A Verdict Required — Page 66
66 A VERDICT REQUIRED want to attack Islam out of enmity towards me, and their goal is to erase those Signs that have descended from the heavens as testi- mony to the truth of this religion; therefore, this Istiftā' [demand for a verdict] is presented to the honourable and discerning mem- bers of the [Muslim] community. I have accurately recorded all the events and testimonies, and the books from which they have been written have been published for a long time. Every respected and revered scholar—should he wish to see the original books, he may request them from me. Therefore, I earnestly petition the respected and revered gentlemen, for the glory and grandeur of Allah the Exalted and His Messenger, to document this fatwa [religious verdict] that arises from the present circumstances on the attached papers of this treatise, and affixing their own and others' testimonies upon them, they would be doing a favour to the misguided people. Please send me these written statements by letter, so that they may all be compiled and published as a collection. I know that the testimonies of the respected and revered will come with great enthusiasm from every direction, and true believers will never conceal this testimony in which the glory of Islam is clearly evi- dent. However, those of a lowly nature with an ignoble worldly bent of mind-such people should remember that God Almighty says that whoever conceals true testimony, their heart is sinful before God. As far as I can see, no law prevents even Government officials from offering such truthful testimony that justly supports the truth. Supporting truth is a noble quality in a person. No matter how much worldly honour and prestige we may attain, we cannot escape the grasp of God. My experience is that disregarding that