Chapter II: Foundation of Belief
(6) Sixih basic principle. God has got no length and breadth as these are attributes of a body which is an originated thing. Its Creater exised from before it. So how would He enter in a body as He existed by Himself before all originated things and there was nobody along with Him. He is Alknowing, Almighty, Willing creator. These attributes are impossible for a body. He is not like any worldly thing, rather He is ever-living, ever-lasting and noting is like Him. Where is the similarity of the Creator with the created, the Fashioner with the fashioned? Hence it is impossible that anything is like Him.
(7) Seventh basic principle. It is that God is not confined within any direction as he created direction, either above or below, right or left, front or behind. He created two directions for man, one rests on earth called the direction of feet and one above his head. What rests above head is above and what rests below feet is below. To an ant, below the roof, the above portion is it
108 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP Vol-I
lower side and the lower side is it upper side; though they are contrary in our case. He created for man two hands, one right hand and another left. Accordingly there is right hand direction and the left hand direction. Then there are front direction and back direction. When direction is an originated thing, how can He be governed by that ? Along with the creation of men, directions have been created. There is nothing above God, because He has got no head and the word 'above' is connected with head. There is noting below Him as the word 'below' is conneted with feet and God has no feet. If He is above the world, there is a direction opposite to it and every opposite thing has got a body like it or similar to it. But God is free from it. He is unique, He is the Designer.
(8) Eighth basic principle. It is that "od is soated upon His Throne, that is upon power. It is not inconsistet with the attribute of His grandeur and the symptoms of origination and annihilation. This is what is meant by the following verse of the Quran : Then He ascended to heaven and it was then but smoke — 41 : 10. It means his dominion and power as the poet said :-
Bishr has gained power in Iraq.
Without sword and shedding blood.