The Heavenly Decree — Page 26
26 A sm a n i Fai s lah believer and may be led into greater doubt. They cannot, due to their personal deprivation, witness the sign of acceptance [of prayer] at the hands of the perfect believer. Even though the perfect believer enjoys a high station in the sight of Allah, and many a complicated problem is set right for his sake and through his supplications, and some destinies that seem irreversible are also altered, yet the fate that is truly irreversible can never be altered even by the prayers of the perfect believer—not even if he is a Prophet or a Messenger. In short, the perfect believer, though he does not always prevail, is clearly set apart from his opponents in respect of all these four signs. Therefore, when it has been established that a true and perfect believer receives a much larger share of glad tidings, acceptance of prayer, revelation of the unseen and of the deeper meanings of the Quran, there can be no better way of testing the perfect believer and his adversary than holding a contest between the two. In other words, if there is any doubt as to who is a perfect believer in the sight of Allah and who is lesser in status, the two ought to be tested with regard to these four signs. In the contest, these four signs should be the standard for determining who measures up to them and who falls short. Let people bear witness that I, purely for the sake of Allah and for the manifestation of the truth, agree to such a contest with all my heart and soul. Mi yan