Malfuzat - Volume VII — Page 19
28 October 1904 19 planting the tree, and does not water it or protect it going for- ward, then even that seed will go to waste. In the same way, Satan lurks in constant pursuit of man. Consequently, if man does a good deed but does not try to safeguard it, then that deed is lost. All peoples—take, for example, just the Muslims— are bound by the obligations of their faiths, yet they make no progress in it. This is because they do not think of increasing their virtuous deeds and gradually those deeds become mere ritual. Accordingly, one born in a Muslim house starts reciting the Kalimah [the Islamic credo]. Had they been in a Hindu household, they would be saying, ‘R a m! R a m!’ 1 Remember that at the time of Bai‘at, a blessing arises in the declaration of taubah [repentance]. Along with this, should you hold yourself to the condition of giving precedence to the Faith over all worldly pursuits, then progress will occur. Nevertheless, giving this precedence [to religion over the world] is not within your power; rather, there is a dire need for Divine assistance, as Allah the Exalted has said: 2 َو َنْيِذَّلا اْوُدَهاَج اَنْيِف ْمُهَّنَيِدْهَنَل اَنَلُبُس َو َنْيِذَّلا اْوُدَهاَج اَنْيِف ْمُهَّنَيِدْهَنَل اَنَلُبُس Meaning that, those who strive in Our path do indeed finally attain guidance. Just as the seed sown in the ground remains deprived of blessings without effort and irrigation and, in fact, perishes itself; in the same way, if you will not remember this declaration every day and will not pray that, ‘O God! Help us!’, God’s grace will not come, and change is impossible without Divine assistance. 1. ‘R a m, R a m’ is a common greeting and mantra in Hinduism. It is used as a form of salutation and devotion to Lord Rama, a prominent Hindu deity. [Publisher] 2. S u rah al-‘Ankab u t, 29:70 [Publisher]