Malfuzat - Volume VII — Page 115
II FEBRUARY 1905 115 11 FEBRUARY 1905 (At Zuhr time) The Issue of Living under British Rule The Promised Messiahas left after performing the Zuhr Prayer. However, a relative of Şahibzādah Sirāj-ul-Haqq Nu'mānī, Maulawī Ahmad Sa'id Anṣārī Saharanpuri, had come for the purpose of establishing the truth. He was the nephew and disciple of the Rejuvenator of the Sunnah and the Eradicator of Innovation, Hafiz of Hadīth, Khalifah, Maulānā Sheikh Muhammad Anṣārī Saharanpuri, born in Makkah and passed away a migrant. Therefore, Şahibzādah Şāhib requested the Promised Messiah, for a meeting with him. He came immediately upon receiving the request and sat for sometime in the gathering. After introducing name, place of residence, and other such niceties, the topic of jihad was mentioned. Incidentally, some groups were also mentioned who consider killing every disbeliever with the sword as being part of a religious war and consider living in the British countries as her- esy and disbelief. On this, the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, said: Their perspective is that they live apart in order to protect themselves from the influence of kufr [disbelief], and if they are living as subjects of the British, then their eyes are forced to see the works of kufr and polytheism, and their ears are com- pelled to listen to the words of the idolaters. This is not cor- rect in my opinion because up till now, this Government has granted freedom to everyone regarding religion and everyone has the right to propagate their own faith in peace and security. The Government does not permit religious discrimination [in its affairs]. There are many living examples of this.