This ancient game of elements, this base world! The frustration of the longings of the great Empyrean’s dwellers. Upon its destruction is bent to‐day that Fashioner of things, Who gave it the name, “The world of Be it so.” I inspired in the European the dream of Imperialism: I broke the spell of the Mosque, the Temple and the Church. I taught the destitute to believe in Destiny: I infused into the wealthy the craze for Capitalism. Who dare extinguish the blazing fire in him, Whose tumults are stimulated by the inherent passion of Satan? Who could summon the courage to bend down the old tree, Whose branches their height to our watering owe? FIRST COUNCILOR Stable is the Satanic system, no doubt there is!
It has further strengthened in the commoners their slavishness indeed. Since the dawn of Time have these helpless mortals been ordained to prostration: Prayer devoid of the posture of standing erect is their nature’s constant urge. In their heart no desire can in fact take its birth: But if it does, perchance, it dies or is left unripe. What wonders have our hard, persistent endeavours wrought! To‐day finds the mystics and the priests all as subjects of Imperialism. Suited to the disposition of the East was this opium indeed: Otherwise Ilm‐i‐Kalam is no less self‐ effacing than qawwali in effect. What matters it, if the tumult of the pilgrimage and tawaf abides? For, rendered blunt, lies unused the unsheathed sword of the Faithful. Whose despair does this latest Ordinance prove: “To the Muslim in this age is forbidden fighting in Lord’s name”? SECOND COUNCILOR Is the clamour for “Government by the people” evil or good? Art thou unaware of the fresh mischiefs of the world?
FIRST COUNCILOR Aware am I! but tells me my cosmic foresight: No danger from what is but a masquerade for imperialism. We ourselves have dressed imperialism in the garb of democracy When man has grown to be a little self‐ conscious and self‐observant. The true nature of the system of imperialism lies elsewhere: It depends not on the existence of an individual leader of a king. Be it a national assembly of the court of Parviz, Whoever casts a covetous eye on other’s harvest is a king. Hast thou not observed the democratic system of the West? With a brilliant exterior, its interior is darker than Genghis’s. THIRD COUNCILOR No cause for anxiety then, if the spirit of imperialism be preserved: But what counter‐measure to the mischief wrought by that Jew have you? That Moses without Light, that Jesus without the Cross: No prophet is he, yet with him a book he carries. I can hardly explain what significance does the infidel penetrating vision possess: It is, methinks, the day of reckoning for the peoples of the East and the West. No greater corruption of human nature than this would be: Slaves have broken asunder the ropes of the masters’ tents. For further reading, http://www.allamaiqbal.com/
