Through Force or Faith? — Page 303
Chapter 7 — Novelty in the Teachings of Muhammad 303 these four attributes brings God closer, as if we are present in front of Him. Hence, from this point on, the eloquence required that He should be addressed in the 2nd person. Therefore ُنْيِعَتْسَن َكاَّيِا ُدُبْعَن َو َكاَّيِا ‘Thee alone do we worship, and Thee alone do we implore for help’ is grammatically in the second person. Thus, the verses are well-connected with the described attributes. The above mentioned four attributes of God, the Exalted, and His personal name Allah are five oceans. The eloquence and the wondrous nature of the Quran are such that the five verses that follow are the recipients of the bounties of these five oceans. Every one of the five verses is a beneficiary of an attribute that is juxta- posed and akin to that verse. Each verse draws its meaning from the overriding relevant attribute. The first ocean is ‘Allah’, and َكاَّيِا ُدُبْعَن ‘Thee alone do we worship’ is juxtaposed to it. After presenting the true nature of worship, it is explained that the thirst in human nature can be quenched adequately only by drinking deep the water of worship- ping God. The second ocean is ِّبَر َنْيِمَلٰعْلا ‘The Lord of all the worlds,’ and this portion has an explanatory connection with َكاَّيِا ُنْيِعَتْسَن ‘Thee alone do we implore for help’. A powerless servant of God antic- ipates His help by crying out to the Sustainer of all the worlds that He may assist him through His attribute of the Lordship of the entire universe. To be the Creator and Sustainer means that through this attribute nothing is left without the required nour- ishment, and it is taken to perfection. The third ocean is ِنٰمْحَّرلا Graciousness that nurtures the verse اَنِدْهِا َطاَرِّصلا َمْيِقَتْسُمْلا ‘Guide us in the right path’. God’s Graciousness provides all that is needed to things that come into existence by