Allah the Exalted (continued...)

Thus the Being Who has limited these planets to their orbits is God. In the same way, there is a great difference between the body of a man and the body of an elephant. If all the physicians were to combine to bring about a change in man's capacities and in his bulk so as to make him the equal of the elephant, it would not be possible for them to do so. If they desired to confine the elephant to the bulk of man, this would be equally impossible. Here also there is a limitation, as there is in the case of the sun and the moon, and that limitation indicates a Limiter, that is to say, it points to a Being Who bestowed that bulk upon the elephant and determined a different one for man. If one were to reflect one would find a hidden control of God Almighty over all these physical matters in a wonderful way. One observes the wonderful limitations imposed by Him. Beginning with the bulk of the insects which can be observed only under a microscope, up to the bulk of the great leviathans which can swallow a large vessel like a mouthful, one observes a wonderful spectacle of limitation. No animal can transcend the limits of its body. In the same way the stars that are observed in heaven cannot go beyond their limits. This limitation shows that behind the scenes there is One Who lays down these limits. This is the meaning of the verse: He has created everything and has determined its measure (25:3).

A similar limitation to that which governs bodies is also found in the case of souls. You can easily understand that the excellences which a human soul can exhibit, or towards which it can make progress are not available to the soul of an elephant despite its size and bulk. In the same way, the soul of every animal is confined to the limits of its species with reference to its faculties and capacities and it can acquire only those excellences which are appointed for its species. Thus as the limitations of bodies indicate that they have a Limiter and Creator, in the same way, the limitations of the capacities of souls also indicate that they have a Creator and a Limiter [Chashma Marifat, (Qadian, Anwar Ahmadiyyah Press, 1908); Now published in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984), Vol. 23., pp. 9-11].

It would be an intrusion into the works of God, which is not permissible, to enquire why did God create a difference between capacities and why was not every one bestowed such capacities as would enable him to arrive at the stage of perfect understanding and perfect love. Every reasonable person can understand that no one has a right against God to require that everyone should have the same rank and should be endowed with excellent faculties. It is a matter of His grace to bestow whatever He wills. For instance, God has made you man and has not make a donkey a man. You have been endowed with reason and a donkey has not been so endowed. You can acquire knowledge and a donkey cannot. It is the will of the Master and is not a matter of right which you have and a donkey has not. In the creation of God a clear differentiation of ranks is discernible which no reasonable person can deny. Then can any part of creation which has no right to exist, let alone a right to be awarded a high rank, raise any objection before the Authoritative Master? It is a bounty and beneficence of God Almighty to bestow the robe of being upon His creatures and it is obvious that a Donor and Benefactor has the authority to regulate His bounty and His beneficence. Had He not the authority to bestow less He would not have the authority to bestow more and in such case He would not be able to exercise His Mastership. If the creation were vested with any right against the Creator, this would involve a continuous series of claims, for at whatever stage the Creator would place any created being the latter could claim that he is entitled to a higher rank. If God Almighty can create limitless ranks, and the exaltation of creation does not come to an end by the creation of man, the series of claims on the basis of right would be endless.

If the search should be for the wisdom underlying this differentiation of ranks, it should be understood that the Holy Quran has set forth three types of wisdom in that context which are obvious and clear and cannot be denied by any reasonable person.

