Bounties of the Gracious God — Page 96
96 and you must not write more than this like those who are bent upon quarrelling. It will then be incumbent on me to provide you with a detailed answer, even if it takes three whole hours to do so. If some doubt still remains in your heart even after listening to my answer and you find some flaw in my answer, you will be entitled to write down your doubts just like before. This exchange shall continue until the truth is fully revealed and you are satisfied, and that which was hidden from you becomes manifest. I have not chosen this method to silence you or reprimand you, or for any other form of deception, rather the fact is that I have sworn an oath to Allah the Exalted which cannot be overlooked. And it is that after having written my book Anj a m-e- A tham , I would never again debate with anyone, be he someone from among the elite or the general public. Therefore, I do not want to go back on my pledge and disobey my Lord, the Most High. You have read my book Anj a m-e- A tham , so if you are among the righteous and the wise, you will accept this justification and act according to the conditions mentioned. You have written in your letter that pursuit of the truth forced you to come out of your home and persuaded you to leave your near and dear ones behind and embark on this journey. If this is indeed true, then why do you dislike the method that saves me from breaking my oath and from going back on my pledge and is also more civilized and saves both of us from the danger of being resentful of one another. Also, in the present circumstances, this is better for achieving peace, because when one asks for proof in the course of verbal debates, it causes the dispute to become more serious, and the matter moves from debate to almost fighting and then the authorities have to intervene and punish the people.