Hazrat Maulvi Nooruddin - Khalifatul-Masih I — Page 231
Hadrat Maulw i Nur-ud-D i n ra — Khalifatul Masih I ILLNESS 231 "There is a scheme for the establishment of a Muslim University in India, and some of our friends have enquired whether they should contribute towards it. For the information of the members of the community it is announced that though our Movement has many special needs and the members of the Movement have to make substantial contributions towards filling them, yet, as the Muslim University project is a beneficent one, I consider it necessary that our friends should contribute in every way towards promoting it. " 103 In the beginning of April 1911, a Muslim daily of Lahore proposed that the birthday of the Holy Prophet sa should be celebrated as a festival, and the Simla branch of the community sought the directions of Hadrat Khalifatul Masih ra concerning the proposal. He replied: "The Holy Founder sa of Islam appointed only two festivals for the Muslims, and Friday is also a festival day. Any other festival would be an undesirable innovation. In this way people will go on adding to the festivals. The Ahmad i s would wish to celebrate the anniversaries of the day on which the Promised Messiah as received his first revelation, and the day of his death. The companions of the Holy Prophet sa were devoted to him but they did not celebrate a third festival. The Promised Messiah as was the greatest lover of the Holy Prophet sa and had such a festival been permissible he would have celebrated it. Such suggestions are foolish, those who make them only seek popularity; they are not inspired by any spiritual motive. "