The first one is, that the affairs of the world may be adjusted in the best manner as is said: They ask: Why has not this Quran been sent down to some great man of the two cities? Is it they who presume to distribute the mercy of Thy Lord? It is We Who distribute among them their livelihood in this life and We exalt some of them above others in rank, so that they may serve each other mutually. The mercy of Thy Lord is better than that which they amass (43:32-33). The disbelievers say why was this Quran not revealed to some chieftain or wealthy personage of Mecca or Taif so that it should have suited his eminence and by virtue of his dignity and his statesmanship and his spending his money, the faith could have spread speedily? Why was a person selected for this honour, who is poor and has no property? To these the retort is, is it for them to distribute the mercies of the Eternal Lord? That is to say, it is the doing of the All-Wise that He limited the faculties and capacities of some as they became involved in the appendages of this world and took pride in being called chieftains and wealthy and rich and forgot the true object of existence. On others He bestowed spiritual graces and holy excellences and they became the favourites of the True Beloved through their devotion to His love. Then follows the explanation that God has made some rich and some poor, and some with fine qualities and some with dull natures, and some inclined to one type of occupation and others inclined to another type so as to make it easy for some to serve others and to cooperate with them so that responsibility might be shared and human affairs might be carried on with ease. The verse concludes with saying that in this context God's Book is far more beneficial than worldly riches and properties. Man is a social animal and none of his affairs can be carried to completion without cooperation. For instance, take bread which is the staff of life. How much social cooperation is needed for its production? From the stage of cultivation of the earth to the stage when a loaf of bread becomes available for eating, scores of workers have to cooperate with each other. This shows how much cooperation and mutual help is needed in different sectors of social affairs. To fill this need the All-Wise One created man equipped with different degrees of faculties and capacities so that everyone should occupy himself pleasurably according to his capacity and inclination; some should engage in cultivation, some should manufacture agricultural implements, some should grind corn, some should bring water, some should bake bread, some should spin, some should weave, some should engage in trade, some should carry on commerce, some should undertake employment and thus everyone should cooperate and help each other. Cooperation involves dealing with each other and these dealings give rise to questions of treatment and compensation and neglect of duty which demand a system of law which should restrain wrong and trespass and rancour and disorder and neglect of God, so that the order of the universe should not be upset. The making of a living and the due performance of social duties depend upon justice and the recognition of God and these demand a system of law which should provide for due administration of justice and proper understanding of the Divine and which should exclude every type of wrong and every kind of mistake. Such a system of law can be promulgated only by the Being Who is altogether free from forgetfulness, mistake, wrong and trespass and Who is worthy of obedience and respect in His Being. The law may be good, but if the promulgator of the law is not such who by his rank should possess superiority over all and the right to rule over them and if he is in the eyes of the people not free from tyranny and vice and error and mistake, the law will either not come into operation or if it does come into operation, it would give rise to every kind of disorder and instead of doing any good it would result in harm. All this would predicate a Divine Book, for all good qualities and every kind of excellence is to be found only in the Book of God.

Secondly, the wisdom underlying a difference of ranks is, that the excellence of good people may be demonstrated, for every good quality is known only by contrast. As it is said: We have made all that is on the earth an ornament for it, that We may try the dwellers thereof which of them is best in conduct (18:8). That is to say, God has made everything upon the earth a source of ornament for it so that the righteousness of the righteous may be demonstrated in comparison with the wicked, and so that by the observation of that which is dull the fineness of that which is fine may become apparent. Opposites are known by comparison with opposites and the value of the good is known by comparison with the bad.

Thirdly, in differentiation of ranks, it is desired to demonstrate different types of power and to draw attention to God's Greatness as is said: What ails you that you do not expect wisdom from Allah? He has created you through different stages of existence (71:14-15). This means that the differentiation of capacities and temperaments was created by the All-Wise so that His Greatness and Power might be recognized as is said at another place: Allah has created every animal from water. Some of them move on their bellies, some of them on two feet and some on four. Allah creates what He pleases. Surely, Allah has power to do all that He wills (24:46). This is an indication that all these different species have been created so that the diverse powers of the Divine might be demonstrated. Thus the differentiation in the temperaments and the nature of creation is due to these three considerations which God has set out in the verses cited above (Braheen Ahmadiyyah, pp. 187-191, footnote 11).

Pandit Dyanand has recorded at page 501 of his urdu book Satyarath Prakash that God cannot forgive anyone's sin, for if He were to do so He would be guilty of injustice. Thereby he confesses that God is merely a Judge and is not Master. On the same page he has recorded that God cannot bestow unlimited reward for limited actions. But if He is Master, there is no harm in His rewarding limited service with unlimited reward. The Master's actions are not to be measured by justice. If we own something and out of it we bestow a portion upon someone who asks for it, no one else has the right to complain that more was given to another than to him. In the same way, a creature has no right against God Almighty to demand justice. A servant cannot ask for justice nor can God admit the right of any of His creation to demand justice. Whatever God bestows upon a creature as a reward for his actions is purely His bounty. Actions are nothing in themselves, for no action can be performed without the support and grace of God. When we reflect upon God's law it becomes clear that whatever God Almighty has provided for His creatures is a bounty of two types.

