Fourth Preliminary
Taking a look at all the creation of God, the principle is proven that He has put strange and novel features of TWO types in his creation:
- Simply understood ones: Everyone knows that humans have two eyes, two years, one nose, two feet and other body parts. These are issues that can be known even superficially.
- There are others that require a deep look; for example the construct of the eyes by which they operate in unison and can perceive small and large things, or the construct of ears that they can discern conflicting sounds. These are issues that are not superficially knowable but only those who are experts in nature and medicine have discovered these truths by reflecting on them over a long period and hundreds of such fine points and truths about the construction of the human body are still hidden and which no physician has comprehended. There is no doubt that the higher purpose of such fine points and truths is that Man should admit the Power of the All-Wise who has done such novel works in the creation of Man.
Subtlety in the Human Body
At this juncture, some men of lesser understanding would object that why did God do such fine and delicate tasks whose purpose was only to recognise God, to understand which a long period of exercising reason and reflection, and even then it is not expected that all secrets will be revealed, and due to this very difficulty, it is as if Man has not even attained a drop out of this river. It should have been that all these strange and novel things should have been simple and clear, so that the purpose for which the All-Wise put them in the human body would be attained. The answer to this and such other doubts about the fine and delicate points of God's strange creation and their characteristics is that: No doubt that God's natural law, in his creation and all else that is from him, is that he has not sufficed on clear novelties of creation, but in all things wrought from his creating hand there are also hidden finer novelties which are very deep. It is foolishness to think of this work of God as useless and without purpose.
One should know that God has not created humans like other animals in a way that his knowledge should be limited to a few obvious and observed things, but has given him the capability to progress in infinite knowledge utilising his vision and reflection. For this he has been given the gem of intellect that is a lamp in darkness, and that is not given to other animals. It is obvious that if all the novelties of his creation were apparent and did not require any vision and reflection, then Man, whose perfection is dependent on his intellect, would think about what other things? And if Man did not think and reflect, then how could he attain his perfection? Therefore, because the whole concept of humanity is attached to the use of Man's intellect, the All-Wise kept most fine points and truths hidden in a way that until Man utilises his God-given power with the utmost struggle, these points do not reveal themselves. With this, the All-Wise intends to keep the way of progress open, and Man should reach the prestige for which he was created.
In short, God's works do not end on coarse creation, but the more you dig into them, you find ever more subtlety. So, as in all things from God, this general principle has been proven that they are full of fine points and deeply hidden secrets, and then following this law of nature every sane person should accept that God's speech should also not be devoid of finer points. In fact, it should have the most subtleties as it is the word of God and the treasure-chest of the primordial knowledge of the All-Wise which God has made a tool to better all natural laws that govern the heavens and the earth. If it were deficient, then how could it fulfil such a grand purpose? If it could not cleanse Man of all mistakes, and only of some, it would be as if God were to abandon Man before he reached his goal.
Subtlety in the Quran
Just as God's law of nature, in everything that emanates from him, proves that God has put deep and fine points everywhere and not sufficed with coarse points only, then this logic lays bare the lie of those who say that God's word should only contain a few readily understandable rules, and deeper subtleties are not needed and are not present. In this regard, they have created an argument to strengthen their doubt that the Revealed Book descended for people of less understanding, or for the unlettered Bedouins, so its teaching should be such that is according to the intellect of those people because an unlettered and illiterate person cannot understand or benefit from these subtle points. Let it be clear that this doubt is short-sightedness and this base thought smells of an extreme foolishness and ignorance.
Alas, that they could only look at the word of God in a deeper way so that they would know that thinking thus about God's holy and perfect words is like throwing dust at the moon. Even know, such people should read this book with eyes open and they would see with seeking eyes the hundreds of fine points and truths of the word of God that I have written in this book in the appropriate place and with remarkable clarity, and their false thought would disappear as darkness disappears at sunrise.
Obviously, reason and thought are helpless in front of feeling and seeing. When one learns a distinct characteristic of something through constant experience,then taking mere reason as proof, and denying a fact that has been already proven can only be termed craziness and insanity. If these people were to use God-given intellect, they would realise that the mere thought is false and is exactly as if someone were to deny the subtle characteristics of plants and says that: if God has done so for the benefit of His creation that he has put certain characteristics in plants and minerals as cures, then why has He hidden those characteristics under so many layers that so many people have died for so long without the knowledge of those cures and still all the hidden characteristics are not completely known?
It is obvious that after the establishment of God's general law which is the same in the heavens and the earth, such doubts are only entertained by those who do not reflect on natural laws at all, and before they endeavour to discover the attributes and ways of God as they present themselves in the mirror of nature, they start writing about the appearance of His person and His attributes. On the other hand, if a person opens his eyes and looks around, the way of God is not limited to one or two things nor is it so hidden that it cannot be understood. Conversely, this is so apparent that let alone subtle forces and creations of the highest order, even a common housefly, a base and foul creature, is not outside this law of nature. Then how, God forbid, can one think that God's word that is holy like His Being and coloured in His perfect hue, is so low and foul that, in terms of its hidden points, does not even reach to the rank of a housefly?
