The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 508
AN ACCOUNT OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE & THE EMPRESS OF INDIA 507 leave our land, we are not afraid of being ruined; instead, we feel secure from any thief and plunderer as if we never departed our homes or left our abode and neighbours to journey away. Then—O ye heedless!—how can we remain ungrateful? They have granted us a complete freedom to preach our Faith, to write books, to establish arguments, to give advice, to call people to the message of Islam, to fast, to pray, to make the Pilgrimage and to pay the Zakāt. Mostly in Islamic disputes they revert to Islamic law, and in the matters of Muslims they seek guidance from the religious scholars of Islam, and transgress not. They search deeply before issuing any order, judgment, or decree, and are not hasty in implementation. When two groups of Muslims approach them for settling their dispute, they recommend them to present it before the consultative body of Muslims and advise them to appoint an arbiter from both sides, and when they accept it they rejoice. In their reign, the Islamic sciences and the practices of the Best of Creation, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, became mani- fest-only the biased refuse to accept it. They built many an educational institute and spread various kinds of sciences, reviving all of what has been dead. In this regard, they laid out rules for examinations so that a student may succeed or fail. In fact, they set up a tremendous education system and perfected the methods of communication. In this process, they managed to overcome puzzling and insoluble problems that were like an invincible fort. Despite all these factors, expenses for education have been low, and the number of days involved are limited, while their benefits are immense and great. So they must be the envy of the enviers. I swear by my life, they are such a people whom Allah has sent to us for our good. They have annihilated those who tried to destroy us and put the medal of bounties around our necks. It is incumbent upon us to express gratefulness to them in our hearts and on our tongues. Indeed, the reward of goodness is nothing but goodness. So, the Muslims should welcome them with honour and respect, and carry the yoke of their submission like the pious and noble. Whoever from us disobeys