Malfuzat - Volume IX — Page 218
218 MALFŪZĀT - ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF URDU VOLUME 9 One should shun every kind of filth. Clothes should be kept clean, the place should be kept tidy, and the body should be kept pure. These are important matters. And one should remain engaged in supplication and istighfar [seeking forgiveness from God]. The plague had appeared in the era of Hadrat 'Umarra as well. The Muslim army had gone to some place where severe plague broke out. When the report reached Amirul-Mu'minīn [the Commander of the Faithful-'Umara] in the holy city of Madinah, he wrote and sent a directive to immediately leave that place and go to some high mountain. Thus, the army became safe from it. At that time one person even raised the objection [to Hadrat 'Umarra], 'Do you flee from the decree of God Almighty?' He responded, 'I flee from one Divine decree towards another Divine decree. ' What matter is outside of God Almighty's decree? Two Promises of Protection from the Plague The Promised Messiahas said: God Almighty has made two promises through His wahī [rev- elation]. First, that He will safeguard [all those] who dwell in this house from the plague as He has said: إِنِّي أُحَافِظُ كُلَّ مَنْ فِي الدَّارِ His second promise pertains to my Jamāʻat: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ لَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيْمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَ هُمْ مُّهْتَدُوْنَ (Translation) Those who have believed and did not combine