…Continued

I have heard that some among you completely reject the Hadith. Those who hold this opinion are grossly mistaken. I have never taught such a doctrine. On the contrary, it is my belief that there are three components, which God has bestowed on you for your guidance. First and foremost is the Quran,^[12] which elaborates on the Oneness, Glory and Greatness of God and resolves disputes between the Jews and Christians. For example, it settles the difference and misconception of whether or not Jesus, son of Mary, died an accursed death on the cross, and whether he was ever spiritually exalted thereafter, as all other Prophets were. Further, the Quran forbids the worship of anything besides God — whether man, beast, moon, sun, star, material provisions or one’s own ego. So beware and do not take a single step contrary to the teaching of God and the guidance of the Quran. I tell you truly that anyone who disregards even a small injunction of the seven hundred commandments of the Quran, shuts upon himself the door of salvation. The ways of true and perfect salvation have been opened by the Quran and all else is its reflection. Therefore, study the Quran with deep contemplation and hold it very dear. Love it more than anything else. God has said to me:

Meaning, all good is contained in the Quran. This is the truth. Pity those who favour anything besides it. The fountainhead of all your prosperity and salvation lies in the Quran. There is no religious need of yours which is not fulfilled by it. On the Day of Judgement, the Quran will confirm or deny your faith. There is no other book beneath heaven besides the Quran, which can directly guide you. God has been most beneficent towards you in that He has bestowed upon you a book like the Quran. I tell you truly that if the book which has been recited to you was recited to the Christians, they would not have perished. If this favour and guidance which has been bestowed upon you had been granted to the Jews in place of the Torah, some of their sects would not have denied the Day of Judgement. Therefore, appreciate this favour that has been bestowed upon you. It is a most precious favour; it is a great wealth. If the Quran had not been revealed, the whole world would have been nothing more than a filthy half-formed lump of flesh. The Quran is a book, in contrast with which, all other guidance amounts to nothing. The Gospel was revealed by the Holy Spirit — who appeared in the form of a pigeon — a creature so weak and frail that it is preyed on by cats. Thus, the Christians, day by day, sank into a pit of weakness until no trace of spirituality could be found in them. The entire foundation of their faith rests on a pigeon. In contrast, the Holy Spirit of the Quran appeared in such a magnificent form that it filled the entire earth and heaven with its being. How can the pigeon compare with this grand manifestation mentioned in the Holy Quran?

The Quran can purify a person within a week as long as it is followed in letter and spirit. The Quran can make you like the Prophets, so long as you do not flee from it yourself. Which other scripture, besides the Quran, gives hope to its readers from the very outset and teaches the prayer:

^[13]

That is, Guide us on the path of those blessings, which the people of the past were guided on: the Prophets, the Messengers, the Truthful [Siddiqin], the Martyrs [Shuhada] and the Righteous [Salihin]. So take courage and do not reject the invitation of the Quran, for it desires to bestow upon you such blessings as were given to those before. Has He not bestowed upon you the land of the Children of Israel and their Bayt-e-Maqdas, which to this day remains in your possession?

As for those who waver in their belief and are weak-spirited! Do you believe that God has made you the physical heirs to the lands of the Israelites, yet He was unable to make you their spiritual successors? In truth, God intends to bless you with greater favour than them. God has made you inherit their spiritual and material wealth. However, no other will be your heir until doomsday dawns. God shall never deprive you of the blessings of revelation, and divine inspiration, converse and discourse. He will complete upon you all those blessings He has bestowed on the people of the past. However, I call to witness God and His angels that he who insolently forges a lie against God and falsely claims to be the recipient of divine revelation and wrongly says that he has been blessed with divine discourse, will be destroyed. For such a person speaks untruth about his Creator and acts deceptively; he demonstrates manifest temerity and impudence. So be cautious in this respect. Cursed are those who fabricate false dreams and wrongly claim to be recipients of divine discourse, for by doing so, in their hearts they think that God does not exist. However, the punishment of God will forcefully seize them and their days of misfortune will see no end. So strive in the way of truth, piety, righteousness and progress in the personal love of God and view this as the chief objective of your life. Then, in accordance with His will, God shall bless whomsoever He pleases from among you with His discourse. But, you should not wish for such things lest a wave of satanic influence overtakes you due to selfish desire. Many are destroyed in this way. So render service and immerse yourselves in worship. All your efforts should be expended in following all the commandments of God and to progress in certainty. You ought to do this for the sake of salvation, not for the ostentatious display of revelation. There are many pure commandments in the Holy Quran, one of them being to shun all forms of idolatry, as an idolater remains deprived of the fountain of salvation. And do not tell lies for lying too is a form of idolatry.

