Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 208
208 HAQIQATUL-WAḤI—THE PHILOSOPHY OF DIVINE REVELATION fair-minded person should look with fairness at the steadfastness of Maulawi 'Abdul-Latif, the martyr, and ponder whether anyone in the world can show a better example of steadfastness than this? Maulawi ['Abdul-Laṭīf] was a mag- nificent scholar of Arabic disciplines of learning. He had spent his entire life in teaching hadith and commentaries of the Holy Quran. He was a recipient of divine revelation too. His followers and students numbered nearly 50,000. He also occupied an honourable status in the world to the extent that, in the sight of the Amirs of the state of Kabul, he was a recognised elder and scholar of the age. In the British domain, as well as in the state of Kabul, he owned a large estate. He gave up his life for acknowledging my truthfulness. He was remonstrated and urged to renounce me. But he said, 'I am not a fool. I have come to believe on the basis of my insight. I cannot give him up, but I will give up my life. ' The Amir counselled him a number of times, saying 'you are an esteemed elder. People are agitating. Consider it expediency of the time. ' He replied, 'I give precedence to the Faith over the world; I would rather not lose my Faith; I know that the one, with whom I have pledged the covenant of allegiance, is in the right; he is better than the entire world; he indeed is the Masiḥ who was to come; and 'Īsā is dead. ' At this, the clerics raised a clamour, saying, 'He has become a disbeliever, why should he not be killed?' But the Amir still held off killing him. In the end, this excuse was put forth that these people renounce jihad inasmuch as one should not fight with sword against other nations for the sake of faith. Of course, Maulawi ['Abdul-Laṭīf] did not deny this allegation and said, "This indeed has been promised that the Masiḥ shall be helped by God from heaven, and that jihad is now prohibited. ' And then he was most mercilessly stoned to death and the members of his family were arrested and banished to some far flung corner of the state of Kabul. Some of his followers joined our Jama'at. Now show some shame and remorse and reflect as to how can ‘Abdul-Ḥakim ever be compared to the eminent scholar who was so highly honoured both in worldly and religious matters and sacrificed his life for me? If he, who is totally unaware of the Arabic dis- ciplines of learning, turned apostate, what loss did the Faith suffer? Similarly, 'Imad-ud-Din, who styled himself as a maulawi, turned apostate and became a Christian. What harm did he ['Imad-ud-Din] inflict on Islam that we would think that he ['Abdul-Hakim], too, would cause some harm? Same is the case of Dharam Pāl, who has renounced Islam in these very days. What damage did he do? در کار خانه عشق از کفر ناگزیر است آتش کرا بسوزد گر بولہب نباشد In the vast world of love, apostasy is indeed unavoidable- Whom could fire consume if there was no Abū Lahab? -(Author)