Islam As It Is
Prophethood
~ 53 ~
the trees whose skywards growth is not of their
own choosing. Unlike the objects of the universe,
which are never faced with options, man has
always to think of what to do, how to do it, what to
take and what to leave. Because of the will and
power with which he has been invested, he finds
himself eternally confronted with moral dilemmas.
Man, in fact, is the only being in the universe for
which a definite course of action has not been laid
down.
Functioning with perfect regularity, the sun daily
gives us light, but it does not throw any light on the
question of our lives. Winds blow all over the
world, bringing the fragrance of the flowers to our
nostrils, but they do not bring us any news
concerning the basic issues confronting us. Water
remains liquid, freezes, turns into vapour all in
accordance with a definite law. It provides us with
coolness and moisture. It is the most refreshing of
all drinks. But it does not aid us at all in our quest
for the truth. The Earth unfailingly rotates upon its
axis, thereby removing the veil of night and
bringing to us the light of day. But it does not lay
bare to us the secret or life. Trees burst upwards
