Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part IV — Page 7
The Perilous Condition of the Muslims & the British Government 7 like a scorpion and utter not a word of gratitude for its magnanimity and kindness. What our Benevolent God has taught us through His Beloved Prophet is that we should recompense good with even greater good and express gratitude to our benefactor. Whenever we get the opportu- nity, we are enjoined to reach out to such a government with heartfelt sincerity and utmost sympathy, and to willingly obey it in all that is good and obligatory. Hence, whatever gratitude my humble self expressed for the British government in the article included in Part III was not merely on the basis of my own opinion; rather, I was obliged to express this gratitude in view of the lofty directives that were before me as stipulated by the Holy Quran and a ha d i th [sayings] of the Holy Prophet saw. Some of our ignorant [Muslim] brothers—on account of their short-sightedness and inherent stinginess—have mistaken their extreme view of theirs to be a part of Islam. اے افجشىك ہن ذعرتس رطقى اشعق رہزہ دبانم ىنك دنچ وكن انےم را O cruel one, making excuses is not the way of true lovers; Without cause, how can you be so derogatory towards those who are known to be righteous? I have mentioned one extreme view held by some of my brothers, but there are others who take the opposite extreme and have no con- cern with religion. All of their thoughts are focused upon the world; but, alas, even the world eludes them. They have become like those described as خسر الدنیا والعاقبۃ [‘They are losers both in this world and in the Hereafter’]. And how can it be otherwise? They have not only lost their faith, but have also failed to develop the skills which are needed for material progress. Just like Sheikh Chill i ,1 their hearts are filled with thoughts of the world but they have not actually followed the path that 1. A proverbial figure in Urdu literature who was in the habit of building castles in the air. [Publisher]