Enlightenment of Chand Kazi

Airavata Dasa

BHAKTIVEDANTA ACADEMY
CONTENT
 Introduction 3

1. The sankirtana movement 7

2. Chand Kazi 7

3. The movement of nonviolent civil disobedience 8

4. Meeting 9

5. Conversation 10

6. Cow killing 16

7. Spirit soul 20

8. Spiritual world 21

9. Love of God 24

10. The Messenger 26

11. Soul is the eternal servant 27

12. God is the eternal master 27

13. Salvation 28

14. The fundamental lesson of the Qur’an 29

15. Form of Allah 29

16. The form of Allah was visualized by Muhammad 38

17. The humbling of Chand Kazi 39

Introduction

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 Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was born in Mayapur in the town of Nadia on the
evening of the 18th of February, 1486. In those days in India, Nadia was a center of
learning rival to Benares. Mahaprabhu was a beautiful child with a golden complexion,
and the ladies of the town came to celebrate his birth by offering presents. His
grandfather, Pandita Nilambara Cakravarti, a renowned astrologer, foretold that the child
would be a great personage in time. By his tenth year, Sri Caitanya was an outstanding
scholar in logic, grammar, rhetoric, and the scriptures. All the great scholars of Nadia
recognized his scholarship, which became renowned when he defeated Kesava Misra of
Kasmire, one of the greatest scholars of his time, in public debate. Sri Caitanya had one
very distinguished characteristic, which some people failed to understand and appreciate,
- he was always happily engaged in chanting God's holy names. Most of the people of
Nadia recognized Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu not only as a great genius, but certainly as a
missionary from God Almighty. This turned out to be true.
From this time to his twenty-third year, Mahaprabhu preached the principles of
love of God, not only in Nadia but in all important towns and villages surrounding his
city. His followers from Nadia began to sing the holy name of Hari in the streets and
bazaars. This created a sensation and aroused different feelings in different quarters. The
devotees were highly pleased. The smarta brahmanas became jealous of Nimai Pandita's
success and complained to Chand Kazi. They spoke against the character of Sri Caitanya
as un-Hindu. The Kazi arrived at Srivasa Pandita's house and in a rage of anger broke a
mrdanga (khola drum) and declared that unless Nimai Pandita ceased to make this noise
about his queer religion, he would be obliged to enforce Islam on him and his followers.
This was brought to Mahaprabhu's notice. He ordered his followers to appear in the
evening, each with a torch in their hands. This they did, and Nimai marched out with his
sankirtana divided into 14 groups, and on his arrival at the Kazi's house, he held a long
religious discussion with Chand Kazi who was the Muslim magistrate of Navadvipa, and
in the end by his influence as a pure devotee of God he elevated the magistrate to the
position of an exalted devotee simply by touching his body. The Chand Kazi wept and
admitted that he had felt a deep spiritual influence which had cleared his previous doubts
and ignorance. He now had spiritual feelings which gave him the highest ecstasy. The
Chand Kazi then accepted Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement. The people were
astonished at the spiritual power of Mahaprabhu, for he had changed a man who was
strongly opposed to Sri Caitanya’s practice of public chanting of God’s holy names. After
this affair hundreds and hundreds of disbelievers took up his teachings and joined the
banner of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
When the Muslim King of Bengal, Nawab Hussein Shah Badasaha, heard of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s influence in attracting innumerable people, he became very
astonished and said, “Such a person, who is followed by so many people without giving
them charity, must be a holy preceptor. I can surely understand this fact.” The Muslim
King ordered the magistrate: “Do not disturb this holy preceptor out of jealousy. Let him
do as he likes under his own will.” In private, the King inquired from his minister, Dabir
Khas, who began to speak about the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Dabir Khas
said: “Why are you questioning me? Better that you question your own mind. Because
you are the King of the people, you are the representative of Allah. Therefore you can
understand this better than I.” Nawab Husen Shah could see how the power of Allah
acted through Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and, thus, he was convinced of his divine nature.

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 At 24 Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu left his hometown and went on a six year walking
tour of India. In south India, at Kurmaksetra, he performed a miracle by curing a leper
named Vasudeva. Everywhere he went he convinced people of all backgrounds to
dedicate their lives to the chanting of the holy names of God. It was impossible even for
learned scholars to oppose him for a long time, for there was some spell in him which
touched the hearts of everyone, causing them to cry for spiritual advancement.
In his twenty-eighth year he went to Bengal as far as Gauda in Malda. There he
picked up two great personalities named Rupa and Sanatana. Though descendants from
the lines of the Karnatic brahmanas, these two brothers turned demi-Muslims by their
continual association with Hussein Shah, the then Emperor of Gauda. Their names had
been changed by the Emperor to Dabir Khas and Sakara Mallik, and their master loved
them heartily since they were both learned in Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit and were loyal
servants of the state. The two gentlemen had found no way to come back as regular
Hindus and had written to Mahaprabhu for spiritual help while he was at Puri.
Mahaprabhu had written in reply that he would come to them and extricate them from
their spiritual difficulties. Now that he had come to Gauda, both the brothers appeared
before him with their long-standing prayer. Mahaprabhu ordered them to go to
Vrndavana and meet him there.
Caitanya returned to Puri through Santipura. When Mahaprabhu along with his
comrade Balabhadra went to Puri passing through some jungles in the state of Orissa, he
performed unbelievable miracle on his way: he made tigers and elephants, and other
jungle animals dance in joy on hearing the chanting of the holy name of God.
After a short stay at Puri he left for Vrndavana. He visited Vrndavana and came
down to Prayag (Allahabad). While traveling along the Vrindavan-Prayag route, Caitanya
Mahaprabhu met 10 cavalry soldiers belonging to the Muslim Pathana military order.
Among the Muslims was a grave person wearing a black dress. He was known to the
public as a saintly person. His heart was softened upon seeing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s
ecstatic symptoms. He wanted to discuss topics about God on the basis of the Holy
Qur'an. The scholar put points forward to establish the impersonal conception of the
Absolute Truth on the basis of the Holy Qur'an and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu respectfully
presented counter points to establish the personal conception of God. Whatever points the
Muslim put forward, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu presented counter points on the basis of
the same Qur'an. The saintly Muslim kept trying to establish, on the basis of the Holy
Qur'an, that Allah does not have personal attributes, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by
quoting the same Qur'an, presented counter points showing that Allah does, indeed, have
personal features. Finally the Muslim scholar overwhelmed by the in-depth knowledge,
vision, and clarity exhibited by Mahaprabhu on the Holy Qur’an humbled himself and
offered all respects to such a great scholar and saint.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ended the discussion by saying, “The Qur’an certainly
established impersonalism, but finally it refutes impersonalism and establishes the
personal aspect of Allah. The Holy Qur’an accepts the fact that ultimately there is only
one God. He is full of opulence and He has a beautiful dark color. According to the Holy
Qur’an, the Lord has a supreme, blissful, spiritual form. Allah is the Absolute Truth, the
all-pervading, omniscient and eternal being. He is the origin of everything; creation,
maintenance and dissolution come from Him. He is the original shelter of all gross and
subtle cosmic manifestations. Allah is the Supreme Truth worshipped by everyone. Allah

4
is the cause of all causes. By engaging in His devotional service, the living entity is
relieved from material existence. No conditioned soul can get out of material bondage
without serving the Supreme Lord. Love of the Supreme Lord is the ultimate goal of life.
The happiness of liberation, whereby one merges into the Lord's existence, cannot even
be compared to a fragment of the transcendental bliss obtained by service unto the Lord.
In the Qur’an there are descriptions of fruitive activity, speculative knowledge, mystic
power and union with the Supreme, but ultimately everything is refuted and the Lord's
personal feature and His devotional service is established. Some scholars of the Qur’an
are not very advanced in knowledge. Although there are many methods prescribed, they
do not know that the ultimate conclusion should be considered the most powerful.
Studying your own Qur'an and deliberating over what is written there, what is your
conclusion?"
The saintly Muslim replied, "All that you have revealed is true. This has certainly
been written in the Holy Qur'an, but some of our scholars can neither understand nor
accept this side. Usually they describe Allah's impersonal aspect, but they hardly know
that Allah's personal feature is worshipable. They are undoubtedly lacking this
knowledge. I have studied the Muslim scriptures very extensively, but I still cannot
conclusively decide what is the ultimate goal of life or how I can approach it. Now that I
have seen and heard you, my false prestige that grew on me from being a learned scholar
has been washed away." Saying this, the saintly Muslim took shelter of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu, accepted him as a spiritual preceptor and requested him to speak of life's
ultimate goal and the process by which it could be obtained.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu answered, that ultimate goal of human life is the love of
God and the process by which it could be obtained is chanting the holy names of God,
“You have chanted the holy name of God, therefore the sinful reactions you have
accumulated over millions of years are now gone. You are now pure.”
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then told all the Muslims there, "Chant the holy name
of God! Chant the holy name of God!” As they all began to chant, they were all
overwhelmed by ecstatic love. In this way Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu indirectly initiated
the saintly Muslim by advising him to chant the holy name of God. By hearing from Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a pure surrendered devotee of God, the saintly Muslim with great
joy and ecstasy received the deeper realizations of the Holy Qur’an. Previously he had
been amazed and hooked on the beauty of the external opulence of the treasure chest but
now by the association of a pure surrendered devotee and by chanting the holy name the
real personal treasure was been revealed. He felt so much love and devotion for Allah
that he began to realize how Allah is his real friend, his merciful guide, his only provider
and maintainer and his loving well-wisher. He realized that Allah has a never-ending
personal relationship with everyone, He personally instructs each and everyone from
inside and outside, He loves every single living entity but He takes special care of the
living beings that are sincerely trying to devote everything to Him. He began to
consciously see that Allah is just waiting for us to place our dependence on Him and take
shelter of His supreme guidance and protection. Allah proclaims that who ever takes
shelter of Him with love and devotion will without a doubt attain the supreme
destination. By the mercy of Allah the Muslim scholar finally realized the ultimate goal
of the Holy Qur’an is to bring us to the point of surrender and dependence on Allah, the
beginning of love of God.

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 It is recommended in all the bona fide scriptures that in this age of quarrel and
hypocrisy, the only way to attain love of God is by chanting His holy names. The hidden
meaning of the Qur’anic verses were revealed to the saintly Muslim and his heart was
overwhelmed with love and devotion. He realized that aside from the impersonal feature,
the personal nature of Allah is worshipable. This personal nature of Allah can be realized
by the association and mercy of the pure devotees. There was another Muslim present
whose name was Vijuli Khan. He was a young man, the son of the king. All the other
Muslim Pathanas, headed by the saintly scholar were his servants.
Vijuli Khan overwhelmed with the power of pure spiritual knowledge also took
shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu moved on, he
bestowed His blessings upon them. All the Pathana Muslims then became mendicants.
Later these very Pathanas became celebrated as Pathana Vaisnavas. They toured all over
the country and chanted the glorious activities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Vijuli Khan
became a greatly advanced devotee of God and his importance was celebrated at every
place of pilgrimage.
Mahaprabhu always slept little. His inner spiritual feelings carried him far and
wide in the realm of spirituality every day and night. He constantly chanted the holy
names of God, took no care of himself, and often lost himself in spiritual ecstasy. Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu always introduced himself as a humble servant of God, but his
intimate associates, by seeing his many spiritual symptoms and observing him fulfill
many scriptural predictions, realized that he was someone very special. He was the most
amiable in his nature. Humility was personified in him. His sweet appearance gave cheer
to all who came in contact with him.

In this work we will scrutinize the details of discussion between Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu and Chand Kazi. No doubt that Mahaprabhu knew Arabic and quoted the
Holy Qur’an while being fully familiar with Muslim traditions. But no book has
preserved these details. Therefore we will support each statement of Mahaprabhu by
quoting from the Holy Qur’an, the Hadith and the Sunna of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad.

