The Message or A Cry of Anguish — Page 37
THE MESSAGE OR A CRY OF ANGUISH 37 apprise me of what they suggest for the accomplishment of this task and who they would like to choose for this service. As for the task, it consists in answering the objections collected from all the books of the opponents, and then publishing and circulating fifty thousand copies of the rebuttal in the country, thus saving this generation of Muslims from the fatal poison. This entire enter- prise can be efficiently carried out with fifty thousand rupees. If at least fifty to sixty thousand such books are published, then it might be concluded that we have wholly exposed the entire web of deceit spun by priests and other opponents [of Islam]. But since it involves finance, it first needs much deliberation and investiga- tion as to the competent person for the task, and whose writings can draw the hearts of the world towards Islam, whose beauty of expression, reasoning power and method of argumentation is lucid and convincing, and whose discourse can demolish and annihilate all the objections? In view of this perspective I have penned down ten conditions in this treatise of mine which, I believe, must be fulfilled in such an author. But, it is not necessary to follow my opinion. Everyone should express their own opinion after care- fully deliberating as to who should be entrusted with the task of writing and who, in their eyes, is the one who can accomplish it thoroughly and skilfully. For my part, I can at the very least, take up this responsibility, that if everyone sent their written proposals to me I would continue to collect them and when all the propos- als were gathered I would publish them collectively in the form of a treatise. Then the course of action agreed by the majority opin- ion will be followed. Everyone, in conformity with the majority opinion, shall be obligated to sincerely render financial help in