Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 257
31 March 1908 257 then were they able to attain that status. Most people, in my experience, are such that they expect to be granted those same lofty ranks instantaneously through some magical breath [of a mentor], thereby gaining access to the Heavenly Throne. Who could there be who is greater than our Noble Messenger s as ? He was the Best of Men and the Best of Messengers and Prophets. When he did not do those things with the blow of his breath, then who else could there be who could do so? Consider all the toil he undertook in the cave of Hira. Only God knows how long he spent in his supplications and entreat- ies. He endured all manner of toil and trouble for self-purifica- tion. Only then did the bounty from God Almighty descend upon him. The crux of the matter is, indeed, that unless and until a person brings a death and a state of annihilation upon him- self in the way of God, no concern is shown from the other side. However, when God sees that a person has put forth his utmost effort and has brought ‘death’ upon himself in order to find Him, then He manifests Himself upon him, and blesses him, and elevates him by the show of His might. Behold, it is mentioned in the Holy Quran: 1 َو َلَّضَف ُهّٰللا َنْيِدِهٰجُمْلا ىَلَع َنْيِدِعٰقْلا اًرْجَا اًمْيِظَع َو َلَّضَف ُهّٰللا َنْيِدِهٰجُمْلا ىَلَع َنْيِدِعٰقْلا اًرْجَا اًمْيِظَع That is, those who sit—meaning those who are lazy and peo- ple of an ordinary type—are not equal to those who endeavour and strive in the path of God. This is a matter of experience and the same has been witnessed for a long time. There are two kinds of people in the world. One kind of people are those who are, unfortunately, taught that there are indeed such Auliya and Aqtab [titles for saintly people] in the 1. S u rah an-Nis a ’, 4:96 [Publisher]