Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 518
518 HAQIQATUL-WAḤI-THE PHILOSOPHY OF DIVINE REVELATION Prophets they were visited by chastisement. The Holy Quran and other holy Scriptures are full of such precedents. So, simi- larly, once again the same thing has happened now. When His Holiness made the argument clear, and fully conveyed it to the world at large, and duly and in every way established his claim to be the divinely appointed Imam—but the world did not desist from denying and denigrating him—God Almighty for His part, in keeping with His age-old practice, delivered this verdict from on high and He sent down a calamity for these present-day disbelievers just as He did in case of the dis- believers of the earlier Prophets. Therefore, this plague is that chastisement which, like the fire that consumes, is reducing the world to ashes. The hadith of the Holy Prophet sa positively records that in the Promised Messiah's time the plague will be so rampant that the earth shall be filled with dead bodies. It is recorded in the Holy Gospel, the Book of Revelation, chapter 16, that at the time of the Messiah's descent mankind will perish due to noxious and grievous sores by which is meant the plague. Besides, the Holy Quran emphatically warns that nations will perish in the Latter Days. For instance the Holy Quran says اِن مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ إِلَّا نَحْنُ مُهْلِكُوهَا قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْقِيِّمَةِ اَوْ مُعَذِبُوهَا عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا كَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْكِتب ["There is not a township but We shall destroy it before the Day of Resurrection, or punish it with a severe punishment. That is written down in the Book. '] (Surah Bani Isrā'il, part فَارْتَقِبُ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءِ بِدُ خَانٍ مُّبِينٍ يَغْشَى and also in Surah ad-Dukhan (6 Meaning that, watch for the day when the النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ اَلِيْم. الخ sky will bring forth a visible smoke that will envelop the people. يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكَبْرَى إِنَّا مُنتَقِمُونَ This will be a painful torment; and We shall seize you with the great seizure. Verily, We will exact retribution. Again in Surah al-Qiyamah, Allah says فَإِذَا بَرِقَ الْبَصَرُ وَخَسَفَ الْقَمَرُ وَجُمِعَ الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ يَقُولُ الْإِنْسَانُ يَوْمَ اَيْنَ الْمَفَرُّ كَلَّا لَا وَزَرَ إِلَى رَبَّكَ يَوْمَينِ Meaning that, when the moon and the sun are eclipsed