ANGELS (continued...)
I wonder at the intelligence of people who consider the mediation of vapors as essential for rain which comes down from the clouds and deem it impossible for rain to descend without clouds, but for the rain of revelation which falls upon pure hearts, they laugh out of their ignorance at the mediation of angels which is essential according to the law, and they inquire whether God Almighty could not send down revelation direct without the mediation of angels. They admit that it is contrary to the law of nature that a sound should be heard without the mediation of air, but they are unaware of the law of nature whereby that air is needed which would spiritually carry the voice of God Almighty to the hearts of the recipients of revelation. They agree that to enable physical eyes to see the light of the sun is necessary, but they do not concede the need of any heavenly light for spiritual eyes.
Now we know the Divine law, that this universe with all its physical and spiritual faculties is like the limbs of God and everything in its place and time operates as such limbs, and that every design of God Almighty is manifested through these limbs, and no design is manifested without their mediation. It should be realized that the relationship of Gabriel to Divine revelation that descends upon pure hearts, which is recognized as essential in Islamic law, depends upon the true philosophy that we have just mentioned. According to the law of nature that we have mentioned for the communication of revelation or for the bestowal of the capacity to receive revelation, it is necessary that some creation should serve as a limb for the manifestation of the Divine design of revelation as is the case with the fulfillment of physical Divine designs. That limb is, in other words, called Gabriel, who following a movement of the Divine, immediately comes into motion like a limb. When God Almighty turns with love towards a heart that loves Him, then according to the law that we have just mentioned Gabriel, who is related to God Almighty like the air of the breath, or the light of the eye, has also to move simultaneously. In other words, with the movement of God Almighty Gabriel also comes into motion involuntarily as the shadow moves with the movement of the original. When the light of Gabriel comes into motion under the power of attraction and motion of the illumined breath of God Almighty, then simultaneously a reflection of it, which should be called the Holy Spirit, is inscribed in the heart of the sincere lover and becomes a necessary part of his true love. Then this power bestows the capacity of an ear for hearing the voice of God and becomes a substitute for eyes for beholding His wonders and works like inspiring heat for causing His revelation to flow from the tongue and guides the tongue forcefully along the lines of the revelation. Till this faculty is created man's heart is blind and his tongue is like a railway wagon which is disconnected from the locomotive. It must, however, be borne in mind that this faculty which is called the Holy Spirit is not produced to the same degree in every heart, but according to the degree of a man's love this light of Gabriel affects him.
It should also be remembered that this power of the Holy Spirit, which by the meeting of the two loves is produced in the heart of man by the reflection of the light of Gabriel, does not mean that a person should constantly hear the word of God Almighty or should constantly behold something through visions. It is a means for the absorbing of heavenly lights. In other words, it is a spiritual light to enable spiritual eyes to see, or is spiritual air for conveying sound to spiritual ears from God. It is obvious that unless there is something within sight mere light cannot exhibit anything, and that unless words issue from the mouth of a speaker no voice can be carried to the ears. This light or air is a heavenly aid which is bestowed for spiritual senses, as for physical eyes the light of the sun and for physical ears air have been appointed as a medium. When God Almighty designs to convey His word to the heart of a recipient of revelation then instantaneously a wave of light or a wave of air or a wave of heat for moving the tongue of the recipient of revelation is created in the light of Gabriel for conveyance, and in consequence of this wave or heat simultaneously that text appears before the eyes of the recipient of revelation in writing, or its sound reaches his ears, or its words flow from his tongue. Spiritual senses and spiritual light, which are bestowed as a faculty before revelation, are so bestowed so that before its descent the capacity to receive it should be created. Had it descended at a time when the heart of the recipient did not possess spiritual senses, or the light of the Holy Spirit had not reached his eye or his heart, then through the pure light of what eyes could he have perceived the Divine revelation? It is on account of this need that these two faculties are bestowed in advance upon the recipients of revelation.
