Basics of Religious Education — Page 263
263 263 263 263 263 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION Hadr Hadr Hadr Hadr Hadra a a a at Maulana Hak t Maulana Hak t Maulana Hak t Maulana Hak t Maulana Hakeem eem eem eem eem Noor Noor Noor Noor Noorud ud ud ud uddin din din din din r r r r ra a a a a Khalifatul Masih I Period of Khilafat: May 27, 1908 to March 13, 1914 Hadrat Maulana Hakeem Nooruddin ra was the first successor of the Prom- ised Messiah as. He was born in 1841 at Bhera, Punjab, which is now a part of Pakistan. His father’s name was Ghulam Rasool and mother’s name was Noor Bakht. His lineage can be traced back to Hadrat ‘Umar Bin Khattaab ra. His family, from the very beginning, had an immense love for the Holy Qur’an, which Maulana Nooruddin ra had fully inherited. He learned the Holy Qur’an from his mother, and received his general edu- cation from public schools in Lahore and Rawalpindi. His academic record was excellent and soon he was appointed as headmaster of an English School in Pind Dad Khan. After only four years he left his job and his quest for knowledge took him all over India. At the age of 25, he travelled to the cities of Mecca and Medina. There, he studied Hadith and performed Hajj. Throughout his journey, he would meet renowned teachers and saints to further his learning. Then, he himself matured into a learned scholar of Qur’anic studies, languages and natural medicine. On his return from Arabia, he established a school of Qur’anic studies, and started a clinic that offered treatment in natural medicine. His main objec- tive was to serve his countrymen and spread the Qur’anic teachings. At the age of about 40 years, during a journey of one month, he memorized 14 parts of the Holy Qur’an and later on became a Hafiz by memorizing the entire Qur’an. God had given him a miraculous healing power and his prayers were abundantly accepted. People from remote corners of India started visiting him for treatment. When the Maharajah of Kashmir heard of his fame, Maulana Nooruddin ra was appointed as his court physician. For the first time, he heard of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as from a person named Sheikh Ruknuddin of District Sarghoda. Then, probably before March, 1885, a Hindu fellow passed on to him an announcement published by the Promised Messiah as. This impressed him very deeply. Soon after, he went to see Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as in Qadian, who had Family Background Education His Profession The First Person to Take Bai`at (March 23, 1889) 7. 3 7. 3 7. 3 7. 3 7. 3 P P P P P R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D M M M M M E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H AS AS AS AS AS A N D A N D A N D A N D A N D S S S S S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S — K — K — K — K — K H A L I F H A L I F H A L I F H A L I F H A L I FA A A A AT U L T U L T U L T U L T U L M M M M M A S I H A S I H A S I H A S I H A S I H I I I I I