Azam Ali, an Ahmadi Moslem
Chapter 00 – INTRODUCTION
Father
Abba Ji told of several events of my childhood including the following.
Abba Ji took me to our village mosque when I was very young. Everyone started praying in congregation, but soon I started playing on prayer-mats. Before starting the second set of prayers father scolded me to stop playing and start praying. I joined the prayers but soon again started running around. This time, however, every few seconds I stopped, looked towards him and said, “Abba Ji you ….” I addressed him repeating his own words with which he had scolded me.
He used to say that I quickly learnt from him what he did, remembered it despite my age, copied him, and continued repeated his words. Children indeed do what they see parents do, not necessarily hear what they say.
I was about 3. Abba Ji had our family belongings packed in several wooden crates due to his civil service transfer from one city to another. He told my mother to put a hammer and chisel in one box that they could open first at our destination and then open other wooden crates easily. After unloading boxes from the truck, Father asked my mother about the box with the hammer.
My mother with 3 small children, quick packing, travel and several similar looking boxes could not pin-point the box with the hammer. My father was getting agitated when I moved forward, grabbed his hand, dragged him to a box, and pointed it with my finger. They opened the box and found the hammer. A possibly unhappy episode was diverted before it precipitated.
Abba Ji attributed the incident to my observation while packing, remembering the box, and taking initiative to defuse rising tempers. I had shown learning early what he did all his life — defusing rising angers wherever he saw in his relatives, village or professional field of law.
Father in my eyes
This is a true story of a man addressed as Chaudhri and named Azam Ali. His mission in life was to practice the teachings of the Holy Qor-aan as a real Moslem, an Ahmadi Moslem.
I know a lawyer father who raised all his three children as lawyers. I know a doctor father who raised both his daughters as doctors. I know a businessman father who raised both his sons as businessman. I know a sportsman father who is raising all his three children as sportsmen. I know a community leader who raised his sons to step into his shoes. No wonder our Ahmadi Moslem father raised all seven of his living children as Ahmadi Moslems.
This true story is of my father. He was born in Buttar family of village Kirto, District (formerly) Sheikhupurah, Punjab, Pakistan. We addressed him as Abba Ji. I have talked of him in this book as Abba Ji, Father and my father which all refer to only him.
This true story is how my father stands in my eyes even today – perceived in mind, preserved in memories, and presented in manuscript. All the lasting impressions he left on my mind until his transition in 1980 cannot be put in one document, but that is my perspective.
This true story is of a man who loved many in his own way by his conduct, was loved by many in different ways, and yet he seldom used the word love for anyone because in his mind it was equivalent to letting one’s emotions get the upper hand and lose self-control.
This story is not a biography of a great controversial public figure deserving discussion, dissection, discrediting his strengths or describing his shortcomings. He outstandingly changed and marvelously improved the lives of many including his father, brothers, cousins, relatives, friends, village, courts of justice, children and grandchildren.
This life-sketch is of a person who lived a physical life like any other human being but left behind his example of spiritual life as a great legacy. He was an ordinary man who achieved extraordinary results. He provided an inspiration for ordinary folks who want to reach stars.
This is my attempt to show the glimpses of a glorious picture I see, even when it is hard to describe. Not that as a man he had no shortcomings or weaknesses, but he had lot more virtues. His strengths of character caught my eye, and that picture froze in my mind. It is an ever-fresh memory of an ordinary man who lived (1901-1980) in the 20th century AD, but an extraordinary Moslem who loved to live and, in his mind, lived with his mentor, the Best Exemplar (033:022) the Holy Prophet Mohammed s.a.w (Allah’s blessings and peace be on him and his progeny).
An Historical Fact
Almighty God’s one rule of universal application in the Holy Qor-aan is as follows.
Wa ja-ul-naa koom sha-oo-bun wa qua-baa-aiy-la lay ta-aa-ra-foo سُوۡرَةُ الحُجرَات – Ch: 049, Verse 014
We formed you into tribes and clans so you can identify each other. 049:014
Baba Nanak was a Saint in the 16th Century AD. He was born Hindu and became a Moslem (See the Commentary Religion, Islam and Sikhs). He traveled to and lived in Moslem countries for many years. He denounced several evils prevalent in the religion he had chosen. He attracted the Moslems who shunned the infestations caused by the clergy worshiping objects besides the God Almighty, promoting ignorance, and encouraging beggary and living on charity doing no work. Soon his flock became known as the Sikhs.
The British government in India had published a book that I saw in 1970’s in the hands of Tom Dowling who was the Vice Counsel in the American Embassy in Lahore. The book was a record of the pedigree of notable families of Punjab. The British always preferred the pedigree when looking for bold, courageous, devoted, loyal and sincere workers to lead masses and control them. They obviously looked for the best genes to run their Empire. The list included the Buttar clan who at that time were mostly Sikh.
