Truth about Khatm-e-Nabuwat — Page 123
perfection in faith and inner virtue and are not related to the formal concept of Islam. . \ reciter of the Kalima, whoever he may be and with whi- chever sect he may be connected, shall be consid- ered to be a Muslim in so far as his civic and political ri~hts are concerned, even though, due to some shortcomings and failure to come up to the standard of faithfulness, he may not be regarded as a robust Muslim. This truth is borne out both by the Quran and the Hadith and the entire out• ward and political structure of Islam has been so shaped as to take full account of this fact. The early Muslims, as also the scholars of all ages, re- cognised Holy Kalima as the outward criteria of faith and did not go in to the discussion of •o r. i p>' in this connection nor did they recogni~e it as a question applicable to this fundamental issue. 'fhe Holy Prophet (Allah bless him) has, time and again declared the holy Kalima· as the central concept of faith when expounding the outward concept of Islam- As further details, he has mentioned angels of God, divine books, the Prophets, life after death and or- dination of good and evil but has made no refer- ence to •o ~ ~ ; though udoubtedly every true Muslim sincerely believes in •o~ ~• as enjoined by the Quran. This is an important point which our friends should always bear in mind. After this marginal note, I resume discussion of the subject in hand. As I have already stated a little confusion had started to grow in the minds of a section of the new converts about the concep~ of and the meaning of the tradition •~. . \af ~ ":l' in the early days, during the period of the com- panions. Since this confusion was not widespread nor very vocal and only limited to a nebulous form and to a very small section of the converts, it was sensed by only a few cornpanions who tried to clear it up in their own way. The reports, which 128