It is evident from the above arguments for the existence of God that
they are dependent upon two categories of reasoning. It is also clear
that both of these methods are meant for particular people; that is,
the learned. Now as to the method for the masses. The difference
between the two lies only in details. The masses cannot understand the
two above mentioned arguments but only what they can grasp by their
senses; while the learned men can go further, and learn by reasoning
also, besides learning by sense. They have gone so far that a learned
man has said, that the benefits the learned men derive from the
knowledge of the members of human and animal body are a thousand and
one. If this be so, then this is the method which is taught both by
Law and by Nature. It is the method which was preached by the Prophet
and the divine books. The learned men do not mention these two lines
of reasonings to the masses, not because of their number, but because
of a want of depth of learning on their part about the knowledge of a
single thing only. The example of the common people, considering and
pondering over the universe, is like a man who looks into a thing, the
manufacture of which he does not know. For all that such a man can know
about it is that it has been made, and that there must be a maker of
it. But, on the other hand the learned look into the universe, just as
a man knowing the art would do; try to understand the real purpose of
it. So it is quite clear that their knowledge about the Maker, as the
maker of the universe, would be far better than that of the man who
only knows it as made. The atheists, who deny the Creator altogether,
are like men who can see and feel the created things, but would not
acknowledge any Creator for them, but would attribute all to chance
alone, and that they come into being by themselves.
OF THE UNITY OF GOD
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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