Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 712
712 HAQIQATUL-WAḤI—THE PHILOSOPHY OF DIVINE REVELATION 1 وَ إِنْ يَكُ كَاذِبًا فَعَلَيْهِ كَذِبُه وَ إِنْ يَكُ صَادِقًا يُصِبُكُمْ بَعْضُ الَّذِي يَعِدُكُمْ ! Meaning that, if this Prophet is a liar, then on him will descend the chastisement of his having lied but if he is truthful, then some of that which he threatens you with will surely befall you. Note that here God uses the term 'some, not 'all'. This means that some of the Prophecies comprising warning which this Prophet has made will certainly be fulfilled while others will be held in abeyance. Hence this Quranic verse proves that the fulfilment of a Prophecy that gives a warning is not binding. Of course, it is understood from this verse that an impostor can never escape chastisement for which the cat- egorical verdict of the Holy Quran is: اِنْ يَكُ كَاذِبًا فَعَلَيْهِ كَذِبُهُ Hence, if there is a prophecy forecasting the chastisement of an impos- tor it cannot be averted. Alas! What a pity! What shamelessness it is that, on the one hand, these people admit that a calamity can be warded off by char- ity, almsgiving, and prayer etc. , while on the other, they insist that a calamity of which a Messenger is told that it will befall such and such a people or person, that calamity cannot be warded off at all by char- ity, almsgiving or repentance, and seeking forgiveness. It is strange how their intelligence becomes so veiled that it permits them to combine such contradictions in their statements. They say that a calamity can be warded off through penitence and seeking forgiveness but they simul- taneously claim that it cannot be warded off. And then, even though God had informed me through His revelation that Ātham had cer- tainly recanted and the signs of this had already appeared in the shape 1. Surah al-Mu'min, 40:29 [Publisher] 2. And if he be a liar, on him will be the sin of his lie (Surah al-Mu'min, 40:29). [Publisher]