Lecture Sialkot — Page 24
24 L ECTURE S IALKOT believer is exalted after death. It is to this exaltation that this verse of the Holy Quran refers: 19 (S u rah Sa d, Part. 23, Ruk u ‘ 13) But a disbeliever is not exalted, as this verse points out: 20 Those who were mistaken in this regard before my advent will be pardoned, because they were neither reminded nor taught the true meanings of the Word of God. But now I have reminded you and taught you the true meanings. Had I not come, there could have been some justification for following the traditional beliefs, but now there is no justification whatsoever. Both the heaven and the earth have borne witness to the truth of my claim. Some saints of this umma have even mentioned my name and place of birth and have testified to my being the Promised Messiah. Some of them had passed away thirty years before my advent, and I have already published their testimonies. In this very age, some men of God, with hundreds of thou- sands of followers, have testified to the truth of my 19 This is a reminder. And the righteous will surely have excellent retreat: Gardens of Eternity, with their gates thrown open to them. — Sa d, 38:50-51 [Publishers] 20 The gates of heaven will not be opened for them. —Al-A‘r a f, 7:41 [Publishers]