Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 246
246 AHMADIYY AT plan in 1922 for the reconversion of the Malkarias to Hin- duism. They had put this plan into effect and their campaign had acquired a certain degree of momentum before the Muslims of the Punjab and of the neighbouring districts of the United Provinces became aware of their activities. As soon as the Khalifatul Masih came to know of this develop- ment he organized and launched a counter campaign designed to safeguard the Malkanas against the proselytizing activities of the Arya Samaj. He alerted the non-Ahmadi Muslims against the gravity of the danger that threatened and appealed to them to make common cause with the Ahmadis against the challenge of the Arya Samaj. He made it quite clear that the Muslim effort should be directed towards strengthening the faith of the Malkanas in Islam and that no sectional advantage should be sought to be derived from the situation with which they were faced. On his side he made a moving and stirring appeal to the Community to provide the needed number of volunteers who should proceed immedia- tely to the affected areas in batches and carry out whatever duties might be assigned to them over a period of three months, at the expiry of which they would be replaced by fresh batches of volunteers. Each v~lunteer was required to bear the expenses of his journey to and back from the area to which he was allotted and all his expenses of board and lodging, etc. , throughout the period of his duty. The Com- munity's response to the call was eager and enthusiastic, and at no time, while the campaign lasted, was there any dearth of suitable volunteers. One particular feature of the campaign was that it opened at the height of the dry summer season, and the volunteers who perforce came from urban areas and were accustomed to the amenities available in towns and cities for the purpose of mitigating the extreme discomfort resulting from the very high temperatures in the summer months, were called upon to work in rural areas at unaccus- tomed tasks in conditions of extreme discomfort. Their food was mostly rough and unappetizing, and cold drinking water was a luxury that was not readily available everywhere. Yet