After sending this letter, I received another one from Maulana Abu al-Lais Sahib, dated August 27, containing the following words:
The envelope has been received through Abul Hayy Sahib. I am considering sending your response to Maulana Sadruddin Sahib via him as well, so he can review it and, if he chooses, write to you about it.
After reviewing my response, Maulana Sadruddin Sahib stated he could not provide further comment, and the details are recorded in his correspondence.
Until now, the entire discussion and debate had taken place while I was still part of the Jamaat-e-Islami’s Department of Publications. However, considering how far the discussion had now progressed, I felt it was necessary to resign from the Department. Therefore, I sent the following note to the Amir of the Jamaat.
Rampur–1st September 1962
Respected Maulana Abul Lais Sahib, Leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Peace be upon you,
I received your letter dated August 27. You mentioned that:
“Maulana Jalil Ahsan Sahib’s reply has arrived. He does not consider it necessary for you to leave Rampur and go home (Azamgarh) for the sake of correspondence, and it seems that his correspondence with you has already begun. Therefore, would it not be better for you to remain in Rampur and carry on the correspondence from there?”
In response, I would like to state that I previously informed you that, after receiving Maulana Sadruddin Sahib’s response, I hoped to reach a final decision by September 1. However, I have not yet been able to reach such a decision. This is because Maulana Jalil Ahsan Sahib has recently sent some advisory letters, suggesting that I exercise patience and continue corresponding with him, as there is a possibility that he may help me realize the flaws in my current thinking. That’s why I feel it necessary to wait for his commentary.
On the one hand, this is the situation. On the other hand, given my current state of mind, it does not seem appropriate for me to remain connected to a department of the Jamaat responsible for intellectual work. So, it seems reasonable that I withdraw from my current role in the Research and Publication Department and, living either in Rampur or Azamgarh, engage in discussions with Maulana Jalil Ahsan Sahib and other knowledgeable colleagues in an effort to reach a decision. Whatever outcome results from these efforts, I will either return to service in the Jamaat as it currently operates or act independently in whatever way seems appropriate.
Although the idea of parting ways with the Department of Publications on account of intellectual differences is not new—you may recall that for the past two years I have repeatedly raised this request—the nature of the situation has now shifted considerably. It has therefore become necessary for me to insist upon separation, rather than merely request it. Previously, whenever I spoke to you about this, your response was always that there was, in fact, no difference between my views and those of the Jamaat—that it was only my over-sensitivity that made me feel otherwise. You also stated unambiguously that whatever I sought was, in essence, also what the Jamaat desired. In this way, I could pursue my work in accordance with my own understanding, without being unduly burdened by mental disquiet.
Previously, your responses provided a basis for my continued association with the Department of Reaserch and Publications, but the situation has since changed. This is because the twenty-two-page review of my work, “Error of Political Islam,” by Maulana Sadruddin Sahib, which was conveyed to me on your behalf, does not accept this clarification. Instead, it entirely rejects my views. It presents my thinking as being different from that of the Jamaat, leading to a rejection of my position and an affirmation of the Jamaat’s position. This implicitly, if not explicitly, retracts your prior support. Therefore, it is now imperative that you grant the request I had previously made for separation from the Department of Publications and formally relieve me of this responsibility.
Furthermore, after this departure, I will have no official connection with the local Jamaat where I reside. I will instead devote myself solely to study, discussions, and correspondence with external scholars concerning my current intellectual concerns. Beyond this, I will have no responsibilities from a Jamaat-related standpoint during this period.
Yours sincerely,
Wahiduddin
