The Sermon

Delivered by the Promised Messiah, may peace be on him, after the Eidul-Fitr prayer.

Muslims should be immensely grateful to Almighty Allah who has blessed them with a religion which is free from every kind of corruption, abomination, and defect in both theory and practice.

If man were to ponder carefully, he would realize that, in actual fact, all praiseworthy qualities and attributes belong to Almighty Allah, and that no human being or any other creature, in its own right, truly deserves praise and exaltation. Even with a little pondering, it would become quite obvious to him that whenever someone merited praise it was the result of creating something at a time when there was neither any existence nor any knowledge thereof; or providing all such means for life at a time when there was neither life nor knowledge of any such means for its survival, sustenance, and preservation; or showing mercy and protecting man at a time when many misfortunes could have befallen him. Or, someone might be worthy of praise for refusing to allow a diligent worker’s labour to go to waste and granting due rights to those who work diligently. Even though rendering the worker his rights is apparently his due, someone may be laudable simply for the complete fulfilment of those rights.

These are the excellent qualities that can render someone worthy of praise and admiration. Reflect and see that all these praiseworthy qualities truly belong to Almighty Allah who perfectly exemplifies them to the exclusion of all others.

First, consider the attribute of creation and sustenance. In connection with this attribute, one can presume that parents and other benefactors have certain interests and motives for showing kindness. The proof thereof is that parents, for instance, feel happy when the child is born healthy, strong, and handsome. If it is a boy, this happiness increases manifold and celebrations are held, but if it is a girl, the entire household goes into mourning as if it were a dark day and they feel too embarrassed to go out in public. There are instances when some ignorant people put baby girls to death by using various devices, or pay little regard to their upbringing. And if the child is born crippled, blind, or handicapped, the parents desire its death and it would be no surprise if they were to kill it, believing it to be an unbearable burden. I have read that the Greeks used to intentionally kill such children. In fact their royal law prescribed that if a child was born disabled, handicapped, or blind, it should immediately be put to death.

This clearly illustrates that human thought is tainted with personal and selfish motives when it comes to upbringing and care. On the contrary, Almighty Allah has no personal motive in the creation and sustenance of His creatures (which are beyond imagination and description and which fill the heavens and the earth). Unlike the parents, He does not seek any service or provision [in return]. He creates them merely out of the decree of His Providence. Everyone will admit that planting a tree, watering it, taking care of it, and protecting it until it bears fruit, is indeed a great favour. So, if you reflect upon man and his condition and his sustenance, you will realize that God Almighty has bestowed a mighty favour by helping him through diverse upheavals, vicissitudes, and turns of fortune.

The second aspect is the one I have mentioned above; namely, the complete provision of means for the proper functionality of civilized life and human faculties prior to our creation. Look at all of the means that were provided for us even before we were born. Would we be able to see without the bright shining sun that now rises, through which light disseminates all around? By what other means could we have derived the benefits and advantages associated with light? Eyesight would have been useless had there been no sun or moon, or any other source of light. While it is also true that eyes have an ability to see, it is of no use without external light. It is, therefore, a singular favour of God that He has already provided all the means essential for utilizing various faculties. And how merciful of Him to have bestowed such faculties [upon man] wherein He has placed the capacity which is necessary for the perfection of man and the accomplishment of his goals! Allah has endowed the brain, the nervous system, and the vascular system with such properties that, when they are put to use, they achieve perfection. Thus He has also provided therewith the means of perfecting these faculties. Thusly does the framework of the internal system function that every single faculty is in full accord with the aims and objectives that ensure man’s well-being.

