Deep within you lies a soul yearning to connect with its Creator, irrespective of whether you choose to nurture it or not. Faith is not merely a societal construct; rather, it is an inherent aspect of being human. It is a divine gift bestowed upon every individual by a Perfect Creator who constantly loves, cares for, and provides for you. Declaring faith marks the beginning of our journey to fulfil our purpose on Earth. When we embrace the natural inclination to believe in and worship the Creator, we align ourselves with the inherent orientation towards the Divine that resides at the core of our humanity. This orientation is often referred to as the “primordial essence” or, in Arabic, the ‘fitra’ .
Humans possess an innate ability to sense the existence of God or a higher power, even without prophetic revelations to guide them. Across time, geography, and language, expressions of this ‘sensus divinitatis’ can be found in all major religions and cultures (1). Islamic teachings attribute this to the fact that before the creation of the world, every person bore witness to the Creator and acknowledged His worthiness of worship. This historical moment is mentioned in the Qur’an:
As a result of this primordial covenant, human beings possess an inherent disposition to acknowledge their worth and recognize fundamental moral and ethical truths . This disposition has persisted throughout recorded history in various forms, and some scientists now argue that our DNA is predisposed to believe in God or a higher power . The very fact that we possess an innate inclination towards spirituality serves as a clear indication that God indeed exists. It is an inherent truth that every person intuitively understands .
[Prophet], when your Lord took out the offspring from the loins of the Children of Adam and made them bear witness about themselves, He said, ‘Am I not your Lord?’ and they replied, ‘Yes, we bear witness.’ So you cannot say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘We were not aware of this.’
(Qur’an 7:172)
Every human being possesses a fitra, which consequently gives rise to a spiritual longing for truth, purpose, and meaning that transcends mere physical needs. Scholars such as al-Ghazali have described this as a sense of uneasiness with existence and a feeling of insecurity that can only be alleviated through knowledge of God. Just as practical methods accompany theoretical learning in educational curricula, knowledge of God is not merely factual but also reinforced through experiential encounters. For those sincerely seeking God’s guidance, mundane daily activities, natural phenomena, and interactions with the world become meaningful experiences that strengthen one’s certainty in God (‘yaqeen’ in Arabic). While reason plays a significant role in developing faith, it is but one step in the spiritual journey . Like a blueprint, the fitra serves as a foundational guide, inclining individuals to seek a connection with God.
Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find peace.
(Qur’an 13:28)
According to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), spiritual contentment is a fruit of faith that is experientially felt. He described it as the “sweetness of faith.” It entails real, life-changing encounters with God’s creation that then consolidates a person’s faith, to a point where he would not give up his faith for the world .
Atheism and naturalism fail to provide a definitive and ultimate purpose for our existence. According to these worldviews, we are here by chance, and death is the inevitable end. On the contrary, Islam’s perspective on the purpose of our lives resonates intuitively and empowers us. It elevates our existence from being mere products of matter and time to conscious beings who actively choose to establish a relationship with the One who brought us into being .
We are bombarded with an endless list of requirements promising happiness: earning money, seeking prestige, perfecting our home life, achieving the ideal body, and so forth. Yet, no matter how much we acquire, there remains an inner void that leads to misery if we are consumed by wealth, material possessions, and worldly status. How can finite things in this world provide lasting satisfaction when we are inherently designed to have a relationship with the infinite Creator? Regardless of our achievements, we find ourselves asking, Why do I never feel good enough? Why is it that, no matter what I accomplish, I am never fully satisfied?
True contentment is attained by addressing essential questions about our existence: What lies beyond death? What is the meaning of life? Why does suffering exist in the world? Discovering true contentment in our hearts comes from aligning with our natural state of being, seeking answers to fundamental questions about our existence, and actualizing our purpose on Earth. God, who knows us intimately and loves us more deeply than anyone else, informs us that He is our ultimate authority. By worshipping Him alone, we can liberate ourselves from the exhaustive expectations imposed by society in the pursuit of happiness.
The early Muslims said:
“If the kings and their sons knew what we experience of pleasure and happiness, they would fight us for it with their swords.”
Not everyone has a true religious experience or comprehends their beliefs within a sound theological framework. Even theories claiming religious basis have the potential to lead us astray from our innate nature since God accepts worship only when directed to Him alone .
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explained that every infant is born with a natural inclination to worship God and live a life in submission to the Divine . If undisturbed, a child’s inclination to believe in God will persist throughout their life .
It is the influence of upbringing or environment that can divert individuals from the natural path of believing in and worshipping the Creator. While believers are repeatedly commanded in the Qur’an to honour and treat their parents with kindness and respect, God also commands them not to obey their parents “if they urge you to associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge.” God emphasizes that once a person reaches puberty, they become accountable for their beliefs and actions. “To Me is your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do” (Qur’an 29:8).
This lays the responsibility upon every individual to strive to discover the truth of God’s existence, and of their own existence, in accordance with their fitra.
When we deviate from our own nature by rejecting belief in God or worshipping other deities, we deprive ourselves of harmony and the full realisation of our potential. However, due to the gift of fitra lovingly engraved upon our souls, there is always an opportunity to return to God. God guides those who incline towards truth. The inherent tendency to believe in a transcendent being who created us, the world around us, and all that exists within it remains unaltered. There are signs within and around us, so whenever we stray from the path of true faith, we can be directed back towards the loving path of God.
(To be continued God-willing)
Author: Marian Stevenson
References
- The Case for Allah’s Existence in the Quran and Sunnah. Parrot, Justin. 2017, Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research.
- Tzortzis, Hamza. Life Without God: The Implications of Atheism. Hamza Andreas Tzortzis. 2019.
- Hamer, Dean. The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired Into Our Genes. New York : Doubleday, 2004.
- Central, Muslim. Video by Ustadh Hamza Tzortzis, titled: Self Evident Truths In Western Philosophy. [Online] Muslim Central, March 22, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYX7691Xs7A.
- Al-Munqidh min al-Dalal. Al-Ghazali, Abu Hamid Muhammad bin. s.l. : al-Qāhirah: Dār al-Kutub al-Ḥadīthah , 1972.
- Suleiman, Omar. The Faith Revival: Episode 20 Sweetness of Faith. Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research. [Online] Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, June 5, 2017. https://yaqeeninstitute.org/omar-suleiman/the-faith-revival-ep-20-sweetness-of-faith.
- Helwa, A. Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam. California, United States of America : Naulit Publishing HOuse, 2020.
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, no. 1292.
- Zwartz, Barney. “Infants ‘Have Natural Belief in God”. Sydney Morning Herald. 2008.
- Bayān Faḍl ʻilm al-Salaf ʻalá ʻilm al-Khalaf. Ibn Rajab, and Muḥammad N. Ajmaī. Bayrūt, Lubnān : Dār al-Bashāʼir al-Islāmīyah, 1995.