The Second Remarkable Question

During the past two months, a politically charged situation arose. Although it seemed necessary to take action that would most probably have brought relief to me and to many brothers connected with me, I attached no importance to that situation. On the contrary, I even adopted a position that seemed to favour the worldly people who put pressure on me.

Some people were very surprised by this. They said:

“Why do you not oppose the politics of these spreaders of bidahsReligious innovations that are not prescribed by the Qur’an or by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). and their partly hypocritical leaders—people who even torment you so much?”

The summary of my answer is as follows:

In this age, the greatest danger for Muslims is the corruption of hearts and the weakening of īmānFaith; belief in the six articles of faith: Allah, His angels, His revealed scriptures, His prophets, the Hereafter, and divine decree (qadar). through a misguidance arising from science and philosophy. The only remedy for this is to bring light so that hearts may be restored and īmānFaith; belief in the six articles of faith: Allah, His angels, His revealed scriptures, His prophets, the Hereafter, and divine decree (qadar). may be saved.

But if one were to wield the cudgel of politics and gain victory through it, those unbelievers would descend to the level of hypocrites. And the hypocrite is worse than the unbeliever. This means that, in such an age, the cudgel cannot reform the heart. On the contrary, unbelief enters the heart, hides within it, and turns into hypocrisy.

Moreover, in this age I am too powerless to wield both the light and the cudgel. I therefore find myself compelled to cling with all my strength to the light and to pay no attention to the political cudgel, whatever form it may take.

As for the requirements of material jihādStriving and exerting oneself for the sake of Allah; a broad Islamic concept that includes spiritual and moral struggle and, under specific circumstances, armed struggle., that duty does not rest upon us at present. Indeed, in order to repel the attacks of an unbeliever or apostate—in accordance with the capacity of those qualified for it—the cudgel is necessary. But we have only two hands; and even if we had a hundred, they would still suffice only for the light. We have no hand left with which to hold the cudgel.

The Third Remarkable Question

Why do you oppose war so strongly, when foreign powers such as England and Italy have begun to interfere with this government, and this—by stirring up the Islamic zeal that has, from ancient times, been the true support and source of spiritual strength for the government in this land—might have led to a certain revival of the shaāirThe symbols and public rites of Islam, such as the adhān. of Islam and to the partial retreat of the bidahsReligious innovations that are not prescribed by the Qur’an or by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).? Why do you pray for this matter to be resolved peacefully, and why have you even clearly placed yourself on the side of the government of the innovators? Is this not, indirectly, a form of support for the bidahsReligious innovations that are not prescribed by the Qur’an or by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).?

The Answer: We long for relief, gladness, and victory—but not by the sword of the unbelievers! Let the sword of the unbelievers strike their own heads; we have no need of the benefit that comes from their swords. For it was precisely those rebellious foreigners who incited the hypocrites against the believers and nurtured the deniers of Allah.

Furthermore, the calamity of war would seriously harm our service of the Qur’an. Most of our devoted and valuable brothers are under forty-five years of age; because of war they would be forced to leave their sacred duty in the service of the Qur’an and enter the army.