Hallmarks of the Saints — Page 9
H A D R AT M IR Z A GHU L A M AH M AD A S 9 Among their signs is that you find them like a sagacious man, a firm leader, and a trader who is the chief of the caravan. They stand out among their contemporaries. They spend their lives exerting themselves in crying and supplication. They spend their nights standing and prostrating before their Lord. They protect themselves against the wolf of selfish desires and continue wor- shipping their Lord until death overtakes them. Even when vile people abuse them, pounce upon them like dogs, and make them like a land covered by fog, you will find them forbearing. Among their signs is that they are raised at a time when utter darkness prevails—trees bearing scanty fruit and becoming like dry firewood—and in an era when people fall into a deep slum- ber and their faith becomes like a leafless branch of a palm tree. Such is the age that feeds worthless food to its children and fails to take responsibility for the hungry; it keeps the people mired in ُ ومن عالماهتم أنّك جتدهم كرجل ٍ رزين، وعمود ٍ رصني، واتجر ٍ هو بَدْء ّ زَحْنتِه وقـَيْل ُ املعاصرين. ويزجّون عيشتهم يف حَذَل ٍ وأَننيٍ، ويبيتون لرهبم قائمني وساجدين، وجيتنبون حِطْل َ الشهوات ويعبدون رهبم حىت أيتيهم يقني. وإن َم هت التُّحوت َ إذا سبّوا وأضبُّوا كالكالب، وجعلوهم كأرض حتت الضباب، وجد َ صابرين. ّم يُبعَثون يف عصر ٍ ادْجَوْجَنَ، ووقت ٍ قَل َّ مثاره وشابه َ احلطب هن ومن عالماهتم أ اهنم كإهان ٍ ما بقي له ي َ املُدْرِنَ، ويف زمان أخذت الناس َ نـَعْسة ٌ أُرْدُنٌّ، وبقي إ َا، ويف حِني ٍ ماطَل َ الناس هن َا، وما كفلت ْ جَوعا هن غُصْنٌ، ويف بُرهة أَحْثـَلَت ْ صبيا