Aslam

versed in soul. If beauty is appreciated by mind, it becomes the object of love of mind. The prophets saints, religious and learned men are therefore loved by mind for their internal qualities and not for their outward appearance. The greater the thing to be known in beauty and perfectness, the more honourable and beautiful will be the knowledge. God is highest and therefore knowledge about Him is highest. God is All-Knowing and human knowledge cannot be compared with His knowledge rather He is the creator of knowledge. Nothing in heaven and earth is outside His knowledge God says : You have not been given but a little of knowledge — 17 : 85. So if the object of knowledge is loved, God alone is fit to be loved as He is the Fountain of knowledge. Power is loved and as such a powerful man is loved. Hazrat AH and Hazrat Khalid-bin Walid are loved on account of their valour and heroism. God is the creator of power valour and heroism in human beings. Therefore He is alone fit to be loved. There is no power and might except in Him and through Him. God said with regard to the great conqueror Alexander : I established him in the world. He got His power from the All-powerful. So He is to be praised and not Alexander for his vast kingdom. If God wills, even a small mosquito is sufficient to destroy such a man.

God is pure from defects and evils and so He is fit to be loved. The Prophets even are not free from defects. God is free from defects and perfect. Perfection is due to God and not to any created being. God is perfect by Himself. He is above all imperfections and defects. There are degrees of imperfections in created beings. A horse is more perfect than an ass and a man is more perfect than a horse. So there is difference of perfection and beauty in created beings. The most perfect is only One. There is nothing like Him. He is above example. He is independent having no need or necessity. He is All-Powerful and does what He wishes. He is all knowing and there is nothing outside His knowledge in heaven and earth. He is All-Powerful whose sovereignty lies over everything. He has got no beginning, He has got no end. He exists by Himself and everything exists for Him.
The greatest wise man gets tried in search of Him. The highest limit of the gnostics is to meet with failure in knowing Him.

The Prophet said: I am unable to count Thy praise. Thou art as Thou praiseth Thyself. Hazrat Abu Bakr said : To attain God

Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 255

means to'be baffled to get Him. God revealed to David : The dearest of My dear persons is that servant who worships Me without receiving any favour from me and who fulfills his duty to God most faithfully. It was revealed in the Zabur : Who is a greater sinner than one who worships Me in greed of Paradise and in fear of Hell ? If I have not created Paradise and Hell, should I not be entitled to get worship ?