The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 84
84 له ما في السمواتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ 49. Essence of Islam-1. It should be observed with what nicety, dignity, and wisdom has the Holy Qur'an in this verse put forth the reasoning in support of the existence of the Creator of the universe and in how few words vast meanings and wise points have been comprehended. For ‘everything in the heavens and earth' has established by firm reasoning the existence of a Creator possessing perfect attributes in words whose excellence and comprehensiveness have not been equalled by anything said by a philosopher. . The philosophers of defective intelligence have not been able to appreciate that souls and bodies were created and are not eternal, and have remained unaware that true life, and true existence and true sustenance belong only to. God. This deep understanding can only be learnt from the verse in which it is stated that true life and eternal existence belong only to Allāh Who combines all perfect attributes in Himself. Except Him, nothing else enjoys true existence and true sustenance. This very thing has been presented as an argument for the need of a Creator of the universe and it is affirmed: 50 له ما في السّمواتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ ). That is to say: As the universe is neither really selfexisting, nor self-subsisting, it does necessarily need an efficient cause through which it obtained life and continuation. It is also necessary that that such an efficient 49 Allāh there is no God but He, the Living, the Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining. Slumber seizes Him not, nor sleep. To Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. ' al-Baqarah, 2:256 [Publisher] 50 'To Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. ' al-Baqarah, 2:256 [Publisher]