Malfuzat - Volume VIII — Page 136
Malf uza t - English translation of Urdu Volume 8 136 consistent with the requirements of i h s a n [benevolence], for He is the Benefactor, and the bounties He confers are countless. And since the favours He confers on us remain fresh in our minds when we think of His sublime characteristics and attrib- utes, therefore, the meanings of the word i h s a n , as explained by the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, are to worship Allah the Exalted as if you are seeing Him or, at the very least, as if He sees you. At this stage, man is still held back by a veil. But, next to it is the third stage, that of الْقُرْبٰى اِيْتَآئِ ذِي الْقُرْبٰى اِيْتَآئِ ذِي [give like the giving of kin to kin]. At this stage, one develops personal love for Allah the Exalted. And I have already explained the meanings from the perspective of the rights of fellow humans, and I have also stated that no scripture has set forth this teaching that the Holy Quran has presented. This teaching is so perfect that no one can present its like; namely: 1 یۃ آ اْل ا یۃ آ اْل ا اُؤٰٓزَج ٍةَئِّيَس ٌةَئِّيَس اَهُلْثِّم. . . اُؤٰٓزَج ٍةَئِّيَس ٌةَئِّيَس اَهُلْثِّم. . . There is a condition for forgiveness that it should lead to ref- ormation. The Jewish religion prescribed an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. As a result, they became so vengeful, and this habit became so deeply ingrained in them that if the father failed to take his revenge, it became incumbent upon the son and even the grandson to avenge him. This made them vindic- tive, hard-hearted, and merciless. The Christians, in comparison, taught that if someone slaps you on one cheek, you should offer the other; and accom- pany for two miles anyone who forces you to walk one mile, and so on. The obvious defect in this teaching is that it is not 1. The recompense of an injury is an injury the like thereof ( S u rah ash-Sh u r a , 42:41). [Publisher]