The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 507
506 Ā'ĪNA-E-KAMĀLĀT-E-ISLĀM―DĀFI‘UL-WASĀWIS of bright pearl. Thus, the days of glory and prosperity returned to us with their arrival, and with their help we saw our lands and our breth- ren. They aided, helped, and stood by us in resettling us; thus, after a long time, we became a people living a life of ease and comfort. We, by sighting their flags, came out of our imprisonment as the sun dawns upon the morning. We gained strength from their favours as bodies do from souls. Through their arrival, we were rid of our strait- ened circumstances, poverty, and destitution that had inflamed embers in our intestines, such that we turned into a people who lived a life of ease and comfort, and whose sleep was restful. The first and foremost benefit that we encountered through their favours and kind deeds was peace and deliverance from the insolence of the mean-spirited, and the oppression of the idol worshippers. They gave us security against every fear, made up for our desolation and removed our distress; conse- quently, we entered into a blissful paradise after having been tormented for a while. In these blessed times [under the British], we became a people with land, business, and prosperity. As opposed to this, under the Sikh empire, our commerce was in jeopardy and our crops were easy prey for pillagers. Our sustenance was hardly enough to sustain life, and it was transient. Our admission into their helpers, officials, and employees was nothing but a prelude to punishment, and presaged various kinds of penalties and torments; we became like an object that was tossed up hundreds of times. We never knew whether we would be alive tomor- row or be like those who were assaulted violently and then killed. All praise belongs to Allah who, in exchange for our fear, gave us peace and security, and granted us a kind and compassionate Empress. We do not experience a dreadful awe of the oppressors when we see her officials, nor do we see them rattle as do the snakes that bite and sting; rather, they are extremely kind towards the weak. We, under their shadow, plunge into ventures, and to fulfil our needs, we dare enter into deep waters. Besides, we became like those who have no fear or grief. If we happen to depart our homes bare and suddenly to