Truth About the Split — Page 227
227 however, of this outward allegiance, he remained unconvinced at heart, and in the circle of his friends and associates his conversation often assumed a tone which implied denial of the Khilafat. Thus, gradually he formed around him a party of men who shared his views. The most important person who joined him was of course Khwaja Kamaluddin. Khwaja Sahib had been seeking to win over Maulawi Muhammad Ali to his own views, and the best way of doing so now seemed to be to subscribe to the attitude which Maulawi Muhammad Ali had assumed with regard to the Khilafat. Accordingly not fifteen days had passed after the death of the Promised Messiah as when, on a certain occasion in the presence of Maulawi Muhammad Ali, Khwaja Kamaluddin addressed me saying, "Miya ń Sahib, what is your opinion regarding the powers of the Khilafat?" To this I replied that the time to decide the question of powers was when the Bai‘at had not yet been sworn. When the Khalifa had declared in clear words that after entering into his Bai‘at we would be required to render him complete obedience, when we had heard these words and had still entered into his Bai‘at what right had we, who had thus chosen to be servants, to determine the powers of the master? On hearing this reply, Khwaja Sahib changed the topic of conversation.