Islam Rediscovered
2. Faith and Reason
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because God had given him the kingdom?
When Abraham said: ‘My Lord is He who
gives life and causes to die,’ he said: ‘I too
give life and cause death.’ Abraham said: ‘So
surely God causes the sun to rise from the
east, then you make it rise from the west.’
Thus he who disbelieved was confounded;
and God does not give guidance to unjust
people. (2:258)
We find another example of the argument based on
natural reasoning in the Qur’an:
Thus did We show Abraham the kingdom of
the heavens and the earth, so that he might
become a firm believer. When night
overshadowed him, he saw a star. He said:
‘This is my Lord’. But when it set, he said: ‘I
love not those that set.’ Then when he saw the
moon rising, he said: ‘This is my Lord.’ But
when it set, he said: ‘Unless my Lord guide
me, I shall surely be among those who go
astray’. Then when he saw the sun rising, he
said: ‘This is my Lord. This is the greatest.’
But when it set, he said: ‘O my people! Surely,