1. The sankirtana movement

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the late fifteenth century, 1486. He took
birth in Bengal, India which at the time was being governed by the Pathana Muslims.

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 From the age of seventeen Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu started his sankirtana
movement. He preached to all the citizens of Navadvipa to chant the Hare Krsna mantra,
and in each and every home they began performing sankirtana regularly. When the
sankirtana movement thus started, no one in Navadvipa could hear any other sound
except the words "Hari! Hari!" and the beating of the mrdangas and clashing of hand
bells. Hearing the resounding vibration of the Hare Krsna mantra, the local Muslims,
greatly angered, submitted a complaint to the Kazi.

2. Chand Kazi

The Navadvipa city magistrate was called the Kazi. The city magistrate at that
time was known as Chand Kazi. The landholders levied taxes on the land, but keeping
law and order and punishing criminals was the duty entrusted to the Kazi. Both the Kazi
and the landholders were under the control of the governor of Bengal, which at that time
was known as Suba-bangala. The districts of Nadia, Islampura and Bagoyana were all
under the landholder named Hari Hoda or his descendant known as Krsnadasa Hoda. It is
said that Chand Kazi was the spiritual master of Nawab Hussein Shah. According to one
opinion Chand Kazi’s name was Maulana Sirajuddin, and according to another, his name
was Habibar Rahman. Descendants of Chand Kazi are still living in the vicinity of
Mayapur. People still go to see the tomb of Chand Kazi, which is underneath a campaka
tree and is known as Chand Kazi's samadhi.
Chand Kazi angrily came to Srivasa Pandita's house one evening, and witnessed a
joyful kirtana going on, he broke a mrdanga (drum) and spoke as follows. “For so long
you did not follow the regulative principles of the Hindu religion, but now you are
following them with great enthusiasm. May I know by whose strength you are doing so?”

It appears that from the time of Baktiyar Khiliji in Bengal until the
time of Chand Kazi, Hindus, or the followers of the Vedic principles, were
greatly suppressed. Practically no one could execute the Hindu religious
principles freely. Chand Kazi referred to this condition of Hindu society.
Formerly the Hindus had not been straightforward in executing their
Hindu principles, but now they were freely chanting the Hare Krsna
maha-mantra. Therefore it must have been by the strength of someone
else that they were so daring.
Actually, that was the fact. Although the members of the so-called
Hindu society had followed the social customs and formulas, they had
practically forgotten to execute their religious principles strictly. But with
the presence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu they actually began following
the regulative principles according to His order.

Chand Kazi continued: “No one should perform sankirtana on the streets of the
city. Today I am excusing the offense and returning home. The next time I see someone
performing such sankirtana, certainly I shall chastise him by not only confiscating all his
property but also converting him into a Muslim.” After saying this, the Kazi returned
home.

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 To convert a Hindu into a Muslim was an easy affair in those days. If a Muslim
simply sprinkled water on the body of a Hindu, it was supposed that the Hindu had
already become a Muslim. Hindu society was so strict at the time of Sri Caitanya that if a
Hindu were converted into a Muslim, there was no chance of him being reformed. In this
way the Muslim population in India increased. None of the Muslims came from outside;
social customs somehow or other forced Hindus to become Muslims, with no chance of
returning to Hindu society. Emperor Auranzeb also inaugurated a tax which only Hindus
had to pay. Thus all the poor Hindus of the lower class voluntarily became Muslims to
avoid the tax. In this way the Muslim population in India increased. Chand Kazi
threatened to convert the people into Muslims by the simple process of sprinkling water
on their bodies.

3. The movement of nonviolent civil disobedience

The devotees being greatly shocked by the order to stop chanting Hare Krsna
maha-mantra, submitted their grief to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who at once ordered,
"Go. Perform sankirtana!"
Gandhi is known for having started the nonviolent civil disobedience movement
in India, but about five hundred years before him, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu started His
movement of nonviolent civil disobedience against the order of Chand Kazi. He
organized a procession of one hundred thousand men equipped with thousands of
mrdangas and karatalas (hand cymbals), and this procession passed over the roads of
Navadvipa in defiance of the Kazi who had issued the order. It is not necessary to commit
violence to stop the opposition from hindering a movement, for one can kill their
demoniac behavior with reason and argument.
Returning home, all the citizens began performing sankirtana, but because of the
order of the Kazi, they were not carefree but always full of anxiety. Understanding the
anxiety within the people's minds Sri Caitanya called them together and spoke to them as
follows, “In the evening I shall perform sankirtana in each and every town. Therefore
you should all decorate the city in the evening. In the evening, burn torchlights in every
home. I shall give protection to everyone. Let us see what kind of Kazi comes to stop our
kirtana.”
At that time, Navadvipa was composed of nine small cities. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu wanted to perform kirtana in each of these neighboring towns. He ordered
the city decorated for the function. In the evening Sri Caitanya went out and formed three
parties to perform kirtana. During Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's time, one party was
composed of twenty one men: four people playing mrdangas, one leading the chanting,
and sixteen others striking karatalas, responding to the leading chanter.
In the front party danced Thakura Haridasa, and in the middle party danced
Advaita Acarya with great jubilation. Sri Caitanya Himself danced in the rear party, and
Sri Nityananda Prabhu accompanied Sri Caitanya's dancing. Performing kirtana in this
way, circumambulating through every nook and corner of the city, they finally reached
the door of the Kazi. Murmuring in anger and making a roaring sound, the people, under
the protection of Sri Caitanya, became mad through such indulgence.

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 Sri Caitanya and all His devotees, naturally enthusiastic although agitated, must
have made a great noise with their loud cries. The loud sound of the chanting of the Hare
Krsna mantra certainly made the Kazi very much afraid, and he hid himself within his
room. Hearing the people protesting and murmuring in great anger, the Kazi refused to
come out of his home.
The Kazi's order not to perform sankirtana could stand only as long as there was
no civil disobedience. Under the leadership of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the chanters,
increasing in number, disobeyed the order of the Kazi. Thousands assembled together and
formed parties, chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and making a tumultuous sound of
protest. Thus the Kazi was very much afraid, as naturally one would be under such
circumstances.
Sri Caitanya chanted and all the devotees reproduced the same sound He chanted.
In this way Mahaprabhu proceeded, leading the entire party on the strand roads by the
bank of the Ganges. When the Lord came to His own ghata, or bathing place, He danced
more and more. Then He proceeded to Madhai's ghata. In this way Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu danced all over the banks of the Ganges. Then He proceeded to Barakona-
ghata, the Nagariya-ghata, and, traveling through Ganganagara, reached Simuliya, a
quarter at one end of the town. All these places surround Sri Mayapur. After reaching
Simuliya, Sri Caitanya proceeded towards the Kazi's house, and in this way he reached
the door of Chand Kazi.
Naturally some of the people who were very much agitated began to retaliate
against the Kazi's actions by wrecking his house and flower garden. Soon, when Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu himself reached the Kazi's house, He sat down by the doorway and
sent some respectable persons to call for the Kazi. When the Kazi came with his head
bowed down Mahaprabhu offered him proper respect and a seat.

4. Meeting

Some of the men in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's civil disobedience movement

were agitated because they could not control their minds. But Mahaprabhu was
thoroughly peaceful, sober and unagitated. Therefore when the Kazi came down to see
Him, Mahaprabhu offered him proper respect and a seat because he was a respectable
government officer.
In a friendly way, Mahaprabhu said, "Sir, I have come to your house as your
guest, but upon seeing me you hid yourself in your room. What kind of etiquette is this?"
The Kazi replied: "You have come to my house in a very angry mood. To pacify
you, I did not come out before you immediately but kept myself hidden. Now that you
seem more peaceful, I am able to come out meet you. It is my good fortune to receive
such a guest like Your Honor. In our village relationship, Nilambara Cakravarti Thakura
was my uncle. Such a relationship is stronger than a bodily relationship. Nilambara
Cakravarti is your maternal grandfather, and by this relationship you are thus my nephew.
When a nephew is very angry, his maternal uncle is tolerant, and when the maternal uncle
commits an offense, the nephew does not take it very seriously." In this way the Kazi and
Sri Caitanya talked with one another with different indications, but no outsider could
understand the inner meaning of their conversation.

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 In India, even in the interior villages, all the Hindu and Muslim communities used
to live very peacefully by establishing a relationship between each other. The young men
called the elderly members of the village by the name caca or kaka, "uncle", and men of
the same age called each other dada, "brother." The relationship was very friendly. There
were even invitations from Muslim houses to Hindu houses and from Hindu houses to
Muslim houses. Both the Hindus and Muslims accepted the invitations to go to each
other's houses to attend ceremonial functions that went on. Even until fifty or sixty years
ago, the relationship between Hindus and Muslims was very friendly, and there were no
disturbances. We do not find any Hindu-Muslim riots in the history of India, even during
the days of the Mulims' rule over the country. Conflict between Hindus and Muslims was
created by polluted politicians, especially foreign rulers, and thus the situation gradually
became so degraded that India was divided into Hindustan and Pakistan.
Indeed, Nilambara Cakravarti lived at Navadvipa in the neighborhood of
Belapukuriya. This fact is mentioned in the book Prema-vilasa. Because he lived near the
house of the Kazi, the Kazi was also considered one of the maternal uncles of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Kazi used to address Nilambara Cakravarti as kaka, or
“uncle”. One cannot separate the residence of the Kazi from Vamanapukura because the
tomb of the Kazi is still existing there. Formerly the place was known as Belapukuriya,
and now it is called Vamanapukura. This has been confirmed by archeological evidence.
Chand Kazi pointed out that Nilambara Cakravarti referred to him as an uncle,
and consequently, Srimati Sacidevi, the mother of Nimai Pandita, was his sister. He
asked Mahaprabhu whether his sister's son could be angry at His maternal uncle, and the
Lord replied that since the Kazi was His maternal uncle he should receive his nephew
well at his home. In this way the issue was mitigated, and the two learned scholars began
a long discussion on the Qur’an and Vedic scriptures.

5. Conversation

Chand Kazi informed Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Nimai, I call your grandfather, your
mother's father, as my uncle. So in that way your mother is my sister according to our
village relationship, and you are my nephew. So how is that a nephew is so much angry
upon his uncle? Is it not good."
Caitanya Mahaprabhu could understand that he has calm down. He has now
become uncle.
Sri Caitanya said, "Yes, my dear uncle, I know that. It is not my duty to be angry
with you, but how is that, I am your nephew, I have come to your home, and you went
upstairs, you did not receive Me? Anyway, what is done is done. Forget it. My dear
uncle, I have come to your home just to ask you some questions."
"Yes," the Kazi replied, "You are welcome. Just tell me what is in Your mind."
Mahaprabhu said: "You drink cows' milk; therefore the cow is your “mother”.
And the bull produces grains for your maintenance; therefore he is your “father”. Since
the bull and cow are your “father” and “mother”, how can you kill and eat them? What
kind of religious principle is this? On what strength are you so daring that you commit
such sinful activities?"

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 Everyone can understand that we drink the milk of cows and take
the help of bulls in producing agricultural products. Therefore, since our
real father gives us food grains and our mother gives us milk with which
to live, the cow and bull are considered our father and mother. According
to Vedic civilization, there are seven mothers, of which the cow is one.
Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu challenged the Muslim Kazi, "What
kind of religious principle do you follow by killing your father and mother
to eat them?" In any civilized human society, no one would dare kill his
father and mother for the purpose of eating them. Therefore Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu challenged the system of Muslim religion as patricide and
matricide.

The Kazi replied: "As you have your scriptures called the Vedas and Puranas, we
have our scripture, known as the Holy Qur’an.

Chand Kazi agreed to talk with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu on the

strength of the scriptures. According to the Vedic scripture, if one can
support his position by quoting from the Vedas, his argument is perfect.
Similarly, when the Muslims support their position with quotations from
the Qur’an, their arguments are also authorized. When Lord Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu raised the question of the Muslims' cow killing and bull
killing, Chand Kazi came to the standard of understanding from his
scriptures.

