A letter from my dear brother, Mr. Ebrahim Keshavarz Shahr-e-Babaki
November 21st, 1968
To the respectful and renowned scientist, Mr. Heshmatullah Dowlatshahi “Heshmat al-Sultan”
I have carefully read the book you authored entitled "Dynamism of Creation," published in December 1967. As you have recommended in the book's introduction, I put my full attention and focus on its contents. Parts of it were logical and digestible to me; some were beyond comprehension for people like me. Simultaneously, I was not satisfied as a reader with your reasoning on some parts of the book that discussed logical destiny.
1. Humankind cannot perceive God's magnificence and His will. Even the great Prophets with divine orders and inspiration could only recognize God's knowledge as much as it was necessary for that era's needs. As denoted by the Holy Quran, only a portion of the knowledge is granted to humankind. So, I believe there has been exaggeration in the poem in the book's epigraph (I will reveal the verities, my gracious friend). Because humankind has lived in this state and has never entered the world beyond, any explanations of the next world are like describing colors to a congenital blind (a child captivated in the realm of wombs – how could he know of the spirit that roams). I believe that this small particle is not allowed to discuss such matters, especially since the great Prophets did not or could not or were not allowed.
2. The issue of fate and destiny was discussed in many pages of this book. Specifically, in the twenty-second notion, under the title “why people hesitate to accept fate and destiny,” you mentioned the Quranic Verse (Al-Isra, Verse 16). What is evident is that the omnipotent and righteous God never forces people towards aberration to punish them for that same sin. All deprivations originate from the creature’s free will. Even after people indulge and repeat their wrongdoings, God gracefully sends Prophets and mentors to them. When a tribe insists and repeats atrocity, and when they deny and harass their Prophets so much so that they lose all their hope, then God will punish them with the divine vengeance (God will disgrace no tribe unless they torment a man of God).
3. Free will is accompanied by wisdom and is granted instantly. So, fate and destiny regarding objects and living organisms may be possible. However, fate and destiny do not apply to intelligent beings. If there was no intellect, there was no need for free will. Indeed God, who graces humanity with infinite beneficent mitigates in the occurrence of misdeeds, will not lead people astray and punish them for it. I consider the penultimate Verse from the Surah Al-Ahzab (Indeed, we offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it) and the following as a form of free will bestowed upon humankind. I am confident that it cannot be any other way. I ask you to provide additional reasons for the existence of fate and destiny, if any. I am sorry for my harshness.