Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 9
THE RENAISSANCE OF ISLAM 9 became anxious to engage his'interest in and attention to the secular affairs of the family, but nothing of that kind appealed to him at all. He observed: My father was desirous that I should be completely occupied with worldly affairs, which was contrary to my disposition. Neverthe- less, out of goodwill and in order to earn spiritual merit, but not for the sake of any worldly gain, I devoted myself to serving my father and for his sake I occupied myself with worldly affairs and also continued to supplicate the Divine in his behalf. He was assured that I was dutiful towards my parents and he often said that he desired me to participate in worldly affairs out of a feeling of sympathy for me, though he realized that the subject in which I was deeply interested, that is to say, religion, was alone worth pursuing and that he himself was only wasting his time [Kitabul Bariyyah, pp. 175-8, footnote]. At one time, casting about for some means that might prove effective in engaging his interest in secular affairs, his father procured his appointment to a minor post in the civil administration of Sialkot district, and in compliance with his father's wishes Mirza Ghulam Ahmad took up his residence at Sialkot some time in 1864. While he performed the duties of his office diligently and conscientiously he led a somewhat secluded life and continued to devote his spare time to religious study and exercises. He had few intimate acquaint- ances and absolutely refused to receive anyone at his simple lodging in connection with the discharge of his official duties. His only intimate friends were Lala Bhim Sen, a Hindu lawyer, who had been one of his fellow pupils when he had studied with Maulvi Gu1 Ali Shah at Batala and whom he esteemed highly, Maulvi Syed Mir Hasan Sahib, a revered. scholar and teacher and Mir Hussamuddin Sahib, a physician who received some instruction from Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and became his devoted friend. During his stay at Sialkot, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad also came to know two or three Christian missionaries with whom he exchanged views on religious subjects. One of