Every Ahmadi who has read something about Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) knows the ardent love he had for the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). If an example can be given of love for the Promised Messiah, a love that stems only for the sake of God, it can be the love of none other than Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him). His exemplary devotion encompassed the most excellent model after taking bai’at, fulfilment of the dues of bai’at and forging a connection, noteworthy devotion and humility. He established the highest standard of this in the Ahmadiyya history. In return he was honoured by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in a Persian verse in a way no one else was honoured:
چہ خوش بودے اگر ہر یک زامت نور دیں بودے
This is a tremendous tribute that the Imam of age made Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din’s example a benchmark for his followers. The verse says: How good it would be if each person of the community became Nur ud Din signifying that is everyone became like him a revolutionary change could be brought about.
Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) has narrated some accounts of Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) which illustrate the deep reciprocal love between the spiritual master and the follower and also the profound humility and sincerity of the follower.
Once on his visit to Qadian, Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) was told by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that he had received a revelation about him that if he returned to his hometown he would lose this respect. Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) was having a magnificent house built back home at the time with a splendid hall which was to be used for giving Qur’an lessons and also as his clinic. Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) did not ever return to his hometown even to look at the house and said that he had left it for the sake of God and there was no need to see it.
At the time some individuals thought very highly of their own intellect and were getting inclined towards worldliness. Generally speaking the opinion of Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) would be the same, while those with airs and graces held different views. At one time future of Taleemul Islam School was under discussion. Some wanted it closed because they opined the Jama’at could not afford to run two schools and wanted to only retain it as a Madrassa for Arabic language. Hazrat Musleh Maud, a minor at the time, was very against this and Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din shared this view. Hazrat Musleh Maud says he was passionately zealot about this matter and because Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din Sahib did not want to make his case in front of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) owing to the respect he had for him, he used to utilise the young Hazrat Musleh Maud to pass on his messages. Ultimately these one and a half twosome (half because one was still a minor) triumphed when the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) decided in their favour.
From the beginning when the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) made his claim people who served in excellent ways followed him. One of these people was of course Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him). He had of course started reading the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) books before he had made his claim. When the Promised Messiah claimed to be the Messiah, he wrote about the subject in his books ‘Fateh Islam’ and ‘Tauzeeh Maram’. While these books were still being published some ill-thinking individual saw their proofs and wanted to turn Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din, who had taken bai’at, against the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Reading about prophethood in these books he thought that Maulana Nur ud Din would definitely leave the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). He took along a party of men to see Maulana Nur ud Din and asked him what would he do if he heard that someone had claimed that he had been sent as a Prophet in this age and that a Prophet of God could come after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) from among the Ummah. Hazrat Mualana Nur ud Din replied it depended on who had made the claim. If the person was not truthful he would be considered a liar but if he was truthful then Maulana Nur ud Din said he would think he was the one mistaken because a Prophet could still come. The individual said Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din had lost his way and told him what his ‘Mirza Sahib’ had written to which Maulana Nur ud Din replied, no doubt whatever Mirza Sahib has written is the truth, I have faith in him.
A sister of Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) was a disciple of a Pir but she came to Qadian and took bai’at of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). On her return her Pir queried her about the bai’at and remarked that ‘Nur ud Din had cast a spell on her’. When she narrated this to Hazrat Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) he advised his sister that if she ever bumped into the Pir she should tell him that he was responsible for what he practiced and she was responsible for what she practiced and she had accepted the Promised Messiah to avoid chastisement on the Day of Judgement. The Pir’s response to this was: do not worry, on the Day of Judgement I shall carry your sins and you can go to Paradise. She asked what will become of you? He replied I will glare at the angels and say to them, was the sacrifice of our forefather Imam Hussain Hassan not enough that now we are being frightened?
Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) writes that once the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said to Hazrat Mualana Nur ud Din that one way of expanding our community was to have many children and for this purpose more than one marriage should be undertaken. Hazrat Mualana Nur ud Din most humbly said he was ready to obey the instruction but who would wed their daughter to him at his age. This made the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) laugh.
Although some sons of Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din Sahib held wrong stance about Khilafat and the Jama’at, owing to Maulana’s great love for the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) he is remembered in prayers, he accepted the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) when the whole world was against him.
Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that when the Promised Messiah was looking for matrimonial matches for him and his brother Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad he would first ask how many children were there in the family and how many brothers did the father have. When looking for Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad he asked the same question and when he was told that they have seven sons he gave this fact the foremost consideration and said the marriage should be arranged there.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih added that these days a lot of stress in given in certain places to family planning and now some countries realise that their stance was wrong. Certainly problems arise when one tries to go contrary to laws of nature. Couples were fined in China is they breached the law restricting them to just one child. This resulted in many abortions and indeed infanticides. China has now lifted the restriction. It is also being realised wherever else such restrictions are in place that this will result in shortage of manpower and they are changing their policies.
Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that in the early days many different chores needed to be done in Qadian, like cooking, getting groceries etc. and these chores could not be carried out only by the family of the Promised Messiah. Many others used to help out. For example when a delivery of fuel came, it needed to be stored away. So, a female attendant who took delivery would call out, is anyone here to help put the fuel in the store. A few people would come forward and do the chore. Sometimes, no one responded. Once a despatch of cow dung (fuel) came, the female attendant called out but no one answered. Just then Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) was returning after giving a lesson of the Holy Qur’an. Due to his knowledge and skill as a physician he had great status in the Jama’at. The female attendant again called out, ‘it is about the rain, please can someone come and put the cow dung away’. Hazrat Mualana Nur ud Din saw this and said, well, today we will become that someone and he proceeded to do the chore. He was a mentor, seeing him many who were his students joined in. Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) says he had seen Hazrat Mualana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) helping in this manner two or three times.
It was the habit of Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din Sahib that when he was very happy, and owing to his great love for him, he would refer to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) as ‘our Mirza’. He knew the Promised Messiah long before he made his claim and was used to this term of endearment from earlier times. Some foolish people criticised that, God forbid, Maulana Sahib did not duly respect the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din’s response to this was; some people criticise that I do not respect the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) although I use this term for him owing to the intensity of my love for him.
Sincerity of Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din was evident to all. However, he did not walk very swiftly whereas the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) did. When out on walks the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) would walk swiftly and after keeping up for some time Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din would stop and sit under a tree and wait and join the party on their return. When the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) came to know this he changed his practice. Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din would keep up with the walk for a while but once the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) gathered pace Maulana would be left behind. This is when the Promised Messiah would pause and turn around and would pose a question to Maulana Nur ud Din which made him walk swiftly up to the Promised Messiah to answer. Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din would slow down every thirty to forty yards and the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) would again ask him a question which would spur him to walk fast and catch up the Promised Messiah. The reason behind this was of course to encourage Maulana to form the habit of walking swiftly. His profession meant his days at clinic were sedentary and he had transport to take him to visit patients. Indeed, his sincerity was unquestionable and the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) paid him the tribute: چہ خوش بودے اگر ہر یک زامت نور دیں بودے
Once the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) was in Delhi when Mir Nasir Nawab Sahib fell severely ill. Doctors suggested surgery while some advised to use Unani (Perso-Arabic) medicine. The Promised Messiah sent a telegram to Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din to come promptly in whatever state he was. Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din was at his clinic at the time and did not even have his coat. He took someone with him and set off immediately. When his companion suggested he went and got some money Maulana replied, no, the instruction is to come in whatever state we are. They walked to the town of Batala (11 miles) and reached the railway station. The companion asked how were they going to meet the fare and Maulana replied let us sit here, God will arrange it. Meanwhile a man came to them and asked if he was Hakeem Nur ud Din. When he said yes, the man said there was some time before their train departure, and he had asked the station master to wait for them anyway. He said his wife was very ill, could Maulana go and treat her. Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din went and saw the patient, wrote a prescription and returned to the station. In gratitude the man bought their tickets and offered Rupee 50 thus Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din reached Delhi and treated Mir Nasir Sahib.
Hazrat Musleh Maud writes (may Allah be pleased with him) that this is a great example of trust in God. However, one is also tested at times, at times one has to endure starvation and even lose clothes off one’s back, or be at the brink of death so that people may know that God’s servants completely rely on Him and trust Him.
Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) indeed had great status and the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) acknowledged it in his Persian verse: چہ خوش بودے اگر ہر یک زامت نور دیں بودے . However, exaggeration and hyperbole should always be avoided. Some children of Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din tried to overstate his status as did some others, who rejected Khilafat, and who had vested interests. Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that no doubt one should always say what is true. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) elevated the status of Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din and no doubt the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) highly praised Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). However, the Holy Qur’an was not revealed to establish the honour of Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and nowhere in a revelation of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) was it said that the honour of Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din be established. Indeed, what was factual and true was expressed. It is ungrateful not to mention someone’s sacrifice. Hazrat Musleh Maud says he remembers once a person told the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that Maulana Nur ud Din Sahib’s treatment had been very beneficial to him. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) was not feeling well on the day but he sat up and said to Hazrat Amaan Jan (may Allah be pleased with him) that God had inspired Maulana Nur ud Din to come to Qadian and so many people were availing of him. His presence was a great favour of God.
