Malfuzat - Volume VIII — Page 120
Malf uza t - English translation of Urdu Volume 8 120 ignorant people are wholly unaware of the true significance of Jihad. They only defame Islam and the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. He never raised the sword for the propagation of the Faith. When the atrocities perpetrated by the enemies against him and his Companions exceeded all limits, and his devoted followers—both men and women—were mercilessly martyred, and he himself was chased right up to Madinah, it was only then that God Almighty com- manded him to defend himself. He was not the one to draw the sword; his enemies were the ones who did it. Sometimes, the brutal disbelievers wounded him so severely that he became covered in blood from head to toe, but he did not retaliate. Remember well that if taking up the sword had been obligatory in Islam, the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, would have raised it in Makkah. But no, the sword that is mentioned was only raised when the bloodthirsty disbelievers pursued him up to Madinah. The enemy at that time brandished the sword, but today the sword is no more. My opponents now attack me with false reports and religious edicts. Today it is the pen alone that is employed against Islam. Can he who fights the pen with the sword be anything other than a fool or a tyrant? Do not ever forget that the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, drew his sword only when the disbelievers had crossed all limits of cruelty and tyranny; it was a simple act of self-defence, which is not a crime under the law of every civilized government. Self-defence is allowed in the Penal Code of India as well. If a thief enters a house and attacks with the intent to kill, it is no crime even to kill him in self-defence. 1 1. Al- H akam, vol. 10, no. 34, p. 3, dated 30 September 1906