Gems of the Promised Messiah & Imam Mahdi (as) – The Need for Effort and Exertion

After this is mentioned God’s attribute of الرَّحِيمِ [al-Rahim] – that is, the One Who appoints goodly rewards for efforts, endeavours, and deeds.

This attribute rejects the sect which considers deeds to be utterly futile. They say fasting and [obligatory five daily] prayers are inconsequential, and that they will enter paradise if the ٌغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ [Ghafur-Rahim – Most Forgiving, Merciful] grants them the favour or else they will end up in hell. At times they even say such things as: ‘We aren’t going to become saints by doing [acts of] worship; it doesn’t matter whether you do it or you don’t!’

By saying He is  الرَّحِيمِ [al-Rahim], God, in fact, refutes such people and informs us that the one who makes the effort and absorbs himself in the love and devotion to God, does become distinguished from others and does become God’s favourite. God Himself lends a helping hand to such a person as He says:

وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا [1]

Meaning that those who strive in My path, I do, ultimately, show them My path.

All the past saints, prophets, and pious persons exerted great effort in the path of God. Thereupon, God Almighty opened His doors to them. Yet those who do not believe in this attribute of God Almighty say little can be achieved through their efforts – what is already ordained in destiny from day one, must come to pass. There is no need for their efforts – whatever will happen, will happen on its own. Perhaps thieves and robbers and other miscreants subscribe to the same doctrine deep within. 

In short, it ought to be remembered that God’s actions are of two kinds. First are those where human actions have no bearing, such as [the creation of] the sun, the moon, the air, etc., which God had already fashioned through His Omnipotence long before we came into existence. The second are those wherein actions do have a bearing. The worshipper, the devout, and the pious ones worship and then attain their reward.

………………………………………………………………………….

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), The Essence of Islam – Vol. IV (Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2004), 43-44.