An Address Delivered by the Promised Messiah(as) on 31 January 1898 After Fajr Prayer

It ought to be remembered that in the likeness of transmittable diseases, excellent qualities too must be contagious. A believer has been commanded to elevate their morals to a degree where they become contagious. For even the finest of actions cannot be admirable or worthy of emulation until it possesses an inherent radiance and magnetism; its luminescence draws in the attention of others while its magnetism attracts them. Ultimately, the outstanding merits of the action itself encourages a person to act accordingly. One may observe that Hatim has a good name because he was renowned for his generosity, though I cannot say for certain whether his generosity was sincere. Similarly, Rustam and Asfandyar’s courage are known to all, though we cannot say without a shadow of doubt that they were sincere. It is my faith and belief that until a person becomes a true believer, their acts of virtue, irrespective of how magnificent they may be, cannot be free from the gild of ostentation. Nonetheless, since the actions themselves are virtuous at their root, it is this valuable essence which is seen as honourable in every instance. Therefore, despite the gild of deception and pretentious display, such actions are held in esteem.

On one occasion, Khwaja Sahib related a narration to me and I have read this story myself as well. When Sir Philip Sidney was wounded in the siege of the fort at Zutphen in the Netherlands during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, in his throes of death, at a time of intense thirst, a small vessel of water was brought for him. At the time, water was scarce. Another wounded soldier lay nearby and he too was terribly thirsty. The soldier began to look at Sir Philip Sidney with intense longing and desire. Upon noticing the soldier’s wish, Sidney did not drink the water himself, but rather gave it to the solider as an act of selflessness, saying: ‘Thy necessity is yet greater than mine.’ Even in the face of death people do not refrain from ostentation. Often those who wish to establish or portray themselves as possessing sublime morals do perform such deeds. Therefore, human beings do not always do good with pure intentions when confronted with tribulation or death. However, the question is why does man not follow all that is good? In response to this, I would say that man by way of his nature does not follow anything until it possesses the fragrance of perfection. It is this very secret, on account of which Allah the Exalted has always raised the Prophets, peace be upon them, and maintained the institution of Reformers (Mujaddidin) after the Seal of the Prophets, because along with their own practical example, these personages command a spiritual attraction and influence, and virtue of the highest degree can be observed in their persons. This is because a human being inherently seeks to follow perfection. If the nature of human beings had not possessed this faculty, there would be no need for the institution of Prophets, peace be upon them.

There is the question as to why the Prophets, peace be upon them, and those who are commissioned by God Almighty, are opposed, and why people disregard their teaching? This is caused by the state of people themselves—a state which becomes the very reason for the advent of these holy personages in the first place. An ocean of sin and impiety rages on amidst the people, while they indulge in all forms of malefaction and wickedness, distancing them and depriving them of God Almighty; and it is this that suppresses their fine and virtuous essence. Since evil actions are at their pinnacle, the essence of human nature, which drives towards every form of perfection or uppermost limit, is diverted to follow a course of evil. It is this very hidden reality, which causes people to initially oppose the Prophets, peace be upon them, and those who are divinely commissioned by God, and to neglect their teaching. Ultimately, a time comes when people begin to turn towards these paradigms of virtue and the masses are once again attracted to perfection in goodness. This is why God Almighty states:

In short, human nature has been instilled with the characteristic that it desires to pursue every form of perfection. You may observe how in the case of modern British craftsmanship, for example, even things like the needle and knife, etc., are held in high regard. These items are preferred immensely over domestic products, even though not few, rather most of these foreign products, are artificially glossed. But even so, their apparent splendour and sheen is so alluring that they dazzle the eyes, and their glow is so captivating that they draw in one’s attention. Do you not observe how quickly the sale of gilded artificial jewellery continues to increase? If this merchandise is placed next to genuine goods, the genuine appears to be artificial, while the artificial appears to be genuine. The lustre and glow of these items shines so brightly that our native craftsman are unable to produce a similar likeness. Therefore, even though people are perfectly aware that these goods are coated artificially, this fabrication does not bother them in the least. Observe any of the things they produce, whether domestic clothing or shoes, the educated gentleman expresses an aversion to these things. Why? Only because British goods possess a distinct, outward grace and elegance. These folk process a piece of leather to such an extent that they are able to achieve a softness and glow. Leaving this aside, even something as insignificant as a thread manufactured by these people is immensely attractive. In short, these items have reduced all domestically produced goods to nothing. In fact, I have even heard that certain local chiefs are so averse to domestic products that even their clothes are sent to Paris to be cleaned and they even have their drinking water sent to them from abroad. What is the hidden cause that underpins such consumer decisions? The fact is that the British produce goods that possess an apparent beauty, lustre and charm. This is why people have turned to them. Although there are other honest people as well, yet people are inclined towards the disbelievers, due to their apparent elegance and splendour. This is the case with morals and deeds as well. Until their splendour and radiance is elevated to such a degree, humankind cannot be influenced. Those who are weak themselves cannot attract others who are weak.