The Sikh Maharaja Ranjeet Singh (1780 –1839) had a royal wrestler. The legend runs that he publicized that anyone who defeated his wrestler would be rewarded with whoever he chose. One Buttar accepted the challenge and defeated the wrestler. The reward he chose was all land that the buffalo whose milk he lived on could circle in a day. His wish was granted. He lived on that land with his sons Kartar Singh and Pandora Singh in a hamlet that became known as Kirto. In time, their progeny grew in number, their hamlet expanded in size, and those living in Kirto returned to Iss-laam. Later an irrigation canal ran through their stronghold and divided it into two villages named Kirto and Pandori. The internet maps of early 21st Century AD showed the names of these villages changed to Kirto Sharif and Pandora Sharif.
Moslem Inheritance law (004:012 and 004:013) by the end of 19th century had led to the fragmented holdings of land among the Buttars of Kirto. The rivalries and violent revenges earned them the notoriety and history of family squabbles and violent feuds that resembled the fabled violent confrontations of Hatfield’s and Mccoy’s in American folklore.
Abba Ji, I believe was the first in the Kirto-Pandori region to go to college, graduate from a law school, become a lawyer, pass Punjab Civil Service exams and join the judiciary of the British Government of India. Almighty God by his grace made him a good Moslem with sound knowledge, and invested him with the desire, the prayers, the determination, the opportunity and the success in reversing the sad historical trend among the Buttars of Kirto. Being equipped with those blessings helped him to pull the Buttar clan out of the feuds of the dark ages to the world of the education and progress of the modern times.
One big Factor
Usually, hard work on meeting opportunity strikes the fusion called success. The outcome manifests favorable results and the credit goes to the achiever. Father practiced the principles laid in the Holy Qor-aan. Many sects sell for money their doings they label as Islam although the Holy Qor-aan has clearly prohibited.
Laa yaush-ta-roo-na bay aa-yaa-tay il-laa-hay tha-ma-nun qua-lee-laa سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان – Ch: 003, Verse 200
They do not sell the signs of Allah for a paltry price. 003:200
Father followed the Truth all his life. He worked his belief when and where he could. He found that implementing Ahmadiyya principles and precepts made practicing Moslems. With a clear conscience he concluded that this sect practiced Iss-laam and so he joined them.
Father made us aware where we came from, what we were and which direction we should move. He taught us things that I realized later were called self-awareness, self-esteem and self-respect which must never be compromised or allowed to be roughed up by another human. He trained us to develop, protect and preserve our bodies, health, spirituality, life and let nobody ever violate them. He did not raise his children as arrogant, boastful or proud, but taught what every achiever has learnt: self-confidence, self-control and self-motivation are the pre-requisites to succeed with anything of value.
He cautioned us time and again that it was not without any purpose that Allah had raised the Promised Messiah (peace on him) for the 2nd advent of Islam in Punjab. I’m sure there are many reasons why God raised an Urdu-speaking Messiah. People of Punjab with a lack of knowledge and a lot of pride resembled Arabs of the Age of Ignorance among whom the 1st rise of Islam occurred under the banner of the Holy Prophet Mohammed s.a.w.
Punjabi’s skill with languages is well-known. The ability to get education and gain knowledge depends upon communications. The wheels of words are on which the ideas are rolled, expressed, shared and broadcast. Spoken and written words are on which man’s entire evolutionary progress has been based. Punjabi’s ability to learn language is unparallel.
The language alphabets are 26 in English, 29/30 in Arabic, but (36+8=) 44 in Urdu. Compared with those who speak English and can hardly pronounce more than 26 sounds of their alphabets, or Arabic who can hardly pronounce more than 30 sounds of their alphabets, a Punjabi does pronounce all 44 sounds of Urdu alphabets. The mathematical permutations, combinations and possibilities of forming words and phrases from 26 or 30 alphabets are considerably less than those formed with 44 alphabets of Urdu language (shown below) in which Ahmadiyya literature is produced and which our Father urged us to read and master.
Language & Words with Words with Words with Words with Word with Alphabets 2 alphabets 3 alphabets 4 alphabets 5 alphabets 6 alphabets
English – 26 676 17,576 456,976 1,881,3761 308,915,776 Arabic – 30 900 27,000 810,000 24,300,000 729,000,000 Urdu – 44 1936 85,184 3,748,096 164,916,224 7,256,313,856
No wonder Abba Ji wanted all his children to read Urdu writings of the Promised Messiah (peace on him). He offered us cash prizes as incentives. Even if the idea was to bag a lot in prizes, I did read a great many of those books.
