Malfuzat – Volume III — Page 255
255 Mahdi in the Hadith. However, I should like to point out that when that time came and the one who was destined to come appeared, very few heeded to his call. There is nothing unusual or unique about the fact that a Reformer appears at the head of every century. Hence, it was necessary, in view of this promise, for a Reformer to appear in this century as well—a century of which nineteen years have passed. Then, another aspect which must be analysed is whether, at the present time, Islam is suffering from any calamities or difficulties which call for the coming of a divinely commissioned one. When we reflect in this respect, it becomes evidently clear that Islam is currently suffering from two forms of calam- ity: internal and external. The Internal State of Islam The internal state of Islam is such that many self-invented beliefs and associa- tion of partners with God have taken the place of God’s true Oneness. A few traditions have taken the place of righteous deeds. The worship of graves and the worship of saints has grown to such an extent that it has become an independent religious law in itself. I have always been surprised and astonished that on the one hand, these people say that I have made a claim to prophethood without even understanding my point of view, but in their own homes, they do not stop to think that the real claimants of prophethood are those who have invented their own religious law. Someone ought to tell me, am I the one who has invented the litanies and invocations which the custodians of shrines and other Sufi lead- ers teach their disciples? Or am I the one who acts upon the religious law and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and who considers it blasphemous to add even a dot or an iota to his teachings? Thousands of innovations in the Faith have taken root in countless forms among every sect and community. Righteousness and purity, which are the fundamental objective and purpose of Islam, and for which the Holy Prophet sa bore perilous calamities—things which could not have been shouldered by anyone except for one who possessed the heart of a Prophet—have now been lost and are non-exist- ent. If you visit the jails, you will be able to see which group of people constitutes the majority of criminals. Fornication, drinking, injustice, and other crimes are so rampant that the world believes as though there is no such thing as God. If a detailed exposition was provided on the ills and evils existent within the various classes of society, this would make for a voluminous book. On reflecting over p. 233