The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 435
The Holy Qur'an 435 and pure and possess a high degree of holiness and vir- tue. It is true that God holds converse with some pure people but that also happens when according to Divine Wisdom true need arises for such converse. The differ- ence between the two needs is that Divine law is revealed at the time of such need when the people of the world, through misguidance and error, have turned away from the right path and a new law is needed to bring them back to it, which should remove their afflictions and lift their darkness totally by the light of its perfect and heal- ing statements, and should provide with its forceful pronouncements the remedy which is needed by the cor- rupt condition of the world. But the converse that is held with the Auliya' is not pre- ceded by this great need. Very often, the purpose of such converse is to invest the soul of a saint with steadfastness at a time of distress, or to convey some piece of good news to him at a time when he is overcome by sorrow and grief. But the perfect and Holy Word of God Al- mighty that descends upon Prophets and Messengers is revealed, as we have just stated, when a true need for it arises and when mankind is in dire need of its revelation. Thus the true cause of the descent of the Word of God is its proper need. When the whole night becomes dark and no light is left you realize that the appearance of the new moon is near. In the same way, when the darkness of misguidance overcomes the world, sane reason appreci- ates that the appearance of the spiritual moon is near. In the same way, when people are afflicted with a drought, the wise among them consider the descent of the rain of mercy very near. In His physical law also God has appointed some seasons