The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 180
PREFACE FOOTNOTE 179 the vast space like air etc. , are all engaged in the physical service of man and safeguard him from many types of injury, mishap, loss, and trou- ble. They prepare everything needed for his physical body and physical powers. The bright stars that especially appear at night are a boon to the travellers who walk through a forest or wilderness at night or who travel through the seas. During a dark night, every single najmuth-thaqib [glittering star] safeguards life by providing guidance. If these protec- tors, who are performing their duties of protection at their appointed times, had not been there, man could not survive even for a twinkling of an eye. You should respond upon reflection: Could we survive without all those guardians one who readily provides us vital heat, another who ripens the grains and fruits, another who sends down rain to supply us with drinking water, another who gives us light, another who regulates our system of respiration, another who aids our faculty of hearing, AUTHOR'S MARGIN NOTE The physical system estab- lished by God Almighty necessitates the existence of a corresponding spiritual sys- tem, for the Source of both is One and the same. and another who maintains our natural body heat to be healthy? Now, from all this, man can understand that the Noble and Wise Lord, who created these thousands of heavenly bodies, elements, and such for the safety and stability of our physical bodies, placing them in our service day and night-nay rather, every second-could He have been so negligent in the management of our spiritual welfare! How can we entertain the reservation against that Noble and Merciful One that He created such extensive provisions for our physical welfare to the point He made an entire world a servant for us, yet failed to make any arrangement for our spiritual welfare? Now, if we are fair-minded thinkers, this alone provides a strong proof that the Omniscient God must have made a spiritual arrangement resembling the AUTHOR'S MARGIN NOTE The physical and spiritual system created by God Almighty