Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 868
868 AL-ISTIFTA' SUPPLEMENT TO ḤAQIQATUL-WAḤI their palatial homes are now lying dead in their graves. They are no longer seen to enjoy the company of their friends. Their palaces have been deserted, and they have entered a home which does not allow them to return to their brethren and regain possession of their homes from their occupying neighbours. You can see that people are unable to protect themselves against this epidemic [of plague]. They fail to find any refuge from it under the heavens. Remember this calamity does not result from any ill-luck or coincidence, as our opponents allege. Fortunate, therefore, is the one who recognizes these Signs and enters into these rocky valleys [i. e. life of hardship for Allah's sake]. May Allah have mercy upon you! Remember these calamities were preordained; they were never witnessed by you prior to this age, neither were they ever witnessed by your forefathers. Indeed, these Signs have been shown for the sake of the one who has been raised among you by Allah the Great Bestower in order for Allah to revive the Faith and estab- lish His arguments, and in order to restore the lost greenery and verdure to its orchards and make its trees laden with holy fruits and turn the with- ered and burnable branches into fresh green boughs. This happened so that people may recognize the strength of the mighty faith of Allah and submit completely to their Merciful Lord, and so that they might come to hate this world like the one whose heart is truly noble. When the day dawned for the revival of Islam and its truth was proven through incontrovertible arguments, then most of its oppo- nents tried to keep their eyes low so as not to see the light of truth. They intentionally disliked the message of God Almighty. Alas for them, they flee from good and incline towards loss. Indeed, the time has come for the door [of God Almighty] to open. Is there anyone who is ready to knock upon it again and again? The fountain [of cognizance] is flowing for those who have eyes to see. Allah is Most Forgiving and Merciful. Therefore, He does not reject anyone who comes to Him with a right- eous heart. To the one who asks for more, will God grant more. It is strange that this nation has combined physical poverty along with spiritual poverty, yet they think that they do not need a Reformer