The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 382
LETTER TO NAWWAB MUHAMMAD ALI KHAN kāfır [disbeliever], and the commandment of the Shariah is that whoever accuses a Muslim of being a kāfir, when that Muslim is not really a kāfir, the pronouncement of disbelief reverts to the accuser himself. This is why I have been commanded to invite those to a mubāhalah who call me a kāfir, have sons and female relations, and who are the leaders of the edict of disbelief. 2. What you write about the need for a Sign is also correct. In actual fact, there are two categories of people: those who are intelligent and virtuous and possess the quality of deciding for themselves. They can distinguish the speech which possesses the grandeur, the grace, and the light of truth, from the dispu- tations of the opposing parties. Falsehood, which reeks of pre- tence and artificiality, also does not remain hidden from their view. Such people do not stand in need, for instance, of being shown the staff turning into a serpent in order to recognize Hadrat Mūsā [Moses], peace be upon him, nor is it necessary that they be shown lepers and paralytics being made whole and cured by the touch of Hadrat ‘Īsā [Jesus], peace be upon him, in order for them to recognize him. Similarly, in the time of our Lord and Master, Hadrat Khātamul-Anbiyā' [the Seal of the Prophets], may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, such illustrious people never asked for a miracle. No one can prove that the great Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, came to believe in him after witnessing some Sign. On the contrary, they were virtuous and possessed enlightened hearts. They came to recognize him by merely casting a glance upon the face of the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, as his was not the face of an impostor. Therefore, they were deemed to be the truthful and faithful in the eyes of God Almighty; they saw the truth and their hearts bore witness that he was from Allah. The second kind of people are those who demand a miracle 381