Malfuzat - Volume IX — Page 61
27 December 1906 61 Commissioner] to raise the Call for Prayer as loudly there as he had raised it at the other place and the District Commissioner also asked his chief clerk to pay attention to the distress it may cause. The caller proceeded to make the Call in a subdued voice. The complainants said that he was louder previously, and not as loud here. The caller was asked to make the Call very loudly. Eventually he made the Call for Prayer. When he had finished, the Commissioner asked the chief clerk if he had experienced any discomfort. He said, ‘No, Sir!’ The Commissioner said, ‘I also did not feel any discomfort. ’ He told the caller to return and raise the Call to Prayer as there was no harm in it. 1 1. This incident has been recorded in Badr as follows: ‘A Muslim called the Adh a n loudly in a mosque. All the Brahmans and Pundits gathered and took the complaint to the District Magistrate, who was British. They complained that they had been grossly wronged as a Muslim had raised the A d h a n, which had been gravely wronged because their belongings had been defiled by it. The kneaded dough had been rendered unsuitable for making bread, the flat breads were rendered unsuitable for eating, the clothes had become un- suitable for wearing. All the utensils in the house had become defiled. The Magistrate was wise. He said, ‘This A d h a n seems to be extremely effective. ’ He summoned the muadhdhan [caller] immediately. The muadhdhan was brought, and he appeared before the Magistrate. On one side was standing the poor muadhdhan alone and on the other side gathered the complaining and lamenting hordes of Pundits, Brahmans, and Khatris. The Englishman said to the caller, “We wish to hear your A d h a n. Raise the A d h a n before us just as you did. ” Thus, he called the A d h a n. The Magistrate said that he did not observe any such effect of the A d h a n. He turned to the Hindus and asked, “Did the mullah call the A d h a n in the same way?” The Brahmans and their colleagues strongly protested and said that the previous A d h a n was much louder. The Magistrate said to the mullah, “You raised this A d h a n very mildly. Raise the A d h a n loudly. ” He then raised the A d h a n very loudly. The Magistrate listened to it attentively. After its completion, the Magistrate turned his face towards his chief clerk and said, “This A d h a n has not defiled me in the least. Has it affected you in such a way or has anything of yours been defiled?” The chief clerk laughed and said, “Not at all. ” The Magistrate said, “These pundits seem like troublemakers. They should all be asked to give affidavits guaranteeing good and lawful conduct, and be punished if they cause such mischief in the future. ”’ ( Badr, vol. 6, no. 3, p, 9–10, dated 17 January 1907)