Basics of Religious Education — Page 246
246 246 246 246 246 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION His first marriage, at the age of fifteen years, was arranged with his first maternal cousin Hurmat Bibi (daughter of his maternal uncle Mirza Jama`at Baig). Two sons, Mirza Sultan Ahmad and Mirza Fadl Ahmad, were born as a result of this marriage. Mirza Fadhl Ahmad died in the prime of his youth, but Hadrat Mirza Sultan Ahmad lived long enough to eventually become an Ahmadi at the hands of his elder brother, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra (Muslih Mau`ood). His entering the fold of Ahmadiyyat, fulfilled the part of the prophecy regarding Muslih Mau`ood - ‘He will cause three to become four’ (three Ahmadi sons became four). Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as cherished his privacy and spent most of his time in prayers or immersed in the study of the Holy Qur’an. His father was quite conscious of his son’s great preoccupation with religion. He would normally remark to his friends, regarding his son, saying: “This son of mine is a ‘Maseetar’ (In Punjabi; One who spends most of his time in a mosque, saying prayers). He doesn’t seek any employment nor is he interested in earning for himself. . . ” If only he had lived a little longer, he would have seen for him- self how famous his son (the Promised Messiah as ) had become and how devoted followers from far and wide were waiting on him. (Tadhkiratul Mahdi, part 2) When he was thirty or thirty one years old, he saw the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa in a vision. The details of this vision shed light on the strong ties of his love for the Holy Prophet sa that distinguished him from everyone else, and foretold of his remarkable spiritual future. Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had to work for the government (1864 to 1868) to respect the wishes of his father, but he had no inclination towards a worldly career, and considered the short period of his employment to be a “prison sentence”. While employed at Sialkot, he still managed to devote all his spare time to the study of the Holy Qur’an and social work. He kept up his religious de- bates with the Christian missionaries in the area and did much to stem the rising tide of Christianity. He returned to Qadian in 1868, following the wishes of his father, in view of his mother’s illness. She passed away before he could reach Qadian. First Marriage and Unusual Religious Interest Meeting with the Holy Prophet sa (1864 or 1865) A Job in Sialkot (1864-1868) P P P P P ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED M M M M M ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH 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 UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS — P — P — P — P — P ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED M M M M M ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH AS AS AS AS AS 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1