Chosen Saints of God and the Bigoted Mullas — Page 29
zealous worker in the cause of the faith. He was known to be a very pious devotee. His wisdom and sagacity was admitted by all. . Such a dauntless exponent of Islam also had to suffer at the hands of the notorious Mullas. Being shut in prison for quite a long time and being made a victim to torture, he died there. . Some details of this have been given in the well-known book named, “Fawaat-ul-Waafiyaat", which says, "The Ulema and their comrades, the seekers of gain, realising that Ibn-i-Timiya does not hold the same concepts as their own, and fearing if he became powerful he might prove very dangerous, banded together to oppose him. They prepared memorials and legal documents accusing the Imam of very grave and serious infidelity. In this they also sought the help of the man in the street and the ruffians in organising protests against the pious Imam so that the matter could be taken to higher authorities. . The Imam was, eventually, brought to the court of the Caliph of Egypt, who, on the assurance given by the Ulema (Mullas) ordered that the sage be sent to prison. The opposition propaganda was so successful that even the school teachers and the recluse living retired lives came out in support of the bigoted. Mullas and formed societies of action against the Imam. . The trials of the Imam and his difficulties did not end soon. . He had to face charges after charges until his case was handed over to a Qazi who ordered that the Imam should not be freed from the prison. Therefore, the Imam remained in the prison until death rescued him from the tyrannies of the so-called custodians of justice and faith, and the noble Imam entered paradise". Taareekh-i-Ahl-i-Hadeeth: p. 159-160 by Maulana Muhammad Ibrahim of Sialkot). A few hours before the venerable Imam died, the Minister of the court of Damascus came to beg forgiveness from him. . The holy Imam had faced all the tyrannies simply for the sake of his love for God. He said "I forgive you and all those who were my enemies because they knew not that I was right. I also forgive King Nasir who gave the order for my imprisonment because he was being advised by men who knew not the truth”. 29