The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 19
18 Ā'ĪNA-E-KAMĀLĀT-E-ISLĀM―DĀFI‘UL-WASĀWIS Now I revert to my initial story and the great agony it brings. Indeed, the ulema did not spare any arrow to shoot at me, nor did they spare me any torment. They rained down baseless and false allegations upon me. Neither poetry nor prose was spared in my denunciation. ' When I saw their deviation from the right path and their increase in suspicion, I did not find any recourse but to write this book, so I wrote it with tears of prayer and bitter grief. I strove hard to dispel their misgivings and to expose their errors. I beg Allah the Exalted to put abounding blessings herein and to instil its meanings even into their narrow minds. Here I am, absolved of what they say. Allah knows whereas they know not. I am not a disbeliever, a heretic, or an apostate. I am but a Joseph among the prisoners. In fact, I have been sent to remove their chains and shack- les. Then how could I fear their labelling me a disbeliever while I am cognizant of their condition? The one who stands firm on the top of a mountain is never scared of ravines and the one who drinks from the goblet of communion cares nothing for any misguided denier. Verily, I know from my Lord what I have brought from the stars. Hence, the howling of a fox does little to annoy me. Fear Allah, and do not strut around relying on your worthless armour, and rally not the people to wail over the dead. What is the matter with you that you do not rein in your mouths nor restrain yourselves? You do not abstain from conceit and arrogance and exult in your attacks. You declare people infidels without any knowledge, and thereby exceed all limits. If there are any differences between you and me, then remember, differences did occur before this as well and many a disagreement turns out to be a blessing in disguise, if only you knew. Allah will judge between you and us in this world and on the Day of Resurrection, and will inform you about those matters on which you used to differ. O my people! Refrain from these suspicions, for suspicion in some cases is a sin. What is the matter with you that you do not understand? I have not come to you with a lie or a fabrication nor with anything that 1. This refers to the poetry of Munshi Sa'dullāh and his ilk about their invectives and diatribes and the prose of Batālawī Ṣāḥib and of some other maulawis of the kind. [Author]