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Like An Octopus?
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Like An Octopus?

There is another allegation which comes from “Elucidation of Objectives” claiming Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as)  said God is an octopus and has arms God forbid. This is totally false. Let’s read it in context:

 

In order to pictorially visualize the implications of the  foregoing statement, let us imagine that the Supreme  Sustainer of the universe is indeed the Supreme Being  who has an infinite number of hands and feet; their  number is uncountable, and their breadth and width  limitless. Like an ‘octopus’, as it were, the Supreme  Being has tentacles reaching out to all corners of the universe and functioning as its gravitational pull. In deed, these are the self same organs also known as the universe. Whenever the sustainer of the universe wills a movement in part or in full, these so called organs are also bound to move accordingly, indeed he carries out all his commands and intentions through these organs, without using any other means. In short, this is only a simple EXAMPLE of the great spiritual truth about which is asserted that each part of the universe is subject to the divine will and like a faithful and humble servant, symbolizes the realization of God’s latent objectives and is busy implementing the divine imperatives in total submission to his will. (Elucidation of Objectives, page 61-62)

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this passage when read in context. Anti-Ahmadis have sadly removed the word “like”. We see comparisons by Allah Himself in the Qur’an. For example Allah States:

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Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as alustrous niche, wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a glittering star. It is lit from a blessed tree — an olive — neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would well-nigh glow forth even though fire touched it not. Light upon light! Allah guides to His light whomsoever He will. And Allah sets forth parables to men, and Allah knows all things full well.(Chapter 24 Verse 36)

 

Then in the Qur’an Allah States:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا ۚ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلًا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِ إِلَّا الْفَاسِقِينَ

Allah disdains not to give an illustration as small as a gnat or even smaller. Those who believe know that it is the truth from their Lord, while those who disbelieve say: ‘What does Allah mean by such an illustration?’ Many does He adjudge by it to be erring and many by it does He guide, and none does He adjudge thereby to be erring except the disobedient (Chapter 2 Verse 27)

The Prophets also give examples to help the others understand what is being mentioned. The Promised Messiah (as) gave the best descriptions of Tauheed. The Deobandi Mujadid Ashraf Ali Thanvi was forced to accept that there is no difference between us and them on Tauheed:

Once a discussion was happening regarding Ahmadi Muslims and someone said that their religion is no religion nor do they believe in God or the Messenger. Ashraf Ali Thanvi got upset and said we should not exceed limits. They believe in God and we only differ with them on one aspect of Messengership.
These anti-Ahmadis raise allegations that Hadrat Ahmad (as) gave the example of an octopus to describe the control of Allah. They don’t share what their Mujadid Ibn Taymiyyah (rh) has said regarding the arsh of Allah. He gives the example of a fly and says if Allah wanted, he could have settled on a mosquito. He is quoting Dharami but doesn’t say anything against this: