The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 445
The Holy Qur'ān 445 necessary to go further into the matter, for what we have said so far is enough to refute the objection of our opponents. . The only way of obtaining the grace of the Supporter of the universe is to supplicate with all one's faculties and force and strength. This is not a new way but has been inherent from the beginning in man's nature. A person who desires to tread along the path of servitude adopts this way, and the person who seeks the grace of God follows this path, and the person who seeks Divine mercy obeys these eternal laws. These laws are not new like the god of the Christians, but are firm laws which are eternal and are the practice of Allāh which has been in operation all the time, the truth of which is apparent to every sincere seeker on account of the multiplicity of his experience. Every blessing proceeds in this way that the Being Who is the Absolute Controller and the Cause of causes and is the Fountainhead of all grace, whose name in the idiom of the Qur'an is Allāh, first displays. His attribute of Raḥmāniyyat and brings into existence whatever is needed, before one's own effort, out of His pure grace and beneficence without the intervention of any action on our part. When the attribute of Raḥmāniyyat has done this work to perfection, and man having been bestowed the power exerts himself to the limit, then it is for God Almighty to display His attribute of Raḥīmiyyat, and to bring about a good result from the effort and diligence of His servant and safeguarding his industry from going waste, to bestow his object upon him. It is on account of this second attribute that it is said that he who seeks finds and he who asks is given, and he who knocks it is opened for him. . . .