One is the bounty which existed before the coming into being of man and man's action has nothing to do with it. He has created for the benefit of man the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, water, air, fire, etc. and there is no doubt that all these things were prior to the actions of man, and man himself came into being after them. This is the Divine mercy which, in the idiom of the Quran, is called Rahmaniyyat. That is to say, such bounty is not bestowed as a reward of a person's actions, but is by way of pure grace.

The second type of mercy is called Rahimiyyat in the idiom of the Quran; that is to say, the bounty that is bestowed upon man as a reward of his righteous action. Can we imagine that the God Who has demonstrated as an instance of His generous Malikiyyat that He made the earth and heavens and the moon and sun, etc. when there was no trace of His creatures and their actions, is indebted to His creatures and rewards them according to their right, but no more? Had His creatures any right that He should have made the earth and heavens for them and should have created thousands of illuminated bodies in the heavens and thousands of things upon the earth which are a source of comfort and ease? To describe that Absolute Donor as a mere dispenser of justice like a judge and to deny His status and dignity as Master is the height of ingratitude [Chashma Marifat, (Qadian, Anwar Ahmadiyyah Press, 1908); Now published in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984), Vol. 23., pp. 18-20].

It should be borne in mind that Master is the word which does not admit of any rights, and this expression can be applied in its fullness only to God for He alone is the Perfect Master. A person who accepts another as the Master of his life etc. confesses that he has no right to his life and property and that he owns nothing and everything belongs to the Master. In such case, it is not permissible for him to demand from his Master that justice should be done to him in such and such a matter because justice depends upon right and he has given up all his rights. In the same way, man who in juxtaposition to his True Master accepted his own status as that of servant and confessed: We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return (2:157); that is to say, all his property and life and body and progeny are the property of God, after this confession cannot claim any right which he can demand from God. That is why those who are gifted with true understanding despite every type of endeavour and worship and almsgiving, leave themselves to the mercy of God Almighty and attach no value to their actions and make no claim that they have any right. In truth God is only He through Whose bestowed strength a person can accomplish anything good, and He is God. No person can demand justice from God Almighty on account of his personal ability or merit. According to the Holy Quran all God's doings are as Master. As He punishes sin so He also forgives sin. He has power to do both as befits His Malikiyyat. If He were always to punish sin there would be no escape for man, but God forgives most sins and punishes some so that a heedless person being warned should attend to Him. As is said in the Holy Quran: Whatever misfortune befalls you is in consequence of that which you practise. He overlooks many of your defaults (42:31). And in the same Surah is the verse: He it is Who accepts repentance from His servants and forgives sins (42:26). No one should be misled by the fact that the Holy Quran also contains the verse: Whoso will have done the smallest particle of ill will also see it (99:9). There is here no contradiction for the ill that is mentioned here is the ill in which a person persists and from which he does not repent. The Holy Quran repeatedly affirms that remorse and repentance, and noninsistence upon evil, and asking for forgiveness procure forgiveness of sins. Indeed it is said that God loves those who repent as in the verse: Indeed Allah loves those who turn to Him often and Allah loves those who are clean and pure (2:223); meaning that God Almighty loves those who repent and loves those who strive to purify themselves from sin. In short, to punish every sin is contrary to the forgiveness and forbearance of God Almighty, for He is Master and not like a magistrate. He has named Himself Master in the very first Surah of the Holy Quran where it is said He is Maliki Yaumid Deen, that is to say, He is the Master of punishment and reward and it is obvious that no one can be called Master unless He has authority to do both, that is to say, to punish when He wills and to forgive when He wills [Chashma Marifat, (Qadian, Anwar Ahmadiyyah Press, 1908); Now published in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984), Vol. 23., pp. 15-16].

