Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 101
28 December 1907 101 Both of the hardships—of Shariah and of nature—have been mentioned by God Almighty in the Holy Quran. 1. Hardships of the Shariah have been mentioned in Part 1 of the Holy Quran: 1 َكِلٰذ ُبٰتِكْلا اَل َبْيَر١ۛۖۚ ِهْيِف١ۛۚ ىًدُه َنْيِقَّتُمْلِّل۰۰۠ ّٓمٓلا۰۰ۚ َكِلٰذ ُبٰتِكْلا اَل َبْيَر١ۛۖۚ ِهْيِف١ۛۚ ىًدُه َنْيِقَّتُمْلِّل۰۰۠ ّٓمٓلا۰۰ۚ Meaning that believers those who believe in God while He is unseen, and establish their Prayers. That is to say, hundreds of thoughts distract their hearts but they remain steady in their Prayer by focusing on God Almighty over and over again. They spend out of the wealth God bestows upon them. These are the hardships of the Faith, but one cannot fully rely upon them for spiritual reward, because man shows negligence in many issues. Many observe just the outer form of Prayer being oblivious to its substance and essence. 2. For this reason, heavenly hardships have also been provided for the purpose of man’s advancement in his [spiritual] rank. God Almighty has also mentioned this in the Holy Quran where He says: َو ْمُكَّنَوُلْبَنَل ٍءْيَشِب َنِّم ِفْوَخْلا َو ِعْوُجْلا َو ٍصْقَن َنِّم ِلاَوْمَاْلا َو ِسُفْنَاْلا َو ِتٰرَمَّثلا١ؕ َو ِرِّشَب َنْيِرِبّٰصلا۰۰ۙ َكِٕىٰٓلوُا ْمِهْيَلَع ٌتٰوَلَص ْنِّم ْمِهِّبَّر َو َو ْمُكَّنَوُلْبَنَل ٍءْيَشِب َنِّم ِفْوَخْلا َو ِعْوُجْلا َو ٍصْقَن َنِّم ِلاَوْمَاْلا َو ِسُفْنَاْلا َو ِتٰرَمَّثلا١ؕ َو ِرِّشَب َنْيِرِبّٰصلا۰۰ۙ َكِٕىٰٓلوُا ْمِهْيَلَع ٌتٰوَلَص ْنِّم ْمِهِّبَّر َو َنْيِذَّلا ۤاَذِا ْمُهْتَباَصَا ٌةَبْيِصُّم١ۙ اْۤوُلاَق اَّنِا ِهّٰلِل َو ۤاَّنِا ِهْيَلِا َنْوُعِجٰر۰۰ؕ َنْيِذَّلا ۤاَذِا ْمُهْتَباَصَا ٌةَبْيِصُّم١ۙ اْۤوُلاَق اَّنِا ِهّٰلِل َو ۤاَّنِا ِهْيَلِا َنْوُعِجٰر۰۰ؕ 2 ٌةَمْحَر١۫ َو َكِٕىٰٓلوُا ُمُه َنْوُدَتْهُمْلا۰۰ ٌةَمْحَر١۫ َو َكِٕىٰٓلوُا ُمُه َنْوُدَتْهُمْلا۰۰ 1. S u rah al-Baqarah, 2:2–3 [Publisher] 2. And We will try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives, and fruits; but give glad tidings to the patient, who, when a mis- fortune overtakes them, say, ‘Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return. ’ It is these on whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy, and it is these who are rightly guided ( S u rah al-Baqarah, 2:156–158). [Publisher]