Life of Ahmad — Page 63
as EARLY LIFE 63 manner he fasted for eight or nine consecutive months. This opened up to him the spiritual kingdom. He saw wonderful visions and held converse with a number of the Prophets and saints who had gone before; and had experiences which perhaps none but the elect could understand. In his opinion, however, it is not advisable for ordinary people to impose upon themselves such hardships, for some lose their senses and others contract fatal diseases as a result of their self-imposed privations. As a rule Ahmad as did not like to seek the company of men; but he was always eager to visit a holy man. Maulaw i Abdullah of Ghazni (Afghanistan) was an eminent personage. He was persecuted in his native country by fanatics; and, having been declared an infidel, he was expelled from Ghazni. He used to live in the neighbourhood of Amritsar. Ahmad as visited this holy man twice and took some present for him when he went to see him. The object for which Ahmad as saw him was not for personal profit or fancy, but to request him to pray for the welfare of Islam. Once Ahmad as requested him for prayers at Khairdi, whereupon Maulaw i Abdullah went to his house in the midday heat for that purpose and there received the following revelation. i. e. Thou art our Master help us therefore against the disbelieveing people (Al-Baqarah 2:287). He returned from his house at the time of Z uhr prayers and told Ahmad as with a smile, in Persian,