Life of Ahmad — Page 241
as ANGER OF MULLAHS 241 Maulaw i had brought a specific charge against Ahmad as on the basis of his own evidence which Ahmad as knew for certain to be a deliberate fabrication. In such a case Mub a hala was permissible. It is also permissible with an unbeliever who affirms that he knows for certain that Islam is not the right religion and that it is a fact that a being other than God can and does possess Divine attributes. But Mub a hala is not permissible amongst Muslims to settle minor differences. ‘ A ’isha ra refused to believe in the Holy Prophet’s sa physical ascension to the heavens, much against the accepted opinion of the Muslims. Sayyid Abdul Q a dir J i l a n i rh believed that the son of Abraham as chosen for sacrifice was Isaac as and not Ismael as as believed by the rest of Muslims according to Ibni Taimiyya. But never in the history of Islam did anyone challenge them to settle such theological differences through Mub a hala. The curse of God is invoked in Mub a hala on a liar who deliberately invents a lie, and not on one who simply holds any wrong or erroneous belief. It may be legitimately asked here that if Mub a hala was not at all permissible, why did a Prophet of God express his willingness to enter into it at all or seek a fatwa on the point? Ahmad as has himself anwsered this question. In a letter to Khan Muhammad Ali Khan ra of Malerkotla he wrote in those very days that he had not asked for the fatwa because his knowledge was imperfect or because he was not sure on the point. He only wanted his enemies to understand the