An Account of the Last Days and Death of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in Lahore with a Brief History of Ahmadiyya Buildings by Nasir Ahmad, B.A., LL.B. Aftab-ud-Din Ahmad Charitable Trust 5 Usman Block, New Garden Town Lahore, Pakistan © Copyright the Author, 2006 Printed at: HEM Enterprises, 93 Calcutta Road No. 4 Freeport Trinidad West Indies First published in Urdu 2004 First published in English 2006 Compiler’s Note In compiling this brief account of the events of the last days and the demise of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, at Ahmadiyya Buildings, Lahore, and a brief history of the Ahmadiyya Buildings, I have made extensive use of the two source books in Urdu: Mujaddid-i ‘Azam (The Great Reformer of the Time), the biography of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad by Dr. Basharat Ahmad, and Mujahid-i Kabir (The Great Striver for Islam), the biography of Maulana Muhammad Ali by Mr. Muhammad Ahmad and Mr. Mumtaz Ahmad Faruqui. This booklet was originally compiled in Urdu and published in 2004. I am also grateful to Sheikh Fazlur Rahman, Treasurer of the Central Ahmadiyya Anjuman Lahore (Pakistan) for providing useful information, to Capt. Abdus Salam of U.S.A. for producing the initial translation of the text of this booklet from Urdu into English, and to Dr. Zahid Aziz of Nottingham, England, for thoroughly revising the translation, formatting it for publication and making many valuable suggestions. Nasir Ahmad Aylesbury, U.K. October 2006 1 Contents Part 1: A brief history of Ahmadiyya Buildings, Lahore .........3 The first street (Jami‘a Street).................................................4 The middle street.....................................................................5 The third street (Ahmadiyya Street)........................................6 The Founder comes to Lahore ................................................7 Early days of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement....................8 Teaching the meanings of the Quran.....................................10 Claims of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement...........10 Part 2: Last days of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad at Ahmadiyya Buildings, Lahore..................................17 Friday congregational prayers...............................................17 Mian Sir Fazl-i Husain, Bar-at-Law, meets the holy Founder.....................................................18 Dars-i Quran by Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din......................19 Behaviour of opponents of the holy Founder........................19 Speech to leaders of the Muslim community........................20 Writing of Paigham-i Sulh (‘Message of Peace’)..................21 Evening walk.........................................................................21 Revelations regarding his death.............................................22 His illness..............................................................................22 Illness leading to his death....................................................22 Death of the holy Imam.........................................................23 Preparations for burial...........................................................24 Shameful behaviour by opponents........................................24 Coffin taken to Qadian..........................................................26 Burial.....................................................................................26 2 Part 1 A brief history of Ahmadiyya Buildings, Lahore Ahmadiyya Buildings is the name of a small locality comprising of residences and buildings belonging to Ahmadis in three streets that run off the famous Brandreth Road in Lahore. The land of this locality was originally owned by Chaudhary Allah Yar, a scion of Kambuh clan and father of Chaudhary Zahur Ahmad, one of the senior figures of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. In 1906 this plot of land was taken on lease from the owner by Khwaja Kamal- ud-Din, Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah and Dr. Mirza Yaqub Beg. Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din was the first to build his house on the eastern side of the plot, facing Brandreth Road, followed by Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah also facing Brandreth Road, but across the same street. This latter house occupied the central portion of the plot. Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din’s house stood at the head of the eastern-most street, and on its front at the top, in the early days, the name Ahmadiyya Buildings was written in large letters, visible from a long distance. This street was called Jami‘a Street. The middle street was a private cul-de-sac and therefore had no name. The last of the three streets, the western-most, was called Ahmadiyya Street. After some time, Babu Manzur Ilahi and Dr. Mirza Yaqub Beg also built their houses in Street No. 1 and Street No. 3 respectively. Up till that time there was no other house on this side of the road. However, on the other side of Brandreth Road, facing this plot, the grand building of Islamia College had already been constructed. In front of the College building there was a big playground of the College with two large gates opening on to Brandreth Road through which access could be had to the play- ground and the