The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 272
MISCONCEPTION IN NUR AFSHAN 271 concerned? How can it be proven that He says 'yes' to the believer but not to others when they are both equally deprived of the real object of prayers? A kāfir [disbeliever] may also say that his prayer has been answered with a 'yes'. Who can contradict him, and what purpose would such a meaningless 'yes' serve? On the contrary, a believer's prayer is cer- tainly accepted; or, if acceptance is not in his best interest, he is at least informed about it with gentleness and affection through a loving communion. God Almighty, who is the Fountainhead of all mercies, is Merciful to the believer in a greater measure than He is to anybody else. He supports the believer in all difficulties, protects him, and even if the whole world opposes him, the believer is made victorious by Him. He gives him longer life and greater safety; his enemy wishes to see him annihilated and destroyed, yet He destroys the enemy and spurns back the curses of the enemy upon their own heads. Notwithstanding, the believer's prayers are accepted, and, as a result of such acceptance, God manifests such miracles that the whole world is amazed. What is karāmat? It is a believer's prayer that is accepted and achieves a most difficult and unimaginable objective thereby making the entire world astounded. Therefore, how can it be said that prayer is not accepted? Ignorant is the man who thinks so, and foolish is the philosopher who entertains that view. This claim is not without proof. I possess bright and clear arguments in its support, but if a person puts on a blindfold to avoid seeing the sun, how can such an individual ever see light? Now, let it also be borne in mind that Islam, whose beauties I have recounted, is not something whose excellences we may prove only by referring to the past and pointing out where they lie buried. Islam is not a dead faith that it might be said that all its blessings lie in its past and that there is nothing in its future. The great excellence of Islam is indeed that its blessings perpetually accompany it. It does not merely talk about the stories of its past but offers ever-present blessings. The world is always in need of blessings and heavenly Signs. It is