Life of Ahmad — Page 156
ADDRESSES THE A RYA SAM A J as 156 As a matter of fact, such curses are not vindictive or incompatible with true love. They are not the effects of passion or revenge. The real purpose is made clear in Ps. 58:11, where occur the words, 'So that a man shall say, verily there is a reward for the righteous: doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth. ' It is to make a distinction between the righteous and the ungodly that a prophet of God prays in this manner, so that this may draw people to righteousness and deter them from ungodliness. In Mub a hala , it should be noted, the curse of God is not invoked upon the enemy. The prayer to God is that His curse should overtake the one who insists on falsehood, and the fact that both parties voluntarily agree to pray in like manner precludes every possibility of malice or ill-will. Judgment is left entirely in the hands of God, with implicit faith. A somewhat parallel case is found in Ps. 7:3-5 where we read. 'O Lord my God, if I have done any such thing; or if there be any wickedness in my hands; if I have rewarded evil unto him that dealt friendly with me: yea, I have delivered him that without any cause is mine enemy; then let mine enemy persecute my soul, and take me: yea, let him tread my life down upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. ' The result of such prayer is that the enemy of a righteous Prophet of God is not allowed to triumph