Malfuzat - Volume IX — Page 389
14 September 1907 389 provide him the opportunity to engage in good works and safe- guard him from evil. Remember well that mere words will be of no bene- fit. Istighf a r can also be sought in one’s own language that may God forgive past sins, protect from committing future ones, and bestow the ability to do good. This is indeed the essence of istighf a r. There is no need for one to repeatedly say Astaghfirull a h, while the heart is totally unaware of its mean- ing. Remember, only that matter reaches God that emanates from the heart. Pray to God abundantly in your own tongue. This also has an impact on the heart. The tongue only attests to what is in the heart. It is well if there is passion in the heart and the tongue also joins in. Verbal supplications are useless without [them rising from] the heart. However, the supplications ris- ing from the heart are the true supplications. When a person continues beseeching God within his heart before a calamity descends and remains engaged in istighf a r, God is merciful and gracious, and that calamity is averted. But when the calamity has descended then it is not averted. One ought to continue supplicating before a calamity descends and engage in istighf a r abundantly. In this way God protects at the time of a calamity. Our Jam a ‘at ought to exhibit some distinguishing qual- ity. If a person returns [home] after taking the Bai‘at [Pledge of Allegiance] and does not exhibit any distinguishing trait, he treats his wife just like he did before, and interacts with his family and children as he did previously, then this is not a good thing. What is the benefit of entering into the Pledge of Allegiance if ill-manners, mistreatment, and the same past condition persists afterwards ? It should be the case that after the Pledge of Allegiance , one should show outsiders, as well as his relatives and neighbours, such an example that they call out that he is no longer the same as he was before.