The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 252
MISCONCEPTION IN NŪR AFSHĀN 251 آخریت این امت از بدایت الف ثانی شروع کردیده آثار تقوی از اول گم شده بودند و The latter period of this] اکنون سطوت ظاهری اسلام هم مفق شده. ثُمَّ كَلَامُهُ 02. Ummah started with the beginning of the second millennium. Virtue had disappeared from its very beginning, and now even the worldly dominion has been lost. End quote. ] It is clear that the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, characterized only two ages as being good. One is the age of the Companions which extended to the time of the death of the last of the Companions. It turns out to be around the time of Imām-e-A'zam [the Greatest Imam] Abū Ḥanifah, may Allah be pleased with him. Then the second is the middle age which, on account of the prevalence of a host of innovations [i. e. deviations in the Faith], may be termed ummul-khaba'ith ['the mother of evils'] and which the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has called Faij-e-Awaj. According to the aḥādīth, the state of things during the last years of this age, , which borders the age of the coming of the Promised Messiah, is described as being extremely wicked. ' Baihaqi mentions a hadith in ☆ may NOTE ABOUT A VISION It was 17 October 1892 when, in response to Nur Afshan, my humble self con- cluded setting forth my arguments in full that the spiritual judgment in truth was the advent of the Holy Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. I had supplemented this with verses in praise of the Holy Prophet, the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, whose true praise is in fact beyond description, and added, by way of a sample, some praise of his Noble Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to prove my point. When I went to sleep after writing the ode in praise of the Holy Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and narrating the qualities and virtues of his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, I saw a blessed and holy dream. I found myself in the upper storey of a large mansion, the rooms of which were very spacious and wide and richly carpeted. I was ad- dressing a large gathering and was setting forth to them divine truths and