The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 340
340. Essence of Islam-III basis of these four signs which are the criteria to judge who is perfect and who is not. . . . . Now let the whole world bear witness that purely for the sake of Allah and for the manifestation of truth, I accept this challenge with all my heart and soul. The first among those who should want to take up this challenge is Miān. Nadhir Hussain of Delhi. He has taught the Holy Qur'ān and Hadīth for more than half a century, but the example of his learning and practice is that, without any enquiry or study, he proclaimed me a disbeliever and thus incited thousands of ill-natured wild people to revile me. He also let loose Batālvi233 to spew forth the foam of condemnation from his mouth, and to curse me like a wild beast. . And he has arrogated to himself the status of the perfect believer, eminent scholar and leader of the entire Muslim world. First and foremost, he is the one I invite to take up this challenge. He is free to bring with him the Batālvī who now claims to have true dreams. I would also let him, if he so wishes, include ‘Abdul Jabbār Ṣāḥib, son of a righteous servant of Allah, the late Maulavi 'Abdullāh Ṣāḥib, and also Maulavi 'Abd-ur-Raḥmān Ṣāḥib of Lakhoke, who made public his revelation about me being eternally misguided, and denounced me as an apostate. . He can also bring along Maulavi Muḥammad Bashir Ṣāhib of Bhopal who is one of his followers. If Miān. Nadhir Hussain should evade my challenge, as he has often done earlier, then let these gentlemen, whose names I have mentioned above, come forth to challenge me. . Should they fail to do so, then let Maulavi Rashid Aḥmad Ṣāḥib of Gangohā make a bold move to take up this chal233 The reference is to Maulavi Muḥammad Hussain of Batālā. [Publisher]