Malfuzat – Volume III — Page 263
263 Islam to the world through its living blessings and grace. This would prove that in the modern age, just as Islam possesses influence and benefit merely owing to its pure teaching, blessings and fruits, so it has forever possessed benefit and influ- ence in every era. For this is a living Faith. It was for this very reason that when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, prophesied the advent of the Promised Messiah who was destined to appear, he also stated: َ یَضَع ُ الْحَرْب Meaning, he would avert war. Now, gather all of these testimonies and tell me, are we not in need of a heavenly man in this day and age? When it has been accepted that a Reformer must come at the head of the century, there must be a Reformer present at the head of this century too. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, bears a resemblance to Moses as , in view of this likeness, it is necessary for the Messiah to be the Reformer of this century, because a Messiah appeared in the fourteenth century after Moses as , and presently we are also in the fourteenth century. The Number Fourteen Has a Connection with Spiritual Transformation The number fourteen has a very deep connection in this respect. The moon of the fourteenth century is complete. It is to this very point that Allah the Exalted alludes in the following: 1 ٌ ۃ لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اهللُ بِبَدْرٍ وَّ اَنْتُمْ اَذِلَّ Meaning, there was a Badr in which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, triumphed over his opponents. At that time also, the com- munity of the Holy Prophet sa was small. Then, there is the Badr of our present age as well. Badr refers also to the fourteenth century, for even in this age Islam is in a state of weakness. Therefore, in accordance with all these promises, Allah the Exalted has raised me. A Sign of the Promised One Who Was Awaited It has also been related in the Hadith that in the time of the Promised One who would appear, the world would be full of injustice and falsehood. Now, injustice 1 Aal-e-Imran, 3:124 p. 241