The company of the truthful

Moreover, it ought to be kept in mind that as far as the essence of patience is concerned, it is also necessary to remain in the company of the truthful; as it is said:

کُوْنُوْا مَعَ الصّٰدِقِیْنَ

“Be with the truthful.”

There are many who reside afar and say that they will come to visit at some point in time because they are busy at present. Can those who are blessed to be part of a community whose emergence was promised for 1,300 years, yet they do not come forth to support it, and who do not come to sit in the company of a man who was promised by God and His Messenger, ever prosper? Absolutely not.

ہم خدا خواہی وہم دنیائے دوں

ایں خیال است و محال است و جنوں

“You seek God as well as this wretched world; this is wishful thinking; rather, impossible; nay, insanity.”

Religion encourages one to remain in good company, but if one avoids good company, how can they expect to increase in piety? I have advised my friends many times before, and reiterate again, that they ought to come and stay here time and again, and derive benefit, but very little attention is paid in this regard. People are content to make an oath of allegiance on my hand that they will give precedence to religion over worldly affairs, but realistically, they do not struggle in this cause.

Do not forget that your graves are calling you, and death approaches with every passing moment. Your each and every breath pushes you closer, yet you consider this to be a time of relief. It does not behove a believer to try and deceive Allah the Exalted. When death arrives, there is no pushing it forward or turning it back. As for those people who do not value this community and who see no greatness in it, let them go. However, even more unfortunate are those who have recognised this community to be true and were concerned to join the fold, but now they take it for granted – such people wrong their own souls. Those who do not visit often to stay in my company, and who do not hear and observe the signs which God Almighty manifests on a daily basis in support of this community, irrespective of how pious, God-fearing and righteous they may be, I would still hold that they did not value the community as they should have.

I have already mentioned that after a person’s knowledge is perfected, the perfection in one’s practice is required. Hence, perfection in practice is impossible without the perfection of one’s knowledge, and until a person comes to stay here, the perfection of their knowledge is difficult. I receive a multitude of letters in which people write that some person raised the following allegation and we were unable to respond. What is the reason for this? This is because they do not come here to visit and do not listen to the insights which God Almighty manifests in terms of knowledge, to support this divine community.

Therefore, if you truly recognise the divine nature of this community and believe in God, and if you sincerely promise to give precedence to religion over worldly affairs, then I ask, what endeavours are being made in this regard? Has the commandment کُوْنُوْا مَعَ الصّٰدِقِیْنَ (Be with the truthful) been abrogated? If you truly have faith – and truly fortunate you are, if you do – then give precedence to Allah the Exalted over all else. If you consider this advice to be useless and worthless, then remember, you shall be deemed as one who mocks God Almighty.

(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as, Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 200-201)