According to the principle of the Aryas, their Permeshwar cannot be accounted Malik for He has not the power to bestow what He has as a pure bounty and gift without any right in the donee. He who is the owner of property has the authority to bestow any portion of it on anyone he chooses, but the Aryas believe that Permeshwar can neither forgive sins nor can He bestow anything on anyone as a gift or bounty, because if He does either He would be acting unjustly. Those who believe in the transmigration of souls cannot affirm that Permeshwar is the Master of creation. We have repeatedly affirmed that it is quite improper to bind a Master to act according to the principles of justice. We can affirm that He Who is Malik is Rahim and Bestower and Generous and forgives sins, but we cannot say that He adheres to justice in respect of His slaves and horses and cattle, inasmuch as the notion of justice is only applicable where there is a certain freedom on both sides. For instance, we can say concerning wordly sovereigns that they are just and treat their subjects with justice. So long as their subjects obey them, the rule of justice makes it obligatory upon them that, in return for the obedience of their subjects and the payment of their dues, the sovereign should safeguard their lives and properties and in times of need should help them out of his wealth. Thus from one aspect sovereigns impose their commands upon their subjects and from another aspect the subjects impose their wishes upon the sovereigns. So long as these aspects operate in cooperation, the country remains at peace, but when either side commits a default the country ceases to be at peace. This shows that we cannot describe a sovereign as a true Malik for he has to behave justly towards his subjects and his subjects have to behave justly towards him. As regards God Almighty, we can call Him Rahim on account of His Malikiyyat, but we cannot call Him just. Any person who is owned by another cannot demand justice from his owner, though he can humbly supplicate for mercy. That is why the Holy Quran does not designate God Almighty as Just, because justice demands mutual equality. God Almighty is just in the sense that He acts justly as between creatures regarding their mutual rights, but He is not just in the sense that any creature of His might demand his right from Him as an associate. All His creatures belong to God and He has authority to treat them as He might wish. He might bestow kingdom upon whom He wills and He might make a beggar of him whom He so wills. He might cause anyone to die young or He might bestow a long life upon any. We ourselves when we own anything are free to bestow it as we might choose. Indeed God is Merciful by virtue of His mercy and not out of any consideration of justice, He provides for His creation. As we have repeatedly affirmed, the quality of Malikiyyat and the quality of justice are inconsistent with each other. Having been created by Him, we have no right to demand justice from Him. We supplicate Him humbly for mercy. It is most unbecoming for a creature to demand justice from God Almighty in His treatment of him. As everything relating to the nature of man is from God and all man's faculties, spiritual as well as physical, are His bounty and a good action can be performed only through the support and strength bestowed by Him, it would be the height of ignorance to demand justice from Him relying upon one's good actions. We cannot account such teaching as based upon true knowledge. Indeed such teaching is deprived of all true understanding and is full of folly. God Almighty has taught us in the Holy Quran that to call God just vis-a-vis His creatures is not only a sin, but is repudiation of God [Chashma Marifat, (Qadian, Anwar Ahmadiyyah Press, 1908); Now published in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984), Vol. 23., pp. 24-26].

Short-sighted Christians, through lack of proper reflection, are involved in the false notion that justice and mercy cannot co-exist in God Almighty, inasmuch as justice demands punishment and mercy demands forbearance. They fail to consider that the justice of God Almighty is also a mercy for it is all for the benefit of mankind. For instance, if God Almighty adjudges that a murderer should be executed this does not add anything to His Godhead. He ordains this so that mankind should not become extinct through killing each other. This is mercy for mankind and God Almighty has established this system of mutual rights between His creatures so that peace might be maintained and no group should trespass against another and thus create disorder. Thus all the punishments prescribed in the sphere of life and property and honour are a mercy for mankind. There is no conflict between justice and mercy. They are like two streams that run parallel to each other in their courses without one interfering with the other. We find the same principle in operation in worldly sovereignties. An offender is punished, but those who behave well and please the Government become recipients of bounties and gifts. It should be borne in mind that the basic attribute of God is mercy, and the notion of justice comes into operation after reason and law are established. That also is in a way a mercy. When reason is bestowed upon a person and through his reason he becomes aware of the limits set by God Almighty and His laws, he becomes subject to the operation of justice, but reason and law are not a condition for the operation of mercy. As God Almighty out of His mercy desired to exalt man above the rest of His creation, He prescribed the limits and rules of justice between them. It is a folly to imagine a contradiction between justice and mercy [Kitabul Bariyyah, (Qadian, Ziaul Islam Press 1898); Now printed in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984), Vol. 13, pp. 55-56].

