Three Questions by a Christian and their Answers — Page 72
72 never do it. A very clear method of putting these things to the test is that a Christian, or anyone else for that matter, should enter a contest with a righteous Muslim who truly follows the Holy Prophet sa , and should declare: 'Whatever signs appear from heaven for your sake, or whatever secrets of the unseen are revealed to you, or whatever support you are granted by way of acceptance of prayers, or whatever Divine wonders are manifested for your honour and glory, or whatever exceptional rewards are promised to you by way pure desires, in keeping with the purity of human nature and the pristine will of the Creator. This will be, so that man may fully attain his inner and outer, physical and spiritual, perfection, and may come to be called 'the perfect man' by utilizing all his faculties. Moreover, admitting one into Paradise is not for the purpose of obliterating all human imprints, as is thought by our Christian and A rya opponents. The object, instead, is that all the imprints of human nature should shine physically and spiri- tually in a consummate manner, and all things which are essential for man’s physical and spiritual creation should shine forth perfectly, after all his intemperance has been removed. And then God says: When My favourite people (who are the chosen ones) seek Me and ask where I am, let them know that I am very near. I hear the prayers of My sincere servant as soon as he cries to Me (with his heart or tongue). I hear him at once (this clearly shows that I am near). But they should also make themselves deserving of My response to their call. Let them remember that man turns into an obstacle for himself when he forsakes his pristine state and turns away from Him. Then God also turns away from him. Therefore, they are required to have firm faith in Me (for prayer is more readily heard by virtue of firmness of faith). If they do so, they will achieve righteousness, which means that God shall always be with them and Divine favours and guidance shall never abandon them. Acceptance of prayers, therefore, is a mighty sign of the Friends of God. Do ponder over this! [Author]