A Primer of Religious Knowledge — Page xii
xii the Self-Subsisting One, I have been eager to meet dis- tinguished helpers of the Faith, with an eagerness greater than that of a thirsty one seeking water. I supplicated day and night: ‘Lord, I am alone and helpless—who will be my helper and my assistant?’ When my hands rose repeat- edly in supplication, and the atmosphere became charged with my prayer, Allah the Exalted hearkened my entreaty and the mercy of the Lord of the worlds was roused on my behalf and He bestowed upon me a sincere and faithful friend who is the very eye of my helpers and is the essence of those who are my faithful friends in the cause of the Faith. His name—like his shining qualities—is Noor- ud-Deen [Light of the Faith]. ( A ’ i na-e-Kam a l a t-e-Isl a m , R uha ni Khaz a ’in, vol. 5, p. 581–582) His profound insights of the Holy Quran have been compiled into a collection entitled H aq a’ iq-ul-Furq a n. His countless services in the cause of Islam Ahmadiyyat include overseeing the compilation of the English translation of the Holy Quran, establishing the Community’s first foreign mission in the United Kingdom, and authoring numerous publications. A significant aspect of his life was his endless dedication to educating the youth. This was accomplished throughout his life, often at his own expense. The fruit of these efforts culminated in some of the most towering scholarly figures in the history of Ahmadiyyat, including: Hadrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih II ra; Hadrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad ra; Ha d rat Mirza Sharif Ahmad ra; Hadrat Mir Muhammad