Allah The Exalted — Page 82
8 75 A similar limitation to that which governs bodies is also found in the case of souls. You can easily understand that the excellences which a human soul can exhibit, or to- wards which it can make progress, are not available to the soul of an elephant despite its size and bulk. In the same way, the soul of every animal is confined to the limits of its species with reference to its faculties and capacities and it can acquire only those excellences which are appointed for its species. Thus as the limita- tions of bodies indicate that they have a Limiter and Creator, in the same way, the limitations of the capacities of souls also indicate that they have a Creator and a Lim- iter. [Chashma-e-Ma‘rifat, R uha n i Khaz a ’in, Vol. 23, pp. 17-19] Creation and Differences in Rank It would be an intrusion into the works of God, which is not permissible, to enquire why did God create a differ- ence between capacities and why was not everyone bestowed such capacities as would enable him to arrive at the stage of perfect understanding and perfect love. Every reasonable person can understand that no one has a right against God to enquire that everyone should have the same rank and should be endowed with excellent faculties. It is a matter of His grace to bestow whatever He wills. For instance, God has made you man and has not made a donkey a man. You have been endowed with reason and a donkey has not been so endowed. You can acquire 75 ‘[He] has created everything, and has ordained for its proper measure. ’—al-Furq a n, 25:3 [Publisher]