Unlike the Gospel, which forbids one to look covetously and lustfully at women who are not Mahram^[14] but permits it otherwise, the Quran instructs against glancing at women under any circumstances, be it covetously or with pure intentions because one is liable to stumble on this account. In fact, your eyes should always be lowered when you confront a Non-Mahram. You should not be aware of the physical form of a woman except through an obscured sight, in the way a person’s vision is clouded in the early stages of cataract. Unlike the Gospel, the Quran does not permit its followers to drink alcohol, so long as they are not intoxicated by it. Rather, it forbids its consumption completely. Otherwise, you would be lost from the path that leads to God and His converse, nor would God cleanse such a person of their impurities. The Quran says that such things are the invention of Satan and you should guard yourself against them.

Unlike the Gospel, the Quran does not only forbid you from being angry with your brothers without due reason. Rather, it instructs you not only to suppress your own anger but to act upon ^[15] and exhort others to follow this example as well. Not only should you have mercy on others, but advise your brothers to do the same.

Unlike the Gospel, the Quran does not instruct you to forbear with all your wife’s improprieties except in the case of adultery. Nor does it forbid divorce. Instead, it says: ^[16] In other words, the Quran does not desire for the impure to remain with the pure. Though your wife may not be adulterous, if she casts lustful glances at others and embraces them; or is guilty of such actions which verge on infidelity, though she has not yet committed the act of adultery; or if she reveals her nakedness; if she is idolatrous and mischievous; and if she is averse to the Holy God in whom you believe, then, if she does not change her ways, you are free to divorce her, for her mode of life has already estranged her from you. She is no longer a part of you. Under such circumstances it would not be lawful for you to shamelessly remain with your wife, for she is no longer a part of your body, but is instead a foul and rotten limb, which ought to be amputated. Let it not be the case that she diseases your other limbs as well, which then causes your death.

Again, the Quran, unlike the Gospel, does not completely prohibit you from taking oaths. Rather, it prohibits meaningless oaths. For on certain occasions oaths are a way to bring about a judgment. God does not desire that any form of testimony be prevented — otherwise His wisdom would be brought into question.

It is only natural that when no one is available to testify in a dispute, an oath in the name of God becomes necessary because it calls upon God as a witness. And unlike the Gospel, the Quran does not prohibit you from resisting an oppressor in all circumstances. Rather, it says:

^[17]

That is, the recompense of any injury is an injury the like thereof. But, if a person shows forgiveness and pardons another person’s wrongdoing and their clemency results in reform instead of further transgression, then God is pleased with such a person and will reward him accordingly. Thus, in light of the Quran neither is punishment praiseworthy in all cases, nor is forgiveness commendable in all circumstances. Rather, it encourages the ability to judge circumstances appropriately. Any retribution or forgiveness ought to be administered in proper accordance with the circumstances and with wisdom, not arbitrarily. This is the true import of the Quran. And unlike the Gospel, the Quran does not encourage you to love your enemies. Rather, it teaches you to dissolve your personal enmities and show compassion to everyone. But, those who oppose God, your Messenger and the Book of Allah are certainly your enemies. However, even then, you ought not to exclude them from your prayers and supplications. Oppose their actions, not their persons, and seek to rectify their deeds. For God says:

^[18]

That is, God desires of you no more than that you deal equitably with all people and show kindness even to those who have not done you any good. More importantly, you ought to love God’s creation as if it were your kith and kin, in the same manner that mothers treat their children. In acts of goodness there resides a concealed element of vanity. And every so often people tend to boast of their favours to others. But such a person who performs goodness out of spontaneous desire, in the likeness of a mother, can never be concerned for vanity. Thus, the highest level of virtue originates from one’s natural yearning, like that of a mother. Moreover, this verse not only relates to God’s creation but also to God Himself. Justice [Adl] towards God means to remember His blessings and show obedience to Him. Goodness [Ihsan] towards God means to be so firmly convinced of His existence as though one can see Him. And ^[19] [to give like the giving of kindred] before God can be defined as worship that is not adulterated by the greed of paradise or the fear of hell. For even if it was supposed that neither paradise nor hell existed, this would not affect your zeal, love and obedience toward Him.

