Malfuzat – Volume III — Page 296
296 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad alone to live an unbridled life, but in contrast, they have adopted a way that is so harsh and controlling that one is unable to differentiate between women and ani- mals; these people treat women in a manner that is worse than slaves and beasts. They will beat women so mercilessly and without any sense of the fact that the person who is before them is a living being. In short, these people treat women in a terrible manner, and this is to such an extent that in the Punjab there is a famous saying that likens women to a person’s shoes, which can be taken off and replaced with another pair. This is very dangerous indeed and goes against all that Islam holds sacred. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is a perfect example in every respect. Study his life and see how he treated women. In my view, an individual who stands up to contend against a woman is an unmanly coward. Study the pure life of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, so that you may see how kind he was. Even though the Holy Prophet sa was an awe-inspiring personality, if an old woman would stop him, he would stand there until the lady would permit him to leave. He would go to the market himself and bring his household items. On one occasion, the Holy Prophet sa purchased something from the market and a companion submitted: ‘Your Holiness, allow me,’ but the Holy Prophet sa said: ‘A person ought to carry their own things. ’ One should not conclude from this that the Holy Prophet sa would never allow others to do small tasks for him, such as bringing his firewood. Nonetheless, these instances demonstrate the simplicity and immense informal- ity of the Holy Prophet sa. The Holy Prophet sa would go from one place to another by foot without any distinction as to who was walking ahead of him or behind him. For it is observed in the case of those who are disposed to formality that they do not appreciate it when others walk ahead of them. In fact, the Holy Prophet sa was such a simple man that on certain occasions people could not even identify who the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was in a group of people. When the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, arrived in Medina, Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, had a white beard and so the people thought that he was the Prophet of God, peace and bless- ings of Allah be upon him. However, Hazrat Abu Bakr ra , did something to serve the Holy Prophet sa in order to show the people that the Holy Prophet sa was the Messenger of God, and it was then that everyone realised the truth. 1 1 From the Editor: The simplicity of His Holiness, peace be upon him, is exactly the same in nature. When the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, goes for his walk, no one is forbidden from walk- ing ahead of him. In fact, on certain occasions, some of the distinguished companions feel concerned p. 270