By the fleeting Time; surely, man is in a state of loss; except those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to accept truth, and exhort one another to be steadfast.

Here, Allah states: ‘By the Time,’ i.e. the era of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Our unwise opponents of the present day and age object that the Holy Quran has taken oaths on created things, while it has prohibited the rest of us from doing so. In places it swears by the fig, at other places the night and day, and still at other places, by the earth and even by the human soul. These allegations have a very negative effect.

It ought to be remembered that it is common practice in the Holy Quran and in the way of God that in order to prove and establish various matters of ideological nature, He makes reference to such things whose inner properties are evidenced by clear, manifest and visible proof. Hence, to swear by such creation is to present them as an argument and precedent.

Prior to answering this allegation in further detail, I should first like to speak of another important matter. Every Muslim must remember that in the context of government, we do not consider India to be Dar-ul-Harb (i.e. the Abode of War). This is my belief. Although other scholars who oppose me have fiercely disagreed with me on this issue, and have spared no opportunity to cause me grief, I cannot hide the truth out of fear of these temporary pains and present grief. It is my faith that in the context of rule, India is certainly not Dar-ul-Harb—not in the least. Just think about the court case filed against me. If the very same lawsuit had been filed against me under the Sikh reign and if one of their Gurus or a Brahman stood against me in court, executing me without any investigation or inquiry would be no significant matter. However, it is truly an excellence of the British empire’s rule that a doctor, who is also a renowned reverend, stands against me in court, but I am not treated harshly at all in the investigations and proceedings of the court. Captain Douglas was not concerned in the least of the reverend’s own eminence, or of his position or rank; and so he expressed to Mr. Le Marchand, who is a high ranking officer of police in Gurdaspur, that he felt uneasy at heart about the case and that Abdul-Hameed should be questioned again. Ultimately, in view of justice, the Captain acquitted me.

Then, the British do not prevent us from practising the tenets of our faith; in fact, they have brought with them many blessings on account of which I have received ample opportunity to propagate my religion. I have been granted such peace and comfort that is unheard of in previous reigns. In this case, it is gravely unjust and far from Islamic teachings and morals that we should be ungrateful to them. Remember! A human being who is not grateful for the goodness shown by another of their own kind cannot be grateful to God Almighty either. For he can observe the good done by man. How then will he be able to show gratitude for the favours of that Being Who is the most hidden of all and whom he cannot even see? Therefore, as far as government is concerned, I do not consider this land to be Dar-ul-Harb.

However, in my view, India is a Dar-ul-Harb as far as the pen is concerned. The Christian clergy wage a horrific war against Islam and they have stepped into this field of battle with the lances of the pen, not with spears and arrows. Therefore, the weapon with which we ought to enter this field of battle is the pen and nothing but the pen. I hold that it is the responsibility of each and every Muslim to participate in this war. Such attacks are made against Allah and His chosen Messenger that I am overwhelmed with grief and my heart trembles. Can we sit at rest after seeing such offensive books as Mothers of the Believers—The Mysteries of the Court of Mustafa,3 which is a book whose very title resembles those of obscene novels. It is astonishing, however, that even in the estimation of the government, books such as The Mysteries of the Court of London are deemed worthy of being banned from publication, but a book which hurts the sentiments of 80 million Muslims is not banned. I do not desire in the least to make such a request of the government; in fact, I deem such a request to be most inappropriate as I have made evident in my memorial. However, I raise this issue because it is the duty of the government themselves, nonetheless, to monitor such writings. In any case, the government has granted complete freedom that if a Christian writes a book for the purpose of raising allegations against Islam, a Muslim is free to pen a rebuttal and write books in refutation of the Christian faith.