The very same order applies to the external system. Whatever kind of profession one may have, the raw materials and tools relevant to it are provided well before one’s birth. For example, if a cobbler was not able to find leather and thread, how would he produce them in order to pursue his craft? Similarly, what would a tailor sew if there was no cloth? The same is the case with every individual. No matter how skilled and knowledgeable a physician is, what can he do if there are no medicines? He may write a prescription after much deliberation, but what would he do if there was no medicine available in the market? How gracious of God that He has bestowed knowledge on the one hand, and, on the other, He has produced different kinds of plants, minerals, and animals which are helpful to the sick, and has endowed them with a variety of properties that can meet the unforeseen needs in every age. In short, nothing that God Almighty has created is useless. It is documented in medical texts that if anyone is suffering from urinary retention, sometimes urination restarts by entering lice through the opening of the urethra. Can anyone surmise the extent to which man can benefit from the support of all these things? Absolutely not! On the contrary, it is beyond anyone’s imagination.

Thereafter, the fourth point is the reward of labour, which also depends upon God’s grace. For example, whatever toil and trouble a man may take to till the land, if the help of Almighty God is not with him, how can he bring home the harvest? It is through His sheer grace and bounty that every single thing occurs in its own time. Accordingly, the people would have well-nigh perished during the recent drought had God not poured forth the rain out of His own grace, and protected the life of a large population.

In short, first and foremost, it is God Almighty who, in His own right, is fully and perfectly worthy of praise. No one else is worthy of worship in his own right. If any one else deserves any praise, it is only because of dependence upon Him. Moreover, even this is the mercy of God Almighty that despite His being the unrivalled One without partner, He allows some to share His meritorious attributes in a dependent way as He says in the following holy surah:

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Herein, Almighty Allah has—along with the Truly Worthy of praise [i.e.Himself ]—implicitly indicated those also who deserve praise temporarily; and this is so that high morals might be perfected. Accordingly, He has specified three kinds of rights in this surah. First, it exhorts to seek refuge with Allah, who comprehends all perfect attributes, and is the Lord of mankind, the King, and the Truly Worshipped and Sought One. This surah is such that while firmly retaining the essence of Tauheed [Oneness of God], it has simultaneously alluded to not violating the rights of other people who manifest these titles in the manner of a shadow. Within the word Rabb is the indication that although it is God who actually nurtures and brings everything to perfection, there are also two other beings who temporarily and reflectively manifest [this] Nurturing Lordship [of God]; one physically and the other spiritually. The physical [manifestation] are parents and the spiritual [manifestation] is a religious head and spiritual guide.

It is mentioned in another place along with its explanation :

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Meaning that, God has decreed that we should worship none other than Him and be benevolent to our parents. Indeed, how marvellous this ruboobiyyat [providence] is that when man is an infant and is completely helpless, what diverse services the mother performs in such a precarious condition, and how the father, in these circumstances, becomes the supporter of the mother’s efforts. God Almighty, in His sheer grace, has created these two agents to take care of the helpless creatures and has bestowed upon them a reflection of the light of His love. It should, however, be borne in mind that the love of parents is adventitious while the love of God Almighty is inherent reality, and unless it is inspired into the hearts by God, no human being—be they a friend, a peer, or a ruler—can ever love anyone. This is the mystery of the perfect Ruboobiyyat of God that the parents bear such love for their children that, in raising them, they cheerfully endure all kinds of troubles so much so they do not even hesitate to die to protect their lives.

Hence, for the perfection of high morals, God Almighty has alluded to parents and spiritual guides in the expression Rabbin-Naas so that out of gratitude for this reflective and manifest design, one may be moved to express gratitude to the True Sustainer and Guide.

The key to unravelling this mystery is that this noble surah begins with stating Rabbin-Naas rather than beginning with Ilaahin-Naas. Since the spiritual guide instructs in accordance with the will of God Almighty as well as with His providence and guidance, he too is included herein. The second verse is Malikin-Naas; meaning, seek refuge with Allah who is your King. This is one more point of guidance aimed at acquainting people with the principles of the civilized world and making them cultured. In reality, Almighty Allah alone is the King. However, there is an indication in this that there do exist kings by way of reflection and this is the very reason why it also contains reference to fulfilling the rights of the reigning king of the time.

