The Reality of Khilafah — Page 97
Chapter Two—About the Mahdi 97 mirage in a barren land. They became innately inclined towards evil and mischief and went to every trouble in its pursuit. They hankered after the material world while fighting one another. They stung each other like scorpions even if the one they per- secuted was amongst their own kin. No truth remained in their speech. No pure love remained in their hearts. They bartered good for evil. They set about following the flaws of their brethren and neglected reforming themselves and fulfilling their obliga- tions towards the believers. They would attack their brothers as if they were attacking their enemies. They rebuffed all cordiality and lost all goodwill. They spread immorality and aggression among themselves. They sought after people’s weaknesses and tried to defame them. The fragrance of love was gone, while the fumes of hypocrisy and controversy grew stronger. Purity of heart and the spirit of tolerance vanished, for impurity had entered their faith. They trespassed all the limits of piety and virtue and overlooked the rights of their brethren and believing men and women. They did not avoid ingratitude and did not fulfil their obligations. Most of them knew nothing except disobedience and mischief-making. Time changed and there remained neither piety nor righteous- ness, neither fasting nor prayer. They preferred this world to the Hereafter and the desires of the baser self to the Lord of Honour and Glory. I see them ensnared in their world. They do not care about the afterlife or for the right path. Loyalty has vanished and modesty is lost. They do not know what piety is and I see treach- ery on their faces. They love the dark of night and curse the moon. They read the Quran but turn away from the Gracious God. Their neighbour receives nothing but injustice from them, and mean- ness is their only partner. They devour the weak and always hunger