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TWO IMPORTANT ANSWERS TO TWO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
■ THE FIRST
If you say: "The Qur'an was revealed for man, so why does it not describe the wonders of civilization explicitly, for they have the greatest importance in his eyes? Why does it suffice with secret signs, concealed allusions, slight indications, and slender reminders?"
The Answer: Because the rights of the marvels of human civilization can only claim that much in the Qur'an's discussions. For the Qur'an's basic duty is to teach about the perfections and acts in the 'sphere of dominicality' and the duties and circumstances in the 'sphere of worship.' So the rights of human wonders in those two spheres diminish to being only a weak sign and slight indication. For if they were to demand their rights from the 'sphere of dominicality,' they would receive very few.
For example, if man's aeroplane38 was to say to the Qur'an: "Give me the right to speak and a place in your verses," the planets, earth, and moon, which are the aeroplanes of the 'sphere of dominicality,' would reply in the name of the Qur'an: "You take a place in relation to your size." And if man's submarines were to ask for a place from the Qur'an's verses, the submarines of that sphere, that is, the earth and stars which swim in the vast ocean of the atmosphere and the ether would say: "Your place beside us is so small as to be negligible." And if the brilliant, star-like electric lights were to demand the right to speak and ask to be included in its verses, the electric lights of that sphere, the shooting stars, lightning, and stars and lamps which adorn the face of the skies, would say: "You may enter its discussions and explanations in relation to your light." If the wonders of civilization were to demand their rights with a view to fineness of art and seek a place from its verses, then a single fly would bid them to be silent, saying: "Your rights are not equal to even one of my wings! For if all the fine arts and delicate instruments achieved through man's faculty of will were to be gathered together, they could not be as wondrous as the fine art of my delicate members and tiny body." The verse,
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38.While writing this serious matter, involuntarily my pen adopted this subtle, though witty, style. So I left my pen free. I hope that the somewhat unserious style does not mar the seriousness of the subject. Double click for meaning of the world. | |