According to the Qur’an, there are two ways of advancement - through increasing the
propensity to enjoy [pravrtti-marga] and decreasing the propensity to enjoy [nivrtti-
marga]. On the path of decreasing attachment, the killing of animals is prohibited.”

In the Holy Qur’an we can find following ayats:

“Beautified for mankind is love of the joys (that come) from
women and offspring, and stored-up heaps of gold and silver, and horses
branded (with their mark), and cattle and land. That is comfort of the life
of the world. Allah! With Him is a more excellent abode.
Say: Shall I inform you of something better than that? For the
righteous are Gardens in nearness to their Lord with rivers flowing
beneath. Therein is their eternal home with pure companions and the good
pleasure of Allah. Allah is Seer of His servants.” (3.14-15)
“Some of you desired the world, and some of you desired the
Hereafter.” (3.152)
Thus the Holy Qur’an described two class of people:
(1) Those who are attached to sense gratification and desire of the
heavenly enjoyment; and
(2) Those who renounce everything and strive for the love of God.
For the general masses of people who are still unable to control
their senses (tongue) provision for eating meat has been granted but it is
not recommended so rules and regulations exist to slowly help one give up

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such bad habit (taste). But for those who desire the highest perfection of
life, love of God, meat eating is forbidden.
For example, we can find the following ayats in the Holy Qur’an:
“Forbidden to you (for food) are meat of dead animals, blood, the
flesh of swine, and that on which has been invoked the name of other than
Allah; and the dead through beating; that which has been killed by
strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to
death; that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are
able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars);
(forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is
impiety.” (5.3)
Thus we can understand from this verse of the Holy Qur’an that
not every meat is permitted to eat. Only meat of an animal which is
expressly killed for food with the Takbir, or the solemn mode of slaughter
(zabh) in the name of Allah duly pronounced on it. This means that killing
animals for food is a personal affair. It does not suggest opening
slaughterhouses and killing hundreds of thousands of animals in a
organized way, everyday. Those who want to eat meat, should do this the
proper way individually, because everyone needs to take responsibility for
his own actions. On the Day of Judgment, all dead creatures will come to
life and will take vengeance on those who had either teased them or killed
them. This concession is given by Allah to those who cannot restrain from
meat eating. By eating halal, lawful meat they will gradually subdue their
passion and give up meat eating. This will help to develop fine spiritual
sentiments, namely love for Allah.
Besides this it is mentioned in sura “Al-Ma’ida” that within the
limits of Mecca, most holy place, slaughtering of animals is prohibited:
“Animals of the chase are forbidden while you are in the Sacred
Precincts or in the state of pilgrimage.” (5.1)
This means that hunting and the use of game are forbidden “while
you are hurumun,” i.e., while you are
(1) in the Sacred Precincts, Mecca or
(2) in the special pilgrimage garb (ihram).
It is also explained in the sura “Al-Ma’ida” that:
“O you who believe! Kill not game while in the Sacred Precincts
or in the state of pilgrimage. If any of you does so intentionally, the
compensation is an offering, brought to the Ka’ba, of a domestic animal
equivalent to the one he killed. As adjudged by two just men among you;
or by way of atonement, the feeding of the poor persons; or its equivalent
in fasts: that he may taste of the penalty of his deed. Allah forgives what
has past; but for repetition Allah will punish him for Allah is Exalted, and
Lord of Retribution.” (5.95)
This means that if someone kills an animal inadvertently within the
limits of Mecca, one should then leave one of his pet animals there. In
case one has no pet animals, one should give in charity food equivalent in
value to the price of the killed animal. Otherwise the offender must fast as

12
many days as the number of the poor who would have been fed under the
second alternative. Thus killing animals is a sin and therefore, it is
prohibited in a holy place like Mecca.
In sura “As-Saffat” of the Holy Qur’an there are following
narration:
“He (Ibrahim) said: ‘I will go to my Lord! He will surely guide
me! O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son)!’
So We gave him the good news of forbearing son.
Then, when (his son) was old enough to work with him, (Ibrahim)
said: ‘O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you.
Now see what is your view!’ (The son) said: ‘O my father! Do as you are
commanded. You will find me, if Allah so wills one of the steadfast.’
So when they both submitted (to Allah), and he had laid him
prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice),
We called out to him, ‘O Ibrahim!
You has already fulfilled the dream!’ Thus indeed do We reward
those who do right.
For this was a clear test.
Then we ransomed him with a tremendous victim.
And We left for him among generations (to come) in later times:
‘Peace and salutation to Ibrahim!’” (37.99-109)
Thus Ibrahim (Abraham) was born in Ur of the Chaldees, a place
on the lower reaches of the Euphrates, not a hundred miles from the
Persian Gulf. Where the worship of the sun, moon and stars was the
prevailing form of religion. Ibrahim revolted against this quite early in
life. They also had deities in their temples, which probably represented
heavenly bodies and celestial winged creatures. He was still a youth when
he broke the false deities. After this he was marked down as a rebel and
persecuted. He was thrown into the fire. But the fire became cool by the
order of Allah and Ibrahim was saved. Then he left his ancestral lands, and
avoiding the Syrian desert, came to the fertile lands of Aram or Syria. This
was the Hijrat (Flight) of Ibrahim. He left his people and his land, because
the Truth was dearer to him than the ancestral falsehoods of his people. He
trusted himself to Allah, and under Allah’s guidance he laid the
foundations for great people.
This was in the fertile land of Syria and Palestine when a boy was
born, the first-born son of Ibrahim, namely Ismail. The name itself is from
the root Sami’a, to hear, because Allah had heard Ibrahim’s prayer (The
Qur’an. 37.100). Ibrahim’s age when Ismail was born from his
maidservant Hajar was 86 (Gen. 16.16). The boy’s character was to be
Halim, “forbearing”. This title is also applied to Ibrahim (The Qur’an.
9.114; 11.75). It refers to the patient way in which both father and son
cheerfully offered to suffer any self-sacrifice in order to obey the
command of Allah.
Once, after Ismail had grown up to the age of discretion, Ibrahim
had a dream that he now had to offer his only son in sacrifice. The

13
command was conveyed to him via a dream. It was a test of the devotion
for both father and son. Ibrahim consulted his son. The son readily
consented, and offered to stand true to his promis if his self-sacrifice was
really required. Actually, the trial and sacrifice was demanded of both
Ibrahim and Ismail. Ibrahim had to sacrifice his only dearmost son and
Ismail had to sacrifice his dear life. Finally this sacrifice was about to take
place in the valley of Mina, six miles north of Mecca. Ibrahim was ready
to sacrifice his son but his hand did not act. Then he covered his eyes with
cloth took a knife in his hand, and tried to kill Ismail. But at that moment
Allah replaced Ismail with a fine sheep or ram. So there was a ram instead
of his son. Thus the son was saved and the ram was sacrificed (some
scholars say that the ram was also saved).
Since that day, the ‘Id Day or Day of Sacrifice came into practice.
On this day in the valley of Mina, six miles north of Mecca, a
commemoration sacrifice is annually celebrated as a rite of the Hajj on the
tenth of Zul-Hijjah in Memory of this Sacrifice of Ibrahim and Ismail.
This festival is also celebrated by all Muslims around the world. Hundreds
of thousands of animals are annually slaughtered on this day. But let us
carefully consider what was the main object of Allah’s teaching on that
occasion. Did Allah ask for Ibrahim’s dearmost thing or did He ask for a
ram. If Allah-Taala had liked a ram, He would have asked the ram itself.
But merely to examine the devotion of Ibrahim and Ismail, He had ordered
this sacrifice to test them both, and to save the son of Ibrahim, He had
replaced a ram for Ismail. Now, just think carefully, to try to please Allah-
Taala, instead of dedicating one’s dearmost object, to kill a ram is how
justifiable?
This whole event is symbolical. As it is proclaimed in the Holy
Qur’an:
“It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches Allah; it is your
piety that reaches Him.” (22.37)
Thus Allah does not require the flesh and blood of animals, much
less of human beings. No one should suppose that meat or blood is
acceptable to God. It was a Pagan fancy that Allah could be pleased by
blood sacrifice. But Allah does accept the offering of our hearts. Allah
does not delight in flesh and blood. But He does desire the giving of our
whole being to Allah, the practical symbol of which is that we should give
up something which is very dear to us, if duty requires that sacrifice. It
was indeed a great occasion, when two men, the father and the son,
showed the example of self-sacrifice in the service of Allah which is
needed to qualify one for the supreme goal of life. This example made it
clear that the only sacrifice which God requires of man is the Surrender of
his will and purpose - i.e. Al-Islam.
It is mentioned in sura “Al-An’am”, or Cattle that:
“There is not an animal on the earth, nor a flying creature flying on
two wings, but they are people like unto you.” (6.38)

14
 Thus “animals living on the earth” include those living in the water
- fishes, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, as well as four-footed beasts. Life on
the wing separately mentioned. “Tair,” which is ordinarily translated as
“bird,” is anything that flies, including mammals like bats. In our pride we
may exclude animals from our purview, but they all live a life, social and
individual, like ourselves, and all life is subject to the Plan and Will of
Allah. We have no right to destroy or kill these creatures, even flies and
insects what to speak of birds and beasts. We never creates them to
destroy. The Holy Qur’an said that they are people like you. They are also
citizens of this planet and different countries. They are also under the
protection of God and Governments. It is the duty of government to
protect it’s subjects, which includes the innocent helpless animals, and
punish those who torture and kill them.
It is clearly mentioned in the Holy Qur’an what kind of food Allah
creates for the human beings:
“Therewith He causes corn to grow for you, and the olive and date-
palm and grapes and all kinds of fruit. Verily in this a sign for people who
reflect.” (16.11)
“A sign for them is the dead earth. We revive it and We bring forth
from it grain so that they eat thereof.
And We produce therein gardens of the date-palm and grapes, and
We have caused springs of water to gush forth therein.
That they may eat of the fruit thereof, and their hands made it not.
Will they not, then, give thanks?” (36.33-35)
From these ayats it is obvious that Allah creates corn, grain, olive,
dates, grapes and all kinds of fruit as a food for mankind. Verily it is a sign
for people who have understanding. We should be thankful to Allah for
His mercy and not ungratefully shed blood of innocent helpless animals
simply to please the uncontrolled tongue.
Once the Holy Prophet Muhammad orders Hazrat Ali: “Don’t
make your stomach a grave yard of innocent birds and animals.” From that
day Hazrat Ali had faithfully followed this instruction.
Another time the Holy Prophet Muhammad said:
“Maim not the brute beasts.”
“Whoever is kind to the lesser creatures is kind to himself.”
The Holy Prophet Muhammad always stressed the importance to
show mercy to the lesser creatures. We should deal with them as if they
are our younger brothers. If younger brother is less intelligent, it does not
mean that we have right to kill him but more so we have a duty to protect
him. The father will never be happy if his elder, more intelligent son will
kill the youngest son because he is less intelligent and more weak.
Similarly Allah is never happy when He observes humans killing and
giving pain, and suffering to His lesser creatures.
Those Muslims who go for Haj to Mecca, wear a simple garment
of unstitched cloth in two pieces which is called ihram. The putting on of
the pilgrim garb (ihram) is symbolical of his renouncing the vanities of the

15
 world. After this and until the end of the pilgrimage he must not wear
other clothes, or ornaments, anoint his hair, use perfumes, hunt, or do
other prohibited acts. If any louse appears on that ihram it is not thrown on
the ground but allowed to remain where it is. If the throwing away of a
insignificant living being like louse is forbidden in Islam just think how
much inauspicious is killing of animals.
It is said in Aine-Akbari that on several occasions such as from
Friday to Sunday and eclipse days Akbar abstained from taking meat.
During Silloh also no meat is taken, because it is said, that meat is
a bad food which disturbs the prayers. Everyone knows that meat eating
increases passion. It is very difficult to pray and concentrate mind on
Allah in a passionate condition. Therefore it is recommended by great
saints of all ages that vegetarian food is much more appropriate for
spiritual practices. If one wants to increase peace of mind and
concentration on Allah he should decrease or, better, stop meat eating. It is
practical advise from which everyone will get immense benefit.
Summarizing the above mentioned statements, we can easily and
naturally conclude that meat eating is a great impediment on the path of
self-realization. Those who are sincerely trying for spiritual progress
should restrain from meat eating. On the path of decreasing material
attachments and increasing spiritual attachment to Allah, restraining meat
eating is compulsory.

