Malfuzat - Volume IV — Page 83
83 Malfuzat – Volume IV my point, because even the very nature of man himself, and daily experience and observation, serves as powerful testimony of this fact. Until one possesses com - plete certainty that God exists, and that He detests sin and gives punishment, no other method can prove effective at all. For we all observe that a knowledge of the wholesome effects of something swiftly draw us in towards the thing in question, whereas we flee from those things which we consider to be a lethal poison for us. For example, if we were absolutely certain that there is a snake in the bushes, would either one of us put our hand or foot into it? Of course not. In fact, if some - one were even remotely suspicious that there was a snake in a burrow, one would always be apprehensive of passing by it. One would naturally be averse to walking past such a place. Similarly, in the case of poison, when we learn for example that strychnine is something which can kill a man if consumed, people keep away and save themselves from this substance. If there is an outbreak of plague in a certain locality, people will stay clear of such a place and even entering the area to them is like stepping into a burning furnace. Now what is it that inspires such fear and terror in the heart that no matter what the circumstances the heart flees from such things? It is the very same certainty that one possesses about the deadly and harmful effects of such things. There are countless examples of this nature which I can give—things we experience in our daily lives. Now debates revolving around the manner or method by which one may be safeguarded from sin are completely useless and without purpose. For until one develops full knowledge about the awe-inspiring nature of God’s manifesta - tions and the poison of sin along with its dangerous effects—knowledge that has reached the level of perfect certainty—one cannot save themselves from sin. It is a false notion and sheer absurdity to suggest that someone’s blood can purify people from sin. What relation does someone’s blood, or suicide for that matter, have with sin? This is not how sin can be dispelled; in fact, this only pro - liferates further sin. Experience bears testimony to show that belief in this doc - trine has only made matters worse. The True Philosophy of Being Safeguarded from Sin I always say that the true philosophy of being saved from sin is to recognise the reality of the harmful nature of sin and to develop certainty in the fact that there exists a powerful being Who hates sin and He has the power to punish a sinner. You can appreciate that if a person was stood in front of a ruler whose various p. 355