6
Tr – Azam Ali, an Ahmadi Moslem, Ch 00 – Introduction
Azam Ali, an Ahmadi Moslem
Chapter 00 – INTRODUCTION
Father
Abba Ji told of several events of my childhood including the following.
Abba Ji took me to our village mosque when I was very young. Everyone started praying in congregation, but soon I started playing on prayer-mats. Before starting the second set of prayers father scolded me to stop playing and start praying. I joined the prayers but soon again started running around. This time, however, every few seconds I stopped, looked towards him and said, “Abba Ji you ….” I addressed him repeating his own words with which he had scolded me.
He used to say that I quickly learnt from him what he did, remembered it despite my age, copied him, and continued repeated his words. Children indeed do what they see parents do, not necessarily hear what they say.
I was about 3. Abba Ji had our family belongings packed in several wooden crates due to his civil service transfer from one city to another. He told my mother to put a hammer and chisel in one box that they could open first at our destination and then open other wooden crates easily. After unloading boxes from the truck, Father asked my mother about the box with the hammer.
My mother with 3 small children, quick packing, travel and several similar looking boxes could not pin-point the box with the hammer. My father was getting agitated when I moved forward, grabbed his hand, dragged him to a box, and pointed it with my finger. They opened the box and found the hammer. A possibly unhappy episode was diverted before it precipitated.
Abba Ji attributed the incident to my observation while packing, remembering the box, and taking initiative to defuse rising tempers. I had shown learning early what he did all his life — defusing rising angers wherever he saw in his relatives, village or professional field of law.
Father in my eyes
This is a true story of a man addressed as Chaudhri and named Azam Ali. His mission in life was to practice the teachings of the Holy Qor-aan as a real Moslem, an Ahmadi Moslem.
I know a lawyer father who raised all his three children as lawyers. I know a doctor father who raised both his daughters as doctors. I know a businessman father who raised both his sons as businessman. I know a sportsman father who is raising all his three children as sportsmen. I know a community leader who raised his sons to step into his shoes. No wonder our Ahmadi Moslem father raised all seven of his living children as Ahmadi Moslems.
This true story is of my father. He was born in Buttar family of village Kirto, District (formerly) Sheikhupurah, Punjab, Pakistan. We addressed him as Abba Ji. I have talked of him in this book as Abba Ji, Father and my father which all refer to only him.
This true story is how my father stands in my eyes even today – perceived in mind, preserved in memories, and presented in manuscript. All the lasting impressions he left on my mind until his transition in 1980 cannot be put in one document, but that is my perspective.
This true story is of a man who loved many in his own way by his conduct, was loved by many in different ways, and yet he seldom used the word love for anyone because in his mind it was equivalent to letting one’s emotions get the upper hand and lose self-control.
This story is not a biography of a great controversial public figure deserving discussion, dissection, discrediting his strengths or describing his shortcomings. He outstandingly changed and marvelously improved the lives of many including his father, brothers, cousins, relatives, friends, village, courts of justice, children and grandchildren.
This life-sketch is of a person who lived a physical life like any other human being but left behind his example of spiritual life as a great legacy. He was an ordinary man who achieved extraordinary results. He provided an inspiration for ordinary folks who want to reach stars.
This is my attempt to show the glimpses of a glorious picture I see, even when it is hard to describe. Not that as a man he had no shortcomings or weaknesses, but he had lot more virtues. His strengths of character caught my eye, and that picture froze in my mind. It is an ever-fresh memory of an ordinary man who lived (1901-1980) in the 20th century AD, but an extraordinary Moslem who loved to live and, in his mind, lived with his mentor, the Best Exemplar (033:022) the Holy Prophet Mohammed s.a.w (Allah’s blessings and peace be on him and his progeny).
An Historical Fact
Almighty God’s one rule of universal application in the Holy Qor-aan is as follows.
Wa ja-ul-naa koom sha-oo-bun wa qua-baa-aiy-la lay ta-aa-ra-foo سُوۡرَةُ الحُجرَات – Ch: 049, Verse 014
We formed you into tribes and clans so you can identify each other. 049:014
Baba Nanak was a Saint in the 16th Century AD. He was born Hindu and became a Moslem (See the Commentary Religion, Islam and Sikhs). He traveled to and lived in Moslem countries for many years. He denounced several evils prevalent in the religion he had chosen. He attracted the Moslems who shunned the infestations caused by the clergy worshiping objects besides the God Almighty, promoting ignorance, and encouraging beggary and living on charity doing no work. Soon his flock became known as the Sikhs.
The British government in India had published a book that I saw in 1970’s in the hands of Tom Dowling who was the Vice Counsel in the American Embassy in Lahore. The book was a record of the pedigree of notable families of Punjab. The British always preferred the pedigree when looking for bold, courageous, devoted, loyal and sincere workers to lead masses and control them. They obviously looked for the best genes to run their Empire. The list included the Buttar clan who at that time were mostly Sikh.
