Way of The Seekers — Page 12
12 THE had the grace of knowing, recognizing, and accepting such a person, should we still remain as unclean as before? What have we achieved by believing in him? Once the Promised Messiah (a. s. ) happened to dilate on the spiritual stages a believer should successively pass through one by one. Hazrat Maulvi Burhanuddin of Jhelum, one of the most zealous companions of the Messiah, was also present. What the Messiah said went straight to his heart. While the Messiah spoke, he listened, in a state of deep self-examination. As soon as the Messiah finished, Maulvi Sahib lost self-control and broke down completely. His sobs of remorse shook him. Addressing the Messiah he said: At first I joined the Wahabbis and tried to propagate the sayings of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace. For this I suffered and was often beaten up and ill-treated. Then God sent you and you I accepted. This let loose another wave of fury against me. Once again l am being beaten up, stoned and subjected to persecution. Having toiled and suffered so much, I am still the ignoramus that I was. Thus what do we gain by believing in a prophet if we remain the same old bunglers? We are a community who have seen a prophet and who have lived with him. We ought to change and change to a marked degree. We ought to feel we really have surrendered our hand of allegiance to a living model of spirituality; nay, to God Himself. If Ahmadis do not achieve this quality of spiritual achievement, then what have they achieved? The Promised Messiah has warned us; he has told us what he expects of us. Reflect, how serious and Impor- tant is the goal set for us. On the need to purify ourselves, the Promised Messiah is reported to have said in the clearest possible words: (I quote from Badr, the leading journal of those days): “Only he has purified himself who has set right his relationship with both God and man, his Creator and his fellow creatures. We must discharge our obligations to both. God requires that we must live in practice