Lecture Lahore — Page 3
3 1 First of all, I express my gratitude to God Almighty for having made us the subjects of a benign Government, which does not hinder us from the propagation of our re- ligious beliefs and removes every obstacle from our path by virtue of its principles of equity and justice. Respected audience, today I am going to speak about the different religions found in this country, and I will try to be as deferential as possible since some people do not like to hear facts which go against their religious beliefs. It is obviously not in my power to remove their inherent prejudice, therefore, even as I speak the truth, I wish to be excused for any offence it might cause. There are many religions in this country and religious ri- valry is sweeping the land like a storm, but I have realized, through deep reflection and continuous revelations from God, that all this contention springs from the single fact that most people have lost their spiritual faculties and do not fear God. Heavenly light, which helps to distinguish truth from falsehood, has gone out from almost every heart, atheism is gaining ground day by day, and, while tongues utter the name of God and Parmeshwar, hearts are growing 1 In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. We praise Allah and invoke His blessings upon His noble Prophet sa. [Publishers]