old man with bowl |
(1) God will not be seen even on the Day of Judgment. But you know that if something exists and is present, it would very definitely be seen:
(2) Shaitan will be burned in hell fire. But you all know that Shaitan was created from the element of fore. How can a fire burn or hurt fire?
(3) Man is a free agent and is responsible for all his deeds. But the truth is that man is not free. Whatever he appears to do, is something that was dictated by God.”
Bohlol heard these arguments of Abu Hanifa and he was amused by them. He then went out of the mosque and stood waiting for Abu Hanifa to come out. When Abu Hanifa came out, Bohlol, threw a little rock at him in the face and hurt him, Abu Hanifa’s students seized Bohlol and took him to the court. They told the judge what he had done. When the judge asked him why he had hurt Abu Hanifa’s, He said that he did not hurt him and that he was innocent. Thereupon, Abu Hanifa shouted; “You threw the rock in my face. How can you be innocent.” Bohlol said, “No, I did not. God did. You were saying only a little while ago that God does everything.”
Abu Hanifa said; “My face is hurting and you are joking. I have so much pain.”
Bohlol said; “Pain? Show me the pain. I would like to see it.” Abu Hanifa said, “But pain is something one feels; it is not something that one can see with one’s eyes,”
Bohlol; “But you said that whatever exists and is present, will definitely be seen. If your pain exists and is present, you should be able to show it to me. Furthermore, you said that Shaitan is made from fire, and that fire of Hell cannot, therefore, burn or hurt him (Shaitan). But you were made from dust, and the clod which struck you, was also a lump of dust. If fire, then how can dust hurt dust? You ought to feel no pain at all; after dust hit dust.”
Abu Hanifa was embarrassed. Bohlol had used a little rock to demolish all the arguments of Abu Hanifa. He proved and also demonstrated that man is responsible for his own deeds, and that he cannot blame God for them and their consequences.