Fazl-e-Umar — Page 138
Fazle Umar 138 leader? There should be consultation on who should be Khalifa. He made it quite clear to Maulvi Muhammad Ali that on the question of the continuance of the Khilafat he could not be a party to any compromise, but on the question who should be the next Khalifa he was perfectly willing to accept whatever Maulvi Muhammad Ali might propose. Hence, the death of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih [ra] had brought matters to a head and the question of his successor could no longer be postponed. While Maulvi Muhammad Ali continued to press his case in this meeting with Hadhrat Sahibzada Sahib, people had gathered in Masjid Noor and there was great excitement among them. It appeared that after 4 March when Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih [ra] had written out his Will and had it read out three times by Maulvi Muhammad Ali, in which he had laid down that his successor should possess certain qualities, Maulvi Muhammad Ali had prepared a pamphlet in which the need of a Khalifa, as commonly understood, had been heavily discounted. This pamphlet was printed and copies of it were despatched to his friends with the instruction that it should be widely published as soon as intimation was received of the demise of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih. Every one who arrived in Qadian after receiving the tragic news of the death of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih was furnished with a copy of the pamphlet en route. An overwhelming majority of them were seriously annoyed with this mischievous and clumsy piece of propaganda and were anxious that the election of the Khalifa should proceed immediately. The conversation was making no progress, and there was persistent knocking on the door that the meeting should be speedily concluded. Hadhrat Sahibzada Sahib suggested that as there appeared to be no prospect of an agreement they should all adjourn to Masjid Noor and consultation should be held with those already assembled there. Thereupon Maulvi Muhammad Ali blurted out, “You say this because you know whom they will elect. ”