Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part IV — Page 185
Footnote Number Eleven 185 [ bismill a h —‘In the name of Allah’], namely, the attributes of ra h m a ni- yyat [graciousness] and ra hi miyyat [mercy], and it is by virtue of the requirements of both of these attributes that the Divine Word has been revealed and its light and blessings have issued forth. To elaborate, the descent of God’s Holy Word into the world, to be conveyed to man- kind, is the consequence of the attribute of ra h m a niyyat because the nature of the attribute of ra h m a niyyat (as will be explained in detail later, too) is that it is manifested without being preceded by the action of any person, solely by the upsurge of the generosity and bounty of God, just as, for example, God has created the sun and the moon, and water and air, etc. for the welfare of His creatures. All this generosity and beneficence is by virtue of the attribute of ra h m a niyyat. No one can claim that these things have been created as a reward for any of his actions. In the same way, the Word of God as well, which descended for the reformation and guidance of mankind, has also descended by vir- tue of this attribute. There is no animate being who can claim that the Holy Word of God that comprehends His Shariah has been revealed in consequence of any action or effort of his, or as a reward for his inner piety. This is the reason that—although there have been thousands of people who claimed to be pious and virtuous, or have been dedicat- ing their lives in devotion and worship—the holy and perfect Word of God, which brought forth His commands and injunctions to the world and informed Allah’s creatures of His design, was revealed only at those special times when its revelation was needed. It is, however, necessary that the Holy Word of God be revealed to only those who occupy the lofty rank of holiness and inner piety, inasmuch as purity has no affinity or relationship with impurity. But it is certainly not necessary that, under all circumstances, holiness and inner piety would cause the descent of the Word of Allah; rather, the revelation of God Almighty’s true shariah and teachings is linked with the existence of true needs. So, whenever true need arose, and it was considered necessary for the reformation of the age that the Word of Allah should descend, God Almighty, the All-Wise, sent down His