Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 43
27 December 1907 43 merely because of our own deeds? Can anyone flaunt his own deeds? Can anyone claim that the sun, the moon, the stars, the air, etc. , are the fruit of his own deeds? 1 Thus, God’s attribute of Rahmaniyyat [Graciousness] decries this sect which does not believe that God can grant something without antecedent deeds or efforts on our part. Need for Effort and Exertion After this is mentioned God’s attribute of حِیْم َّ اَلر حِیْم َّ اَلر [ ar-Rahim ]; that is, the One who appoints goodly rewards for efforts, endeavours, and deeds. This attribute rejects the sect which considers deeds to be utterly futile. They say Fasting and [obligatory five daily] Prayers are inconsequential, and that they will enter Paradise if the ٌ ْم ی ِ غَفُوْر ٌ رَّح ٌ ْم ی ِ غَفُوْر ٌ رَّح [ Ghafurur-Rahim— Most Forgiving, Merciful] grants them the favour or else they will end up in Hell. At times they even say such things as: ‘We aren’t going to become saints by doing worship; it doesn’t matter whether you do it or you don’t!’ By saying He is حِیْم َّ اَلر حِیْم َّ اَلر [ ar-Rahim ], God, in fact, refutes such people and informs us that the one who makes the effort and absorbs himself in the love and devotion to God, does become distinguished from others and does become God’s favourite. God Himself lends a helping hand to such a person as He says: 1. From Badr: These people are oblivious and trapped in disbelief. The truth is indeed that it is (all by) the grace of Allah. Many bounties are such in which there is no involvement of actions and many are such that do involve actions. As for example, the virtuous live a life of servitude [to Allah] and receive the reward for it ( Badr, vol. 7, no. 1, p. 5, dated 9 January 1908).