Civil disobedience -- India; India -- Politics and government -- 1919-1947
Next let us understand the opposition from the point of view of the
spirituality of our movement. The question of spirituality is not to be
confused with the dictates of any particular religion. I am not aware of
the injunctions of any religion against entering the Councils with a view
either to mend them or end them. I have heard from many Mahomedans that
the Koran lays down no such injunction. Other Mahomedan friends have told
me that there may be some difficulty on that ground, but that is a matter
with regard to which I am not competent to speak. The Khilafat must answer
that question with such assistance as they may obtain from the Ulemas. It
is needless to point out that should the Ulemas come to the conclusion
that under the present circumstances it would be an offence against their
religion to enter the Councils, the Congress should unhesitatingly accept
their decision because no work in this country towards the attainment of
Swaraj is possible without the hearty co-operation of both Hindus and
Mussalmans. But I am dealing with that spirituality which does not affect
any particular creed or any particular religion. Judged from the
standpoint of such spirituality what objection there can be in removing
from our path by all legitimate means any obstacle to the attainment of
Swaraj? We burned foreign cloth without a scruple, and the spirituality of
the movement did not receive a shock when we burned them. It is as well to
start with a clear conception as to what that spiritually is. Apart from
any creedal or doctrinal injunction and apart from any question of
morality, the basis of spirituality must be the attainment of freedom and
of Swaraj. What is the duty which every human being owes not only to his
race, not only to his nation, not only to humanity but also to his God? It
is the right to fulfil oneself. It is the duty of living in the light of
God. Shortly after my release from imprisonment I said in a public speech
that all our national activities should be based on truth. Ever since that
day questions and conundrums have been put to me. I have been asked to
define what is truth. It has also been suggested that because I dare not
tell the truth that I took refuge under the general expression. I still
insist that our national activities must be based on truth. I repeat that
I do not believe in politics, or in making water-tight compartments of our
national life which is an indivisible organic whole. I repeat that as you
cannot define life, you cannot define truth. The test of Truth is not
logical definition. The test of Truth lies in its all-compelling force, in
making itself felt. You know truth when you have felt it. God cannot be
defined, nor can truth because truth is the revelation of God. Two
thousand years ago, a jesting judge asked the same question of the Son of
God. He made no answer by word of mouth; but he sacrificed himself and
Truth was revealed. When I speak of spirituality I speak of the same
truth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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