Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 579
EPILOGUE-SIGNS 579 and in order to mislead the public, repeatedly quotes prophecies of warning while he knows himself that sometimes averting or delaying a prophecy of warning is part of Allah's laws and practice. Moreover, who does not know that an impending affliction can be warded off by charity, almsgiving, humility, and prayer? The Prophets are unani- mous on this. Thus, if a prophetic warning of an impending affliction cannot be averted, what meaning would the term radd-e-balā [ward- ing off an affliction] have? It should be borne in mind that, consistent with the age-old prac- tice of Allah, prophecies of this type are never free from some form of test and trial. Such prophecies are susceptible to interpretations. This is why one can misunderstand their true meaning before they actually happen. Their real import is unfolded only in the end. This is why despite the presence of the prophecy about the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, the Jews were not for- tunate enough to believe in him. Had this prophecy contained the elucidation that the name of this last Prophet would be Muḥammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that the name of his father would be 'Abdullāh, that his birthplace would be Makkah, that he would migrate to Madinah, that he would be born at such a specified period of time after Prophet Mūsā [Moses] and that he the Exalted not raise an 'Īsā from among the present Ummah quite like the Prophet Ilyās [Elijah]? In the presence of an appropriate precedent, why re- sort to extraordinary measures? Furthermore in the same aḥādīth it is also written that the Holy Prophetsa on the night of mi'rāj [ascension] saw Ḥaḍrat 'Isā among the deceased Prophets, sitting next to Ḥaḍrat Yaḥyā [John]. So now what doubt remains about his death? Furthermore, the Holy Quran also clearly testifies to his death. Is the verse but since You did cause me to die', (Surah al-Ma'idah, 5:118)] not the final and critical proof of his death? And why do they emphasize physical ascension? Is ascension not a spiritual phenomenon? The verse proclaims aloud that this elevation is a spiritual one because it is mentioned after the term tawaffi [to cause to die]. And why do they raise the objection that his coming should also be accompanied by the Mahdi? Do they not remember the hadithi ['There is no Mahdi except 'Īsā']. (Author) إِلَّا.