Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part IV — Page 338
BarĀhĪn-e-a H madiyya — Part Four 338 very understanding that they discover the mysteries and light of the Quran, which cannot be acquired by the smoky light of reason alone. This knowledge and these divine insights which are bestowed upon them—through which they are made aware of the fine and subtle points and very deep insights relating to the Being and attributes of the Divine, and to the realm of the Hereafter—are spiritual wonders which, in the estimation of people with mature insight, are higher and finer than material wonders. Rather, a careful consideration will reveal that, in the estimation of the wise, the value and rank of those with divine cognition and men of God are determined by these same miracles. These very miracles are the ornaments and embellishments of their high rank and are the adornment and beauty of their vir- tuous countenance, since it is part of human nature that the awe of knowledge and true insights affects it most, and that truth and divine insight is dearer to it than everything else. If it were supposed of an ascetic worshipper that he is granted visions, is also given knowledge of unseen matters, subjects himself to austere disciplines, and many other types of miracles are manifested by him, but he is utterly ignorant of divine knowledge so much so that he cannot even distinguish between truth and falsehood—rather, he is instead entrapped by perverted thoughts, steeped in false doctrines, and immature in everything he says and commits serious blunders in every affair—such a person would appear very lowly and despicable in the estimation of persons endowed with sane and sound faculties. The reason is that when a wise person smells the stench of ignorance and hears some foolish words from someone, he is immediately disgusted with such a person. Thereafter such a person cannot be respected by a wise one and appears lowly, regardless of how ascetic a worshipper he might be. This natural human inclination shows that spiritual won- ders—that is, knowledge and divine insights—are deemed by it to be a necessary characteristic of the men of God and special and necessary conditions for the recognition of the men of high standing in faith. So these signs are bestowed in a perfect and complete manner upon those