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RECONCILIATION.
1053 in life to leave us time to meditate on these vital problems, and are, therefore, forced to accept conclusions which are based on a defective enquiry.
Let us, therefore, believe in the testimony of the Lord, when he says “ ] create evil. "
But what are we to think of a being who creates evil, and is then good enough to tell us that he has done so ? Should we worship him, because he is the author of evil, and, therefore, a being to be dreaded, or because he says:
“Whatever misfortune befalleth you is sent you hy God."-Al Qur'an, Chap, XLII.-?
He is repeatedly said to lead men astray, as will appear from the following passages from the Holy Qur 'an :
1. “Whomsoever God shall direct, he will be rightly directed ; and whomsoever he shall lead astray, they shall perish."-Chap. XIII. 179.
2. “For he whom God shall cause to err shall have no direction."-Ohap. XIII. 33.
3. “He will lead into error whom he pleaseth, and he will direct whom he pleaseth."- Chap. XVI. 95.
4. “We have created for hell many of the jinns and men."-- Chap. XVI 180.
If emphasis were needed on the creation of men for hell, it is supplied by the Sura Sijda, which contains the following vei'se :
" The word which hath proceeded from me must necessarily be fulfilled when I said, Verily, I will fill hell with jinns and men altogether."
Since the punishment in hell is ordinarily understood to be eternal, and since there can be no worse fate for those who are sent, or are to be sent there, the question arises as to the obligation of the unfortunate
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