Spirit of Islam, May-June 2026

T here is considerable confusion among people regarding the views of Einstein. Some assume that he was an outright atheist, while others believe that he affirmed the existence of God. However, a careful study of his various statements suggests that Einstein was neither a denier of God nor a conventional believer. Rather, he may best be described as a sceptic—someone who remained uncertain about God’s existence. In this regard, a report published in The Times of India sheds light on Einstein’s position. In 1997, Skeptic, a magazine known for its strong unbelieving stance, published for the first time a series of letters that Einstein had exchanged in 1945 with a junior officer in the US Navy, Guy Raner. Raner had asked whether it was true that Einstein had moved from atheism to belief in God after a discussion with a Jesuit priest, who had argued that a design implies a designer, and therefore the universe must have a Creator. Einstein replied that he had never met such a priest. He further stated that, from the perspective of a religious believer, he might be regarded as an atheist. At the same time, he emphasised that it was misleading to use humanlike concepts when dealing with realities beyond human experience, and that one should instead humbly admire the harmony of the universe as far as it can be understood. When Raner pressed him further to clarify whether he was an atheist in the strict sense, Einstein responded: “You may call me an agnostic, but I do not share the crusading spirit of the professional atheist.” (The Times of India, New Delhi, May 18, 2012) Einstein’s position reflects, to a large extent, the general attitude of many scientists. God is not considered a subject of direct scientific investigation. This raises an important question: why do scientists, despite this limitation, generally refrain from outright denial of God’s existence? Why do many of them describe themselves as agnostics rather than atheists? Agnosticism represents a middle position, where one neither denies nor affirms belief in God with certainty. SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES FOR GOD’S EXISTENCE Evidence beyond Observation