College building. These gates have been closed and there are now shops there. Over the gates there is a two-storey building. On its first floor are shops and on the second is the building of Tibbia College, Lahore. All this belongs to the Anjuman Himayat-i Islam, Lahore, the first Muslim organization in 3 Punjab in the pre-partition days, founded in the 1880s, which promoted education for Muslim boys and girls. The layout of the houses of Ahmadis in the three streets, when fully developed, was as follows. Approaching from Lahore Rail- way Station and passing through Dalgiran Chowk, we come across the three streets on Brandreth Road on its right side. The first street (Jami‘a Street) Right side in order, the houses of: • Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din • Khwaja Jalal-ud-Din • Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din • Khwaja Abdul Ghani • Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. On the ground floor of this house was built the Bashir Badshah Reading Room, in memory of the early deaths of Khwaja Bashir Ahmad, eldest son of Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din and his daughter-in-law Badshah Begum. It later became the Central Library of the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at Islam Lahore. The library was transferred to Darus Salam Ahmadiyya Colony in Garden Town in 1988. • Khwaja Jalal-ud-Din • Babu Manzur Ilahi: (Note: Babu Manzur Ilahi had received the title Khan Sahib from the government for his distinguished services in the railway. After retire- ment he worked in the Anjuman as in charge of the section for propagation overseas. His personal dedication and hard work in main- taining correspondence with other countries and sending literature abroad led to many branches of the Jama‘at being created by volunteers in various countries. He also wrote and compiled many books. His greatest literary accomplishment was the compilation in book form, for the very first time, of the daily talks of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement taken from the reports published in Ahmadiyya newspapers at the time. The first volume of this Malfuzat was published under the title Manzur Ilahi. He published seven parts, covering the period up to 1902.) • Mian Taj-ud-Din. This was purchased by the Central Anjuman in 1958. 4 • Building of Muslim High School, Lahore: (Note: The Muslim High School was originally established in the house of Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah at Abbot Road. Later an appeal was launched to construct a building for it. From the funds raised most of the land required was purchased from Chaudhary Zahur Ahmad. Then a house belonging to Baba Ahmad Din was added to this property. This house was located where the west entrance to Muslim High School and some rooms stand today. The owner bequeathed the house to the Anjuman. For some time this house was used to accommodate guests.) • Mian Miraj-ud-Din, a respectable Gujjar. Left side, houses of: • Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah. It was on the first floor of this house that the Promised Messiah breathed his last on 26 May 1908. This house extended upto the Ahmadiyya Mosque. • The Ahmadiyya Buildings Mosque • Master Niaz Ali. This was later converted into a Guest House. It was purchased by the Central Anjuman on 24 August 1926. Mr. Niaz Ali retired as Headmaster of the Muslim High School, Lahore. • Babu Shaikh Ghulam Qadir: (Note: Shaikh Ghulam Qadir was Telegraph Master in the railways. In that official capacity, he was the one who gave clearance to the train that was taking the body of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad from Lahore to Qadian on 26 May 1908. After retirement he was in charge of the Anjuman’s section for propagation overseas and to him belongs the credit for the outstanding success of the work of this section.) • Maulana Aziz Bakhsh, elder brother of Maulana Muhammad Ali. The middle street Right side: As already mentioned, it was the house of Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah. Left side, houses of: • Beli Ram, a Hindu businessman • House of a non-Ahmadi. It later became property of the Central Anjuman in exchange for a house in Qadian. 5 • Syed Nadir Husain Shah, brother of Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah. It was called Nadir Manzil after his name. It was in the 1970’s that, due to the efforts of Lt. Col. Syed Bashir Husain, the Central Anjuman was able to purchase it. The third street (Ahmadiyya Street) Left side: • House of a non-Ahmadi • Dr. Mirza Yaqub Beg. It extended upto the end of the street. In its first part was the clinic of Dr. Mirza Yaqub Beg. In the next part was his residence, called Ahmad Manzil. Then there was a huge open space and towards the end were residential rooms which later became offices of the Central Anjuman. It was the centre of the world-wide activities of the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at Islam Lahore till 1970, when the offices of the Central Anjuman were shifted to a new building, adjacent to the Ahmadiyya Masjid, constructed over the old Nadir Manzil. But ultimately the Central Offices were shifted to the new Darus Salaam Colony in Garden Town, Lahore in 1983. In April 1914, Maulana Muhammad Ali, due to the extremely dangerous situation that had developed in Qadian following the demise of Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din, migrated