The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 227
The Holy Prophetsa 227 be known with full satisfaction that such and such religion is true and from God. It is absolutely correct that a religion which has not set forth this question properly or which is unable to show among its followers with clear distinction present samples of those who have attained salvation, needs no other argument to establish its falsehood; but the religion which has correctly displayed the true reality of salvation and has put forth such men in its present stage, into whom the spirit of salvation has been fully breathed, has set a seal on its being true and from. God. . It is quite clear that man by nature feels that he stands in need of a strong hand to help him out of hundreds of kinds of negligence, veils, onslaughts of the self, weakness, and ever-prowling darkness, as well as continuous fears and doubts from the various kinds of worldly trials and tribulations. Inasmuch as man is weak by nature, he cannot for one moment trust himself to emerge from the darkness of the ego. This is the testimony of human conscience. Besides, common sense also demands that an intercessor is needed for salvation, for God Almighty is in the highest station of Holiness and Purity, and man is in the extreme pit of darkness and sinfulness, and on account of lack of relationship and resemblance, the average human person is not fit that he should attain salvation by receiving Divine grace direct. Therefore,. Divine Wisdom and Mercy demanded that some perfect individuals, who possess a special purity in their nature, should serve as a means of approach between mankind and God Almighty. They should be people whose natures should have taken on a portion of heavenly qualities and a portion of earthly qualities, so that on account of the appropriateness of their heavenly qualities they should