Life of Ahmad — Page 484
484 CHAPTER 49 MEMORIAL FOR FRIDAY HOLIDAY On January 1st, 1896, Ahmad as inaugurated a movement for the general introduction of holiday for Friday prayer, which is one of the most useful institutions of Islam, and a symbol of its greatness. He made arrangements for the submission of a memorial to the Government of India for the closing of Government offices on Fridays. It had unfortunately come to pass—and this was for Muslims a practical and powerful sign of the advent of the Promised Messiah as —that a good deal of misconception had begun to prevail among them regarding Friday prayer and, in view of certain conditions attached to the institution, its obligatory nature had begun to be doubted. At many places Muslims had already abandoned the observance of the prayer. The Promised Messiah as wanted to revive the institution and desired the Government to close its offices on Fridays. He resolved to approach the Government with a memorial but, before it could be prepared, the Maulaw i s, as usual, set up an opposition and wanted