The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 275
274 Α'ΙΝΑ-Ε-ΚΑMĀLĀT-E-ISLAM-DAFI UL-WASĀWIS the world-in knowledge, practice, morals, and creed. And so that He may safeguard Islam from the attacks of people who-under the cloaks of philosophy, naturalism, heresy, shirk and atheism-wish to inflict some harm upon this Divine garden. O Seekers of truth! Ponder over this: Is this not the time when Islam was in need of heavenly assistance? Have you not yet realized that in the past century, which was the 13th century, how many blows Islam has suffered? What unbearable injuries have we suffered as a result of the spread of misguidance? Do you not yet know what calamities surround Islam? Are you still unaware of: the many who have abjured Islam and have become Christians, atheists, or naturalists; how shirk and inno- vation have taken the place of Tauhid and the Sunnah [practice of the Holy Prophetsas]; and how many books have been written and pub- lished across the globe for the refutation of Islam? Just reflect upon it-whether it was not incumbent upon God Almighty to send such a man at the beginning of this century who could repel the external attacks? If the advent of such a man was inevitable, do not knowingly reject this favour of God. Do not turn against him whose coming at the beginning of this century was a necessity in view of the exigencies of the time, whose advent the Noble Prophetsas had prophesied from the beginning, and whom the holy people had mentioned in their writings on the basis of their revelations and visions. Just look around and see the extent to which calamities to Islam have made it helpless-how arrows are being launched against Islam from all four sides by its enemies, and how this poison has infected mil- lions of souls! Look at all these storms with eyes wide open and point out, if you can, a parallel to them in the past-the storm of modern knowledge, the storm of reason, the storm of philosophy, the storm of fraud and intrigue, the storm of sin and transgression, the storm of greed and temptation, the storm of libertarianism and atheism, and the storm of shirk and innovation [i. e. religious deviation]. Has anything similar befallen since the days of Adam to now? If there is no paral- lel, then fear God Almighty and ascribe such meanings to the ahādīth