The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 564
AN ACCOUNT OF SOME OF MY HELPERS In order to express my gratitude to Allah, the Forgiving Since I have been commanded by my Lord and have been given the gift of life, I yearn towards the helpers of the Faith in the same way as a thirsty man seeks out clean water. I used to cry day and night and say, O Lord! Who are my helpers? O Lord! Who are my helpers?, for I am a weak and helpless person. So, when I invoked Allah repeatedly, and the heavens were teeming with my invocations, then my entreaties were accepted and the kindness of the Lord poured forth upon me. My Lord conferred upon me a true friend who is a feast for my eyes. He is the most sincere person and is the quintessence of my close friends¹ who 1. And among the beloved ones in Allah are Munshi Zain-ud-Din Muhammad Ibrāhīm of Bomba and Maulawi Ghulām Imām of Manipūr. And my belov- ed of Allah, Maulawi Ghulam Hasan of Peshawar, and Muhy-ud-Din Idārah Sharif of Tonk [Tunti Kuran], and Sardar Muhammad Wilāyat Khan of Madras, and my beloved of Allah, Sayyid an-Najib Maulawi Muhammad Ahsan, and my beloved of Allah, Maulawi 'Abdul-Karim of Sialkot, may Allah protect him, who has supported me and assisted me in the translation of this letter of mine, and he is among the sincere lovers, and he is with me in these days. My delight was in meeting him and my appreciation of his stations. I desire to travel abroad and find the journey sweet, which is a piece of tor- ment. So may Allah reward him and keep him steadfast on the path of truth and righteousness, and may He have mercy on him, and He is the Best of those who show mercy. And among them is Mirza Khudā Bakhsh, and he is with me these days, a righteous and sincere young man. May Allah expand his breast with love for me and fill his skirt with the fruits of sincerity, and keep