Once a companion came to see the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in Qadian and went to Masjid Mubarak. Shoes were placed by the door of the mosque. A person in simple clothes came and sat just by the shoes. This companion took the man to be a habitual thief who stole shoes, so he kept a watchful eye on him. After the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) passed away and the companion heard that someone had become Khalifatul Masih, he came to take bai’at. When he extended his hand to take bai’at, he saw the very same person whom he had thought to be someone who stole shoes, that is, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him). The companion was mortified. It was indeed the habit of Hazrat Maulana Nur ud Din (may Allah be pleased with him) to sit where shoes were kept and would only move forward when the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) called him. He attained his high status through these acts of humility.
Thus was the humility of someone who excelled in spiritual knowledge and was among the top most physicians of India and who was greatly honoured by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and this only increased his humility. May God continue to elevate his station and give sense to those who create mischief in his name and may God enable us to draw lessons from his model according to the wishes of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).
Today Jalsa Salana of Maurituis begins. They are celebrating their centenary. May their Jalsa be blessed in every way and may the past one hundred years herald new progress. May the Jamaat there make many new plans! There are some troublemakers in Mauritius, may God protect from them and may He bless the Jalsa and its programmes in every way.
أَشْھَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ وَحْدَہٗ لَا شَرِیکَ لَہٗ وَأَشْھَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُہٗ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ
أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِیْمِ- بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ۔ اَلرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ۔ مٰلِکِ یَوْمِ الدِّیْنِ۔ اِیَّا کَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ۔
اِھْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ۔ صِرَاطَ الَّذِیْنَ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْھِمْ غَیْرِالْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَیْھِمْ وَلَاالضَّآلِّیْنَ۔
Every Ahmadi who has read or heard something about Hazrat Khalifatul Masih the First (may Allah be pleased with him) knows about the relationship of passionate love and affection he had with the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). If any example can be given of a bond of brotherhood and love solely for the sake of Allah with the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), it is the example of Hazrat Maulana Hakim Nur-ud-Din (may Allah be pleased with him). If any example can be given of remaining steadfast after pledging obedience while demonstrating its highest standards, it is that of Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din (may Allah be pleased with him). If anyone established a bond with the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) by fulfilling the right of Bai'at above all worldly relationships, the highest example of this is that of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him). If anyone established a matchless example of a servile disposition, it was established by Hazrat Hakim-ul-Ummat Maulana Nur-ud-Din (may Allah be pleased with him). If we see anyone at an extremely lofty station in humility and meekness before the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), then in the history of Jama'at Ahmadiyya, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih the First (may Allah be pleased with him) also established the highest standard of this, and then received from Imam-uz-Zaman, the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him), such an honor that no one else could receive. He (peace be upon him) said regarding Hazrat Khalifatul Masih the First (may Allah be pleased with him): "چہ خوش بُودے اگر ہر یک زِ اُمّت نورِ دیں بودے" "How wonderful it would be if every member of the Ummah were Nur-ud-Din." (Nishan-e-Asmani, Ruhani Khazain Volume 4, Page 411)
So this is a tremendous honor whereby the Imam of the age made Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din's standard the benchmark for everything for his followers—that if everyone were to become Nur-ud-Din, a revolution could be brought about.
Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) has narrated certain incidents of Hazrat Hakim Maulana Nur-ud-Din, Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him). Reading these incidents, one sees examples of the mutual relationship and love between master and servant, spiritual guide and disciple. Examples of humility and meekness are also seen. Examples of sincerity and loyalty are also seen. Mentioning the standards of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I's (may Allah be pleased with him) sacrifices and the highest example of obedience, Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) stated at one place that once when he came to Qadian, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) said: I have received a revelation concerning you that if you go to your homeland, you will lose your honor. Upon this, he did not even mention going back to his homeland. At that time, he was building a magnificent house in his hometown of Bhera. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that when I went to Bhera, I also saw this house. He had a magnificent hall built in it so that he could sit there and give lessons and also practice medicine. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that by the standards of the present time (meaning the time when this was being narrated), that house was not of great importance, but at the time when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) made the sacrifice, the Jama'at did not have much wealth. At that time, building even such a house was not within everyone's capability. But after the instruction of the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him), he never even went back to look at that house. Some friends also said that he should at least go once and see the house. But he said: I have left it for the sake of Allah the Almighty; what need is there now to see it? (Derived from Addresses at the Annual Ijtema of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Markaziyya 1956, Anwar-ul-Ulum Volume 25, Pages 419-420)
Then Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates another incident. When some prominent members of the Anjuman began considering themselves all-knowing and worldliness was beginning to overcome them. When many matters were presented before the Anjuman, generally the opinion of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) would be the same, while that of some other senior prominent members would differ. Nevertheless, on one such occasion, in a meeting, the matter of closing the Talim-ul-Islam High School was presented. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was against closing it. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I's opinion was also that it should not be closed. There was a very intense debate on this. Finally, the decision had to be presented before the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). Nevertheless, mentioning this, Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that during the lifetime of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), some people tried to close this school and keep only an Arabic Madrasah because the Jama'at could not bear the burden of two schools, and the consensus of the Jama'at on this was so strong (meaning those who were members). Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says that as far as I understand, perhaps only one and a half persons remained in support of the school. One was Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him), and Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says that I count myself as half because at that time I was a child, but I think the passion I had at that time regarding the school had reached the level of madness. And because Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him), out of respect, could not speak before the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him), he had made me his means and weapon. He would tell me something and I would convey it to the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). Finally, Allah the Almighty granted us success, and although some hasty friends had almost issued a decree of disbelief against us saying that if this school is not closed, then it is as if you people are committing disbelief, and they said these are worldly people. They said this about both Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud—that these people are worldly because they support English education. Yet the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) decided in our favor. (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmud Volume 13, Pages 480-481)
From this incident, apart from the matters regarding whether or not to continue the school, one also learns about Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I's (may Allah be pleased with him) respect and reverence in speaking before the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). Perhaps he was also concerned that while presenting the matter, in his enthusiasm, some word might escape that would be contrary to the respect of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him).
Mentioning Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I's (may Allah be pleased with him) insight, his faith, and explaining how nations are formed, Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says at one place that individuals make nations and nations make individuals. Intelligent and righteous people with superior minds benefit nations greatly, and lofty and righteous purposes prove extremely beneficial when they come into the hands of good and intelligent people. And then he stated that the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) also established a Jama'at. Allah the Almighty dealt with him in the same way—that at the very beginning of his claim, some such individuals believed in him (peace be upon him) who, in terms of personal qualities, were capable of rendering the best services and were to assist him in the work that Allah the Almighty had entrusted to him. Among them was also Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that we see that in reality those people proved to be the best helpers and supporters. Even before the Promised Messiah's (peace be upon him) claim of prophethood, Hazrat Khalifa I, Maulvi Nur-ud-Din Sahib (may Allah be pleased with him), turned his attention towards him, meaning the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), and began reading the books of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). When