Page 58 - Slanders on Muslims in History

56 SLANDERS ON MUSLIMS IN HISTORY

of satisfying his leadership complex. The sole reason for such
unfounded and irrational claims was to discredit him imagin-
ing that he would be rendered ineffective and untrustworthy.
This allegation is not unlike the slanders faced by Allah's
messengers, for they were also subjected by their people to
the unbelievable accusation of using religion to achieve mate-
rial gains. For instance, as we are told in the verse, the
Prophet Noah (as) was slandered in the following way:
. . . “This is nothing but a human being like yourselves
who simply wants to gain ascendancy over you.” (Surat
al-Mu’minun, 24)
The Egyptians' accusations against the Prophets Moses
(as) and Aaron (as) are related in the verse as follows:
They said: “Have you come to us to turn us from what
we found our fathers doing, and to gain greatness in the
land? We do not believe you.” (Surah Yunus, 78)
These accusations caused Bediuzzaman to be impris-
oned in Eskisehir prison. After his release, he was sentenced
to house arrest in a room opposite the Kastamonu police sta-
tion. After 8 years, the Denizli court sentenced him to a further
20 months in prison, after which he was exiled to Emirdag.
During this time, Bediuzzaman was subjected to frequent
torture and cruelty; he was even poisoned on a number of
occasions. Now elderly and fragile, he was kept in cold, moist,
and airless cells. As will be shown in the coming pages, he
received this cruelty with patience and reliance upon Allah,
and all Muslims have witnessed his power of faith and sub-
mission to Allah. Bediuzzaman was an outstanding leader
from whom everyone must learn.