It is a very fine question, what is the nature of the knowledge of Almighty God through the perfection of which He is aware of the overt and the covert of every particle. It is true that reason cannot comprehend the true condition of that knowledge, yet it is entirely true to say that of all types of knowledge that can be conceived of that knowledge is more powerful and stronger and fuller and more complete. When we observe our own ways of acquiring knowledge and consider its diverse types, we find that the greatest and most certain and most absolute of all the types of knowledge is the knowledge that we possess concerning our own existence. No man can in any condition forget his own existence or entertain any doubt concerning it. So far as our reason extends, we find this type of knowledge more powerful and stronger and fuller and more complete. We find it inconsistent with the perfection of God Almighty that His knowledge with regard to His creatures should in any way be less perfect than this, inasmuch as it would be a default that God Almighty should not possess the highest type of knowledge that could be conceived of and it can be objected why God's knowledge fell short of the highest type. Was it by His own design or by some compulsion? It could not be by His own design for no one deliberately permits a deficiency with regard to himself. Then how should God Almighty, Who loves perfection, permit such a deficiency concerning Himself? If it is said that it is by some compulsion, then it would follow that the compellor would be supreme over God Almighty in his powers and his strength, so that on account of that excess of strength he should be able to restrain God in His designs. But that is impossible in itself because nobody is supreme over God Almighty through whose obstruction He could be confronted with some compulsion. It is established, therefore, that God's knowledge is perfect. We have just now affirmed that of all types of knowledge the most perfect is that which a person has with regard to his own existence. We have therefore to acknowledge that God's knowledge concerning His creation is like that knowledge though we cannot comprehend its true nature. Our reason tells us that the most certain and absolute knowledge is that which should exclude any distance or barrier between the knower and that which is to be known. That knowledge is of this type. As a man is not dependent upon other sources of knowledge in order to be aware of his own existence, to be animate and to consider oneself as an animate are so close to each other as to be identical. Such should be the knowledge of God Almighty concerning the whole universe. Here also there should be no difference and distance between the Knower and that which is to be known. This high quality of knowledge which God needs for the establishment of His Godhead can be predicated of Him, when it is accepted concerning Him that there is so much closeness and such relationship between Him and the subject of His knowledge, greater than which it is not possible to imagine. This perfect relationship with the subjects of His knowledge can exist only when all of them should have proceeded from Him and should be His creation. Their being must be dependent upon His Being. In other words, when the situation should be such that the true existence should be only His and all others should have proceeded from Him and should subsist with His support. Even after their creation they should not be independent of Him and be separate from Him, but in truth after the creation of all things, He alone should be truly alive and all other life should have proceeded from Him and should exist only with His support. He alone should be subject to no limitation and everything else, souls as well as bodies, should be confined within the limits set by Him. He should comprehend everything; everything should be comprehended in His Rububiyyat. There should be nothing which should not have proceeded from His hand and should not be included within His Rububiyyat, nor should it exist without His support. It is only in such a situation that God Almighty would have a perfect relationship with the subjects of His knowledge. This relationship is referred in the Holy Quran as: We are closer to him than his jugular vein (50:17). Similarly at another place it is said: He is the Ever-Living, Self-Existing and All- Sustaining (2:256); that is to say He alone sustains true life and everything else has proceeded from Him and has a life because of Him. In truth He is the Life of all lives and is the Power of all powers. . . .

If the soul is not accepted as having been created, then there would be no reason to assume that someone who bears the fictitious title of Permeshwar would have any knowledge concerning the reality of the soul, whose knowledge would extend to the ultimate limits of the soul. A person who has full knowledge concerning a thing has the power to make it also, and if he has not the power then his knowledge must be defective in some respect. In the absence of full knowledge it would be difficult to distinguish between similar things, let alone to have the power of making them. If God Almighty is not the Creator of things then He not only suffers from the deficiency that His knowledge is incomplete, but it also follows that He would be subject to confusion in distinguish in between millions of souls and might often mistake the soul of X as the soul of Y. Partial knowledge often leads to such confusion [Surma Chashm Arya (Qadian, 1886); Now published in Ruhani Khazain, Volume 2 (London, 1984), pp. 173-178, footnote].

