(Before Zuhr Prayer)
Sheikh Fazal Karim, who had the honour of performing Hajj [the Pilgrimage] this year, was in Darul-Amaan [Qadian] for a few days. He met the Promised Messiah (as) before Zuhr Prayer and narrated, in full, the details of the excruciating hardships that the pilgrims had to endure that year. He said that soon after exiting the British territory and entering Turkish territory, they encountered such hardships that it can be said with certainty that they are likely to end up stopping the Hajj altogether, at least for Indian residents. He mentioned the unbearable restrictions of quarantine in the Turkish territory, the extreme greed and avarice of the doctors and officials there, their total disregard for thousands of lives for their personal benefit, and destruction of food and clothing in the disinfection by steam procedures or the theft of their money. Indian pilgrims found it difficult to get something even by paying three times more than what the Egyptian pilgrims would pay. Though the Sultan had provided wells every two miles, workers and administrators there would not give even a glass of water without charging for it. Despite the provision of guards and police post by the Sultan, there was total lawlessness to the extent that one could not stay alive even if he deviated a few yards from the main road. The harsh treatment directed particularly towards Indians, physical beating for minor issues, having no recourse nor redress, use of derogatory words like kazzab [a great liar] and battal [deceiver] etc., are such adversities that it made it a terrible ordeal.
After listening to this entire account, the Promised Messiah (as) said:
I advise you that all these matters of hardship should not result in any wavering or weakness in the strength of your faith. This is a trial from God Almighty. It should not tarnish the holy beliefs. Because of these difficulties, the reverence of that holy site should not diminish in your hearts. There was a time worse than this when the same holy site was in the control of the impure idolaters. They had made it a house for idols. All these hardships and adversities are the stages towards the auspicious times and life to come.
Look, before the advent of the Holy Prophet (sas) the condition of the world had become precarious. Disbelief, idolatry, strife, and impiety had grown beyond limits. It was after that darkness that a light had appeared in the world. Similarly, we should hope that Allah the Exalted will bring forth some means of improvement after these difficulties too, and God creates some means of reformation. In fact, there had been another similar perilous and critical time for the same holy and sacred site which was pointed out to the Holy Prophet (sas) by God Almighty:
اَلَمْ تَرَ کَیْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّکَ بِاَصْحٰبِ الْفِیْلِ1
Thus, it is now the third such occurrence. Allah the Exalted will certainly turn His attention to it. And His turning to it will, indeed, be in the form of wrath.
A person by the name of Sayyed Abdul Majeed Khan from Kabul was in Qadian for the past few days. He submitted to the Promised Messiah (as) that he wished to stay close to him and study the Faith.
The Promised Messiah (as) said:
Now your age is not suitable to focus on learning. You should work hard and earn a living and be righteous in the way of God. The ultimate objective of all sound knowledge is to put them into practice. If one does not act after acquiring knowledge, then he commits a grave sin and his accountability will also be harsh. To become a maulawi and yet commit sin—this flags the fury and wrath of God. Those who follow the ways of the humble and are ordinary Muslims will be judged leniently. Therefore, strive to improve your practical condition.2
1 Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the People of the Elephant? (Surah al-Fil, 105:2) [Publisher]
2 Al-Hakam, vol. 12, no. 29, p. 1, dated 22 April 1908