to Lahore and took up residence at the house adjacent to the Ahmadiyya Mosque, owned by Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah. It was still under completion. Later it was donated by Dr. Husain Shah to the Central Anjuman. In the early days there were connecting wooden bridges, at the first floor level, between the houses of Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, Dr. Muhammad Husain Shah and Dr. Mirza Yaqub Beg, by means of which ladies living in these houses could easily visit each other without passing through the streets. One such bridge existed till 1948 between the houses of Dr. Muhammad Husain Shah and Nadir Manzil, but it was not in use then. Ahmadiyya Market No. 1 and flats have been constructed over the houses of Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah. In this Market, 6 facing Brandreth Road, in place of the portion where the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, breathed his last, a memorial room has been specifically constructed, approximately to the first floor level of the previous old building. In this memorial room hand-drawn portraits of the holy Founder and his prominent companions have been displayed on the walls. This room in memory of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was constructed in 1965. Similarly Ahmadiyya Market No. 2 was constructed over the land of Nadir Manzil and the adjacent house. Construction of the two markets and flats was possible only due to the tireless efforts and supervision of Hazrat Ameer Maulana Sadr-ud-Din, second Head of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, and generous contributions made by the members of the Jama‘at. At several places in the Markets and flats names of prominent donors have been engraved on stones. The Founder comes to Lahore Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad came to Lahore in April 1908 and stayed in Ahmadiyya Buildings. On 1st May, the first Jumu‘ah congregation was held at Ahmadiyya Buildings. Previously Jumu‘ah congregations were held at the house of Mian Chiragh- ud-Din, outside Delhi Gate. After the Friday congregation, the Promised Messiah took his seat on a chair. Several persons took the pledge of allegiance (bai‘at). Then Khalifa Rajab-ud-Din stood up and asked the Promised Messiah: Sir! Some people ask us this question: “Since we solemnly believe in Allah, His book the Holy Quran and His Messenger the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and perform Prayers, Fasting etc., why do we need to accept you as well?” In reply to this question, the Promised Messiah delivered a lecture which was later published under the title Hujjat-ullah (Proof from Allah). Up till that time the present Mosque in Ahmadiyya Buildings had not been built. Afterwards a cemented terrace was constructed on the open land and daily congregational prayers were offered on it. Sometimes lectures and discourses in the Quran were also delivered there. But Friday congregations were held at a large room in the house of Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. Hazrat Maulana 7 Hakim Nur-ud-Din, during his tenure as head of the Movement (May 1908 – March 1914), visited Lahore two or three times and stayed at the Ahmadiyya Buildings. Afterwards, upon that terrace, Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din delivered a series of lectures every Sunday. The title of one series of his lectures was: “What should Muslims do now?” His lectures contained such a wealth of knowledge and spiritual insight, and were so effective, that people in large numbers, some from quite afar, used to attend them with great interest. Among the audience were the general public, influential and leading figures of the city, educated and professional people and government officials. After some time a proper mosque was built over the terrace. The building of the mosque was further extended by installing steel pillars and an upper level gallery on the right side of the inner hall of the mosque was built for women. Early days of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement After the death of Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din in March 1914, when circumstances in Qadian became intolerably hostile to Maulana Muhammad Ali and it became impossible for him to remain there any longer, he sent his family to Rawalpindi to stay with his father-in-law Dr. Basharat Ahmad, and he all alone migrated to Lahore and came to Ahmadiyya Buildings on 20th April 1914. He took up residence at the house adjacent to the Ahmadiyya Mosque which was still under construction and was owned by Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah. Two rooms on the ground floor had already been constructed, but these were without proper flooring and plastering. Maulana Muhammad Ali, after getting a door fitted to one of the rooms, made it his office and the other room was used for guests. Two rooms on the upper storey were used for accommodating his family. These were still without any proper doors. Curtains of sack cloth were hung to be used as doors and the open courtyard on the first floor was used as kitchen by placing a cooker there. He called his family to this unfinished house, and began to live and continue his literary work in it despite the extremely cramped conditions. The room on the ground floor, which was being used as the Maulana’s office, was later on extended. Wooden cupboards were 8