Correspondence with Maulana Abu A’la Maududi

DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE Lahore–June 12, 1963 Respected and Honourable, Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah, Your kind letter reached me during my pilgrimage to Hajj. Due to my absence, I could not respond promptly. By nature, I have little interest in debates and disputes and always try to avoid them. When I reviewed your article, ‘Tabeer Ki Ghalti (Error of Interpretation),’ I sensed that your disagreement with me was no longer purely academic; instead, a sense of stubbornness and resentment had developed within you toward me. You left no stone unturned in finding fault with even my straightforward statements and, at various points, launched harsh criticisms against me. Additionally, I noticed a strong sense of confidence in your writing, leading me to believe that nothing but my “admission of error” would satisfy you, as you seem firmly convinced that your understanding is entirely correct, leaving no room for the possibility that my perspective might be valid. Therefore, it appears that the only acceptable course for me would be to admit my mistake before you. These aspects of your writing were so obvious that even a less perceptive person could not fail to notice them. For this reason, I expressed my inability to engage in debate with you, as under these circumstances, if anyone could guide you, it would have to be someone other than myself. Engaging in a debate with you would be unproductive.