Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 200
200 HAQIQATUL-WAḤI—THE PHILOSOPHY OF DIVINE REVELATION were simply unaware were the first to be killed. Also, in the days of Ḥaḍrat ‘Īsā [Jesus], those who had tried to kill Ḥaḍrat ‘Īsā by cruci- fixion were not hurt at all and continued to live in comfort, but after as many as forty years when that century was drawing to a close, thou- sands of Jews were slain by Titus of Rome. Moreover, the plague also broke out. The Holy Quran affirms that this chastisement was solely due to [the rejection of] Hadrat Īsā. Similarly, in the days of the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, there was a seven-year famine. It was mostly the poor who died in this famine, and the principal leaders, who were the real mischief-mongers and persecutors, remained safe from retribution for a certain period. To sum up, the divine practice is operative such that whenever someone comes from God and he is rejected, a variety of calamities descends from the heavens, and mostly those are seized who have nothing to do with this rejection. Then gradually the leaders of the disbelievers are apprehended. The turn of big mischief-mongers comes in the end. It is this point at which the Holy Quran indicates in the verse: انا ناتِي الْأَرْضَ تَنْقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا. ! Meaning that, slowly but surely, We continue to come closer to the earth. This statement of mine contains the answer to the objections raised by some ignorant people who allege that it was the maulawis who had pronounced the verdict of disbelief, but the poor people died of the plague and thousands belonging to the hills of Kangra and mountain of Bhagsu perished in the earthquake. What was their fault? What rejec- tion were they guilty of? Beware, therefore, that when any Messenger of God is rejected, whether it is done by a particular people or is in 1. Surah ar-Ra'd, 13:42 [Publisher]