The Devotion of Life — Page 5
5 The first manifestation of the fruit of the prayers of the Promised Messiah as was John Bren Orchard who during the time of Hadrat Musleh Maud ra visited Qadian in 1945. After an audience with Hadrat Musleh Maud ra, he took the pledge of allegiance at his hand, entering the fold of Ahmadiyyat. Huzur ra gave him the Muslim name of Bashir Ahmed Orchard. A Lieutenant in the Army posted on the India/Burma border, Bashir Ahmed Orchard Sahib first received the message of Ahmadiyyat in 1945 through Sergeant Abdul Rehman Sahib Dehlvi. Hadrat Musleh Maud ra mentioned the incident of Orchard Sahib’s visit to Qadian, his acceptance of Ahmadiyyat and a sudden amazing change in his spiritual life with admiration and affection. Huzur ra said that after becoming a Muslim and giving up drinking, he was ridiculed and tempted by his colleagues to revert to his previous way of life, but by the blessings of Allah the Exalted he remained steadfast and gradually became stronger in faith and practice. He became very regular in Salat prayers and grew a beard. Eventually, he gave up his employment and devoted his life to Islam. Huzur ra said, “Now he is preaching Islam in England. He is only provided with meagre subsistence. The condition of this person is that he regularly offers Tahajud (pre- dawn prayer). He offers his Salat prayers in congregation; offers extended supplications, has a beard and no one can say he is English besides from the look of his face. Everyone reckons that he is a seasoned Muslim. If a person resident of Europe can create such a profound change in him that he becomes