Malfuzat - Volume IV — Page 25
25 Malfuzat – Volume IV claims and statements, and much can be articulated in words and verbal expres - sions, but the real challenge is for one to demonstrate whatever he says through action. Everyone who believes in God wishes and verbally professes also that they desire to give precedence to God over all else, and people can claim this as well. However, when a person begins to investigate the effects and signs which are granted once a person does actually give precedence to God, one is faced with difficulty. A person stumbles on every little thing. When the time calls for people to sacrifice their wealth and life in the cause of God Almighty, and when He calls them to sacrifice their life, wealth or other cherished things, even though these things do not belong to them, they are still hesitant. Initially, certain compan - ions of the Holy Prophet sas were faced with these sorts of trials. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was in need of some land to lay the foundation of the mosque. An appeal was made to a certain individual who presented many excuses and ultimately said that he could not offer any land. Now that individual had believed in the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and he had taken an oath to give precedence to Allah and His Messenger sas over all else, however when the time for his trial and test arrived, he was forced to step back. In the end, he did donate the plot of land. So, the fact of the matter is that nothing can actually be done with mere words alone unless coupled with action, and words cannot be proven true in action unless accompa - nied by trial. The oath of allegiance that is taken at my hand is to affirm that one will give precedence to religion over worldly affairs; it is to pledge that one will accept as one’s spiritual leader a man who has been commissioned by God and sent to the world, a man who is a deputy of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and named the Arbiter and Judge. One takes an oath to accept his verdict with a calm and open heart. However, if after making this cov - enant and declaration, an individual does not wholeheartedly accept a verdict of mine and instead feels a hindrance or restraint in their heart, it will have to be said that such a person has not become completely devoted to God and has not yet attained this lofty station which is known as the station of complete devo - tion to God. Instead, this shows that the obstructions and shackles of one’s base desires and one’s worldly relations still block one’s path, and that the person has not been able to free themselves from those veils which must be torn apart to attain this station. Until a person is cut off from the tree of this world and grafted p. 300