The Gospel states that you should seek blessings for those who curse you. However, the Quran teaches that you should do nothing of your own ego. Rather, acquire an edict from your heart — the abode of divine manifestations — on how to govern your behaviour toward such persons. If God instils in your heart that the one who curses you is worthy of compassion and is not cursed by heaven — curse them not. Thus, you will not stand in opposition to God. But, if your conscience does not exonerate them and it is instilled in your heart that they are cursed by heaven, do not seek blessings for them. None of the Prophets sought blessings for Satan nor did they seek to liberate him from his curse. However, do not act rashly in cursing another. For many an ill-thought is steeped in falsehood and many a curse recoils on the curser. Mind your every step and deliberate over your actions and seek assistance from God, for you are blind. Or else, you might consider a just person to be a tyrant or one who is truthful to be a liar and thereby displease God. In this way all your good deeds will be wasted.

Similarly, the Gospel instructs that you should not perform good deeds so that they should be seen by others. But, the Quran admonishes against concealing all your actions from others. Instead, when wisdom dictates, perform certain actions secretly when you deem it better for your soul, and display certain actions when you believe they will benefit others in general. Thus, you will have two rewards, and as a result of your actions, those weaker people who find it difficult to muster the courage to commit good acts, might be inspired to follow your example. God himself has elaborated on the wisdom of this teaching in His Word by saying ^[20]. That is to say, do good works both secretly and openly. This means that not only should one counsel others verbally but encourage by example as well. Mere words are not always adequate in every situation; one’s practical example often has a greater impact on others.

Similarly, the Gospel teaches its followers to supplicate in seclusion. But the Quran instructs you not to pray in seclusion on all occasions. At times you ought to openly pray before others, in the company of your brethren. For, if any of your entreaties are accepted, they might serve to increase the faith of the gathering at large and cause others to be inclined towards prayer.

Similarly, the Gospel directs us to pray: ‘Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever.’^[21]

Contrary to this, the Quran says that the earth is not empty of God’s Holiness, for it is proclaimed not only in heaven, but also on earth. As it is said:

^[22]

^[23]

That is, every particle of heaven and earth glorifies and proclaims the Holiness of God and everything in them is engaged in His glorification and praise.

The mountains remember Him, the rivers remember Him, the trees remember Him and many righteous people are occupied with His remembrance. Anyone who does not remember Him with his heart and tongue and does not humble himself before God is humbled by diverse types of torment and chastisement, as a result of divine decree. According to the Book of God, angels display the highest degree of submission. The same is true of each and every leaf and particle in the earth, as stated in the Holy Quran. Everything is obedient to Him; not even a leaf can fall without God’s command. No medicine can heal without His command, nor can any food provide nourishment without it. Everything prostrates itself at the threshold of God with extreme humility and submission and is engrossed in subservience to Him. Every particle of the earth, the mountains; every droplet of the rivers, the oceans; every leaf of all the trees and plants, including their every element; every particle of man and beast recognise God, obey Him and extol His praise and glory.

That is why Allah the Exalted has said:

^[24]

That is to say, everything in the earth glorifies Allah and proclaims His Holiness, as does everything in heaven.

Then how can it be said that God is not praised and glorified in the earth? One who possesses complete understanding could never utter such a thing. Among the things of the world some are made obedient to divine laws and others are subject to divine decree, while others still are bound to the obedience of both. The clouds, wind, fire and earth are all immersed in the obedience and glorification of God.

