Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part IV — Page 213
Footnote Number Eleven 213 a way that even the birds, of which two or three may be purchased for a penny, fly happily and joyously in the vast expanse of this grace. Since the occurrence of this grace takes place after rub u biyyat, Almighty Allah has mentioned His attribute of رحمٰن [ Ra h m a n ] after mentioning the attribute of ن ی رب العٰلم [ Rabbul-‘ a lam i n ] in S u rah al-F a ti h ah to cor- respond with their natural sequence. The third category of grace is special grace. The difference between this and general grace is that there is no obligation upon the recipi- ent of general grace to conform to virtue in his conduct in order to benefit from that grace, and to pull his ego out of the veils of darkness or to exert himself or strive in any way. On the contrary, as I have just mentioned above, God Almighty grants to every animate everything it needs according to its nature without asking and without any effort on its part. But special grace is conditional upon exertion, effort, puri- fication of heart, prayer and supplication, earnest direction of the mind towards Allah, and all other kinds of striving as are appropriate for the circumstances. Only those attain to this grace who seek it. It is bestowed only upon those who strives to attain it. The existence of this grace is also established by observing the law of nature, because it is obvious that those who strive in God’s path cannot be like those who are heedless. Without a doubt, a special mercy accompanies those people who strive in the cause of God with sincerity of heart and with- draw from every darkness and disorder. By virtue of this grace, God Almighty is called رحیم [ Ra hi m ] in the Holy Quran. As the attrib- ute of ra hi miyyat [mercy] is exclusive and is contingent upon certain conditions, it ranks after the attribute of ra h m a niyyat [graciousness]. The attribute of ra h m a niyyat manifested first by God Almighty, and attribute of ra hi miyyat followed it. On account of this natural order, the attribute of ra hi miyyat has been mentioned after the attribute of ra h m a niyyat in S u rah al-F a ti h ah as He has said: 1 ِنٰمْحَّرلا ِمْيِحَّرلا. This is 1. The Gracious, the Merciful ( S u rah al-F a ti h ah, 1:3). [Publisher]