Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Parts I & II — Page 74
74 BAr a h i n-e-a h madiyya when the occasion arises. Indeed, they do not know how to fulfil them, nor do they care to learn. It is true that huge sums are spent every year by our people in the name of goodness and charity; but, sadly, few realize what true charity is. They spend blindly with- out any care or appreciation of the circumstances. Having thus emptied their pockets and exhausted their emotions, they fail to move a muscle when a real need presents itself, and try to make up for their former extravagances by resorting to miserliness and disregarding their obligations. These are the people whose gen- erosity and benevolence does not spring from the true depths of their hearts but from their egos. Some people, for instance, build mosques in their old age, seeing it as an easy way to attain the bliss of the hereafter and a ready-made house in paradise. But when it comes to real acts of piety, they would not be at all per- turbed if the ark of the Faith were to sink right before their eyes or Islam were to be destroyed in an instant. The Faith may perish for all they care! All their pain, all their concern, all their devo- tion, and all their daily dealings, pertain to the material world, but even in this aspect they have not been able to progress as much as other nations. Everyone who honestly tries to reform the ummah only ends up lamenting their apathy and callousness. The cry of [Alas for our people] is heard all around. I cannot speak for others, so I will recount my own ordeal. It is in view of the widespread corruption and chaos prevalent in this age that I have written Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, wherein I have made the truth of Islam more evident than the shining sun with the help of 300 incontrovertible rational arguments. Since this book amounts to a clear victory over the opponents of Islam and satisfies the heartfelt desire of the Muslims, I naturally