My Mother — Page 62
62 About that time I had built a house in the Model Town, a few miles outside Lahore. had her own room and bath- room in it. While I had an office in town and my working day was spent in town, I made it a rule that I spent a part of the evening with her in her room, even on such occasions when, because of a dinner or any other engagement in town, I arrived home late. Some years later when my youngest brother, Asadullah Khan, qualified as a barrister and started working as my junior, he arranged to live with his family in an apartment above our offices. Mother found this a very convenient arrangement. She drove with me to town in the morning, spent the day with Asadullah Khan’s family and drove back with me in the evening. Thus, she felt she was close to me throughout. She told me that when she observed me from her window walking into court, she began praying that I should return to the office with success and honour. She took an interest in my work and often said that by retaining me as their lawyer, my clients simultaneously retained her as their supplica- tor. Thus, they too became her beneficiaries. I have no doubt that I owed my rapid rise in my profession to her prayers. Having her with us was a divine bounty. She radiated benefi- cence far and wide without discrimination. Our home was illu- mined by her blessed presence. Those of us who were close to her benefited from her prayers all the time. She was extremely intel- ligent and had a very sensitive heart. I was often in default, but she forgave me quickly, and rewarded my devotion with continuous repeated prayers. This was a characteristic of her which was expe- rienced by everyone who came in contact with her. She was quick and generous in bestowing reward and charity. On one occasion, she remarked to me that she often wondered