The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam — Page xxii
XX Sahib. As the next item on the agenda was a speech presented on behalf of a renowned advocate of Islam, most people did not leave their place. The large Islamia College building began to fill up long before 1. 30pm. The gathering numbered between seven and eight thousand people. Educated and knowledgeable people from various religions and nations were present and although plenty of tables, chairs and floor space had been provided, still hundreds of attendees were left with no choice but to stand. The attendees included many dignitaries, Leaders from Punjab, scholars, barristers, lawyers, professors, extra assistants and doctors. In short, different branches of educated society were all present. They stood for four to five hours listening with great patience and with rapt attention and this shows how deeply they cared for this sacred cause. The writer of the paper did not attend in person, but one of his disciples, Maulawi Abdul Karim Sialkotī, was delegated to read it at the conference. The committee had allotted two hours for the essay; however it was not finished in this time. Seeing the avid interest shown by the audience, the moderators willingly agreed to extend the session until the conclusion of the speech. This decision was in exact keeping with the wishes of the participants. Maulawi Abu Yusuf Mubarak Ali agreed to forgo his time so that Mirza Ṣāḥib's essay could be concluded. This was widely appreciated by the