A tribute in memory of the late Dr. Abdus Salam Sheikh,

Transcription

1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful... The HOPE Bulletin.. Health, Ongoing Projects, Education A tribute in memory of the late Dr. Abdus Salam Sheikh, eldest son of the late Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi ( )

2 INTRODUCTION Akbar Ibn Abdullah, Editor Almost everyone I spoke to who knew him said that the late Dr. Abdus Salam Sheikh was a great philanthropist, always ready to help impoverished patients who were in need of medical treatment. He was very helpful to the students of the Jama at who sought his tutorial assistance in Mathematics and Science. Our Hazrat Ameer, Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha Sahib, and Brigadier Mohammad Saeed Sahib are amongst the students who benefited from Dr. Salam s tutorial assistance. I never met him, although I knew his younger brother Abdus Samad, and his late father, Sankrist scholar, Maulana Abdul Haque Vidyarthi Sahib, who stayed at our home in San Francisco in the early 1960s and carried out research and tabligh work in the Bay Area of Northern California. Br Ahmad Nawaz of Hayward, California was a friend of Marhoom s younger brother, Abdus Samad, and as a result he used to visit the home of the late Maulana Abdul Haque Vidyarthi Sahib in Muslim Town, Lahore quite often. Although the Marhoom was his teacher, he also became his good friend; in fact, a better friend than his younger brother, Abdus Samad. Ahmad Nawaz related that Marhoom was a kind-hearted person, very social and popular in Muslim Town, Lahore, so much so that besides the family and other relatives, several hundred mourners attended his funeral in Lahore. When, as a Demonstrator at Forman Christian College, Lahore, at a salary of Rs. 150 a month, he used to dole out fees of Rs. 15 for each of the many poor students who could not afford the tuition. He used to assemble students in his house, Ahmad Nawaz being one of them, who needed tutorial assistance, free of charge, irrespective of their financial status. He was very fond of movies, especially English movies, and would treat the students who came to his home for tutorial help, generally in the last showing in Lahore theatres, that is, from 9 PM to midnight. Br Nawaz recalls that, assisted by his son Saleem, the Marhoom was a very successful homeopathic doctor in Muslim Town, Lahore, where long lines of patients would be seen seeking treatment at his clinic. As a renowned doctor of homeopathic remedies, he had treated Mrs. Salma Faruqui, who had almost lost her vision, but with skilful treatment, her eyesight was completely restored by the shifa hands of the Marhoom Sheikh Sahib. Alhamdollillah! May Allah (swt), with His bountiful mercy and graceful blessings, bestow on the dearly departed soul of Dr. Abdus Salam Sheikh high places in Jannate-Firdous, which He has promised to all righteous persons. Aameen. I also pray that our dear God will grant sabr and fortitude to the surviving members of the family, especially the Marhoom s wife and his two sons, Dr. Javed Ahmad Sheikh and HDr. Saleem Ahmad Sheikh; Dr. Zahid and Shahid Aziz and their beloved mother; and the rest of the Marhoom s extended family, to bear the burden of this irreparable personal loss. Aameen. We have lost a great philanthropist and dedicated brother. May Allah have mercy on him and reward him for his good deeds. Aameen. 2

3 OBITUARY ANNOUNCEMENT Message from Brigadier Mohammad Saeed, Moderator, LahoreAhmadees Members Forum, AAII Lahore, Pakistan Assalaam-o-Alaikum Wa Rakhmatullahi Wa Barakaato Hoo. We are very sad to announce that Dr. Abdus Salaam, son of our most revered elder, the late Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi Sahib, expired on Eid day, 31 August 2011, while on vacation in Murree with his family. Allazeena iza asabat hum museebatun qaloo Inna Lillahi wa inna elaihi raaji oon. Who, when a misfortune befalls them say: Surely we are Allah s and to Him we shall return (Al Baqarah, 2:156). The Marhoom was professor of chemistry in Forman Christian College Lahore, and both Hazrat Ameer and I had the honour of being his students when we were studying there in the early 1960s. He was an accomplished and hard working teacher and very popular with students because of his great sense of humour. Because of our special Jama at relationship with him, he often invited us to his house for extra coaching, especially before the board examinations. He later gave up teaching and took up homeopathy as a profession. Allah Ta ala blessed his hands with healing power (shifa ) and he very quickly established himself as one of the leading homeopaths of Lahore. The Marhoom is survived by two sons. One is a doctor and worked with his father in Lahore. The other son is settled in the UK. He was also the maternal uncle of brothers Shahid Aziz and Zahid Aziz of the UK. Hazrat Ameer and all members of the Central Anjuman are greatly grieved and pray to Allah Ta ala to grant him a high place in Jannat ul Firdaus. May He also grant patience and fortitude to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss. Janaaza ghaaibana for the departed soul will be offered in Jaamiah Darus Salaam on Friday next. Please arrange janaaza ghaaibana in your respective mosques/centres as well. Seeker of your prayers, Lahore Ahmadees Moderator Mohammad Saeed Those who say, Our Lord is Allah, then continue in the right way, the angels descend upon them saying: Fear not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the Garden which you were promised. We are your friends in this world s life and in the Hereafter, and you have therein what your souls desire and you have therein what you ask for. A welcome gift from the Forgiving, the Merciful (41:30-32). 3