There is no qualification here whatsoever—be the king an infidel, a pagan, or a monotheist— rather, it is a general reference regardless of whatever religion the king be; religion and belief are dealt elsewhere. Wherever God speaks of a benefactor in the Holy Quran, He imposes no such condition that he be a Muslim, a monotheist, or a follower of a particular sect; rather, the benefactor is spoken of in general terms to whatever religion he may belong. God Almighty strictly admonishes us in His own Holy Word to be good to the one who is good, as the following verse makes very clear:

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Can the reward of goodness be anything but goodness?

I now announce to my Jama’at and to the entire audience clearly and with great transparency that the British Government is our benefactor which has conferred great favours upon us. Anyone whose age is sixty or seventy years is well aware of how we endured life during the days of Sikh rule. The many hardships faced by the Muslims in those days are no secret; their recollection makes the body shudder and the heart tremble. During that period Muslims were prohibited from performing acts of worship and other religious obligations, the observance of which being dearer to them than their own lives. Azan, which is prologue to Prayer, was forbidden to be sounded aloud. If ever a muazzin 4 would mistakenly call out Allah-o-Akbar [Allah is the Greatest] aloud, he would be killed. Likewise, the matter of what is lawful and unlawful in Islam was needlessly interfered with. Once, in a case involving a cow [and its alleged slaughter], five thousand helpless Muslims were put to death. In Batala it so happened that a Sayyed, a resident thereof, on returning home, found a herd of cows crowding his doorstep. He slightly pushed them with the tip of his sword and inadvertently pierced the skin of a cow. Upon this event, the poor fellow was apprehended and it was vociferously proposed that he be executed. In the end, his life was spared after many solicitations, but his hand was chopped off. Now, in contrast, look at the extent of freedom enjoyed by the people of every caste and creed.

