Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 841
CHAPTER TWO 841 So then, will you change yourselves? مَا يَفْعَلُ اللهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ وَأَمَنْتُمْ ! Hence, will you come to believe! Do you consider yourselves [spiritually] alive while you are con- stantly afflicted with sinfulness? Indeed, for a brave, young person it is better to die than to live like an animal. What is wrong with you that you pay no heed? Christianity devours you day by day as fire devours timber so that what He has ordained and decreed for you be fulfilled. By Allah, this epidemic is the worst of all epidemics and this earth- quake is the greatest of all earthquakes. O transgressors! What has befallen you has descended only as the consequence of your sins. Worldly calamities destroy only the body, whereas spiritual calamities destroy the body, soul, and faith all at once. If you are wise, do not censure your enemies; censure yourselves. What has gone wrong with you that you look not up to the heavens and have become the children of the world? Verily, Allah has offered you the fresh and nourishing milk of faith, but you reject it; yet on the other hand, there are a people who offer you the flesh of swine, and you eat it with delight. He who converted from among them to your faith has done so with hypocrisy. His only purpose is to move around in the markets and greedily beg people for money. They [i. e. Christians] are increasing and you are decreasing [in number]. O ignorant people! How long you will live in this world? You are pursuing the riches of this world and pay no attention to where they come from. You see tables adorned with food, but you fail to notice the beguiling deceivers as if you are a blind people. Instead of offering the ‘Ishẩ prayer, you indulge in drinking in the company of your friends. You live in lethargy and dare not touch religion with your fingertip 1. Why should Allah punish you, if you are thankful and if you believe? (Surah an-Nisa', 4:148) [Publisher]