The Afghan Martyrs — Page 69
Apparently there is some validity in this view but one must not forget that freedom in the above mentioned spheres is not a basic right. In fact every kind of freedom must have its own limits which would be dictated and determined by such considerations as local customs, extent of territory, divergence of races, faiths, habits, exigencies of time and government pragmatism. II (Reproduced from the daily Alfazal Qadian 30th April 1925) 3. Frank Martin in his book writes : So the Amir, when he heard of all this, sent word to the moullah to return, and the moullah did so, preaching the new religion as he came, and as soon as he was well within the boundaries of the country, he was made prisoner and brought to Kabul. Here he was examined by the Amir, but the Amir could find in the moullah's clever replies nothing against the true religion which would make him an infidel, and" therefore worthy of death, for a Mussulman, according to the Koran, who becomes an apostate, must be stoned to death. He was then sent for examination to Sirdar Nasrullah Khan, who is regarded as more than a moullah in knowledge of his religion, but the prince could not convict the man out of his own mouth, and so a jury of twelve of the most learned moullahs was convened, and even their examination of the accused could elicit nothing on which the man might be killed, and they reported this to the Amir. But the Amir said the man must be convicted, and so he was again sent to the moullahs, who were told that they must sign a paper, saying the man was an apostate and worthy of death. Again the majority of the moullahs made affirmation that he was innocent of anything against their religion, but two of the moullahs, who were friends of Sirdar N asrullah Khan, and had been talked over by him, gave their verdict for death, and on the finding of these two moullahs the man was condemned by the Amir and stoned to death. Before 69