Someone wrote to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa that non-Ahmadi Muslims, including some of their family members, raised the allegation that the Promised Messiahas had written that one who had not read all of his books three times, had not understood his claim. Such people asked if all Ahmadis had read these books three times. The questioner asked what the reply to this allegation was.
Huzooraa, in a letter dated 20 February 2020, gave the following reply to this question:
“The Promised Messiahas has not written anywhere that anyone who had not read all of his books three times did not understand his claim; rather, the Promised Messiahas has stated, ‘And he who does not listen to the words of God’s Appointed One and Messenger attentively and does not read his writings carefully, has also partaken of arrogance. So, endeavour and let there be no arrogance in you, so that you may not perish and you be saved along with all of your family.’ (Nuzul-ul-Masih [Urdu], Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 18, p. 403)
“This statement of the Promised Messiahas means that those who only remain occupied with worldly books and sciences and do not pay attention to religious books and knowledge have a kind of arrogance in them because they consider worldly knowledge to be sufficient. However, acquiring religious knowledge is very important for man’s deliverance. And religious knowledge comes from the study of religious books.
“At one place, the Promised Messiahas said, while emphasising about his book Haqiqatul Wahi [The Philosophy of Divine Revelation]:
“‘Our friends should read Haqiqatul Wahi from beginning to end with great attention — in fact, they should memorise it. No maulvi will be able to stand before them because all the necessary matters have been elucidated in it and replies have been given to the objections.’ (Malfuzat [Urdu], Vol. 5. p. 235, 1988)
“Thus, if it were true that a person who did not read all of the books of the Promised Messiahas three times could not understand his claim, then the Promised Messiahas would not have emphasised on carefully reading Haqiqatul Wahi once, but would have instructed that we read it three times like the rest of the books.
“The Promised Messiahas himself has not stated this anywhere in his writings. Nevertheless, there is a narration from Siratul Mahdi which reads that ‘the Promised Messiahas used to say that one who did not read his books at least three times had a kind of arrogance in him.’ (Siratul Mahdi [Urdu], Vol. 1, p. 365, Narration No. 410)
“This narration also carries the same meaning as I have stated above, namely that reading only worldly books while leaving aside religious books and acquiring only worldly knowledge while neglecting religious knowledge reflects the existence of arrogance in a person. Therefore, every Ahmadi ought to take maximum benefit from these spiritual treasures.”