A person who disobeys the commandments of divine law is still bound by the orders of divine decree. No one is beyond the realm of these two dominions. Everyone is bound to the heavenly kingdom in some form or other. It is true that on account of the purity and corruption of human hearts, heedlessness and divine remembrance prevail in the earth by turns, but God has not willed for this ebb and flow to occur arbitrarily, but in accordance with divine wisdom. Just as night follows day, periods of guidance and impiety alternate according to the law and will of God, not by themselves. Despite this, everything hears His voice and extols His holiness. But the Gospel says that the earth is empty of the glorification of God. This prayer of the Gospel goes on to state that the Kingdom of God has not yet arrived on the earth. Due to His dominion not yet having been established on earth, God’s will has not been put into effect on the earth, as it operates in heaven. The teaching of the Quran, however, is altogether contrary to this. The Quran clearly states that no thief, murderer, adulterer, disbeliever, or anyone who is disobedient, rebellious or an offender can perpetrate any evil upon the earth unless he is permitted from heaven. So, how can it be said that the Kingdom of Heaven does not yet prevail on earth? Does some other opposing force stand in the way of the enforcement of God’s command on the earth? Holy is Allah! Certainly not.

Rather, God Himself has established one law for the angels in heaven and another one for man on the earth. In His Kingdom of Heaven, God has given no choice to the angels. Obedience is inherent in their very nature. They are unable to disobey. They are not subject to error or forgetfulness. But human nature has been given the choice to accept or reject. Since this freedom has been conferred from on high, it cannot be said that the presence of a transgressor threatens the Kingdom of God. God’s Kingdom reigns supreme in every respect. Nonetheless, there are two systems of law. One law of divine decree governs the angels in heaven, and this makes it impossible for them to commit sin, while another law of divine decree governs the people of the temporal world and gives them the choice of good and evil from on high. But when a person seeks strength from God for the power to overcome evil, then with the support of the Holy Spirit he becomes able to conquer his weakness and safeguard himself from committing sin, as is the case with the Prophets and Messengers of God.

In the case of those who have been guilty of sin, asking for forgiveness can deliver them from the consequences of sin and they are spared from chastisement, for when light arrives, darkness is dispelled. Those evildoers who do not beg for forgiveness, that is to say, who do not seek strength from God, continue to suffer punishment for their offences. In these days, the plague has also descended upon the earth as a punishment and claims the lives of those who transgress against God. Then how can it be said that the Kingdom of God has not been established on earth?

Do not be misled by the thought that if the Kingdom of God is present on earth then why do people commit sin? Sins are also subject to the divine law of decrees. Thus, even though such people put themselves outside the law of religion, they cannot escape divine providence, that is to say, the law of divine decree. Then how can it be said that sinners do not bend to the yoke of the divine kingdom?

In British India today, theft and murder are rampant, and criminals of every class, such as those who are guilty of adultery, fraud and embezzlement etc., lurk within the State. But, it cannot be said that the British government does not rule over this land. Although the government is still in power, it has deliberately decided against executing a harsh law that would terrorise its subjects, thus making their lives unbearable. For, if the State desired, it could easily throw everyone guilty of crime into prison, thus easily preventing them from criminality; or, introduce harsher punishments, thus putting an end to crime. Hence, you can appreciate that the current rate at which alcohol is consumed, the increase of prostitution, and occurrences of theft and murder are not because the British government does not rule this land. Rather, the leniency of the government’s law has facilitated the proliferation of crime and not because the British government has abdicated its authority. As a matter of fact, it is well within the power of the State to pass a more stringent law and prescribe severer punishments in order to prevent crime. Such is the example of a human government, which is of no value in comparison to the Kingdom of God. Then how great and powerful is the Kingdom of God. If the divine law was to become so oppressive that every adulterer were to be struck by lightning, and every thief were to be afflicted by a disease whereby his hands would become rotten and fall away, and every rebellious one who denies God and His religion were to die of the plague, then before the passing of a week, the whole world would put on the garment of righteousness and virtue. Thus, the Kingdom of God is surely established on earth, but heavenly law has bestowed this much freedom that evildoers are not immediately seized with punishment. Nevertheless, punishments are meted out as well: earthquakes occur; lightning strikes; volcanoes erupt violently and claim thousands of lives; vessels sink; hundreds of lives are lost in railway accidents; storms rage; houses are reduced to rubble; some are bitten by snakes; wild beasts tear apart others; epidemics break out; and not one, but thousands of doors of destruction are open, which God’s law of nature has established in order to punish offenders. Then how can it be said that God’s Kingdom has not been established on earth?

There is no doubt that His Kingdom definitely reigns supreme. Every wrongdoer has shackles around their wrists and chains around their feet, but divine wisdom has softened its law to a degree that these shackles and chains do not manifest their constraints immediately. However, if man persists in his wrongdoing, they carry him to eternal hell and cast him into such torment, in which a wrongdoer neither lives nor dies.

