Our Teaching — Page 32
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as 32 O Ye Rich and Wealthy, Fear God! O you the affluent, and O Kings! O you who are wealthy! There are but few among you who fear God and are pious in the ways prescribed by Him. Most of you are devoted to the possessions and territories of this world, and spend your entire lives occupied to this end and give not thought to your death. All those wealthy persons who do not observe their prayers and are unmindful of God carry the sins of all their servants and attendants around their necks. All those wealthy persons who consume alcohol also carry the sins of the people who intoxicate themselves under their influence. You who claim to possess understanding! Know that this world is not eternal, so take hold of yourselves. Eschew all immod- eration and abstain from every type of intoxicant. It is not alcohol alone that ruins a person. Opium, ganja, charas, bhang, hemp, and all other addictions are similarly destructive. They ruin the mind and destroy lives. So, shun all such substances. I cannot under- stand why one would choose to indulge in these intoxicants when, year on year, they claim the lives of thousands of addicts—not to mention the torment of the hereafter. Become righteous so that you may live long and receive the blessings of God. He who remains engrossed in extreme luxury, lives an accursed life. He who shows discourtesy or inconsider- ation, lives an accursed life. He who neglects God and is unsym- pathetic towards His servants, lives an accursed life. A rich per- son will be held accountable for their duties towards God and their fellow human beings, in the same way as will one of meagre