Fazl-e-Umar — Page 173
Fazle Umar 173 On his part he immediately embarked upon a project to write a book setting forth in some detail the principles and teachings of Islam. He wrote it in Urdu and it was translated into English. The printing of the English translation was completed just in time before he set out on his journey to England with a dozen companions. On his way he stopped off at Port Said and visited, among other places, Jerusalem and Damascus. While in Damascus, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II [ra] issued instructions that enquiries should be made to find out if there was any white minaret in Damascus but all efforts proved in vain. One morning Huzur was offering the morning prayers with his companions. The moment the prayers finished, his eyes happened to alight on the minaret of a mosque near the hotel. This minaret was white and it was to the east of the hotel at which Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih was staying! It should be remembered that the Holy Prophet Muhammad [saw] had seen in a vision that the keys of the Roman and Persian Emperors were given to him but these empires were subdued in the reign of his second successor, Hadhrat Omar [ra]. 108 A R R I v A L I n E n G L A n d In London he took up his residence, along with his companions, at 6 Chesham Place, SW1. His arrival in London was widely publicised in the press. The conference was held at the Imperial Institute in South Kensington. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II [ra] attended the conference at various times and thus had opportunities of meeting a large number of people. On the day on which his paper was to be read out he was seated on the dais with his companions and his paper was read out by one of his principal followers, Hadhrat Chaudhry Muhammad Zafrulla Khan [ra]. The great hall was absolutely packed with people and some people not finding room inside the hall crowded the wide staircase that led down from the hall. The address was listened to in absolute silence and with concentrated attention and