The Martyr - Hazrat Sahibzada Abdul Latif — Page 79
Part III—Introduction 79 Once, Hazrat Sahibzada ra mentioned to the village chiefs that he intended to travel to Qadian. They said to him that it is a rainy season right now and that he should wait until this season is over. However, he paid no attention to the rain and set off on his journey. The village chiefs went out with him to bid him fare- well and Hazrat Sahibzada ra brought a lot of clothes and money along with him and mounted his horse. When they arrived to the river of Kuram, they found that the water level was elevated and that the water was very muddy. Hazrat Sahibzada ra did not know how to swim. He took off his clothes and tied them to his horse’s saddle and pushed his horse into the water. Others were able to cross with their horses; however, Hazrat Sahibzada ra and his horse became helpless as the waves recklessly steered them in different directions. Hazrat Sahibzada ra immediately jumped off of his horse and dived into the water. His inability to swim had him bobbing in and out of the water struggling to gasp for air. He frantically began beseeching for Allah’s refuge saying, “O Merciful One, O Merciful One, O Merciful One!” Eventually, with God’s grace and mercy, he was able to cross to the other side. All of his money and clothes were lost in the water, but he did not care for them at all. The people of the village and their chiefs managed to draw his horse out of the water. There was a village nearby where a maulvi by the name of Jaan Gul used to live. He was a friend of Hazrat Sahibzada ra so Hazrat Sahibzada ra decided to visit his friend at his home. Hazrat Sahibzada ra mentioned to Maulvi Jaan Gul that he intended to go to India and the Maulvi said that, “I, too, will go with you. ” Hazrat Sahibzada ra said, “I will be wearing a dhoti [loosely fitted sheet worn around the waist] in the appearance of a malang [an austere