Fazl-e-Umar — Page 352
Fazle Umar 352 because of their devotion and affection thought themselves very fortunate that they knew Hadhrat Musleh Mau’ood [ra] personally. It was because of this love that Ahmadi parents requested the Khalifa to name their newborn children. They requested him for prayers even before the birth and from then on they involved Huzur in every good news as well as bad. Seeking Huzur’s attention and prayers in all matters bestowed peace and tranquillity on the members. The protection and guidance of the Community during opposition and persecu- tion, making programmes for the benefit and progress of the Community, successfully implementing these programmes and keeping watch over them was an ongoing and permanent responsibility. The scattered members of the international Community believed that requesting Huzur for prayers was an efficacious means to alleviate their difficulties. Even those who did not belong to the Community thought it beneficial to seek his prayers. In this way he received hundreds of letters daily. He read and replied to every letter and even offered advice if required. He thought it imperative to try and provide for the needs detailed in any correspondence to the best of his ability. The mere fact of leading the five daily prayers took up a lot of time. It was also his practice to rise in the early hours of the night to offer prayers with deep humility. Day and night the work was unending. In times of peace as well as times of crisis, these tasks never went away. From a young age his health had never been good and he was always ensnared by some illness or malady. In such a situation, his faith inspiring scholarly books, sermons and articles are nothing short of a miracle. It is evident that just this single contribution was accord- ing to God’s Grace, decree and will. It was through the blessings of his anointed soul that the honour of Islam and the true rank of the Word of God were demonstrated.