4 EULOGY & CONDOLENCE Hazrat Ameer, Professor Dr Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha Sahib Farewell Sir, we will miss you. I pray to Allah that heaven is going to be a blissful place for Sir, as we his students called Professor Salaam, as he makes his journey to the Heavens to be close to his Maker. I heard the news of his most unexpected death through Mrs. Fauqia Zahid Aziz, who phoned me to share it with us. Sir was her husband s maternal uncle and so also Shahid Aziz s uncle too. I was shocked to hear this news and could tell the distress she felt; and could well guess how Zahid and then his mother, who is very ill, would take it; and how other members of the family would be grieving; and how his wife and son, who are in the UK would be handling the death of a very loving father; knowing they will never see him again. We informed Irfan, my brother-in-law, to go to the house and find out when the Janaza would take place. The immediate family in Pakistan was in Murree, a hill resort in Pakistan, where they had gone for Eid ul Fitr celebration along with Sir. Instead of returning with him they arrived back with the body. The attendants at his house/clinic were unaware of his death and told Irfan that they were sure he was mistaken and the news was a rumour. The next day the body was there and Brig. Saeed and I arrived to bid the last farewell to our most revered teacher, Prof. Abdul Salam, who could teach chemistry and make its complexities sound like simple logic. He could unravel the problems with skill, knowledge, and he imparted the knowledge so skilfully; the students thought he was no less than one of Hazrat Suleman s Jins who could come to a solution before we blinked our eyes. Here we stood with his son Saleem near his bed, with mainly women expressing their grief in Silence. Saleem too was taking it all bravely. I knew personally how his father loved him and now he would be alone because of this death; alone without his father, his teacher and his colleague in the homeopathic clinic. He broke into tears and a little louder cry as he saw me as he was aware of his Dad s love for me and before that for my father. My two brothers and I were special students for him as we were Khan Bahadar Saheb s sons and he was so glad to be our teacher. He wasn t aware I was now near his bed or else he would have leapt up from it as he would whenever I visited him and he was seated. As I embraced Saleem, I remembered the first time Sir came to teach us after his birth and made the announcement to the class, Allah has blessed me with a son; true to my love for Chemistry, I have named him Saleem because SALAM + NASIM (his wife) = SALIM. I thought God must give him another child, which He did because the AM and IM still remained to form some distinguished personality. I don t think he ever completed the formula though he did have a child. I guess that his mind had drifted onto Homeopathy, in which he excelled, and then rose to the position of Professor in that field too. I never failed to benefit from him; if he had helped me with Chemistry, an essential step in an entrance to a Medical College, he also helped me with his new profession and successfully treated a condition that had not responded to the Medicines from my own profession. I said to him when I got better, Sir, it takes great faith for a physician and a Professor of Medicine to accept medicine from a homeopath; I have got faith in it because I have faith that God must have given you a healing hand as behind you are your father s, Vidyarthi Saheb s prayers. He said that maybe that is true but you have responded because 4

