Malfuzat - Volume VIII — Page 128
Malf uza t - English translation of Urdu Volume 8 128 Ahl-e-Sunnah community, as indeed of the entire world, that humble and remorseful supplications can ward off an impend- ing punishment. Have you even forgotten what happened in the case of Jonah, peace be on him? Why was the punishment of the peo- ple of Jonah as averted? Look in Durr-e-Manth u r as well as in other books. It is also present in the Book of Jonah the Prophet, in the Bible, that Divine punishment was categorically destined to overtake them, but having seen signs of the approaching punishment, the People of Jonah as repented and turned to their Creator who forgave them, and their punishment was averted. Jonah as , for his part, awaited the chastisement to visit on the appointed day and went about asking people for the news. He enquired from a landlord about the situation of Nineveh. The man replied that all was well. At this, Jonah as was rather deeply dismayed and said لَن ْ اَرْجِع َ اِلٰی قَوْمِی ْ كَذَّابًا لَن ْ اَرْجِع َ اِلٰی قَوْمِی ْ كَذَّابًا meaning I shall never return to my people as a liar. Now, in the presence of this precedent and the powerful Quranic testimony, it is against the spirit of righteousness to raise objections against any of my prophecies which were con- ditional. It is not the characteristic of a righteous person to blurt out opinions without forethought and become ready to reject. The story of Prophet Jonah as is indeed painful and instruc- tive. It is recorded in the books; read it carefully. We are told he was thrown into the sea and ended up in the belly of a fish. Only then was repentance accepted. Now, why did such Divine chastisement and displeasure visit him? For the reason that he did not consider God capable of averting the forewarned pun- ishment. So why do you show such haste concerning me and deny all the Prophets just to reject me?