Malfuzat - Volume IV — Page 20
20 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad cannot manifest the divine insights and verities that are being manifested here. At this time, Allah Almighty has broken all other oaths of allegiance and has upheld only that oath of allegiance which is made to the Promised Messiah, who is the Seal of the Caliphs. I hold a different view from all the religious orders, and sufi leaders and guides throughout India. An oath of allegiance is taken in religious dispensations estab - lished by God Almighty. The people I have just alluded to hold a different belief than me in religious matters. If any of them are in doubt and believe that they stand on truth, they are free to settle a verdict with me. Let them agree to take the Holy Quran as an arbiter. The fact of the matter is that all other religious orders at present are dead, and only this dispensation, which God has established at my hand, possesses life. Now, how foolish would such a one be who forsakes the living to seek life from the dead. It was the will of Allah Almighty, for a time to come that would be the Era of the Misguided, after which a long age of guid - ance would dawn. Accordingly, there are two long eras of guidance, which are in fact one; they are separated by an interval, hence they are considered two. Firstly, there was the era of God’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and secondly, the era of the Promised Messiah. In truth, the era of the Promised Messiah is considered to be the age of the Messenger of Allah, peace and bless - ings of Allah be upon him. Now, in the era of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, how can the oath of allegiance to anyone else be deemed lawful and valid? This is the era of a man to whom the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sent his greetings of peace. All other oaths of allegiance, except for the one made to him, have been broken. ” The second question posed by the aforementioned was about how one should treat such relatives who are opponents. The Promised Messiah as responded: “One can show kindness and good treatment even towards disbelievers, in fact, they should. However, one should have no part in the wrongdoings in which their relatives are involved. There is great influence in prayer and this is why I am strongly opposed to natu - ralistic views. One cannot encompass the powers of God Almighty. The more a person’s tender and gentle heart trusts in God, the more hope they will have in prayer. Without this an individual cannot turn their attention towards prayer or hope for its acceptance. There is immense pleasure and comfort in trusting God Almighty. The more one forges a stronger bond with God Almighty and the more p. 295 َ ْن َ ُع ََم َ ُهلل َ َن ِ ْ َن َ َّز َْحْ َّت َ ْل