Khilafat Centenary Souvenir 1908-2008 — Page 68
Khilafat Centenary wit hout much delay. The aftermath of the partition of the Punjab proved to be a gruesome tragedy for all the three principal communities in the Punjab, Muslims (including the Ahmadiyya Community), non-Muslims and Sikhs. A terrible holocaust involving extreme human suffering and misery was let loose on both sides of the newly determined border. An irresistible wave of horror raged unchecked over the greater part of the province. The general populace, with rare exceptions, exhibited a lack of moral and spiritual values that was heartrending. . . . . . For the Ahmadiyya Community it is a matter of satisfaction that both as individuals and as a Community, they came out of this terrible trial with loss of numerous precious lives and an enormous amount of property, but with their honour bright and unsullied. The Community as a whole, and its individual members, rendered aid and assistance to their suffering fellow beings without distinction of caste or creed, in every situation in which they were capable of rendering assistance, at the risk, and sometimes even at the cost, of their own lives, security and property. This was freely acknowledged on all hands. So long as the Ahmadis were not expelled from the greater part of Qadian, under police and military action, Qadian continued to serve as an asylum for Muslim refugees who were being driven out of the areas which had been allotted to India and were fleeing to Pakistan. When the turn of Qadian itself came, and the greater part of it had to be evacuated, the Community exhibited. an extraordinary spectacle of discipline, orderliness, steadfastness and courage. Despite all the adverse developments that took place hourly after the announcement of the Boundary A ward, the Khalifatul Masih ra himself remained in Qadian, while the steady evacuation of sections of the population of Qadian and of the records and valuables belonging to the institutions of the Community proceeded in an orderly manner. . . As soon as the Khalifatul Masihra arrived in Lahore, he issued directions that it was an obligation upon every member of the Community to render every assistance to such non-Muslims as were still in Pakistan. Many of them were exposed to danger at the hands of Muslims who were incensed at the brutalities and horrors to which Muslims in East Punjab had been subjected at the hands of the non -Muslims. . . . It is not surprising, though utterly illogical, that under the impact of these horrors large numbers of Muslims in Pakistan turned upon their unfortunate non-Muslim neighbours and sought to wreak vengeance upon them for the misdeeds of non - Muslims of East Punjab. Here again, under the clear directions of the Khalifatul Masih ra , not only did the members of the Community in Pakistan hold their emotions under complete control, but went to the assistance of non -Muslims, extended their protection to them, provided relief for them and speeded such of them as were moving towards India on their way, often at the gravest risk of their own lives and security. There has not been known a single instance in which an Ahmadi in Pakistan killed or caused any hurt or injury to a non -Muslim in those dreadful da ys, or was guilty of appropriating an y moveable belonging of a non -Muslim. . . It is worthy of reflection: How was it that at a time when all moral and spiritual values had suffered such large-scale stultification over large areas on both sides of the border , every member of the Ahmadi yya Movement was enabled to uphold them in situations of the gravest peril and provocation? It is true that this could only be done by the grace and mercy of God, but the question remains: How is it that such grace and mercy were bestowed in such large and perfect measure not only, as in the case of other communities also, upon outstanding individuals, but upon every member of the Ahmadi yya Movement? On 18 September 1894, the Promised Messiah had received the revelation (Urdu): 'The stigma of migration. ' He himself and Khalifatul Masih n ra had seen dreams and visions that revealed some of the aspects of the migration with which the Community would be confronted. The two principal educational institutions, the Talimul Islam High School and the Talimul Islam College could not start functioning in Pakistan till more than six months after the move to Lahore, and even then only temporary make-shift arrangements were possible. After a few months the High School was allotted temporary accommodation at Chiniot, and sometime later the College was housed in the Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College buildings in Lahore. In the meantime, a diligent search was being made