Gabriel has three functions relating to revelation. First, when the womb receives the seed of such a person whose nature God, out of His Rahmaniyyat - with which human action has no connection - desires to make a nature capable of receiving revelation, He casts the shadow of the light of Gabriel on him in that very condition. Then such a person's nature develops, under Divine direction, the capacity for receiving revelation and he acquires senses for the receipt of revelation. Secondly, when the love of a servant falls under the shadow of Divine love then, on account of the providential movement of God Almighty, a movement is produced in the light of Gabriel and that light falls on the heart of the true lover. That is to say, a reflection of that light falls on his heart and produces in it a reflection of Gabriel which operates as light or air or heat and dwells within him as a faculty for the receipt of revelation. One end of it is sunk in the light of Gabriel and the other enters into the heart of the recipient of revelation. This, in other words, is called the Holy Spirit or its reflection. Thirdly, it is the function of Gabriel that when Divine word manifests itself he comes into motion like a wave and carries the word to the ears of the heart, or being illumined like light presents it to the eyes or, in the guise of heat, causes the tongue to utter the words of the revelation {Tauzihi Maram ( Amritsar, Riyaz Hind Press) , Now published in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol. 3, pp. 77-83}.
When Divine love descends upon human love, then by the meeting of the two a bright and perfect shadow of the Holy Spirit is created in the heart of man and at this stage of meeting the light of the Holy Spirit is very bright. Extraordinary feats of power, which we have just mentioned, proceed from such people because the light of the Holy Spirit is ever present with them and dwells within them and this light never departs from them and they are never separated from it. That light issues from them every moment with their breath and falls upon everything with their look and exhibits its brightness in their words. The name of this light is the Holy Spirit, but this is not the Holy Spirit itself for the Holy Spirit itself is in heaven. This Holy Spirit is a reflection which dwells for ever in pure breasts and hearts and brains and does not depart from them even for a moment. Anyone who thinks that at any time the Holy Spirit with all its effects departs from them is entirely based upon falsehood and insults the holy elect of God Almighty by his dark thought. It is true, however, that the Holy Spirit itself remains at its station, but its reflection which is metaphorically called the Holy Spirit, enters into the breasts and hearts and brains and limbs of those people who, having arrived at the stage of meeting God and immortality, become worthy that the perfect love of God Almighty with its blessings should descend upon their clear and bright love. When that Holy Spirit descends it establishes a relationship with that person like the relationship of the soul with the body. It becomes the faculty of sight and works in the eyes, and putting on the garment of the faculty of hearing bestows spiritual sense on the ears, it becomes the power of speech of the tongue and the righteousness of the heart and the intelligence of the brain and flows through the hands and affects the feet. In short, it lifts all darkness from the body and illumines it from the hair of the head to the nails of the toes. Were it to depart for a moment, darkness would immediately take its place. It is such a good companion for the perfect people that it does not depart from them for a moment and to imagine that it can depart from them would be a confession that after entering into light they fall again into darkness, and that after having been protected and made secure their evil-directing minds revert to them and that after they are bestowed spiritual senses, those senses are rendered useless and are suspended..
Every light and comfort and satisfaction and blessing and steadfastness, and every spiritual bounty, is bestowed upon the elect through the Holy Spirit. As for the disbelievers and the wicked, Satan has been appointed their evil companion for all time so that he might spread darkness over them every moment and should not leave them alone in their standing and sitting and movement and rest and sleep and waking, and so for those who are close to God, the Holy Spirit has been appointed as a good companion for all time so that it should constantly rain down light upon them and should support them every moment and should not depart from them at any time.
It is obvious that in contrast with the evil companion who is the servant and colleague of the wicked, it is necessary that the good companion should always keep company with those who are close to God, and the Holy Quran confirms this. Our opponents, however, imagine and assert that the Holy Spirit is the name of Gabriel who sometimes descends from heaven and is in close contact with the elect, so much so, that he enters into their hearts, and sometimes he leaves them alone and separates himself from them and ascends to heaven at a measureless distance, and cutting off altogether from the elect conceals himself in his station. They are then deprived altogether of the light and blessing which at the time of his descent pervades their hearts and brains and their very hair. If such should be the case, would it not follow that after the departure of the Holy Spirit those elect are again surrounded by darkness and in place of the good companion they are subjected to the influence of the evil companion? Now keep in mind the fear of God and reflect whether it is consistent with respect and faith and insight and the love of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, to imagine that he was subject to this defective condition that the Holy Spirit departed from him for days, and that during such periods he was deprived of the holy lights which are a reflection of the Holy Spirit. Is it not an irony that the Christians should believe firmly that from the moment that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus it never departed from him and that he was supported every moment by the Holy Spirit, so much so, that it did not depart from him even in his sleep and that it never ascended to heaven leaving him alone and deserted and that the light of the Holy Spirit never departed from him for a moment; and that the Muslims should believe that the Holy Spirit some- times separated himself from the Holy Prophet, peace be on him {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. 72-75}.
