The Victory of Islam — Page 70
70 My Statement— I do not care the least for Maulaw i Sahib’s lack of belief, but I am absolutely appalled at his lies and fabrication and extreme degree of malice. O Noble Lord! Have mercy upon this ummah, whose leaders, guides, and guardians are considered to be the likes of such maulaw i s! Now, let the readers also reflect upon this criticism that issued forth from the mouth of Maulaw i Sahib out of feelings of greed and jealousy. It is obvious that this humble one had stayed in Aligarh for only a few days as a sojourner. It was an obligatory act for me to comply with whatever concessions the Shariah of Islam has granted to sojourners, the persistent deviation from which is declared to be a form of apostasy. Therefore, I did the very thing that I should have done. I cannot deny that I occasionally combined two Prayers dur - ing the circumstances of a few days’ stay in the lawful manner pre - scribed, and sometimes I offered the Z uhr and ‘A s r Prayers jointly towards the end of the prescribed time for Z uhr, whereas some ‘esteemed’ believers occasionally combine their Prayers even at home without the stipulations of travel or rain. At the same time, I cannot deny that I did not make an absolute commitment to be present in the mosques [for congregational Prayers] during these few days, yet I did not abandon the practice altogether despite my medical infirmity and travel status. Accordingly, Maulaw i Sahib would be well aware that I even offered the Jumu‘ah [Friday] Prayer behind him, the validity of which I have now come to suspect. It is true and absolutely true that I abhor always attend - ing mosques [for Prayers] during the days I travel, but the rea - son for this is not—God forbid—lethargy or disdain of divine