Malfuzat - Volume VII — Page 208
Malfuzat - English translation of Urdu Volume 7 208 on the night of 11 May, an earthquake struck which was so severe that the like of it had never been experienced before. It was mentioned that this event proved the words of the astrologers wrong, who had claimed that no earthquakes would occur during those dates. The Purpose of Trials There was mention of trials faced by the servants of God. The Promised Messiah as said: The facing of trials is essential—some victories are dependent on them. Sometimes, the fervent prayers of someone open up an avenue. There is an incident recorded in Mathnaw i that once a revered man had nothing to eat; he and his companions were hungry, when a boy selling h alw a [a dessert] passed by. The revered man asked his men to snatch the h alw a from him, which they did. The revered man and his companions ate that h alw a. The boy wept and cried uncontrollably. The men asked the revered man what was the wisdom behind snatching the h alw a. He replied that this was all the child had to his name. His weeping with great anguish has triggered ease and abun- dance which our prayers could not have done. So, this child was appeased by [God] bestowing upon him much more than was rightly due to him. In the same way, some trials come only so that a person can rapidly attain the status that is destined for them. It was mentioned that 14 April had passed, for which the Englishman had predicted an earthquake. The people are relieved now. The Promised Messiah as said: ‘People worship astrologers, not God. ’