Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume I — Page 317
! ! 317 I n two years’ time , I expect several of the women will pass the FA exam and , in this way, I intend that at the very least , fifteen - year - old girls should complete their BA and MA so that w omen can teach other women themselves. The requirements for establishi ng a men’s college are strict, meaning that permission will not be granted until a specific amount of money is collected , and a building has been constructed. However, there are no such restrictions for a women’s college. Therefore, at very little cost we can take advantage of many facilities in organizing this for them. Moreover, when they [ the women] are ready to provide this education in Qadian, I am planning to establish a hostel so that arrangements can be made for women from out of town to stay there and receive the education. How distressing it is that not a single Muslim women’s college exists in Punjab! Th is college in Qadian is the first women ’ s college and by the Grace of God Almighty , many women are receiving their education t here. A few months ago, I went to Aligarh and I was told that only four girls took the e ntrance [exam], whereas in its very first year, sixte en girls took the exam in Qadian. We estimated that nearly one hundred percent of girls are receiv ing an education in Qadian; that is to say, their percentage is higher than the percentage of boys [who receive an education]. T hat the education of our Jama'at’s women is increasing with such speed is a source of pleasure. In S h a ’ Allah , we will very soon overcome illiteracy among women, particularly in Qadian. ( Misbah , 18 th October 1931) Considering the line of work started by the Sialkot Lajna, I am hopeful that their efforts will increase the awareness of education here as well. I am very pleased to hear that due to their good manners, the Ahmadi ladies [of Sialkot] have gained such recognition among other social cir cles, that all their girls are attaining their education in the [Ahmadi] school without friction of any kind. This bears excellent testimony to the spirit of their work. If not men, at the very least women are developing the spirit of cooperation when undertaking Islam ic projects , which is very gratifying. When the women develop this spirit, the men will be forced to combine their efforts. At this time, I cannot talk for long for my h ealth is not so good