Slowly but surely the Mussulmans are preparing for the battle before them.  They have to fight against odds that are undoubtedly heavy but not half as heavy as the prophet had against him.  How often did he not put his life in danger?  But his faith in God was unquenchable.  He went forward with a light heart, for God was on his side, for he represented truth.  If his followers have half the prophet’s faith and half his spirit of sacrifice, the odds will be presently even and will in little while turn against the despoilers of Turkey.  Already the rapacity of the Allies is telling against themselves.  France finds her task difficult.  Greece cannot stomach her ill-gotten gains.  And England finds Mesopotamia a tough job.  The oil of Mosul may feed the fire she has so wantonly lighted and burn her fingers badly.  The newspapers say the Arabs do not like the presence of the Indian soldiery in their midst.  I do not wonder.  They are a fierce and a brave people and do not understand why Indian soldiers should find themselves in Mesopotamia.  Whatever the fate of non-co-operation, I wish that not a single Indian will offer his services for Mesopotamia whether for the civil or the military department.  We must learn to think for ourselves and before entering upon any employment find out whether thereby we may not make ourselves instruments of injustice.  Apart from the question of Khilafat and from the point of abstract justice the English have no right to hold Mesopotamia.  It is no part of our loyalty to help the Imperial Government in what is in plain language daylight robbery.  If therefore we seek civil or military employment in Mesopotamia we do so for the sake of earning a livelihood.  It is our duty to see that the source is not tainted.

It surprises me to find so many people shirking over the mention of non-co-operation.  There is no instrument so clean, so harmless and yet so effective as non-co-operation.  Judiciously hauled it need not produce any evil consequences.  And its intensity will depend purely on the capacity of the people for sacrifice.

The chief thing is to prepare the atmosphere of non-co-operation.  “We are not going to co-operate with you in your injustice,” is surely the right and the duty of every intelligent subject to say.  Were it not for our utter servility, helplessness and want of confidence in ourselves, we would certainly grasp this clean weapon and make the most effective use of it.  Even the most despotic government cannot stand except for the consent of the governed which consent is often forcibly procured by the despot.  Immediately the subject ceases to fear the despotic force his power is gone.  But the British government is never and nowhere entirely or laid upon force.  It does make an honest attempt to secure the goodwill of the governed.  But it does not hesitate to adopt unscrupulous means to compel the consent of the governed.  It has not gone beyond the ‘Honesty is the best policy’ idea.  It therefore bribes you into