Let us confine ourselves to just the Muslims. The Empire allows full freedom to perform religious obligations and acts of worship. It does not unjustly interfere with the property, life, and honour of someone, in sharp contrast to those turbulent times when everyone—no matter how blameless his conduct—feared for his life and property. However, if someone is guilty of evil conduct, thus becoming liable to punishment on account of his perversity, crookedness, and perpetration of crimes, that is quite a separate issue. Or, if one is lax in worship due to his own misbelief and negligence, it is a different matter altogether, for the Government has granted complete freedom in every respect. At present, you can become as ardent a worshipper as you wish because there is no restriction whatsoever. The Government itself preserves the sanctity of religious places of worship and expends thousands of rupees on their maintenance; whereas, against this, during Sikh rule, the environment was such that mosques were converted into places where bhang [hemp leaves] drink was prepared and horses were stabled, an example of which is present here in Qadian, while the major towns of the Punjab abound in such instances. In Lahore, several mosques are in the possession of the Sikhs to this day. But now, in opposition to this, the British Government pays every kind of due respect to these holy places and considers it among its duties to honour and revere all religious buildings, just as His Excellency the Right Honourable Viceroy, Lord Curzon recently demonstrated through his own example by not wearing shoes when entering the central mosque of Delhi; thus, he set a commendable example of high moral qualities worthy of royalty. It is evident from his speeches that he has delivered from time to time on various occasions that he accords particular respect to religious buildings. Moreover, note that the Government has not made any announcements against sounding the call to prayer or against fasting; rather, they ensure the provision of every kind of food of which not even a trace existed in the wretched reign of the Sikhs. Every kind of dietary item has been supplied—ice, soda water, biscuits, bread, etc.—and every kind of facility has been provided. This is an incidental help which they have extended to our Islamic practices. Now, should someone refuse to fast of their own accord, this is a different issue. It is a matter of pity that the Muslims themselves are being disrespectful to the Shariah. For example, look at those who fasted in these days, they have not become any thinner, and those who passed this month with little regard for its obligations have not become any fatter. Time passed for them both. They were winter fasts; there was only one change in the meal timings to eat at 4 or 5 o’clock [in the morning] instead of eating at 7 or 8 o’clock [in the morning]. Despite such convenience, many people did not honour the sanctity [of Ramadan] granted to it by Allah and treated this honourable guest of God Almighty—the month of Ramadan—with great contempt. The coming of Ramadan during the months of so much ease [to fast] was a kind of gauge, and these fasts served as the scales to distinguish the obedient from the sinful. By the grace of God Almighty, the Government has allowed freedom of every kind. A variety of fruits and other edibles are readily available, and there is no comfort and convenience that cannot be accessed today. Despite all this, what is the reason behind this negligence that we witness? Only that hearts are no longer steeped in faith. Sadly, God is not even given the same regard as a lowly sweeper, as if they think there will never be any accountability before God or any obligation to Him, and as if there will be no summoning before His Judgment Seat. If only the disbelievers would ponder and reflect over the proof of the existence of God Almighty that shines brighter than millions of suns! It is an occasion for pity that upon seeing a shoe it is understood with full certainty that it has a maker, but how unfortunate it is that even upon observing the endless creation of God Almighty they either do not believe in Him or their belief amounts to nothing. Indeed, God Almighty has conferred many favours upon us, one of which is that He has delivered us out of a burning oven. The Sikh rule was like a blazing oven, while the advance of the British is an advance of grace and blessing. I have heard that when the very first of the first British arrived, a muazzin in Hoshiarpur called the azan [formal call for Islamic daily Prayers] out loudly. Since it was still the beginning, the Hindus and Sikhs thought that the British would also prohibit the loud call of the azan, or, like them, would cut off the hands of someone who had injured a cow; therefore, they apprehended the muazzin who called out the loud azan. They formed a large mob and took him to the Deputy Commissioner. Eminent Hindu chiefs and money lenders gathered together and complained: “Sir, our dough has been polluted and our utensils have been desecrated.” When these statements were communicated to the British officer, he wondered if the call to prayer had such an effect as to render the food items unclean. He instructed the head clerk not to register the case without first verifying this. So, he ordered the muazzin to once again sound the call to prayer. The muazzin was fearful that this might be regarded as the second offence, so he hesitated to make the call. However, when he was assured to the contrary, he made the call to prayer as loud as before. The honourable officer, upon this, said it did him no harm and inquired from the head clerk if any harm had been done to him. He too said that, in fact, no harm had been caused. At last, the muazzin was released and permitted to make the call to prayer as he liked. Allah-o-Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]! How much freedom indeed and how great a favour of Almighty Allah! Upon such manifest grace and favour, if one’s heart cannot feel the kindness of the English Government, that heart is ungrateful and disloyal and is worthy of being ripped out of the chest.

In this village of ours, too, at a place where our mosque is located, there used to be a piece of land allotted to state officials. Those were my childhood days but I have heard from credible men that when the British arrived here the same old laws remained in effect for a few days. During those days an official came here. He was accompanied by a Muslim soldier who came into the mosque and told the muazzin to sound the call to prayer. The muazzin fearfully called the azan in a low tone as he used to. The soldier asked him if that was the way he normally sounded the call to prayer. The muazzin replied, ‘Yes, this is the way we do it.’ The soldier insisted, ‘No, climb the roof and sound the azan out loud, and make the call to prayer as loud as you possibly can.’ The muazzin was initially fearful, but finally, at the insistence of the soldier, he sounded the call to prayer out loud. At this, all the Hindus rallied together and apprehended the mullah. The poor fellow became fearful and worried that the official might hang him. The soldier assured him that he was with him. At last, the brutal and heartless Brahmans took the mullah to the official and complained: ‘Sir, he has defiled us.’ The official was aware that the government had changed and the old Sikh Regime no longer existed. Yet, he asked politely, ‘Why did you make the call to prayer out loud?’ The soldier stepped forward and said, ‘It was not he, but I who made the call to prayer.’ The official said [addressing the crowd], ‘Wretches! Why do you raise an uproar? Cows are now openly slaughtered in Lahore without any restriction, and here you are fretting over the azan. Go quietly and hold your peace.’

In short, the sincere truth that proceeds from our heart is that it would be utterly ungrateful and disloyal on our part if we did not acknowledge the favour of a people who have lifted us from the depths of oppression.

