We believe that a true and comprehensive
understanding of Islam would not be possible without careful recognition of the
Prophetic Tradition and the Prophet's Household. And Allah is the Source of Strength.
In God's Image 2
"In the original Proposition In God's Image, parents were the focus. This however is a feeble attempt to understand the creator.
And what better way to understand the Creator than through his creation?
But before we start, a caveat. Let us be very clear, no matter how much time progresses and science unlocks the unforeseen, for as long as Allah is Haq, his words shall remain true, and that "None is like him". This simple ayah proves that whatever you think or perceive to be like Allah in this world, is not like Allah at all.
But the fact also remains that his signs are none other than in his creation.
How can one indivisible entity be present at more than one places at the same time? I was hinting at the moon, which when shines bright during the night, is with each and every one of us, present with and following all of us even when we are running or driving at variable speeds and in different directions.
This world is dimensional and we struggle to think anything beyond the realms of reality which is outside space and time. But our dream, so vivid at times, as if we had spent a 100 years in the blink of an eye and in an environment so soothing and heavenly. The possibilities are endless.
Can two beings today, communicate with each other thousands of miles apart, without knowing each other or seeing each other? The cellular technology shows that we do not need to be physically at the same place to communicate.
It can understand, see, speak, communicate and network with others of its kind. It can access data and information in all the languages and archives of this world. It can process information and execute tasks a thousand times faster than those of flesh. It feel no pain, needs no food or water, does not sleep. It knows all that is known. Is it not a god in its own right? The capabilities of a computer system is so powerful yet it is a creation which has been invested into only for 70 years out of 6000 years of history of human civilization. What can the next 6000 years bring?
The creation today is powerful enough to destroy nations (or nuke them), know the unseen (what is inside us without cutting us open, through Ultrasounds, MRIs and other techniques), can create rain and have the knowledge of this world on their fingertips courtesy smart phones. What we learnt in the last 1000 years, we have learnt in the next 100, and what we have learnt in the last 100 years, we have learnt in the next 1 year and so on. The observable universe is expected to be 92 Billion Light years in diameter (or if you can understand, 8.7 x 10^23 kms or 87 thousand billion billion kilometers). And it is beautiful.
Isn't it strange that we can not limit the creation on any scale, yet when it comes to the creator himself, we try to put multiple limitations pertaining to his attributes.
Imam Ali wrote to Malik Ashtar in a letter, which was also referenced in a statement by Kofi Annan on the fiftieth anniversary of decleratation of Human Rights, that be a forgiving person because we all want God to be forgiving towards us in light of our mistakes and that we must mirror the attributes of God to our human capability.
The Prophet (SAW) was Merciful, giving and forgiving and delivered on his promises no matter what the circumstances were. He (SAW) was patient, truthful, did justice in his decisions and put his (SAW) insolent and violent enemies to the tip of the sword. And what better way to understand the creator than through his creation?"
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