Part 5: MAN VS SPIRITS, AND HUMAN SOULS

Part 5: MAN VS SPIRITS, AND HUMAN SOULS

          (d)     MAN VS SPIRITS:-  Man is Paramount in Creation-this is a Truth, persistently urged by the Qur’aan, so as to declare Man ‘Khaleefa’ or vicegerent on Earth, totally subject to God, and as such, exercising wide powers in the Universe, bestowed on this frail Creature by his mighty Creator, God, Most Exalted, entirely above such connections as Son and Father. It would appear; from the Qur’aan that Man is superior to Angels and Genii, being most advanced by Nature, in Knowledge, as also in Descension, Ascension, and Manifestation. Love, Devotion and Obedience put him in a position inaccessible to others. The Paramountcy bestowed by God on man is frequently pointed out in the Qur’aan: vide 30 to 34: 2, 71 to 81:38, and 39 to 43: 15. “Said thy Lord to the Angels:” I will create a Vicegerent on Earth.” They said: “Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood, whilst we do celebrate Thy Praises and glorify Thy Holy (name). He said I know what ye know not.”30: 2.

    But if Man begins to fall in the physical and moral grades of Creation, he may fall to the lowest level, in his deeds, indeed lower than the animals do by Nature. For instance, says the Qur’aan:-

“We have indeed created Man in the best of moulds; then do we abase him (to be) the lowest of the low, except such as believe and do righteous deeds for they shall have a reward unfailing. 4 to 6: 95.

             (e) HUMEN SOULS: – Man is a combination of soul and body. Soul springs from the sphere of, ‘Amr’ (Command) and Body grows in the sphere of ‘Khalq’ (Creation)-both these spheres belong to ‘Rab’(God), as says the Qur’aan.

“Verily your ‘Rab’ is God. Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days (periods) all governed by Laws under His Command. Are not both for him, ‘Khalq’ (Creation) and ‘Amr’ (Command)?” 54: 7.

As to the sphere of ‘Amr’ , it is Instantaneous and absolute, free from the chain of Causation’, as pointed out in the Qur’aan. “Verily His Amr is (this) when He intends thing. He says for it ‘Kun’ or, Word’ (Be), and there it is.” 82: 36.

As to soul, we are told by the Qur’aan. “They ask thee concerning the soul. Say: The soul is by the ‘Amr’ of my ‘Rab’. (In fact) of Knowledge it is only a little that is allowed to you.”85 : 17.

What is death but the separation of soul from body-as explained by the Qur’aan. 83 to87: 56 (Waqia). We can even have contact with souls departed, apart from dreams, but it demands a separate treatment.

             (f) SUPERMAN:- some talk of superman, as if to be a link between God and Man, like a son of God or incarnation of God Himself in human or other form. Those who stand highest in the grade of Abd’ are called Apostles and they also occupy various grades among themselves. Vide  253 : 2, 55 : 17. The upward relation of Apostle to God marks his Ascension and his downward relation to Creation marks his Descension, while in the ‘Maqam’ (Position) of ‘ Amaanat’ (Trust) and ‘Khilafat’ (Vicegerency), the Apostle becomes the point of Manifestation. And the one who excels all others in all the three phases of Life holds a position Supreme, Next, but totally subject, to God, in the Universe. Since Islam holds a balance between the two extremes Muslims are thus advised by the Qur’aan. Vide 143 :2, 110 :3, 78 : 22. So it would appear that Islam reconciles the Trust, found more or less in all Religions, on the basis of Abd’ and ‘Rab’ as between Man and God in all the spheres of his existence.

Copied by Muhammad Sharif from the HOLY QUR’AN transliterated in roman script with English translation by Marmaduke Pickthal, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazaar Lahore Pakistan