Mahzarnama (The Memorandum) — Page 143
Mahzarnama 143 the time when Islam was surrounded by the incursions of its enemies, and the Muslims whose duty it was to safeguard it— they being in the nature of instruments which constituted the objective world of resources, created by God, the Genuine Protector—they lay sobbing helplessly, after being punished for their own blunders, and they were not doing anything—nor could they do anything—for Islam. On the one hand, the range of onslaughts indicated that the entire Christian World wanted to snuff out the candle which guides one to God, viz. Islam, perceiving it to be an outpost of resistance, getting in the way of their own destination. And the powerful forces of mind and wealth were vying with each other to provide the backing of this assailant. But, on the other hand, the feebleness of defence was such that there did not exist even arrows to fight against the cannons. Neither did the capability to launch an offensive exist, nor was there any potential for self-defence. . . . Then the Muslim resistence began, of which Mirza Sahib’s contribution forms part. It not only blew to pieces the initial influence secured by Christianity—which was due to the tutelage of the British Government and was, in fact, its mainstay—causing hundreds of thousands of Muslims to escape its much more dangerous and likely-to-succeed attack, but even the magic of Christianity itself started to blow up in smoke. . . . In short, this service by Mirza Sahib will keep future generations weighed down under debt for having led from the front those engaged in Jehad by the Pen and for having performed the duty of defending Islam and leaving such a vast body of literature that as long as blood courses in the veins of the Muslims, and the defence of Islam remains the hallmark of their national character, this literature will endure. " [ Quoted in Al-Badr, 18 June, 1908, pp. 2-3, cf. Daily Millat, Lahore, 7 January, 1911, pp. 13-15 ] Saadiq-ul-Akhbar, Rewarhi "Through his forceful declamation and splendid writings, Mirza Sahib has delivered a coup de grace to the lecherous objections