the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) made the claim of being the Messiah, he expounded certain matters regarding prophethood in his early books, Fath-e-Islam and Tauzeeh-e-Maram. A person who harbored ill thoughts about the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) somehow saw the proofs of these books. Perhaps he read them in the press. He went to Jammu and said that today I will separate Maulvi Nur-ud-Din Sahib from Mirza Sahib. At that time, Hazrat Khalifa I (may Allah be pleased with him) had already taken the Bai'at of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) made the claim of being the Messiah at the time of the publication of Fath-e-Islam and Tauzeeh-e-Maram, which was approximately two years after the Bai'at, and in these very books, the foundation of the continuity of prophethood was laid. When that person read about the continuation of prophethood in his books, he said that now surely Maulvi Nur-ud-Din Sahib will leave Mirza Sahib because Maulvi Sahib has intense love for the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). When he hears that Mirza Sahib has said that prophets can come even after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he will no longer remain a disciple of Mirza Sahib. So that person took a party with him, some people, and walked proudly towards Hazrat Maulvi Sahib. When they reached him, that person said to Hazrat Maulvi Sahib: I want to ask you something. He said: Please tell me what you want to ask. That person said: If someone says that I have been sent as a prophet for this age and that prophethood continues in the Ummah of Muhammad after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), what would you think about him? That person had thought that I am going to a Maulvi, but he did not know that I am not going to an ordinary Maulvi but to a person from whom Allah the Almighty wants to take the work of His Movement. Hazrat Khalifa-tul-Masih the First said: The answer to this question depends on the condition of the claimant—whether he is worthy of this claim or not. If the person making this claim is not righteous, we will call him a liar, and if the claimant is a righteous person, then I will understand that the mistake is mine; in reality, a prophet can come. Hazrat Khalifa I (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say that when that person heard my answer, he said to his companions: Come, let us go; he has become completely ruined. Now there is no benefit in talking to him. He used to say that upon this, I said to him: At least tell me what the matter was. So he said: The matter is that your Mirza Sahib has claimed that revelation from Allah the Almighty descends upon him and that he is like a prophet. Hazrat Khalifa I, upon hearing this, said: Indeed, whatever Mirza Sahib has written is correct, and I have faith in it. (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmud Volume 28, Pages 209-210)
An incident that does not directly relate to Hazrat Khalifa I but also relates to him is the incident of his sister, whom Hazrat Khalifa I had guided in questioning and answering a certain Pir Sahib. His sister accepted Ahmadiyyat, and she was a disciple of a certain Pir, and the Pir tried to mislead her after her Bai'at. Even today, this is the condition of present-day Pirs. Narrating this, Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that a sister of Hazrat Khalifa I (may Allah be pleased with him) was a disciple of a certain Pir Sahib. She came to Qadian. She took the Bai'at of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). When she went back, her Pir Sahib said: What has happened to you that you have taken Bai'at of Mirza Sahib? It seems that Nur-ud-Din has cast a spell on you. When she came and mentioned this to Hazrat Khalifa I (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: If you ever happen to meet the Pir Sahib again, tell him that your deeds are with you and my deeds are with me. I have accepted Mirza Sahib because if I do not accept him, I will be beaten on the Day of Judgment. Tell me, what will you do on that day? Ask the Pir Sahib. When she went back, she said the same thing to the Pir Sahib. That Pir said: This seems to be Nur-ud-Din's mischief; he has taught you this and sent you to me. But you need not worry about this. When the Day of Judgment comes and everyone gathers on the Pul Sirat (the bridge over Hell), I will take your sins upon myself, and you can tumble into Paradise. She said: Pir Sahib, we have gone to Paradise, but then what will happen to you? He said: When the angels come to me, I will show them my red eyes and say: Was the martyrdom of our grandfather Imam Hussain not enough that today on the Day of Judgment we too are being tormented? Hearing this, the angels will run away ashamed, and we too will leap into Paradise. (Derived from Al-Fazl, June 27, 1957, Page 3, Volume 46/11, Number 152)
Mentioning the simplicity and obedience of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says at one place: We ourselves have seen Hazrat Khalifa I; he used to sit in gatherings with great humility. Once in a gathering, the topic of marriages came up. Deputy Muhammad Sharif Sahib, who is a Companion of the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him), relates that Hazrat Khalifa I was sitting with his knees raised—that is, he had raised his knees and placed his head down between them—when the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Maulvi Sahib, one means of the Jama'at's growth is also having many children. Therefore, I think that if the friends of the Jama'at make more than one marriage, the Jama'at can also grow through this. Hazrat Khalifa I raised his head from his knees and said: Huzoor, I am ready to obey your command, but at this age, no one will be willing to give me their daughter. Upon this, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) laughed. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says: Look, this was the humility and the respect for the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) because of which he attained this rank. (Derived from Al-Fazl, March 27, 1957, Page 5, Volume 46/11, Number 74)
Nowadays, some people are fond of marriages, but they are not fond of this reason. If there are legitimate reasons, then marriage is permitted. But some people ruin their homes by making marriages; they should refrain from this. And the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) has also very strictly forbidden this.
