Malfuzat – Volume III — Page 59
59 well and show patience, and those who constantly search for ways to refute them, do behold the finest signs and the most compelling of arguments, but they do not attempt to understand them. In fact, these people become consumed in thinking of ways to rebut these arguments. Such people ought to be fearful because this is the way of the unfortunate. This class of people has never benefited from those who enjoin goodness and forbid evil. When these people hear the message of Allah Almighty and the voice of the divinely commissioned reaches their ears, they always stand up to oppose him, and begin thinking of ways to refute him due to their deformed reason, covetousness, and unjust enmity. Then, these people do not stop at this; since man naturally grows—both in friendship and enmity— ultimately there comes a time when he begins to engage in serious opposition and evil schemes, which lead to his ruin. This is what we observe in the era of God’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. There was one class of people who grew in their faith to such an extent that they presented themselves to be slaughtered like sheep at God’s command, without thinking about what their wives and children would do after them. The wine of love had so intoxicated them that they lay down their lives without a second thought. The divine effect on these people becomes evident when one observes the manner in which they obeyed the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Grasp the Essence of Swearing Allegiance Do not be misled to believe that swearing an oath of allegiance to me is enough to please God. This is a mere shell. The kernel lies within. The law of nature, which one often observes, is that a shell houses the kernel within. The shell is of no benefit; it is the kernel that is used. There are some who lose their substance com- pletely, in the likeness of wind eggs produced by certain chickens, which have neither yolk, nor proper egg white—eggs that are of no use and are thrown away as rubbish. If anything, they can entertain a child for a minute or two. In the same manner, a person who swears allegiance to me and claims to have faith, but does not possess within themselves the essence of both, ought to be fearful. For a time comes when such a one is thrown away in the likeness of a wind egg that is smashed to pieces even by a slight hit and then thrown away. Similarly, one who claims to have sworn an oath of allegiance to me and to have faith ought to examine themselves and ask whether they are a shell or the kernel. p. 53