Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 495
POSTSCRIPT [CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS] 495 every calamity can be averted through charity, alms, prayer, and hum- ble and tearful supplication. Even a simpleton can understand that a calamity that God has intended to send down, and the knowledge concerning it is limited to God alone and no Prophet is informed about it, is simply designated a calamity. But when the Prophet is informed about that calamity, the same is known as a prophecy of warning. Thus, if the fulfilment of a prophecy of warning is essential under all circumstances, then it must be conceded that a calamity must strike in all circumstances, * whereas I have just explained that a calamity can be averted by resorting to char- ity, almsgiving, and prayer, etc. All Prophets have a consensus on this. Therefore, these mean assaults that these people, known as maulawis, hurl upon me, are indeed a cause for extreme surprise and one wonders: Do these people ever read the Holy Quran and do they ever study the hadith!? Are they yet unaware of the prophecy of Prophet Yūnus [Jonah] which is detailed in the book Durr-e-Manthur? It had no con- dition attached to it, yet all of those people were saved from punish- ment because of their repentance. And when Yunus, despite being a Prophet of God, wondered why his prophecy had not been fulfilled and why those people had not perished, he tasted chastisement by way of warning and, because of this objection on his part, he suffered great afflictions. If that pure-hearted Prophet suffered so much grief as the conse- quence of his objection, then what will be the plight of these people 1. The calamity about which God warns through a Prophet or a Messenger or a Muḥaddath [a recipient of divine converse], deserves more to be avert- ed than that about which no warning is given, for warning implies that God Almighty intends to avert that calamity if one repents, seeks forgiveness or supplicates, or gives in alms and charity. If a warning prophecy cannot be averted, it will have to be conceded that a calamity can never be averted. This would be against the accepted principles of faith. Moreover, in that case, it will amount to belief that charity, alms, repentance, and supplication are of no avail at the time when the calamity has descended. (Author)