Then after mentioning this statement of Hazrat Khalifa I, Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that some of his children adopted a wrong attitude regarding Khilafat and the Jama'at, but even now the Jama'at is compelled to honor him, meaning Hazrat Khalifa I, and prays for him. And Allah the Almighty has placed in our hearts such reverence for the humility and love that he had for the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) that despite the fact that some sons adopted a wrong attitude, still the love for their father does not leave our hearts. Still, we remember them in our prayers and say that may Allah the Almighty elevate their ranks because they accepted the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) at a time when the whole world was opposed to him. So Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I has a status that will remain forever. (Derived from Al-Fazl, March 27, 1957, Page 5, Volume 46/11, Number 74)
Regarding the Promised Messiah's (peace and blessings be upon him) statement that one means of increasing the Jama'at's numbers is also having many children, Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud has also made a statement regarding himself or regarding the progeny of the Promised Messiah. He says that when the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) proposed our marriages, the first question he would ask was: How many children does such and such person have? How many brothers are there? How many children do they have ahead? Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that I remember that when the proposal for Mian Bashir Ahmad Sahib's marriage was made, the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) inquired about how many children that family had, and when he learned that there were seven sons, the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him), before considering all other matters, said: Very good, the marriage should take place there. He says that the proposal for my marriage and Mian Bashir Ahmad Sahib's marriage was made together. At the time of both our marriages, the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) inquired the same thing—that it should be found out how many children are in the families where proposals have been made. How many sons are there? How many brothers are there? So when he looked at other things, he kept "waloodah" (prolific in offspring) foremost. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that even now when some people consult me, I give them the same advice—see how many children are in the families where proposals have been made. (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmud Volume 3, Pages 396-397)
In today's world, there is great emphasis on family planning. But in those countries where there was great emphasis on it, the realization is now growing that this is wrong. When man tries to fight the law of nature, problems arise. For a long time, China had imposed a restriction on its citizens that there should not be more than one child; otherwise, there would be a fine or punishment. And incidents happened there where people either destroyed their children or killed them at birth. But now this realization has developed in those people, and now they have lifted this restriction. And there are some other countries also where this restriction exists, and now it is being said that if this restriction continues, after some time the manpower in those countries will completely finish. They will not find workers. The next generation will have such a large gap that in between, this gap will have to be filled through outsiders. Therefore, they are now changing their policies. And this is the result when man tries to fight against Allah the Almighty's law and considers himself all-knowing. Now they have developed the concern that such a gap will be created from one generation to another. Who knows how it will be filled, and because of this, nations will suffer loss. Anyway, this was a side matter that came up in between.
Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates another incident of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I's sincerity, humility, and simplicity. He says that various items were needed for service. Food had to be cooked. In the early days when guests came to the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) in Qadian, provisions etc. had to be brought, and it is obvious that this work could not be done by the members of our family alone. It often happened that members of the Jama'at would get together and do that work. At that time, the method was—there was no regular arrangement for the Langar Khana—that if firewood came and had to be put inside, meaning stored, the household servant would call out that firewood has come; if anyone is there, let him come and put the firewood inside. Five or seven people who were present would come and put the firewood inside. Two or three times it happened that the servant called out for help, but no one came. Once a cartload of cow-dung cakes came for the Langar Khana. (Those cow-dung cakes that are used for burning.) Clouds had also gathered. The servant called out so that if anyone was available, he could have the cow-dung cakes put inside, but no one paid attention to her call. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that he saw that Hazrat Khalifa I at that time was returning after giving a lesson on the Holy Quran from Masjid Aqsa. At that time, he was not the Khalifa, but due to religious knowledge, piety, and medicine, he held a special position in the Jama'at, and he had great influence on people. He was going home after finishing the lesson when the servant called out saying if anyone is there, let him come. It is about to rain; please pick up the cow-dung cakes and put them inside. But no one paid attention. When he saw that no one had paid attention to the servant's call, he said: Alright, today we ourselves will become the man. Saying this, he picked up the cow-dung cakes and began putting them inside. Obviously, when a student sees his teacher picking up cow-dung cakes, he too will start doing the same work with him. Thus, other people also joined him. They started working and put the cow-dung cakes inside. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says: I remember that on two or three different occasions I saw him doing this, and whenever he would start picking up, other people would also join him. (Derived from Khutbat-e-Mahmud Volume 29, Pages 326-327)
Then, giving an example of the passionate love that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I had for the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), he says that it was the habit of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) that when he was very happy and mentioned the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) with love, he would use the word "Mirza" and say: This is the word of "our Mirza." In the early days when the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) had not yet made his claim, because he had a relationship with the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), this word had been on his tongue since that time. At that time, many ignorant people used to object and say that Hazrat Maulvi Sahib does not have respect for the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) in his heart—God forbid. In the time of the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him), people generally called him, meaning Khalifa I, "Maulvi Sahib" or "Baray Maulvi Sahib." Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that I myself have heard this objection from people's mouths many times and have also heard Hazrat Maulvi Sahib answering it. Once in this very mosque (meaning Masjid Aqsa), while Hazrat Khalifa I was giving a lesson, he said: Some people object to me and say that I do not show respect to the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him), whereas I use this word out of intensity of love and affection. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that one should not look at the outward words but should look at the reality hidden within those words. (Derived from Al-Fazl, June 30, 1938, Page 3, Volume 26, Number 147)