Angels Descend With The Advent Of A KhalifahSomeone might wonder what is the meaning of the descent of angels? It is the way of Allah that when a Messenger or a Prophet or a Muhaddas descends from heaven for the reform of people, such angels descend with him who convey guidance to eager hearts and incline them towards good, and they continue their descent till the darkness of disbelief and misguidance is removed and the dawn of faith and righteousness appears. As is said in the Holy Quran: Therein descend angels and the Spirit by the command of their Lord with the decrees of their Lord concerning every matter. It is all peace, till the break of dawn (97: 5-6). Thus the descent of angels and of the Holy Spirit from heaven takes place when a great personality invested with the robe of khilafat and honored with the Word of God descends to the earth. Such a one is specially bestowed the Holy Spirit and the angels who accompany him descend on the eager hearts of the whole world. Then, wherever people possessing appropriate capacity are found, the reflection of that light falls upon them and a glow spreads over the whole universe. Through the holy influence of the angels good ideas surge up in the hearts and the Unity of God becomes dear and a spirit of truth-loving and truth-seeking is breathed into hearts that are straightforward, and the weak are strengthened and a wind begins to blow which helps the purpose and goal of that reformer. By the urging of a hidden hand, people begin to move towards goodness and a movement starts among nations. Then the ignorant ones imagine that the ideas of the world have of themselves taken a turn in the direction of truth, but in reality it is the doing of the angels who descend from heaven with God's Khalifah and bestow extraordinary powers for accepting and understanding the truth. They awaken those who are asleep, and alert those who are heedless, and open the ears of the deaf, and breathe the spirit of life into the dead and pull out those who are in the graves. Then suddenly, people begin to open their eyes and their hearts begin to perceive those matters which were previously hidden. These angels are not something separate from God's Khalifah. They are the light of His countenance and they are the bright signs of His resolve who, by their magnetic power, draw to themselves everyone who is in accord with them whether physically he is near or far, or whether he is known or is a stranger, and is even unaware of the name of the Khalifah. Whatever movement towards good takes place at the time and whatever eagerness for the acceptance of truth is generated, whether in the peoples of Asia, or of Europe, or of America, is manifested through the urging of the angels that descend with God's Khalifah. This is Divine law which never changes and is easy to understand (Fateh Islam, pp. 19-21, footnote).
This humble one knows from his own experience that the holiness of the Holy Spirit operates all the time without cessation in all the faculties of the recipient of revelation, and that without the influence of the holiness of the Holy Spirit, he cannot safeguard himself against impurities for a moment. The cause of permanent lights and steadfastness and love and sinlessness and blessings is that the Holy Spirit is with him always and all the time. Then how can it be imagined with regard to the Holy Prophet that at any time he was left without these blessings and purity and lights {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. 93-94, footnote}.
It is worthy of note that these Maulvis have raised Jesus high in everything and have insulted our lord and master the Holy Prophet. It is to be deplored that with regard to Jesus they believe that the Holy Spirit never departed from him and that he was free from the touch of Satan, and that these two characteristics were special to him, but with regard to the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, their belief is that neither the Holy Spirit remained with him all the time, nor was he free (God save us) from the touch of Satan. Despite such beliefs they are called Muslims. In their estimation our lord and master Muhammad, the chosen one, peace be on him, is dead, but Jesus is still alive and that the Holy Spirit is a permanent companion of Jesus, but that the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, is God save us) deprived of this bounty and that Jesus is safeguarded against the touch of Satan, but that the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, is not thus safeguarded. Who can estimate the harm that is being done to Islam in this age by people who have such beliefs? They are hidden enemies of the Holy Prophet and every Muslim and true lover of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, should avoid them {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. 110-111}.
