A Gift for Baghdad — Page 25
Reply to the Announcement & Letter 25 O my brother! Leave the unseen to God and do not try to interfere in His domain, and do not ignore the subtleties of knowledge whose sources are to be found deeply rooted in the apparent meaning of the sacred law, and do not follow that of which you have no knowledge; rather, tread only upon the path of the righteous. The eminent Companions of the Prophet s as and the T a bi‘ i n 1 were in agreement regarding the generalities of the descent of the Messiah, peace be on him, but they left the details for Allah, the Creator of heaven and earth, to reveal. Furthermore, how can the descent of the Messiah, peace be upon him, be taken literally while Allah has already declared in His Great Book that he has died and passed away? He says: 2 ىٰۤسْيِعٰي ْيِّنِا َكْيِّفَوَتُم َو َكُعِفاَر َّيَلِا Then He says: 3 اَّمَلَف ْيِنَتْيَّفَوَت َتْنُك َتْنَا َبْيِقَّرلا ْمِهْيَلَع And He states: 4 ُكِسْمُيَف ْيِتَّلا ىٰضَق اَهْيَلَع َتْوَمْلا 1. The generation of Muslims who met or saw the blessed Companions ra of the Holy Prophet s as but not the Prophet s as himself. [Publisher] 2. O Jesus, I will cause you to die a natural death and will exalt you to Myself ( S u rah A l-e-‘Imr a n, 3:56). [Publisher] 3. But since You caused me to die, You have been the Watcher over them ( S u rah al-M a ’idah, 5:118). [Publisher] 4. And then He retains those against which He has decreed death ( S u rah az-Zumar, 39:43). [Publisher]