Odyssey of Sacrifice — Page 53
! 55 love. Many women took off their jewelry [for donations]. Many gave donations and then got excited a second time and donated in their children’s name. They were not sa tisfied at this and started making donations in the name of their deceased relatives. Their enthusiasm was such that a child who is the son of a poor hardworking man sent me thirteen rupees, stating that he has been saving all the money that he gets and h e will give all of it in donation. This child must have saved this money with many wishes for its use. But due to passion for his faith, he sacrificed not only this money but also his desires. Jamia Ahmadiyya student are less than hundred in number. Many of them are receiving scholarships. They have written pledges of three hundred and fifty dollars. Keeping their financial conditions in mind, one can understand that they will sacrifice their basic needs for many months … If this is the condition of wome n and children [many among them] who cannot comprehend the requirements of faith due to lack of knowledge or experience, then imagine the condition of the men. You can understand [their passion] considering that many of them wrote pledges that were more t han their monthly income. I know that some people gave all the cash that they had and had to take loan for their groceries. One person wrote to me that due to poverty he cannot give a large amount of money in donation. With great desire he wrote that I do not have anything but you can auction my shop and use the proceeds as a donation. People sold jewelry etc. to offer a donation immediately rather than doing it gradually. ” 40 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! 40 ! History of Fazal Mosque, London, p. 22