The First Principle

1. The Most Important Distinction: Essence vs. Existence

Ibn Sina (Avicenna) gave the world a "Software Update" in philosophy with this distinction.

The Phoenix Analogy

You can imagine a Phoenix. You can describe its Essence (Golden feathers, rises from ash, immortal).

But describing it doesn't make it real. Existence is an external quality that must be "added" to the Essence.

Everything in the universe (You, Earth, Galaxy) has an Essence that could exist or could not exist. Therefore, the universe is Contingent (Mumkin).

2. The Argument from Contingency (Burhan al-Siddiqin)

If the universe is Contingent (it could have been different, or not existed at all), it needs a "Decider" (Murajjih) to tip the scales from Non-Existence to Existence.

The Dependency Chain:

1. You depend on your parents.

2. Parents depend on biology.

3. Biology depends on chemistry... on physics... on the Big Bang.

4. The Big Bang is a physical event. It is also contingent. What decided it?

Conclusion: Use the "Domino Effect". An infinite chain of dominoes never falls unless a Hand pushes the first one. That Hand must be Independent (Necessary Existence / Wajib al-Wujud).

3. The Attack: Destroying "Brute Fact" Naturalism

Atheists like Bertrand Russell argued: "The universe is just there, and that's all."This is called the "Brute Fact" theory. It is the end of science.

The Scientific Suicide:

The universe doesn't need a reason. It's just a Brute Fact.

References & Further Reading

The Salvation (Al-Najat)Ibn Sina (Avicenna)Core text on contingency and existence.
The Metaphysics of Mulla SadraIbrahim KalinIntroduction to Existentialism in Islamic thought.
MetaphysicsAristotleThe foundational definitions of potentiality and actuality.