Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 178
178 HAQIQATUL-WAHI-THE PHILOSOPHY OF DIVINE REVELATION verse فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ ]they shall have their reward with their Lord'[ appeared to him and, with His revealed Word, guided him to Islam. Thereupon, he became a Muslim and performed the Pilgrimage too. Similarly, it is stated in the book Bahrul-Jawāhir [i. e, The Ocean of Gems'] that there was a Jew named Abul-Khair. He was a pious-natured and truthful man, and believed God Almighty to be One without part- ner. Once, when he was passing through the bazaar, he heard a boy in a mosque reciting the following verse of the Holy Quran: الم . أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ . . Meaning that, do people imagine that they will attain salvation merely by pronouncing the statement that they believe while they have not yet been tested in [treading] the path of God as to whether or not they pos- sess steadfastness, truthfulness, and loyalty like those of the believers? The verse had a profound impact on Abul-Khair's heart and moved his heart. He stood by the wall of the mosque and cried profusely. At night our lord and master, Muhammad Mustafa [the Chosen One], may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, appeared in his dream and addressing him said يَا أَبَا الْخَيْرِ أَعْجَبَنِي أَنَّ مِثْلَكَ مَعَ كَمَالِ فَضْلِكَ يُنْكِرُ نُبُوَّتِى meaning: 'O Abul-Khair, it surprised me that a person like you should deny my Prophethood despite your excellence in virtue and nobility. Therefore, the very next morning Abul-Khair became a Muslim and made a proc- lamation of his Islam. In short, it is beyond my comprehension that a person believing in God and considering Him to be One and without partner, should be delivered by God from Hell, but not from [spiritual] blindness; whereas salvation is rooted in spiritual insight, as Allah says: مَنْ كَانَ فِي هَذِهِ أَعْلَى فَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ أَعْلَى وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا . 2 1. Sūrah al-Ankabūt, 29:2-3 [Publisher] 2. Sūrah Bani Isrā'īl, 17:73 [Publisher]