Perseverance — Page 94
94 – the story of al-haj Rashid ahmad american saying if there are any men in the house they should come to the Mosque because Hazrat Umm-ul-Mo’min ī n was very ill. At the time of Fajr the Jam ā ‘at was informed that Hazrat Umm-ul- Mo’min ī n died and after the Fajr prayer the Khudd ā m were told that they should bring the canopy for the people coming from out of town so they wouldn’t be exposed to the sun while they would be sitting and talking. Then the Jam ā ‘at began to prepare for the jan a zah [Arabic: funeral prayer ]. Arrangement was made for the casket or coffin. Tailors came and began work. Some brothers began to bring ice to keep the body cold because the jan ā zah would be held on the 22 nd of April, 1952 beginning at 5 o’clock. The shops were closed in the marketplace. Huzoor ra came and led the prayer (on the 21 st ). APRIL 22, 1952 After the Fajr prayer the Jam ā ‘at assembled for jan ā zah. All necessary things to be used were ready. The casket was tied on a flat, four legged stand, with heavy bamboo poles fastened to it. In this manner many people could share in the carrying of the casket to the graveyard, Bahishti Maqbara. Huzoor ra also joined with the carrying of the coffin. Due to the fact that every Ahmadi looked upon carrying the coffin as a holy task, they were called according to their Jam ā ‘at position. For example, my chance came when the foreign students were called. Some of the groups that were called included: the companions ra of the Promised Messiah as , foreign students, missionaries who served in foreign countries, students who are under training for missionary work, the students who are studying in TI College and the high school students, the 313