The Promised Messiah (as) states: “Perfidy and ostentation are two things that are very slow-paced and elusive. If a devoutly religious man were to be called a transgressor, he would feel a sense of pleasure, because the secret relationship between him and his Beloved Master and Lord remains hidden. The Sufis say that if someone were to walk in on a sincere believer when they were engaged in worship, hidden away in a chamber or room, they would feel as embarrassed as someone who was caught committing an evil act and seeks to hide his action. Just as a believer of this nature feels pleasure when someone calls them a sinner, in the same manner, an honest person must not become incensed when someone calls them dishonest.
Prophets are an exception, however, because if they hide their worship and deeds, the world would perish. For example, if a Prophet has offered his Prayer and someone alleged that he had not done so, it would be inappropriate for the Prophet to remain silent and he would have to openly say: ‘You are wrong. I have offered my Prayer.’ For if the Prophet does not openly respond, the people could be misled and ruined. Therefore, it is necessary for the Prophets to observe a part of their worship openly; the purpose is to show the people so that they may be educated. This is not ostentation. If someone raises the question as to why Khizr performed such actions which appear to contravene divine law, the response to this would be that Khizr did not bring a religious law. He was a saint. There are two aspects to a Prophet. This is why they are commanded to perform good deeds both:
سِرًّا وَّعَلَانِیَّۃً
Secretly and openly.”
The Promised Messiah (as) said: “I am not an ordinary cleric; rather, my position is similar in nature to the Prophets. Believe in me as a heavenly man and all the quarrels and disputes in which the Muslims are entangled can be settled at once. That interpretation of the Holy Quran is correct which is put forth by the man appointed by God as the Arbiter; and those Hadith which he deems authentic are truly authentic. Otherwise, one can observe that even until today, the disputes that rage on between the Sunnis and Shias have no end. On the one hand, Shias practice tabarra, while there are some who say in relation to Hazrat Ali, may Allah honour him:
بر خلافت دلش بسے مائل
لیک بوبکر شد درمیاں حائل
In his heart he greatly desired caliphate for himself,
but in this, Abu Bakr became a hindrance.
However, I proclaim that until these people abandon their own path and look at these issues according to my understanding, they shall never find the truth. If these people do not believe, they should at least realise that one day death will come and filth can never lead a person to salvation after death. When even a respectable man considers abusive language and invectives to be inappropriate, how can the worship of those who are guilty of this be accepted in the presence of God, the Holy? This is why I say that you should come to me and pay heed to me, so that you can see the truth. I desire to fully lift the veil of all obscurity. Repent sincerely and become a believer.
I declare that I am the spiritual leader you await. Seek evidence of this from me. I do not consider the claim that Hazrat Ali (ra) was the immediate Successor of the Holy Prophet (sas) to be an appropriate or respectful comment. What am I to do with such a vile allegation? It is to remove such filthy proponents that God has sent me.
One can observe that the Sunnis deem Shia narrations to be unsubstantiated. The Shias on the other hand, state that their own narrations can be traced directly to the Holy Prophet (sas) without any missing links in the chain of narration, and that they are reported by the Imams. In my view, however, these disputes are senseless. Now put aside these dead arguments and recognise the living Imam so that you may be granted the soul of life. If you are in search of God, then search for him who has been appointed by God. An individual who does not abandon filth should know that I am not blind. Am I not able to smell the stench of a hypocrite’s heart? I am able to see through a person immediately and can see what lies at the heart of their statement.
So remember that the path that pleases God is the one that I have shown and this closer path is from God Himself. Now, if someone were to forsake a comfortable mode of transport such as the train, and mount a lame, frail pony, they will not be able to reach their destination. Alas! These people forsake the words of God and die for the statements of such and such or another. Ask them who has transmitted these narrations.
I say time and again that I call you to a path on which you must become a new Muslim once more and then Allah Almighty will reveal the actual truth to you Himself. I honestly say that if those Imams with whom these people are so infatuated were alive today, they would be averse to them. When I ignore these people, they say that ‘we raised such and such allegation for which no response was given.’ Sometimes these people will then even publish announcements asserting the same. However, why should I care about such claims; my task is to do my duty.
Therefore, put aside these debates over the early caliphate and accept the new caliphate. A living Ali is present in your midst; yet you forsake him and search for the Ali who has died.”1
1 Al-Hakam, vol. 4, no. 41, dated 17 November 1900, pp. 1-2