Aside from this, great ignorance ran rampant in the Punjab. An old man, Kammay Shah, narrates that he had seen his mentor pray fervently to be able to see Sahih al-Bukhari even if for once. At times, thinking how impossible it was to have a look at it, he cried so much during the prayer that he almost choked on it. Now, that very Bukhari is available in Amritsar and Lahore for two to four rupees. There used to be one maulawi Sher Muhammad who somewhere happened upon a few pages of Ihyaa-ul-Uloom. For a long time he would show them with great delight and pride to the worshippers after each prayer, saying, ‘Look, this is Ihyaa-ul-Uloom.’ He was so anxious to get a hold of the complete book from somewhere. Ihyaa-ul-Uloom is now available everywhere in published form. In short, through the blessing of the arrival of the British, the spiritual eye of the people has opened as well, and Almighty God is well aware of how much patronage was extended to religion through this Government which would not have even been possible in any other government. Through the blessing of the press and the production of different kinds of paper, all sorts of books can be purchased at a very low cost. Moreover, through the Post Office they are readily delivered to homes from various locations. Thus, the path to propagate the truths of religion has been made so clear and smooth.

Among all other blessings made accessible under this Government and which promote the cause of religion, one is the remarkable development of rational faculties and intellectual abilities. Since the Government allows every single sect the freedom to propagate its own religion, people have an ample opportunity to critically appraise and reflect on the principles and arguments of every religion. When the followers of different religions attacked Islam, it provided the followers of Islam with an occasion to reflect upon their own religious books for the corroboration and truth of their doctrine, and thus their faculty for reasoning was sharpened. It is obvious that just as physical strength improves with exercise, in the very same way spiritual faculties grow and thrive through discipline. Just as a horse is disciplined by a nimble rider, so has the coming of the British provided an opportunity to delve into the fundamentals of religion, with the result that those who reflect and ponder have become more resolute and steadfast in their true faith. Wherever the opponents of the Noble Quran pointed their accusing finger, from that very place was discovered a concealed treasure of truth by those who reflect.

On account of this freedom, there has been considerable advancement even in the knowledge of the Word [of Allah]. And this advancement has specifically occurred over here. Now, should someone come from Turkey or Syria, he would not be able to sufficiently refute the objections raised by the Christians or the Aryas—regardless of however scholarly or proficient he may be—because he never had the opportunity to freely and extensively compare the principles of different religions. In short, just as there is worldly peace throughout the country under the British Government, so also is there a widespread prevalence of spiritual peace. Since I am concerned with religious and spiritual affairs, I will chiefly speak of those things that the Government has bestowed upon us as a favour, inasmuch as they help us carry out our religious duties.

It should be kept in mind that one can perform acts of worship with freedom and satisfaction only when four preconditions are met. They are as follows:

First is Health—If a person is too weak to get up from bed, how can he observe fasts and Salat [Prayers]? Likewise, he would be unable to perform the Hajj, Zakat, and various other obligations. Now, it is worth noting how many means we have been provided by the Government for the maintenance of physical health. In every major city and town, there is at least one hospital where patients are treated with great care and sympathy. Furthermore, medicines, meals, etc. are provided for free. Some patients are admitted into the hospital and are looked after and cared for in such a way that it would be impossible for someone to be treated with such ease and comfort even in their own home. The Government has set up a separate department for healthcare on which millions of rupees are expended annually. It has taken extraordinary measures to keep towns and cities clean. There are systems for drainage and waste disposal. What is more, all sorts of effective medicines are manufactured and supplied at fairly low prices so that everyone can afford to keep certain medicines at home and take them when needed. By establishing large colleges, medical education has been abundantly disseminated to the extent that doctors are found even in the rural areas. To prevent certain dangerous diseases like smallpox, cholera, plague, etc.—especially with regard to the plague—all of the recently taken measures by the Government command our deepest gratitude.

To summarize, the Government has extended every kind of required assistance with respect to health, and has thereby provided great support toward fulfilling the first and foremost requirement of worship.

