Malfuzat – Volume I — Page 106
106 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad there is an inherent harm in the things themselves; our own misjudgement and error is responsible. In the same vein, due to our own ignorance of certain divine attributes, we are afflicted by pain and hardship. For God Almighty Himself is nothing but mercy and compassion. The underlying mystery behind the cause of hardship and grief in this world is that humans suffer affliction by their own hands, as a result of their misjudgement and deficient knowledge. Therefore, it is through the skylight of God's attributes alone that we find Allah the Exalted to be a most Merciful and Compassionate Being-a Being whose benefit cannot be fathomed. Those who are closest and nearest to God reap the benefits of His Being to a greater degree. This rank is enjoyed by those who are righteous and who are blessed with a place of nearness to Allah Almighty. As a righteous person continues to grow closer to God, they are bestowed with the light of divine guidance, which enlightens his knowledge and reason in an extraordinary manner. When a person moves further and further away from God, a destructive darkness engulfs their heart and mind, until they become a manifestation of: صُمٌّ بُكُمُ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ This means, they become deaf, dumb and blind so they will not return, whereafter such people suffer disgrace and ruin. In contrast, however, a person blessed with divine light and illumination receives comfort and honour to the highest degree. As such, God Almighty says I Himself: يَأَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةٌ Meaning, O soul at rest that has found comfort through God. Some people de- rive apparent comfort and satisfaction through leadership, others find content- ment and satisfaction through their own wealth and status, while others still are satisfied on account of their good-looking and intelligent children and grandchil- dren. However, this pleasure and other diverse forms of worldly pleasure cannot grant humans true comfort and real satisfaction. Instead, they only give rise to a foul avarice, which breeds further greed and thirst. Their thirst is never quenched like a person who suffers from polydipsia³ and is never satiated until they per- ish. However, in this instance, God Almighty speaks of the soul that has found comfort in His Being. This rank may be attained by mankind. In this state, even al-Baqarah, 2:19 1 2 al-Fajr, 89:28-29 A medical term for pathologically excessive thirst or excess drinking. [Publisher]