Precious Pearls — Page 10
12 Beholding thee we saw a strange display of light, With light of thine the Satans did we scorch. We are elect of men through thee, O elect of Messengers; We moved our own step forward with thy stride. (12/26-30) Because of his deep-seated love for his master, it pained him immeasurably when, due to religious rivalry, non-Muslims frequently hurled all kind of insult and abuse at the person of the noble Prophet. He compared this pain and anguish to something worse than seeing his own family members cut to pieces in front of his eyes. Although most intense and passionate by any standard, his love for the Prophet of Islam went only as far as his sense of prudence would allow, and it always took second place to his real love that was for God Almighty. Thus, he puts his two loves in proper perspective, in one of his Persian verses: Next to God, I am intoxicated with the love for Muhammad; If this is disbelief, then by God I am a firm disbeliever. If anything appears to exceed the intensity of his love of God, it is perhaps the depth of his sincere and genuine gratitude towards Him for the many favours and blessings that God Almighty bestowed upon Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Practically unknown in his youth, he grew up in a little-known hamlet in northern India far from any centre of social, business or intellectual activity. Modest, retiring and given to solitude by nature, he would have been happy and contented in his self-imposed state of seclusion if God had not expressly commanded him otherwise. And then, in no time at all, he obtained such fame that his name was known not only across the land of India, but also in parts of Europe and North America. But, most importantly, at each stage of this remarkable transformation from a retiring mystic to an active reformer, he witnessed the ever-present support of his Lord and his Belovèd. In the context of innumerable favours that God bestowed upon him and the numerous Signs that He showed to the world in his support, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad writes: How can I praise Thee and render thanks, O Gracious One? Wherefrom I find that tongue that can accomplish it? (39/2) I am amazed at Thy actions, O my Benefactor for what deed Hast Thou given me this bounty in the surroundings? (39/5) It is entirely Thy grace and blessing that I was chosen, Otherwise there was no dearth of servants at Thy court. (39/7) Without Thy grace, I would have died and turned to dust Then, God knows, where this dust might have been thrown. (39/10) With Thy grace, life is like a garden With Thy light the heart is like noonday sun. (19/116) The bounties and benevolence are countless