Malfuzat – Volume II — Page 138
138 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad dividual to prove through their own practical state that they possess the strength within themselves to act accordingly. The reason being that before an individual can exert an influence on others, they must first make their own state influential. So remember, never hold back your tongue from enjoining goodness and forbid- ding evil. It is necessary, however, to be considerate of time and place, and one’s manner of speech must be kind and gentle. Similarly, it is a grave sin to engage the tongue in speech that is contrary to righteousness. 1 The Ultimate Cause of the Holy Quran is Righteousness Then, one may observe that righteousness is such a highly significant and necessary quality that Allah the Exalted has deemed it to be the ultimate cause behind the revelation of the Holy Quran. As such, at the start of the second chapter, Allah the Exalted states: 2 َ لِّلْمُتَّقِيْن رَيْبَ فِيْهِ هُدًى آّمٓل ذٰلِكَ الْكِتٰبُ لَا Alif Lam Mim (I am Allah the All-Knowing). This is a perfect Book; there is no doubt in it; it is a guidance for the righteous. My belief is that this sequence of the Holy Quran is extraordinary to say the least. In these verses, Allah the Exalted has alluded to the four causes: the efficient cause, the material cause, the formal cause and the ultimate cause. All things are characterised by these four causes. The Holy Quran manifests these causes in a most perfect manner. Firstly, Allah the Exalted states: ّٓمٓل ا Alif Lam Mim—I am Allah, the All-Knowing. This indicates that Allah the Exalted who is the All-Knowing, has revealed this Word upon Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, i. e. God is the Agent in this context. Then, there are the words: ُ ذٰلِكَ الْكِتٰب This is a perfect Book. This describes the matter in this case, or one could say, alludes to the material cause of the Holy Quran. Moving onwards, there are the words: 1 Al-Hakam , vol. 5, no. 11, dated 24 March 1901, pp. 1-4 2 al-Baqarah, 2:2-3