Abstracts: The present article deals with the tremendous situation of the world in the time of Prophet's appointment described by Imam Ali (p.b.u.h) as a person who lived in that time by  pointing to some of the sermons of Nahjul Balaghe. It explains the world's anarchy and the conditions of people when Allah sent the prophet as a warner.

Key word: Be'sat

Introduction

Learning about the tremendous and fearful era and black years of the world in the time of the holy Prophet's Be'sat[1], by the one who lived in that time and enjoyed the heavenly knowledge - from the tongue of Imam Ali (p.b.u.h) - can be interesting. We hope it increases our knowledge about this awesome incident and its consequences.

World in the Time of Be'sat

1.     The world's anarchy

Allah sent the holy Prophet when:

 The mission of other Prophets had stopped and the people were in slumber for a long time.

 Evils were raising heads; all matters were under disruption and in flames of wars, while the world was devoid of brightness, and full of open deceitfulness.

 Its leaves had turned yellow and there was absence of hope about its fruits.

 While water had gone underground. The minarets of guidance had disappeared and signs of destruction had appeared.

It was stern to its people and frowned in the face of its seeker. Its fruit was vice and its food was carcass. Its inner dress was fear and outer cover was sword.

2.      Widespread Dissemination

        Allah sent the Prophet at a time when: The people were going astray in perplexity and were moving here and there in mischief.

Desires had deflected them and self-conceit had swerved them. Extreme ignorance had made them foolish.

They were confounded by the unsteadiness of matters and the evils of ignorance.

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The residents of the earth at this time were divided in different parties, their aims were separate and ways were diverse.

They either likened Allah with His creation or twisted His Names or turned to other than Him.

3.     Satan's Governorship

At that time people had fallen in vices whereby:

 The rope of religion had been broken,

The pillars of belief had been shaken,

principles had been sacrileged, system had become topsy turvy, openings were narrow, passage was dark, guidance was unknown and darkness prevailed.

Allah was being disobeyed,

Satan was given support and Belief had been forsaken.

As a result the pillars of religion fell down, its traces could not be discerned, its passages had been destroyed and its streets had fallen into decay.

People obeyed Satan and treaded his paths.

 They sought water from his watering places. Through them Satan's emblems got flying and his standard was raised in vices which trampled the people under their hoofs, and treaded upon them with their feet. The vices stood on their toes (in full stature) and the people immersed in them were strayed, perplexed, ignorant and seduced as though in a good house[2] with bad neighbours.

Instead of sleep they had wakefulness and for antimony they had tears in the eyes.  They were in a land where the learned were in bridle (keeping their mouths shut) while the ignorant were honored.

4.     World's Destroyness

 Then, Allah, the Glorified, deputed Muhammad - the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants - with truth at a time when the destruction of the world was near and the next life was at hand, when its brightness was turning into gloom after shining, it had become troublesome for its inhabitants, its surface had become rough, and its decay had approached near. This was during the exhaustion of its life at the approach of signs (of its decay), the ruin of its inhabitants, the breaking of its links, the dispersal of its affairs, the decay of its signs, the divulging of its secret matters and the shortening of its length.

5.     Arab's life

Allah sent Muhammad as a warner (against vice) for all the worlds and a trustee of His revelation, while you people of Arabia were following the worst religion and you resided among rough stones and venomous serpents. You drank dirty water and ate filthy food. You shed blood of each other and cared not for relationship.  Idols are fixed among you and sins are clinging to you.

[1]Divine Appointment of the holy Prophet of Islam

[2]Mecca