Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part V — Page 289
APPE N DI X to B AR Ā H Ī N-E-A H M ADIY YA — PART F IV E 289 Rather, fearing lest they should come under some culpability in the estimation of God, they keep in mind even the minutest aspects of their trusts and covenants and always keep examining them. And by making use of the penetrating lens of taqw a they go on evaluating their inner condition so that no hidden deficiency may arise in their trusts and covenants. And they utilize all of God’s trusts—such as their faculties, organs, life, wealth, and honour—to the best of their ability and in conformity with the demands of taqw a , while carefully considering the appropriateness of the occasion. They strive with all their power and full sincerity to live up to the pledge that they made to God at the time when they accepted the covenant of faith. Similarly, to the best of their ability and in conformity with the norms of taqw a , they fulfil the trusts they owe to God’s creatures or anything that falls under the purview of a trust. And if there happens to be a dispute, they settle it in accordance with taqw a , even if it means incur- ring a loss for themselves. This stage is superior to the fourth stage because here one has to employ—to the best of one’s ability—the finer ways of taqw a in all one’s actions and to take every single step in all affairs—to the best of one’s ability—while keeping in mind the requirements of taqw a. But the fourth stage consists only of a general principle which is to abstain from adultery and licentiousness. Everyone can understand that adultery is a most shameless act whose perpetrator, being blinded by his carnal passions, commits an unholy deed that adulterates the lawful human species with the unlaw- ful and causes the spoiling of one’s progeny. This is why the Shariah has declared it to be such a major sin that whoever commits it is prescribed a penalty in this very world. Evidently, it is not enough for the perfection of a believer that he should only abstain from adultery, since adultery is the work of extremely corrupt and shameless people, and it is such an obvious sin which even the most ignorant of the ignorant consider to be evil and no one but a faithless person will be audacious enough to commit it.