I say on oath that whenever I happen to come across a book of this nature, the world and all its possessions seem as insignificant to me as a fly. I ask, can such a person who is not impassioned on such an occasion be considered a Muslim? What face will they show God when they die? If you wish to see the example of Muslims, then look towards the community of the noble companions, who were not bothered by any kind of loss to their lives and wealth. They gave precedence to the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger. To be content in the pleasure of God Almighty was the sole action on account of which the entire Holy Quran is full of praise for them, and it is due to this that they were awarded the medal of, ‘Allah being pleased with them.’ Therefore, until you develop such a distinction within yourself and until you feel such fervency and indignation for Islam, you must not consider yourself complete.

Our community ought to remember that in the context of government, we do not consider India to be Dar-ul-Harb—not in the least. In fact, due to the peace and blessings that we have received under this government and the freedom that this government has granted us to practice and propagate the tenets of our faith, my heart—like a bottle full of perfume—is replete with the fervour of loyalty and gratitude. However, I do consider this land to be a Dar-ul-Harb due to the Christian clergy. The Christian clergy have published almost 60 million books against Islam. In my opinion, those who observe and hear such attacks, yet remain absorbed in their own worry and grief, are not human. At this time, everyone ought to do whatever is possible to support Islam and demonstrate their loyalty in this war of the pen. When this just government does not prohibit us from publishing books in support of our religion and to repudiate the allegations of other faiths, in fact, when the government has assisted us in this cause through the press, post office and other means of publication, it is a grievous sin to remain silent in these circumstances. Of course, whatever is presented ought to be done so in a sensible manner and the purpose must not be to offend anyone. He who does not possess a burning heart and a tearful eye for the sake of Islam ought to remember that God Almighty has no concern for such people. Such a one ought to consider the degree to which they think over the means for their own success and the number of plans they devise for worldly purposes. Have they ever felt the same burning passion, fervour and heartfelt pain by the thought that attacks are being made against the holy personage of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and whether they concern themselves to defend him? And if nothing else is within their power, do they bother to pray before God with a burning heart? If any such ardour and heartfelt pain was present within them, it would be impossible for signs of this pure love to not manifest themselves. If someone purchases a pot that turns out to be broken, even this causes regret; in fact, a person is disappointed even if they misplace a needle. Then what sort of faith and belief in Islam is this that in the present era of peril, when onslaughts are being waged against Islam one after the other, people sleep blissfully in peace and comfort. Do you not see that in addition to weekly and monthly newspapers and periodicals, the Christians distribute a large number of two-page leaflets and brief pamphlets daily, which equal fifty thousand at times, and sometimes they reach in the hundreds of thousands? They reprint these writings repeatedly and spend tens of millions of rupees like water.

You ought to bear well in mind that in the minds and estimations of the Christian clergy, the Hindus are of no consequence, nor are they even slightly bothered by the other religions. As such, you will never hear that the Christians have published even half the number of books against Hinduism, which they publish to repudiate Islam. These people have no concern whatsoever with other religions, because they are devoid of the spirit of divine origin and truth themselves. They are lifeless religions like Christianity itself. However, these people spare no effort in their attempts to turn Islam into a lifeless faith, even though it is a living religion that comes from the Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining God. On one occasion, I gathered all of their allegations and they have reached 3,000 in number; and now this number must have increased.

Remember that a mischievous individual plants doubt into the minds of others. Since they are bereft of truth, purity and virtue, they do as they please. I am absolutely certain that the Afghans of Amritsar do not observe the Prayer and consume alcohol. When they raise allegations in front of others, the people believe them and think that since they are descendants of saintly men, why would they lie? This gives rise to ill thoughts in the hearts of the common people, who begin to think that these allegations are valid. This is how these people hatch conspiracies. Thus, on the one hand, we have the Christian clergy, who openly write and publish books against Islam; and on the other hand, we have the current style of education in the West which, along with their books, carry a hidden poison. Philosophers in their own manner and historians in their own way present the actual occurrences in a negative light and then attack Islam.

In short, at present, the attacks made against Islam are of two sorts: firstly, those made by the Christian clergy and secondly, those levelled by philosophers. And so, in this hour, one ought to analyse their own faith in Islam.