5 behind you are Dr. Saeed Saheb s, your father s prayers. I am sure both of us were right! The last time I saw him outside his clinic was at a marriage of Zahida, daughter of Fauqia and Zahid Aziz, in Lahore. He was seated with his relatives eating the main meal. I being a fast eater finished mine quickly and it was time for sweets. There is usually a big rush where the sweets are so I decided I will also get an additional helping for Sir so he doesn t have to stand in the line. The next time we met was in the clinic where I accompanied a patient to see him. He still, to my embarrassment, was overwhelmed with my gesture of serving him the sweets at Zahida s marriage. He thought it was a great honour that the Ameer of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat served him in such humbleness; I said the honour was mine and that I was grateful to Allah Who gave me this opportunity. I am sure this issue will have limited space so I will not carry on and on and on (just three on and on and ons will do). So the last thing before I finish: I rang him at every Maulana Vidyarthi Saheb s anniversary to tell him how I was praying and thinking of his father, who was so knowledgeable and such a devoted Ahmadi. He would thank me for the respect I had for his father. On one of the occasions I said, You know, Sir, with all the modern inventions they should have invented a telephone through which I could touch your knees to show my respect to you. Here I was at the foot end of the bed where he lay but was no more. Saleem cried and mentioned how he would often quote my conversation on the phone and hope for a new invention where we could show our respect to teachers by touching their knees through the phone. I quietly listened to Saleem reminding me of my remark to his Dad. I bent forward, touched Sir s knees, prayed and left the room. Allah, please give patience to all the family and give a high abode to Sir with You; as YOU weigh his good deeds in them add the ones he earned teaching his students with devotion and love and took passing of knowledge as Your desire. Amen. Captain Abdus Salam Khan, Cucamonga, California, USA The passing away of Dr. Abdus Salam came as a shock. May his soul rest in peace. Amen. I had the honor of knowing him ever since he was a toddler way back in the thirties. Father had rented the rear portion of their Muslim Town bungalow so we remained co-sharers of the same residence for a few years. Apart from making his mark in the academic and homeopathy field, he was a man of many parts. As a very popular homeopath, his home, where he maintained his practice, became the hub of all the surrounding people. Since Muslim Town happened to be the hub of the Lahore film industry, he came to know most of the film stars personally. His knowledge of the film industry history was extensive. Muslim Town, the place of his birth and where he lived almost all his life, a place that was host to the elite of the Muslims in Northern India, needs a special mention here. Initially named Ahmadiyya Basti by its 5

6 founder, Dr. Muhammad Hussain Shah, it was meant to be a sanctuary for the elders of the Lahore Ahmadiyya community. But as time passed and many different people came to reside there, the name was changed to Muslim Town. I was looking at a list of the Muslim Town managing committee, and what a star-studded list I found it to be. There was no less a person than Maulana Muhammad Ali, a man of international fame, the founding member and President of AAIIL, on top of the list. Among other Ahmadi luminaries mention must be made of Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi, father of Dr. Abdus Salam; Dr. Basharat Ahmad of Mujaddid-e- Azam fame; Dr. Muhammad Hussain Shah, founding member of AAIIL and founder of Muhammad Hussain Shah TB Sanatorium at Samli, Murree Hills; Maulana Muhammad Ya kub Khan, Editor of The Light and later The Civil & Military Gazette; Maulana Murtaza Khan, a writer; Master Fakirullah Sahib; Col. Amjad Hussain Shah (father of Mushahid Husssain, the politician); and many more. Among the non-ahmadi elite, mention must be made of Maulana Abdul Majeed Salik and Maulana Ghulam Rasul Meher, the twin editors of the daily Inqilan, who shared a duplex bungalow in Muslim Town. Among the artists, there was Ustad Allah Buksh and Santosh Kumar, the famous film star with his wife, another famous film star, Sabeeha Khanam. It was here in Muslim Town that the Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, delivered a speech at a tea party hosted by Maulana Muhammad Ali at this residence in the early forties, in which the Quaid lauded the services of the weekly Light, an organ of the AAIIL, to the cause of the Muslims of India. It may be said that Lahore was the heart of the Pakistan Movement and Muslim town was the heart of Lahore. And it was here that Dr. Abdus Salam was born, raised in the shade of these luminaries, lived his life, and tried to keep the Muslim Townian spirit alive with his medical and social skills and graces. With his passing away one is reminded of the couplet: Jo bada-khwar pouranay thay uth-tay jaatay hain seher qareeb hai Allah ka naam lay saki! The old-time imbibers are slowly passing away, O Saki, The dawn is nigh; mention the name of the Lord, O Saki! Capt. Abdus Salam Khan Choudry Akhtar Masud, Secretary AAIIL, California, U.S.A. In memory of my friend, the late Professor Dr. Abdus Salam Sheikh I came to know Professor Dr. Abdus Salam Sheikh in 1949 when I took residence in Muslim Town, Lahore. Our first meeting was in Masjid-e-Ayesha, in Muslim Town, which was built by the late Dr. Syed Mohammad Hussain Shah Sahib, founding member of the AAII, Lahore, in memory of his late wife, Syedah Ayesha Begum. I had gone there for offering Friday prayer where the late Maulana Abdul Haque Vidyarthi Sahib used to deliver khutba and lead the prayer 6

