Azam Ali, an Ahmadi Moslem
Chapter 20- Trainer
Training remotely
Father wanted to raise his children as practicing Moslems. He was left with no help or choice after the death of our mother Sakina Begum in 1948. Our days always began with his seating us all around him after the Fajr (morning) prayer and teaching us what he wanted.
He taught us Arabic, the Holy Qor-aan, Islamic literature and stories from his own past to inculcate in us good manners and morals. He took our child-reactions on issues he had to judge on family matters like losing wife, seeking second marriage and bringing home a stepmother. He took appropriate action on the complaints by the younger of us against others. He helped us with our school homework if requested, but most often whether asked for it or not. Teaching sessions were concluded before he got ready and went to court, always on time.
When I started my 9th grade in 1948, I opted for Drawing as an elective. Next morning after the Prayer, Father told me to bring an Arabic Grammar Book to teach from there. I told him I need not study Arabic Grammar anymore since I had chosen Drawing as my elective. That day my school was told to take me out of the Drawing class and put me in the Arabic class.
Father learnt another time that I was going to play a part in a school Drama. The teacher in-charge was directed to take me out of it since Father didn’t want his son, me, “to be raised as an Actor.” Father enquired about our schools, teachers, and extended his instructive influence to train and raise us as he wanted, not as what the school or student wanted to do.
Teacher’s Comment
In 1950, I was 14, thin and light in weight when admitted to T I College and just turned 15 when went to live in the dormitory. Father had a reputation and professional status as a well-known figure, well-respected Judge and devoted Ahmadi. And the college staff was genuinely helpful. So, making my own decisions at that time was not considered good.
Father visited me in College three months after my admission. He noticed that I was taller and healthier since he saw me last. He construed my growth as a healthy effect of college environment. He expressed his appreciation to Soofi Busharat-ur-Rehman, a selfless, sincere and saintly but a dedicated strict disciplinarian hostel warden. Out of humility wanting no credit Soofi Sahib deflected Father’s comment by saying, “Yes, because he (me) rows a lot at the river where there is lot of fresh air and oxygen – though he has taken up rowing against my wishes.”
Father gave me a look but spoke no word. He was quiet for a few seconds. I recall my impression of what I saw in my Father’s eyes and how he looked at me. Partly censoring, partly resignation to a young one just grown too old for a spoon-fed corrective training, and part satisfaction that I had stood up for myself and made my own decision. Father openly wished that my grades were higher but appreciated what the College was doing in my education.
In 1955, Soofi Sahib on the eve of my college graduation commented — based upon an Arabic poem he had taught — something like: “Years ago you came to us as a tiny toddler. Today you are going out as a giant.” He bid me farewell with more prayerful words. And the gleam in his eyes told me that he was mighty proud of what he had contributed in educating me.
Another Comment
In autumn of 1950, our college football (called soccer in USA) team was competing for the University Championship. The team lost a chance to win the championship due to injuries caused to the legs and ankles of some players shortly before the match by me. The entanglement occurred in college ground with the hockey stick of a first-year student already playing there.
The team members had kicked the football at me. I was the one who was hit and hurt. When the ball bounced off me, other players kept kicking it back. I was hit and hurt even more. They did that several times. Finally, I could not take it anymore. I started hitting at the ankles and legs of those players who were nearest to me. The opposing team won without playing.
Next day I was summoned to the Principal’s office. The team was there expecting my apologetic explanation and severe disciplinary action. Instead came out me a violent outburst charging the senior classes big bullies who beat up on new arrivals on the campus in a hazing process, openly shouting “How dare you first year fools stand in front of us and argue with us?”
No bully ever bothered me thereafter. The half-angry, half-amused Principal cooled me down and told me I could go. He must have remembered that 1950 incident in the college office when nearly a quarter of century later in 1974 as the Khaleefatool Massih III r.a, he remarked to my Father that all his sons had strong tempers.
Father must have felt a bit embarrassed that training his kids to exercise self-control and self-restraint did not work all the time. But I know he was also grateful that a large part of his training had borne fruits in making his children speak the truth fully, boldly, outspokenly, and not timidly or sheepishly, and that they took a firm stand on what they believed was right.
Teaching Technique
I adored our theology teacher Khan Arjmand Khan. He taught us the Holy Qor-aan, the Hadeeth and Ahmadiyya jurisprudence. He was a tremendous teacher who presented Iss-laam as the easiest and most natural way of life such as stated in the following verse.
Yo-ree-dol-laa-ho-bay-ko-mool-yoos-ra-wa-laa-yo-ree-do-bay-ko-mool-oos-r سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة – Ch: 002, Verse 186 Allah intends ease for you. And He intends no hardship for you – 002:186
He knew that students felt good and learnt better if a teacher talked to them at their level of understanding, not necessarily on the academia’s high-flouted sophisticated level that often is beyond the comprehension of ordinary student. He explained to the class the then red-hot issue of birth-control by pointing out the following.
