Malfuzat - Volume IV — Page 27
27 Malfuzat – Volume IV One ought to observe an example of complete devotion to God in the Prophets, peace be upon them, and in those divinely commissioned by God, that despite their own apparent helplessness and weakness, they do not care about the opposi - tion of worldly people. One ought to take a lesson from the pace at which they move forward and from their circumstances. Certain people say that there are some who do not speak ill of me, yet they do not speak in favour either, and they ask—merely because the people will accuse them—whether they can offer the Prayer behind them. I say, absolutely not. This is because a stumbling block still obstructs the path of their acceptance of truth; they are still the branch of a tree, whose fruit is poisonous and deadly. If they had not considered worldly people to be their idols and leaders, they would have torn all of these veils and come out free, and they would not have cared in the least about the taunt and reproach of others, or be affected by fear of mockery, instead such people would hasten towards God. So remember that you ought to keep in mind on every occasion whether your action pleases God or the creation of God. Until this is your state, where the pleasure of God takes precedence over all else and no Satan can tempt you or obstruct you, there is fear that you may stumble. However, when the ill-will or goodwill of the world means nothing to a person, and the pleasure or displeasure of God affects them, this is the state where a per - son is safe from all instances of fear and grief. If someone joins our community and then leaves, this is because Satan remains tied to them in disguise. However, if a person determines that they will not listen to anyone who would tempt them, God saves such people. Generally the reason that one stumbles is because their other relations remain intact. For their worldly objectives they become slothful in faith. Sloth makes a person estranged, this then leads to arrogance, and finally, this reaches a state where one rejects the truth completely. It is the Messenger of Allah, our Prophet, who is the true example of complete devotion towards God excluding all others. The Holy Prophet sas neither cared for anyone’s praise, nor for their reproach. He was faced with countless hardships, but he did not care in the least. No greed or desire could obstruct the Holy Prophet sas from the work of God that he had come to accomplish. Until a person is able to see this state within themselves and passes their test, they should never become free from care. Moreover, it should also be borne in mind that only when a person becomes com - pletely devoted to God can they nurture trust in Him. That is to say, in order to become a person who trusts God, it is a precondition that one must first become p. 302