Then there is another example of mutual sincerity and love. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that the sincerity that was in Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I is hidden from no one. But he was not in the habit of walking fast, and when the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) would go for a walk, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I would also be with him. But after walking a short distance, when the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) would quicken his pace, Hazrat Khalifa I would sit down under a banyan tree that was outside the township on the eastern side. When the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) would return from the walk, he would join him again. Someone mentioned to the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) that Hazrat Maulvi Sahib does not go for walks. He said: He goes every day. Then he was told that he does start walking for the walk but then sits under the banyan tree and rejoins on the return. Consequently, after this, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) always kept Hazrat Khalifa I with him during walks. And when he would speed up and Hazrat Khalifa I would fall far behind, he would stop while walking and say: Maulvi Sahib, how is such and such matter? Maulvi Sahib would walk quickly to reach him and start walking alongside. Then after a short while, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) would again start walking fast and get ahead. After going some distance, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) would again stop and say: Maulvi Sahib, such and such matter is like this. There would be various conversations. Maulvi Sahib would again quickly reach him and would start panting due to walking fast, but the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) would keep him with him. After walking thirty or forty yards, Maulvi Sahib would fall behind, and he would again address Maulvi Sahib by saying something, and he would quickly join him. The Promised Messiah's purpose was that in this way Maulvi Sahib would develop the habit of walking fast. It was only due to lack of practice in walking fast that Maulvi Sahib walked slowly. Since the profession of medicine is such that one usually has to remain seated, and if there happens to be an occasion to go out to see a patient, transportation is available, therefore Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I was not practiced in walking fast. Otherwise, the sincerity that was in him—regarding it, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) himself says: "چہ خوش بُودے اگر ہر یک زِ اُمّت نورِ دیں بودے" — "How wonderful it would be if every member of the Ummah were Nur-ud-Din." (Derived from The Objectives and Importance of Tehrik-e-Jadid, Anwar-ul-Ulum Volume 14, Pages 126-127)
Then there is another example that manifests both the sincerity and the trust in God (tawakkul) of Hazrat Khalifa I. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud narrates that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) was once sitting in his clinic. The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) was in Delhi. There, Hazrat Mir Sahib became severely ill. He had such a severe attack of colic that the doctors said surgery should be performed. Some people said that with certain Yunani medicines, relief can be obtained without surgery. Therefore, the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a telegram to Hazrat Khalifa I (may Allah be pleased with him) saying that in whatever condition they were, they should come. He was sitting in his clinic. He was not even wearing a coat; he had no money with him either. He took, probably, Hakim Ghulam Muhammad Sahib Amritsari with him and set off just like that. Hakim Ghulam Muhammad Sahib said that he would get money etc. from home, but he said: No, the command is that you should come in whatever condition you are. Everyone knows that Hazrat Khalifa I was weak in walking, as the previous incident has been narrated. When the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) would go for a walk, he would fall behind. The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) would stop and ask where Maulvi Sahib was, and Hazrat Khalifa I would later join him. Then he would fall behind again. Then he would stop and wait, as I have narrated the incident. But he walked on foot to Batala, probably with Hakim Ghulam Muhammad Sahib. He reached the station and sat there. He was weak in walking, but despite this, because the command had come to arrive immediately, he reached Batala on foot like this, a distance of approximately eleven miles. Now see, this is sincerity and obedience—that he had difficulty in walking much, but when the command came, he covered approximately eleven miles on foot to Batala. Hakim Sahib said: Now what arrangement will there be for the fare etc.? Hazrat Khalifa I said: Sit here; Allah the Almighty Himself will make some arrangement. This is an example of tawakkul. Meanwhile, a person came and asked: Are you Hakim Nur-ud-Din Sahib? He said: Yes. That person said: There are still ten or fifteen minutes before the train arrives, and I have also told the station master to wait for you. I am the Tehsildar of Batala. My wife is very severely ill. Please come and see her. He went, examined the patient, wrote a prescription, and returned to the station. That person, the Tehsildar, also came along and said: Please go and sit in the train; I will get the ticket. And he brought one second-class ticket and one third-class ticket and also gave fifty rupees in cash and said: This is a humble gift; please accept it. He reached Delhi and treated Mir Nasir Nawab Sahib. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that this is the true station of tawakkul. Allah the Almighty sees whether His servant's tawakkul is genuine or not. It is possible that to test, He sometimes also gives hunger. In tawakkul, it does not happen that it is fulfilled every time. Sometimes trials come. There are also days of hunger. He may also leave one bare. He may bring one close to death so as to show the servants that this servant of Mine relies on tawakkul. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that sometimes it happens that one has to tie a loincloth; rags begin to hang. And to help some, He shows them in this bare state and inspires them. To some, He gives the command to help through verbal revelation as well, but to some, He creates the urge by showing their condition. But those who are at the true station of tawakkul do not ask anyone verbally. (Derived from Al-Fazl, November 8, 1939, Pages 6-7, Volume 27, Number 256)
Allah the Almighty turns people's attention in that direction and makes arrangements, but those who have trust in Allah themselves do not go to anyone. Rather, Allah the Almighty Himself sends to fulfill their needs. So this was a very high level of tawakkul that he possessed.
