Claims and Teachings - Ahmad The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 166
166 religion, therefore, in which there is no yearning for a certain Divine revelation, which is one of the highest Divine blessings, is not from God, nor is that prophet true who has not taught people to seek the path of certain Divine revelation and perfect Divine knowledge. For, the highest aim of man's life, and the only way in which he can be released from the bondage of sin, is that he should attain a certain knowledge regarding the existence of God and His retribution. But certainty regarding the Divine Being who is the most hidden of all things, is impossible unless from Him is heard the voice 'I AM,' and unless a man witnes- ses the clear and manifest signs of His existence. Such certainty can never be obtained from the source of reason, for the deduc- tions of reason lead us no further than that there should be a God, for this is the only conclusion with regard to the existence of a Creator that a man can arrive at by deep reflection over the consummate order and perfect skill displayed in the universe. But it can be easily seen that such a conclusion is only an infer- ence suggested by certain facts, while the statement that God actually exists requires a sound and conclusive proof about which there should not be the slightest doubt. The necessity of the existence of a thing and its actual existence are two quite diffe- rent things. In short, in the midst of the great religious excite- ment of the present day, the seeker after truth should not forget the great truth that only that religion is from God which can show God with perfect. certainty. I will now take some of the more important religions which are showing great missionary activity, and see whether they can take a man to the stage of perfect certainty regarding Divine existence, and whether their scriptures contain the noble promise that they can make their true followers the recipients of a certain Divine revelation, and whether if they do so this promise is borne