Defence Against the Plague and a Criterion for the Elect of God — Page 11
Defence Against the Plague & A Criterion for the Elect of God 11 plague will soon afflict the Punjab; I have seen the black trees of the plague in this country, which have been planted in every single town and village; if the people repent, this disease will not exceed two winters and God will remove it. ’ However, instead of showing repentance, people hurled insults at me, and published announcements containing extremely foul language against me— the outcome is this ordeal of the plague that you now observe. The wording of God’s holy revelation that was sent down to me is: َۃَ. ي ْ ُغَیِّرُوْا مَا بِاَنْفُسِہِم ْ اِنَّہ’ اٰوَی الْقَر ي ى ّٰ ُغَیِّر ُ مَا بِقَوم ٍ حَت ي َ ال َّٰ اِن َّ الل This means that God has determined not to remove the affliction ✩ of the plague until people remove from their minds ✩ Footnote: A w a is an Arabic word that means ‘safeguarding from de - struction and disorder’, and ‘taking into one’s protection’. This is a sign pointing to the fact that among the types of plague the most dread - ful type is the one called ta ‘ u n-e-j a rif —meaning, ‘the sweeper’—from which people flee from place to place and die like dogs. The situation is beyond the limits of human tolerance. Thus, this divine revelation contains the promise that this condition will never affect Qadian. This revelation’s interpretation is provided by another revelation: لو ال االكرام لھلك المقام. Meaning that, had I not held this Movement in high regard, then I would have destroyed Qadian as well. Two points are gleaned from this revelation: (1) First, it would not matter if Qadian were to experience an incident, on rare occasions— which is within the bounds of human tolerance, does not wreak havoc, and does not induce a panic-driven exodus—because such an extremely rare occurrence amounts to nothing. (2) Second, it is necessary that a devastating plague must break out in those cities and villages which, in comparison with Qadian, house the extremely rebellious, wicked, oppressive, corrupt, immoral, and the dangerous opponents of this