The Descent of the Messiah — Page 308
THE DESCENT OF THE MESSIAH Prophets, in general or in specific, and mentions the name of each Prophet, peace be upon him, separately? (2) Is there a Hadith in which the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said that Hussain is superior to all the Prophets? (3) Did Imam Hussainas himself say that he was superior to all the Prophets, except the Holy Prophet? (4) Which of the other Imams of the Ahl-e-Biat has said that Imam Hussainas is superior to all previous Prophets, except the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him? Now let us examine your so-called logical proof-where ex- actly have you established a syllogism with a minor and major premise, thereby offering a valid demonstration? Indeed a hint is sufficient for the wise! Since all Prophets [you assert] have regarded Hadrat Hussain, may peace be upon him, and his ancestors as a wasilah in their supplications-(Note: the burden of proving this still lies upon you)—and since it was through them that their prayers were ac- cepted, therefore the one through whom intercession is sought, and by whose grace the prayers of the Prophets, peace be upon them, are accepted must necessarily be superior in the sight of God. For if he were not superior, the Prophets, peace be upon them, would not have adopted him as an intercessory means. This, then, is your peculiar logic and your decaying scholastic theology. To illustrate: if a physician tells a patient, "Use this remedy, and you will be cured and your illness will be removed,” and it so happens that the patient does indeed recover-would any rational person conclude from this that the remedy is superior to the pa- tient? How strange that while you rebuke your opponent for consid- ering himself superior to Hussain, you yourself have succumbed to the same error by trying to prove the superiority of Hussain over all 308