The Tenth Word
Resurrection and the Hereafter… NOTE
[The reasons for my
writing these treatises in the form of metaphors, comparisons and
stories are to facilitate comprehension and to show how rational,
appropriate, well-founded and coherent are the truths of Islam. The
meaning of the stories is contained in the truths that conclude them;
each story is like an allusion pointing to its concluding truth.
Therefore, they are not mere fictitious tales, but veritable truths.]
In the Name of
God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Look, then, to the
signs of God’s mercy – how He restores life to the earth after its death
- verily He it is Who quickens the dead, for He is powerful over all
things.1 Brother, if
you wish for a discussion of resurrection and the hereafter in simple
and common language, in a straightforward style, then listen to the
following comparison, together with my own soul. Once two men
were travelling through a land as beautiful as Paradise (by that land,
we intend the world). Looking around them, they saw that everyone had
left open the door of his home and his shop and was not paying attention
to guarding it. Money and property were readily accessible, without
anyone to claim them. One of the two travellers grasped hold of all that
he fancied, stealing it and usurping it. Following his inclinations, he
committed every kind of injustice and abomination. None of the people of
that land moved to stop him. But his friend said to him: “What are you
doing? You will be punished, and I will be dragged into misfortune along
with you. All this property belongs to the state. The people of this
land, including even the children, are all soldiers or government
servants. It is because they are at present civilians that they are not
interfering with you. But the laws here are strict. The king has
installed telephones everywhere and his agents are everywhere. Go
quickly, and try to settle the matter.” But the empty-headed
man said in his obstinacy: “No, it is not state property; it belongs
instead to some endowment, and has no clear or obvious owner. Everyone
can make use of it as he sees fit. I see no reason to deny myself the
use of these fine things. I will not believe they belong to anyone
unless I see him with my own eyes.” He continued to speak in this way,
with much philosophical sophistry, and an earnest discussion took place
between them.
First the
empty-headed man said: “Who is the king here? I can’t see him,” and then
his friend replied:
“Every village
must have its headman; every needle must have its manufacturer and
craftsman. And, as you know, every letter must be written by someone.
How, then, can it be that so extremely well-ordered a kingdom should
have no ruler? And how can so much wealth have no owner, when every hour
a train2 arrives filled with precious and artful gifts, as if coming
from the realm of the unseen? And all the announcements and
proclamations, all the seals and stamps, found on all those goods, all
the coins and the flags waving in every corner of the kingdom – can they
be without an owner? It seems you have studied foreign languages a
little, and are unable to read this Islamic script. In addition, you
refuse to ask those who are able to read it. Come now, let me read to
you the king’s supreme decree.”
The empty-headed
man then retorted:
“Well, let us
suppose there is a king; what harm can he suffer from the minute use I
am making of all his wealth? Will his treasury decrease on account of
it? In any event, I can see nothing here resembling prison or punishment.”
His friend
replied: “This land that you see is a manoeuvering ground. It is, in
addition, an exhibition of his wonderful royal arts. Then again it may
be regarded as a temporary hospice, one devoid of foundations. Do you
not see that every day one caravan arrives as another departs and
vanishes? It is being constantly emptied and filled. Soon the whole land
will be changed; its inhabitants will depart for another and more
lasting realm. There everyone will be either rewarded or punished in
accordance with his services.”
That
treacherous empty-headed one retorted rebelliously: “I don’t believe it.
Is it at all possible that a whole land should perish, and be
transferred to another realm?”
His faithful
friend then replied: “Since you are so obstinate and rebellious, come,
let me demonstrate to you, with twelve out of the innumerable proofs
available, that there is a Supreme Tribunal, a realm of reward and
generosity and a realm of punishment and incarceration, and that just as
this world is partially emptied every day, so too a day shall come when
it will be totally emptied and destroyed.
o First Aspect:
Is it at all possible that in any kingdom, and particularly so splendid
a kingdom as this, there should be no reward for those who serve
obediently and no punishment for those who rebel? Reward and punishment
are virtually non-existent here; there must therefore be a Supreme
Tribunal somewhere else.
o Second
Aspect: Look at the organization and administration of this kingdom! See
how everyone, including the poorest and the weakest, is provided with
perfect and ornate sustenance. The best care is taken of the sick. Royal
and delicious foods, dishes, jewel encrusted decorations, embroidered
garments, splendid feasts – all are to be found here. See how everyone
pays due attention to his duties, with the exception of empty-headed
people such as yourself. No one transgresses his bounds by as much as an
inch. The greatest of all men is engaged in modest and obedient service,
with an attitude of fear and awe. The ruler of this kingdom must possess,
then, great generosity and all-embracing compassion, as well as, at the
same time, great dignity, exalted awesomeness and honour. Now generosity
requires liberality; compassion cannot dispense with beneficence; and
awesomeness and honour make it imperative that the discourteous be
chastised. But not even a thousandth part of what that generosity and
awesomeness require is to be seen in this realm. The oppressor retains
his power, and the oppressed, his humiliation, as they both depart and
migrate from this realm. Their affairs are, then, left to the same
Supreme Tribunal of which we speak.
