The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 450
AT-TABLIGH- TO ELDERS OF INDIA, AFGHANISTAN, EGYPT & BEYOND 449 one who is bereft of any providence. They wronged not Allah, but it was themselves whom they wronged. They were put into trial by the exaggeration of admirers, and were destroyed by the leniency of acquitters. They did not take light from the Holy Quran and wandered distracted in the valley of poets. They want to absolve their followers from the filth of sins, while they themselves indulge in all sorts of vices while they perceive not. O ye foolish and ignorant! First stand up to cleanse your own heart, then rise with purified hands to cleanse your brother. Do not say to people what you do not do, lest you be mocked. How can you cleanse the body of your brothers while your own body is dirty and covered with filth? You yourself do not tread on the path of guidance, so how will they follow it? If you are in doubt about that which I have been commanded, then arise for a fight and prepare yourselves to demon- strate whether you are granted any Signs of splendour and truthfulness by Allah the Glorious. Indeed, we are ready to demonstrate these. Know that being the Elect of God is nothing but the acceptance of one's prayers by God, and there is no other meaning of being a man of God but his acceptance in the court of the Mighty. So come to the battlefield! If you prefer to flee then you are liars. Come so Allah may make you enter the gardens of peace and do not be pleased knowingly with the greenery of a dunghill. Allah calls you towards good. What happened to you as you do not respond? A Warner from among you is waking you up, so why do you not come out of your slumber? The hand of the unseen is pulling you forward, so why—O people!-do you step back? The tidings from Allah have come to you, so why do you deliber- ately try to overlook them? Verily, truth has come and falsehood has vanished, while you still doubt. The Signs have surely been manifested for you, while you deliber- ately act blindly. Do you not see that the earth has shaken violently, that it is encompassed with disorders, and that the hearts have become dead? Islam has been inflicted with every kind of affliction and has been hit and overcome by every kind of calamity. The enemies have awakened,