The state of our opponents is one that may be apprehended to result in a loss of faith, because such people deem a good man to be evil and one commissioned by Allah, a liar. This is to war with God Almighty. It is a clear fact that God Almighty has commissioned me and sent me to the world as the Promised Messiah. Those who oppose me do not oppose me, they oppose God, for many of them held me in a position of esteem before I made my claim.
Many such people considered it worthy of spiritual reward and a source of pride to hold my water pot and pour from it so that I could perform my ablution. There were many from among them who insisted upon swearing an oath of allegiance to me. But when this community was established in the name of God by His very command, these very same people stood up in opposition against me.
This clearly demonstrates that their heartfelt enmity was not towards me, but towards God Almighty. For if they had a sincere relationship with God Almighty, their piety, virtue and fear of God demanded that when I made my claim, they ought to have come forth to accept my announcement; they ought to have prostrated in gratitude before God and welcomed me – but no. They took up their arms and set forth pushing in opposition to such an extent that they called me a disbeliever and a heretic; they named me the Anti-Christ. Alas! These foolish people fail to understand that as for the man who hears the divine words قل انى امرت وانا اول المؤمنين (“‘Say, I am the first to turn towards Allah under His command in this age’”) and انت منی بمنزلۃ توحیدی وتفریدی (“You are to Me like My Unity and Uniqueness”) why should he care in the least for the abuse and bitter language of such people?
It is a shame that these foolish people do not even realise that disbelief and faith do not relate to this world; in fact, they relate to God Almighty. As far as God Almighty is concerned, He attests to my being a believer and divinely commissioned. Why then would I care about this absurd behaviour? Therefore, the stated facts evidently demonstrate that these people do not oppose me, but rather they oppose the commandments of God Almighty. It is for this very reason that the opponents of one appointed by Allah lose their faith. It is clear that my opponents are actually at war with God Almighty. If I am advancing towards light, and it is certain that I am, because countless signs have been and continue to be manifested by God Almighty in my support, and these signs are descending from heaven like rain, then it is also certain that my opponents are falling into darkness.
Luminosity and divine light attract the Holy Spirit, while darkness moves one closer to Satan; in this manner, the opposition of a saint results in the loss of faith and joins a person with the worst of companions. In short, a person becomes righteous and reformed when they attain to the ranks of perfect practice. It is stated in Surah Asr:
اِلَّا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ
(Except those who believe and do good works), and the words aamanu allude to the perfection of one’s knowledge, while the words amilus-salihat guide a person towards the perfection of practice. Wisdom also has two aspects: firstly, knowledge ought to be perfect and complete; and secondly, action must also be excellent and free from deficiency.
(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 197-198)
