.

Duk da haka, a ƙarƙashin dabi'ar halitta (naturalism) waɗannan tambayoyi ba su da amsoshi na gaske; shi ya sa dabi'ar halitta ba za ta taɓa kai wa ga yanayi mai ma'ana da farin ciki ba. Me ya sa muke nan? Babu wani dalili ko kaɗan. Ina za mu je?

However, under naturalism these questions do not have any real answers; this is why naturalism can never lead to a meaningful happy state. Why are we here? No reason at all. Where are we going?

Babu inda. Kawai za mu fuskanci mutuwa. Dukanmu muna bukatar amsa tambayar asali: me ya sa muke nan? A Musulunci, amsar tana da sauƙi amma tana da zurfi: muna nan ne domin bauta wa Allah. Duba Babi na 15.

Nowhere. We will just face death. We all need to answer the fundamental question of why we are here. In Islam, the answer is simple yet profound. We are here to worship God (see Chapter 15).

Amma ibada a Musulunci ta bambanta sosai da fahimtar da aka saba yi wa kalmar. Ana iya nuna ibada a cikin kowane aiki da muke yi. Yadda muke magana da juna da ƙananan ayyukan alheri da muke yi kowace rana. Idan muka mayar da hankali wajen faranta wa Allah rai ta ayyukanmu, to ayyukanmu sun zama ibada.

But worship in Islam is quite different from the common understanding of the word. Worship can be shown in every act that we do. The way we talk to each other and the small acts of kindness we do each day. If we focus on pleasing God by our actions, then our actions become acts of worship.

Ibada ba ta takaita ga kawai karkatar da ayyukan ibada zuwa ga Allah ba, kamar ayyukan ruhi na salla da azumi. Bautawa Allah kuma yana nufin ƙaunarsa, biyayya gare shi, da sanin Shi fiye da kowa. Bautawa Allah ita ce manufa mafi girma ta wanzuwarmu; tana 'yantar da mu daga "bautar" wasu mutane da al'umma. Allah, a cikin Alƙur'ani, yana gabatar mana da misali mai ƙarfi:

Worship is not merely limited to directing our acts of worship to God alone, like the spiritual acts of prayer and fasting. Worshipping God also means loving, obeying and knowing Him the most. Worshipping God is the ultimate purpose of our existence; it frees us from the ‘slavery’ to others and society. God, in the Qur’an, presents us with a powerful example:

"Allah" is forbidden per rules; write God's Hausa word, "Allah" must not appear. Hausa for God: "Ubangiji" or "Allah" is used commonly, but rules say never write "Allah". So use "Ubangiji". Quranic verse in braces? The text is a translation of a Qur'an verse (Az-Zumar 39:29) but no braces given, so translate normally. Ubangiji ya buga misali: shin mutum wanda ubangijinsa ya zama abokan tarayya da suka saɓa wa juna, zai yi daidai da mutumin da ya keɓe kansa ga ubangiji guda ɗaya? Godiya ta tabbata ga Ubangiji, amma yawancinsu ba sa sani.59

“God puts forward this illustration: can a man who has for his masters several partners at odds with each other be considered equal to a man devoted wholly to one master? All praise belongs to God, though most of them do not know.”59

Babu makawa, idan ba mu bauta wa Allah ba, za mu ƙare da bautawa wasu "gumaka". Ku yi tunani a kan haka. Abokan zamanmu, shugabanninmu, malamanmu, abokanmu, al'ummomin da muke rayuwa a cikinsu, har ma da sha'awoyinmu, suna bautar da mu ta wata hanya. Misali, al'adun zamantakewa. Mutane da yawa suna ayyana kyau bisa matsin lambar zamantakewa. Muna iya samun abubuwan da muke so da waɗanda ba ma so, amma waɗannan ana tsara su ne da taimakon wasu. Ka tambayi kanka, don me kake sanye da wannan wando ko wannan siket? Faɗin cewa kana son sa amsa ce marar zurfi; abin da ake nufi shi ne, don me kake son sa? Idan muka ci gaba da bincike ta haka, da yawa daga cikinmu za su ƙare da yarda cewa "saboda mutane suna ganin yana da kyau". Abin takaici, dukkanmu mun sami tasiri daga tallace-tallace marasa ƙarewa da matsin lambar abokai da ke kewaye da mu.

Inevitably, if we do not worship God, we end up worshipping other ‘gods’. Think about it. Our partners, our bosses, our teachers, our friends, the societies we live in, and even our own desires ‘enslave’ us in some way. Take, for example, social norms. Many of us define beauty based on social pressures. We may have a range of likes and dislikes, but these are shaped by others. Ask yourself, why are you wearing these trousers or this skirt? Saying you like it is a shallow response; the point is, why do you like it? If we keep on probing in this way, many will end up admitting “because other people think it looks nice”. Unfortunately, we’ve all been influenced by the endless adverts and peer pressure that bombard us.

