Hazrat Maulvi Nooruddin - Khalifatul-Masih I — Page 2
BACKGROUND Hadrat Maulw i Nur-ud-D i n ra — Khalifatul Masih I 2 When little N u r-ud-D i n grew up he was sent to school. In his younger days classes in school were not crowded; each pupil received the individual attention of the teacher, and thus a personal relationship was established between teacher and pupil. The closer this relationship was, the greater was the benefit that accrued therefrom to the pupil. Private tuition had not yet come into vogue. Teachers were content with their stipends, and employed their spare time in helping deserving and promising pupils with their studies. They were held in great esteem by their pupils who never failed to honour the heavy debt of gratitude that they owed to them. N u r-ud-D i n, by the sheer grace of God, achieved great eminence in his life. He always mentioned every one of his many teachers in terms of great reverence and deep gratitude. He enjoyed a happy and contented home life. His eldest brother, Maulaw i Sul ta n Ahmad, was a learned divine and took keen interest in his upbringing. Their mother set all of them an excellent example of piety and righteous living, and inculcated in their minds the sublime verities in homely Punjabi. Urdu was not then current in the Punjab. N u r-ud-D i n first heard it spoken by a soldier from Dai’ i band and fell in love with it. He became eager to read Urdu books and derived great benefit from a study of the books written by members of the family of Sh a h Wal i Ull a h of Delhi. He developed a love of books very early, and began to collect them. From his very childhood he was averse to the use of foul language, and his playmates were very circumspect in this regard in his company. He was fond of swimming and went swimming in Jhelum river even in winter. His eldest brother owned a press in Lahore, and had to visit Lahore frequently on that account. On one