المحراب

المحراب — Page 195

QADIAN DAR-UL-AMAAN The House of Refuge and Protection Qadian is a Town, situated near Batala in District Gurdaspur, in the Province of East Punjab, India۔During the reign of the Mughal Emperor, Muhammad Zaheer-ud-Din Babar, an ancestor of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Mirza Hadi Baig, an es- teemed Chief came to this area from Samorkand, in 1530 A۔D۔(i۔c۔938 Hijra), along with 200 of bis subordinates and family members۔This place at that time was a forest land, about 50 miles north- cast of Lahore۔Here, he laid the foundation of a State by the name of "Islampur', which flourished till 1802 A۔D۔Even during the period of the Promised Messiah's great grand father, Mirza Gul Mohammed, this State, popularly known as 'Is- lampur Qazi Majhi", consisted of almost 85 vil- lages۔However, due to the incessant attacks of the Sikhs, its parameters were considerably reduced۔Owing to its religious atmosphere, this town held a prominent status in this region۔During Mirza Gul Mohammed's period, there were about 100 religious scholars, men of God and Huffaz-e- Quran"in Qadian, who received fixed allowances for their personal upkeep۔Each one from among the servants, dependents and relatives offered the daily prayers regularly۔This regularity in the per- formance of prayers was observed to such an extent that even the flour grinding women used to pay particular attention to their daily, as well as, Tahajjad prayers۔The Afghan Muslims, living in the surrounding areas considered it a holy place due to the piety and purity of its people۔It was considered a peaceful and blessed place where ruch, justice and fear of God prevailed۔During the period of the Promised Messiah's grand father, Mirza Ata Mohammed, due to some will of God, this region was conquered by the ין those who learn the entire Holy Quran by heat۔(2) an optional prayer offered after midnight۔Sikhs۔Only Qadian was left in his possession۔The town of Qadian was structured on the pattern of a fortress with four turrets and a 22 feet wide ram- part on which 3 carriages could be driven easily ai a time۔A couple of soldiers and a few cannons were used for keeping guard۔Around the rampart was a deep and wide ditch which later on became a moat, after being filled with water and came to be known as "dhaab"۔A group of Sikhs called the "Ram Gariah", occupied Qadian through deccp- tion and razed to ground all the beautiful mosques and residential buildings۔They ruined the gardens and burned the library to ashes۔The people of Qadian, including the ancestors of the Promised Messiah, were forced into exile۔Towards the end of the Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjeet Singh's reign, five villages were returned to Mirza Ghulam Murtaza, the Promised Messiah's father۔With the passage of time, the name Islampur Qazi', was reduced to only 'Çazi' and locally changed first to 'Qadi' and then to Qadian This seemingly ordinary village with its dramatic pastheid no apparent worldly distinction۔But the love of the Creater chose it to be the foundation stone on which the new world order was to be based in future۔Centuries old proofs exist of its being a holy and blessed locale۔Its reference is also found at a number of places among the traditions of the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allan upon him) from which its Location can be ascertained۔يُخْرُجُ نَان من المشرق يُؤْمِنُونَ الْجَدِي سلمانة الْمُشْرِقِ (Kanz-ul-Aamai Vol۔7, Pg۔18) "The people on the cast ci Arabia will set up the spiritual sovereignity of the Mendi in their own county۔"