6. Cow killing

Chand Kazi continued: “On the path of material activities, there is regulation for
killing cows. If such killing is done under the guidance of scripture, there is no sin.”

In the Qur’an not one single verse allows killing cows or bulls .
But very clear instruction is given about what is intended for human as
food:
"And We (Allah ) said: O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the
Garden, and eat you freely of the fruits thereof where you will." (2.35)
"And give glad tidings (O Muhammad) to those who believe and
do good works, that theirs are Gardens beneath which rivers flow; every
time they are fed with fruits therefrom." (2.25)
"Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth, and causes
water to descend from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you."
(14.32)
“Who has appointed the earth a resting-place for you, and the sky a
canopy; and causes water to pour down from the sky, thereby producing
fruits as food for you.” (2.22)
From these four ayats of the Qur‘an it is obvious that when Allah
created Adam and Eve, He gave them in food, the fruits. And when the
pious will go to paradise they will have their food in the form of fruits.

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Then when Allah created earth He "produced fruits as food for" mankind.
Also from the very life of the Hazrat Muhammad, we can see His daily
food was bread, milk and palm - dates. Sometimes in His life he sacrificed
sheep or camels, but never cows or bulls.
There is only one story in the Holy Qur’an which describes the
sacrifice of a cow:
“When Moses said to his people: ‘Allah commands you that you
sacrifice a cow.’
They said: ‘Does you make game of us?’
He answered: ‘Allah forbid that I should be among the foolish!’
They said: ‘Pray for us unto your Lord that He make clear to us
what (cow) she is.’
(Moses) answered: ‘He says, that the cow should be neither too old
nor too young, but of middling age; now do what you are commanded!’
They said: ‘Pray for us unto your Lord that He make clear to us of
what color she is.’
(Moses) answered: ‘He says, that she is a yellow cow. Bright is her
color; gladdening beholders.’
They said: ‘Pray for us unto your Lord that He make clear to us
what (cow) she is. To us are all cows alike; if Allah wills, we may led
aright.’
(Moses) answered: ‘He says, that she is a cow not trained to till the
soil or water the fields; whole and without a mark.’
They said: ‘Now has you brought the truth.’ Then they sacrificed
her; though they scarcely did it.’ (2.67-71)
This story was accepted in Jewish traditions, which are themselves
based on certain sacrificial directions in the Old Testament. The cow story
of Jewish tradition is based on Num. 19.1-10, in which Moses and Aaron
ordered the Israelites to sacrifice a red cow without a spot. Thus Moses
announced the sacrifice to the Israelites, and they treated it as a jest. When
Moses continued solemnly to ask for the sacrifice, they put him off on one
pretext followed by another, asking a number of questions which they
could have answered themselves if they had listened to Moses’s
directions. Their questions were carping criticisms rather than the result of
a desire for information. It was a mere thin pretence that they were
genuinely seeking for guidance. When at last they were driven into a
corner, they made the sacrifice, but if they did this willingly then the
sacrifice would have been more efficacious for their purification from sin.
The cow’s body was to be burnt and the ashes were to be kept for the
purification of the congregation from sin.
We can see and learn from this narration that the killing of a cow
was very dangerous and not part of the teachings. So much so that the
people were very hesitant to commit such an act even when the order
came from the high authorities, Prophet Moses. So this particular sacrifice
was not carried whimsically but with due consideration. We should
understand also, the cow was not simply killed for the sake of eating but

17
 the body of the cow was burnt and the ashes were to be used for the higher
purpose of purifying the people from their sins. It is very important to
mention that in the present age also, cow sacrifices is forbidden, because
no qualified persons are available to conduct such a sacrifices.
Thus by reading the Holy Qur’an we can conclude that cow killing
is not sanctioned in the Holy Qur’an and the only cow sacrifice which has
been described was not meant for meat eating but for purification from the
sins.
Al-Ghazzali (1058-1111 AD) was one of the most brilliant
philosopher of Islam. At the age of 28, he headed the institute of Islam at
Baghdad. His main book, Ihya Ulum ul-Din - The Revival of Religious
Sciences is highly respected. In this book (part 2, page 23, lines 17-19) the
detrimental effects of beef, and the virtues of ghee and milk from a cow
are stated as follows:
“The meat of cow is marz (disease), it’s milk is safa (health) and
it’s ghee is dava (medicine).”
Is it not more intelligent to protect cows and use their milk and
ghee for our benefit? The cow is considered a mother of mankind because
she gives us a valuable product such as milk. As a mother feeds her child
with her breast milk similarly the cow feeds mankind with her milk. It has
been scientifically proven that if one regularly drinks cow milk his fine
brain tissues develop. As a result of this one’s memory capacity increases,
favoring remembrance of Allah. Therefore the cow and it’s milk is very
important for proper development of human society and killing the cow is
the greatest sin. Those who are eager to eat meat, they can eat less
important animals like sheep and goats but cows should be protected.
A former Imam of the Shah Jehan Mosque in England, Al Hafiz
Masri says that the Qur’an itself is very specific about prevention of
cruelty to animals. Muslims, who form one-third of the world’s total
population, need to begin a movement for the prevention of cruelty to
animals based on Islamic tenets. It was time to ensure that all precepts laid
down in the Qur’an against cruelty to animals were followed strictly
everywhere in the world. Therefore he wants to start a unite of the Society
for Protection of Cruelty to Animals in the Islamic world. Animal welfare
worker Al Hafiz Masri would love to see the world embrace
vegetarianism.

Chand Kazi has the title “Maulana”. When a Muslim is learned and religious he
gets the title “Maulana”. So this magistrate, Chand Kazi, was a very learned scholar, not
only in Muslim scriptures, but he was a great scholar of Hindu scriptures also.
As a learned scholar, the Kazi challenged Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "In your Vedic
scriptures there is an injunction for killing a cow. On the strength of this injunction, great
sages performed sacrifices involving cow killing."
Refuting the Kazi's statement, Mahaprabhu immediately replied, "The Vedas
clearly enjoin that cows should not be killed. Therefore any Hindu, whoever he may be,
does not indulge in cow killing.

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 In the Vedic scriptures there are concessions for meat-eaters. It is
said that if one wants to eat meat, he should kill a goat before the goddess
Kali and then eat its meat. Meat-eaters are not allowed to purchase meat or
flesh from a market or slaughterhouse. There are no sanctions for
maintaining regular slaughterhouses to satisfy the tongues of meat-eaters.
As far as cow killing is concerned, it is completely forbidden. Since the
cow is considered a mother, how could the Vedas allow cow killing? Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu pointed out that the Kazi's statement was faulty. In
Bhagavad-gita there is a clear injunction that cows should be protected.
Krsi-goraksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava jam. - "The duty of
vaisyas is to produce agricultural products, trade and give protection to
cows." (Bhagavad-gita. 18.44) Therefore it is a false statement that the
Vedic scriptures contain injunctions permitting cow killing.

In the Vedas and Puranas there are injunctions declaring that if one can revive a living
being, he can kill it for experimental purposes. Therefore the great sages sometimes
killed old animals, and by chanting Vedic hymns they again brought them to life for
perfection. The killing and rejuvenation of such old and invalid animals was not truly
killing but an act of great benefit. Formerly there were powerful brahmanas who could
perform such experiments using Vedic hymns, but now, because of this age, Kali-yuga,
brahmanas are not so powerful. Therefore the killing of cows and bulls for rejuvenation
is forbidden. In this age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in
sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyasa, the
offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man's begetting children in his
brother's wife. Since you Muslims cannot bring killed animals back to life, you are
responsible for killing them. Therefore you are going to hell; there is no way for your
deliverance. Cow killers are condemned to rot in hellish life for as many thousands of
years as there are hairs on the body of the cow.”

7. Spirit soul

Then Caitanya Mahaprabhu changed the subject and began to discuss philosophy:
“Ruh (soul) which is described in the Holy Qur’an remains in two stages. Ruh-
Mujarradi and Ruh-Tarkavi. Tarkavi-ruh in bondage, possesses desires and mind
whereas Mujarradi-Ruh is pure and distinct from the ephemeral.
Mujarradi also means eternal, but Jisam means temporary. Mujarradi transcends
time and space whereas Jisam is within the limits of time and space.”

It states in the sura “Al-Anbiya”, or “The Prophets” of the Holy

Qur’an:
“Every soul shall have a taste of death. And We test you by evil
and by good by way of trial. To Us must you return.” (21.35)
The eminent Muslim scholar and ustad (master) Abdullah Yusuf
Ali comments:

19
 “The soul does not die, but when it separates from the body at the
death of the body, the soul gets a taste of death.” (Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
The Holy Qur-an. The Presidency of Islamic Researches, Al-Madinah Al-
Munawarah, 1410 H., p. 925)
Thus the death of the body will give a taste of death to the soul
when the soul separates from the body. Therefore the body is temporary
but the soul is eternal. When the spirit soul came to this material world he
receives a material body, mind and develops material desires for sense
enjoyment. In this way he becomes entangled by the laws of material
nature. But if the soul develops pure love of God he can return to the
eternal spiritual world which is beyond the limits of time and space.
It is stated in the sura “An-Nisa”, or “The Women” of the Holy
Qur’an:
“That they said, ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the
messenger of Allah.’
But they killed him not, nor crucified him. Only a likeness of that
was shown to them. And those who disagree concerning it are in doubt
thereof. They have no knowledge thereof but only conjecture to follow.
They kill him not for sure.
But Allah took him up unto Himself. Allah is Mighty, Wise.”
(4.157-158)
The end of the life of Jesus Christ on earth is as much involved in
mystery as his birth, and indeed the greater part of his private life, except
the three main years of his ministry. There was the many doubts and
conjectures among the early Christian sects and among Muslim
theologians. The Orthodox Christian Churches make it a cardinal point of
their doctrine that his life was taken on the Cross, that he died and was
buried, that on the third day he rose in the body with his wounds intact,
and walked about and conversed, and ate with his disciples, and was
afterwards taken up bodily to heaven. This is necessary for the theological
doctrine of blood sacrifice and vicarious atonement for sins, which is
rejected by Islam. But some of the early Christian sects did not believe
that Christ was killed on the Cross. The Basilidans believed that some one
else was substituted for him. The Docetae held that Christ never had a real
physical or natural body, but only an apparent or phantom body, and that
his Crucifixion was only apparent, not real. The Marcionite Gospel (about
AD 138) denied that Jesus was born, and merely said that he appeared in
human form. The Gospel of St. Barnabas supported the theory of
substitution on the Cross. The Qur’anic teaching is that Christ was not
crucified nor killed by the Jews, notwithstanding certain apparent
circumstances which produced this illusion in the minds of some of his
enemies: that disputations, doubts, and conjectures on such matters are
vain; and that he was taken up to Allah. The Jews did not kill Jesus, but
Allah rafa’u (took or raised) him up to Himself.
Thus the above description gives us a clear understanding that the
soul is eternal and different from the body. A soul within the material

20
 world posses the material body, mind and desires. Such a soul is in
bondage. He is encaged in the material body. He is distinct from the
material body but he falsely think, “I am the body.” But by pure
devotional service to God such a soul can achieve liberation from the
bondage of the material world. A liberated soul is pure and free from the
influence of the material world. The material world is temporary and
within the limits of time and space while the spiritual world is eternal and
above the limitations of time and space. When Jesus Christ accomplished
his mission on earth “Allah took him up unto Himself” in the spiritual sky,
where life is eternal because birth, death, old age and disease do not exist.

