Life of Ahmad — Page 141
as AT HOSHIARPUR 141 He offered it to Ahmad as and made the necessary arrangements for his stay there. Ahmad as left Qadian for Hoshiarpur on Wednesday or Thursday, January 20th or 21st, 1886, in a Behl i (a bullock-driven carriage). He was accompanied by M. Abdullah Sanauri ra , Sh. Hamid Ali ra , and Fate h Khan of Rasulpur, a village near Tanda in Hoshiarpur district. While they were crossing the river Beas in an old-fashioned boat, Ahmad as is reported to have remarked that the company of a holy man was like journeying across a river: there was the hope of landing safely on the other side, but there was also the danger of being drowned. It proved a prophetic remark for one of his three companions on this occasion, namely Fate h Khan, who deserted him afterwards and was thus spiritually drowned. The party stopped a night at Rasulpur and reached Hoshiarpur on Friday, January 22nd, 1886. Ahmad as occupied the upper story of the T aweila and entrusted different duties to his three companions. M. Abdullah Sanauri ra was to prepare food for Ahmad as and serve it. Sh. Hamid Ali ra had to do the house work and also attend to visitors. Fate h Khan was required to do the shopping. It was then announced by means of handwritten leaflets that Ahmad as would not see anybody for 40 days. No one was to visit him or invite him out during this period. He announced, however, that at the end of this time, he would remain there for about 20 days more and