7 There I met a group of young Ahmadi boys, Abdus Salam, son of Maulana Abdul Haque Vidyarthi Sahib, being one of them. He told me that all these teenagers come to masjid five times a day for offering the prayers and he invited me to do the same, to which I agreed. The residence of Hazrat Ameer Maulana Muhammad Ali Sahib was located in front of the Masjid across the street and, except for Friday prayer which he used to lead in Ahmadiyya Building, Lahore, he quite often used to come for Asr, Maghrib and Isha prayers to this Masjid. Others amongst the elders who would come to the prayers were the late Maulana Muhammad Yaqub Khan, Maulvi Murtaza Khan Hassan, and for some period of the year Syed Asadullah Shah Sahib. May Allah rest the souls of all of them in eternal peace. Ameen. After the prayer these Elders used to chat for a few minutes before going to their homes. On weather permitting from October to mid-december, these Elders used to go for a walk by the Canal bank up to the Jail Road bridge, an approximate distance of two miles, after the Asr prayer and would return to the Masjid for Maghrib prayer. Abdus Salam and I, with their permission, used to walk behind them. This was the most enriching spiritual experience of life for us as their conversation during this walk either centered around the Jama at matters, recounting of the past events in their lives, and at times sharing jokes based upon their student era or early debates with some Christian Padre or Hindu Pundit and non-ahmadi Maulvis. They used to walk on the fast pace and at times, being left behind, Abdus Salam and I had to jog for a few paces to be in a hearing distance to enjoy their talk. Thus friendly relation between Abdus Salam and me developed. At times we would go to the nearby Tea Shop for refreshment together. Abdus Salam was about three years younger than I and at that time he was in the 10 th grade of High School. After High School he entered Forman Christian College, Lahore for his B.Sc which he obtained from the Punjab University in He also obtained his M.Sc degree in Science with Chemistry major from the Punjab University in 1956, and thereafter he was employed by the Forman Christian College as a lecturer in Chemistry. Along with his teaching job he was engaged in other research in Chemistry with the Pakistan Scientific Development and Research Laboratories, which was located next door to Forman Christian College. As a result of his research interest in Chemistry he was selected by the Government of Pakistan to be sent to Australia for his doctorate studies in Chemistry. Thus on his return from Australia Abdus Salam was Professor Dr. Abdus Salam. Abdus Salam was fond of going to the movies and whenever he met me a programme going to certain movie was a routine matter. I remember an interesting instance of those days. He met me very warmly in the Masjid and, as usual, after the prayer he suggested going to a movie on the coming Sunday and asked me to meet him at Capital Cinema, Lahore, at 5:30 PM. He further told me that we will dine together after the movie. I reached Capital Cinema at the appointed time, a few minutes before his arrival. I saw him coming dressed in a suit and wearing a bow tie resting on his neck under the chin. When he came closer I noticed that under the suit he was not wearing any shirt. On seeing him I started laughing and asked him, What is this joke? You are wearing a bow on a white collar without a shirt. In reply in his casual style, he said, Yar sab chalta hai. [All things work.] A collar is there and these people do not know that a shirt too must be worn under a bow and collar. After the movie, he treated me to a dinner from Kabobwala, who was sitting by the roadside on a footpath. However, he preferred the food in a novel method of mixing the kabob with onion, tomatoes, green chilli, and two eggs, then fried together; the end result was a delicious dish. 7