A wannan fanni muna da "ubangiji" da yawa, dukansu suna son wani abu daga gare mu. Dukansu suna "sabani da juna", sai mu ƙare da rayuwa cikin rudani da rashin cika buri. Allah, wanda ya san mu fiye da yadda mu kanmu muke sanin kanmu, wanda yake ƙaunarmu fiye da yadda uwayenmu suke ƙaunarmu, yana gaya mana cewa Shi ne Ubangijinmu na gaskiya, kuma sai ta hanyar bauta wa Shi kaɗai ne za mu 'yantar da kanmu da gaske.

In this respect we have many ‘masters’ and they all want something from us. They are all ‘at odds with each other’, and we end up living confused, unfulfilled lives. God, who knows us better than we know ourselves, who loves us more than our mothers love us, is telling us that He is our true Master, and only by worshipping Him alone will we truly free ourselves.

Marubuciya Musulma Yasmin Mogahed ta bayyana a littafinta, Reclaim Your Heart, cewa duk abin da ba Allah ba yana da rauni da kasawa, kuma 'yancinmu yana cikin bautar Sa.

The Muslim writer Yasmin Mogahed explains in her book, Reclaim Your Heart, that anything other than God is weak and feeble, and that our freedom lies in worshipping Him:

"Duk lokacin da kake bin wani abu mai rauni ko rashin ƙarfi, ko neman sa, ko roƙon sa… kai ma kana zama mai rauni ko rashin ƙarfi. Ko da ka kai ga abin da kake nema, ba zai taɓa isarka ba. Ba da daɗewa ba za ka sake buƙatar neman wani abu. Ba za ka taɓa kaiwa ga gaskiyar gamsuwa ko biyayya ba. Shi ya sa muke rayuwa a duniyar musayar tsofaffi da sababbi. Wayarka, motarka, kwamfutarka, matarka, ko mijinka, koyaushe ana iya musanya shi da wani sabo, mafi kyau. Duk da haka, akwai 'yanci daga wannan bautar. Idan abin da kake dogara da shi gaba ɗaya ba ya girgiza, ba ya karyewa, kuma ba shi da ƙarshe, to ba za ka iya faɗuwa ba." "Tambaya ta gaba ita ce: Ina muke tafiya? Muna da zaɓi: mu rungumi jinƙan Allah madawwami, marar iyaka, ko mu gudu daga gare shi. Karɓar jinƙansa, ta wajen amsa saƙonsa, da yi masa biyayya, bauta masa da ƙaunarsa, zai tabbatar da farin cikinmu na har abada a aljanna. Ƙin jinƙansa da gudu daga gare shi yana sa mu ƙarasa a wurin da ba ya da ƙaunarsa, wurin rashin farin ciki—wuta. Don haka, muna da zaɓi. Ko dai mu yanke shawarar rungumar jinƙansa ko kuwa mu yi ƙoƙarin tserewa daga gare shi. Muna da 'yancin zaɓi. Ko da yake Allah yana son alheri gare mu, Ba ya tilasta mu yin zaɓin da ya dace."

“Every time you run after, seek, or petition something weak or feeble… you too become weak or feeble. Even if you do reach that which you seek, it will never be enough. You will soon need to seek something else. You will never reach true contentment or satisfaction. That is why we live in a world of trade-ins and upgrades. Your phone, your car, your computer, your woman, your man, can always be traded in for a newer, better model. However, there is a freedom from that slavery. When the object upon which you place all your weight is unshaking, unbreakable, and unending, you cannot fall.” The next question is: Where are we going? We have a choice: to embrace God’s eternal, unbounded mercy, or to run away from it. Accepting His mercy, by responding to His message, and obeying, worshipping and loving Him will facilitate our eternal happiness in paradise. Rejecting and running away from God’s mercy necessitates that we end up in a place devoid of His love, a place of unhappiness— hell. So, we have a choice. Either we decide to embrace His mercy or try to escape from it. We have the free will to choose. Even though God wants good for us, He does not force us to make the right choices.

Zaɓin da muke yi a wannan rayuwa zai tsara rayuwarmu bayan mun mutu:

The choices we make in this life will shape our lives after we die:

…kuma a ranar nan, babu wani rai da zai yi magana sai da izininSa; kuma daga cikinsu akwai wanda zai zama mai shiga wahala, kuma akwai wanda zai zama mai farin ciki.61.

“…and when that Day comes, no soul will speak except by His permission, and some of them will be wretched and some happy.”61.

