The Message or A Cry of Anguish — Page 87
THE MESSAGE OR A CRY OF ANGUISH 87 crushed under constant and incessant hardships. We were left empty-handed and our courtyards were deserted until we were expelled from our properties, lands, houses, gardens and estates in a state of utter sorrow and grief. We were driven out like cattle and were trampled upon like inanimate objects. We were treated like slaves and servants and were reduced to the dregs of humanity. At times, we were held guilty for slightly hurting an animal and even for cutting some branch of a tree; consequently we were slain and slaughtered, or forced to go into exile. Then Allah took pity on us and brought the British Government from distant lands. Authority belongs to Allah alone Who chooses whomsoever He likes. He gives sovereignty to whomsoever He pleases and takes away sovereignty from whomsoever He pleases, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. He handed over govern- ance to those worthy of it after the fall of the Sikh regime. Then He replaced our fatigue and toil with blessing and comfort and made us heirs to our land after we were thrown out of it like beasts of the jungle, and we returned to our homes safe and sound. Except for what Allah had decreed, all our villages, estates and possessions were restored to us and we began to live in peace in our homes. We did not attach ourselves to this Government until we had observed its qualities. We examined their favours closely and with keen insight and looked deeply into their excellences and found it to be the only remedy and cure for our agonies and hardships. With the worsening of circumstances, as springs dried up [sources of income were destroyed] and our household cried and lamented, then in virtue of this Government alone our pos- sessions were restored to us and we were delivered by it from