A Verdict Required — Page 24
24 A VERDICT REQUIRED Detailed epistles were written in reply to all these letters, the reproduction of which is not necessary here. The inherent nature of Lekh Ram possessed a strong tendency towards fabrication and falsehood. This is why he repeatedly wrote in his letters that I do not debate with him, do not show him any Sign, and fail to give him a reasonable reply, whereas a clear method of debate was proposed to him that he should debate abiding by the Vedas be attributed to Khairul-Makirin. I have already written that in light of the Holy Quran God is called Khairul-Mākirin when He employs the most subtle of means to punish a wrongdoer deserving punishment; that is to say, He makes such means available for his punishment as are supplied by the wrongdoer himself but had been availed by him to fulfil some other purpose. Thus, the very same means that the wrongdoer accumulates for his own prosperity and renown become the cause of his disgrace and destruction. The law of nature clearly bears witness that this action of God is also found in the world, whereby at times, He causes the punishment of shameless and hard-hearted criminals to be delivered by their own hands. Therefore, these people gather the means of their own humilia- tion and destruction with their own hands, and these matters are kept hidden from their sight until the decree and destiny of God Almighty descends. So, in view of this hidden course of action, one of Allah's names is Mākīr [the Planner]. Thousands of examples of this can be found in the world. So in the case of Lekh Ram, Allah's makr [plan] was such that He first caused Lekh Ram himself to say that he sought a Sign from Khairul-Mākirin. Thus, he sought in this request, a punish- ment whose causes would be hidden, and that is precisely what came to pass. The person [i. e. the assailant] for whom he had designated to perform shuddh [the purification ceremony to convert to Hinduism] on Sunday-a day on which the Aryas had arranged a joyous gathering, similar to the day of Eid, so that this individual could be initiated into Hinduism-those very means of joy became the means of mourning for him and his people. Hence, God Almighty made all Āryas fully com- prehend the meaning of the name Khairul-Mākirīn. Author