Lecture Ludhiana — Page 14
14 authority of the Holy Qur’an, the Holy Prophet’s practical example— Sunnah , the consensus of his Companions, reason, logic and authentic Islamic literature. The Hanafite school of jurisprudence, the definitive verses of the Holy Qur’an, Traditions of the Holy Prophet sa , reason and evidence based on Islamic law— Shariah , are all in my favour. But before even examining my views at length or listening to my arguments, these people crossed all limits in opposing me, so much so that they called me an apostate and imputed to me whatever their whim or fancy dictated. In keeping with the demands of honesty, right- eousness, and fear of God, they should have asked me to explain my viewpoint. Had my position been against the word of God and the Holy Prophet sa , then they would of course have had the right to describe me in whatever terms they wished and call me and impostor, Antichrist and what not. But I have stressed from the very begin- ning, and still do, that to deviate, however slightly, from the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Prophet sa is an act of rank disbelief. It is an article of faith with me that whoever digresses from this path is accursed and damned. I have expounded this in very clear and positive terms not only in public lectures but in as many as sixty books. Indeed, this has been my constant preoccupation and concern. If these opponents of mine had the fear of God in their hearts, were they not obliged to ask me why my belief appeared to them as un-Islamic? Indeed, without giving the matter a second thought, just on hearsay, they at once