No one could match him in knowledge or in strength; he broke the arrogance of all who would be haughty.
On one hand, kings of the age were astounded by him; and on the other hand, all the wise were confounded.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, Ever Merciful
Firstly, the people no longer possess such belief in God Almighty as would nurture righteousness and fear. God is not considered to be Powerful and Omnipotent, nor deemed to be One Who will punish the wrongdoers and One who knows what lies in the breasts of people. If this were not the case, why would the people be so bold and brazen in committing sin?
Whenever sin and Satan have ever possessed such powerful dominance over the world, and whenever vice and immorality have ever blackened and destroyed the hearts and breasts of man, the primary factor has always been that true and open-hearted belief in the existence of Allah Almighty has vanished. The era which yearned for and demanded the advent of the Prophet Muhammad, our Noble Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, cried out and called for a reformer due to the disorders of which it was a victim. In the same manner, this era also calls out for a reformer due to the manifest indecency and brazen vices which run rampant at present. Just as, in the era of past, the Noble Messenger(sa) showed the people their God and in doing so cut the root of every disorder, the greatest need in today’s age also is for such means and factors to be made available, and for such methods to be employed, which as if, show the countenance of God to the people, and develop certainty and faith in His ever-living, powerful Being.
Hence, just as we are now in dire need of a reformer, it is equally imperative that the stature and power of the reformer who appears in this age be such that he is greater than everyone else in his ability to see God and show God. Further, this power ought to wield its influence in two ways. On the one hand, he must satisfy and satiate the hearts of people through his powerful proofs, conclusive arguments and convincing insights. His expositions and words replete with the power of the Holy Spirit ought to be such as move the heart all by itself to proclaim that there is a God; so that the spirit of truth is breathed into every heart and a holy transformation takes place in them all at once. On the other hand, this reformer ought to possess the ability to manifest powerful prophecies which encompass knowledge of the unseen, so that he may be worthy of being a vicegerent of the Most Hidden, Powerful God. It is then, in actuality, that this man will be a perfect reflection of our Noble Messenger, the Prophet of Islam. In fact, it is only such people who in reality possess the capacity to set aright the people through their perfect example. For the Noble Messenger(sa) also is wholly distinct from others on account of these very two abilities. On the one hand, he conquered the hearts through an academic book that is founded on solid argumentation and reason, namely the Holy Quran, and with it, he uprooted falsehood intellectually. On the other hand, along with the aforementioned, through the fulfilment of powerful prophecies, his enemies were disgraced in the outwardly and apparent sense.
No one could match him in knowledge or in strength; he broke the arrogance of all who would be haughty.
On one hand, kings of the age were astounded by him; and on the other hand, all the wise were confounded.
Therefore, in the present age we are faced with a similar time, which calls for a reformer of the same nature and quality.
Secondly, there is terrible division and divisiveness among the people. At this time, we do not have seventy-two sects, rather every individual in himself is a sect. The state of dogmatism and personal judgement in religious affairs is such that one cleric considers the other far removed from rectitude and drowned in error. Two clerics in the same city or village conduct themselves as if they are supporters and advocates of separate religions altogether. Backs have been turned to the Book of God Almighty and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet(sa), while faces are fully turned towards carnal desire, ill tradition and habit. Day and night, the people are bent upon accusing one another of disbelief and sin as dogs brawl with one another. The enjoyments of the world and worldly position has become the centre of all their ambitions. They sport with the word of God Almighty and the Sunnah of Muhammad(sa), the Best of Creation, as children play with toys.
In addition to this, grave discord has consumed the Wahabis and Muqallids, the Shias and Sunnis. The rafter which supports the roof has broken, as it were, and this heavy roof might well-nigh collapse to crush them all and dispatch them to the next life.
The time now calls for a hero who would do away with these divisions. The leaders of the Muqallids advocate for their own cause while the Wahabis support their own point of view. Those who have ventured to remove these oppositions may be described perfectly by the following:
You delivered me from the claw of the wolf; when I looked closer, in the end, you too were a wolf.
Instead of uniting the Muslims, they have disunited them even further; instead of making them firm, they have turned them more and more faithless.
At the moment, the most significant form of disorder preventing the people from uniting as one—and without unity there can be no reformation—is this very division of religion and sects. Hence, this establishes the dire need for a reformer who would put an end to these destructive divisions that ravage the community from within.
Thirdly, the affluent who could have been supporters and defenders of the nation—and who ought to have been—are essentially engrossed in fun and frivolity, and wholly absorbed in satisfying their own desires, lusts and ambitions. On account of their sin, transgression, and wrongdoings, the most imminent of chiefs and nawabs have died an untimely death, as it were, and the rest, in overwhelming majority, are sitting on their hands; no one is concerned about the supremacy of the Faith.
So our religious scholars are as I have mentioned earlier; the common people and the affluent are of the nature that I have just described. If now is not the time for a pure and holy reformer, then when?
