Story 181 - The story of a true Namazi

At Sialkot Rama had a Muslim friend who had never in his life time offered any Namaz (Muslim prayer). During those days, there was a lot of thieving going on at Sialkot. Accordingly, one Mr. Warberton, was sent by the British Government of India to suppress this crime. He was a famous Police Officer and ordered all the suspects to report thrice a day at the Police Station. This helped to some extent in the suppression of the cases of theft. One Friday, the Muslims, going to the mosque for offering their prayers, enquired of my friend the reason for his not going there. He replied, quoting the then prevailing orders, of the Police Officer, Warberton, "I am not a thief to report myself to God. I have committed no theft. It is, therefore, not obligatory upon me to go to mosque. These people consider their bodies as their own. But this is not so. It is the-.God-given body and belongs to God. Out of sheer selfishness, they have usurped their body and call it their own. They have, as though, stolen God's property. They think that they are Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaish, Hindu or Muslim, which they, in reality, are not. They are in fact' thieves and go to the mosque to report their presence. But I am neither a suspect nor a criminal. Why, then, should I go there?" However, my friend, Sheikh Saheb, bowed down only once and never a second time. Thus, while offering his prayers, he bowed down and never got up. His life was gone for good. This is the real Namaz.

Vol. 4 (83)