Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 178
178 HAQIQATUL-WAḤI—THE PHILOSOPHY OF DIVINE REVELATION verse 99991 [they shall have their reward with their Lord'] appeared to him and, with His revealed Word, guided him to Islam. Thereupon, he became a Muslim and performed the Pilgrimage too. Similarly, it is stated in the book Baḥrul-Jawāhir [i. e, ‘The Ocean of Gems'] that there was a Jew named Abul-Khair. He was a pious-natured and truthful man, and believed God Almighty to be One without part- ner. Once, when he was passing through the bazaar, he heard a boy in a mosque reciting the following verse of the Holy Quran: 1 الم. أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ. Meaning that, do people imagine that they will attain salvation merely by pronouncing the statement that they believe while they have not yet been tested in [treading] the path of God as to whether or not they pos- sess steadfastness, truthfulness, and loyalty like those of the believers? The verse had a profound impact on Abul-Khair's heart and moved his heart. He stood by the wall of the mosque and cried profusely. At night our lord and master, Muḥammad Mustafa [the Chosen One], may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, appeared in his dream and :meaning يَا أَبَا الْخَيْرِ أَعْجَبَنِيْ أَنَّ مِثْلَكَ مَعَ كَمَالِ فَضْلِكَ يُنْكِرُ نُبُوَّتِن addressing him said ‘O Abul-Khair, it surprised me that a person like you should deny my Prophethood despite your excellence in virtue and nobility. ' Therefore, the very next morning Abul-Khair became a Muslim and made a proc- lamation of his Islam. In short, it is beyond my comprehension that a person believing in God and considering Him to be One and without partner, should be delivered by God from Hell, but not from [spiritual] blindness; whereas salvation is rooted in spiritual insight, as Allah says: مَنْ كَانَ فِي هَذِةٍ أَعْلَى فَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ أَعْلَى وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا. 1. Surah al-'Ankabut, 29:2-3 [Publisher] 2. Surah Bani Isra'il, 17:73 [Publisher]