Balance of Realities - Alternation of contraries and the infinite circle

Alternation of contraries and the infinite circle

The speech of God, the Exalted (i.e. the Qur’an), which is based on wisdom, is the fountainhead of truth and justice, the treasure of knowledge and wisdom and the unbounded ocean of sempiternal mercy. This speech is such that even its shortest verse is like a voluminous book, which abounds with the secrets of sciences from end to end. For instance: “And everything revolves in an orbit” (36:40). Another example is: “And it is He Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Each of these revolves in an orbit” (21:33). No wise person will be able to deny the universal judgement that every whole with its parts revolves like an ever-moving pair of compasses. From the above mentioned two verses, it is evident that even the sun, which is stationary, is also in a boiling movement within its spherical boundary of magnitude.

Further, in addition to the moon, the planets and the earth, every whole and part moves in its respective orbit, and nothing is exempt from this universal unchangeable law. That is, there is no existing thing that does not revolve in the orbit of movement or state. By the orbit of state is meant the consecutive alternation of two opposite states, one after the other, such as day and night, which creates the circle and which in turn is a proof that they, too, are cyclical. Thus, it is evident that everything that revolves in an orbit, is cyclical. Thus, the universe, the earth, the sun, the moon, the planets, the day, the night, the month, the year, heat, cold and everything is cyclical. From the drops of rain to the seeds of trees and crops and the eggs of birds, everything is cyclical. From the oceans are created clouds and from the clouds, rain; from the rain is created water, which again joins with the oceans. Similarly, there are many things that grow from the earth then join with it after being annihilated. This shows that even the mutually united form of survival and annihilation is circular in form.

It is worth noting that wherever the word “kull (whole, entire, all, everyone)” is mentioned in the holy Qur'an it is applicable to the entire universe, unless it is specified otherwise. With such universal rules, one or more examples are also given, as behind the veil of the above mentioned verse it is said to humankind in a wisdom-filled way that a circle is the example of two bows (semi circles=qawsayn), of which one appears immediately and the other is related to thinking and reflection. The holy Prophet Muhammad had seen them at the distance of two bows or nearer still (53:9). That is, he had seen the two worlds in God and God in the two worlds.

Physically a human being cannot see many dense things at a glance, whereas he can simultaneously see the exterior and interior of a globe of transparent crystal. Similarly, he sometimes conceives only of one half circle of the universals, just as living on one half circle of the earth, the other remains concealed from his sight. Similarly the half circles of the heaven, the sun, the moon, and the stars further from him remain invisible to his sight. It follows from this that even in partial things their exterior and interior cannot be seen at the same time.

God, the Omniscient, the Wise, has created contraries from one another, such as the night from the day and the day from the night. There are many such similitudes upon which He has openly and in allusions commanded [people] to reflect. In this case, if we do not derive benefit from reflecting upon these wisdom-filled verses and similitudes with deep thinking and subtle reasoning, it will not only be a rejection of His holy Command, but also a grave ingratitude. For, by it we reject an unexpected bounty such as reflection and wisdom.

I would once again like to explain this reality with greater clarity in the light of the wise Qur'an. God says: “And if your Lord had willed, He verily would have made humankind one nation (ummah), (but He did not will and therefore) they will always continue to differ, save those on whom your Lord has mercy” (11:118-119). This statement of God, the Knowing, the Aware, that “If your Lord had willed, He verily would have made humankind one nation” warns us to think about the power of the Divine will. It is as if He says: “It is not impossible for Me to make all the people of the world follow one path, but there is a wisdom hidden in this difference, in which is hidden the well-being of all people”.

It follows from this Divine teaching that whatever is in the domain of possibilities will definitely take place in due time by [the act of] His hand. For it is certain that the Divine will is never devoid of human well being and mercy. There is neither injustice towards someone nor is there competition in Divine mercy. On the contrary, His mercy, in which lies progress through the spiritual stages, is according to the capacity and preparedness of everything. Further, the question of competition and injustice does not arise at all in spiritual progress. If such is the case, it is possible that just as during the ages of the darkness of ignorance men had considered one another demons, sooner or later in the light of knowledge they will consider one another angels. Man, due to the superiority of his honour, might have observed such examples [in nature] that sometimes two animals of the same species come scowling from opposite sides ready to fight, but when they come very close to each other they are startled by realising their homogeneity, and then instead of kicking and biting each other they begin to show love for each other.

