Thirsty Earth

If we analyze different beliefs, the observation that emerges is that religion is based on faith in the unseen. That is, [religion is based] upon the certainty that there are unseen realities that we are unable to see, but despite that, our welfare lies in our having faith in these unseen realities and in establishing the relationship of our mind and our actions with the unseen world.

Religions and their deities that people worship are merely an imaginary world. In terms of physical perception, these deities can neither be seen nor felt. Besides the present and perceivable religious observances, there are other concepts within religion that deeply affect the words and actions of human life.

In today's advanced world of glittering bright lights, a school of thought declares that none from among the topics such as the nature of the universe, the spirit, and the life after death, can become the subject of their educational and intellectual pursuit because their concepts and the knowledge base of their conscious perceptions demand that they contain only physical perceptions and material forms. And since religious topics and beliefs are not established perceptions, for that reason this domain is meaningless from an educational point of view. This is indeed a strange manifestation of human life: slim man, with all his strength, believes in the existence of such things regarding which he cannot even establish a cleat concept.

It was a somewhat similar situation that existed 1400 years ago. People had carved many new idols upon the pattern of physical perception. Dark clouds of ignorance loomed everywhere. In Greece, Rome, and in areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, divine religions had lost their strength Worshipping the state was the religion of the Roman Empire [nooma-tul kubra'], and idolizing the monarch was its faith and belief.

The civilization and culture of Greece, Rome, Egypt, Syria and India, despite standing at the peak of superficial heights had sunk into a deep moral abyss. Ignorance and idol worship reigned supreme. Sinfulness, debauchery superstition, immorality and shamelessness had taken over society. Whoever had power in the human society assumed the authority of God. The senselessness of accepting a person like themselves, who depended on food and water like themselves and who also, required relief from bodily waste as their god,was completely

lost on them. There were no legal limits that were established. No one followed any rules or regulations. And the height of their immorality was that they considered acceptable the killing of a being borne out of themselves. Killing of daughters, gambling, drinking, and ill mannerism and immorality were common. This was that dark period when the dry and thirsty earth and the creatures living on that earth, looked up toward the heavier and from beyond the heavens, the being seated on the throne, who is the Creator of all, and who has created with love, took mercy upon the earth. And so, he sent a portion of His divine light upon the earth so that darkness would change into light, so that the thirsty earth would be quenched, so that the blind would be able to see again, the mute would talk again, and the deaf would hear again. The trust in humanity that had been shattered would once again be re-established,

In this suffocating period of human history, one filled with brutality and selfishness, a great man was born a man who was all mercy, and who is still mercy. The Holy Prophets(saw) was born in a nation that from head to toe was immersed in cruelty and ignorance. When this minaret of light shone in that darkness, even the enemy admitted to his truthfulness mid trustworthiness. The old, the young, the men and the women—all who lived in Makkah trusted him. So much so that when the Holy Prophets(saw) gathered the residents of Makkah and asked,

"If I say that there is a large enemy force on the other side of the

mountain ready to attack you, will you believe me?"

They all replied in unison,

"Indeed, we will believe you, because you have never lied."

But when that truthful and blessed soul gave them the message of God and told them to stop indulging in superstitions and to stop worshipping their hand-made idols, they all became his enemy. They verbally attacked him with profane language and pelted him with stones, they lay thorns in his path and dragged him with a noose around his neck, they laid filth on him while he lie prostrate in salaat and they dumped refuse on as he walked the streets. Why did all of this happen? What was the reason for this hostility and animosity of the people of Makkah? It was because the True Guide had lit the lamp of divine light amid the world of darkness. He had shown the right path to the caravan of humanity to save it from destruction. As this beloved servant of Allah found the company of a few persons possessing holy spirits, the barbarians did not leave his disciples alone either.  They were made to lie down on blistering sand, nails were pierced through their hands and, with

hands and feet tied up, they were dragged upon the searing sand of the desert. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, watched all this and showed patience and endurance. Why? It was because the Lord of the worlds had sent him as Rahmatul-Iil alamern ['mercy tot all the worlds']. What crime had deserved this punishment? What had caused such cruelty and barbarity? It was because the Rahmatul-lil-alameen wanted to embrace people in his arms and save them from painful punishment. This beloved of the Creator of the universe wanted to introduce people to the eternal comforts. How unfortunate it was that those who loved were being rejected. The one who loved was treated with hatred and anger. The calibre of patience and perseverance was of such magnanimity that when he took the message of Allah to the people of Taaif they called him a madman, and when that did not dispel their anger they threw so many stones at him that he was covered in blood. At the sight of the Holy Prophet's blood, his friends [Companions] said,

"O Prophet of Allah, pray that punishment befalls them."

The Holy Prophet's' replied,

"I have not been sent to inconvenience people; 1 have been sent as a mercy upon them."

Allah is with those who patiently persevere. When Allah promise came to be fulfilled, people saw God in a perceptible way; they heard God's voice in a perceptible fashion; and they were able to achieve His nearness in a perceptible manner.