Approaching the West — Page 8
A pproaching the West—8 several advertisements for publication in the Western media and sent letters to thousands of eminent Westerners inviting them to study Isl ā m. At one point (1885), he mailed 16,000 registered letters to world’s renowned religious leaders, scholars and thinkers asking them to remove any doubts that they might have against Isl ā m by communicating to him. Many outstanding men, such as Alexander Webb (an American journalist and diplomat), F. L. Anderson (New York) and Dr. A. George Baker (Philadelphia) accepted Isl ā m through corresponding with him directly. In 1893, he wrote a book entitled Ā ’ ī na-i-Kam ā l ā t-i-Isl ā m (Mirror of Isl ā m’s Excellences) and once again he issued a notice specifically praying for the Caucasian race—the British people—to accept Isl ā m. He concluded with the following prayer, O Gracious God! Guide the tender hearts of all the nations, so that they may have faith in Thy chosen Prophet (Mu ḥ ammad) and in Thy Holy Qur’ ā n, and that they may follow the commandments contained therein, so that they may thus benefit from peace and true happiness which are especially enjoyed by true Muslims in both the worlds, and may obtain absolution and eternal life which is not only procurable in the next world, but is also enjoyed by the truthful and honest people even in this world. Especially the English nation who have not yet availed themselves of the sunshine of truth, and whose civilized, prudent and merciful empire has, by obliging us through