First Grain of Sand — Page 21
MY BEGINNINGS IN QADIAN 5 On one occasion during our weekly class, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Deen Mahmood Ahmad addressed the students and said that anyone who is studying here with the goal of obtain- ing a job should leave now and learn Arabic at another school in Amritsar or Lahore that have an Arabic Studies program. He said that the Madrasah Ahmadiyyah had been founded by the Promised Messiahas himself with the purpose of producing more Islamic scholars like Hazrat Maulana Abdul Karim Sialkotira and Hazrat Maulana Burhan-ud-Deen Jhelamira, two great scholars among the most prominent Companions who died during the lifetime of the Promised Messiahas. And the first administrative responsibility was given to such a pious being whose beautiful goodness was a reflection of the Promised Messiahas. Ordinarily in those days, very few students would be able to cover their own expenses for their studies. Many would receive scholarships that enable poor students to continue their studies. For me, my expenses were covered by my eldest brother, Hazrat Sheikh Muhammad Husainª—an incredibly sincere Companion who during the life of the Promised Messiahas was fortunate enough to teach at Qadian High School, even without pay for three months. I remember very well that I sat alone and thought to myself that I should either study for the same purpose as our leader had stated, or otherwise I should not study at Madrasah Ahmadiyyah at all. In the end, I made a commitment that it is best that I study to fulfil the purpose for which this school had been established. During a Jumu'ah a few years later, at the time of the third year of his Khilaafat, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih II asked young Ahmadi Muslims to come forward and make pledges to dedicate their