Fourthly, the greatest and most serious disorder is that of the Sufis and custodians of shrines. The public gives them hundreds and thousands of rupees and even they too, in overwhelming majority, like the rich, are immersed in vice and immorality, in physical comfort, and in slumber and gluttony. They have absolutely no idea of the instructions of Allah and His Messenger(sa); they know not what is the practice of the Holy Prophet(sa) and what constitutes an innovation in the Faith. They are inclined to their own self-concocted notions and inauthentic views. They have formed religious denominations so harmful and as a result are put to shame so horribly that the religion of Islam observes them from afar, and laughs and cries. In reality, thousands and thousands of new religions have sprung forth in the guise of Islam, and so the enemies of Islam find ample opportunity to raise allegations against the Religion of Truth and subject it to mockery. These people do not possess even the slightest feeling or sense of the state in which Islam and the Muslims are engulfed, or of the perilous onslaughts that the external enemies of Islam are waging against the Faith—how they are bent upon destroying the very pillar upon which it stands. In short, our nation crumbles on account of their negligence. By the tongue of its present state, our nation calls for a reformer.
Firstly, the greatest corruption of all, and in fact the fundamental disorder, is that of Christianity. This disorder is manifesting itself in many forms:
Through schools, it is turning thousands and thousands of children away from their religion and weakening their faith.
Its missionaries and preachers are ruining the faith of simple village-folk and the uneducated.
It is setting ablaze Muslim households through the efforts of lady preachers.
Mission hospitals are perpetrating what no form of compulsion and coercion has ever done in the past.
In times of famine, thousands of the poor and destitute are given food, and then led astray.
Influence has been exerted through the authorities and thousands of men renounced their faith under pressure.
Newspapers, monthly periodicals and books are responsible for destroying thousands.
Secondly, institutions of higher education are fertile ground for the spread of materialism and irreligiousness. Of the courses and textbooks that are introduced every other day, some are absolutely inclined towards atheism. Some of these books have been written explicitly with the motive to attack Islam. Since Christian priests sit as influential members on textbook selection committees, they support the selection of such books.
In short, these colleges and universities have given the world hybrid men who are neither true philosophers, nor completely ignorant. They are people who look to Islam with an eye of contempt in the academic sense, and often practically as well; people who like the unrestrained and audacious consider the Religion of Truth and its laws to be of no use. Most of these people are completely irreligious and free from divine law.
When a certain irreligious man, who was also an M.A., was told to abstain from indecency and adopt a course of marriage, he declared like the libertines of France that marriage is nothing but an unnecessary restriction; man is free to do as he wills, like a dog.
Therefore, the colleges and universities have infected the world with a terrible plague. These sons of secular education who are leading members of society raise slogans of materialism, and organise committees and conferences for worldly objectives alone, they strive and move forward to attain the world, and it is for this purpose that they spend their wealth. If religion is mentioned to them, they become angered and infuriated. Their philosophy, metaphysics and science constitute the root of all disorders. In the present age, there is a need for a reformer who would firmly establish true knowledge in the place of these false sciences.
Thirdly, court cases and legal pursuits have massacred exemplary qualities such as truth, righteousness, honesty, trustworthiness, brotherhood and sympathy. This has filled homes and localities, and villages and cities, with wolves, leopards, jackals and dogs in the guise of men. Those who write appeals and submissions, generally, lawyers, barristers and attorneys, encourage people to press for legal action. In this state of affairs, how can the fear of God be nurtured in the hearts? Deceitful schemes and plans are made day and night, in every home, to fight court cases, while religion and religious work has been neglected.
Fourthly, various departments, especially those for telegrams, post and rail are so heavily burdened by work that may God have mercy! One man is employed at a post where three men are required. Due to this excessive workload and extreme pressure, the room for God has been occupied and filled completely. What time do the people have for religious training, turning towards Allah, and for the fulfilment of religious obligations and objectives?
The department for the railways has given rise to grave negligence. There is no free time to be had, whether day or night, at railway stations. To remain awake during the night and work during the day, is as if, man is being taught to war against his inherent inclination to adhere to the law of nature established by God. Hence, this is a terrible form of deception which has for the most part rendered useless the faculties of faith.
Fifthly, in relation to those in authority and prominent officials it is stated:
People follow the religion of their Kings.
Since higher officials are but materialistic worms of the earth and have not even the slightest concern for God or the next life, it is necessary for the citizens of this land to be subjected to the same influence. No doubt, most of the subjects of this land have become dogs of the material world.
Like the Christians, this nation also has made attacks upon Islam, and has published such vile and filthy books against Islam that would make any indignant Muslim’s hair stand on end. Many a Muslim have joined them or developed a nature of the Arya Samaj. They are constantly publishing newspapers and periodicals in which the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and the Holy Quran are insulted. Thousands of Muslims who possess only elementary understanding of their beliefs read these publications and are ruined. Since the followers of this religion hold prominent positions and serve as officers in various departments, Muslims are being grievously mistreated at their hands. In short, a devastating storm rages on while the vessel of Islam is being hit by violent waves. In this hour, the advent of a reformer is but necessary. Peace be upon you.
Humbly,
Abdul-Karim
18 Ramadan 1317 A.H.