Second prerequisite is Faith—If one loses faith in God Almighty and His commandments and is eaten away from within by faithlessness and impiety, one is unable to carry out divine injunctions. This is why so many people are fond of saying, [‘Delightful indeed is this world; who has seen the next?’]

It is a pity that a criminal can get hanged upon the testimony of two people, yet—despite the collective testimony of one hundred and twenty-four thousand Messengers and countless auliyaa [friends of Allah]—this kind of impiety has still not departed from the hearts of people. In every age, through His mighty Signs and miracles, God Almighty proclaims:[‘I am present’], yet these wretches, having ears, hear not. In short, this stipulation is also a vital condition. For this, too, we ought to be grateful to the British Government, because the strengthening of faith and belief requires general religious education which in turn depends upon the publication of religious books. All kinds of religious books are [now] available, thanks to the press and the post office. The newspapers also facilitate the exchange of views. Here is a major opportunity for the good-natured people to become firmly steeped in faith and belief.

In addition to the above, one thing that is most important and crucial for one to stand firm in faith is the Divine Signs that appear at the hands of a person who comes from God as [His] appointee and revives the lost truths and verities through his practical conduct. So God should be thanked who, in this age, has commissioned such a person to revive faith and sent him so that people may advance in their strength of conviction. He has appeared during the rule of this auspicious Government. Who is he? He is the very one who stands in your midst, speaking these words.

It is an unquestionable fact that unless man is perfect in faith he cannot perform good deeds to perfection. The more flawed or defective one’s faith, the more lax and weak one will be in practice. This is why he alone is called wali [a friend of Allah] who is perfect in every aspect of [faith], is not defective in any respect, and whose acts of worship are performed with complete perfection. In short, the second condition is the soundness of faith.

Third Prerequisite is man’s financial strength— The construction of mosques and other such things affiliated with Islam rely upon financial strength. Without it, civic life and the management of affairs—especially those of mosques—would be very difficult..

Now take a look at the British Government from this perspective. The Government has encouraged every kind of trade. It has promoted education and given jobs to the locals, even assigning some to major posts, and by providing means of travel it has helped people earn money in other countries. See that there are people working as doctors, lawyers, court officials, clerks, and employees in the Education Department. In short, people are earning quite substantially from many different sources. Moreover, merchants trading in different kinds of goods who set off to England and other far-off countries like Africa, Australia, etc., come back wealthy and prosperous. To sum up, the Government has opened up opportunities to earn livelihood and has created a great many sources of income.

Fourth requisite is peace—The fulfilment of the condition of peace does not lie within the power of an individual. Since the world was created, the achievement of this objective has been dependent upon the government. The more goodwill and sincerity the government has, the more will this requirement be met. The condition of peace is being perfectly fulfilled in this age. It is my firm conviction that the days during the Sikh regime were even worse than the nights of the British rule. There is a nearby village named Borh5. If some woman from here had to go that far, she would go crying and wondering whether she would be able to return at all; whereas, now, one can go to the ends of the country without facing any danger. The means of travel have been made so easy that every kind of comfort is now available—like sitting and sleeping in the train as if at home and going anywhere one pleases. An extensive Department of Police exists for the protection of property and life; courts are freely accessible for the protection of rights, and one may seek as much legal help as one likes.

How remarkable, indeed, are these favours that have ensured our practical freedom! Then surely, it is very surprising if in such an environment—wherein countless favours are being enjoyed by the body and soul—we do not develop within ourselves a sense of amicability and gratitude? One who is not grateful to God’s creation cannot be grateful to God Almighty. Why so? Because that creation is an ambassador of God Himself and moves under the authority of the will of God alone.

In short, all these things that I have pointed out compel a good-hearted person to be grateful to such a benefactor. That is why I repeatedly speak of the favours of the British Government in my books and speeches, for my heart actually fills with joy at its favours. The ungrateful and ignorant people, by imputing their own hypocritical inclinations to me, regard this practice of mine— which is born out of honesty and sincerity—as sycophancy.

