God bless Werner Heisenberg, who discovered the Uncertainty Principle of quantum mechanics. He providing an opportunity for our writers to prove Sufism with science. According to this principle, the speed and position of particles in an atom cannot be determine simultaneously. This principle contradicts Newton’s model of classical physics. Where objects at rest remain at rest unless acted upon by a force. Heisenberg states that nothing can be said about the state of an atomic particle’s position at any given moment. If the particle is at position A, the next moment it could be “anywhere in the universe.” This statement has a mystical touch, similar to the conditions mentioned by Sufis who claim to perceive unseen worlds.
Werner Heisenberg, born in Germany, was not associate with a monastery. He was inspire by this principle one night while sitting in a park, just as the law of gravitation was reveale to Newton. Heisenberg’s discovery breathed new life into the philosophy of Sufism. Ashfaq Ahmad Sahib wrote “Man Chale Ka Sauda” based on it, where the protagonist, Irshad, an apparently uneducated cobbler. He encourages the study of quantum mechanics on the path of Sufism. One of his dialogues states, “Without understanding the quantum theory and the state of photons, how can you comprehend the mystery of Hazrat Ghous-ul-Azam Dastgir? When a monotheist reaches the point of Tawheed, does he not transcend the boundaries of monotheism?”
At the subatomic level, matter does not exist with certainty but shows tendencies to exist. This is why particles can exhibit both wave and particle characteristics simultaneously. It became clear that we cannot predict nuclear events with certainty; we can only say that they can occur.
Quantum mechanics puzzled not only Ashfaq Ahmed but also Einstein. His famous saying, “God does not play dice with the universe,” reflects his skepticism. Einstein engaged in a long series of debates with physicist Niels Bohr regarding the question of whether the universe operates with fixed and definite physical laws or if there is inherent uncertainty. Einstein believed in fixed laws, but some interpreted his statement to mean a universe created by God, where everything is predetermined. Religious intellectuals embraced this interpretation, while Einstein aimed to challenge quantum mechanics, which later became a favorite subject for Sufi writers like Hussain Nasr, a contemporary Muslim philosopher and Sufism writer.
Here’s an interesting question: If we cannot simultaneously determine the position and speed of particles in an atom. Then why do objects in our everyday observation appear to remain stationary, and how can we easily determine their speed and position? The answer to this question is somewhat complicated. A genius troubled by this question was Erwin Schrödinger, one of the founders of quantum mechanics. His experiment, known as “Schrödinger’s Cat,” a scenario where a cat inside a box has a fifty percent chance of dying in the next hour. According to the principles of quantum mechanics, Schrödinger argued that the cat would be both alive and dead before opening the box. Scientists explain that at the quantum level, particles move in wave-like forms, making it impossible to determine their precise location. However, in the macroscopic world, objects have such small wavelengths that they are not perceptible.
Sometimes I contemplate that an experiment in quantum mechanics will unravel the structure of the universe. Scientists also note the similarity between the rotation of electrons and neutrons. They note that at the atomic level and the rotation of stars in space. Therefore, I leave you with this question: Is there a hidden universe inside the atom, imperceptible to our eyes, or are we merely atomic particles in another universe? Everything is possible in an uncertain universe!
