Claims and Teachings - Ahmad The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 2
and affections, deceit and falsehood. The honor and greatness due to God was given to priests and hermits and disgraceful deeds were done. Hypocrisy and deceit were predominant in the hearts of those who effected to be the teachers and reformers of the people. Moreover a mere formal recognition of the Unity of God is of no avail if the heart bows down in submission before a thou- sand different idols, The person who assigns the glory and greatness which is due solely to God, to the means, plans and stratagems which he. employs for 1 the realization. of an object, or trusts in aught but God, or gives a share of the majesty and power of God to his own self or to any other creature, is also an idol worshipper though he may outwardly confess the Unity of God. Idols are not only images made of stone, brass, gold, silver or any other substance, but every object of the reverence arid passionate devotion which is due to God, is an idol in the. sight of God. The Jewish sacred books however did not teach this noble significance of the doctrine of Unity and the Quran was, therefore, needed for its revelation to the world. The doctrine of the absolute Unity of God precluding faith or trust in every- thing else besides God was noc known to the world until the Holy Quran revealed it. The adoration and reverence of sense- less images is an act to which none but the most ignorant and o o superstitious would resort, but the most dangerous form of idola- try is that which cannot be easily discovered and which effects and vitiates the whole system l. ike an imperceptible, but obstinate disease. This lamentable disease prevailed among the Jews and the Bible did not prove an effectual remedy for it, for the Bible did not teach the great truth underlying the Unity of God. The general prevalence of this disease moreover required a perfect living exemplar whose life being governed by this practical