Now, reverting to the issue at hand, I would like to explain that, in this surah, God Almighty first stated [Rabbinnaas—Lord of mankind], then [Malikin-naas—King of mankind]. In the end He stated [Ilaahin-naas—the God of mankind], who is the One truly sought after and desired by man.The term [Ilaah]means ‘One worthy of worship’, ‘the desired One’, and ‘the sought after’.The phrase [La ilaaha illallah]therefore means [‘I have no object of worship, no target, nor anything sought after, except Allah’]. This alone is true Tauheed [the Oneness of Allah] thatAlmighty Allah alone be considered worthy of every praise and exaltation. Then He says:

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Meaning that, seek refuge from the evil of the whisper-dropping [khannaas—the sneaking whisperer].

In Arabic the term khannaas means the serpent which is called in Hebrew in an allusion to the evil that it was guilty of, in the earlier days. Here the word Iblees or ‘Satan’ has not been used in order that man may recall his original trial whereby Satan had deceived his two ancestors. It was on that occasion that he was given the name khannaas [the evil whisperer].

God has chosen this sequence in order to warn man by reminding him of past events; namely that, just as Satan had tempted man to disobey God, so might he also—at any moment—tempt man to disobey and rebel against the ruler of the time. Thus, one must always keep an eye on the intentions and designs of one’s ego and see how willing he is to submit to the authority of the ruler. Also, one should continue to strive and pray to God Almighty that Satan may not enter into him through any opening.

Now, the command in this surah is none other than the command to obey God Almighty alone, inasmuch as true obedience belongs to Him. However, the command for obedience to parents, the spiritual leader and guide, and the ruler of the time, has also been enjoined by God Himself. The reward of such obedience will be that you will break free from the grip of khannaas[the evil whisperer]. Therefore, seek refuge with Allah that you be protected against the evil of the inspiration cast by khannaas, insofar as a believer is not bitten by the same hole twice. Do not get caught again into that which has once brought affliction upon you. Therefore, there is a clear indication in this surah to obey the ruler of the time.

Khannaas [the evil whisperer] has been invested with qualities in the same way that God Almighty has placed certain qualities within wood, water, fire, and other objects and elements. As and are interchangeable in Arabic, the word [‘ansar meaning ‘element’] is, in fact,, the meaning being: ‘It is one of the divine mysteries at which point man’s investigations actually come to a halt.’ In short, everything is from God, whether it be of a simple nature or a complex one.

Given the fact that Allah, having sent such rulers, has delivered us from thousands of hardships and has brought about such a change as if, rescuing us from a burning pit, He placed us into a garden—wherein lie delightful plants and flowing streams in every direction, and wherein blow cool, pleasant breezes—how incredibly ungrateful would it be if one should overlook all His favours! Especially, the members of my Jama’at whom God has blessed with insight and who are truly free from hypocrisy—for the one with whom they have established a bond does not have so much as a trace of hypocrisy in him—should exemplify the highest paragon of gratitude. I am absolutely convinced that my Jama’at is free from hypocrisy, and, in establishing a bond with me, their intuitive perception did not err; for, in truth, I am the very one whose advent was bound to be accepted by those with faithful sagacity. God Almighty is Witness and is Fully Aware that I am the same truthful, trustworthy, and promised one whose advent was foretold by the blessed speech of our lord and master, the truthful and trustworthy Messenger, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. I say truly that those who have not established a bond with me are deprived of this blessing. Firaasat [good judgment and intuition] is something akin to a miracle. The word [firaasat/faraasat] can be pronounced with the vowel sound ‘a’ with a fathah as well as ‘i’ with a kasrah in its first letter ‘f ’. When pronounced with the vowel sound ‘a’ with a fathah on the first letter ‘f ’, it means the act of mounting a horse. A true believer mounts the horse of his self with intuitive discernment. He is granted light from God through which he finds his way. This is why the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, said:

