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Discussion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) with the atheists, a part of which has been mentioned earlier: The Holy Prophet asked them: “What is the reason of your belief that the universe has neither beginning nor end and that these things are from ever and will remain for ever?”
Atheists: “We believe only what we see. As we have not seen the beginning of the universe, therefore we say that it has always existed, and as we have not seen its extinction, we say that it will remain for ever.”
Holy Prophet: “Well, have you seen that the universe is without beginning and without end?”
Atheists: “No, we have not seen its being without beginning nor have we seen its being without end.”
Holy Prophet: “Then how do you believe in its eternity? And why should your view be preferred to the view of that person who believes the universe to be transient because he has not seen it being without beginning or without end?”
Then after some more arguments the Holy Prophet asked: “Can you tell me whether the days (time) which have passed on this earth were finite (limited) or infinite (limitless) ?
If you say that the time which has passed so far was limitless, then how the later time came in if the former did not pass away?
“And if you say that the time is finite (limited) then you will have to admit that it is not eternal.”
Atheists: “Yes, it is finite.”
Holy Prophet: “Well, you were saying that universe is eternal, not created nor finite. Do you realize what is the implication of your admission that time is finite?
What were you denying? What have you admitted? ”
Atheists accepted that their belief was not correct.
Incidentally, this argument of the Holy Prophet shows that `time’ has unbreakable relation with matter. Otherwise, he could not have introduced the element of time in the discussion about matter. The beauty of this can best be appreciated by only those who have studied the theory of Relativity.