Bounties of the Gracious God — Page 5
The newspaper Al-LiwĀ’ & a Heavenly Sign 5 for the one who is not cautious, these means become the closer and broader doors of shirk. There are many such peoples who were destroyed and ruined by shirk. As a result, such people have become like naturist and atheists who boastfully and arrogantly mock religion, as you can see and observe in this age. We do not prohibit from having recourse to physical means in moderation. However, we do forbid becoming totally engrossed in them and forgetting the Omnipotent Allah. Whoever inclines completely towards these means has surely transgressed. Moreover, if one has forsaken the means under the guidance of the Wise God, then this constitutes a sign from among the signs of Allah the Glorious and the Exalted, and a sane mind does not view this to be bad. And you have heard examples of this in the past. Know that there are some actions of Auliy a ’ull a h [the Friends of Allah] that reason cannot perceive and only a fool raises an objection against them. Have you forgotten the story of Moses’ companion? That story is more intriguing than mine as it is not hidden from anyone. He killed an innocent soul that had not killed anyone, and he did what he was told not to do. He bored a hole into the boat and it was believed that he would drown those who were in the boat. Surely, he acted in a strange manner. However, in this is a subtle point of wisdom, and that is, material means have not been cre- ated but for the sake of Auliy a ’ull a h. If these means did not exist, the characteristics of material things would lose their efficacy and the endeavours of the physicians would go in vain. Auliy a ’ull a h are intercessors for the people of the world and their existence is like an amulet for the people. If such personages did not exist, all people would have perished through epidemics. Thus, medicine