Malfuzat - Volume VIII — Page 265
27 December 1905 265 Exalted has lifted this veil and revealed this hidden secret. You see the evil and fearful effects of this issue. Islam is in a state of decline, and the weapon with which Christianity is attacking Islam is this very issue of Christ still being alive. They are attacking Islam with it, and the progeny of Muslims are falling prey to the Christians. Verily, verily I say that they are alienating people by constantly reciting these very doctrines. And by presenting the unique peculiarities that Muslims ignorantly assign to him [ Jesus] in schools and col- leges, they are turning Muslims away from Islam. For this rea- son God so willed that the Muslims should now be warned. 1 Hence, it is willed at this time that Muslims be warned that this facet is absolutely essential for the progress of Islam, that the issue of Christ’s death should be emphasised, and that they should not accept that the Messiah has ascended into the heav- ens alive. But I must sadly confess that my opponents do not understand this secret due to their own misfortune, and need- lessly raise a clamour. Alas! If only these fools would realise that if we all come together to emphasise the death of Christ, then this religion (Christianity) cannot survive. I affirm with full conviction that the life of Islam lies in this death. Ask the Christians themselves and see that when it is proven that Christ is not alive but dead, what would remain of their religion? They themselves acknowledge that this is indeed the issue that eradicates their faith, but here we have Muslims who— by acknowledging that Christ is still alive—are strengthen- ing them and causing harm to Islam. Verily, their example is of a man who cuts the base of the very branch he sits upon: د ے رب رس اشخ و نُب ےم رب�ی� �یک —[A person sitting at the end of a branch cutting off its root]. 1. Al- H akam, vol. 10, no. 6, p. 2, 3, dated 17 February 1906