Essentials are Clear
It should also be clear that God has not hidden anything from the essentials of faith, and the hidden points are those that are higher than core beliefs and are prescribed for those souls who have the ability and capability to obtain superior perfection. They are those who do not want to suffice themselves with these issues alone like any common and inferior person. Through these subtle points, they progress in wisdom and knowledge of the Divine and reach the high minaret of certitude which is the apex of human capabilities.
It is obvious that if the secrets of knowledge were all apparent then what would be the difference between the knowledgeable and the foolish? In such way, all knowledge would be destroyed and that excellent standard for the recognition of capabilities and which increases human intellect and perfects his soul, would disappear. And when the means disappear, then on what issues would a person think and reflect? And if he did not think and reflect, he would have to stop at a certain knowable limit like other living things and he would not be capable of infinite progress. So, in this situation, he would be deprived of the prestige for which he was created. So, regarding the God who has bestowed on Man the powers of thought and reflection and has endowed him with the capability to reach for a certain perfection, how can one conceive the ill thought that He would send down His book without desiring that humans reach a certain perfection, and then He stops him from reaching it?
Comparison with Plato and Aristotle
Is it not true that God has sent his words only to guide humans from darkness to light. So, if God's book cannot take one out of darkness, but that Aristotle's and Plato's books can, then the declaration by God that 'My book allows escape from all darkness' is just a hollow claim? When the truth of a thing is completely opened up by experience and reason then who can stand against it?
I have extracted all subtle and delicate truths from the Holy Quran and written them in this book. To see them is to be a witness to my declarations and thus be the deciding verdict. If a person is not totally blind, then by knowing all these Quranic truths and subtleties, he will have to admit that the Quran encompasses hundreds of truths and facts which were not even in the dreams of Plato and Aristotle and others. Then, is the result not that God's word is the grouping of these religious subtleties and I write once again that God has not burdened Man by adopting this way, but rather: first, gave Man intellect and second, gave him the matter on which to reflect. These are the gifts of God which cause a man's star to shine and makes humans and animals distinct. God did not give the power of thought to animals nor they do think. See if they are just where they are!
Unlettered Arabs and Subtlety
Regarding the doubts that God sent his book for unlettered Bedouins, and thus it should only be according to their understanding – is not right. The first falsehood in it is that these words descended only for the unlettered ones, as God Himself says that it is for the whole world and this book descended for improving human beings of different natures. Just as the unlettered ones (Arabs) are addressed in it, so are the Christians and Jews and Magis and Sabis and agnostics and atheists – all groups are addressed and refutations of all their false beliefs were announced to all. (Quran Aaraf:158). Then, as it is proven that the Quran had to deal with all types of human nature then you yourself should think whether it was not compulsory for it to display its greatness and truth on each type and remove doubts of each kind.
Apart from this, although the unlettered are addressed in this book, it is not that God wants to keep them always illiterate. Conversely, he wants that those powers of humanity and intellect that are present in their nature should be activated with this force. If a simpleton is to be kept like that forever, then what is the use of teaching? God Himself encouraged knowledge and wisdom. Look at this verse: (Al-Baqarah:269), i.e. God gives wisdom to whosoever he pleases, and whoever is given wisdom is given much wealth. And then He says: (Al-Baqarah:152), i.e. O Messenger, He teaches you the book and wisdom and all those truths and facts which you could not have known yourself. And then He says: (Fatir:28) i.e. only they fear God who have knowledge. And then He says: (Taha:114) i.e. pray that O God grant me progress in the ranks of knowledge. And then He says: (Bani Israeel: 52) i.e. the person who was blind in this world and did not develop an insight of Divine knowledge, he would also be blind in that other world, even worse than the blind. And then He teaches the prayer: (Al-Fatiha:6-8) i.e. O Exalted Sustainer, show to us that straight path which you showed to all those perfected ones on whom You had your mercy and grace. Because the straight path of the perfected ones is that they understand truths by insight and not like the blind. Thus the purpose of this prayer is that God - all that knowledge of truth and correct facts and hidden secrets and subtle truths which you had bestowed on perfected ones of the whole world from time to time - gather them all in us now. Now, see that this prayer also asks for knowledge and wisdom from God and has asked for that knowledge which was distributed across the world.
Exercise and Exertion in Discovering Subtleties
In summary, just as God has laid out the principles of salvation in easy and clear terms in His book and there is no difficulty or confusion in understanding them and the illiterate and literate are equal in that regard, the All-Wise has desired that through the subtleties of the knowledge of God and high secrets, Man should exert himself in finding them so that this exercise becomes the source of personal completion for him because all human faculties are established and maintained by exertion and exercise.
If a person keeps his eyes closed forever and never uses them for seeing, then as has been proven through experiments, he will go blind in just a few days. If he keeps his ears closed, he will go deaf and if he does not move his hands or feet, the end result will be that they will lose their sensation and their movement. In the same way, if memory is never utilised, it fails, and if the power of reasoning is left useless, it will keep on decreasing to nothingness. So, this is His grace and mercy that he wanted people to adopt the way on which the perfection of their intellect is dependent. And if God had wanted us to be free of totally free of exertion, then it was not appropriate that He would send his last book for all people, who speak different languages, in just one language that they are not familiar with; because the discovery of a strange language is not possible without exertion, even if only a little.