CoB.book Page 218 Tuesday, June 6, 2006 9:46 AM
CONDITIONS OF BAI‘AT AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN AHMADI
closed the door and the window (of the office) and went up to the British officer who was alarmed, perhaps thinking he was going to be attacked. He assured the officer that he had no such intentions, that he only wanted to speak with him in private. Babu Sahib told the officer that he himself took his time going to the bathroom, smoking cigarettes or drinking tea, why did he object to him making his Prayers? The officer replied that the things that he did were natural urges. He responded by saying that he was subordinate to him and would obey him, but only in matters that were his official duties, and he was not obliged to obey him in other matters. Therefore, he could not stop offering his Prayers. If any accident happened due to his negligence or a train was delayed then he should not hesitate to deal with him harshly. After saying that, he opened up the window and the door. The British officer was awe-stricken by this experience. After that, whenever Babu Faqir ‘Ali was ready to make his ablution, he used to tell him, Maulavi Sahib, take your time and make your Prayer; I will take care of your work. On another occasion, the officer was much surprised to see how meagerly he ate and was much affected by that as well. (Ashab-e-Ahmad, vol. 3, p. 61, revised edition published in Qadian, India) Here in England, when an old Ahmadi Bilal Daniel Hawker Nuttal accepted Ahmadiyyat, he chose for himself the name Bilal. Then, following in the footsteps of Hadrat Bilalra, he became famous for calling adhan. He really had a great desire to call others to Prayer. (Summarized from Monthly Ansarullah, June 1965, p. 36)
218