The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 171
170 Α'ΙΝΑ-Ε-ΚΑMĀLĀT-E-ISLAM-DAFI UL-WASĀWIS righteous individual who has done great virtuous deeds in his youth receives reward for them even in his old age. AUTHOR'S MARGIN NOTE Response to the Objection: Why does God, like human beings, require intermediaries such as angels and the like? ANOTHER objection that is raised is: Why does God Almighty need angels for putting His designs into effect? Does His kingdom depend upon His staff as worldly governments do, and does He need armies just as they do? THE ANSWER: Let it be clear that God Almighty is not in need of anything-not angels, not the Sun, not the Moon nor the stars-but He willed it to be thus so that His powers be revealed through the mediation of means and so that wisdom and knowledge may spread amongst people in this manner. If there had been no mediation of means, there would have been no Astronomy, Physics, Medicine, or Botany in the world. These are the very means that gave rise to these sciences. Reflect and observe: If there is an objection to the employment of angels, the same objection applies to putting the Sun, the Moon, the stars, the vegetables, the minerals and other elements into ser- vice. Anyone who holds any share of spiritual insight knows that every single particle is functioning in accordance with the will of God Almighty, and even a drop of water cannot produce any effect- favourable or unfavourable in our body without the command of God. Thus, all particles, heavenly bodies, and so forth are actually a form of angels who are occupied in service day and night; some are occupied in serving the human body and some in the service of the soul. The All-Wise who chose the mediation of many means for the physical development of man and created many physical medi- ators to influence the human body in diverse ways—that very One without associate whose works have unity and symmetry—was also pleased to decide that man's spiritual development should follow