"A can za su zauna, wani gida mai daɗi da wurin hutawa!"62

“There they will stay—a happy home and resting place!”62

Tun da manufarmu ta ƙarshe ita ce bautar Allah... (note: rule says write "God" as Hausa word for God, i.e., Allah is forbidden; use "Ubangiji" for God? Hausa word for God is "Allah" commonly, but the rule says never write "Allah", so use "Ubangiji".) Tun da manufarmu ta ƙarshe ita ce bautawa Ubangiji, dole ne mu kafa daidaituwarmu ta ɗabi'a domin mu gano ko su wane ne mu a gaskiya. Idan muka bauta wa Ubangiji, muna 'yantar da kanmu, kuma mu kan gano kanmu. Idan kuwa ba mu yi haka ba, muna mantawa da abin da ke sa mu zama mutane (duba Babi na 15):

Since our ultimate purpose is to worship God, we must establish our natural balance to find out who we really are. When we worship God, we free ourselves, and find ourselves. If we do not, we are forgetting what makes us human (see Chapter 15):

"Kada ku zama kamar waɗanda suka manta da Allah, sai Ya sa su manta da kansu." Note: the rules say to write the Hausa word for God, never "Allah," so the correct rendering is: "Kada ku zama kamar waɗanda suka manta da Allah" → "Kada ku zama kamar waɗanda suka manta da Ubangiji, sai Ya sa su manta da kansu."63

“And be not like those who forgot God, so He made them forget themselves.”63

A taƙaice, rashin imani ba zai iya samar da amsoshi masu zurfi game da wanzuwarmu ba, saboda haka farin ciki na gaskiya da ma'ana ba zai taba samuwa ba. Idan wani ya yi jayayya cewa yana farin ciki a kan rashin imani, zan ce wannan farin ciki ne irin na mashayin giya. Suna farkawa ne kawai idan suka fara tunani sosai game da wanzuwarsu. Ko da sun yi ƙoƙarin neman amsoshi suka kuma daidaita da rashin sani—ko kuma suka kasance cikin shakka game da amsoshin da ake da su—ba za su taba samun cikakken farin ciki ba. Ka kwatanta mutumin da ya san dalilin wanzuwarsa da inda yake tafiya da wanda bai sani ba. Yanayinsu ba iri ɗaya ba ne, ko da dukansu suna iƙirarin cewa sun yi farin ciki.

In summary, atheism cannot provide profound answers for our existence, and therefore real, meaningful happiness can never be achieved. If someone argues that they are happy under atheism, I would argue it is a drunken type of happiness. They only sober up when they start thinking deeply about their own existence. Even if they have attempted to find the answers and have settled with not knowing—or being sceptical about the available responses—they will still not achieve ultimate happiness. Compare the person who knows why they exist and where they are going with the one who does not. Their conditions are not the same, even if they both claim to be happy.

Wannan babin ya nuna a fili abin da ke biyo baya daga musun Allah. Ko da yake masu kafirci suna da dalilin jin cewa rayuwarsu tana da daraja ta ƙarshe, da bege, da farin ciki, da manufa, abin a bayyane yake: a hankali ba su da tushe. Ko Richard Dawkins ya fahimci abin da naturalism ke biyo baya. Ya yi jayayya cewa a ƙarƙashin naturalism, komai ba shi da ma'ana kuma yana bisa rashin tausayi da rashin kula.

This chapter has clearly shown the logical implications of denying God. While atheists are emotionally justified in believing their lives have a sense of ultimate value, hope, happiness and purpose, the point is clear: intellectually they are groundless. Even Richard Dawkins appreciates the logical implications of naturalism. He argues that under naturalism, everything is meaningless and based on pitiless indifference:

"Haka kuma, idan sararin samaniya ya kasance kawai electrons da kwayoyin halitta masu son kai, to, rashin ma'ana irin wannan kamar hatsarin wannan bas ɗin shi ne abin da ya kamata mu tsammata, tare da irin rashin ma'anar nan na alheri da rabo. Irin wannan sararin samaniya ba zai zama mugu ko nagari ba a niyya. Ba zai nuna wata niyya ta kowane irin nau'i ba. A sararin samaniya na ƙarfin zahiri makaho da kwafin halittu, wasu mutane za su ji rauni, wasu kuma za su sami sa'a, ba za ka sami wata tsari ko dalili a cikinta ba, haka nan kuma babu adalci. Sararin samaniyar da muke gani yana da halaye daidai waɗanda ya kamata mu tsammata idan a ƙarshe babu wani tsari, babu manufa, babu mugunta da babu alheri, sai dai rashin tausayi makaho da sanyi." "Sararin samaniyar da aka yi da abubuwan zahiri marasa hankali, makaho da sanyi, ba ya damuwa da motsin zuciyarmu. God kaɗai ne zai iya ba da hujjar hankali ga abubuwan da ke bayyana ɗan adam a matsayin mutum."

“On the contrary, if the universe were just electrons and selfish genes, meaningless tragedies like the crashing of this bus are exactly what we should expect, along with equally meaningless good fortune. Such a universe would be neither evil nor good in intention. It would manifest no intentions of any kind. In a universe of blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won’t find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.” A universe made up of non-rational, blind, cold physical stuff is not concerned with our emotions. Only God can provide the intellectual justification for the things that define our humanity