Life of Ahmad — Page 493
as LETTER TO THE AM i R 493 Faith during such a peaceful reign. And why shall I not feel grateful for this gift when, and in spite of my humbleness and helplessness, and in spite of the agitation of the ignorant, I am carrying on my work in peace under the British Government? 115 And I am enjoying such amenities that I shall be failing in my gratitude to God if I did not thank this Government. We shall be held guilty of injustice if we conceal the fact that we enjoy the same measure of freedom to preach Islam as is enjoyed by Christians for the propagation of their faith. In fact, this freedom is of much greater advantage to us. We Muslims derive benefits from this freedom which the others do not have, for they 115 If Ahmad as had desired only to get money out of the Am i r, there was no need of praising the British in this private letter. If the Am i r was a friend of the British and kept in touch with Indian affairs, he must have known that Ahmad as was also a loyal well-wisher of the British. There was no point in writing it, unless of course Ahmad as meant it to be a veiled hit against the Am i r’s Government. But a businessman would not displease his prospective customer; nor would a beggar offend a prospective donor. If, on the other hand, the Am i r hated the British, as the Afghans generally did, it was certainly not in the interest of Ahmad as to praise them in this manner. There is nothing in the letter which could savour of intimidation. Why then, it may be asked, did Ahmad as praise the British in this letter? The answer is simple. Ahmad as was not hankering after power or pelf. He was commissioned as a reformer by God. His trust was in God alone. He boldly preached the Divine message to the Am i r and laid all facts before him. Islam was very much maligned and misrepresented. Every Muslim must help its cause. There was involved in this no political complication, because the British did not interfere in such matters. To counteract anti- Islamic propaganda money was required. Therefore the Am i r should help Ahmad as in this noble work not only for the sake of religion but also for his own spiritual welfare.