Malfuzat – Volume I — Page 146
146 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad follows on from holding sound doctrine. Seek assistance through practical action and supplicate to God Almighty that He may keep you steadfast in adhering to sound doctrine and so that He may enable you to do good works. In the matter of worship, Prayer, fasting and zakat, etc. , other matters are also included. Consider the example of Prayer. This is a practice that has come to earth but does not spring from the earth. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, says: (The delight of my eyes is in the Prayer). The Timings of Prayer Are an Illustration that Reflect Man's Spiritual Conditions You ought to bear in mind that the five times appointed for Prayer have not been set as a form of compulsion or to flaunt authority. In fact, if one ponders, it be- comes evident that these timings are a reflection of the varying spiritual states of -i. e. observe Prayer from duluk أَقِمِ الصَّلوةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ :man. Allah the Exalted says ush-shams (the declining and paling of the sun). Now one can observe that in this instance Allah the Exalted states that the observance of Prayer begins from the time known as duluk-ush-shams. The word duluk-though there is a difference of opinion in its meaning—refers to the afternoon, when the sun begins to decline from its zenith. Now, from the time of duluk, five Prayers have been appointed. What is the wisdom and underlying mystery in this? The law of nature demon- strates that the stages of humility and meekness in the spiritual state of man be- gins with duluk, after which man experiences only five conditions. Therefore, Prayer, which accords with our natural state, begins from the time when signs of grief, pain and agony arise in man. When a person is afflicted by some calamity or misfortune, they show immense humility and meekness. At this time, if there were an earthquake, you could appreciate how emotional and hum- ble one's disposition becomes. Similarly, presume for example, if someone were subject to legal proceedings, upon the issuance of a summons or warrant, the in- dividual comes to know that he has been charged under such and such section of the criminal or civil code. After the individual in question sees the warrant, their condition declines, just as the midday sun begins to decline in the afternoon. For before the issuance of the summons or warrant, the individual in question had no knowledge of the charge. It is at this time that a person thinks to themselves whether or not they will be able to find a barrister in court to defend them. Such 1 Bani Isra'il, 14:79