Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 181
26 February 1908 181 ponder upon it to see how far we have moved forward in right- eousness. Our today should not be the same as our yesterday. If one’s today equals yesterday as far as the progress in piety is concerned, he is in a loss. If one believes in God and has perfect faith in Him alone, he would never be allowed to go to waste. Rather, the lives of hundreds of thousands are saved for the sake of that single person. It is said about a saintly person that he was on board a ship when a storm developed in the sea. The ship came close to sinking. However, it was saved because of his prayer. When he was praying, he received a revelation that everyone was being saved for his sake. But these things do not happen merely by lip service. Look, I too have been given a promise by Allah the Exalted: ِ ُل َّ مَن ْ فِی الدَّار ك ُ أُحَافِظ ْٓ إِنِّی ِ ُل َّ مَن ْ فِی الدَّار ك ُ أُحَافِظ ْٓ إِنِّی [‘I shall safeguard all those who are within the four walls of this house. ’] However, included amongst them are neglectful women and people of variegated temperaments and conditions. If, God for- bid, someone from amongst them dies of plague—or as some people from my Jama’at have died of plague—it would provide an opportunity to these opponents to criticize me although Allah the Exalted has also said: 1 َنْيِذَّلَا اْوُنَمٰا َو ْمَل اْۤوُسِبْلَي ْمُهَناَمْيِا ٍمْلُظِب َنْيِذَّلَا اْوُنَمٰا َو ْمَل اْۤوُسِبْلَي ْمُهَناَمْيِا ٍمْلُظِب Nevertheless, the weakness of the members of the Jama’at or their poor example does affect me and it provides an 1. Those who believe and mix not up their belief with injustice ( S u rah al-An‘ a m, 6:83). [Publisher]