The Essence of Islam – Volume IV — Page 220
220 Essence of Islam-IV وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ 130 and reminding themselves of the verse: إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ 131 they should have expressed their sympathy for the Sultan through sincere supplication for him. The only purpose of my announcement was that the Turks should adopt the ways of purity and righteousness, for nothing is so effective in holding back heavenly de- cree and torment as piety, repentance and righteous conduct. But the foolish well-wishers of the Sultan started reviling me, and some of them said: 'Is the Sultan guilty of all sins and is Europe so holy and pure that no prophecy is made in respect of its chas- tisement?' They do not understand that for the punishment of disbelievers because of their disobedi- ence and idol-worship and deification of human beings, God Almighty has appointed another world which will be encountered after death. It is not the practice of God Almighty to subject to chastisement in this very world people who do not believe in Him, except in cases when they transgress all limits in their sinfulness and are accounted tyrants and cruel and mischief-makers in the estimation of God, as the mis- chievous people of Noahas, Lotas, and Pharaoh brought punishment upon themselves by their pro- longed misconduct. But God does not leave the 130 And follow not that of which thou hast no knowledge. Banī Isrā'īl, 17:37 [Publisher] 131 Suspicion in some cases is a sin. Al-Hujurāt, 49:13 [Publisher]