The Commentary of Al-Qasidah — Page 39
The commentary of al-Qa si dah 39 A shameful gloom stretched over the corners of the earth, likening it to a dark night. India, which flourished as a religious centre in ancient times, had not only lost its religion, but its basic human values. The Brahmans, hailed as religious leaders, had declared a vast segment of people, reaching in the millions, as untouchables. They were considered eternally unclean, while the Brahmans, who were in power, did as they pleased. Their sin was not considered sin, but was viewed as an act of benevolence. The religious leaders and temple custodians were worshipped as gods and were indulged in lives of luxury. They incorporated dancing and music as essential parts of worship. Consequently, the temples digressed into centres of wickedness and the general state of religion deteriorated tremendously. At an extreme, the religious values regressed to the point where women worshipped the private parts of men, eventually losing all dignity and status. The Christian churches in Europe were not any better than the Hindu temples. They were also centres of mischief. In the Holy Qur’ a n All a h has referred to the priests and monks who pledged to relinquish the world for the cause of God as follows: . . . but many of them are rebellious. ( al- H ad i d , 57:28) The people that declared themselves the sons and lovers of God became like apes imitating the sinful, and their morality deteriorated in the likeness of swine, shamelessly pursuing their