Meaning that, beware of the intuition of a believer, for he sees by the light of Allah. In short, the great proof of the sound intuition of my Jama’at is that they have recognized the light of God. In this very manner, I entertain hope that the members of my Jama’at will improve their practical condition as well, since they are not hypocrites and are completely innocent of the conduct of our opponents who praise Government officials when meeting them yet denounce them as kafir upon returning home. Hearken, O my Jama’at! Remember that God does not approve of this conduct. You, who have associated yourselves with me only for the sake of God: Do good to those who do good and forgive those who do evil. A person cannot be truthful unless he be of one colour. One who proceeds in a hypocritical manner and adopts two colours is eventually exposed. There is a famous adage:[‘A liar has no memory.’]

Now I wish to state another important point which is that rulers often have to embark on military campaigns that also serve to protect and safeguard their subjects. As you have seen, our Government has had to fight wars on the [Afghan] Frontier on several occasions. Although the Frontier people are Muslims, in my opinion they are in the wrong. Their war against the British has no justification from any religious aspect or point of view, nor do they, in fact, fight for any religious motive. Can they dare offer the excuse that the Government has denied freedom to the Muslims?

The Government, truly, has allowed freedom the like of which cannot be found, even when living in Kabul or its suburbs. We have not heard the Amir spoken of in good terms either. Greed is the only motive for which these insane Frontiersmen are fighting. A petty sum like ten or twenty rupees is enough to dampen their warrior spirit. They are fanatics who spoil the good name of Islam. Islam establishes the rights of the ruler of the time and those of the benefactor, whereas these mean-spirited people transgress the limits of Allah for their selfish ends. The fact that they readily murder a human being for a piece of bread is a strong proof of their meanness, stupidity, and brutality.

Our Government is currently at war with a small republic, Transvaal, which is no bigger than the Punjab. It was an act of sheer folly on its part to have engaged in warfare with such a great empire. But now that the fighting has begun, it is incumbent upon every Muslim to pray for the victory of the British. As for Transvaal, what concern have we with it? Our duty is to wish well for one who has bestowed countless favours upon us. When a neighbour has so many rights that a heart bleeds upon hearing his suffering, does it not grieve our hearts upon reading the hardships endured by the loyal soldiers of the British Government? In my view, he indeed is darkhearted who does not consider the Government’s worries as his own. Remember, there are different kinds of leprosy; one affects the body, the other affects the soul on account of which one falls into the bad habit of delighting in the misfortunes of others and resenting their wellbeing.

There used to live a man in our marketplace. Every time someone faced a trial in court, he would go about asking as to how the case was proceeding. If he was told that the accused was acquitted or that the trial went well for the defence, he would stand aghast and fall silent. And if someone told him that the accused had been indicted, he would be overjoyed and would seat the man by his side and listen to the whole story. In short, certain people are so filled with malice that they are eager to hear bad news and revel in the misfortune of others, since they themselves are satanic in nature. Thus, it is improper to bear ill-will towards anyone, let alone someone who is benevolent.

I urge my Jama’at to avoid the example of such people and to pray with complete sympathy and genuine goodwill for the victory of the British Government, and to demonstrate their loyalty in practice as well. I do not make these statements with a view to currying favour or receiving some reward. What have I to do with favours, rewards, or worldly titles? The All-Knowing God is well aware of my intentions and knows that my actions are for His sake alone and are in conformity with His will. He has enjoined us to be grateful to our benefactor, and, by being grateful, we obey our Glorious Lord, expecting a reward from Him alone. Members of my Jama’at! I call upon you to hold your kind Government in great esteem.

Now, let us pray for Transvaal war.

T H E E N D

Thereafter, His Holiness, with great earnestness and sincerity, raised his hands in prayer and all those present, exceeding one thousand in number, joined him in the prayer. They prayed at length for the triumph and victory [of the British Government]. Later, His Holiness suggested that a donation be raised for the wounded on the British side. An announcement was published in this regard. It was as given below.

The writer,
Mirza Khuda Bakhsh,
Qadian