In short, there are two systems of law, one which relates to the angels, in that they have been created for obedience alone, with their obedience being characteristic of their bright nature. They cannot sin, but they cannot progress in virtue either. The second system of law relates to human beings, in that, by their nature, they can be guilty of sin, but they can also make progress in piety. Both these natural laws are unchangeable and as an angel cannot become human, so too a human cannot become an angel. Both these systems of law are unchangeable — they are eternal and immutable. The law that operates in heaven cannot operate on earth, nor can the law that operates on earth be made applicable in respect of angels. If human faults end in repentance, man can become much better than angels, for angels lack the capacity to make progress. Human sins are forgiven through repentance. Divine wisdom leaves some individuals free to commit sin so that thereby they should become aware of their weakness and may be forgiven through repentance. This is the law which has been prescribed for man and this is what best accords with man’s nature.

Error and forgetfulness are characteristics of human nature, not of the angels. How can the law which regulates angels be applied to human beings? It is an error to attribute any weakness to God Almighty. These are merely the consequences of the law that are manifested upon the earth. Is God so weak that His Kingdom and power and glory are limited to heaven alone, God-forbid, or is it that some other deity possesses authority over the earth? The Christians should not emphasise that God’s Kingdom operates only in heaven and has not yet been established on earth, for they hold that heaven is nothing. It is apparent that if heaven, where God’s Kingdom should operate, is nothing, and God’s Kingdom has not yet arrived upon earth, this would mean that His Kingdom does not rule anywhere. We observe with our own eyes that God’s Kingdom is in operation on the earth. According to His law, our lives come to an end and our conditions change continuously. We experience hundreds of types of comfort and pain. Thousands of people die by God’s command and thousands are born, prayers are accepted, signs are manifested and the earth produces thousands of varieties of vegetables, fruits and flowers by His command. Then does all this occur without the Kingdom of God? Rather, heavenly bodies seem to follow a chartered course at all times and no apparent change or alteration is perceived in respect of them, which should indicate the existence of a being who brings about change in them. The earth, however, is continuously undergoing thousands of changes, alterations and transformations. Every day tens of millions of people depart this world and tens of millions are born. In every way and respect the control of a Powerful Creator is felt. Is there still no Kingdom of God on earth?

The Gospel puts forward no reason why the Kingdom of God has not yet arrived on earth. Albeit, the Messiah did pray for deliverance all through the night in the garden [of Gethsemane] and, as it is recorded in Hebrews 5 verse 7, his supplication was accepted as well, yet despite this, God did not have the power to deliver him! This, according to the Christians, could possibly serve as an argument to affirm that at the time there was no Kingdom of God on earth. But I have experienced greater trials and have been delivered from them. How then can I deny the Kingdom of God? Was the case in which I was, at the instance of Martyn Clarke, charged with conspiracy to murder in the court of Captain Douglas so that I would be sentenced to death, less grave than the case which was brought by the Jews against Jesus in the court of Pilate, merely on account of religious differences and not because of any charge of murder? But as God is the Sovereign of both heaven and earth, He informed me in advance of this case in that such a trial was forthcoming and then He told me that I would be exonerated. This news was announced to hundreds of people in advance and ultimately I was discharged. It was the Kingdom of God which delivered me from this case which had been brought against me at the joint instance of the Muslims, Hindus and Christians. Thus, not once, but many a time, I have witnessed the Kingdom of God upon earth and I am compelled to believe in the verse:

^[25]

Meaning, the Kingdom of God is established both upon earth and in heaven. Moreover, I am bound to believe in the verse:

^[26]

That is, all of heaven and earth is obedient to Him. When He wills a thing He says ‘Be’ and it happens at once. Then God says:

^[27]

In other words, God has full power over His will, but most people are unaware of His power and might.

