A DEFECT MUST COME INTO DĪN WHILE I AM ALIVE!?

After the ‛Asr salāh, Mukarram Qārī Muhammad Kāwī read an article to us from Rūh al-Bayān of Hadrat Maulānā Shāh Muhammad Ahmad Sāhib Partāb Garhī rahimahullāh. The article made mention of the demise of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa sallam. The verses which Hadrat Abū Bakr radiyallāhu ‛anhu had read on this occasion provided a lot of solace to me. It was as though this article was read for me through the grand decree of Allāh ta‛ālā. When Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa sallam departed from this world, some people reneged from Islam. Hadrat Abū Bakr radiyallāhu ‛anhu stood up on his own to wage jihād against them and said in very firm words:

A defect must come into Dīn while I am alive!? This can never happen!

In other words, I will never allow this to happen while I am alive.

Not long ago a meeting on Islamic literature was held at Dār al-‛Ulūm Nadwatul ‛Ulamā’. I attended this meeting. Hadrat Maulānā rahimahullāh quoted this statement of Hadrat Abū Bakr radiyallāhu ‛anhu and
explained it in a most impressive style.

The gist of it was that every Muslim must have within him this resolution that as long as he is alive, he must not allow any defect to creep into the religion of Islam.

We see Hadrat Abū Bakr radiyallāhu ‛anhu announcing frankly and fearlessly that if those who had been giving even a small rope as zakāh in the time of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa sallam refuse to give it now, he will wage jihād against them.
On that occasion Hadrat ‛Umar radiyallāhu ‛anhu advised him to adopt a softer approach. Hadrat Abū Bakr radiyallāhu ‛anhu reprimanded him by saying:

You were very brave and audacious before the advent of Islam. How is it that you are acting so cowardly now!?

In other words, you ought to be brave and firm in matters of Islam. You ought to have the verve to establish Dīn. In fact, we all must remain firm on Dīn and invite the entire ummat towards it.

Ref: Life of Maulānā Abul Hasan ‛Alī Hasanī Nadwī