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