I once again, return to my initial discussion and state that the objections which are raised against the oaths of the Holy Quran are also similar in nature, to those mentioned above. After much reflection and contemplation, the secret disclosed to me is that wherever in the Holy Quran, at any particular instance, an improvident individual has raised an allegation, in the very same place lies hidden a treasure of the most sublime verities and insights. The reason such people remain oblivious to them is because they harbour an enmity for the truth; they only read the Holy Quran to criticise it and raise allegations against it. Bear in mind that there are two parts of the Holy Quran—in fact, there are three. Firstly, there is a part which even the simplest and most uneducated person can comprehend. The second part is disclosed to those people who sit at an average level; although they are not completely uneducated, yet they do not possess a very large capacity for knowledge. The third part is for those people who are abreast of the highest degrees of knowledge and who are known as philosophers. It is a distinct quality of the Holy Quran alone that it educates all of these three classes of people without differentiation. There is only one means by which an educated and average person, as well as a philosopher who sits at the highest level, can be educated all the same.

It is a matter of exclusive pride for the Holy Quran that every class of people derives grace from it in accordance with their own individual capacity and rank. Now for a response to the allegation which is levelled against the Holy Quran on its taking oaths. In the absence of a witness, an oath is deemed to stand as a witness in its place. Both in terms of customary and religious law, and even in common practice, it is an accepted fact that when a witness is not available, a sworn oath suffices and takes the place of testimony. Similarly, the custom employed by Allah Almighty in the Holy Quran is that in order to establish ideologies, God presents entities, which are plainly evident to serve as testimony for matters of conceptual nature.4

It ought to be remembered that the method employed by Allah Almighty in the Holy Quran is that in order to establish matters of ideology, He presents things that are plainly evident to serve as a witness; and this is done so in the form of oaths. One must never forget that comparing the oaths of Allah the most Glorious with the oaths of man is to mix two things which have no relation whatsoever. The reason Allah Almighty forbids man from swearing on anything other than God is because when an individual takes an oath, their purpose is to put forth that which they have sworn on to take the place of such an eyewitness who by their personal knowledge can either attest to the truth or falsity of the statement in question. For if a person reflects, it becomes clear that the actual connotation of an oath—as I have just stated earlier—is but testimony. When an individual is unable to present ordinary witnesses, they are compelled to swear on oath, so that they may seek of it the benefit they otherwise could have expected from an eyewitness, if one had been present. However, to suggest or hold as a matter of doctrine that anyone besides God is Omnipresent, and able to affirm or reject someone’s truth or punish them, or possesses power in any other matter, is brazen blasphemy. It is for this reason, that Allah the Exalted has instructed man in all divine scriptures that one must never take an oath on anything other than Allah.

This discourse makes evidently clear that the oaths of Allah Almighty are of a different nature and grandeur. God’s objective is to present those entities that are plainly evident in the book of nature to serve as a witness in order to clear and unravel the complex secrets of the divine law. This end is achieved by swearing on oath. When someone who takes an oath, swears in the name of God Almighty for example, their intent is to demonstrate that Allah the Exalted is a witness over a certain incident which relates to them. In the same way and precisely in this manner, various apparent and evidently manifest actions of Allah Almighty bear witness to His immensely subtle, hidden secrets and actions. For this reason, in numerous places throughout the Holy Quran, God Almighty has put forth His visibly apparent actions as evidence to establish those divine workings of His, which are conceptual in nature. It is utterly foolish and ignorant to assert that Allah Almighty Himself has taken oath of something that is besides His own Being. For Allah the Exalted actually swears by His own actions, not on anything besides His own Being; and of course, God’s actions are a part of Him. For example, when Allah swears by the heaven or a star, His purpose is not to take oath on an entity besides Himself; in fact, His intent is only to put forth as testimony the divine design and wisdom that is present in the heaven and stars, so as to shed light on His hidden actions.

In short, the oaths of Allah Almighty contain infinite secrets of divine insight, which are visible only to the sagacious. Therefore, by taking oaths, God Almighty presents as a witness things which are plainly evident in the law of nature to expound the various complexities in His divine law. God Almighty does this so that the book of his actions (the law of nature) serves as a witness for the book of His words (the Holy Quran). This mutual accord in God’s word and action exists so that an honest seeker may increase in divine insight, tranquillity and faith. This is common practice in the Holy Quran. For example, God Almighty clinches the argument against the Brahamos and those who reject divine revelation by stating:

Meaning, ‘By the clouds, which give rain.’ The word raj’un, among other things, refers to ‘rain’. There is a permanent system of rain, just like there is order in the solar system. The night and day, as well as the solar and lunar eclipses follow their own system. Illness is governed by a process and a physician can say in light of this process that an epidemic will break out on a certain day. Therefore, there is a system that underpins everything because the law of nature established by Allah Almighty possesses order and perfect structure. None of His actions are without system and order.

