Life of Ahmad — Page 379
as SIR SAYYID CORRECTED 379 fabric of the spiritual edifice of Islam. Ahmad as had, therefore, to be extremely vigilant in his duty. While engaged with the mullahs, he came to know of two books written by the famous founder of the Aligarh College, Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan, K. C. S. I. (born 17. 10. 1817 and died 27. 3. 1898), who devoted himself to the cause of secular education among the Muslims of India. The titles of the two books are Addu‘ a wal-Istij a bat and Ta h r i r f i U su lit Tafs i r. Ahmad as had earlier read his other publications. Sir Sayyid declared that prayer was just a form of worship resorted to by the devotee at times of need by natural impulse. Prayer, according to him, did not actually help in the attainment of what was desired; because God did not interfere in the laws of nature, and everything seemed to be pre-ordained. As these ideas were against the teachings of Islam, Ahmad as wrote a booklet entitled Barak a tud Du‘ a in 1893, in which he reviewed the two books of Sir Sayyid. Ahmad as pointed out the mistakes of Sir Sayyid and explained that prayer was accepted by God and that it did help in the attainment of the desired end. Prayer, he said, was like medicine. If everything was preordained, why should disease be treated at all? If prayer was useless, the science of medicine must also be meaningless. Ahmad as further explained the philosophy of prayer and showed that preordination or predestination did not preclude the exercise of power and control by the Almighty, Who could not be dethroned. Then he discussed the principles of