8 After his retirement from his teaching and research jobs, Abdus Salam Sheikh obtained a degree in Homeopathic medicine and became one of the most renowned Homeopathic Practitioners of Lahore. After my migration to America, I kept in touch with Abdus Salam via phone. My youngest sister, Nasim Gul Mohammad, who was suffering from a liver disease, was under his treatment and I used to talk with him to enquire about her disease. After that, one of my nieces, who most probably was suffering from breast cancer, remained under his treatment for more than a year. Dr Abdus Salam was a man who had the nature of a Darvesh. He had no ego and this was his most worthy quality of character. He was quite jovial and I never saw him in any unhappy mood. Thrusting after worldly gains was something that never touched him. He used to meet and mix with the poor and common people as one of them. He had helped hundreds of his students who asked for academic help and never charged a penny from them. He was a friend of the friends who kept lifelong friendly relations with them. In him we have lost a gem of mankind. May Allah rest his soul in eternal peace and grant the bereaved family strength to bear this great personal loss with courage and patience. Ameen. Choudry Akthar Masud Nasir Ahmad, United Kingdom Some thoughts about the late Dr. Abdus Salam A PH.D. IN CHEMISTRY BECAME A WELL-KNOWN HOMOEOPATH Bro. Ahmad Nawaz of Hayward, California, USA, a retired Wing-Commander from the Pakistan Air Force, in his condolence message has given some academic details about the late Dr. Sahib. It is a well-known proverb that like father, like son. You all know the late Maulana Abdul Haque Vidyarthi, whose unique book, Muhammad in World Scriptures, will remain an incomparable research work about the prophecies about the advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned in all the previous scriptures. The Maulana was also a very impressive speaker on the comparative study of religions. Dr. Abdus Salam was Maulana Abdul Haque Vidyarthi s eldest son. He did his Masters in Chemistry at the prestigious educational institution of Lahore, Forman Christian College, Lahore. After doing his Masters, he became a lecturer in that very institution and worked there for several years. Later, he became a research scholar at the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Lahore. He went on to do his Ph.D. in food technology at the University of South Wales, Sydney, Australia. He came back successful and worked at the Research Centre till his retirement. While working as a research scholar he had opportunities of representing the Centre at various international conferences. He addressed two conferences one in Delhi in 1992 and the other at the United Nations University Centre in Tokyo. Sometimes small incidents become a turning point in one s life. One of Dr Salam s friends was sent by the Council to work in Karachi. The friend, out of curiosity, joined a homoeopathic college in Karachi to do his diploma, but before he could complete it, he was called back. One day, Dr. Sahib went to see him. It was by chance that he saw a book on homoeopathy lying in a corner of the drawing room. He asked his 8

9 friend about the book. The latter said that while in Karachi he had joined a homoeopathic college but had to come back; that was why he had the book, but he had now lost interest in it. Dr. Sahib took the book from his friend and started reading it. It fascinated him so much that ultimately he himself took admission at the Pakistan College of Homoeopathy, run by the well-known homeopath, Dr. Masud Qureshi, who was also called the Father of Homoeopathy in Pakistan. Dr. Salam passed the diploma course with distinction and was awarded a Gold Medal. This briefly is the story of how a professor of Chemistry who became a research scholar in food technology became interested in homoeopathy and earned fame in this field. He started his career as a Chemistry teacher, but died as a well-known homeopathic doctor. Besides his practice at his residence in Muslim Town, Lahore, he was also teaching at the Pakistan College of Homoeopathy till he breathed his last. That shows his attachment and devotion for homeopathy. As a person, he was very noble, hard-working, studious, kind, and had great regard for elders and the needy. I understand that whatever he was paid by the Pakistan College of Homoeopathy, he gave to one of the clerks of the College as financial help. In the same manner, after he became a well-known homoeopath, there used to be long queues of patients, but he would not charge any fees to his friends and to needy persons. Being a professor of Chemistry, he had the advantage of knowing the chemical properties of a medicine and this made his diagnosis more accurate and effective. Before he became interested in homoeopathy, Dr. Salam used to teach students at his home. He was so keen that whatever he taught should be thoroughly understood and remembered by the students that in order to devote full attention to each student he took no more than ten students in a group. Then whatever he taught at a particular session, he would prepare notes on it. He would then make ten copies of the notes and distribute them to the ten students so that they could revise the lecture at home and also keep a record of it for reference. Again, he did not charge any fees to the needy or to his friends children. My own son, Hamad, used to attend Dr. Salam s Chemistry classes held in the mornings. As Dr. Salam was the son of one of our most respected scholars, the late Hazrat Maulana Abdul Haque Vidyarthi, I met him occasionally on special occasions. However, when I was admitted to study for a diploma in homoeopathy, on my request he agreed to teach me in the afternoons. As he was keen that his elder son, Saleem Ahmad Sheikh, should also qualify as a homoeopath, we were the two students of his homoeopathy class. This is how we became close friends. He was also a keen follower of cricket. That is why when he visited England for the first time in December 2010, he specially went to see the Lord s Cricket Ground in London. He was a very kind and able teacher and a thorough homoeopathic doctor, and I feel proud to have been his student and friend. May Allah grant him peace and comfort and shower His blessings on the departed soul. The patients have lost a very able and kind doctor and his family and friends will miss him very much. Snippets by Dr Zahid Aziz, United Kingdom One of Dr Salam s main teachers of homeopathy was Dr Abdul Aziz of Peshawar. He was President of our Lahore Ahmadiyya Jamaat in Peshawar. He had the distinction of being both a medical physician and homeopathic practitioner. *** 9