The Sikh Maharaja Ranjeet Singh (1780 –1839) had a royal wrestler. The legend runs that he publicized that anyone who defeated his wrestler would be rewarded with whoever he chose. One Buttar accepted the challenge and defeated the wrestler. The reward he chose was all land that the buffalo whose milk he lived on could circle in a day. His wish was granted. He lived on that land with his sons Kartar Singh and Pandora Singh in a hamlet that became known as Kirto. In time, their progeny grew in number, their hamlet expanded in size, and those living in Kirto returned to Iss-laam. Later an irrigation canal ran through their stronghold and divided it into two villages named Kirto and Pandori. The internet maps of early 21st Century AD showed the names of these villages changed to Kirto Sharif and Pandora Sharif.
Moslem Inheritance law (004:012 and 004:013) by the end of 19th century had led to the fragmented holdings of land among the Buttars of Kirto. The rivalries and violent revenges earned them the notoriety and history of family squabbles and violent feuds that resembled the fabled violent confrontations of Hatfield’s and Mccoy’s in American folklore.
Abba Ji, I believe was the first in the Kirto-Pandori region to go to college, graduate from a law school, become a lawyer, pass Punjab Civil Service exams and join the judiciary of the British Government of India. Almighty God by his grace made him a good Moslem with sound knowledge, and invested him with the desire, the prayers, the determination, the opportunity and the success in reversing the sad historical trend among the Buttars of Kirto. Being equipped with those blessings helped him to pull the Buttar clan out of the feuds of the dark ages to the world of the education and progress of the modern times.
One big Factor
Usually, hard work on meeting opportunity strikes the fusion called success. The outcome manifests favorable results and the credit goes to the achiever. Father practiced the principles laid in the Holy Qor-aan. Many sects sell for money their doings they label as Islam although the Holy Qor-aan has clearly prohibited.
Laa yaush-ta-roo-na bay aa-yaa-tay il-laa-hay tha-ma-nun qua-lee-laa سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان – Ch: 003, Verse 200
They do not sell the signs of Allah for a paltry price. 003:200
Father followed the Truth all his life. He worked his belief when and where he could. He found that implementing Ahmadiyya principles and precepts made practicing Moslems. With a clear conscience he concluded that this sect practiced Iss-laam and so he joined them.
Father made us aware where we came from, what we were and which direction we should move. He taught us things that I realized later were called self-awareness, self-esteem and self-respect which must never be compromised or allowed to be roughed up by another human. He trained us to develop, protect and preserve our bodies, health, spirituality, life and let nobody ever violate them. He did not raise his children as arrogant, boastful or proud, but taught what every achiever has learnt: self-confidence, self-control and self-motivation are the pre-requisites to succeed with anything of value.
He cautioned us time and again that it was not without any purpose that Allah had raised the Promised Messiah (peace on him) for the 2nd advent of Islam in Punjab. I’m sure there are many reasons why God raised an Urdu-speaking Messiah. People of Punjab with a lack of knowledge and a lot of pride resembled Arabs of the Age of Ignorance among whom the 1st rise of Islam occurred under the banner of the Holy Prophet Mohammed s.a.w.
Punjabi’s skill with languages is well-known. The ability to get education and gain knowledge depends upon communications. The wheels of words are on which the ideas are rolled, expressed, shared and broadcast. Spoken and written words are on which man’s entire evolutionary progress has been based. Punjabi’s ability to learn language is unparallel.
The language alphabets are 26 in English, 29/30 in Arabic, but (36+8=) 44 in Urdu. Compared with those who speak English and can hardly pronounce more than 26 sounds of their alphabets, or Arabic who can hardly pronounce more than 30 sounds of their alphabets, a Punjabi does pronounce all 44 sounds of Urdu alphabets. The mathematical permutations, combinations and possibilities of forming words and phrases from 26 or 30 alphabets are considerably less than those formed with 44 alphabets of Urdu language (shown below) in which Ahmadiyya literature is produced and which our Father urged us to read and master.
Language & Words with Words with Words with Words with Word with Alphabets 2 alphabets 3 alphabets 4 alphabets 5 alphabets 6 alphabets
English – 26 676 17,576 456,976 1,881,3761 308,915,776 Arabic – 30 900 27,000 810,000 24,300,000 729,000,000 Urdu – 44 1936 85,184 3,748,096 164,916,224 7,256,313,856
No wonder Abba Ji wanted all his children to read Urdu writings of the Promised Messiah (peace on him). He offered us cash prizes as incentives. Even if the idea was to bag a lot in prizes, I did read a great many of those books.
6
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