Malfuzat - Volume VII — Page 65
29 December 1904 65 seeing an old man. 1 Nothing is understood better than by a person who is its eyewitness. Therefore, great indeed is the grace of God Almighty upon those people who strive for this era in their early days. And in this age, that same piety and ser- vice to God [which they used to do in their youth] are written for them. Thus, in the end, that very period which is the age of youthful passions and the antics of nafs-e-amm a rah, is the time that remains to do something. Therefore, one should now think about the method by which a person can earn something for the Hereafter. Three Means of Achieving a Good End There is no doubt that the period of excellent health and youthfulness is the period of life that has been laid waste by nafs-e-amm a rah. But if there are any useful days [in life], then these are the days [of youth]. The words of Prophet Y u suf [ Joseph], peace be on him, are recorded in the Holy Quran: 2 َو ۤاَم ُئِّرَبُا ْيِسْفَن١ۚ َّنِا َسْفَّنلا ٌۢةَراَّمَاَل ِءْٓوُّسلاِب اَّلِا اَم َمِحَر ْيِّبَر َو ۤاَم ُئِّرَبُا ْيِسْفَن١ۚ َّنِا َسْفَّنلا ٌۢةَراَّمَاَل ِءْٓوُّسلاِب اَّلِا اَم َمِحَر ْيِّبَر Meaning that, I do not declare my own self to be blameless, for nafs-e-amm a rah is [the self ] prone to enjoin evil; only he can be safe against its proddings upon whom my Lord has mercy. This shows that mere effort is not the only condition to safeguard 1. From al-Badr: ‘The presence of old people in the world is a lesson for the young, but there is such a veil on the heart of a person that he does not see de- spite seeing and does not hear despite hearing; otherwise, seeing such sights, he would strengthen his relationship with God Almighty in the days of his youth’ ( Al-Badr, vol. 4, no. 1, p. 10, dated 1 January 1905). 2. S u rah Y u suf, 12:54 [Publisher]