Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part IV — Page 339
SuB-Footnote Number Three 339 who wholeheartedly follow the Noble Furq a n. And despite the fact that illiteracy is the dominant characteristic of the nature of many of them and they have not acquired full proficiency in customary sciences, yet they are so far advanced from their contemporaries in fine points and beauties of the knowledge of the Divine that very often their strong opponents are totally surprised by hearing their speeches or reading their writings, and spontaneously confess that their knowledge and divine insights, which bear the special colour of divine support, belong to another world. Another proof of this is that if any denier, by way of opposition to them, seeks to compare their truthful and enlightened speeches on subjects relating to the Divine with anyone else’s speech, he will be forced to confess in the end—provided he is just and honest—that real truth resided in the speeches that proceeded from them. As the dis- cussion gets deeper and deeper, many beautiful and subtle arguments emerge—like a bright day—and keep unfolding the fact of their being in the right. Accordingly, I myself take the responsibility to furnish proof of this to every seeker after truth. Another [of these bounties] is ‘i s mat [innocence], which is also termed as ‘divine protection’. Such innocence is also bestowed on the perfect followers of the Glorious Furq a n in an extraordinary manner. By ‘innocence’, I mean here that they are safeguarded against unwor- thy and undesirable habits, thoughts, morals, and actions with which other people are seen to be defiled and polluted day and night. If they happen to make a slip, divine mercy soon makes reparation for them. It is obvious that the station of innocence is highly refined and lies far away from the demands of nafs-e-amm a rah [the self that incites to evil], and its attainment is impossible without special divine atten- tion. For instance, if someone is admonished to refrain simply from the habit of lying and misrepresentation in all of his affairs, statements, occupations, and professions, it becomes difficult, and even impossi- ble for him. Even if he strives and struggles to achieve this objective, he encounters so many obstacles and impediments that ultimately he