8. Spiritual world
“Alam-misala is the spiritual world where Mujarradi-ruh may remain for ever,”
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued.

It states in the sura “Al-Mujadila” (The Woman who Pleads) of the

Holy Qur’an:
“You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last
Day, loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they
were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred. As for
such He has written faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a
spirit from Himself. And He will bring them to Gardens beneath which
rivers flow, to dwell therein (for ever). Allah will be well pleased with
them, and they are well pleased with Him. They are the party of Allah.
Truly it is the party of Allah that will achieve success. (58.22)
Ustad Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments:
“Again we have the doctrine of Allah’s Good Pleasure as the
highest goal of man, the spiritual heaven which he achieves by a life of
purity and faith. He not only attains Allah’s Good Pleasure as the crown of
his felicity, but his own nature is so far transformed to the pattern of
Allah’s original creation that his own good pleasure is in nothing but in
Allah’s Good Pleasure. The mutual good pleasure shows the heights to
which man can attain.” (Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The Holy Qur-an. The
Presidency of Islamic Researches, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, 1410 H.,
p. 1713)
Thus it is clearly explained in the above verse and commentary
that those who strive for Allah’s pleasure and succeed in it will achieve
the high destination, spiritual heaven where they will remain for ever. So
there are distinctions between material heaven and spiritual heaven. Those
who are pious but attached to material sense gratification will attain
material heaven but those who act only for pleasure of Allah without
selfish motives will belong to Allah’s party and attain the spiritual world.
There are other interesting ayats in the sura “Al-Fajr”, or Dawn of
the Holy Qur’an:

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 “(To the righteous soul will be said): ‘O (you) soul, in (complete)
rest and satisfaction!
Come back you to your Lord, - well pleased (thyself), and well-
pleasing unto Him!
Enter you, then, among my devotees!
Yea, enter you My Heaven!’” (89.27-30)
Ustad Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments:
“The righteous enter into their inheritance and receive their
welcome with a title that suggests freedom from all pain, sorrow, doubt,
struggle, disappointment, passion, and even further desire: at rest, in
peace; in a state of complete satisfaction.
In Muslim theology, this stage of the soul is the final stage of bliss.
The unregenerate human soul, that seeks its satisfaction in the lower
earthly desires, is the Ammara. The self-reproaching soul that feels
conscious of sin and resists it is the Lawwama.
Note that it is the soul which enters heaven, and not the gross body
which perishes.
The climax of the whole is: “Enter My Heaven!” Men may have
imagined all kinds of heaven before, and many types are used in the sacred
Word itself. But nothing can express the reality itself better than “My
Heaven” - Allah’s own Heaven! May we reach it through Allah’s grace!”
(Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The Holy Qur-an. The Presidency of Islamic
Researches, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, 1410 H., p. 1953)
Thus Muslim theologians postulate three states or stages of the
elevation of the soul:
1) Ammara (12.53; Nafsa la-‘ammaratum), which is prone to
evil, and, if not checked and controlled will lead to eternal
damnation;
2) Lawwama, (75.2; Nafsil-lawwamah), which feels conscious of
evil, and resists it, asks for Allah’s grace and pardon after
repentance and tries to amend; it hopes to obtain salvation;
3) Mutmainna (89.27; Nafsul-mutma-‘innah), the highest stage of
all, when it achieves full rest and satisfaction.
When a soul achieves the highest perfection of human life, which
means pure devotion to Allah without any motives, then he can enter
among the devotees of Allah and His Heaven. Allah’s Heaven means the
spiritual world where the pure soul regains his spiritual form and lives
forever.
Some more wonderful evidence is revealed in the sura “Yunus”, or
Jonah of the Holy Qur’an:
“Allah does call to the Daris-Salam (Abode of Peace), and He does
guide whom He pleases to a Siratim-Mustaqim (Straight Way).
For those who do right is a best (reward) and more (than in
measure)! No darkness nor abasement shall cover their faces! They are
‘Asabul-Jannah (Companions of the Garden); they will abide therein (for
ever).” (10.25-26)

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 Ustad Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments:
“In contrast with the ephemeral and uncertain pleasures of this
material life, there is a higher life to which Allah is always calling. It is
called the Abode of Peace. For there is no fear, nor disappointment nor
sorrow there. And all are called, and those will be chosen who have
sought, not material advantages, but the Good Pleasure of Allah.
The reward of the righteous will be far more than in
proportion to their merits. For they will have the supreme bliss of being
near to Allah, and seeing His face.” (Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The Holy Qur-
an. The Presidency of Islamic Researches, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah,
1410 H., p. 555)
There are similar verse in the sura “Al-An’am”, or “Cattle”:
“For them will be a Abode of Peace in the presence of their Lord.
He will be their Friend, because they practiced (righteousness).” (6.127)
Thus Allah calls everyone to His Abode of Peace, but only those
who fully surrender to Allah will become His companions, attend His
Abode and live there eternally. ‘Asabul-Jannah also means the
companions of Allah in the Abode of Peace, or spiritual world. Those who
will be able to surrender to Allah with pure love and devotion will become
eternal companions of Allah in the spiritual world where they will remain
for ever. There Allah will reciprocate with them as a friend because they
are very dear to Him.
It states in the sura “At-Tauba”, or “Repentance” of the Holy
Qur’an:
“Their Lord gives them glad tidings of a Mercy from Himself and
acceptance. And Gardens where enduring pleasure will be theirs.
There they will dwell forever. Verily with Allah is greatest
reward.” (9.21-22)
Ustad Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments:
“Those who strive and suffer in Allah’s cause are promised: (1) a
mercy specially from Himself, (2) His own good pleasure, (3) gardens of
perpetual delight, (4) the supreme reward, Allah’s own nearness. These
are in gradation: (1) is a special mercy, higher than flows out to all
creatures; (2) is a consciousness of Allah’s good pleasure, which raises the
soul above itself; (3) is that state of permanent assurance, and (4) is the
final bliss, which is the sight of Allah Himself.” (Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The
Holy Qur-an. The Presidency of Islamic Researches, Al-Madinah Al-
Munawarah, 1410 H., p. 504)
Thus in these ayats the word Jannat is used in plural which means
that there are different kinds of Heavens, or Gardens. There are heavens in
the material world for those who are pious but still attached to sense
enjoyment and there are Gardens in the spiritual world for those who’s
only attachment is Allah. In this Gardens they will dwell forever in eternal
bliss and association with Allah.

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 9. Love of God

“By culturing Eshk (love) for Allah the Ruh (soul) becomes pure and transcends
mundaneness,” Mahaprabhu continued.

There is a interesting verse in this regard in the sura “Al-Ma’ida”,

or “The Table Spread” of the Holy Qur’an:
“O you who believe! If any from among you turn back from his
religion, soon Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will
love Him, - humble with Believers, mighty toward the Rejecters, striving
in the Way of Allah, and never afraid of the blame of any blamer. That is
the Grace of Allah, which He will bestow on whom He pleases. Allah is
All-Embracing, All-Knowing.” (5.54)
Thus here is a warning to the Muslim body that they should not
become so self-satisfied or arrogant as to depart from the spirit of God’s
teaching. If they do, the loss will be their own. God’s bounty is not
confined to one group or section of humanity. He can always raise up
people who will follow the true spirit of Eternal Religion. That spirit is
defined in two ways:
1) They will love God and God will love them;
2) Amongst the brethren, their attitude will be that of humility.
They will offer no compromises to unbelievers, they will always strive and
fight for truth and right, they will know no fear. Actually in this verse
there is a great prediction that soon God will bring people whom He will
love and who will love Him. These people will follow the principles of
Eternal Religion which means Love of God. By cultivating this love, a
soul purified from all material desires and attachments, becomes eligible
to transcend the limits of material existence and enter into the spiritual
existence which is the highest perfection of life.
Another relevant story we find in The Hadith of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad. It is narrated that a Bedouin came to the Prophet and said,
"When will the Day of Judgment come?" In reply the Prophet said: "What
preparations have you made for that day?" Feeling ashamed, the Bedouin
said broken heartedly: "O Prophet, I have not piled up prayers, fasts,
charity and alms; the little I have in my possession is the love of God and
His Prophet only." The Prophet said: "A man will be with the persons he
loves." {Bukhari and Muslim} (Mir Valiuddin. Love of God, Delhi, 1968,
p.94)
Real love is love of God and it is the ultimate goal of life. In the
Holy Qur’an the Holy Prophet Muhammad explained that instead of so-
called love for the world, people should cultivate real love for Allah. It is
the goal of human life. All loving relationships in the material world are
just perverted reflections of the real love of God. Because we have
forgotten our loving relationships with God, we try to develop the so-
called love for different objects of this material world. Thus, we try to be
happy, but there is always frustration and anxiety, for real eternal

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 unconditional love and happiness exists only in the spiritual world. Just
like water does not exist in the desert, similarly love and happiness do not
exist in the material world. This material love we are struggling to enjoy in
this material world is compared to trying to enjoy and satisfy ourselves
with a mirrored reflection of a delicious meal but we are frustrated at
every attempt. Real love for God is laying dormant within our hearts. If
we want to awaken this love we need to reestablish our forgotten
relationship with the Supreme. Attached to love of wife, child, home,
money, country and friend we attain only superficial love but when we
engage ourselves in the devotional service to the Supreme Lord, we can
attain the ocean of pleasure, the reservoir of love, the origin of love. That
is why we should engage ourselves in the devotional service to the
Supreme Lord. This is the only way to awaken our dormant love of God
and go back to the spiritual world. It is the ultimate goal of human life.

10. The Messenger

“In the spiritual world Allah has provided seats for the Payagambars (Prophets)
which is completely free from the influence of Jisam (Material),” Sri Caitanya continued.

In the sura “Al-Ma’ida”, or “The Table Spread” of the Holy

Qur’an a solemn scene before the Court of Judgment is put before us in
graphic words, showing the responsibility and the limitations of the
Prophets of Allah, sent to preach His Message to men. The Messengers are
sent to preach the Truth. What fantastic forms the Message takes in men’s
reactions to it was beyond their responsibility:
“On the day when Allah will gather the Messengers together, and
ask: ‘What was the response you received (from men to your teaching)?’
They will say: ‘We have no knowledge. It is You Who knows in
full all that is hidden.” (5.109)
“Then will Allah ask: ‘O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you say unto
men, take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah?’
He will say; ‘Glory to You! Never could I say what I had no right
(to say). If I used to say it, then You would indeed have known it. You
knows what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Your heart. For
You knows in full all that is hidden. I said to them only that which You
commanded me, (saying): ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ I was
a witness over them while I dwelt among them, and when You did take me
up You was the Watcher over them. You are a witness to all things. If You

25
 punish them, they are Your servants, and if You forgive them (they are
Your servants). You are the Mighty, the Wise.’” (5.116-118)
Thus Jesus Christ was raised by Allah to the spiritual sky as it is
also mentioned in (4.158). In this way the pure souls, especially the
messengers of the Supreme Lord attend the spiritual world where Allah
provides them with life which is completely free from the influence of
material nature.
In the end of his speech Jesus Christ mentions that if God punished
sinners or forgave them, in any case they are His servants. A spirit soul is
a eternal servant of God. It is a subject matter of the next statement of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

11. Soul is the eternal servant

“But even in the spiritual world the Ruh remains as Banda (Servitor),”
Mahaprabhu added.

