Truth About the Split — Page 362
362 open and straightforward manner. Maulawi Muhammad Ali invited people to express their opinion about his views, and then others made a similar request to the people to give them their signatures in case they found themselves in agreement with views expressed in their statement. All through Saturday, the stream of visitors continued to flow into Qadian. The idea was that as large a congregation as possible should be allowed to assemble, and the consultation made as wide as possible. By the time of Zuhr more than a thousand members from various centres had arrived and there was quite a large gathering. After the Zuhr prayers I assembled 13 all my relatives and solicited their advice on the subject of the differences. Some were of the opinion that it was our duty to promulgate the doctrines which we believed to be true, and it was, therefore, indispensable that the Khalifa should be one who agreed with us in his views. I explained to them that our most important concern at that moment was to preserve unity in the Jama'at. To have a Khalifa was with us a religious necessity. If the other party should accept this view, 13 As far as I remember this consultation was held on Saturday but, according to some, even this consultation was held on Friday.