First Point
I Am Asked: “Why have you withdrawn from politics and now have nothing to do with them?”
The Answer: The Old Said of nine or ten years ago was involved in politics to a degree; indeed, thinking he would serve religion and learning by means of politics, he was wearied for nothing. He saw that it is a dangerous way which is dubious and full of difficulties, and for me superfluous as well as forming an obstacle to the most necessary duties. It is mostly lies and may be exploited by foreigners without one being aware of it.
Furthermore, a person who enters politics either wins or is in opposition. As for winning, since I am neither an official nor a deputy, to work in politics is unnecessary and nonsense for me. Politics have no need for me that I should meddle in them for nothing. If I join the opposition, I would do so either with ideas or with force. If it was with ideas there is no need for me, for the questions are all clear and everyone knows them as I do. To wag one’s chin for nothing is pointless. If I join the opposition intending to use force and to provoke an incident, I might commit thousands of sins to reach one doubtful goal. Numerous people would be struck by disaster on account of one. So saying that in all conscience he could not commit sins and cause the innocent to commit them for a one or two in ten possibility, the Old Said gave up cigarettes together with the newspapers, politics, and worldly conversation about politics.
Decisive evidence for this is the fact that for the past eight years I have not read a single newspaper nor listened to one being read. Let someone come forward and say that I have read one or listened to one. Whereas eight years ago the Old Said used to read perhaps eight newspapers every day.
Furthermore, for the past five years I have been under the closest scrutiny and surveillance. Anyone who has observed the slightest hint of political activity should say so. For someone like me who is nervous, fearless, and without attachment, who considers the best stratagem to be without stratagem, his ideas will not remain secret for eight days, let alone eight years. If he had had any appetite or desire for politics, there would have been no need for investigation and scrutiny, for he would have given voice like the firing of a cannon.