So much for the prayer taught in the Gospel which causes human beings to despair of the mercy of God and allows Christians to take exception with His providence, beneficence, reward and punishment to the extent that they consider God incapable of helping them in this world, until His Kingdom should arrive upon the earth. In contrast, the prayer that God has taught the Muslims in the Quran illustrates that God is not powerless on the earth, like vanquished rulers. On the contrary, His system of providence, graciousness, mercy, reward and punishment are in operation on earth and He has the power to help those who worship Him and can destroy sinners with His wrath. The prayer is as follows:

^[28]

Translation: God alone is worthy of all praise. That is to say, there is no deficiency in His Kingdom. None of His excellences await a future state, which is deficient today, but would be supplemented tomorrow. No aspect of His Kingdom is ineffectual. He nourishes all the worlds. He bestows His mercy prior to any endeavour. Further, He also bestows His mercy in response to man’s actions. He rewards and punishes at the appointed time. Him alone do we worship and from Him alone do we seek help. We pray that He should show us all the paths from which we can earn His bounty and should keep us away from those paths which would incur us His wrath and lead us astray.

This prayer which is set out in Surah Fatihah is in clear contrast to the prayer taught in the Gospel, which rejects the present Kingdom of God as having been established on earth. Thus according to the Gospel neither, God’s providence, nor His graciousness, nor His mercy, nor His power to reward and punish is in operation on earth because God’s Kingdom has yet to be established on earth. Surah Fatihah, however, indicates that God’s Kingdom is present on earth and this is why the Surah fully illustrates all the requisites of kingship.

It is obvious that a king should possess the following qualities: he should possess the ability to nourish the people. In Surah Fatihah this quality is alluded to with the words Rabb-ul-Alamin [Lord of all the Worlds]. The second quality of a king should be that he should arrange for all the necessities that are required for the sustenance of his subjects, out of his kingly mercy and not in return for any service. This quality is affirmed in God by referring to Him as Ar-Rahman [the Gracious]. The third quality, which a king should possess is that he should appropriately help his subjects towards the achievement of that which they cannot attain by their own efforts. The Surah affirms this quality by the use of the word Ar-Rahim [the Merciful]. The fourth quality that a king should possess is that he should have the power to dispense reward and punishment so that social conditions should not be disturbed. This quality is affirmed in God by describing Him as Maliki Yawm-id-Deen [Master of the Day of Judge- ment]. In short, the aforementioned Surah presents all those essentials of kingship, which prove that God’s Kingdom and kingly control are in operation on earth. As such, God’s Rabubiyyat [providence] is present, His Rahmaniyyat [graciousness] is present, His Rahimiyyat [mercy] is present, His ongoing succour and punishment are present; indeed, all the prerequisites of kingship are found to existent on earth, in relation to God. Not a single particle is beyond His authority; every kind of recompense and each and every form of mercy rests in His hand.

On the other hand, the Gospel teaches that the Kingdom of God has not yet been established among us and that we should pray for its future establishment. In other words, at present, their God is not the master and king of the earth. Thus, how can one invest any hope in such a God? Listen and understand that true cognizance is to know that every particle of the earth is as much under the control of God as every particle of heaven is within His Kingdom. Both heaven and earth display a grand manifestation. As a matter of fact, the manifestation of heaven is a matter of faith. The average person has neither ascended to heaven nor witnessed this manifestation, but the manifestation of God’s Kingdom upon earth is clearly visible to everyone’s eyes.^[29]

Every human being, however wealthy he might be, must ultimately drink from the goblet of death, contrary to his desire. Observe, therefore, how the manifestation of the command of this true King is visible upon the earth, for when His commandment comes, no one can ward off their death for even a second. When a person is afflicted with a vile and mortal illness, no medical practitioner or physician is able to cure it. Reflect, therefore, what a manifestation of God’s Kingdom can be seen on earth in that His command cannot be rejected. How then can it be said that the Kingdom of God is yet to be established on earth and will arrive at some time in the future?

Reflect therefore that in this age, God’s heavenly commandment has shaken the earth with the plague so that this may serve as a sign for His Promised Messiah. Who then can remove it without God’s will? How can we assert that God’s Kingdom has not been established on earth? An evildoer dwells on God’s earth like a captive and seeks to evade his death, but God’s true kingdom brings about his end and the angel of death ultimately seizes such a person. How then can it be suggested that the Kingdom of God is yet to be established on earth? Take heed! Every day millions of people die on earth in a moment by God’s command and millions more are born in accordance with His will. Millions of underprivileged persons are made wealthy by His command and millions of the wealthy become poor. Then how can it be said that God’s Kingdom has not yet been established on earth?