It states in the sura “Al-A’raf”, or “The Heights” of the Holy

Qur’an:
“Those who are with your Lord are not too proud to do Him
service, but they praise Him and adore Him.” (7.206)
Thus even those who with Allah in the spiritual world, serve him
incessantly. It is the eternal duty of the soul to serve the Supreme Lord. As
heat and light cannot be separated from the fire similarly service cannot be
separated from the soul. To be a eternal servant of God is the
constitutional position of the soul. As soon as one is deprived from the
devotional service to the Supreme Lord he becomes unhappy and suffers.
But no one can remain without service. Either one serves God or one
serves different material objects and suffers. Therefore everyone should
engage in unmotivated and uninterrupted devotional service to God. That
is perfection of human life.

12. God is the eternal master

“Therefore Allah is the eternal master and the Ruh remains as eternal servitor to
Him,” Sri Caitanya continued.

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 We find the following verses in the Holy Qur’an:
“He (Allah) is the Omnipotent over His servants. He is the Wise,
the Knower.” (6.18)
“O My servant who believe! Truly, spacious is My Earth.
Therefore serve Me only.” (29.56)
Thus Allah is the eternal master of everyone and the soul is His
eternal servant. It does not matter where the soul is residing in the material
world or in the spiritual. Even if someone rejects Allah’s service, he
remain a servant, but now he is a rebellious, disobedient servant. For
example, if the son rejects his father and leaves him, he nevertheless
remains as a son. And after a long term wondering around and suffering
when he again returns to his father he is still the son. Similarly when a
soul returns to the spiritual world, he is still a servant of God, the Supreme
Master.

13. Salvation

“To acquire this spiritual knowledge will lead one to salvation. In the Qur’an all
these things are revealed but some Muslims are not competent to understand the
significance of this,” Mahaprabhu added.

It states in the sura “Al-Ma’ida”, or “The Table Spread” of the

Holy Qur’an:
“Allah will say: ‘This is a day on which the truthful will profit
from their truth, for their are Gardens, with rivers flowing beneath - their
Eternal Home. Allah well-pleased with them, and they with Allah. That is
the great Salvation.” (5.119)
There is a similar verse in the sura “At-Tauba”, or “Repentance”:
“Allah has promised to the believers, men and women, Gardens
beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in
Gardens of everlasting stay. But the greatest bliss is the Good Pleasure of
Allah. That is the supreme Salvation.” (9.72)
Ustad Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments:
“What a beautiful definition of salvation or the end of life! - that
we should win Allah’s good pleasure and that we should reach the stage at
which His good pleasure is all-in-all to us.”
“The Good Pleasure of Allah is the final Bliss of Salvation. The
good pleasure is mutual; the truly saved is he whose will has become
completely identified with Allah’s universal will.”
“They will be in Allah’s Presence. That is salvation in the highest.”

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 “This is true Salvation. It is not only safety and felicity, but the
attainment of the final Goal, the supreme Achievement, the Fulfillment of
the highest in human nature, the satisfaction of the true and pure desires of
the heart, - seeing the Face of Allah.” (Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The Holy Qur-
an. The Presidency of Islamic Researches, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah,
1410 H., p.p. 328, 1989, 1036, 1884)
Thus by acquiring true spiritual knowledge revealed in the
scriptures one can achieve supreme salvation which means residing in the
spiritual world with Allah and deriving bliss from serving and pleasing
Him and seeing His beautiful face.

14. The fundamental lesson of the Qur’an

Then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: “The fundamental lesson of the Qur’an is
that the soul is eternal and obtaining the vision of Allah, the soul remains there fully
absorbed in bliss.”

In the Holy Qur’an there are statements:

“Some faces, that Day, will beam,
Looking towards their Lord.” (75.22-23).
This means that when the righteous finally meet Allah they will
see Him and their faces will beam.
Once the Prophet of Islam said: "Those believers who are in the
highest honor with Allah will see the Divine Face morning and evening
and compared with which all other pleasures of Paradise will be lightly
esteemed and forgotten." (E. Royston Pike. Mohammed. London, 1962, p.
94)
Let us also see what is the opinion of prominent Muslim scholars.
The author of Jowhara (p.107-112) says: "It is possible to see
Allah in this world as well as in the next. In this world it has been granted
to Muhammad only. In the future world however all believers will see
Him; some say only His eyes, others say His whole face, others say every
part of His body.” (Klein F. A. The religion of Islam. Delhi, 1987, p. 55)
Thus a soul is eternal and when the pure soul will attain the abode
of Allah and will have vision of Allah, so will remain there fully absorbed
in bliss.

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 15. Form of Allah

Further, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained: "Definitely the Qur’an refuted the
ephemeral form of Allah but it has not refuted the pure Mujarradi form.

In the Holy Qur’an we find so many verses which describe the

spiritual form of Allah. For example:

Allah has Eyes

“Allah sees well whatever you do.” (2.265)
“Build the ship under Our (Allah's) eyes and by Our inspiration.”
(11.37)
This particular verse is connected with the story about the prophet
of Allah, called Noah. Noah was sent by Allah to his nation. When Noah
proclaimed his prophethood, he said to people, “I am here to warn you that
you serve none but Allah. I fear for your punishment on the Day of
Judgment.”
But the chieftains of his nation, who disbelieved, said: “You are a
mortal like us, no one will follow you and we deem you a liar.”
“O my people,” Noah replied, “Allah knows best what is in
everyone’s heart and he will pay back accordingly.”
They said: “O Noah! Now bring upon us that wherewith you
threatens us, if you are truthful.”
Noah replied: “Only Allah will bring it upon you if He wants and
you will not find means for escape.”
They again said: “You have invented it.”
Then Allah said to Noah: ”No one of your nation will believe but
him who has believed already. Be not distressed because of what they do.
Build the ship under My eyes and by My inspiration and speak not unto
Me on behalf of those who do wrong. They will be drowned.”
Noah began building the ship, and every time the chieftains of his
nation passed him by, they made a mock of him. Thus the mocking
continued until water started gushing forth. This was a sign of the coming
Flood, water gushing up from the ground as well as falling from the sky.
Allah said to Noah: “Load therein two of every kind, a pair (a male
and female), and your household.
Noah cried unto his son who was standing in the distance: “O my
son! Come ride with us, and be not with the disbelievers.”
His son said: “I shall betake me to some mountain that will save
me from the water.”
Noah replied: “This day there is none who would be saved from
the commandment of Allah but him on whom He bestows mercy.” And
the wave came between them, he was washed away to drown like all the
other disbelievers. Thus, the commandment of Allah was fulfilled. The
ship came to rest upon the mount Al-Judi.

29
 Allah said to Noah: “Go down from the mountain with peace from
Me and blessings upon you and the nations that will spring from those
with you.”
Thus, there are clear evidences from the Holy Qur’an that Allah
has Aynun, “Eyes”. Of course, the Eyes of Allah are different from our
eyes. His Eyes are spiritual, unrestricted and have unlimited potency.
Unlike our eyes which are very limited and imperfect. We cannot even see
our hand in a dark room. Allah can see the seeable and unseeable. He
observes every corner of His creation.

Allah has Senses of hearing

In the 50th ayat of the 34th sura it is written that Allah "hears all
things":
“It is He Who hears all things, and is (ever) near.”
“Allah is Hearer, Knower.” (2.224)
Thus, Allah is the owner of the spiritual senses of hearing. Allah’s
spiritual Ears are eternal, perfect and have unlimited potency. He can hear
everything that is hearable and unhearable. The Muslims pray in the
mosque, “O Allah, please forgive all our sins.” So Allah has ears - so that
He will hear and forgive. But His hearing and His ears - they are all
transcendental and spiritual.

Allah has Sense of speech

In the Holy Qur’an it is stated:
“Lo! Those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah’s
covenant and their oaths, they have no portion in the Hereafter. Allah will
neither speak to them nor look upon them on the Day of Judgment, nor
will He cleanse them. Theirs will be a painful doom.” (3.77)
Ustad Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments:
“Even on sinners - ordinary sinners - Allah will look with
compassion and mercy. He will speak words of kindness and cleanse them
of their sins. But those who are in active rebellion against Allah and sin
against their own light, - what mercy can they expect?” (Abdullah Yusuf
Ali. The Holy Qur-an. The Presidency of Islamic Researches, Al-Madinah
Al-Munawarah, 1410 H., p. 163)
This means that on the Day of Judgment Allah will look upon
some people and speak with them. Thus Allah has sense of speech.
It states in the sura “Al-baqarah”, or “The Cow” of the Holy
Qur’an:
“And when your Lord said to the angels, Lo! I am about to place a
viceroy in the earth, they said: ‘Wilt You place therein one who will do
harm therein and will shed blood, while we do celebrate Your praise and
glorify Your holy (name)?’ He said: ‘Surely I know what you know not.”
(2.30)
This verse is connected with one incident which happened when
Allah decided to create a human being, namely Adam.

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 Allah informed the angels about His decision by saying: “I am
about to place a viceroy on earth.” But the angels objected. They predicted
that humans will do harm and will shed blood.
Allah replied to the angels: “Surely I know that which you know
not.” Then Allah created Adam from the clay and enlivened him by
placing a soul in a body. He taught Adam all the names of God as well as
the names of the animals and plants.
Allah displayed Adam to the angels, and asked them: “Now you
inform me of these names.”
But the angels could only reply: “We have no knowledge besides
that which You have taught us.”
Allah said: “O Adam! Inform them of these names of creation.”
When Adam informed the angels about these names as well as
their own names, Allah said: “Did I not tell you that I know the secret of
the heavens and the earth? I know that which you disclose and which you
hide. Now prostrate yourselves before Adam.” They fell prostrate. Only
one angel, namely Iblis disobeyed the order of Allah out of pride.
Allah asked him: “O Iblis! What hinders you from falling prostrate
before that which I have created with My hands. Are you too proud or are
you of the high exalted?”
Iblis replied: “I am better than Adam. You created me from fire,
while him from clay.
Allah said: “Go down from here. Now you are an outcast. My
curse is on you till the Day of Judgment.”
Iblis replied: “Then, by Your might, I surely will bewilder
everyone of them, except the single-minded slaves of You.”
Allah said: “I shall fill hell with you and with such of them who
will follow you.”
Then Allah said to Adam: “O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in
the Garden, and eat freely of the fruits as you will. But come not near this
tree otherwise you will become a wrong-doer. Iblis is an enemy unto you
and unto your wife. If you listen to him, he will lead you away from the
Garden of Paradise to a life of hardship.”
Then Iblis whispered to them that he might manifest unto them that
which has been hidden from them. Iblis said: “O Adam! Shall I show you
the tree of immortality and power that wastes not away? Your Lord
forbade you from this tree so to prevent you from becoming angels or
becoming of the immortals.” Iblis swore unto them, saying: “I am a
sincere adviser unto you.” Thus he led them on with deception and
cunningness. When they tasted fruits of the tree, their shame became
manifest to them and they began to hide by heaping on themselves some
of the leaves of the Garden. Thus Iblis bewildered them, causing them to
deflect from the righteous path and so they were expelled from the happy
state of life.
Then Allah summoned them, saying: “Did I not forbid you from
that tree? I informed you that Iblis is an open enemy to you. Fall down

31
from here, one of you will be a foe unto the other. There shall be for you
on earth a habitation and provision for a while.”
From this incident we can see how freely Allah spoke with angels,
Iblis and Adam. This means that Allah has sense of speech, or a spiritual
Mouth. Allah can and does freely speak unlimitedly with His spiritual
Mouth. So if one has a talk, then he has a mouth. A word comes from a
tongue and mouth. But His words, His speech and His mouth - they are all
transcendental and spiritual.

