Rampur, September 5, 1962
Dear Brother, Peace be upon you,
I received your esteemed letter dated September 1, 1962. I am saddened to learn that our efforts to reassure you about the Jamaat’s objectives and stance have not succeeded, and your intellectual disagreement persists. However, I find some comfort in knowing that you still feel the need to study more and consult knowledgeable figures like Maulana Jalil Ahsan Sahib. May Allah grant that these efforts ease your intellectual dissatisfaction and enable your abilities to once again contribute to the movement as they have in the past.
In the present situation, your desire to temporarily severe your connection with the Department of Publications seems entirely appropriate so that you can devote yourself more fully to study and research. However, I cannot entirely agree with your wish that, following your departure from the Department, you should have no connection with the local Jamaat where you reside and that you should have no Jamaat responsibilities during this period apart from study and research. You understand as a member, adherence to the Jamaat’s organizational structure is essential. However, given your specific circumstances, the maximum accommodation I can offer is that you will not be assigned any formal outreach duties, but your attendance at weekly gatherings will still be necessary. If even this is omitted, it would undermine the meaning of membership and could raise various questions in people’s minds.
In my view, an important part of staying connected to the organizational structure is that while you do so, you should avoid publicizing or sharing your unique perspectives, both inside and outside the Jamaat. At most, you may discuss these ideas with the scholars of the Jamaat, and if you need to discuss them with an external scholar, you should approach it purely academically, rather than implying any personal disagreement with the Jamaat’s perspective.
I hope you agree with my suggestions, and I look forward to your response.
Regards,
Abul Lais
