Claims and Teachings - Ahmad The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 4
4 '. - ' faith. It is for this reason that the Quran condemns both the J Jews and the Christians and says that if these people had acted upon the teachings of Moses and Jesus they would have been granted sustenance both from heaven and from earth. The heavenly sustenance indicates the spiritual blessings which are granted to the righteous and faithful in heart such as heavenly signs, acceptance of prayer, visions and inspiration. Here they are also declared as having been deprived of earthly sustenance, because they did not obtain it by just and righteous means but by bending low upon earth and making use of vile means. Israelite Law, no doubt, taught the Unity of God, but the doctrine of Unity taught by it, fell for short of the sublime Unity revealed by the Holy Quran. This defect of teaching in itself called for a new revelation, while the necessity was further en- henced by the spiritual death of those who professed to inculcate this doctrine. The Jewish doctrine of unity, imperfect as it was, was in their books and not in their hearts. They, therefore, needed a heavenly teacher who should have breathed the soul of Unity ic. to their hearts, and a warm devotion in place of dull and vapid utterance of formal words. The Jews were dead and life had departed from them on account of the hardness of their hearts and their numerous transgressions. No spark ,of love for God and not the slightest trace of inclination to spirituality was lefc in them. Their books on account of their defective teachings and the numerous alterations in their letter and spirit could not inspire a new life into, and furnish a perfect guidance to, their votaries or to the world at large. Therefore, Almighty God sent down His living Word like fresh and timely rain and to this word which gave life did He invite them, that they might find life and salvation being purified through it of their former errors and ini- quities. The Holy Quarn was, therefore, needed in the first place