Malfuzat – Volume III — Page 3
Malfuzat - Volume III 3 glad tiding that now it is the will of Allah Almighty to turn the attention of lead- ers to this heavenly dispensation. 8 September 1900 Three Forms of Divine Converse Last night, Maulvi Nur-ud-Din Sahibra asked the Promised Messiahas about the following verse: وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَنْ يُكَلِّمَهُ اللهُ إِلَّا وَحْيَا أَوْ مِنْ وَرَائِ حِجَابٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًا And it is not for a man that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a veil or by sending a messenger. Maulvi Sahib mentioned that there was much debate on this verse. The Promised Messiahas said: "Before I turn to elaborate on this verse, I should state that we observe practically that there are three ways in which God Almighty speaks; there is no fourth method. Firstly, there are dreams; secondly, visions; and thirdly, revelation. " After the Isha Prayer had been offered, the Promised Messiahas said: "Maulvi Sahib! The meaning of this verse has become very clear. The words مِنْ وَرَائِ حِجَابٍ (from behind a veil) refer to the mode known as dreams. In reality, the meaning of he meaning of مِنْ وَرَائِ حِجاب )from behind a veil) alludes to a method of converse where metaphors are dominant and this is characteristic of a veil, which describes the nature of dreams. Then, the words يُرْسِلَ رَسُوْلًا )by) sending a messenger) allude to visions. It is in visions that messengers are perceived in apparent form. The underlying reality of visions is also that they are experiences where things are seen in apparent form. " Then the Promised Messiahas said with great passion and joy: "Just look at the profoundly true and magnificent knowledge that is presented by the Holy Quran. Find something from the Gospel or Torah that is anything like this verse if you can. " Before the Promised Messiahas had provided this commentary, Maulvi Sahib had asked whether the words مِنْ وَرَآئِ حِجَابٍ )from behind a veil) could be under- stood to mean that it was not necessary to see God Almighty. The Promised Messiahas said: "Not only this, for this is already understood in the context of 1 ash-Shura, 42:52