Tuesday 

Five Signs of God

It would seem nowadays that for many people, the last trace of wonder at the majesty of God, previously expressed through formal religious belief, resides in their approach to the wonders of the natural world, with David Attenborough now taking the role of the high priest. So that's what I talked about.

One of the Signs of God mentioned in the Qur'an is the wide variety of creatures scattered on the earth. There's certainly plenty of wildlife in my garden. Some creatures, like the worms, I welcome; with some, like the slugs, I am at war; and some others, like the birds, I'm happy to have around, though there are times when I have to show them who is who.

It is clear that many people who would never go to church or mosque still feel an awareness of the Hand of the Creator when they see the nature of creation, the breathtaking way that the creatures of the earth each have their own minutely specialised lifestyles and needs, yet interreact in harmony together to cover the globe with a seamless carpet of life.

Those who disbelieve in God often suggest that Darwin's Theory of Evolution explains everything. But his theory can only ever be a partial truth, a limited view. It doesn't explain that response we have to Nature, our sense of wonder and our recognition of Nature's beauty. And God is Beautiful and loves beauty, said Muhammad.