Heaven is inhabited by the angels alone, but on earth, there are both men and angels, who are the agents of God and servants of His Kingdom. They guard the various enterprises of man, and are constant in their obedience to God and send their reports to Him. Then how can it be said that the Kingdom of God is yet to be established on earth?

As a matter of fact, God has been recognised with most clarity by His earthly kingdom for everyone imagines that the secret of heaven is hidden and cannot be witnessed. And so in the present age most Christians and their philosophers have rejected even the existence of heaven, on which the Gospels base the whole Kingdom of God. The earth, however, is actually a temporal abode, where thousands of divine decrees are manifested. This enables us to understand that all this change, transformation, birth and death occurs by the command of an extraordinary Master. Then how can it be said that the Kingdom of God has not yet been established on earth? Such a teaching is most inappropriate in an age when the Christians have vigorously denied the existence of the heavens. For this prayer of the Gospel readily admits that the Kingdom of God has not yet been established on earth, whilst on the other hand, all Christian scholars have, on the basis of modern study, concluded in their heart of hearts that heaven is of no importance and does not exist. As a result of this, God is left with neither His Kingdom on earth, nor in heaven. The Christians reject the heavens, while their Gospel denies the earthly Kingdom of God. Now, according to the Christians, God neither holds authority over the kingdom of this world nor over that of heaven.

In Surah Fatihah, however, our God who is the Lord of Might and Glory, has specified neither heaven nor earth and has thus disclosed to us the reality by saying that He is Rabb-ul-Alamin [the Lord of all the Worlds]. That is to say, wherever habitations^[30] or creatures of any kind exist, whether bodies or souls, God is the Creator and Sustainer of all. He is constant in His sustenance and provides for them according to their needs. His constant providence, graciousness, mercy, and punishment and reward are in operation perpetually at all times and in all the worlds. Let it be borne in mind that the phrase Maliki Yawm-id-Deen [Master of the Day of Judgement] in Surah Fatihah does not simply mean that reward and punishment would be awarded only on the Day of Judgement. The Holy Quran has repeatedly and explicitly stated that the Day of Judgement will be the time of the Grand Recompense. However, one type of punishment and reward begins in this very world, which is indicated in the verse:

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Let it also be known that the prayer of the Gospel seeks daily bread as is stated in the words: ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ How peculiar to think that such a one should be able to provide bread, when His rule is still to be established on earth. For, at present, all the fields and fruits grow independently of His command and rain falls without His influence. What power does He possess to bestow anyone bread? One should ask of Him to provide bread, only after His Kingdom has been established on earth, for at present he has no influence over anything of this world. It is only after He assumes full control over this dominion that He can grant bread to anyone. At present, even to implore Him is inappropriate. Then, the subsequent statement: ‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are indebted to us,’ is also incorrect in this respect. After all, what debt is owed to God when He has no dominion over the world yet and the Christians have gained nothing from His hand? No debt needs to be cleared with such an empty-handed God, nor need He be feared, for His Kingdom has yet to be established on earth, and the authority of His sovereignty is unable to inspire even the least bit of awe. What power has He to punish a sinner or destroy a people by the plague, as did He the transgressing people of the era of Moses^(as); rain stones upon them as was done with the people of Lot; or eradicate the disobedient by an earthquake, lightning or some other chastisement, while God’s Kingdom has not even been established on earth? Thus, as the God of the Christians is as frail as His son and as dispossessed as His son, it is futile to offer supplications to Him imploring: ‘forgive us our debt.’ What debt did we owe Him to begin with so that He should forgive us it, for His earthly kingdom is yet to be established? Since His Kingdom has not even been established on earth this would imply that all the growth in the world is independent of His command and all things of earthly nature do not belong to Him; rather, they are self-existent because He has no dominion over the earth. And because He is not the King and Sovereign of the world and none of its comforts are by His royal dictates, He has no authority or right to punish anyone. It is therefore absurd to take such a feeble one to be God and still invest hope that he will intervene in the workings of the world, for His Kingdom is yet to be established on earth. In contrast, the prayer of Surah Fatihah teaches us that on earth, God possesses at all times the same power that He possesses over other worlds. In the very outset, Surah Fatihah speaks of those perfect and mighty attributes of God which have not been so clearly stated by any other scripture in history. As Allah the Exalted states, He is Ar-Rahman [Gracious], He is Ar-Rahim [Merciful] and He is Maliki Yawm-id-Deen [the Master of the Day of Judgment]. Thereafter, we are taught to beseech Him. In addition, the supplication in question does not merely ask for daily bread like the prayer taught by the Messiah. Instead this prayer appeals to all those faculties which human nature has been endowed with since eternity and for all that it has been made to thirst after; and that is:

