My mother, Fatima Bibi, was the eldest daughter of Hadhrat Moulvi Muhammad Ilyas Khan Sahib who lived in Mastung in Baluchistan. Perhaps my mother was born there. She was very dear to him. She was most fortunate in that a spiritual person of such a high order brought her up. The name of her mother was Ashraaf Bibi.

She was still very young when she was married to my father. Soon after their marriage, my parents returned to live in our ancestral village Mohib Banda and that is where they spent the rest of their lives. Their love, affection, co-operation and mutual respect were a shining example for the whole family to follow. Never, throughout my life, did I ever see any unpleasantness between them. As in those days it was not customary for the girls to be educated, my mother’s learning had not gone very far. At home, she learnt to recite the Holy Quran. Habitually she would perform ablution before reciting a portion of the Quran. Every single day, in a subdued voice, we heard her recitation.
Read More...

My dear children, It is my advice to you to inculcate the habit of prayers. Our God is a loving God. He listens to our prayers and accepts them. Knock at His door and you will never be disappointed. As Jesus has said, “Knock and it will be opened for you” Read More...

Among those Pathans who lived in the villages it was traditional that young boys slept outside in the Hujras. During the month of Ramadan after Isha prayers the young Non Ahmadi cousins of mine would congregate at our Hujra to spend the night. As we would not sleep until Sehr the time was passed by telling stories. In those days the stories of some notorious dacoits were written down in Pashto magazines. Every night one of the boys would read out the whole story of the courageous adventures of the dacoits and all others would listen to him in rapt attention. Many a time guitar would be played with some singing. There was no electricity in the village and we used lanterns. We would know by the smell and sound of Parathas being made by the ladies that it was time for sehr. Moreover a Fakir with a melodious voice would go into the streets singing songs about the blessings of keeping fast. He would go to every street in the village and would let the people know by singing that it was time for sehr. He never asked for any money for it. On Eid day people would voluntarily give him money, some garments and food.
Read More...

At the last day of Ramadhan the villagers would come out in the open for crescent sighting. Some of them would guns and some would have drums to be beaten if the moon was sighted. This was only a formality as the Fatwa whether the moon has been sighted or not would come from a Mufti living in nearby village. We would wait for some messenger from the Mufti to announce whether moon had been sighted or not. Usually the messenger arrived after Maghrib prayers. If he brought the news that the moon had been sighted and confirmed by the Mufti then there would be firing in the air and drums beaten. It would go on until Isha Prayers. Read More...

Everybody see dreams during the night or the day.

It is a natural phenomenon. There are various categories of dreams. . Some are of no importance, some are nightmares and yet some are divine. In all the religious books, true dreams have been mentioned. Marayam the mother of Jesus was told in a dream that she will have a son. Joseph, her husband was told in a dream to take the child and mother away from Nazareth. Moses' mother was told in a dream to put her baby son in a basket and then let it flow in the water of a nearby river.
Read More...

There was only a primary school in our village. As the middle school was at a distance of three miles from our village my father decided that for my schooling I should proceed to Peshawar where my uncle (mother's brother) Abd us Salaam Khan lived and where many other relations resided and served. I was fortunate in that around that time, to stay with his elder son, Abd us Salaam Khan, my maternal grandfather Hadhrat Muhammad Ilyas Khan got back to Peshawar from Mastung Baluchistan. Therefore, by the Grace of Allah, for one more year, I was afforded a further opportunity to benefit from his direct supervision. Before that, I had spent a whole year with him in Mastung, Baluchistan.
During this period I met many pious Ahmadi elders who left a deep impression on me. I would like to talk about two of them in today's episode. Read More...

In 1970 while I was with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III as his Private Secretary we had picnics at various resorts. Once Hazrat M.M.Ahmad suggested that Huzoor should spend a few days at Ghora Gali Forest Rest House near Murree. He said he would reserve the Guest House whenever Huzoor wanted to go there.

Ghora Gali is situated 34 miles from Pindi, at a height of 5,000 feet. In olden days when horse drawn vehicles used to operate between Rawalpindi and Murree the horses would be changed here, hence the name Ghora, meaning horse. The Forest Rest House is situated in the midst of picturesque surroundings. The views of lush green hill from the Rest House are stunning. The Rest House is quite spacious with servant quarters and is in a secluded area. During the summer months when the mercury shoots up to 110 degrees in the plains the cool and refreshing air of Ghora Gali breaths a new life in one's veins. Read More...