Life of the Promised Messiah — Page 37
37 Hazrat Maulvi Abdul-Karim actions. Fortitude in Illness On one occasion, the Promised Messiah as was suffering from a severe headache and I was also sitting with him inside. Nearby, there was excessive noise and distur- bance. I submitted: “Your Holiness, this noise does not cause you pain, does it?” The Promised Messiah as said: “Yes, it gives me relief when they quiet down. ” I said: “Why does His Holiness not instruct them then?” His Holiness said: “You tell them in a gentle manner; I do not have the heart to say anything to them. ” Even in the severest of illnesses, he will be all alone in a small room, and he will stay there so silently, that one would think he is comfortably asleep. He will not complain to anyone for not giving him attention, or for not offering him water, or for not tending to his other needs. I have seen that when someone falls ill, those who look after the person in question seek refuge with God from the ailing man’s ill-temper, irritability, and dis- content on every little thing. The person who is ill will abuse people in their frustration, glare at others with anger and as for his wife, she is struck with nothing but misfortune. The poor lady can neither find relief dur- ing the day, nor peace at night. If out of tiredness she is able to close her eyes for a moment, may the Lord have mercy—some men will raise an uproar. The help-