The Afghan Martyrs — Page 49
Urdu with a foreign accent and he was also looking for a tonga to take him to Qadian. I said that I was going to Qadian and perhaps we could share a tonga. We therefore rode in the same tonga. On my enquiry during the journey he told me that he was an Arab and was practicing medicine in Lucknow. He had qualified as a Doctor from a Medical College in Baghdad. He said he was going to meet Hadhrat Mirza Sahib for the first time. On arrival in Qadian I escorted him to the guest house and then went to the boarding house which was situated in a building in the adjoining street. After Maghrib I saw the young man in Masjid Mubarak and I pointed the Promised Messiah (PBUH) out to him. After salutation and shaking hands he sat opposite the Promised Messiah (PBUH). At that time Hadhrat Sahibzada Abdul Lateef was already seated immediately opposite the Promised Messiah (PBUH). After introducing himself, in a somewhat brusque manner the young Arab addressed the Promised Messiah (PB UH), and said, "Y ou claim that you are eloquent in Arabic but you ar;e I unable to pronounce the letters 'ain' and 'qaaf like the Ara~a. nd you falter in your speech. These impediments detract from your eloquence. II Witnessing the gross arrogance and the harsh manner of his address Sahibzada Abdul Lateef lost his cool and in this disposition was about to strike the Arab with his fist when the Promised Messiah (PBUH) caught hold of his hand, put it on his thigh, and put his own hand over it. Then the Promised Messiah (PBUH) said to the Arab, liMy claim concerning eloquence in the Arabic language relates to written Arabic and I do not claim that I can speak like those whose mother tongue is Arabic. I would therefore suggest that you look through some of my Arabic books which you will find in the guest house. Only then will you be 49