Invitation to Ahmadiyyat — Page 101
101 refers to the Muslims because other religions do not even hold this belief. The denial of Qadr is now so widespread among Muslims that it requires no elaboration. Muslims who have become enam - oured with modern knowledge are rejecting the belief in Qadr for fear of being criticised by ignorant European scholars. In this way, the truth and benefits of this most essential doctrine have become lost to them. Another sign was that Muslims would consider Zakat to be some kind of ransom. This part of the prophecy has been narrated by Hadrat ‘Al i ra and reported by Albazar. 11 Today Muslims are fac - ing tribulations from every direction. At such a time they need to give as much in charity as they can, even in addition to Zakat, and yet most Muslims shy away from this obligation placed upon them by God. In countries where Zakat is received under Islamic law, people pay it willy-nilly, but in other countries where there is no such system, only a rare few bother to pay it, and even they make it a means of ostentation and view it as a communal endeav - our rather than Zakat. An important change in the moral condition of Muslims which the Holy Prophet s as has mentioned is their love of the world. Time was when they would sacrifice their dearest possessions at a mere signal from God and His Messenger, and the world was to them no more than a corpse, but today they are bartering their faith for the world. 12 This change is so prevalent that it grieves the heart of anyone who loves Islam. Religious scholars and Sufis, the rich and the poor, all put their worldly interests above religion and sacrifice the interests of Islam for paltry worldly gains. Another change predicted by the Holy Prophet s as was that people would stop offering Salat, the five-time daily prayer. 13 This