Just as Allah the Exalted desires that people should fear Him, it is also His wish for people to be enlightened with knowledge, so that with its support, they are able to traverse the stations of divine insight. For on the one hand, where being acquainted with true knowledge gives birth to true fear of God, on the other hand such knowledge also results in worship of God. There are certain unfortunate people who become so engrossed in knowledge that they lose sight of divine decree and fate and begin to doubt the very Being of Allah Almighty. There are others who become so dependent on divine decree and fate that they forsake the acquisition of knowledge altogether. However, the Holy Quran has taught both aspects, and has done so perfectly. The Holy Quran desires to acquaint people with true knowledge and draws their attention to this aspect because this gives birth to fear of God. The more an individual increases in their understanding of God Almighty, the grandeur of God Almighty becomes equally apparent to them and they develop a love for Him in equal proportion. The reason a person is taught to believe in divine decree and fate is to ensure that they develop the attribute of trusting and believing in the Being of Allah Almighty; and so that once they learn of the essence of being content in the pleasure of Allah, they may attain true tranquillity and comfort, which is the fundamental purpose and objective of salvation.

I have just presented an example from the Holy Quran of an oath, where God states:

Meaning, ‘By the sky,’ after which Allah Almighty uses the word raj’un. The word sama’un is used to mean the sky, atmosphere, rain or height. The word raj’un refers to something which returns again and again at the appointed time. In the rainy season, rain falls repeatedly, therefore it too is called raj’un. Similarly, rain falls from the sky also at its appointed times. Then Allah goes on to state:

Meaning, ‘And by the earth which opens out with herbage.’ The root cause of rain is the earth. When water in the earth evaporates into the sky, it rises into the atmosphere and condensation causes it to return in the form of precipitation. In this case, since the rain comes from the sky, it may be referred to as heavenly. Then, there is another particular time when rain is especially required—at the time when it is needed by farmers. If it rains immediately after the seeds are sown, everything is washed away. However, at other times rain is needed for growth and nourishment. In short, the need for rain, its benefit and the sight of it descending from the sky is perfectly and plainly evident; even a simple village farmer is aware of this phenomenon. Moreover, it ought to be remembered that if rain does not fall from the sky, the water on earth begins to dry as well. Hence, in times of drought, many water wells become dry completely and many others are left with scarce amounts of water. However, when rain descends from the sky, the waters of the earth too are stirred and begin to surge forth. At this instance, my intent in presenting this example is to demonstrate that Allah the Exalted has taken these oaths so they may serve as a witness to shed light on another matter, because even an ordinary landowner is aware of this phenomena. The matter which has been evidenced by these phenomena is:

In other words, it is surely the word of God and is a decisive word. It has come precisely at the appointed time of need and is accompanied by truth and wisdom; it has not come uselessly. Now observe that when the Holy Quran was revealed, did the spiritual order not demand that the word of God Almighty be revealed and that some man from heaven be commissioned to give back to the world its lost property? Study the history of the era in which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah, was commissioned and you will learn of the state of the world. Worship of God Almighty had disappeared from the world and the imprint of God’s Unity had been erased. Worship of Allah the Most Eminent had been replaced by false doctrines and the worship of false gods. A terrifying mask of ignorance and darkness had covered the earth. On the face of the earth, there remained no country, no patch and no land where the One God who is Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining was being worshipped. The Christians, being a people who worship the dead, were entangled in the spiral of trinity, and those residents of India who erroneously claimed that the Vedas taught divine oneness also worshipped 330 million gods. Therefore, God Almighty has drawn an illustration of that era Himself in the following words:

This statement is absolutely true; no man’s tongue or pen can describe the state of that era in better words. Now observe the general law of God Almighty that precisely at a time of drought, ultimately divine grace is manifested and God’s rain of mercy descends, granting the people joy. In the same way, when similar circumstances arose spiritually, it was necessary for the word of God Almighty to descend from on high. In other words, by showing the physical system of rain, God has guided man to understand the phenomenon of spiritual rain. Now who can deny that rain is in our best interests? This suggests that just as rain follows a system, there are appointed times for other forms of rain. Now does this context in the Holy Quran not speak of spiritual rain? You were drowned in discord. Your actions were corrupt and so was your faith. The world was about to fall into the pit of destruction. Why then would God not send down the rain of His grace? Would He who has established a special system for the protection of our physical body ignore the spiritual system? Therefore, God presents as a witness the phenomenon of rain in the form of an oath because prophethood is a matter of spiritual and conceptual nature. Since the disbelievers of Mecca could not comprehend this spiritual system, God presents the physical system to help them understand. Therefore, this is a secret which the ignorant have failed to understand, and due to their foolishness and enmity against the truth, they have raised an allegation. They have ignored the actual objective that was intended in this usage by Allah the Exalted.

