Khilafat Centenary Souvenir 1908-2008 — Page 155
h ~ · ~ i:-/ J ~ ~ ~ ~ J-r!'--1LV'f- ~ /r ~~v~4 b b J~ L 1. 0 - ~ ,, _. , ~ ""'t--7,-. . _ • t- , / - v 4V-- a. . . ":I "-'t'\. L - J - -~. , ~. (':, e ~ - r/ would-be assailant was not harmed; he was handed over to the authorities. As it turned out, the would- be assailant sat in the very space which Rasheed always occupied in the mosque. However, as Rasheed's wife was in labor that day, he was unable to attend the prayer. When I asked Rasheed about the midwife, he gave me a pensive look and said, "You know, I don't know how the midwife got there because I had become so concerned about the Khalifa r• that I forgot to get her; but when I returned home, my wife had already delivered our son. " Rasheed's son was born on the day the second Khalifa r• was stabbed; he was named Mahmud Ahmad. Last letter before Rasheed's return Before Rasheed's return to the U. S. , the second Khalifar• gave him a handwritten letter, in English, addressing Rasheed as follows: Here is something for your journey (Money was presented as a gift to Rasheed). I am old and weak. Maybe it is our last meeting. If so, I entrust you to God. Remember if I was ever angry with you it was for your sake and if I was pleased with you it was for God's jr. ~~. 'l. d ,,/le~""'-~. -. %A ~~~. ~#r~~L,-. """ /f-+e-. . ,a. . ~ 11W ll ff. t2-u -S 1. sake. Be steadfast and forever stick to the center in all conditions. May God help you to die as a Muslim. Be compassionate to your wife and children. God be with you. Yours fraternally, Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad Rabwah 72- 72-54 Return to the U. S. Rasheed returned as a missionary to the United States with his wife and three children. Since that time he has continued conveying the true message of Islam in both word and deed. Now, at the age of 84, Rasheed continues to narrate his experiences with Khilafat with surprising recollection of detail - far more than this article could furnish. As I continued to listen to Rasheed's detailed accounts, I began to understand the depth of his love for his Khalifa. Forty-two years after the death of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih nr •, Rasheed speaks of him as if he is still alive. Then again, how else could it be in reference to the man who brought him out of darkness and into the light? And in the end, all praise belongs to Allah. 155