Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 510
Malfuzat - English translation of Urdu Volume 10 510 merely embarrass themselves on account of their hastiness. Essentially, an oath counts as a substitute for testimony. Even in secular administration, we observe that some litigations are decided primarily on [proclamations under] oath. Hence, in the same way, God Almighty swears by the heavenly rain and presents this physical phenomenon of nature as a witness that just as the greenery of the earth and flourishing of the fields depend upon heavenly rain; and in the absence of heavenly rain, no greenery can endure upon the earth; and the earth becomes dead, even the water of the wells dries up; and the world is turned upside down resulting in devastation; people die from hunger and thirst; men and animals, birds, and beasts feel its impact—similarly, there is a spiritual world exactly com- parable to it as well. Remember that mere dry faith can never ever bring about salvation or real comfort without the heavenly rain which descends in the form of converse and communion with God. Those who believe they can attain salvation without spiritual rain and without an Appointee of God, and that they are not in need of the Reformer and Appointee of God, and they already have everything they need—they should also make water for themselves 1 in their own homes. Why do they need rain to descend from the clouds? It is right in front of their eyes as to how the material system is being sustained. Thus, you can understand from this that there are exactly comparable needs and requirements for spiritual life. This boast of man that he has learnt everything and has acquired all knowledge is a totally false assertion. What does human knowledge amount to? It is like a needle after being dipped in an ocean [i. e. the tiny droplet of water that clings 1. From Badr: Why do those, who say there is now no need for Prophets, beg for physical rain? ( Badr, vol. 7, no. 25, p. 5, dated 25 June 1908)