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.