The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 298
ARGUMENT FOR SAYYED AHMAD KHAN 297 thinking that when the whole of one's property is at risk in some calam- ity, one should bear a small loss in order to avoid a greater loss; for, it is better to lose a little than to lose it all. However, all such ideas would result from lack of due deliberation. You should bear in mind that not a dot of the Holy Quran is in danger owing to any coordinated attack launched by the philosophies of those in the past or the present. The Holy Quran is the kind of stone that will crush whoever it falls upon, and whoever falls upon it shall himself be broken into pieces-so why should you be so anxious to sue for a humiliating peace? What have you done for Islam outside of accepting many false ideas of contemporary philosophy? You have sought to subordinate the Book whose every letter wields Divine glory to the ideas of the phi- losophers, and have sued for a humiliating peace. In my opinion, such endeavours on your part cannot defend against the corruption of the Antichrist in this age. Rather, they are a branch of its many branches because from the inside you have opened the gate of the Citadel of Islam for its enemies, helping to tie the hands and feet of the Muslims so that the enemies may comfortably enter this City and plunder it as they please, while the Muslims remain utterly helpless. I am, however, of the opinion that you have not done so knowingly. Undoubtedly your motives must be honest, for it can be gathered from your writings that there is no reason to doubt your goodwill for Islam. But your goodwill actually has resulted in evil consequences, and it is really the community's misfortune that the Muslims' cause has been harmed in a way that no declared mischief-maker could have done, by one who purports to be a reformer. You may perhaps put forward the excuse that this had a purpose, that you published these writings at a time when the evils of Western education were overtaking the world and when the storm of spiritual darkness was at its height; that you supplied this dirty food for those who would wish to have it, lest they might apostatize from Islam-they might eat dirt but they must not abjure Islam!