The Holy War — Page 19
Proceedings—Debate 22 May 1893 19 Moses accepted this statement. Now do tell, a thing visible can, in no way, be God and yet the vision was seen; hence, we call it a man- ifestation of Allah ; not Allah. In like manner, we do not call Christ, the creature, Allah , but rather a manifestation of Allah. If God was to call out, from the pillar in front of us, which is made of mud and bricks, and wish to say that, ‘I am your Lord, heed such and such statement of Mine,’ so, although this matter is against experience, is it outside the realm of possibility that God cannot do this? (In our opinion it is not outside the realm of possibility). Third— We have not believed the son of Allah as having a body. We believe Allah to be a spirit, not a body. Fourth— Regarding any matter, our request is this, that a matter needing interpretation should, no doubt, be interpreted, but reality should not corrupt the interpretation. If some reality is contrary to a matter that took place, then it should be at once declared false rather than distorting a falsity to make it true. Fifth— Regarding the Immortal Being, let it be known by Your Honour that the word ‘son’ and ‘firstborn’ are used in two ways in the Bible. The first way is that he is نت ی � [ yak-tann ], with God. The second is that he is نم ی � [ yak-mann ], one in spirit enjoying His pleasure. (The yak-tann form is that which is one in essence, and the yak-mann form is when he is not associated in essence but enjoys the pleasure of God). About which prophet or saintly personage is it written in the Bible that, ‘Awake, O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow’ (Zechariah 13:7)? And then about whom is it written thus, that on the throne of David shall Yahuda, our Righteousness come ( Jeremiah)? And who said that I am Alpha