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What is the teleological argument or "Burhān an-Nadhm" This argument is one of the most straightforward, as it relies on observations of the natural world rather than complex philosophical concepts. It's no coincidence that the Quran frequently points to the universe and its contents as evidence of a Creator.[1] Martyr Morteza Motahari defined this argument as the negation of the universe's accidental existence, arguing that accidents lack causes. He categorizes causes into four types: material, formal, efficient, and final. He then refutes the misconception that atheists deny the existence of efficient causes, asserting that both theists and atheists agree on this point. The primary difference lies in the recognition of a final cause. Believers in God posit a purpose and goal for the creation and its marvelous order because the mere existence of an efficient cause is not sufficient to bring about such precise order! It is necessary that there be a will and a purpose behind this order, otherwise, it would be like a child who picks up a pen and draws on a piece of paper. The child's action includes all causes, even an efficient cause, but there is no goal in it, and it is merely engaged in drawing meaningless lines on paper that have neither order nor convey any meaning. Another example for better understanding is a book. The author intends a meaning behind every word he writes, which together lead to sentences, paragraphs, and different pages, which necessarily require a specific order to convey that meaning. Just like the order we observe in the universe! Just as we infer the existence of a knowledgeable author from a well-structured and informative book, we can deduce the existence of a supreme being from the intricate order of the universe. The teleological argument posits that the universe's design necessitates a designer, much like a book requires an author. This designer, we infer, must possess attributes far beyond our comprehension.[2] [1] Quran: 2:164, 6:97, 42:29, 39:20-21 [2] Motahari, Murteza, Majmu'eh Asar, 1376, vol. 4, pp. 62-66
