Malfuzat - Volume IX — Page 223
1 April 1907 223 is possible that some members of my Jam a ‘at may also be mar- tyred in it. I am engaged in supplication before God Almighty that He keep a distinction between them and others; however, the members of the Jam a ‘at ought to remember that nothing can be achieved just by placing [your] hand on [my] hand until my teaching is not acted upon. First of all, discharge the rights of Allah. Keep yourself pure from all passions. After this, dis- charge the rights of people and carry out good works. Sincerely believe in God Almighty and continue praying to Him fer- vently, and there should not be a day that you have not suppli- cated weeping before God. Following this, take precaution of external measures: vacate the building where rats begin to die, leave the neighbourhood where there is plague, and move to an open field pitching a camp. One who becomes afflicted with the plague by Divine decree, show the utmost compassion to them and their rela- tives and help them in every way and use every means in their treatment, but keep in mind that compassion does not mean that you become affected by their poisonous breath or cloth- ing; rather keep yourself protected from such effects. Keep the patient in a spacious house. God forbid, if they die from this disease, he is a martyr. There is no need to bathe [ ghusl ] the corpse nor to clothe it with a new shroud. Keep the deceased in their clothes and, if possible, lay a white sheet over them. Since the noxious effect increases in the corpse of the deceased, all of the people should not gather together around him. According to the need, two or three people may carry the deceased’s bed and the others can join his Jan a zah [Funeral Prayer] from afar; for example, a hundred yards away. The Jan a zah is a supplication, and for this, it is not neces- sary for a person to stand right up close to the corpse. A place where the graveyard is at a distance, such as in Lahore, if it can be arranged, take the deceased in a vehicle or a cart. There