My Mother — Page 155
Farewell 155 sleep. Shukrullah Khan withdrew, and finding myself alone with her I said to her, ‘You have said nothing particularly to me. ’ She responded, ‘I have said nothing particularly to anyone. ’ ‘I am not anyone. We are sweethearts. ’ ‘That is so. ’ I realised that she had cut asunder from everything and was wholly occupied with the transition from the world of illusion (3:186) to the world of reality (29:65). The process was gentle and serene. Throughout her illness, by Divine mercy, she had felt no pain, nor exhibited any fear. When she felt that the Divine sum- mons had come, she responded cheerfully—almost eagerly. Now her soul was busy with saying farewell to the body it had tenanted for seventy-five years, and in disengaging itself. I left her in peace. Bismillah Begum came in at Amritsar. Mother indicated by a gesture that she desired her to be in the place of a mother to our sister, who was entirely otherworldly, devoted to the worship of God and almsgiving. The emissary who had gone from Kasur to Daska to fetch the box containing the sheets reported that he had not been able to find the box. He was sent back with more specific directions. The box was delivered at Qadian in the afternoon. The train arrived at Qadian before 10:00 a. m. I told Mother we were now at Qadian. She welcomed the intimation with, ‘Bismillah! Bismillah!’ It was Sunday, May 15, the hottest part of the year. The saloon was air-conditioned. I asked her whether she would like to stay in the saloon. She wished to be taken to the house. According to her earlier direction, her bed was made in the drawing room on the ground floor. She was satisfied that she had arrived where she had desired to be. Divine mercy had granted her every wish. Qadian