Risale-i Nur Research Platform (RİNAP) hosted Prof. Dr. Yunus Çengel as the guest for its November monthly talks. In the program moderated by Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özdemir, Head of the Philosophy Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi, evaluations were made on the topic of “The Relationship between Science and Destiny: Are Scientific Researches Actually Discovering the Laws of Destiny?” Çengel, providing in-depth explanations on the concept of destiny, stated: “If there is no universal will, all partial wills fall silent. If God does not wish it, not even a stone will move from its place; therefore, do not worry by creating negative scenarios in your mind.”
“God's knowledge penetrates human will, not canceling but proving it”
Yunus Çengel, former Professor at the University of Nevada, USA, stated that humans are beings with the ability to determine their own destiny. Çengel said: “Humans, in a way, determine their own destiny. God knows everything, and whatever a person does is written in their destiny. On the Day of Judgment, God will say, ‘Bring the record of deeds, not the record of destiny.’ Everyone feels they have the power of choice, that is, free will. The entire scientific community and philosophical sphere, especially in Neuroscience, have delved into the issue of will, and some studies suggesting that humans do not possess free will have emerged. There are no limits to God's knowledge; there is no past or future. Our choices are also included in His knowledge. God's knowledge penetrates our will, not canceling it, but proving it.”
“If there is no will of God, all wills fall silent”
Emphasizing the universal will, Çengel stated that while humans accept their own will, they must also be aware of the greatness of God's will. Çengel said: “Humans are only responsible for their actions, that is, their deeds. God will not hold us accountable for what we have not done. If there is no universal will, all partial wills fall silent. If God does not wish it, not even a stone will move from its place. Therefore, do not create negative scenarios in your mind and fall into unnecessary worry.”
“Our scientific methodology must have criteria”
Çengel stated that scientific methodology, i.e., philosophy, must have criteria: “Our methodology must conform to reason and conscience, be consistent with general logic, be consistent with observations, and be compatible with known truths. The explanations provided must be in accordance with God's names (Asma ul-Husna), the general framework, and the essence of religion. If we use these methods, fallacies become insignificant. Bediüzzaman emphasizes rhetoric, logic, and wisdom in the evaluation of propositions.”
“Natural sciences are the rulebook of the universe”
Çengel stated that the source of natural sciences and the laws of the universe lies in God's will: “The field of study for natural sciences is the universe, i.e., the physical realm, and its output is the laws of nature. A natural scientist is not asked ‘Is there an afterlife?’ The field of natural sciences deals with the visible material world. These sciences are the rulebook and book of prohibitions of the universe. According to Bediüzzaman, natural sciences are Adetullah, meaning God's way of doing things. The source of laws is will; laws demonstrate irade-i ilahiye, that is, God's will. Physical laws and forces govern matter.”
“Getting vaccinated does not affect the possibility of having Covid-19 in destiny”
Çengel gave an example from the pandemic to better understand destiny: “If I were to give a current example regarding destiny, for instance, the question ‘If it is my destiny to have Covid-19, does getting vaccinated change my destiny?’ is an invalid question. Destiny evaluates being sick or not and getting vaccinated or not simultaneously. Destiny considers the cause and the outcome together. The laws of destiny are laws of wisdom. Natural sciences establish cause-and-effect relationships and formulate them. Bediüzzaman clarifies the situation with his words: ‘Destiny rules with divine wisdom.’”