It might be asked that if full comprehension of a thing implies the power to create it then, as God's knowledge of His Own Being is perfect, is He the Creator of His Own Being or has He power to create the like of Himself? The answer to the first part is that were God Almighty the Creator of His Own Being, it would involve His being in existence before His coming into existence and this is an impossibility. God Almighty possessing complete knowledge of His Own Being means that in this instance the Knower and His knowledge and that which is known are all the same and cannot be separated. There is here nothing which should be regarded as having been created. God's knowledge of His Own Being cannot be compared to anything else. In this instance the Knower is not something apart from that which is known so that one may be designated as the Creator and the other as creation. The proper way to put it is that His Being is uncreated and is eternally and everlastingly Self-Existing and that is the meaning of God.

The second part of the objection is that God's complete knowledge of Himself means that He has the power to create His Own like. The answer to this is that God's power directs itself towards matters which are not inconsistent with His eternal attributes. It is true that God, if He so desires, can create that of which He has perfect knowledge, but it is correct and it does not follow that whatever He has the power to do He should proceed to do without regard to His perfect attributes. In the exercise of all His powers He has regard to His perfect attributes and He has it in mind whether that which He wills is not contradictory of His perfect attributes. For instance, He has the power to burn a pious and righteous person in the fire of Hell, but His mercy and justice and attribute of reward would stand in the way, and, therefore, He never does it. In the same way His power is never inclined to destroy Himself for this would be contrary to His eternal life. He does not create His Own like because His attributes of Unity and peerlessness, which are eternal, prevent Him from thinking in that way. It should be understood that to be unable to do something is one thing, but despite the power to do a thing, not to address Himself to something contradictory of His attributes, is quite another [Surma Chashm Arya (Qadian, 1886); Now published in Ruhani Khazain, Volume 2 (London, 1984), pp. 182-185 footnote].

It is characteristic of God Almighty alone to know the hidden by virtue of His personal power and His personal condition. From ancient times those who based themselves upon truth have believed that it is proper for God Almighty that He should know the hidden. This is a personal speciality of His. He has no associate in this attribute as He has no associate in His other attributes. It is, therefore, impossible for anyone to have personal knowledge of the hidden whether he is a Prophet or Muhaddas or Wali. It is true, however, that favourites and chosen ones are given knowledge of hidden mysteries through revelation. This has been so since ancient times and continues today, but such experience is confined to the followers of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him (Tas-deeqen Nabi, pp. 26-27).

Our Ever-Living and All-Sustaining God talks to me like one person talks to another. I ask Him something and supplicate Him and He answers in words full of power. If this should happen a thousand times, He does not fail to answer. In His words He discloses wonderful hidden matters and displays scenes of extraordinary powers till He makes it clear that He Alone is the One Who should be called God. He accepts prayers and intimates their acceptance. He resolves great difficulties and through repeated supplications revives those who are sick unto death. He discloses all these designs of His in advance through His words which relate to future events. He proves that He is the God of heaven and earth. He addressed me and told me that He would safeguard me against death by plague and all those who dwell in my house in piety and righteousness. Who else is there in this age except myself who has published such a revelation and disclosed God's promise concerning the members of his family and other pious people who dwell within his house [Naseem-e-Dawat, (Qadian, Ziaul Islam Press, 1903); Now printed in Ruhani Khazain, Vol.19, p. 82]?

Among the natural conditions of a person is the search for a Higher Being for Whom there is an attraction in the heart of every person. The effect of that search begins to be felt as soon as a child is born. As soon as it is born it exhibits a spiritual characteristic which is that it leans towards its mother and entertains a natural affection for her. As its senses develop and the flower of its nature blooms, this attraction of love, which is inherent in it, begins to exhibit itself patently. It finds no comfort anywhere except in the lap of its mother. If it is separated from its mother and is put at a distance from her, its life becomes bitter, and though a heap of bounties may be placed before it, it finds its true comfort only in its mother's lap and nowhere else. Then what is this attraction that it feels towards its mother?