Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 47
27 December 1907 47 Word of God has a lot of metaphors. For instance, at one place the heart has also been called the Arsh because God mani- fests Himself upon the heart. Similarly, Arsh refers to that station at which the realm of creation ends. Scholars know that tashbih [similitude] is one thing and then there is tanzih [transcendence]. For instance, when it is said that He [God] is always with you wherever you might be, and that wherever there are five, the sixth there is their God—this is a kind of similitude which gives the false impression that God is finite. To remove this mis- understanding and by way of elucidating the point, it is stated that He is at the Arsh beyond the domain of creation. And it is not the kind of throne which is made of silver or gold etc. , decorated with diamonds and the like. Rather, it is a lofty and exalted station which is beyond the beyond. This kind of meta- phor is found abundantly in the Holy Quran. For example, it is stated by God Almighty that: 1 ْنَم َناَك ْيِف ٖۤهِذٰه ىٰمْعَا َوُهَف يِف ِةَرِخٰاْلا ىٰمْعَا َو ُّلَضَا اًلْيِبَس ْنَم َناَك ْيِف ٖۤهِذٰه ىٰمْعَا َوُهَف يِف ِةَرِخٰاْلا ىٰمْعَا َو ُّلَضَا اًلْيِبَس Its literal meaning is that those who are blind here, will remain blind in the Hereafter. However, who will accept this meaning when it is written elsewhere that whoso will go with faith and virtuous deeds—whether he has eyesight or not—will have eye- sight, but one who remains deprived of the light of faith here and does not acquire the cognizance of God, will remain blind in the Hereafter? This world is like the growing field for the Hereafter—what one sows here, so shall he reap, and the one who attains the ‘eye- sight’ [i. e. faith and virtuous deeds] from this world will have sight [in the Hereafter]. 1. S u rah Ban i Isr a ’ i l, 17:73 [Publisher]