Malfuzat - Volume VII — Page 354
Malfuzat - English translation of Urdu Volume 7 354 there is no jihad of the sword now and only the jihad of the pen remains, therefore, effort, time, and resources should be invested in it through this means. Understand well that now is not the time for religious wars. The battles during the time of the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, were not because he wanted to make Muslims by force; instead, those battles were for defence. When the Muslims were severely persecuted and expelled from Makkah, and many Muslims were martyred, it was then that Allah the Exalted commanded that you fight them in the same manner [as they are fighting you]. Accordingly, they were com- pelled to fight in self-defence, but now the time is different— there is complete peace and freedom. The attacks on Islam are being made with the pen, so it is nec- essary to answer them with the pen itself. Allah the Exalted says in one place in the Holy Quran that you should make the same type of preparations that your opponents are making. Now, look at the preparations the disbelievers are making against Islam. What type are they? It is not the case that they are mustering armies. No, the fact is that they publish all manner of books and periodicals. 1 Therefore, it is our duty to lift the pen and respond 1. This is in Badr: The Christian clergy publish books against Islam with all kinds of deceit and slander and write false things by way of malice. How can Islam be spread until it is proven that the Holy Prophet, may peace and bless- ings of Allah be upon him, is pure from these evil things [imputed to him]? Therefore, we are not ashamed of this whether anyone accepts this or not. My belief, on which God has established me, and which is the meaning of the Holy Quran, is that this interest money is not permissible for oneself, family, children, friends, or loved one; rather, it is impure and its use is a sin. But in this time of weakness of Islam, religion is in dire need of financial sup- port. Islam must be helped. As I have mentioned, for example, a book should be written for the Japanese. An eloquent Japanese individual should be paid 1,000 rupees to translate it, and then 10,000 copies should be printed and published in Japan. It is permissible to use interest money for such a purpose because all wealth belongs to God and in this way it will go into the hands