Invitation to Ahmadiyyat — Page 112
112 the time. One of these is that the manner of greeting one another would change. According to a report by Imam Ahmad Mu‘ a dh ibn Anas, one important sign of the degradation and decay of the Muslims would be that people would curse each other when they met. 35 Commentators of Hadith think that this change relates to the lower classes among Muslims who constantly curse one another. However, this Hadith points to an even greater deterio - ration that has impacted even the nobles among the Muslims, and it relates to greetings such as Tasl i m or A d a b , instead of Assal a mu ‘Alaikum. They even use the word Bandag i in the manner of the Hindus, which means to express one’s subservience to the other person, instead of Assal a mu ‘Alaikum, which means peace and harmony. This is effectively a form of mutual cursing because when people use idolatrous language or express subservience to one another, which only God is entitled to, they in effect curse one another. Muslims more often use the word A d a b because they feel ill at ease in repeatedly using idolatrous words like Bandag i or Tasl i m , but they mean the same thing. The Holy Prophet s as said that (at the time of the Promised Messiah as ) Muslims would respect a person not because of his piety but because of his wealth, power, and prestige. The Holy Prophet s as said that one of the signs of the time would be that only wealthy people would be honoured. 36 This, too, has come to pass. The old custom of holding family lineage above all other consid - erations of honour has almost vanished and social status is now measured by the sole criteria of wealth. Time was when wealthy and affluent people presented themselves before religious schol - ars but now it is the religious scholars who feel honoured to have links with wealthy people.