Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 350
Malfuzat - English translation of Urdu Volume 10 350 Remember well that it is indeed faith that recognizes faith and it is with light that light can be identified. The sun is indeed present in the world, but what benefit can an individual whose eyes lack the light of vision draw from the sun? It is most per- ilous to casually assert that there is no need for an Imam or a Reformer. Verily I say that there are some great hardships and ravines immensely difficult to traverse on the path to find God Almighty. Faith does not merely mean reciting the Kalimah ِ سُوْل ُ هللا َّ ل َٓ إِلٰه َ إِل َّ هللا ُ مُحَمَّد ٌ ر ِ سُوْل ُ هللا َّ ل َٓ إِلٰه َ إِل َّ هللا ُ مُحَمَّد ٌ ر [‘There is no one worthy of worship except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’] with the tongue. Faith is a very exquisite and profound mystery. It refers to a belief that dispels the egoistic passions from man and engen- ders a state within him that incinerates sin. The condition of those who achieve the true light of faith and real understanding becomes something quite unique. They are not like the ordi- nary people of the world. They are distinct from the rest. To become satisfied and smug that one has now become a believer and has mastered all levels of faith merely by giving up an odd sin, is but wishful thinking. Look, human nature is indeed such that it does not always remain in one state. There is no reason to become satisfied until it is established, through long experience and perseverance, that you have really now made God your first preference and your ability to ward off sins has become permanent and you have been granted nafs-e-mutma’innah [the soul at rest] after having being rescued from nafs-e-ammarah [the self that incites to evil] and nafs-e-lawwamah [the self-reproaching self ] and you have achieved genuine piety in your practices.