o Third
Aspect: See with what lofty wisdom and ordering affairs are managed, and
with what true justice and balance transactions are effected! Now a wise
polity requires that those who seek refuge under the protecting wing of
the state should receive favour, and justice demands that the rights of
subjects be preserved, so that the splendour of the state should not
suffer. But here in this land, not a thousandth part of the requirements
of such wisdom and justice is fulfilled; for example, empty-headed
people such as yourself usually leave this realm unpunished. So again we
say, matters are postponed for the consideration of a Supreme Tribunal.
o Fourth
Aspect: Look at these innumerable and peerless jewels that are displayed
here, these unparalleled dishes laid out like a banquet! They
demonstrate that the ruler of these lands is possessed of infinite
generosity and an inexhaustible treasury. Now such generosity and such a
treasury deserve and require a bounteous display that should be eternal
and include all possible objects of desire. They further require that
all who come as guests to partake of that display should be there
eternally and not suffer the pain of death and separation. For just as
the cessation of pain is pleasurable, so too is the cessation of
pleasure painful! Look at these displays and the announcements
concerning them! And listen to these heralds proclaiming the fine and
delicate arts of a miracle-working monarch, and demonstrating his
perfections! They are declaring his peerless and invisible beauty, and
speaking of the subtle manifestations of his hidden beauteousness; he
must be possessed, then, of a great and astounding invisible beauty and
perfection. This flawless hidden perfection requires one who will
appreciate and admire it, who will gaze on it exclaiming, Mashallah!,
thus displaying it and making it known.
As for
concealed and peerless beauty, it too requires to see and be seen, or
rather to behold itself in two ways. The first consists of contemplating
itself in different mirrors, and the second of contemplating itself by
means of the contemplation of enraptured spectators and astounded
admirers. Hidden beauty wishes, then, to see and be seen, to contemplate
itself eternally and be contemplated without cease. It desires also
permanent existence for those who gaze upon it in awe and rapture. For
eternal beauty can never be content with a transient admirer; moreover,
an admirer destined to perish without hope of return will find his love
turning to enmity whenever he imagines his death, and his admiration and
respect will yield to contempt. It is in man’s nature to hate the
unknown and the unaccustomed. Now everyone leaves the hospice of this
realm very quickly and vanishes, having seen only a light or a shadow of
the perfection and beauty for no more than a moment, without in any way
being satiated. Hence, it is necessary that he should go towards an
eternal realm where he will contemplate the Divine beauty and
perfection.
o Fifth Aspect:
See, it is evident from all these matters that that peerless Being is
possessed of most great mercy. For he causes aid to be swiftly extended
to every victim of misfortune, answers every question and petition; and
mercifully fulfils even the lowliest need of his lowliest subject. If,
for example, the foot of some herdsman’s sheep should hurt, he either
provides some medicine or sends a veterinarian.
Come now, let
us go; there is a great meeting on that island. All the nobles of the
land are assembled there. See, a most noble commander, bearing exalted
decorations, is pronouncing a discourse, and requesting certain things
from that compassionate monarch. All those present say: “Yes, we too
desire the same,” and affirm and assent to his words. Now listen to the
words of that commander favoured by his monarch:
“O monarch
that nurtures us with his bounty! Show us the source and origin of these
examples and shadows you have shown us! Draw us nigh to your seat of
rule; do not let us perish in these deserts! Take us into your presence
and have mercy on us! Feed us there on the delicious bounty you have
caused us to taste here! Do not torment us with desperation and
banishment! Do not leave your yearning, thankful and obedient subjects
to their own devices; do not cause them to be annihilated!” Do you not
hear him thus supplicating? Is it at all possible that so merciful and
powerful a monarch should totally fulfil the finest and highest aim of
his most beloved and noble commander?
Moreover, the
purpose of that commander is the purpose of all men, and its fulfilment
is required by the pleasure, the compassion and the justice of the king,
and it is a matter of ease for him, not difficulty, causing him less
difficulty than the transient places of enjoyment contained in the
hospice of the world. Having spent so much effort on these places of
witnessing that will last only five or six days, and on the foundation
of this kingdom, in order to demonstrate instances of his power, he will,
without doubt, display at his seat of rule true treasures, perfections
and skills in such a manner, and open before us such spectacles, that
our intellects will be astonished.
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