Islam & the Design Argument (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B)
Revision Note
Islam and the Design Argument for the Existence of Allah
William Paley's design argument
William Paley (1743-1805) compared the design of the universe to a watch
He said that if you were out walking and found a watch lying on the grass and looked at the complexity of its design and how all the internal coils and springs work together, you would not say that this had appeared by chance but would assume someone had made it
Paley also stated that if you had never seen a watch before, you would have to conclude that someone designed it to fulfil its purpose of keeping time
He argued that just as someone who found the watch would conclude that it was made by someone because of its design, someone who looks at the universe must conclude that there is a designer because of how the universe has been designed
IMAGE: William Paley's analogy of the watch
The design argument for the existence of God
The universe contains signs that it has been designed
If it was designed, there must have been a designer
That designer is Allah
IMAGE: Flowchart showing the design argument for the existence of God
The design argument is used by Muslims to prove the existence of Allah because of the complexity and beauty of the world we live in
There is no way it could all have happened by chance: it must prove the existence of an intelligent designer
Everything in the universe has a pattern and serves a purpose. It is ultimately ordered by a God who regulates everything - if there was not a God overseeing everything there would be disorder
‘The night is also a sign for them: We strip the daylight from it, and - lo and behold! - they are in darkness. The sun, too, runs its course: this is determined by the Almighty, the All Knowing.’ (Qur’an 36:37-40)
Muslims believe that the design argument shows:
that Allah exists and that:
He is omnipotent since He had the power to achieve a feat such as designing and creating the universe
He is omniscient and intelligent to have created the world
He is benevolent: He cares for his creation in making a self-sustaining planet that contains everything needed for life
‘In the creation of the heavens and earth; in the alternation of night and day; in the water which God sends down from the sky to give life to the earth when it has been barren … in the changing of the winds and clouds that run their appointed courses between the sky and the earth: there are signs in all these for those who use their minds.’ (Qur’an 2:164)
This passage from the Qur’an supports the philosophical design argument for Allah’s existence: intelligent design must mean there is an intelligent designer
There are many signs in nature of an intelligent creator
There is also people’s intelligence and logic: they can use this to understand that the ordered world must have a designer and not be the result of chance
Divergent Understandings of the Design Argument
All Muslims believe that Allah is the creator of the universe
However, some believe that the process of creation took longer than others
Creationist Muslims take the account in the Qur’an that Allah made the world in six days literally
This is because the Qur’an says
‘Your Lord is God, who created the heavens and earth in six days’ (Qur’an 7:54)
Evolutionist Muslims think that ‘day’ is a metaphor and that each ‘day’ represents a longer period of time
They believe that the creation of the world in all its complexity would have taken billions of years
This corresponds to modern scientific beliefs about the creation of the universe and the evolution of life
Muslim Responses to Non-Religious Views on the Design Argument
Non-religious views on the design argument
Non-religious people, including atheists and humanists, would say that there is not sufficient evidence to say that design in the universe is a sign of a God
They would say that it is possible that the world has come about as a result of chance, not design
There is no need for Allah to explain the world
The design might simply be the result of the gradual process of evolution - species have developed and adapted to suit their environment, and this explains the way the world is
Even if design suggests a designer, this is impossible to prove
At best, it suggests there might be a designer
There are many design flaws in the world which is evidence of bad design, for example, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions
These can result in terrible natural disasters that affect many people
A good god could not have designed such things
Therefore there is no God
Muslim response to non-religious views
Muslims would respond by saying that there is no explanation for the design and beauty of the world except the existence of a god, Allah
For some Muslims, this is an important part of their faith
Other Muslims might not give the idea as much importance
Worked Example
Explain two ways Muslims believe the design argument is important
(4 marks)
Muslims believe the design argument is important because it strengthens the belief that Allah exists: only an intelligent designer such as Allah could have created such a complex and beautiful world (2 marks)
They also believe the design argument is important because it confirms their belief in Allah as an omnipotent God and agrees with the teaching in the Qur’an that the world shows evidence of design (2 marks)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
In the next section, you will revise the cosmological argument or the first cause argument. For both of these classical arguments for the existence of God, think about how convincing you think they are.
An evaluation question on this topic might ask you to consider a statement such as ‘The design argument is sufficient proof of the existence of Allah.’
What do you think? How strong is the design argument as an argument for the existence of God? Is it sufficient to convince a non-believer of the existence of God?
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