A group of people who had entertained doubts about God’s existence
came to discuss the issue with Abu Hanifah, an early Islamic scholar,
and he said to them: “Before we enter into a discussion on this question,
tell me what you think of a boat in the Euphrates which goes to shore,
loads itself with food and other things, then returns, anchors and
unloads all by itself without anyone sailing or controlling it?” They
said: “That is impossible; it could never happen.” So he said to them:
“If that is impossible with respect to a ship, how is it possible for this
whole world with all its vastness to move by itself?”
