The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 171
Allāh the Exalted 171. The Christians should remember that it is not at all established that Jesus was the Resurrection, nor have the. Christians been resurrected. They are dead more than the other dead, and lie in narrow and dark graves and are fallen into the pit of paganism. They neither possess the spirit of faith nor the blessings of such spirit. They have not achieved even the lowest grade of faith in the Unity of God, which is to abstain from the worship of creatures. They worship as creator one weak and helpless like themselves. . The Unity of God has three grades. The lowest grade is to abstain from the worship of any created thing like oneself, neither stone nor fire nor man nor any star. The second grade is that one should not be devoted to material means as if they were a sort of partner in the operation of Rububiyyat. One must concentrate on the. Provider of means rather than on the means. The third grade is that having witnessed perfectly Divine manifestations, one should consider every other being as nonexistent including one's own self. Everything beside. God Almighty, Who possesses perfect attributes, should appear as mortal to one's eyes. Spiritual life means that these three grades of faith in Unity should be achieved. . Now consider carefully that all eternal fountains of spiritual life have come into the world through Haḍrat. Muḥammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allāh be on him]. It is only the Muslims, though they are not Prophets, who experience converse with God Almighty like the Prophets, and though they are not. Messengers, God's bright signs appear at their hands, and the rivers of spiritual life flow through them and no one else can compete with them. Is there anyone who would