The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 274
274. Essence of Islam II book of man's nature bear witness that at no stage of progress and perfection can man be acquitted of the default that he has not been truly grateful for all Divine bounties and has fallen short in the complete fulfilment of Divine commandments. Thus if man can attain salvation only by carrying out all the obligations that he owes to God Almighty, without a single default, this way of salvation is an impossibility. No one can attain that degree of fulfilment of obligations and therefore no one will attain salvation. That which is impossible and is contrary to the law of nature and contradicts the book of nature cannot be a Divine commandment. . Seek through the East and the West and you will not be able to discover one person who is wholly free from, and innocent of, all defaults and neglects and who has fulfilled all the rights due to man and who claims that he has carried out all the obligations of obedience and gratitude. . If there is no such person in the world today, then be sure that such a one has never existed, nor is there any hope of his coming into existence in the future. Then, as it is impossible in view of the law and the book of nature that any person on his own strength should be able to discharge all his obligations to God Almighty, and should be completely grateful to Him. The experience of every person bears witness to this. Therefore it does not behove a book that claims to be from God, to make salvation dependent upon a matter which is impossible to achieve. It is possible, however, that, as in many other respects the. Vedās had been perverted, this might also be a perversion and may not be the true teaching of the Vedās. [Chashma-e-Ma'rifat, Rūḥānī Khazā'in, vol. 23, pp. 50-52]