10 Nasir Ahmad Faruqui sahib wrote an article in Paigham Sulh, 1st March 1978, the special issue on the death of Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi. He related several incidents of the Maulana s home life, told to him by the Maulana s two daughters and Dr Abdus Salam. One is about the birth of Dr Salam as follows: The Maulana had two daughters and one son from his first wife. The boy died. For a long time in the Maulana's family, only one male used to be born [to any father]. So when, on the death of his first wife, he married again, and daughters were born at first, his relations started saying tauntingly that in his family only one male is ever born, and that male was born and has died, so no boy will now be born to him. One day, as he finished his prayer, this young saint [i.e. the Maulana], said to his wife: I have heard a voice saying: Abdus Salam. You will have a son, and this is the name you should give him. That boy, Abdus Salam, is still with us by the grace of Allah, as an evidence of his father being a recipient of revelation from Allah. My mother, older than Dr Salam by 8 years, always relates the following incident. *** At the age of 2, the baby Abdus Salam fell ill with typhoid. Their mother (Badar-un-Nisa) went to call Dr Mirza Yaqub Baig, famous physician as well as one of the stalwarts of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Jamaat. After she had been to his house, his wife said to him: I heard Badar s voice, what did she want? Dr sahib said: Her son is ill, and I said to her that I am just going to the wedding function of a friend s son, but I will just show my face there and come straight to your house to see your son. Dr sahib s wife said: No, go to see her son first; your friend will probably not remember that you didn t come to the wedding. So the Dr sahib straightaway hastened to their house. By the time my grandmother Badar reached back home, Dr Mirza Yaqub Baig was already slowly climbing the steps of her house, with his walking stick in one hand, and medical bag in the other. A few years earlier the Dr sahib had suffered a stroke, and walked slowly using a stick. After examining the baby, Dr sahib re-assured the family that he would recover. INTROSPECTION Dr. Abdus Salam Sheikh Sahib s tribute to the Champion of Mujahid-i-Kabir [Courtesy Dr. Zahid Aziz, United Kingdom] Translated from Paigham Sulh, 26 December 1951 (p. 19), special issue on the death of Hazrat Ameer Maulana Muhammad Ali. Note: The mosque mentioned in this article was the Lahore Ahmadiyya mosque in the Muslim Town suburb of Lahore. Maulana Muhammad Ali s house was just across the road from the mosque, and many other prominent members of the Jama at, such as Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi, also lived close by

11 My Ameer by Abdus Salam, son of Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi Hazrat Ameer [Maulana Muhammad Ali] was taken from us on that inauspicious day, 13th October Being displeased with us, he went away very far from us for ever and ever. I have seen Hazrat Ameer very closely, not as a religious leader or head of a religious community, but as a human being. And I saw in him qualities which are very rare in people. He was very regular in saying prayers. He used to come to the mosque five times every day to say his prayers. If there were few people in the mosque, he felt regret, and if there were many people he was very happy. He used to exhort everyone to say prayers. When I was in the fifth class, I bought an autograph book. The first person I asked to sign in it was Hazrat Ameer. I showed him the autograph book at maghrib prayers. He took it with a smile and said: Take it from me tomorrow. So the next day I went with him after the fajr prayer, and he returned the autograph book to me. In the faint light in the veranda [of his house], I read those words. He had written: Be regular in prayer. Never tell a lie. Fulfil your promise. I am sorry that I lost that autograph book at a meeting of the Muslim League, but the advices he penned are still a guiding light for me. This incident shows how much the Hazrat wished that the youngsters of the community should keep up prayer and acquire the highest moral qualities. He loved children very much. I and my younger brother used to go to the mosque since childhood. Whenever he entered the mosque, he would look at us with a smile. Sometimes he would pat us on the head and ask after us. This made me very joyful. When I go to say prayers now, I still imagine that he would enter the mosque smiling, stroke me on the head and say: Tell me, how are you? I then look towards the path which leads to the mosque from outside, but I see nothing but disappointment. He was not irritable of mind, as maulvis usually are. Good humour and wit filled his very nature. When leaving after the fajr prayers, he would tell a joke or say something interesting. Then, having made others laugh, and himself smiling, he would enter his house. He had much sympathy for the poor. If a poor person on a journey ever came to the mosque, he would pay great attention to arranging for his stay and food. There is an old beggar who comes to the mosque for prayer. He used give him clothes and money. In the mosque before the prayer, he would often talk about the activities of the Anjuman and the latest news in the newspapers. Time passed. Every year in the summer he used to go to the mountains. When the doctors advised him not to go to the mountains, he started going to Karachi. He went to Karachi last year. This year too he left for Karachi after meeting us all. We did not know that we would never see this moon again. Suddenly, news started coming about his illness. But later he recovered and news came that he would return to Lahore on 16th October. We were all happy. But perhaps it was not to be that we should see him again. News came suddenly about his illness. And on 13th October at about 4.00 p.m. when I was doing my college work, someone knocked at the door. I saw from the window that it was Mumtaz Ahmad Faruqui sahib. I felt a vague fear in my heart that he may have passed away. I informed my father that Faruqui sahib was here, and I heard him say Hazrat Ameer has died. I and my father quickly came 11

