February 1898

Polygamy

In relation to polygamy the Holy Quran explicitly states two, three or four, however in the same verse justice has also been instructed. If an individual cannot maintain justice and their love becomes one-sided, or if their income is insufficient, or if their faculties of virility are weak, then one must not marry more than one woman. In my estimation it is better for man to not put himself into trial by his own hands, because Allah the Exalted states:

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Surely, Allah loves not the transgressors.

Do not over-emphasise the permissibility of something to the extent that you become licentious. Now, if an individual becomes preoccupied in wives just because he is permitted to marry more than one, then this too is wrong. All people are not able to understand the will of Allah Almighty. This permission is not granted so that men may become so utterly infatuated with women that they are enslaved by their own carnal pleasures. In the same vein, however, God does not desire for man to adopt asceticism either; but rather, He desires for us to act in moderation and refrain from indulging in unnecessary preoccupations.

If Allah the Exalted makes an exception for the Prophets, peace be upon them, then those foolish ones who raise allegations against them are guilty of misleading others in error. One may observe in the Torah how the Jewish priests were given special privileges and the Brahmans from among the Hindus also enjoy special concessions. Therefore, it is foolish to object against any special exceptions made for the Prophets, peace be upon them, because their greatest distinction which separates them from other ordinary people is that they are Prophets.

The Diverse Nature of God Is a Mercy

The changing nature of God is also a mercy. In the case of the people of Jonah, on whom be peace, God sent down categorical revelation, but when they began to weep and wail, their punishment was averted and God turned to them with mercy. Hence, there is a distinct delight that is experienced in the changing nature of God, but only those people can enjoy it who weep before Him and beseech Him with humility and meekness. I am often astounded to see that people will flatter other human beings like themselves but do not turn to God in the same way.

A Delay in the Acceptance of Prayer Leads to Success

Remember that if you receive a swift response to your prayer this is generally not a good sign. Hence, do not lose hope in your supplication. The longer a prayer takes to be accepted whereby it appears that you have received no answer, offer prostrations of gratitude, because this is better and more advantageous for you. Delay results in success.

The Reason that Punishment Was Averted from the People of Jonah(as)

Prayer is a powerful shield that leads to success. The people of Jonah, on whom be peace, were saved from impending punishment on account of their weeping and prayers. In my understanding, the word muhawatat means ‘anger’. The Arabic word hoot means ‘fish’ and the word noon in Arabic is used for both ‘anger’ and ‘fish’. In short, Jonah(as) was overwhelmed by a state of anger. The fact of the matter is that when the punishment had been averted, thoughts of objection and complaint arose in his mind in that the prophecy made by him and his prayer had gone to waste. He was also upset that what he had foretold did not come to pass. All these thoughts constituted his state of anger. The lesson we learn from this is that Allah can alter the decree of fate, and that weeping and wailing and charity can reduce a verdict of punishment to nothing; hence the principle of giving charity. These are the ways to please Allah. In the science of the interpretation of dreams, wealth is represented by one’s liver. This is why giving alms is equivalent to giving away one’s life, as it were. When a person gives charity, they exhibit an immense degree of sincerity and steadfastness. However, the fact of the matter is that mere words are of no use until they are supported by practice. The reason charity is called ‘sadaqah’ in Arabic is because it is the hallmark of the Truthful (Sadiqin). In the life account of Jonah(as), Durr-e-Manthur has recorded that Jonah(as) said to Allah Almighty: ‘I always knew that if anyone came before You, You would have mercy.’ As God states:

If I do not forgive this handful of dust then what am I to do?

The Interpretation of Offering Eid Prayer in the City

Whilst interpreting a dream of Munshi Rustam Ali, a Court Inspector in Delhi, the Promised Messiah(as) said: To offer Eid prayer in the city signifies grand success.

The Meaning of ‘The Father of Fire’ and ‘The Woman Carrying Firewood’

The term the Father of Fire (Abu Lahab) in the Holy Quran implies a general connotation and does not refer to a specific individual. This term refers to any such person who possesses a flaming or fiery disposition. In the same manner, ‘the woman carrying firewood’ (hammala-tal-hatab) refers to any backbiting woman who engages in slandering and lighting the fire of mischief among men. Sa’di says:

The wretched backbiter only adds firewood to the flame.

Prayer Ought to Evoke Desire

Upon hearing an allegation in relation to Surah Lahab, the Promised Messiah(as) said: Material wealth and worldly rule are not a cause for envy. Prayer ought to evoke our desire. Today, I prayed profusely for all those of my friends whose names or faces I could remember, whether they are present or not. I prayed so fervently that if I had prayed on a dry branch, it would have become lush green. This is a grand sign for our friends. (May Allah reward you with good in both worlds.—Editor)

All praise belongs to Allah that the month of Ramadan has passed. We were blessed with health and vigour during these days. God knows who will live to see the following year, and who knows if they will be present come next year? Then how unfortunate would it be if we were to forget those members of the community that have passed away. The Promised Messiah(as) stated this when a list of those people was being prepared who were still alive.

Excessive Literalism Results in Misguidance

The calamity which befell the Jews was that they went on rejecting the Messiah, on whom be peace, on account of their strict literal understanding of words. Not only this, they even continued to reject our Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The Jews believed that when the Messiah was to appear, he would come as a king and that he would sit on the throne of Davidas with great majesty and glory. They also held that Elijah(as) would descend from the sky before the advent of the Messiah, but when the Messiah did appear, he said that John was the Elijah that they were expecting. Moreover, instead of appearing as a King, Jesus(as) demonstrated such humility that he could barely find a place to rest his head. But how could those Jews who held an extremely literal view accept this? And so, they rejected the Messiah fiercely and to this day they continue to do so. Today, the Muslim clergy are prey to the same affliction. They expect that the Messiah and Mahdi will come to fight wars, but this was never the will of God Almighty anyway, and the words (He will suspend war) in Bukhari have put an end to this dispute. However, despite all this, they do not wish to accept this ambassador of peace and security.2