At one place, Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), while stating that the station of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih the first was a very lofty station, a very high station, he was a great saint, but there should be no exaggeration in this either. It should not be that you exalt him to such an extreme position where exaggeration begins. He says that some of the progeny of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I have tried to exaggerate, and some non-Mubai'een also exaggerate. But the non-Mubai'een do not do this out of love for him; rather, their purpose is to achieve their own objective. But Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says that one should also not refrain from expressing the truth. The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) also expressed the truth and also elevated his station. Thus, Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that indeed the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) greatly praised Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Just as the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) greatly praised Hazrat Maulvi Nur-ud-Din Sahib. But the Quran was not revealed to establish the honor of Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Nor does it appear anywhere in the revelations of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) that we have raised you so that you may establish the honor of Nur-ud-Din. Yes, whatever truth and reality there was, he expressed it. For example, he said: "چہ خوش بُودے اگر ہر یک زِ اُمّت نورِ دیں بودے" — "How wonderful it would be if every member of the Ummah were Nur-ud-Din." But this is a truth that needed to be said. Hazrat Khalifa-tul-Masih the First made great sacrifices. Now, not expressing the sacrifice of one who has sacrificed is ingratitude. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says that I remember that once a patient came and mentioned that he had gotten treatment from Maulvi Sahib, from which he benefited greatly. The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) was ill that day, but when he heard this, he immediately sat up and said to Hazrat Amma Jan (may Allah be pleased with her) that Allah the Almighty Himself inspired Maulvi Sahib and brought him here, and now thousands of people are benefiting from him. If Maulvi Sahib had not come here, how would these people have been treated? So the existence of Maulvi Sahib is also a great favor of Allah the Almighty. This was gratitude, but it was not an exaggeration. (Derived from Al-Fazl, August 2, 1956, Page 2, Volume 45/10, Number 179)
The ultimate extent of the humility of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I is mentioned by Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud with reference to a Companion. He narrates an incident of a Companion who says: Once I came to meet the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). He was sitting in Masjid Mubarak, and shoes were lying near the door. A man in simple clothes came and sat among the shoes. This Companion says that I thought he was some shoe thief. So I started watching over my shoes lest he run away with them. He says that some time after this, the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, and I heard that in his place someone else has become Khalifa. So I came to take the Bai'at. When I extended my hand for Bai'at, what did I see but that he was the same person whom, in my foolishness, I had thought to be a shoe thief (meaning Hazrat Khalifa I), and I was deeply ashamed in my heart. It was his habit that he would come and sit among the shoes. When the Promised Messiah (peace and blessings be upon him) would call out, he would come forward a little. Then when he would say that Maulvi Nur-ud-Din Sahib has not come, he would come forward a bit more. In this way, only after being called repeatedly would he come forward. Then this Companion narrates that I used to say to his children also that this station that he attained, he attained through such humility. (Derived from Al-Fazl, March 27, 1957, Page 5, Volume 46/11, Number 74)
Anyway, this was his humility—the humility of that person who had reached the pinnacle in knowledge and understanding. Who was among the topmost physicians of India. Whom the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) honored with a very great distinction. But all these things increased his humility even more. May Allah the Almighty continue to elevate his ranks, and may He also grant sense and understanding to those who create disorder in his name, and may He also grant us the ability to learn a lesson from this example according to the wish of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him).
Today, the Annual Convention of Mauritius is also taking place, and it has been one hundred years since Jama'at Ahmadiyya was established in Mauritius. They are celebrating their centenary. May Allah the Almighty make their convention blessed in every respect, and may these one hundred years prove to be the precursor of new progress there. And may they make new plans. There are also some mischievous people there. May Allah the Almighty protect the Jama'at from them as well and save it from every evil, and may He bless the convention and their programs in every respect.
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