The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 28
man's heart and by man's conscience and by heavens and earth. . Another quality of a true religion is that it should not be a dead creed. The blessings and greatnesses which were cultivated in it in the beginning should persist in it till the end of the world for the promotion of the welfare of mankind, so that ever fresh signs should confirm its past signs and should not permit the light of its truth to become an old tale. I have been writing over a long period that the Prophethood which was claimed by our lord and master Muḥammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allāh be on him] and the heavenly proofs in the form of signs which he had set forth, still continue in Islām and are bestowed upon his followers so that they should arrive at the state of complete understanding and should witness the Living God directly. . The signs which are attributed to Jesus are mere stories, and are nowhere to be seen, and therefore this religion, which teaches the worship of the dead, is itself dead like its god. A verity cannot be confined to old tales. Every people have a store of tales setting forth alleged miracles and wonders. It is a characteristic only of Islām that it does not present merely the defective and imperfect comfort of tales and stories, but satisfies the seekers with living signs. . A seeker after truth should not be satisfied with senseless worship of the dead and should not be put off with sorry tales. We have come into the market of the world to purchase the best. We should not waste our faith by exchanging it with false things. A living faith is that through which we can find the Living God. The Living God is He Who can inspire us directly, or could at least bring us