The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 231
The Holy Prophetsa 231 tionship and sympathy between the children of Adam should be lasting, inasmuch as natural relationship is lasting and non-natural relationship is not lasting for it lacks the attraction which characterizes natural relationship. Thus, God created naturally both kinds of relationship which Adam should have had, with God and with mankind. . It is thus obvious that the perfect man, who is capable of being an intercessor, must be one who partakes perfectly of both these relationships, and without this man cannot be perfect. After Adam also, the way of God was that both these relationships were considered necessary for a person who was to be an intercessor, that is to say, one relationship was that the heavenly spirit was breathed into him and God established such a relationship with him as if He descended upon him, and the second relationship was that of the consortship of mankind which was strengthened between Adam and Eve and mutual love and sympathy which shone forth between them more brightly than between others. It was because of this that these people were attracted to their wives. And this is the most apparent sign that they possess the spirit of sympathy for mankind. This is indicated by the Ḥadith: اخيركم خيركم لاهله. That is to say, the person who is most kind to mankind can only be the one who is kind to his wife. For he who treats his wife harshly cannot possibly behave beneficently towards others, inasmuch as God having created. Adam, made his wife the first object of his love. Therefore, he who does not love his wife or has no wife to love, cannot attain to the status of a perfect man and lacks one of the conditions of intercession. Even if he is