The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 172
172. Essence of Islam II all time so that he might spread darkness over them every moment and should not leave them alone in their standing and sitting and movement and rest and sleep and waking. Similarly for those who are close to God, the. Holy Spirit has been appointed as a good companion for all time so that it should constantly rain down light upon them and should support them every moment and should not depart from them at any time. . It is obvious that in contrast with the evil companion who is the servant and colleague of the wicked, it is necessary that the good companion should always keep company with those who are close to God, and the Holy Qur'an confirms this. Our opponents, however, imagine and assert that the. Holy Spirit is the name of Gabriel who sometimes descends from heaven and is in close contact with the elect, so much so, that he enters into their hearts, and sometimes he leaves them alone and separates himself from them and ascends to heaven at a measureless distance, and cutting off altogether from the elect conceals himself in his station. They are then deprived altogether of the light and blessing which at the time of his descent pervades their hearts and brains and their very hair. If such should be the case, would it not follow that after the departure of the Holy Spirit those elect are again surrounded by darkness and in place of the good companion they are subjected to the influence of the evil companion?. Now keep in mind the fear of God and reflect whether it is consistent with respect and faith and insight and the love of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be on him) to imagine that he was subject to this defective condition that the Holy Spirit departed from him for days, and that during such periods he was deprived of the holy lights which are a reflection of the Holy Spirit. Is it not an irony