A Present to Kings — Page 46
( 46 ) has became so general. If, therefore, this century were to go without the appearance of a reformer, it would be a matter of great joy to the enemies of the faith, because the fact would prove the truth of their contention, viz. , that revelation and. Divine communion were mere impostures, that the claim fo. Divine propinquity set up by men in earlier ages, which gave them a following, was only due to the general ignorance of the times; otherwise, they would say, why should the claim of Islam that there must be a reformer at the head of every century fail to be fulfilled in reference to this century. If the claim has been fulfilled in the past centuries, why does no reformer make his appearance at the beginning of this century? The fact is, they would say, that because by reason of the spread of education, it is now impossible for any person to succeed with such a claim therefore no one has ventured to come forth with cne. In short, if this century were to go without its reformer, then not only would God be open to the charge of a breach of His covenant, but all that remained of strength would be lost to the. Muslims. because it would furnish their enemies with a weapon from which there would be no means of escape. The condition of the time is such that even if there were never before this the advent of any reformer, and even if there happened to be no promise to that effect vouchsafed to the Muslims, still it was necessary that a reformer should arise in this age to silence the enemies of Islam with the most convincing argu. ments, far from the succession of reformers having proceeded so far to come to a stop at the present time. . THE SIGNS OF THE AGE HAVE BEEN FULFILLED. . R. But, as I have already said, the Almighty God did not let this ago go without its reformer, but agreeebly to the promise made by the Holy Prophet and the requirements of the time, He sent a person who was fitted to remedy the disorders of the age, and through him reestablished the lost glory of Islam and humiliated and crushed its foes. I have also showed how this age is the age assigned for the appearance of the Promised