Then Allah raised the Prophets as givers of glad tidings and as warners.
Then Allah raised the Prophets as givers of glad tidings and as warners.” (Qur’an, 2:213) He (‘a) replied, لَمْ يَكُونُوا عَلى هُدًى. كَانُوا عَلى فِطْرَةِ اللهِ الَّتي فَطَرَهُمْ عَلَيْهَا. لا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللهِ. وَ لَمْ يَكُونُوا لِيَهْتَدُوا حَتّى يَهْدِيَهُمُ اللهُ. أَمَا تَسْمَعُ يَقُولُ إِبْراهِيمُ: لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِي رَبِّي لأكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّالِّينَ.’’ أَي: نَاسِيًا لِلْمِيثَاقِ. “They were not on guidance. They were on Allah’s nature on which He created them.
There is no change in Allah’s creation. And they could not be guided till Allah guided them. Have you not heard Ibrahim saying, ‘Had my Lord not guided me, I would definitely have been among the deviated ones.’ (Qur’an, 7:77), i.e.
I would have been among those who forgot the covenant.” [^5] When Hazrat Ibrahim (‘a), among the greatest monotheists and those who have recognised Allah, confesses in this manner, then how is it possible that others can acquire the cognition of Allah through their intellects and understanding?! How can they recognise a thing that is beyond their intellects and remote from their understanding?
Allah the Almighty says to the Holy Prophet (‘s), لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَـكِنَّ اللهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاء “Their guidance is not on you but Allah guides whosoever He pleases.” (Qur’an, 2:272) لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا “Allah does not place responsibility on a soul but within its capacity.” (Qur’an, 2:286) لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ مَا آتَاهَا “Allah does not place responsibility on a soul but what has been given to it.” (Qur’an, 65:7) Abdul A’laa says I asked Imam As-Sadiq (‘a): ‘Has Allah provided man any faculty by which he can acquire the recognition of Allah?’ He (‘a) replied in the negative.
He questioned again, ‘Has he imposed on them a responsibility to acquire His recognition?’ Once again Imam (‘a) answered, ‘No. Explanation is only from Allah’s side.’ Thereafter, he (‘a) recited the last two verses quoted above.’ Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) says, لَيْسَ للهِ عَلى خَلْقِهِ أَنْ يَعْرِفُوا. وَلِلْخَلْقِ عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُعَرِّفَهُمْ. وَ للهِ عَلى الْخَلْقِ إِذَا عَرَّفَهُمْ أَنْ يَقْبَلُوا. “Allah has not imposed any responsibility on His creatures that they recognise Him.
It is upon Allah alone to introduce Himself to His creatures.
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