Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 494
494 HAQIQATUL-WAḤI—THE PHILOSOPHY OF DIVINE REVELATION These people do not realize that what is humiliating for one category [of people] may not be so for others. Is he not the same Maulawi Muḥammad Husain who had so [boastfully] said, 'I am the one who elevated this man and now I will be the one to bring him down’? Now, did he bring me down? Is Maulawi Muḥammad Husain not the one who had claimed that I did not know even a single tense of Arabic? But, whereas I wrote some twenty books of prose and poetry in Arabic and he [Muḥammad Husain] was challenged to write comparably, he could not write even one single book in Arabic up to par with me. Is Maulawi Muḥammad Husain not the same one whom, when I extended an invi- tation to sit down with me and write an exegesis of the Holy Quran in Arabic, was found wanting in this competition? In similar vein are his domestic acrimonies and humiliation upon which I would rather not dwell. So, despite all these things, did he suffer no humiliation! And no one knows what is destined for the future, because there is no time frame with regard to a prophecy of warning; indeed, it can even be averted through penitence and remorse. * Besides, it should also be remembered that the prophecies about which our opposing maulawis raise such hue and cry are no more than three or four. These are prophecies of warning and it is not necessary, according to the decisive dictum of the Holy Quran and hadith, for the prophecies of warning to be fulfilled. The reason is that they portend the coming of a calamity and 124,000 Prophets are unanimous in that وَ إِنْ يَكُ كَاذِبًا فَعَلَيْهِ كَذِبُه وَ إِنْ يَكُ صَادِقًا Allah the Almighty says in the Holy Quran *. 1 9919 We meaning: 'If this Messenger is a liar, he himself will per- ish; but if he is truthful then some of his prophecies of warning shall befall you' [Surah al-Mu'min, 40:29]. It is not said here that ‘all' shall be fulfilled. Thus, God has clearly stated here that it is not necessary for 'all' the proph- ecies of warning to be fulfilled; rather, some can be averted. If this was not the purport of the Divine Word, God Almighty would have said instead but if he is truthful then all that which he] وَإِنْ يَكُ صَادِقًا يُصِبْكُمْ كُلُّ الَّذِي يَعِدُكُمْ threatens you with will surely befall you']. However, God did not say this. (Author)