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That is, O Master of these perfect attributes; O the Munificent one who nourishes each and every particle, all of which benefit from Your grace, mercy and power to reward and punish! Make us heir to the pious people of the past and bestow on us each and every blessing that You bestowed on them. And save us from disobedience lest we incur Your wrath and protect us lest we are deprived of Your help and are thereby led astray. Ameen.

Now by this entire discourse, the difference between the prayer of the Gospel and the prayer of the Quran has become evident. The Gospel merely promises that the Kingdom of God will come, whereas the Quran says that the Kingdom of God is with you. Moreover, not only is it present, but everyone already practically reaps the advantages of its beneficence. Hence, the Gospel only makes a promise. The Quran however, does not make a mere promise; but rather speaks of an established kingdom and demonstrates its bounties. The superiority of the Quran is evident from the fact that it presents a God who is the saviour and comforter of righteous people in this very worldly life. There is not a soul which is devoid of His beneficence, in fact, the bounty of His providence, graciousness and mercy encompasses every soul according to its needs. Conversely, the Gospel speaks of a God whose dominion is still to be established on earth, and in fact, only makes a promise therof. Now contemplate, which of the two does reason lead us to believe is more worthy of following? Hafiz Shirazi is true when he says:

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The Gospels praise the forbearing, mild, meek and those who remain passive in the face of harassment. But the Quran does not advise that one should remain meek in every circumstance, nor to refrain from confronting evil. Rather, it teaches that forbearance, humility, meekness and passivity are all meritorious, but not when exercised inappropriately. All good deeds ought to be performed with an appreciation of appropriate time and circumstance. An act of piety exercised at an inappropriate time or situation is a sin. As you are aware, rain is an invaluable and essential bounty, but if it is unseasonal, the very same causes devastation. You know well that one cannot maintain their health by exclusively eating either cold foods or hot foods. You can only maintain your health by altering your diet according to various needs and requirements. Thus, sternness, clemency, forgiveness, retribution, blessing or curse, and all other forms of morality which possess benefit for you in various circumstances, also require a similar change.

Become a forbearing and kind person of the highest order but not in unreasonable and inappropriate circumstances. Along with this, it should also be remembered that truly sublime virtues — those that are unadulterated by the poison of selfish desires — are bestowed from on high by the Holy Spirit. You cannot attain these lofty morals simply through your own endeavours until they are bestowed upon you from heaven. And anyone who is not blessed with virtue through heavenly grace, which comes from the Holy Spirit, is false in their claim to possess good morals. These people may be likened to such water, which at its depth is contaminated by substantial amounts of filth and excrement, which surfaces in the heat of selfish passions. Thus, always seek strength from God so that you may be cleansed of this filth and excrement, and so that the Holy Spirit may inculcate within you true purity and beauty. Remember that true and pure morals are but one of the miracles of the righteous, in which they have no equal. Those who are not lost in God are not bestowed strength from on high. Therefore, it is impossible for them to inculcate pure morals. So establish a sincere relationship with your God. Discard all ridicule, mockery, rancour, foul language, greed, falsehood, unchastity, casting lustful glances, sinful thoughts, materialism, arrogance, pride, self-conceit, mischief and obduracy. Then will you be bestowed everything from heaven. Until you are strengthened by that heavenly power which raises you, and until the Holy Spirit, which bestows life, does not enter you, until then, you are immensely frail and plunged in darkness. In fact, you are dead and devoid of life. In such a state, neither can you contend against any misfortune nor can you escape pride and arrogance when in a position of prosperity and wealth; and you are in every way overcome by Satan and your own ego. Your only real effective remedy is that the Holy Spirit, which specially descends from the hand of God, should turn your face towards virtue and righteousness. Become the children of heaven, not the children of earth. And become the heirs of light, not those who are infatuated by darkness, so that you might escape the paths of Satan. Satan is ever concerned with the night and not with the day, for he is an experienced thief and steps forth only in darkness.

Continues…