THE CALL

2. HAZRATJI ~ 66 ~ to share in the religious environment. There they were trained to urge others to follow the same path. And, when they returned home, they were expected to retain their impression for a long time. It was expected that the religious and spiritual lessons they had been taught, would be pursued by them in the mosques of their neighbourhood. This mosqueoriented life in itself, as the Maulana saw it, would ensure success in both the worlds. He explained his point of view in a letter to one of his followers: “To learn to lead a truly religious life, whatever the sphere one belonged to, one was required to spare four months out of one’s worldly engagements. During this period one had to preach the word of God to all those one came in contact with, on journeys to various places in and outside the country. The Prophet’s companions had thrown themselves into the performing of this task with total dedication. Their activities centered on mosques, where they talked of the greatness of God which strengthened them in their faith. It was in the mosques that they learnt how to purify their actions. It was there that the fact that they were accountable to God for their deeds was indelibly