Allah has a Face

Further the Holy Qur’an says:
“Sent not away those who call on their Lord morning and evening,
seeking His face.” (6.52)
"Such as persevere in seeking their Lord's face." (13.22)
"Restrain thyself along with those who cry unto their Lord at
morning and evening, seeking His face." (18.28)
"That is best for those who seek Allah's face." (30.38)
"But that which you give in charity, seeking Allah's face, hath
increased manifold." (30.39)
One meaning of the word wajh is “self”. Abdullah Yusuf Ali in his
commentary to 30.39 writes:
“Seeking the Face of Allah, i. e. out of our pure love for the true
vision of Allah’s own Self.” (Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The Holy Qur-an. The
Presidency of Islamic Researches, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, 1410 H.,
p.1189)
The word “self” indicates individuality. This means Allah has
individuality; He is not an abstract object. If we apply the above
mentioned interpretation to the words wajhallahi, “Allah’s face” this will
mean that Allah is individual, that is to say He is a Person. Thus the
expression “Allah’s face” means Allah is a Person and He has a Face.
"Unto Allah belong the East and the West, and wherever you turn,
there is Allah's face." (2.115)
"Everything will perish except His (Allah's) face." (28.88)
“All that is on earth will perish.
But will abide (forever) the face of your Lord full of Bounty and
Honor." (55.26-27)
From all these quotations the existence of Allah's Wajh, “Face”, is
undeniably apparent. We can understand from the above mentioned verses
(55.26-27) that everything in this material world is temporary but only
Allah’s Face is eternal. The word Wajh, “Face” is the symbol of the
Personality and expresses personality. Also the word Ikram, “Honor” is
very important in these verses. Two meanings are prominent in this word
Ikram. The first meaning is of generosity as proceeding from the person
whose attribute it is, and the second meaning is of honor, as given by
others to the person whose attribute it is. (7, p. 1400) One who has a face
and is called Ikram must be a person. Allah’s Face is of the most beautiful
beauty of all beauty. His all beautiful face gleams with a smile so radiant it

32
immediately captures and melts the hearts of His devotees. It’s stated that
anyone who sees the beautiful smile of the Supreme Lord will never forget
it. Thus, they obtain perfection as they never forget Allah.

Allah has Hands

Also the Holy Prophet Muhammad states in the Qur’an:
“Say: Lo! The bounty is in Allah's hands." (3.73)
"He (Allah) said: Iblis! What prevents you from falling prostrate
before that which I have created with my hands." (38.75)
"No just estimate have they made of Allah, such as is due to Him.
On the Day of Judgment the whole of the earth will be but His handful,
and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand." (39.67)
We can understand from this verse that on the Day of Judgment
Allah will be able to enclose the whole earth in the palm of His hand and
he will roll up the heavens with His right hand.
"The hand of Allah is above their hands." (48.10)
"Blessed is He in Whose hand is the sovereignty, and He is able to
do all things." (67.1)
“The Jews say: Allah’s hand is fettered. Their hands are fettered
and they are accursed for saying so. Nay, but both His hands are spread
out wide in bounty.” (5.64)
So the Holy Qur’an gives a clear description of the hands of Allah
and His palms. Of course, some people try to give secondary or
metaphorical interpretation of the hands of Allah, but first of all, we can
see how Allah explains that He has a right hand, this means He must also
have a left hand. Existence of the left hand of Allah confirmed by one
associate of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, namely Muslim bin Yes’ar:
“The Prophet said, ‘Verily God created Adam, and touched his
back with His right hand, and brought forth from it a family, and God said
to Adam I have created this family for paradise, and their actions will be
like unto those of the people of paradise. Then God touched the back of
Adam with His left hand, and brought forth another family, and said I
have created this for hell, and their actions will be like unto those of the
people of hell.” (Mishcat-ul-Masabih. Calcutta, 1809, p. 30)
Thus the existence of two, left and right hands of Allah leave no
doubts.
The second point is that even if we use metaphorical expressions,
these expressions are based on factual objects which exist. For example,
we used to say, “The power is in the hands of the King”, because the King
has hands. The lion is also the king of the animal kingdom but we never
say, “The power is in the hands of the lion”, because it sounds ridiculous.
But we can not joke with Allah. If Allah himself gives so much stress to
the existence of His hands, how do we dare to deny their existence? Thus
Allah has two hands, right and left.

Allah has Image

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 Further Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:
"Allah's is the Sublime Similitude." (16.60)
"He (Allah) it is who produces creation, then reproduces it and for
Him it is most easy, His is the Sublime Similitude in the heavens and in
the earth." (30.27)
Masal means similitude, resemblance, likeness, or image. And
Allah said that His Similitude, Resemblance, Likeness, or Image is
Sublime in the heavens and in the earth. This means that among all images
of all creation His Image is far superior and supreme. Of course, Allah’s
Image or Form is not material but spiritual. His Form is primeval and
eternal. It is not born or created but ever-existing. The Form of the
Supreme Lord neither deteriorates nor is subjected to old age. Allah is
ever youthful. This is a most important point to understand. God has a
form but we must not think He has a material body as we presently have.

Allah can be seen

Then Allah said,
"Some faces, that Day, will beam,
Looking toward their Lord." (75.22-23)
The meaning of this ayats is that when righteous people will come
to Allah, they will be able to see their Lord and their faces will be
resplendent. Thus Allah is not an abstract power or energy but a living
One who has the supreme form. For righteous people will see Him on the
Day of Judgment.

Allah has an Abode

But what is this place where Allah resides and where will the
righteous attend Him? The Qur’an shows us this place:
"From Allah, Lord of the ascending stairways.
(Whereby) the angels and the spirit ascend unto Him in a day
whereof the span is fifty thousand years." (70.3-4)
“Allah! With Him is a more excellent abode.” (3.14)
From these ayats we can easily understand that Allah has the
supreme abode, where He personally resides. Allah is not a abstract thing
but is the living One Who has His own abode where He resides. Pure
devotees of the Supreme Lord by His causeless mercy will attain Allah’s
eternally blissful abode and will associate with Him personally.

Allah sits on the Throne

Also the Holy Qur’an gives the description of the particular
entourage of Allah:
"Lo! Your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the earth in
six Days, then He established Himself upon the Throne, directing all
things." (10.3)
"And He (Allah) it is who created the heavens and the earth in six
Days and His Throne was upon the water." (11.7)

34
 This interesting fact that Allah’s Throne is located on the water,
confirmed by Abdullah-ibn-Omer. He witnessed that the Prophet of God
said: “God wrote the orders for creation, before creating the heavens and
earth, fifty thousand years; and His bed was upon the waters.” (Mishcat-
ul-Masabih. Calcutta, 1809, p. 26)
Thus the Throne of Allah is not a abstract thing but a real object
located on the water. Of course, the Throne of Allah is not a material but a
completely spiritual object and is located on spiritual water.
Further the Holy Qur’an says:
“The Beneficent One, who is established on the Throne." (20.5)
"Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the Throne." (21.22)
"He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six Days; then
He mounted on the Throne." (57.4)
"And you (O Muhammad) wilt see the angels surrounding the
Throne on all sides, hymning the praises of their Lord." (39.75)
"And the angels will be on the sides thereof and eight will uphold
the Throne of their Lord that day, above them." (69.17)
Ustad Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments:
“The number eight has perhaps no special significance, unless it be
with reference to the shape of the Throne or the number of the angels. The
Oriental Throne is often octagonal, and its bearers would be one at each
corner.” (Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The Holy Qur-an. The Presidency of
Islamic Researches, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, 1410 H., p. 1807)
This verse and commentary indicates that Allah’s Throne has a
particular shape and on the Day of Judgment the angels will be able to
carry Allah on His Throne. Therefore Allah’s Throne is not a abstract
thing but a real object which has a shape, occupied some space and is
surrounded by angels who will carry it.
Thus from these ayats we can understand that Allah has ‘Arsh -
the Throne, He sits on His Throne located on the water, angels surround
Him and on the Last Day they will be carrying Him on His Throne.
Therefore Allah is not an abstract energy or power, He is the supreme
living One who is the Proprietor of energy and power but He Himself has
form. Otherwise how can Allah be in a particular place and sit on the
Throne?

Allah travels around His creation

Moreover, in the Holy Qur’an, it is mentioned that Allah travels
around His creation:
“Will they wait until Allah comes to them in canopies of clouds,
with angels (in His train) and the question is (thus) settled? But to Allah
do all questions go back (for decision).” (2.210)
"And your Lord shall come with angels, rank on rank." (89.22)
"See they not how He (Allah) visits the land, reducing it of its
outlying parts? (When) Allah dooms there is none that can postpone His
doom, and He is swift at reckoning." (13.41)
Once again Allah said,

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 "See they not how We visit the land, reducing it of its outlying
parts? Can they then be the victor?" (21.44)
We can realize from these ayats that Allah is not an abstract thing
but the supreme spiritual Person Who can be in a particular place and have
a Form. He can travel around His entire vast creation unlimitedly,
occasionally visiting our planet.
Thus, nobody can deny the fact that Allah has spiritual Eyes, Ears,
Mouth, Face and Hands because these bodily limbs of Allah are explicitly
mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. More than this, the Holy Qur’an mentions
the Sublime Image of Allah, His Realm and His Throne, on which He sits.
If Allah has spiritual Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Face and Hands, how can we
deny that He has a spiritual Form? First of all, how can His limbs exist
separately and, secondly, if Allah is the source of everything and if all
things belong to Him, how it is possible that He does not have a Form? If
He has all things, that means He has a Form also. Otherwise He would not
be complete - something would be missing. Of course, He does not have a
form which consists of material elements and deteriorates like our present
body. He has a spiritual Form which consists of pure spirit. His Form is
not ordinary, but Supreme, Eternal, Blissful, Transcendental and beyond
our imagination and description.
Let us also see what is the opinion of prominent Muslim scholars.
Eminent Muslim scholar Al-Ashari (9th century AD), declared in
his creeds, “We confess that Allah has a face, without asking how. . . . We
confess that Allah has two hands, without asking why.”
Many Muslims on the basis of Qur'anic verses: (48.10); (25.60);
(7.52); (10.3); (32.3); (11.9); (57.4); (75.22-23); (22.60 and 74); (31.27);
(42.9); (58.1) believed that Allah posses a head, mouth, eyes, ears, hands
and feet just like those of a human being. In the opinion of Abu Mo'ammar
ol-Hodhali, a preacher at Baghdad, anyone who denied this belief was an
infidel. Adherents of the school of the famous traditionist and lawyer
Ahmad b. Hanbal has the same opinion. The school's chief later exponent,
Ahmad b. Taymiya, called the Mo'tazelites infidels and Ghazzali a heretic;
on one celebrated occasion, after quoting the Qur'an in a sermon, he said
to the congregation as he stepped down from the pulpit of the great
mosque at Damascus, "Allah will step down from His Throne in the same
way as I am stepping down from this pulpit." (Ali Dasthi. Twenty three
years. London, 1985, pp. 157-158)
Abu' Amer ol-Qorashi, a Moor from Majorca declared that it was
heretical to understand the sentence, "There is nothing similar to Him
(Allah )" in (42.9) as meaning what it says; it meant, in his opinion, that
nothing resembles Allah in respect of His divinity, because "Allah
possesses limbs and organs like yours and mine." As proof of God's
possession of such limbs and organs, Abu' Amer ol-Qorashi cited the
description of the Last Judgment in (68.42), and then slapped his thigh
and said, "Allah has legs just like mine." (Ali Dasthi. Twenty three years.
London, 1985, p. 159)

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 Since everything in God’s creation has form, how can God have no
form? The creation would have something God does not. That would
mean that God is less than His creation, or in other words, that the
complete is incomplete, which is simply illogical. The complete whole
must contain everything within and beyond our experience, otherwise He
cannot be complete.
Besides, all the great scriptures of the world instruct us to love
God. How can we love something formless or void? That’s impossible.
We are all persons, and we want to love other persons - not some dark
oblivion in outer space. We want personal relationships, and the ultimate
relationship is with the Supreme Lord.
This is granted that Allah’s form is not like ours. It is completely
spiritual and transcendental, beyond the limits of our material sense
perception. But Allah’s form is definitely there.

16. The form of Allah was visualized by Muhammad

"The transcendental form of Allah was visualized by Payagambar, but he could

not give the expression because he did not have the particular spiritual sentiment to
express. The specific spiritual sentiments were not unfolded unto him," Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu concluded.

