Aslam

though he understands that a thing can possible by seen which has got no colour, body or size, even though he has not seen such a thing. Similarly conceive of hearing what is applicable to sight.
If you understand that God has got knowledge of everything, understand it also that along with His being. He has got attribute of speech. Understand also that all the words represent His speech. If it is possible to conceive of the existence of the seven heavens Paradise and Hell all written in a small piece of paper and that Taqdir of men is preserved in the minutest part of heart and seen with an eyeball without the things existing in the eye ball, it is also possible to concevie of the speech of God as being read with tongue, preserved in mind, written in paper, but the essence of speech does not come down on these things, because if it comes down on paper on account of writing, then the essence of fire would come down on paper on account of its writing and would burn it.

(7) Seventh basic principle. It is that the words emanting from God are eternal along with His attributes, since it is impossible that He is subject ot change. Rather it is necessary that His attributes should become eternal as His being is eternal. He is without change and without novelty. He exists with His attribiutes from eternity. What is not free from change is originated. Origination is an attribute of body as it is subject to change and the attribute of body is also subject to change. How can the Creator be sharer with it in the attribute of change? For

" this it can be said that He is eternal, His words are eternal but our words and sounds are new and originated.

(8) Eighth basic principle. It is that His knowledge is eternal.
Whatever occurs in His creation is within His knowledge from eternity and not his new knowledge. Whenever any animal is born. His knowledge about it is not new but eternal and ancient.
For instance, if I know that zaid will come at sun-use, his arrival at sun-rise and to welcome him would be owing to that foreknowledge and not for any new knowledge The eternal knowledge of God should be understood in this way.

(9) Ninth basic principle. It is that His will is eternal. His will Jto make an event at the appointed time has got connection with His eternal knowledge, because if there is rise of a new will, it remains confined to the place of event. If His will rises in another object and not in His being. He cannot will just as you can not

112 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP Vol-I

execute an action which is not in yourself. How can you do it when it depends on the will of another which again depends on the will of another and so on to infinity and there is no end of it. If it is possible for a will to come into being without another will, it would be possible for the world to come into being without a will.