Towards Perfection
When we look at the world around us and within all creatures. we encounter extraordinary harmony and astounding equilibrium. The order and symmetry that the eye sees induces wonder in every intelligent being.
The Holy Qur’an refers lo this mailer, that God. the Wise did not create any phenomenon without purpose, as follows:
(وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنَ النَّارِ)
We did not create the sky and the earth and whatever is between them in vain. That is a conjecture of the faithless. So woe to the faithless for the Fire! (38:27)
Another point that should be paid attention to, is that the creatures of the world can be divided into two kinds: 1) creatures that do not enjoy the power of will such as inanimate objects and plants, and 2) creatures that have free will such as humans. These two groups have differences and similarities in the kind of perfection that has been determined for them and in the type of divine guidance required to achieve that perfection.
In this chapter, we seek to discuss the fact that this wise and knowledgeable God has brought all creatures into this world, whether they enjoy will power or not, in order for them to achieve their particular aim and realise their perfection and that He guides them in the way to obtain that perfection. Sometimes this guidance is general, expressed as “natural law' and 'instincts' and sometimes it is specific, manifested through 'human innate nature', 'intellect' and 'revelation”.
The Elephant and the Ant
Have you ever seen or heard that on the path of an elephant's development it became an ant? Or that a baby ant grows up to become an elephant? Or, instead of a tree bringing fruit into the world, brings a baby tiger? Although, these questions appear to be silly, if we consider their answers with care, they can help further our study of perfection. The fact that no ant naturally turns into an elephant is because it does not have the capacity to do so. When a baby ant is born, it is replete with different talents and capabilities that will flourish in its lifetime and eventually it will turn into an adult ant. In actuality, all creatures are like the ant, meaning that with the fulfilling of capacities, they will achieve their realization and since every creature has specific competencies, its perfection will also be particular to it.
Simple Question
Everyone has seen the failing of fruit from trees at various times and have passed by with indifference. Because it was not considered 10 be anything special that had just occurred. Among all these people, only one person by the name of, Isaac Newton, asked die following simple question: Why has the fruit fallen to the ground?' This elementary question paved the way for the discovery of the Earth's gravity, which had a great effect on future scientific discoveries. The reason for Newton's success may be due to him being conscious of his immediate environment and curious 10 find the cause behind every occurrence. You may have witnessed the growth of various creatures but have you ever asked yourself, why each creature has us own specific perfection or. "why does an ant not turn into an elephant?
Simple Answer
By paying attention to the living things which are around you, you should have been able to give a simple answer to the above question with the phrase:
‘the way they have been created.’
All beings that we sec have been created in such a manner that each one possesses their own special capacities and all exert efforts towards the fulfillment of those abilities.
Consider the eagle that expands its wings and flies in the sky. When this eagle was a baby it had wings, but its wings did not have the ability to lift it off the ground. It had die potential for flight but it needed to realize this potential. In order for this eagle to fly, it had to eat well so that its wings would become strong. Flight for this bird is considered as one aspect of its perfection and in order to reach this state, it must pursue its particular path.
By studying this example and the previous ones, two points become clear to us.
- Every creature has been created in such a way that they have their own specific capacities.
- Every creature is inclined to reach its particular perfection and fulfill its potentialities.
Natural scientists have always tried to discover the ordinance that governs nature and creation. Laws such as the law of photosynthesis or the gravitational pull between planets etc. are termed as natural laws, and natural desires that different creatures have in order for them to arrive at perfection, such as the need to reproduce and desire for life etc. are termed as instincts. Now that it has become clear that the answer to the question is in the creation of these creatures, an important question arises: ‘who is the creator of them’. Or in other words, ‘which person has created these capacities and desires within creatures?’