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the Message of Allah that was His Word; he led the
prayers, administered the divine service, and fought the
holy wars against the unbelievers and the idolaters to
defend his cause. However, the success and the victory
achieved was God’s. In the same way, John preached and
baptized, but the contrition, penance, and the remission
of sins could only be done by God. The Prophet John’s
prediction that “he who comes after me is more powerful
than I; he will baptize you with the Spirit and with fire” is
quite intelligible, because only through Muhammad (pbuh)
this spiritual baptism was given and performed.

It is to be remarked that the form and material of this
baptism is altogether divine and supernatural. We feel
and see the effect of an invisible but real cause which
accomplishes that effect. There is no longer water as
the material, nor a baptist to officiate at the ritual or the
form. It is God who, through the Spirit, works it out. The
materials of the “Sibghatullah” in the words of the Baptist
are the Holy Spirit and fire. The form exclusively belongs
to Allah. We cannot attribute to the Almighty any form
of operation except His Word “Kun” -“Be!”- and His
command is obeyed or created. The result is that a Muslim
becomes sanctified, enlightened, and an equipped soldier
to fight the Satan and his idolatry. These three effects of
the “Sibghatullah” deserve a serious consideration and
study. Their exposition is but brief.

1. The Holy Spirit, whether the Archangel Gabriel
or another of the created Superior Spirits, by the
command of God sanctifies the spirit of a Muslim at
his birth or conversion - as the case may be; and this
sanctification means:

(a) Engraving a perfect faith in the one true God.
The “Subghatu ’lLah” makes the spirit of a true Muslim
believe in the absolute unity of Allah, to rely upon Him,
and to know He alone is his Master, Owner, and Lord.