Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 242
242 AHMADIYY AT political future in India. He, therefore, directed Mr A. R. Dard, Imam of the London Mosque, to get in touch with Mr Jinnah and try to persuade him to return to India and take up, and fight for, the cause of the Muslims. Mr Dard called on Mr Jinnah and had a long talk with him. He found that the task assigned to him by the Khalifatul Masih was a very uphill one. Mr Jinnah was most reluctant, but eventually changed his mind and agreed to return to India and to place himself at the head of the political struggle of the Muslims for safe- guarding their position in an independent India. Mr Jinnah was approached from time to time by certain leading figures among the Muslims of India who also urged him to return to India. But there can be no doubt that what prevailed with him in the end was the persistence of Mr Dard under the directions of the Khalifatul Masih. When Mr Jinnah inti- mated his willingness to return to India, Mr Dard held a reception in his honour at the London Mosque which was very well attended. Mr Jinnah addressed the gathering on India of the Future. He started with the announcement that Mr Dard's persuasion had compelled him to enter the politi- cal field again from which he had withdrawn some time back. He said: 'The eloquent persuasion of the Imam left me no way of escape. ' His speech was widely reported. The Sunday Times J London, wrote in its issue of 9 April 1933: There was a large gathering in the grounds of the mosque in Melrose Road, Wimbledon, where Mr Jinnah, the famous Indian Muslim, spoke on India's future. Mr Jinnah made unfavourable comments on the Indian White Paper from a national point of view. The chairman, Sir Nairn Stewart Sandeman M. P. , took up the Churchill attitude on the subject, and this led to heckling by some of the Muslim students, who were, however, eventually calmed by the Imam of the mosque. Mr Jinnah returned to India and put himself at the head of the Muslim League into which he infused a new life. He was elected a. member of the Indian Legislative Assembly in which, for a time, he led the Independent Group, but soon he