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As in time a tree withers and decays, "so it is with religions; through the passing of time they change from their original foundation, the truth of the religion of God entirely departs...; heresies appear, and it becomes a body without a soul. That is why it is renewed." (Saq 190) (97:3) "We should, therefore, detach ourselves from the external forms and practices of religion. We must realize that these forms and practices, however beautiful, are but garments clothing the warm heart and living limbs of Divine Truth." (Pt 136) (97:4) Of "that which hath descended from the realm of glory, uttered by the tongue of power... and revealed unto the Prophets of old, We have taken the inner essence... and clothed it in the garment of brevity." (Hwa 3) (97:5) "Moses... brought tidings of joy unto the people of Israel. To this testify the records of the sacred books... (But) it is not Our wish to relate the stories of the days that are past. God is Our witness that what we even now mention is solely... that the ignorant be led unto the ocean of divine knowledge... Otherwise, this servant regardeth the consideration of such records a grave mistake and grievous transgression." (Iqan 63) (97:6) "By corruption of the text is meant that in which all Muslim divines are engaged today, that is the interpretation of God's holy Book in accordance with their idle imaginings and their vain desires. And as the Jews, in the time of Muhammad, interpreted those verses of the Pentateuch, that referred to His Manifestation, after their own fancy... the charge of 'perverting' the text was therefore pronounced against them." (Iqan 86- 7)
(97:7)
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