The same is the case with a deductive error of a Prophet. The Holy Spirit never departs from a Prophet, but on some occasions for some purpose of His own, God Almighty takes possession of the intelligence and perception of a Prophet and in such a condition some word or action proceeds from him in forgetfulness or error and then the Divine design becomes apparent. The river of revelation then flows in strength and the error is erased as if it never existed. Jesus advanced towards a fig tree to eat of its fruit and though he was accompanied by the Holy Spirit, it failed to warn him that the tree bore no fruit at the time. It must, however, be understood that that which is rare is as if it did not exist. In a million words and actions of our lord and master Muhammad, the chosen one, peace be on him, is observed the manifestation of the Divine and the shining lights of the Holy Spirit are seen in all his movements and words and actions. Then of what consequence is it if his humanness is displayed in one or two matters. Indeed it was necessary that this should sometimes happen so that his humanness might be confirmed and people should not get involved in shirk {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. 115-116}.
The Holy Spirit Descends According To One's Degree Of Love And SincerityA question is raised that if the Holy Spirit is bestowed only upon those Divine favorites who arrive at the stage of survival (baqa) and meeting (laqa), then how can it safeguard everyone? The answer is that the perfect descent of the Holy Spirit takes place upon Divine favorites, but its general support is enjoyed also by others according to their degree of love and sincerity. The higher manifestation of the Holy Spirit takes place when, at the stage of survival and meeting, Divine love descends upon human love and the meeting of the two loves produces that manifestation of the Holy Spirit compared with which other manifestations are as nothing, but this does not mean that other manifestations do not take place at all. God Almighty does not let go waste even a particle of sincere love and when His love descends upon the love of man, the Holy Spirit shines to the same degree. It is a firm Divine law that Divine love descends according to the degree of everyone's love, and when the river of human love flows a river of love descends from the other side, and when the two rivers meet a great light is generated which in our idiom is called the Holy Spirit. You will notice that if a tea-spoonful of sugar is added to a jug of water, the water will not taste sweet, but it cannot be said that no sugar was added to it. This is the case with the Holy Spirit that descends in a deficient way upon deficient people. Its descent is not to be doubted for the idea of good is generated in the mind of the lowest person by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes a wicked evil-doer also sees a true dream and that is the effect of the Holy Spirit as is proved by the Holy Quran and true ahadeeth, but as compared with its great relationship to the holy ones and favorites of God, it amounts to nothing and is as if it did not exist {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. 77-80, footnote}.
Angels Can Be SeenWhy angels are not visible is a useless speculation. The angels, like God Almighty, are imperceptible beings. Then how can they be visible to our physical eyes? Is God Almighty, whose existence is admitted by even these philosophers, visible to physical eyes? Besides, it is not true that angels cannot be beheld in any way. Those who possess insight behold angels with their spiritual eyes in their visions which they experience very often in a state of wakefulness. They talk to the angels and learn many things from them. I call God to witness that I am telling the truth when I say that I have, on many occasions, seen angels in my visions and have learnt things from them and have been told of past or future events which turn out to be facts. Then how can I say that angels are not visible? They are doubtless visible, but with other eyes. As these people laugh at these things, those who possess insight weep at their condition. If they were to keep company with me they could be satisfied through visions, but the trouble is that they suffer from arrogance which does not permit them to come over in humility as seekers after truth {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. 181-183), footnote}.
Angels Are Mediators For The Spiritual Development Of ManA question is raised why does God Almighty need angels for putting His designs into effect? Does His kingdom depend upon His staff like human governments and does He need armies as they need them? The answer is that God Almighty does not need anything, angels or sun or moon or stars, but He desired that His powers should be exhibited through the mediation of means so that thereby wisdom and knowledge should spread among people. If there had been no mediation of means, there would have been no astronomy, or physics, or medicine, or the science of vegetables. It is the employment of means that gave rise to these sciences. If you will reflect you will find that if there is any objection to the employment of angels, the same objection applies to putting the sun and moon and stars and vegetables and minerals and elements into service. Anyone who possesses insight knows that every particle works in accordance with the Divine design and that a drop of water that goes inside us cannot produce any favorable or unfavorable effect upon our body without the command of God. Thus all particles and heavenly bodies are in reality types of angels, who occupy themselves day and night with service; some serve the human body and others serve the human soul. The All-Wise, Who chose the mediation of means for the physical development of man and created many physical mediators to influence the human body in diverse ways, the same One without associate, Whose works have unity and relativity, chose that man's spiritual development should also follow the system which has been adopted for his physical development so that the two systems, the external and the internal, and the physical and the spiritual, through their unity and relativity, should point to the One Creator, Who regulates everything by His will. This is the reason why for the spiritual and physical development of man angels were appointed as mediators. All these mediators are under the control of God Almighty like a machine which is run by His holy hand. They have no will of their own, nor do they exercise any control. As the air influences our body by Divine command and goes out of it by His command, the same is the case with angels. They do that which they are commanded (I 6: 5 I ) . It is a pity that Pandit Daya Nand has raised an objection against the system of angels. Would that he had knowledge of God's physical and spiritual systems so that instead of raising objections he would have been convinced of the excellencies of the teaching of the Quran, which presents a correct and true picture of the law of nature {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. 85-88, footnote}.
