Malfuzat – Volume I — Page xxxiv
xxxii Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Fourthly: Narrations are also a form of Malfuzat, but they were not immediately put to writing; in fact, they are collected and recorded from the memory of narrators. As mentioned in the foreword to the first edition of Malfuzat, Volume 1, the reliability and authenticity of the four categories just mentioned ought to be taken in the sequence that they appear above. That is to say, in terms of authenticity, the books of the Promised Messiah as stand first, then his letters, followed by his Malfuzat, and finally, narrations. Having said this, as far as the spiritual and moral training of the community is concerned, in a way, Malfuzat stands first from among the words of the Promised Messiah (as). The reason being that the Malfuzat of the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, are those of his words that he spoke directly to his friends and followers. Moreover, these words of his Holiness, on whom be peace, were spoken by him mostly in such settings when he had the education and training of the community in view. Hence, from among the categories mentioned above, Malfuzat comprises the greatest treasure as far as moral training and the reformation of one's inner self is concerned. As such, in his book Fath-e-Islam, the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, sheds light on the significance and need of such words in the following manner: There can be no doubt in the fact that these verbal discourses which have taken place in the past or even now, or if I make an address of my own accord at an appropriate time and place—in certain cases-proves more beneficial, effective and swifter in touching people's hearts than reaching them through books. That is why all the Prophets have relied on this method. With the exception of the Word of Allah Almighty, which was recorded in writing with special care and published, whatever else the Prophets preached has always been in the form of discourses and addresses made at the appropriate time. The general practice of Prophets was to find strength from the soul and make addresses like wise lecturers at times of need, in various gatherings and assemblies, in view of their specific circumstances. However, they did not do so like the speakers of today, whose only purpose is to flaunt their wealth of knowledge in their speeches, or who speak to ensnare simple people through their own false logic and sophistries—making those people more worthy of hell than even themselves. On the contrary, Prophets speak with immense simplicity and whatever would gush forth from their own hearts, they would