A Letter to a Dear One — Page 23
Muhammad Zafrulla Khan 23 guests at all time. A house surrounded by huge grounds with orchards and beautiful gardens. If such a man were to invite an ignorant, wretched friend over, one who is un-accustomed to the riches, such a person would be in total awe of his well-off friend’s house. He could jolly well take the liveried staff for some officials and be apprehended by them, and might implore for mercy, saying: ‘O powerful deity! Have mercy on me and forgive my mistakes and keep me in your favors. ’ Upon entering a room and sighting an illuminated chandelier, he could fall down in prostration supplicating to it. He could very well also fall down in awe in front of huge mirrors reflecting the chandelier. If he notices that the electric fan is working of it’s own accord producing pleasant cooling air, he could even turn to it, supplicating. Once outside in the garden, he could make similar gestures towards the flowers, shrubs, trees, fountains, etc. He could be totally aghast watching someone communicating on the telephone, and if he sights an aeroplane in the air, he could imagine it to be the deity of death descending and his own death imminent. People who worship the sun and moon and the stars, etc. , are indeed even worse and astonishing than this wretched person. They deem these things to possess good and evil, whereas all this is created by Allah to serve mankind. The Unity of God illuminates Allah’s true dignity; it places man on his rightful station and save Allah’s fear, eliminates all other fears from his heart. Doors to all kinds of knowledge open up to him. His mental powers are polished and ways and means to inventions and discoveries are laid open. When man’s belief, that the universe and all it’s arrangement is for man’s progress and service, is strengthened, he then reflects and engages himself in finding out their real benefits—it is then that he discovers a new erudition everyday. It is the Unity of God that has established equality in human beings. When all mankind is created by One Creator and He alone is their Preserver and has power over everything and is the Master of everything and is alone worthy of worship, and He issues forth all benefits, favors and progress, then no man in himself can be superior to another and the doors to Allah’s nearness are open to all alike. As human beings each person is considered equal and the division of color and creed is eliminated. Indeed for recognition purposes national divisions remain—but these divisions are not a bench mark for honor or disgrace. Allah’s love and His fear become the true measure of honor.