Angels Distribute And Regulate MattersIt is asked that if angels are the regulators and distributors of matters, then how is it that our plans succeed and most matters are concluded according to our will through our projects and plans? The answer is that our projects and plans are not independent of the mediation of angels and their suggestions and revelation. The functions that the angels perform by the command of God Almighty, they perform through persons who are naturally inclined towards acceptance of the suggestions of angels. For instance, when the angels desire to bring down rain upon a field, or a village, or a country with God's command, they cannot themselves become water nor can they make fire to perform the function of water, but they guide the clouds to the goal and, becoming regulators, cause rain to descend in accord with the quantity and to the limit that has been determined. The clouds possess all those faculties which are possible in a lifeless article which has no will and no intelligence and which are in accord with its condition and the character of its elements. The function of the angels is distribution and regulation. That is why they are called distributors and regulators. The suggestion and revelation that the angels communicate are according to the nature of the person concerned. The revelation that they communicate to God's elect they cannot communicate to others. Every person receives grace from the suggestions of angels according to his capacity. The help of angels is received in respect of the art or science to which one is inclined. For instance, when it is the Divine design that someone's constipation should be overcome by a medicine, an angel suggests to the physician the medicine that should be administered to him. The physician prescribes the medicine and with the help of angels the system of the patient accepts it and does not throw it out and the angels influence the action of the medicine and create a reaction in the body and the undesirable matter is expelled from the body by the command of God. By His extreme Wisdom and perfect Power, God Almighty does not let go waste the system of external arts and sciences and does not suspend his Divine control and possession. Had God Almighty not possessed this minute control over the conditions of His creation and its continuation and destruction, He would not have been God, nor would His Unity have been established. It is true, however, that God Almighty has not desired that all these mysteries should become obvious and visible to the eyes of the world for if they had been obvious there would have been no merit in believing in them {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. I85-I88, footnote}.
The Functions Of The Holy Spirit And Of SatanA question is raised that if the Holy Spirit is appointed to restrain a person from evil conduct, then why does he commit sin and why is he involved in disbelief and disobedience and vice? The answer is that God Almighty has for the purpose of testing man appointed two spiritual callers; one caller to good whose name is the Holy Spirit and the other caller to vice, whose name is Iblees and Satan. These two callers only call to good or evil but do not exercise any compulsion as is indicated in the verse: He revealed to it the right and wrong of everything (91: 9). This means that God revealed the wrong and the right. The means of revealing the wrong is Satan, who makes evil suggestions, and the means of revealing the right is the Holy Spirit, who puts pure thoughts in the heart. As God Almighty is the Cause of causes He has attributed both these types of revelation to Himself because all this system is instituted by Him. Otherwise, what power would Satan have to make evil suggestions to anyone's heart and what power would the Holy Spirit have to guide anyone along the paths of righteousness? Our opponents the Aryas, the Brahmos and the Christians, out of their short-sightedness, raise an objection to the teaching of the Holy Quran that according to it God Almighty has Himself set Satan after man and thus He desires to mislead mankind, but this is a mistake. They ought to know that the Holy Quran does not teach that Satan can exercise compulsion for leading anyone astray. Nor is it the teaching that Satan is appointed only for the purpose of calling to evil. The teaching is that this is a trial and a test. Man has been equally bestowed the touch of angels and the touch of Iblees, one calling to good and the other to evil so that being confronted with this trial man should acquire merit or should become subject to chastisement. If only one type of means had been provided, for instance, if all man's external and internal emotions had drawn him only towards good, or if his nature had been such that he would not have been capable of doing anything except good, then there was no reason that he could have been awarded any rank of nearness to God on account of his good actions, inasmuch as all his means and emotions would have been for doing good and the desire of evil would from the beginning have been absent from his nature. In such case by what right could he have deserved merit for