Ahmadiyya Movement — Page 11
11 meanings are assigned to passages which the words are in- capable of bearing. There must, however, be room for an ex- planation before an explanation becomes necessary. An ex- planation may be justified where the context itself shows that the words have been used in an allegorical or metaphorical sense, or where similar words used elsewhere have always received an interpretation other than literal. Or, again, an idiom which is always construed in a particular manner may indicate a meaning other than that which appear on the surface. Or, we may be able to lay our hands on conclusive evidence, which shows that a particular incident occurred in a particular manner, and not in the manner apparently suggested by the words in question. Or, that which is stated may be contradictory to some established and irrefutable truth, or to some expressed Divine law. In all these cases we would be compelled to put upon the words an inter- pretation which is not literal, in order to discover the true meaning of the passage. But how can we repudiate the truths which have been unanimously accepted by all religions through centuries ? It may be permissible to us to say that God spoke to His servants in this or that manner, or that He showed miracles in this or that way, or that His relations with His servants were of this or that kind, but it is not open to us to assert that God has never talked to man in a manner which should exclude all possibility of doubt or misgiving nor is it open to us to say that God never showed any miracles to demonstrate conclusively the truth of a particular religion or of a particular Prophet. We may be permitted to assert that the relationship which existed between God and His ser- vants in the past was of a nature different from that ordinarily understood or accepted, but after a perusal of the Scriptures of different religions we cannot honestly assert that God has never dealt with His servants in a manner from which the world could judge that a Living God exists Who displays His Might and Mercy for those He loves. And if we were to open wide the door