Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 391
2 May 1908 391 are mired in all kinds of thoughts. They consider themselves to have already advanced beyond such things. Due to their worldly superiority and veiled pride and arrogance, they con- sider it an affront and a cause for shame and ignominy even to sit in a gathering where the poor but sincere—the weak but beloved of God—are gathered together. I know there are hun- dreds of people in my Jama’at who hardly have enough clothes to cover their body. It is with great difficulty that they come by a sheet to cover themselves or acquire a pyjama. They do not own any property but their boundless sincer- ity, devotion, love, and loyalty that becomes evident from time to time through their actions, or that is apparent from their countenances, leaves one amazed and wonderstruck. They have such strength of faith and honesty of conviction, and are so sincerely and loyally devoted to truth and steadfastness that if the pleasure they derive from these things were to be known to those who are slaves of material wealth and prosperity and are fond of worldly pleasure, they would be ready to give it all up in exchange for it. As an illustration, you may just look at the example of one such person, the late Sahibzadah Maulawi Abdul Latif, and see how strong he was in his sincerity and how true he was in his loyalty. He did not shy away from sacrificing even his life. He surrendered his life, but he did not surrender truth. When he was reported to the Amir [ruler of Afghanistan] and was brought before him, the Amir asked him exactly this, whether it was true that he had made the Bai’at [Pledge of Allegiance] to such a man [the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him]. As he was a righteous man, he replied clearly, ‘Yes, I have taken the Bai’at ; I have accepted him, but I have chosen to follow him out of thorough understanding and not out of blind acceptance. I have not found anyone quite like him in the whole world. I