The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 215
214 Ā'ĪNA-E-KAMĀLĀT-E-ISLĀM―DĀFI‘UL-WASĀWIS Similarly, mining experts adopt suitable measures within the scope of their own science. Very often all these people succeed in their endeavours. If, there- fore, this order is under the control of angels, why can the angels not stand up to our efforts? This shows that in the days when people were ignorant of the greater achievements of science, the idea of the exist- ence of beings like the angels was manufactured, a sign of human weak- ness that for every effect man searches for a cause, and when the true cause is not ascertained, there is manufactured, in an ignorant age, the idea of the existence of angels in order to satisfy the imagination. Such are the unfounded ideas which the new light (cursed be this light) is inculcating in the minds of the newly educated. And I have been rather restrained in what I have said. Otherwise, these people's views do not stop at that, but criticize even the idea of the existence of God Almighty and deny that there is a Being who is the true Creator of everything. Response: Let it be clear that the question as to why angels are not visible is an absolutely useless speculation. The angels, like God Almighty, are extremely subtle beings. Then, how can they be visible to our physical eyes? Is God Almighty, whose existence is admitted by even these philosophers, visible to physical eyes? Besides, it is not true that angels cannot be seen in any way, since those who possess insight behold angels with their spiritual eyes in their visions which they experience very often in a state of wakefulness. They talk to them and acquire knowledge of many things from them. I call to witness that Being in whose hands my life is, and who does not leave a cunning liar without disgrace and punishment, that in this explanation I am truth- ful when I say that I have, on many occasions, seen angels in the realm of visions and have acquired knowledge from them and have been told of past or future events, which turned out to be facts. Then how can say that angels cannot be seen by anyone? Without doubt they are visible, but with other eyes. Just as these people laugh at these things, the insightful weep at their condition. If they were to keep company I