Chapter V: Oneness of God and Trust in God
Answer: If an action has got two meanings, they are not conflicting. It is said that the ruler killed a certain man. In another meaning, it is said that the executioner killed the man. The meaning is the same as by order of the ruler, the executioner killed the man. In other words, the ruler killed the man. Similarly a man is said to do an action. In another meaning, it can be said that God does the action through the man. The meaning of His action is that He orders the action to be done and encourages it.
The meaning that man does an action is that he is an object in whom He created knowledge, will and strength. So the movements of limbs are connected together with will and strength.
The power of man is connected with the power of God, as the doer has connection with cause and the discoverer with discovery: Everything of man is linked with strength and connected with the object of strength or the flow of strength. This object of the flow of strength is called the master of action. In the Quran, all the actions are sometimes attributed by God to angels and sometimes to men and sometimes to Himself. About causing of death God says: The angels will cause their death. Again He says: "God takes the life of a man at the time of his death." God says: Did you consider what crops you sow? God says: I sent down rain etc. God says: I sent to Mary My spirit or angel. He appeared to her in the form of a man - 19 : 17. God says: I infused My spirit in to him. God says: Fight against them. He will punish them through your hands. God says: You have not killed them but God killed them. God says: You have not shot arrows when you shot but God shot arrows. This means that your shooting is not like the shooting of God. You shot as a servant, but God shot as a master. God says: Have you considered about the life germ which you drop? Have you created it or Myself? The Prophet said describing the angel of uterus: He takes the life-germ in his hand, makes it a shape and says: O God, shall it be a woman or a man?
God replies to what He wishes and the angel makes figure accordingly.
The Prophet said: The angels of life and death once quarrelled. The angel of life said: I bring the dead to life. The angel of death said: I cause the living to die. God revealed to them? Stay upon what you been entrusted with. It is I who causes death and gives life. Nobody except I can make one dead or alive.
210 TAUHID AND TAWAKKAL Vol-IV