In the same manner, a foolish person has alleged that 10

, i.e. who is it that will lend Allah a loan, demonstrates that God-forbid, Allah is pressed by need. The ignorant person fails to understand, how does this prove a need on the part of God? Here the word qard or ‘loan’ actually implies such things for which there is a guaranteed return. However, this ignorant person has falsely asserted that this implies a need or poverty on the part of God. Here the word ‘loan’ means, who will give Allah the Exalted their good deeds, so that He may grant them a manifold reward. Man’s servitude to God possesses a relationship with divine providence in a manner that behoves the greatness of God. When a person reflects over this relationship, the concept becomes clear. For God Almighty nurtures everyone without their performing any good deed, or prayer and supplication, and without distinction between disbeliever and believer; by the grace of His providence (rububiyyat) and graciousness (rahmaniyyat) He bestows his favour on all. How then, can He allow anyone’s good deeds to go to waste? The greatness of God Almighty is such that He states:

Meaning, whoso does an atom’s weight of good shall be rewarded and whoso does an atom’s weight of evil will also be punished. This is the actual purport of the word ‘loan’ which is derived from the verse just quoted. This verse expounds the actual meaning of the word ‘loan.’ Since the actual purport of the word ‘loan’ is derived in context, God Almighty first states:

The ignorant Christians have deified a weak and humble man and have placed the burden of their sins and vices on his shoulders. They have admitted that he was accursed. Even though the Christians have nothing on their hands but curse, they raise allegations against others. As they have rejected the holy Law of God Almighty on account of the Atonement, they no longer enjoy the pleasure and joy that is present in good deeds. Since they have labelled all the pious people of God Almighty as thieves and robbers, they have been smitten with curse. Therefore, one must never forget that to reject and deny the virtuous people of God Almighty destroys an individual and is a lethal poison for one’s spiritual powers and faculties. One who thinks ill of the truthful and disrespects them is deprived of divine verities and insights. The curse that has fallen upon the Christians is that they have deemed all those who are virtuous to be sinful.

Therefore, the subtle insight in this verse is that the rains follows a fixed system and people are able to determine when the rainy days draw near. For example, the people know that it rains from mid-December to mid-February and also from mid-July to mid-September. Then, another secret is that it never rains needlessly. In fact, rainfall always occurs at a time that is best suited for it. The phenomenon of spiritual rain also functions in the same manner and this is a discussion which relates to a conceptual matter. Hence, in this context, God Almighty has put forth physically apparent phenomena to serve as a witness and has employed the use of an oath to take the place of a witness. Furthermore, God Almighty has used this word in exactly the same manner that He uses the word ‘loan’, as I have just mentioned.

Now, another matter worthy of reflection is that one form of rain descends so that the seed may be sown, and another form of rainfall descends so that the seed may grow, develop and flourish. In the same manner, the rain of prophethood descends to sow the seed. After this, the rain of the recipients of divine revelation (Muhaddithin) and the Reformers (Mujaddidin) falls, so that this seed may sprout, grow and develop as alluded to in the following verse:

Verily, We Ourself have sent down this Exhortation, and most surely We will be its Guardian.

I have stated countless times that prophethood serves as an anchor for divinity. An individual who rejects prophethood, slowly but surely reaches a state where they deny the existence of God. Moreover, sainthood serves as an anchor for prophethood. When a person rejects a saint, eventually and gradually they lose their faith.

At present, you may observe that a period of over 1300 years have elapsed since the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. If God Almighty had remained completely silent until this time and if He had not manifested Himself, Islam would have no more value than a tale or fable and it would have no distinction or superiority over any other religion. For example, the Hindus attribute miracles to their saints and relate these stories as they appear in their puranas and shastras, but can demonstrate no such feats today. In the same manner, if today the miraculous signs of Islam were related by Muslims as they appear in their books, but they could not show any such signs in this day and age, what superiority would it possess over other religions? Human nature is such that it expresses a dislike and aversion to such things that do not possess a superiority over others. Faith in Islam would fall weak if it did not possess a superiority, because faith cannot remain strong unless it finds perfection in a matter. Therefore, the hedge of sainthood has been planted around the tilth of prophethood. You may reflect and see how clear and subtle a response this is to those who raise objections against God taking oaths.

