Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 57
CHAPTER III 57 Now, in this age, the world is brimming with disagreements. The Jews say one thing, whereas the Christians profess another, and aside from this, the ummah of Muḥammad is mired in internal conflicts. Meanwhile, the idolaters present their opinions against all of the others. So many new religions and beliefs have arisen that everyone seems to be practicing their own unique brand of religion. Therefore, in conformity with the established practice of Allah, it was essential that a ḥakam [arbiter] should have come to settle all of these disputes. Hence, that very bakam was bestowed the titles of 'the Promised Messiah' and 'the Blessed Mahdi'; meaning that, he was deemed to be the Messiah on account of resolving external disputes and he was proclaimed the destined Mahdi on account of settling the internal conflicts. Although the established practice of Allah concerning this had been so consistent that it was not necessary to express through aḥā- dith that a person would appear as the Ḥakam, whose title would be Masih; yet, this prophecy is found in the aḥadīth that the Promised Messiah, who will be from within this very ummah, will be the Ḥakam appointed by God Almighty; meaning that, God will send him to remove all disagreements, internal and external, that exist. The belief upon which he will be established will be the true belief, because God would establish him upon truth, and whatever he would say, he would say with divinely bestowed insight. Further, no sect would have the right to dispute with him on the basis of their own different belief, because in that age, due to conflicting beliefs, the precepts handed down that are not expounded in the Holy Quran, would become sus- pect. Moreover, on account of the widespread differences, all of the disputants from within or opponents from the outside would be in need of a Ḥakam who would establish his truth through heavenly testimony just as it happened in the time of Hadrat ‘Īsā, and thereaf- ter, in the time of the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah