Malfuzat - Volume VII — Page 298
Malfuzat - English translation of Urdu Volume 7 298 The Promised Messiah as said: Civilization is also a word they have concocted. In their termi- nology, it means nothing but that man should look disdainfully upon the rituals ordained by God and incline to materialism and atheism. The Holy Quran teaches true civilization 1 through which spiritual life is attained, the difference between man and beast becomes apparent, a distinction between true and false religion comes into being, and man’s heart turns cold to depraved living and develops a yearning for the Hereafter. According to these people, civilization is the name of man becoming a worm of the world, forgetting God and becoming devoted to worshipping material causes. 2 However, accord- 1. From al- H akam: Heavenly civilization is something altogether different. It includes faith, righteousness, honesty, integrity, and rectitude. However, ac- cording to them, the name of civilization applies to all manner of worldly manipulation and every type of machination and deception. May this civi- lization remain their lot; we do not wish to partake of it. They name some absurd customs and habits which are morally depraved civility and they in- sult and belittle divine customs and manners, although the results of these [divine] customs and habits are of an exalted calibre, which develop peace, lofty morals and the habit of doing good deeds in society. They consider their customs and habits—which have bad consequences—as being laudable. ( Al- H akam, vol. 9, no. 29, p. 3, dated 17 August 1905) 2. From al- H akam: My respected Muft i Muhammad Sa diq stated that Mr. Beck once gave a lecture on civilization before the students of Aligarh College, the gist of which was that if you walk on a path, the lady should be on your right and if there is a wire, etc. , [in the way] press it down with your foot and let the lady pass over it comfortably. And when you eat do not eat with your wife, but let your wife eat with someone else and you eat with someone else’s wife. The Promised Messiah as said: ‘May they keep this civilization to themselves. Only the Holy Quran has taught the world true civilization. This civilization develops humanity, and a distinction between man and beast is attained, and then a distinction is bestowed between true and false religions. If someone has not found this civilization, he has not been bestowed any part of civi- lization. These are the worms of the world. They call things mixed up with permissiveness “civilization”. No one can now stop the civilization that God