The Victory of Islam — Page 70
70 THE VICTORY OF ISLAM MY STATEMENT-I do not care the least for Maulawi 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 maulawis! Now, let the readers also reflect upon this criticism that issued forth from the mouth of Maulawi 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 Zuhr and Aşr Prayers jointly towards the end of the prescribed time for Zuhr, 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, Maulawī 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