Three in One — Page 131
FAMILY DECLINE. Abdul Hafeez holds Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as in contempt for the decline in his family's fortunes at some stage in its life. He quotes a statement from Tohfa e Qaisariyya in which Hadhrat Ahmadas is supposed to have stated: 'The glory of our estate was declining day by day until in our days our family position was that of a small grade land lord. '50. Although one does not accept this to be a perfectly correct translation of Hadhrat Ahmad's statement in Tohfa e Qaisariyya, yet, one fails to see how this change in the family's fortunes is supposed to reflect adversely upon Hadhrat Ahmad'sas character and mission when there is sufficient evidence in history which indicates that the families of the best of men have suffered reverses in their material fortunes. For instance, it is an established fact of Islamic history that Hadhrat Muhammadsa belonged to one of the most powerful and affluent families of. Mecca. Yet, on the death of his grandfather 'Abd al Muttalib whose prosperity and fame had, at one stage excited the envy of their rivals, the family slipped into decline to the extent that it had to pass almost all its obligations of providing for the pilgrims except the supply of water to other branches of the. Quraish in Mecca. At the time when Hadhrat Muhammadsa was growing up, the prestige of the Banu Hashim had begun to wane and their rivals, the Banu Umayya who, at one stage, had been declared inferior in a challenge of respective merits during 'Abd al Muttalib's life rose to such importance that the Banu. Hashim's fame was pushed into oblivion. . History also indicates that Prophet Muhammadsa spent his life after his grandfather's death in extreme deprivation of material comforts and no sooner did he achieve puberty, he had to seek employment to assist his guardian and uncle Abu Talib in the 50. Shah, Syed Abdul Hafeez. Two in One, p. 9 131