Through Force or Faith? — Page 226
?— A Reply to Pope Benedict XVI 226 principle is applicable to even the Prophet of God, it is a thousand times more rigorously applied to any other saint or scholar. After establishing this principle, now we see what Ibn H azm said and what Quran says about it. In this regard, we first look at Quranic teachings and then we shall discuss the statement of Ibn H azm. The first issue that requires attention is whether God is bound by His word according to Islamic perspective, or not. In this regard, Quranic understanding is very precise and unambiguous, َّنِا َهّٰللا اَل ُفِلْخُي َداَعْيِمْلا … Allah breaks not His promise ( S u rah A l-e-‘Imr a n, 3:10). َو اَل ُدِجَت اَنِتَّنُسِل اًلْيِوْحَت … and thou wilt not find any change in Our way ( S u rah Ban i Isr a ’ i l, 17:78). This principle is mentioned not just once or twice, but innumera- ble times in the Holy Quran. Therefore how can even an ordinary Muslim maintain the belief that, according to Islamic perspective, God is not bound by His own word? The second issue that has been stated is that there is nothing that can oblige God to reveal the truth to us. In this regard also, Quran says very explicitly that God not only teaches truth, but is truth Himself, and one qualitative name of Allah is ‘ H aq,’ that is, ‘Truth’. َّمُث اْۤوُّدُر ىَلِا ِهّٰللا ُمُهىٰلْوَم ِّقَحْلا١ؕ Then they are returned to Allah, their true Lord ( S u rah al-An‘ a m, 6:63).