Upon learning of this subject-matter one can accept with great ease that the Holy Quran discusses profound subjects in a most beautiful style and manner. At another instance in the Holy Quran, the night has been taken as an oath. It is said that this oath was taken at a time when the flow of revelation to the Holy Prophet(sa) had come to a temporary halt. It ought to be remembered that this is a phase which all such people experience who receive the blessings of ongoing revelation. Constant revelation increases one in love and yearning, but absence makes the heart grow fonder, which elevates a person to the highest levels of love. Allah the Exalted has made this a means of progress as well, because a temporary cessation in revelation increases an individual in pain and distress and increases the soul in restlessness and anxiety, by which a spirit of prayer is blown into them. The soul hastens towards the threshold of God crying out, ‘O Lord! O Lord!’ with sentiments of extreme zeal and fervour. This may be likened to a child who helplessly runs to its mother wailing, after being separated from her bosom for some time. In the same manner, or rather, with intensely greater anxiety, the soul hastens towards Allah. This great effort and toil, restlessness and agony possesses a pleasure and joy that I cannot explain in words. Remember! The more restlessness and anxiety that is experienced by the soul for God Almighty, the more an individual is enabled to offer supplications that attain to the level of acceptance. Hence, this is a period in time that dawns upon those divinely commissioned and sent by God, and upon those who are blessed with divine converse. The purpose of Allah the Exalted in this respect is so that such people may partake of the sweet flavour of love and the joy of the acceptance of prayer; and so that God may elevate them to the highest ranks.

Hence, by taking oath on the forenoon and the night, the lofty ranks of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, have been alluded to along with his degrees of love. Then, the Messenger of God has been absolved by Allah, Who says that one ought to observe the creation of the day and night, and the distance in time that exists between the alternation of the two, considering the time of the forenoon and the time of darkness. Then the Quran states: 15

, i.e. God Almighty has not forsaken you and has not disliked you. On the contrary, God says, this is Our law; just as We have created the night and day in alternation, there is a law in relation to the Prophets, peace be upon them, whereby on certain occasions revelation is brought to a halt so that the Prophets turn to prayer with greater fervour.16 The forenoon and night have been presented as a witness so that the Holy Prophet(sa) may be increased in his sense of hope, satisfaction and comfort. In short, Allah the Exalted has taken these oaths for the fundamental purpose that God may expound matters of a conceptual nature by means of plainly evident phenomenon. Now consider how this manner of expression was so full of wisdom, yet these unfortunate people have raised allegations in this respect as well.

May the malevolent eye be ruined;
To it, even skilful excellence appears a flaw.

There is an underlying philosophy in these oaths, which open the gates of wisdom.

Hence, this is the war that is required of us in this day and age. This opens the doors of knowledge and crushes the opposition with conclusive argumentation and a clear sign. By the grace of God, the people of the Punjab continue to be enlightened with divine insights and verities, while these are nowhere to be found among the people of Greater Syria and other Muslim lands. And so we are faced with the calamity that onslaught upon onslaught is being waged on all fronts. Therefore, I am required to make use of my faculty of reflection and present these difficulties before God Almighty through prayer. As a result, God Almighty comes to my support by His mere grace and compassion and discloses to me the deeper verities and divine insights that are contained in His book. Physicians state that if a certain faculty is not exercised for forty days continuously, it becomes useless completely. I am reminded of a maternal uncle of mine who was struck with madness. He underwent a phlebotomy and was strictly instructed to not move his hand. And so for some months he did not move his hand at all and as a result, his hand became as lifeless as a piece of wood. Therefore, if a limb is left idle, it becomes useless.

Yogis, ascetics and the like from among the Hindus who are left unable to have intimate relations with women become as such on two accounts. Either they have indulged in illicit relations abundantly, or they have completely abandoned any and all relations with women. There are thousands of such examples, where if a part of the body is not used, it ultimately becomes lifeless.

At the present time, the swords of the pen are being wielded against us and the arrows of allegations are being rained upon us. It is our responsibility to ensure that we do not leave our faculties idle and we must sharpen the spears of our pens for the sake of God’s pure religion and to prove the truthfulness of the prophethood of God’s Chosen Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. This responsibility falls upon us more than anyone else especially when Allah the Exalted has granted us the greatest opportunity, as we have been born under the British rule.

