Chapter II: Patience and Gratefulness
word as can explain that attribute of God. Intelligence is then lost just as a bat becomes blind before the scorching rays of the sun. It does not occur because of any defect in the sun but it does occur owing to the weakness of sight of the bat. Similarly those whose eye of knowledge has been opened for seeing the superb beauty of God, can appreciate it. They term it as extraordinary power.
Man has been divided into two classes. The original decree is so powerful on one class that they are bound to do what has been decreed and extraordinary power is so great on another class that it carries them to the highest pinnacle of glory. That state of mind is called contentment. The condition of one who does not fulfill that object is called displeasure. A certain king removed the dirtiness of a slave and adorned him with fine and good dress and then said to the slave: How beautiful you are. How good is your dress. In fact the king is beautiful and for the beauty of the
slave the kincr is to hpnraispH Rv nraisinc* fhp slavp lip is nraieincr . 0 j — , __, j 0 Y _, II- lw , ..j,
himself.
Similar is the case of actions in the record of fate. The causes are guided by God but not by the wishes of men. He is not to be asked why He does it, but the people will be asked for their actions. The Prophet said: When fate is mentioned, refrain from talking of it. To learn swimming is possible but he who walks upon water does not require training in swimming. The latter person can understand it. For this reason, the Prophet was asked:
How could the Prophet Jesus walk over water? He replied: Had his sure faith increased more he could have walked through the air.
Take an illustration. A certain king required the services of two men - one to give him drink of wine and another to act as sweeper in his house. The former is beautiful and good and the latter is ugly and bad. The sweeper can not say: To give drink of wine to the king is my duty. The king himselfdid justice in enjoying the good man in superior work and the bad man in inferior work. Similarly your knowledge, your strength, your power, your actions and movements are all His works and He divided the management in the best possible manner. Actions of man flow from them. But you see that you are free to do whatever you like and that the spiritual and unseen world has got no hand in the matter. If you entertain such idea in your mind, you become just like a boy who looks to the movement of toys and praises the toys for their movements. The man who makes the
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PATIENCE AND GRATEFULNESS Vol-IV