The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 198
PREFACE FOOTNOTE 197 our faculties should be achieved through external means and that our nature is not such that it can dispense with the help of external means? If we observe carefully, we will find that not only in one or two matters, but for the perfection of all our senses and faculties and powers, we are dependent upon external help. As this law and system of God—the One without associate, whose works display unity and appropriate- ness-operates firmly, consistently, and compulsorily with reference to our external faculties and senses and our material needs, then does it not follow necessarily that there should be the same arrangement for our spiritual perfection and spiritual objectives, so that the similarity of the two systems should prove the Oneness of the Creator? It is obvious that the All-Wise One who has instituted this external system and has chosen that our bodies and faculties and senses should be perfected through the effect of external means like heavenly bodies and elements, etc. , the same All-Wise and All-Powerful One would have chosen the same arrangement for our spiritual perfection. This is so because He is One without associate and there is unity and consistency in all His wise designs and works; the same being indicated by logical arguments. Thus, we give the name angel to the external means which affect our spirituality and fulfil our spiritual needs, in the same way as the Sun and the Moon and the elements help us with regard to our physical needs. The foregoing discussion amply proves the existence of angels. Though we may not be able to penetrate into their true nature, nor is this necessary, but observing the uniformity and harmony of the law of nature as a whole, we are compelled to acknowledge their existence. Therefore, when we have readily accepted the external law, there is no reason why in the same way we should not accept the internal law. No doubt we shall have to accept the internal law in the same way as we have accepted the external law. That is the reason why God Almighty in His Magnificent Book, at various points, has set forth these two laws in matching words, as He says: