Lecture Lahore — Page 62
62 he lived up to the condition and was, therefore, granted a few months of respite. Those who raise such objections do not seem to remember that the prophecy made by Prophet Jonah was also not fulfilled, even though it is evident from the Book of Jonah that the prophecy was not conditional. The fact is that prophecies about impending punishment are not categorical and are conditional upon repentance, charity, alms-giving, prayer and even fear— all of which can either delay the punishment or avert it altogether. If this was not so, we could not consider Jonah to be a Prophet of God as his prophecy had not be ful- filled. When God intends to punish a transgressor, the punishment can be averted through charity and alms- giving, and even through fear. So, a 'warning prophecy' only means that God has decided to punish a person and has disclosed His intention to His Prophet, it is, therefore, foolish to think that a prophecy can be averted through alms-giving, charity and prayer when it has not been dis- closed to a Prophet, but not when it has been so disclosed. Such an assertion amounts to an attack on all Prophets. Moreover, some prophecies are not very explicit and their meaning only becomes clear with time. Even a Prophet might at times err in the interpretation of a prophecy, and this is nothing to object to, for Prophets are only human. Jesus as once said that his twelve disciples would sit on twelve thrones in paradise, but this did not come to pass, for one of them became an apostate and was destined for hell. Jesus also said that some people of his time would yet be alive when he returned, but this also did not hap-