Therefore, a great wisdom is hidden in the depth of the above mentioned verse: “They will always continue to differ save those on whom your Lord has mercy”. The difference is necessary both in a religious and a worldly sense, for without difference and contrariety nothing can come into existence. Thus, the holy Prophet says: “Things are recognised through their opposites”. For instance, white is recognised through black and vice versa. It is because of this that one cannot write on a blackboard with black ink, or on white paper with white ink, only with a different or opposite colour. Alternatively, difference and contrariety is created on the surface of the board and paper by engraving or embossing. Similarly, religious and worldly difference is self evident from the national and political conditions of the present day. The only thing we have to examine is what is meant by the part of the verse “They will always continue to differ”.

It has been established in the above that together with open difference, unity is also possible logically. The solution of the problem is such that since the word “always” is linked on one side to difference, unity is always inevitable. Since it is not possible for all the people of the world to unite in their word and deed as one person, it is also not possible for them to always differ among themselves.

As a result, it is a proof of prudence to accept that in the world, like day and night, there are two great cycles that continue perpetually. Continuity is not only applicable to difference [but also to unity]. This is like someone saying: “The night will always remain in the world”. By this we understand that there is no doubt that night will always remain in the world, but at the same time, the day will also inevitably remain in the world forever. The purpose of the one who says this is that he wants to mention only the night, irrespective of the day. Thus the meaning of the part of the verse “Save those on whom your Lord has mercy” is that in mentioning this difference, He also reveals that there is the possibility of granting a distinctive and specific gift of His mercy to some human beings. Those who are granted this gift of unity are those good human beings, who despite all these aspects of difference, struggle for good deeds with their open mindedness, magnanimity and sympathy for humankind without any prejudice, and who hold the concept of the unity of being (wahdatu’l wujud) and who bear good thoughts and feelings for everyone. Such people do not consider Divine power to be constrained, His mercy limited or His will confined. They believe that the drop of the soul will sooner or later return to the universal ocean of mercy from where it has originated.

The second portion of the verse (11:118) shows that people are created with this difference so that, through this apparent and temporary opposing point of view, the nations and individuals of different religions, countries, cities and towns may create in themselves zeal and enthusiasm with which, shedding laziness and carelessness, they will constantly strive and struggle in this field of competition and action.

After being questioned about the errors, forgetfulness and false steps which human beings take in the limited scope of the partial powers given to them, it has been decreed and determined by God that all of them, as an expediency, will go down to hell. As He says: “Not one of you there is, but he shall go down to it; that for your Lord is a thing decreed, determined” (19:71). It is evident from this that all have to go to hell once as a necessity and expediency. Then they will come out of it, one after the other, according to their good or bad deeds. That is, when God addressing all of humankind, good or bad, without the discrimination of deeds, says that it has been decreed and determined that they have to go down to hell, then it is certain that they have to come out of it too. For, when it is not possible for those who have committed venial sins to remain in hell after having minor punishment, then (by the same principle) it is also not possible for those who have committed mortal sins to remain there after having had severe punishment.

In this connection, it may facilitate the understanding of the above explanation if it is mentioned that among the attributive names of God which are specifically related to the primordial and final survival of man, there is not a single name which implies that the knowledge, mercy, power, will or other attributes of God are limited. If God's knowledge is perfect and infinite, His mercy is ever-pervading and abounding, His power is untiring and perfect and His will is well wishing of things that come into existence, then if some forms of the Divine act appear to us to be imperfect, it is due to a defect in our conceptual mirror, in forming which we have employed some wrong principles of knowledge. Those wrong principles were attained due to our superficial observation, which can be compared to the observation of a child who sees the pigment of cinnabar at the back of a mirror, but cannot comprehend its wisdom. But when he reaches the age of intellectual awareness, he can be taught the wisdom that things, with respect to the receptivity of the effect, are divided into four categories:

Those that accept the effect as the soil of a desert absorbs the water of rain, which is the effect of a cloud.
Those that are not an obstruction for the effect of a thing, as the air is not an obstruction for the light of the sun.
Those that do not absorb any effect, as solid stone does not absorb water.
Those that reflect the effect of a thing, as a mountain reflects sound.

Now, as far as the wisdom in the pigment of cinnabar at the back of the mirror is concerned, since clear, transparent glass cannot be an obstruction to light and sight, and it does not have a characteristic which opposes light, it was necessary to create a characteristic on one side of it which may reflect light, so that sight and light may together be reflected from its surface enabling the viewer to see himself. Thus, the reflection of his face, which the viewer sees in the mirror, is not in reality in the mirror, it is rather the characteristic of the mirror to reflect back the viewer’s face.

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