The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 251
250 Ā'ĪNA-E-KAMĀLĀT-E-ISLĀM―DĀFI‘UL-WASĀWIS be an impediment for them, and no worldly hope or desire would slow them down. Verily, it is with such things that the strength of faith is tested so that it should emerge whole after passing through such trials in an age of faithlessness. This hadith, therefore, contains the indication that this group of people is destined to appear at that very time when all the means would be present for them to be put through such trials, and the world would be so far removed from true faith as to be virtually devoid of it. In short, Allah, glorified be His eminence, states in regard to these people that they would appear in the Latter Days and would be His sincere and perfect servants who—on account of the perfection of their faith, sincerity, truthfulness, perseverance, steadfastness, knowl- edge, and cognition of God Almighty-would be the likes of the Companions. It should be clearly borne in mind that, in reality, this verse alludes to the spiritually perfect people of the Latter Days and not of any other period; for, the very words of the verse demonstrate that these righteous people would appear in the Latter Days. It is clearly indicated by the verse that: 1 وَاخَرِيْنَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ ! There are only three periods of time: the first was the age of the Companions; the middle one was between the Companions and the Promised Messiah; and then there is the last period which is that of the Promised Messiah, connoted by the words: [and others from among them]. This age is the one in which we live, as is stated on page 155 of his book, Hijajul-Kirāmah, by the late Maulawi Şiddiq Hasan of Qannauj and Bhopal, who, according to Shaikh Baṭālawi is the Mujaddid of the time. He writes: 1. And among others from among them who have not yet joined them (Sūrah al-Jumu'ah, 62:4). [Publisher]