The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 626
SIGN OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT 625 and classifying and arranging them into chapters would all become innovations. Similarly, riding a train, wearing clothes manufactured in factories, posting letters, seeking information by telegram, and fighting with guns and cannons would all be included as innovations. Indeed, fighting with guns and cannons would not only be considered an innovation, but also a major sin because there is a sahih [authentic] hadith stating that killing someone with the torment of fire is strictly prohibited. ¹ Who could be a better follower of the Sunnah than the Companions? Notwithstanding, they also did not understand the Sunnah to mean what Miyāń Raḥīm Bakhsh has understood. They performed such activities under new plans and arrangements which had not been enjoined by the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, nor were they revealed in the Holy Quran. Look at the novel initiatives carried out by Hadrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, which would fill a volume. He established the Hijri calendar in Islam. He appointed policemen for protecting the cities and established a regular office for the treasury. He established rules for vacation and holidays for the army and ordained the reg- ulation for their fighting engagements. He issued guidelines for the settlement of monetary disputes. He formulated and promulgated many regulations of his own for the protection of citizens. During the reign of his Khilafat, he took upon himself the personal responsi- bility of sometimes going about at night in a covert manner to assess the true circumstances of the public. However, my humble self has not undertaken any such new initiative. I simply proposed this Jalsa [Convention] for seeking knowledge, mutual consultation, support for Islam, and meeting with the brethren. As for the construction of a house, if it is ḥarām [unlawful] to build a house for the hospitality and comfort of every guest and traveller, 1. Şahih al-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Jihād was-Siyar, Bāb Lā Yu‘adhdhab bi-‘adhābul- lah, Hadith 3016 [Publisher]