It is narrated in the Hadith:

Muadh-bin-Jabal said: The Prophet on one occasion, hindered our
saying the morning prayers till we were near seeing the sun, then he
hastened out of his house, and the Tacbir was called aloud, then the
Prophet said prayers in haste, and when he had repeated the Salam, he
said, "Sit in your places, and I will inform you the cause of my being so
late this morning. I got up early , and performed the Wadu, and said
prayers, agreeably to the wishes of Allah, and I felt drowsy in my prayers,
after which I awoke, and all of a sudden I beheld my Creator in a most
lovely form, and he said: "O Muhammad!" I said, "What do you
command?" He said, "What do the angels argue about?" I said, "I do not
know." Then I saw my God put the palm of his hand between my two
shoulders till I felt my chest turn cold; then everything in the world
appeared clear before me, and I knew the whole. Again He asked about
the disputations of the angels. I replied, "They dispute about deeds which
cover sin" (Mishcat-ul-Masabih. Calcutta, 1809, p. 155).
The Holy Prophet Muhammad once had miraj, or ''ascending'' to
the heaven and after penetrating the 7th layer of heaven, he attended the
Throne of Allah. Allah was sitting on the Throne. When the Holy Prophet
Muhammad stood in front of Allah he felt reassured, but He found it hard
to stand his ground when Allah stretched out His hands and placed one on
his shoulder and the other on his chest. An icy chill froze his bones and his
blood . Then the coldness faded and was succeeded by an ecstatic bliss

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 which seemed to carry the Holy Prophet Muhammad out of his body into a
state of being so marvelous that it was impossible to describe. (Bodley R.
V. C. The messenger. New York, 1946, p. 114)
When people asked the Holy Prophet Muhammad, "Have you seen
Allah?" The Apostle answered: "I saw only light, a light so intense that
Allah sat behind 20,000 curtains. If these curtains were to be removed and
someone were to see the face of Allah he would immediately be burned to
ashes. (Peygambara 40 sual. Bilik, Baku, 1993, p. 108)
Thus the Holy Prophet Muhammad has seen the spiritual form of
Allah. He saw Allah in a most beautiful form. Allah reciprocated with
Muhammad. He put His hand on Muhammad’s chest and communicated
to him transcendental bliss. But when the Holy Prophet Muhammad was
asked to describe his experience he never expressed his vision. Because
the mission of the Holy Prophet Muhammad was to stop worshipping the
imaginary forms of God. Therefore he never described the spiritual form
of Allah which was shown to him by the causeless mercy of Allah.

17. The humbling of Chand Kazi

After hearing these statements by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Kazi, his
arguments stunned, could not put forward any more words. Thus, after due consideration,
the Kazi accepted defeat and spoke as follows:
“My dear Nimai Pandita, what you have said is all true. Our scriptures have
developed only recently, and they are certainly not logical and philosophical.”

The sastras of the yavanas, or meat-eaters, are not eternal

scriptures. They have been fashioned recently, and sometimes they
contradict one another. The scriptures of the yavanas are three: the Old
Testament, the New Testament and the Qur’an. Their compilation has a
history; they are not eternal like the Vedic knowledge. Therefore although
they have their arguments and reasonings, they are not very sound and
transcendental. As such, modern people advanced in science and
philosophy deem these scriptures unacceptable.
When the scriptures of the yavanas - namely, the Old Testament,
the New Testament and the Qur’an - cannot properly answer inquisitive
followers, naturally those advanced in scientific knowledge and
philosophy lose faith in such scriptures. The Kazi admitted this while
talking with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Kazi was a very intelligent
person. He had full knowledge of his position.

I know that our scriptures are full of imagination and mistaken ideas, yet because I am a
Muslim I accept them for the sake of my community, despite their insufficient support.
The reasoning and arguments in the scriptures of the meat-eaters are not very sound,” the
Kazi concluded.

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 Upon hearing this statement, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu smiled and inquired from
him as follows: My dear maternal uncle, I wish to ask you another question. Please tell
me the truth. Do not try to cheat me with tricks. In your city there is always
congregational chanting of the holy name. A tumultuous uproar of music, singing and
dancing is always going on. As a Muslim magistrate, you have the right to oppose the
performance of Hindu ceremonies, but now you do not forbid them. I cannot understand
the reason why."
The Kazi said, "Everyone calls You Gaurahari. Please let me address You by that
name. Kindly listen, O Gaurahari! If You come to a private place, I shall then explain the
reason."
Mahaprabhu replied: "All these men are my confidential associates. You may
speak frankly. There is no reason to be afraid of them."
The Kazi said: "When I went to the Hindu's house, broke the drum, and forbade
the performance of congregational chanting, in my dreams that very night I saw a greatly
fearful lion, roaring very loudly, His body like a human being's and His face like a lion's.
While I was asleep, the lion jumped on my chest, laughing fiercely and gnashing His
teeth. Placing its nails on my chest, the lion said in a grave voice: ‘I shall immediately
bifurcate your chest as you broke the mrdanga drum! You have forbidden the
performance of My congregational chanting. Therefore I must destroy you!’ Being very
much afraid of Him, I closed my eyes and trembled. Seeing me so afraid, the lion said, ‘I
have defeated you just to teach you a lesson, but I must be merciful to you. On that day,
you did not create a very great disturbance. Therefore I have excused you and not taken
your life. But if you perform such activities again, I shall not be tolerant. At that time I
shall kill you, your entire family and all the meat-eaters.’ After saying this, the lion left,
but I was very much afraid of Him. Just see the marks of His nails on my heart!"
After this description, the Kazi showed his chest. Having heard him and seen the
marks, all the people there accepted the wonderful incident.
The Kazi continued: "I did not speak to anyone about this incident, but on that
very day one of my orderlies came to see me. After coming to me, the orderly said,
‘When I went to stop the congregational chanting, suddenly flames struck my face. My
beard was burned, and there were blisters on my cheeks.’ Every orderly who went gave
the same description. After seeing this, I was very much afraid. I asked them not to stop
the congregational chanting but to go and sit at home. Then all the meat-eaters came to
submit a petition, complaining, ‘After this order, there will always be unrestricted
congregational chanting in the city. In this way the religion of the Hindus will increase
unlimitedly. There are always vibrations of "Hari! Hari!" We do not hear anything but
this.’
One meat-eater said, ‘The Hindus say, "Krsna, Krsna," and they smile, cry, dance,
chant and fall on the ground, smearing their bodies with dust. Vibrating "Hari, Hari," the
Hindus make a tumultuous sound. If the patasaha (king) hears it, certainly he will punish
you.’

Patasaha refers to the king. Nawab Hussain Shah, whose full name
was Ala Uddina Saiyada Husena Sa, was at that time (1498-1511) the
independent King of Bengal. Formerly he was the servant of the cruel
Nawab of the Habsi dynasty named Mujahphara Khan, but somehow or

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 other he assassinated his master and became the King. After gaining the
throne of Bengal (technically called Masnada), he declared himself
Saiyada Husena Ala Uddina Seripha Mukka. There is a book called
Riyaja Us-salatina, whose author, Golama Husena, says that Nawab
Hussain Shah belonged to the family of Mukka Seripha. To keep his
family's glory, he took the name Seripha Mukka. Generally, however, he
is known as Nawab Hussain Shah. After his death, his eldest son,
Nasaratsa, became King of Bengal (1521-1533). This King also was very
cruel. He committed many atrocities against the Vaisnavas. As a result of
his sinful activities, one of his servants from the Khoja group killed him
while he was praying in the mosque.

I then inquired from these yavanas, ‘I know that these Hindus by nature chant
"Hari, Hari." The Hindus chant the name Hari because that is the name of their God. But
you are Muslim meat-eaters. Why do you chant the name of the Hindus' God?’
"The meat-eater replied, ‘Sometimes I joke with the Hindus. Some of them are
called Krsnadasa, and some are called Ramadasa. Some of them are called Haridasa.
They always chant "Hari, Hari," and thus I thought they would steal the riches from
someone's house. (Another meaning of "Hari, Hari" is “I am stealing. I am stealing.”)
Since that time, my tongue also always vibrates the sound "Hari, Hari." I have no desire
to say it, but still my tongue says it. I do not know what to do.’
Another meat-eater said, ‘Sir, please hear me. Since the day I joked with some
Hindus in this way, my tongue chants the Hare Krsna hymn and cannot give it up. I do
not know what mystic hymns and herbal potions these Hindus know.’
After hearing all this, I sent all the mlecchas back to their homes. Five or seven
atheistic Hindus then approached me.

Because Caitanya Mahaprabhu preached that, "Simply by chanting

Hare Krsna mantra you will be liberated," so the smarta brahmanas, they
thought it very dangerous because their profession will be lost.

Coming to me, the Hindus complained: ‘Nimai Pandita has broken the Hindu
religious principles. He has introduced the sankirtana system, which we never heard from
any scripture. When we keep a nightlong vigil to observe religious performances for the
worship of Mangalacandi and Visahari, playing on musical instruments, dancing and
chanting are certainly fitting customs. Nimai Pandita was previously a very good boy, but
since He has returned from Gaya He conducts Himself differently. Now He loudly sings
all kinds of songs, clapping, playing drums and hand bells, and making a tumultuous
sound that deafens our ears. We do not know what He eats that makes Him become mad,
dancing, singing, sometimes laughing, crying, falling down, jumping up and rolling on
the ground. He has made all the people practically mad by always performing
congregational chanting. At night we cannot get any sleep; we are always kept awake.
Now He has given up His own name Nimai and introduced Himself by the name
Gaurahari. He has spoiled the Hindu religious principles and introduced the irreligion of
nonbelievers. Now the lower classes are chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra again and
again. For this sinful activity, the entire city of Navadvipa will be deserted. According to

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Hindu scripture, God's name is supposed to be the most powerful hymn. If everyone
hears the chanting of the name, the potency of the hymn will be lost. This Nimai Pandita
has discovered a new type of religion, chanting loudly Hare Krsna. This is the sleeping
period of Narayana, and he's chanting so loudly. So Narayana will be disturbed and there
will be so much catastrophe. So kindly stop this chanting Hare Krsna loudly. Sir, you are
the ruler of this town. Whether Hindu or Muslim, everyone is under your protection.
Therefore please call Nimai Pandita and make Him leave the town.’
After hearing their complaints, in sweet words I told them, ‘Please go back home.
I shall certainly prohibit Nimai Pandita from continuing his Hare Krsna movement.’ I
know that Narayana is the Supreme God of the Hindus, and I think that You are the same
Narayana. This I feel within my mind.”
After hearing the Kazi speak so nicely, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu touched him
and smilingly spoke as follows. "The chanting of the holy name of Krsna from your
mouth has performed a wonder - it has nullified the reactions of all your sinful activities.
Now you have become supremely pure. Because you have chanted three holy names of
the Lord - Hari, Krsna and Narayana - you are undoubtedly the most fortunate and
pious."
After the Kazi heard this, tears flowed down from his eyes. He immediately
touched the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu and spoke the following sweet words. Only by your
mercy have my bad intentions vanished. Kindly favor me so that my devotion may
always be fixed upon you."
Mahaprabhu said, "I wish to beg you for one favor in charity. You must pledge
that this sankirtana movement will not be checked, at least in the district of Nadia."
The Kazi said: "To as many descendants as take birth in my dynasty in the future,
I give this grave admonition: no one should check the sankirtana movement."
Hearing this, Mahaprabhu got up, chanting "Hari! Hari!" Following Him, all the
other Vaisnavas also got up, chanting the vibration of the holy name. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu went back to perform kirtana, and the Kazi, his mind jubilant, went with
Him. Mahaprabhu asked the Kazi to go back home. Then the son of mother Saci came
back to His own home, singing and dancing. (Caitanya-caritamrta. Adi-lila, 17.121-225)

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