Those ignorant people who are oblivious to the principle of showing gratitude to a benefactor for their favours equate such of my statements and writings to flattery. However, my God knows best that it is impossible for me to flatter any person on earth—it is not in my nature. Of course, to show gratitude for a favour is a part of my nature. God Almighty, by His grace, has kept me free of the impure traces of ingratitude and disloyalty. I appreciate the favours of the British government and deem it a divine favour that in order to grant us deliverance from the oppressive era of the Sikhs, God sent from thousands of miles afar, a just government to rule over us. If this empire had not been present now, I truthfully say I would not have been able to even direct my attention towards these allegations, let alone respond to them.

In the present circumstances, I am at complete liberty to respond to these allegations. If then, I were to show disregard for this favour of Allah Almighty, you could be sure that I was immensely ungrateful and unappreciative. I have been granted the opportunity to reflect and contemplate, to immerse myself in prayer, and in this way the gates of divine grace have been opened to me. Although Allah Almighty is the fountainhead of grace, man becomes able through his own effort to an extent and then receives divine grace in accordance with his individual capacity and ability. It is a matter of joy that due to this opportunity, the people of India, and the Punjab, in particular are being transformed into able gems and their intellectual faculties are developing as well.

In short, this land is a Dar-ul-Harb in our contest against the Christian clergy. Therefore, we must not sit idle. However, do remember that our war against them must be like in kind. We must go forth with the same form of weaponry that the Christian clergy have brought into the field of battle; and that weapon is the pen. It is for this very reason that Allah the Exalted has named my humble self the King of the Pen and has named my pen the Dhul-Faqar of Ali. The secret at the heart of this is that the present era is not an age of war and battle, but an era of the pen.

Now when this is the case it ought to be remembered that righteousness is required in order for the gates of hidden truth and insight to be opened. Therefore, adopt righteousness because God Almighty states:

I cannot count the number of times these words have been revealed upon me. I have received this revelation in great abundance. If all we do is utter mere words, then remember that this brings no benefit. Victory demands righteousness. If victory is what you seek, then become righteous.

I observe among the Hindus and Christians that even their women bequeath vast properties and wealth for this purpose. No such examples exist among the Muslims of this age.

The greatest difficulty that confronts us today is that we require financial support in order to propagate Islam. You ought to bear well in mind that ultimately, God Almighty has willed to establish this community with his own hand and He himself is the Supporter and Helper of this community. However, since God desires to make His servants worthy of spiritual reward, the Prophets are compelled to make an appeal for financial support. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, called for assistance, and in the same manner— upon the precepts of prophethood—I too apprise my friends of the community’s needs. In any case, I would like to reiterate that even if we do collect an amount for the propagation of Islam, it is obvious that we cannot match the amount that is at the disposal of the Christian clergy. And even if we do, it is still my faith that victory is only given to those with whom God is pleased.

Hence, the important thing to consider is that we must improve in our morals and actions, and adopt righteousness, so that we may be conferred the grace of God’s support and love. Then, with the help of God, each and every one of us is obliged to show no negligence in responding to these attacks. However, when responding, our intention must be for the glory of God Almighty to be manifested.18

1 az-Zukhruf, 43:36

2 al-Asr, 103:2-4

3 In 1897, Ahmad Shah Shaiq, a Muslim turned Christian, wrote an extremely offensive and hurtful book attacking the wives of the Holy Prophet(sa) and named it Ummahat-ul-Mu’minin—Darbar-e-Mustafa’i Kay Asrar, i.e. Mothers of the Believers—The Mysteries of the Court of Mustafa. One thousand copies of this book were sent free to Muslims in India. [Publisher]

4 Al-Hakam, vol. 5, no. 20, dated 31 May 1901, p. 1-4

5 at-Tariq, 86:12

6 at-Tariq, 86:12

7 at-Tariq, 86:13

8 at-Tariq, 86:14-15

9 ar-Rum, 30:42

10 al-Baqarah, 2:246

11 az-Zilzal, 99:8

12 al-Baqarah, 2:246

13 az-Zilzal, 99:8

14 al-Hijr, 15:10

15 ad-Duha, 93:4

16 Al-Hakam, vol. 5, no. 21, dated 10 June 1901, pp. 1-4

17 an-Nahl, 16:129

18 Al-Hakam, vol. 5, no. 22, dated 17 June 1901, pp. 1-2