THE WORD OF GOD — From The Scriptures

wickedness thus uncovered would appear so ugly that people would be sure to keep their distance from it. From this point of view, every bad thing in which a man indulges is a falsehood. In the present world, the test of a man is that he should recognise falsehood. He should be able to tear down the outer curtain and see things in the light of reality. When a man is given advice which goes against his whims and fancies, he immediately becomes annoyed. In the eyes of God, such a person is blind and deaf, because he has not used his eyes to see reality and has not used his ears to hear the voice of Truth. If he has not welcomed the advice, it is because he is like a man deprived of the powers of hearing and seeing. In the eyes of God, a man capable of seeing and hearing is one who avoids pointless things when he sees them, but if true advice comes his way, immediately accepts it. Every man with a family is the leader (imam) of his family. If his family members are God-fearing, he is the imam of God-fearing people. But if his family members are forgetful of God, he is at the head of those who are oblivious of God. These are the ones who will be rewarded with lofty mansions in Paradise, for their steadfastness. They will be received therein with greetings of welcome and salutations of peace. There they shall abide forever: blessed dwelling and a blessed resting place. Say, ‘What would my Lord care for you, if you do not call on Him. Because you have indeed rejected the truth and His punishment is bound to overtake you. 25: 75-77 Those who had humbled themselves in this world for the sake of Truth, will be lodged in the loftiest dwellings of paradise. They lived with humility in this world so, in the Hereafter, God will reward them with high status. This was expressed by Jesus Christ as follows: ‘Blessed are those who are poor in this world. It is they who will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.’ Paradise is the place on high where all desires will be completely fulfilled; the qualities which take a human being to paradise may be developed by one who is prepared to exercise patience. For, in exercising patience, he will be able to fully curb his desires in this world. This is the price one has to pay for entering Paradise. One who is not prepared to pay the requisite price of patience in this world will be doomed to live forever in hell. o