12 downstairs. What Faruqui sahib was saying, I did not want to hear. It was impossible for me to accept the reality of what he was saying. The Hazrat was brought to Lahore, but sadly we could not see him for one last time. His frail body was sealed in a wooden box. I felt like banging my head on the wooden planks of the box. He came and we could not see him. The funeral procession came to Muslim Town. I too helped in taking this great father into his house. On my shoulders was that world figure who had laid down his life for the success and renown of Islam, who worked and exerted himself tirelessly, day and night, to make Islam glorious again. He worked ceaselessly and continuously, day and night, until the plant he had put in the ground in 1914 grew into a strong tree, but even then he did not give up his work. Without seeking fame, honour or greatness for himself, he worked for the greatness of Islam, for creating love of Islam in the hearts of people, for the fame and honour of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, until his weak body could no longer bear the efforts of his great soul, and he departed from us. He left displeased with us. If we stick to the paths that he showed us, and we work and labour for the honour and greatness of Islam, then perhaps he will be pleased with us. He has not died, but is alive. Such men are immortal. They die but do not perish, and in reality they never leave us! PAKISTAN Our beloved Hazrat Ameer, Dr. & Professor Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha Sahib, has written a very touching and emotional eulogy (reproduced above) in which he shares memories of Marhoom Dr. Abdus Salam Sheikh. Both Hazrat Ameer and Brigadier Mohammad Saeed Sahib were Marhoom s students in college-level Chemistry. Being the worthy children of a worthy father, the late Dr. Saeed Ahmad Khan, S.K. (may Allah be pleased with him), and especially being part of a staunch Ahmadi community, the late Dr. Abdus Salam Sheikh would tutor them pro bono to prepare them for final examinations in Chemistry, set by the Punjab University of Lahore, Pakistan. Editor. ASIA-PACIFIC REGION Shaukat A. Ali, Coordinator, Asia-Pacific Region Dear Shahid Bhai and Zahid Bhai Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahe wa Barakatuh We are deeply saddened to learn that your maternal uncle, Dr. Abdus Salam Sahib, has left this world to meet with our Maker. Inna-lillahe wa Inna Ilaihi rajioon. We pray that Allah ta ala grants his soul eternal peace and a place in the highest pedestal of Jannat-ul Firdous among His chosen ones - aameen. 12

13 We are aware that Marhoom had served the community well and he will be remembered for all the good works that he did. O soul that are at rest, return to your Lord, well-pleased (with Him), well-pleasing (Him). So enter among My servants, and enter My Garden! (89:27-30) We pray that Almighty Allah grant you, your loved ones and the members of your extended families strength, solace and sabr to bear this sad and irreparable loss at a time of great anguish. Please convey our heartfelt sympathy and sincere condolences to your loved ones as well. Allah hafiz, Shaukat Jalal Ud Dean, Masjid Noor, Suva, Fiji Brs Zahid Aziz and Shahid Aziz Assalaamu'Alaikum Wr Wb. My sincere expression of sympathy on recent loss of your maternal uncle Dr Abdus Salaam. Sickness and ill-health are only qualifying excuses to console us humans, so that the loss of a loved one is cushioned into our hearts: Inna Lillahe Wa Inna Ilehi Rajeoon. We all belong to Almighty Allah and to Him is our final return. And for those of us still around: In Sympathy J. U. Dean AAII(L)Fiji O my Lord! Make me one who establishes regular prayer, and also raise such among my offspring. O our Lord! Accept Thou my prayer O Our Lord! Cover us! With Thy Forgiveness me, my parents, my siblings And all Believers on the Day that The Reckoning will be established And of men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is Compassionate to the servants (2:207). 13

