Life of Ahmad — Page 363
363 CHAPTER 33 SECOND ANNUAL GATHERING Ahmad as had declared that his followers should come to Qadian during the last week of every December to partake of spiritual blessings and foster a true spirit of fellowship and brotherhood. These days were selected for this purpose because everybody was on holiday on account of Christmas. Moreover, the cold weather was more suitable for a gathering in which people were to come from all parts of the world. To remind his followers of this, Ahmad as issued a leaflet on December 7th, 1892, in which he exhorted them to gather at Qadian during the last week of the month. To accommodate the guests, a small building was erected at Qadian, towards the cost of which Maulaw i N u r-ud-D i n ra and Hakim Fa d l D i n ra contributed Rs. 700 and Rs. 400 respectively. The mentality of the mullahs who opposed Ahmad as may be judged from the fact that the mullah in charge of the Ch i niya Ĕ Mosque in Lahore issued a fatwa in which he declared that holding of such annual meetings was an innovation and a sin. Ahmad as