The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 290
ARGUMENT FOR SAYYED AHMAD KHAN 289 of God and the belief in life after death-which indeed are the sources of salvation-can only be attained through the true knowledge given to a steadfast man of faith. They can never be attained through philos- ophy-old or new—but those who neither fully develop their faiths to realize the light attendant upon faith, nor make thorough progress in the study of philosophy to realize its toxic effect, remain in doubt. The true significance of all things is disclosed when they are at their full. For example, if it is required to discover the real action of a poison or an antidote, the poison or antidote should be taken in full dose, and, if it is intended to find out completely the value of the teaching of a philosopher or a Prophet, one must become a fully devoted disciple or follower of such philosopher or Prophet. You must be aware that the limits to which philosophy at its height takes, and has been taking, man is the limit called atheism. Do you believe that the people called philosophers are true heirs to the cognition of God? Have any of these philosophers ever attained true humility, taqwā [righteousness], fear of God, and the realization of the greatness of God—the qualities which are the result of true cog- nition of God? Is there any hope that a study of philosophical books gives us that true cognition of God, which liberates man from the bondage of selfish desires and fills the heart with Divine love? To my knowledge, definitely not. The ultimate height that the knowledge of philosophy leads to is that such a man who relies solely on it takes complete leave of God, the Prophet, Heaven and Hell, and chooses to live in arrogance, pride, and conceit. According to the philosophers, belief in the existence of God, who is the Master of His will, is only a superstition; Prayer and fasting are a waste of time; and any thought of the life hereafter is sheer mad- ness. They are infused with this spirit which, like a powerful engine, draws them every moment towards atheism. The centre of Islamic spiritual wisdom and knowledge is the idea of the existence of God and His being the Master of His will and One without associates. And all the matters of our faith correspond to this