14 Abid Raza, President, AAIIL, New Zealand Br Akbar, A.A. Indeed very sorry to learn of the demise of Marhoom Dr Abdus Salaam. Inna Lillahe Wa Inna Ilehi Rajeoon. May Allah Subhnatalla grant him a high pedestal in the Jannat-al- Firdoss and give sabar to the family for their loss. We will offer Salat-e-Janaza Ghaibana this Friday. Allah Hafiz. Best Regards Abid Raz NORTH AMERICAN REGION Mohammad & Akela Haroun, Florida, USA Dear Brothers Shahid & Zahid Aziz: Assalam-o-Alaikum. We are very sorry for the loss of your uncle who we were told was a very kind, caring and considerate person for whom he saw fit for his help. May Allah give him eternal peace and keep him in His care. Our deepest condolences to the rest of the family, especially his dear sister Mrs. Akthar Aziz who also is not well. From Allah we came and to Him is our return. Akela & Mohammad Haroun Akbar Abdullah, Editor, The HOPE Bulletin Dear Brothers Dr. Zahid and Shahid Aziz: Assalam-o-Alaikum wrwb. Parveen and I are deeply grieved to learn about the very sad and sudden demise of your beloved maternal uncle, Dr. Abdus Salam, eldest son of the late Maulana Abdul Haque Vidhyarthi Sahib, who returned to his Maker in Pakistan. Inna Lillahe Wa Inna Ilehi Rajeoon. Please accept our deepest sympathy and condolence. From all we have heard, he was a very sincere and philanthropic progeny of a very dedicated Ahmadi family of our Jama at in Pakistan. May Allah (swt) 14

15 reward him for his many sacrifices and yeomen services rendered to furthering the cause of Islam and love and care for the impoverished in Pakistan throughout his lifetime. Aameen. Our thoughts and prayers are that Allah Almighty in His Infinite Mercy and Compassion will grant eternal peace, solace and happiness to the dearly departed soul of your beloved uncle, and bestow on him an abode in the highest pedestal of Heaven, Jannate-ul-Firdous, which He has promised to all righteous persons. Aameen. We further wish that our Lord God with His Cherished Blessings will grant his surviving family members, especially your dear mother and the extended family members and relatives, a source of spiritual and physical strength and comfort in their grief and anguish to bear the burden of this irreparable personal loss. Aameen. Allah Hafiz. Your brother-in-grief, Akbar Abdullah, Humble seeker of your prayers Whoever does good, whether male or female, and is a believer, We shall certainly make him live a good life, and We shall certainly give them their reward for the best of what they did (16:97). SOUTH AFRICAN REGION Imam Ebrahim Mohamed, President, AAIIL, South Africa Dear Brs. Zahid and Shahid Aziz, As Salamu Alaikum. Our thoughts and prayers are with you in this time of grief. May Allah grant Br Salam Mercy and Eternal Peace. Please pass our condolences to all of the bereaved family. Was Salaam, Br Ebrahim, Family and Jamaat, South Africa So he who does an atom s weight of good will see it (99:7). 15

16 PHOTOGRAPHIC PRESENTATION Delivering his talk at the United Nations University Centre in Tokyo Dr. Abdus Salam with his grandson Saad. They went up high in the Himalayas and got stuck in a snow storm. I took the picture. The police had to come and rescue us. Shahid Aziz, Co-Editor, The Light, UK edition 16

17 Dr Abdus Salam at his house in Lahore with Dr Zahid Aziz in November 2010 With his sister, Mrs Akhtar Aziz, in the UK Standing in front of the famous Lord s Cricket Ground in London, Dec He was a keen follower of cricket [Special thanks to Dr Zahid Aziz, Shahid Aziz, and Selim Ahmad for the photographs used, and Br Nasir Ahmad for his assistance in producing this publication. Ed.] 17

18 CONTACT INFORMATION Akbar Abdullah Editor, The HOPE Bulletin Mailing Address: P.O. Box Sacramento, California , U.S.A. Address: Telephone Number: (773) ISLAM stands for I SHALL LOVE ALL MANKIND 18