Wa-laa-tuq-to-loo-auo-laa-da-koom-min-im-laa-q سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنعَام – Ch: 006, Verse 152 Do not kill your children due to poverty – 006:152
Wa-laa-tuq-to-loo-auo-laa-da-koom-khush-ya-ta-im-laaq سُوۡرَةُ بنیٓ اسرآئیل / الإسرَاء – Ch:017, Verse 032 Do not kill your children for fear of poverty – 017:032
Towards the end of my final year in college, after my persistently repeated requests and his dearly dodging denials due to knowing the limited budget of a student during college days, he finally accepted my invitation to have a cup of tea with me in the College canteen. He talked and sipped his tea but did not touch the pastries I had ordered and kept urging him to eat some.
He thanked me on each of my requests but did not touch any pastry. On my umpteenth request, he finally took a piece and thanked me profusely. I assured him that I was honored with the private meeting where I could request his wonderful prayers and that he need not embarrass me with his lavishly worded gratitude.
On leaving the cafeteria he asked me if I knew why he kept thanking me so much. I do not remember what I said. But speaking partly in good humor with a hearty giggle and partly in an earnest teaching mode, he quoted the following from the Holy Qor-aan.
La-in-sha-kur-toom-la-azee-dun-na-koom سُوۡرَةُ إبراهیم – Ch: 014, Verse 008 If you thank, I will give you more – 014:008
How can anyone forget such affectionate teachers who even in social environments taught valuable lessons of life from the Holy Qor-aan? How can I ever forget such teachings from the Holy Qor-aan taught in such friendly fashion, so casually and yet with a lasting permanency? How can anyone stop talking of my Father who by his intuition or inspiration had found for me such a miraculous life-changing team of dedicated educators of the T I College?
Arab Teachers
After my law in 1957, I got a master’s degree in Arabic in 1959. Algerian Ostaadz Mohammed Al-Arabi encouraged me to speak to him in Arabic. Egyptian Ostaadz Ar-Rohuyyum of the Jaa-me-a-tol-Azhar mandated that I talk to him in Arabic though he didn’t demand that from other students. I am glad they insisted that way.
One concrete benefit of that training reached me 41 years later in Cairo, Egypt. In the year 2000 AD, I went to Hajj like Abba Ji. The Arab Mo-ullim (Coach) put on Ahraam for Hajj and instructed about 100 English-speaking Hajis in Arabic. A translator struggled to convey that info in broken English to the audience. After a few minutes of agonizingly inadequate translation, I got up and volunteered to do the job. Nearly half an hour later at the end of the meeting I was told by several people that they were glad that I told them in English, and they understood the rites and rituals of Hajj which the Arab Coach gave in Arabic.
My Father and Arabic
My grades in physics and chemistry were low in my first year. Father consulted with the college principal and my tutorial in-charge Soofi Busharat-ur-Rahman. I was transferred from science subject to arts and Arabic class. Some weeks later the trio met again and decided to hold me back from moving up to next class for (a) that would ‘make my foundations stronger,’ (b) I was ‘too fond of playing than studying’ and (c) I ‘was too young for college life anyway.’
Father loved to learn Arabic as the means to understand the Holy Qor-aan better. AndAnd that goal was transferred over to me for my love of the Holy Qor-aan as a better part of my life.
- His love for Arabic led to teaching us that at home. He explained grammar rules and the effects of punctuation and vowels. He drilled us to pronounce words right because the meanings of Arabic words with the same alphabets changed when pronounced differently. (See Commentary Translations With Grammar Violated)
- His love for Arabic was shared by Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmed (a) who memorized the Holy Qor-aan before obtaining a master’s degree from the Oxford U, England.
- His love for Arabic led Soofi Sahib who taught Arabic to be my long-lasting tutor.
- His love for Arabic led to my dropping the Drawing as my elective in school. He often told of a student who exchanged Science for Arabic as his elective. The Arabic teacher always yelled at the student, “O Ghafoorya, sooran day soorya, Toon Arbi shareef chud key kootti scince lil laee; teri maan nay guddiyan they engine chalaanay nain” [O pig of pigs Ghafoor, you left noble Arabic and took … science].
Who knows what type of engineer or scientist or doctor I would have become by continuing with the subjects of drawing, physics and chemistry? But Father’s assertive choice, will and prayers led me to acquire the unbeatable quality of communications in two foreign and truly international languages, the English and the Arabic.
Most parents wish the best for their children. Those who do so by praying to God Almighty seeking guidance first usually make good choices. Their children also find that what might have appeared to be unattractive at inception produced excellent results in the long run.
Father’s whole life was filled with extensively praying and then making decisions in his life, in courts where he judged and in the matters of his children – from eating to dressing to education to marriage and even beyond. His decisions invariably proved fantastic in results even if they outwardly or in the beginning lacked appeal for some.
But for his guidance I would not have learnt Arabic which I feel is an absolute necessity for a Moslem to read the text, understand the meanings, practice the concepts, and share the teachings provided in the Holy Qor-aan.
