My Mother — Page 157
Farewell 157 All that is on the earth will perish, and only that will survive which is under the care of thy Lord, Master of Glory and Honour (55:27-28). In Delhi the physicians had estimated that the heart would not function for more than forty minutes. Divine mercy granted for forty minutes. Divine mercy granted her forty hours! Her body was laid out under the supervision of Bismillah Begum. When all was ready I was invited to have my last look of the dearly loved face. I found it indescribably beautiful. She did not look more than twenty-five. There was only a thin wisp of grey along the edge of the forehead. The lips were slightly parted in a smile and there was a look of utter repose and serenity. I could not endure the sight of all that glory for more than a second and withdrew hastily. It was noon of Monday, May 16, when her earthly remains were borne to Bahishti Maqbarah, to be laid to rest at the feet of her husband. Sahibzadah Mirza Bashir Ahmad, Sahibzadah Mirza Sharif Ahmad, and other members of the family of the Promised Messiah were among the pall-bearers. Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih was in Sind. He sent the following statement for publication in Al-Fazal : News has been received of the death of Chaudhri Zafrulla Khan’s mother. I regret that I am very far from Qadian and it appears unlikely that I will be able to participate in her funeral service, which grieves me. On receipt of the melancholy intimation I have sent a man by car to Mirpur Khas to find out whether I can reach Qadian in time. If that should be possible I shall be able to fulfil my wish that