Invitation to Ahmadiyyat — Page 32
32 status. When a candle is lit, it can light other candles; it is only a dead candle that cannot light another. Therefore, if there comes a time when the ummah of the Holy Prophet s as has gone so far astray that no one from within it can stand up for its reforma - tion, it would mean that the Holy Prophet’s spiritual influence has come to an end—God forbid! Every Muslim knows that, for as long as God wished the Mosaic dispensation to continue, there appeared within it people who followed in the footsteps of Moses and undertook the task of reformation. However, as soon as He desired to bring that dispensation to an end, He ceased sending Prophets from among the followers of Moses and instead sent a Prophet from among the progeny of Ishmael. Thus, if there were to appear an Israelite Prophet after the Holy Prophet s as , it would mean that God wants to put an end to the dispensation of the Holy Prophet s as and start a new one—God forbid! It would also mean that the Holy Prophet’s spiritual power has become so weak that it can no longer inspire even a single one of his followers to receive spiritual light from him and bring guidance to his people. It is a pity that while people express such indignation when their own honour is at stake and do not tolerate any defect being attributed to their own selves, they so daringly attribute every kind of flaw to the Holy Prophet s as. What is the use of love that is lim - ited to verbal professions and finds no echo in the heart? Of what avail is the passion that fails in the demonstration? If they really loved the Holy Prophet s as , they wouldn’t for a moment tolerate the idea that an ancient Israelite Prophet will come to reform his ummah. Does any self-respecting person beg from another while he himself has adequate provisions, or call another for help while he is himself able and strong? The same mullahs who teach that