Malfuzat – Volume I — Page 197
Malfuzat - Volume I 197 Holy Quran; and they develop a unique kind of sweetness and taste. Hence, if a person's faith is bereft of the potential for growth and development, and if their faith is dead, what hope can there be that the pure trees of good deeds would ever bear fruit? It is for this very reason that in Surah Fatihah, where it states (The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings) صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ Allah the Exalted has specifically indicated that this path is not a fruitless path, which confounds a person, leaving them to wander aimlessly. In fact, if a person takes this path, they attain success and triumph. Perfection in practice is neces- sary for worship, otherwise it is nothing more than a pastime. For if a tree does not bear fruit, it serves no benefit, irrespective of how tall it may grow. The Opponents of One Divinely Appointed by Allah Lose Their Faith The state of our opponents is one that may be apprehended to result in a loss of faith, because such people deem a good man to be evil and one commissioned by Allah, a liar. This is to war with God Almighty. It is a clear fact that God Almighty has commissioned me and sent me to the world as the Promised Messiah. Those who oppose me do not oppose me, they oppose God, for many of them held me in a position of esteem before I made my claim. Many such people considered it worthy of spiritual reward and a source of pride to hold my water pot and pour from it so that I could perform my ablution. There were many from among them who insisted upon swearing an oath of allegiance to me. But when this commu- nity was established in the name of God by His very command, these very same people stood up in opposition against me. This clearly demonstrates that their heartfelt enmity was not towards me, but towards God Almighty. For if they had a sincere relationship with God Almighty, their piety, virtue and fear of God demanded that when I made my claim, they ought to have come forth to accept my announcement; they ought to have prostrated in gratitude before God and welcomed me--but no. They took up their arms and set forth pushing in opposi- tion to such an extent that they called me a disbeliever and a heretic; they named me the Anti-Christ. Alas! These foolish people fail to understand that as for the Say I am the first to) قُلْ إِنِّي أُمِرْتُ وَاَنَا اَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ man who hears the divine words turn towards Allah under His command in this age) and (You are to Me like My Unity and Uniqueness) why should he care in the least 1 al-Fatihah, 1:7