avoiding vice? For instance, if a person who from the beginning lacks sexual power and has no desire for women, should claim that he passed a certain time in the company of young beautiful women, but that he is so pious that he did not look upon hem with desire even once and feared God all the time, here is no doubt that everyone would laugh at him and would inquire from him when did he possess such power for restraining which he could take pride in himself or could hope for merit. It should be realized that in his elementary and intermediary conditions all hopes of merit of a seeker are created by opposing emotions and if in those stages his nature should be such that he cannot commit any vice, he cannot deserve any merit either. For instance, our systems do not secrete, like scorpions and snakes, a kind of poison through which we could hurt anyone like scorpions and snakes. We cannot, therefore, deserve any merit in the estimation of Allah by refraining from causing such hurt. This shows that opposing emotions which pull a person towards vice are the cause of merit for him, for when out of fear of God he discards such emotions, then he becomes worthy of praise in the estimation of God and wins His pleasure. He who arrives t the extreme point of virtue and is rid of all opposing motions as if his Satan had become a Muslim, would still deserve merit for he has traversed the stages of trial with great courage. A righteous person who in his youth has accomplished many great works receives merit for them even in his old age {Ayenae Kamalati Islam (Qadian, Riyadh Hind Press 1893) Now prited in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol.5, pp. 80- 85, footnote}.
Some foolish people object to the existence of Satan, as if God Himself desired to lead people astray. This is not so. Every intelligent person can understand that everyone has two faculties, one is called the touch of Satan and the other is called the touch of angels. That is to say, human nature displays that sometimes through unknown means a good idea is generated in a person's mind and his heart inclines towards good works, and then sometimes an evil idea rises in his mind and he is inclined towards vice and wickedness and wrong and evil. The power that is the source of evil thoughts is, according to the Quranic teaching, Satan and the power that is the source of good ideas is an angel {Article attached to Chashmai Ma’arafat ( Qadian, Anwar Ahmadiyyah Press, 1908) Now published in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol. 23, p. 68}.
If it is asked: Does Satan disobey God when he believes in His existence and Unity?, the answer is that his disobedience is not like the disobedience of man. but that he has been created like that for the trial of man. This is a mystery the details of which have not been disclosed to man. It is the character of man that mostly he is guided aright by acquiring knowledge about God Almighty, as is said in the Holy Quran: Of the servants of Allah, it is those who possess knowledge that fear Him (35:29); but those who have a satanic character are outside this rule {Haqiqatul Wahi (Qadian, Magazine Press 1907) , Now published in Ruhani Khazain (London, 1984) vol. 22., p.119, footnote}.
The Highest And Lowest Points Of God's CreationWe have already stated that the possessor of extreme perfection whose being is situated at the highest point of the line of creation is the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, and in contrast with him the meanest being who is situated at the extreme lowest point is called Satan. The being of Satan is not apparent and felt, but observing this system of the line of creation, we have to confess that as at the highest point of exaltation is a being who is good personified who appeared in the world as a guide towards good, in contrast with him there should be at the extreme lowest point a being who incites towards evil and pulls towards it. For this reason in the heart of every person there is found internally the effect of both these beings. The holy effect of Muhammad, the chosen one, peace be on him, the pure being who is also called the Spirit of Truth and Light calls every heart to goodness and virtue through holy emotions and inner attention. To the degree to which anyone develops love and relationship with him to that degree he is bestowed the faculty of faith and light spreads in his heart so that he takes on his color and acquires by way of reflection all those excellencies that belong to him. The influence of the being who incites towards evil, that is to say, Satan, whose station is the extreme lowest point, pulls everyone, whose heart has any relationship with him, towards shirk. To the degree to which anyone establishes a relationship with him, to that degree his thinking turns to disbelief and wickedness so that when he acquires a complete resemblance to him he takes on his color and becomes a complete Satan and acquires all the grades of wickedness which belong to Satan. In the same manner the friends of Rahman and the friends of Satan are pulled in different directions according to their relationship (Surma Chashm Arya, pp. 200-203, footnote).