Ch Azam Ali, an Ahmadi Moslem
Chapter 13 – Memory
Justice with Memory
Father stared his service as a Judge around 1931 under the British Raj which ended on August 14, 1947, with the Partition of India and carving out of Pakistan. But the Rules of Service continued. Father retired in 1956 when he was 56.
The British enforced the rule to retire at 55 presuming employees’ reduced ability to perform. Diminished memory in some cases may also have set in. Father got an extension of service for 2 years. But far from a spent bullet, Father’s judicial skills remained very sharp.
Father started practicing law in Lahore a few years after retiring from judicial service. He took only some of the cases that came his way. He represented clients in court very well considering that the rumored diminished memory for people his age was not known to him.
Father was a huge store of knowledge consisting of facts, figures and citations. His legal knowledge, experience as a former judge, and general guidance that he so generously offered were what members of the High Court Bar used for instantaneous service.
Father’s tremendous reservoir of expertise coupled with his memory was a rare gift to everyone. He readily and freely released to anyone who requested it. I too benefitted a lot from his wonderful memory and readily available information.
Once I was laboring hard on a case and doing research on a crucial point of law. I recalled a High Court ruling that went in my favor, but it was held long ago and I could not find its citation. I asked Father if he could help.
Faster than the fastest computers today can get an answer, he told me something as follows. “Go to Munir’s Evidence Law. Take out Vol 3. Open page 1724 that is on the left-hand side of the book. Go down to the 26th case on that page. You’ll see what you want.”
I pulled the book out of the library and found the case at the precise location he said it was. The gist was there in one line; its citation was at the bottom of the page. For hours I had researched to find that case. But he at that time in his mid-70’s still proved to be the genius of man with fantastic memory, instantaneous recall and unbeatable generosity.
The only other comparable to his memory I ever experienced was some 30 years later when a personal computer reached our home, and I learnt how to use its feature of unearthing information in the pages of Wikipedia.
Memory
Memory is one of great gift given to man by the Almighty God is Memory. One definition is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future actions.
Everyone cannot recall all things in his past or those of others. Testament, Bible and the Holy Qor-aan were reduced to writing after those divine teachings were first memorized by any or many disciples of the Messengers to whom they had been inspired and revealed.
Like spiritual traditions, all expertise in every field of secular knowledge has entirely been based upon this phenomenon. Aristaeus, Confucious, Socrates and there likes would have never benefitted man with their wisdom without God-Given-Gift of memory.
Father was abundantly gifted with memory. He openly used it to administer justice. He extensively utilized it in training his children and several grandchildren. He spoke of this extensively and greatly admired those who were gifted with it.
Father always admired and talked about the great memory of Khaleefatool Massih II, r.a., besides his spirituality, far-sightedness, wisdom and many other rare qualities. I went to see him without the company of Father in 1955 after my graduation from T.I. College.
This was my first ever visit to him alone. His first question was: Are you a son of Amina Begum or Sakina Begum, I mean grandson of Chaudhry Sultan Ahmad or Chaudhry Faqir Mohammed.” He remembered a member’s family details out of millions of followers.
Father continued using his memory in exemplary lawyering. Shura is the consultative group wherein annually Ahmadi masses express their opinion through their elected delegates. In one such session my father sat on stage.
An attendee raised a point of order why my father sat on stage when he was not even a delegate who could attend the session. The presiding Khaleefatool Massih III, r.a., replied that my father was invited as a special adviser due to his rare qualities and knowledge of law.
Extensive use of Memory
Father used memory in every aspect of his life. It seems the definitions and details of civil and criminal laws and procedures were on the tips of his tongue. He told lawyers about them when they were just leafing through the books to open a page with the pertinent info.
Father had memorized long portions of the Holy Qor-aan. He recited them aloud in the prayers he led, particularly the Isha prayers. I heard him recite many parts of the Holy Qor-aan so often that I too memorized them without making any special effort.
Father told us many times of the case in which the Privy Council wrongly interpreted Moslem Law of Inheritance. Father decided the case before him contrary to the precedent by the Privy Council. When a British Judge remanded the case and directed him to follow the precedent, Father reaffirmed his earlier decision. Finally, a Full Bench of the Lahore High Court confirmed that Father was right in interpretating Moslem Law. See Tr – Azam Ali, an Ahmadi Moslem – Ch 11 – Knowledge.
A Judge has come
Father was travelling inconspicuously when he arrived at a railway station. Hundreds of travelers were arriving or boarding the crowded train at that time. Nobody was there to greet him or bid farewell or even know that there was a Judge in the crowd.
In those days, deformed and disabled people roamed around cities begging for money and food to eat. They thronged places where many people gathered. Railway Stations were one place that invariably attracted handicaps. Some of the beggars were genuine.
That day the crowds had a mentally disturbed person walking around naked without a stitch on body. Bursting out suddenly “A Judge has come; A Judge has come,” he started running, covering himself with hands, and looking at no person or place, but just screaming.
What had triggered in his imbecilic mind that he had lost and ran naked obliviously of anything and anybody? Nobody knows. But Father narrated the incident many times to tell us how a human mind can get momentary lapses or recoveries despite having lost memory.
Competition
I deduced from circumstances even though I have never heard it.
Perhaps there was a spousal competition between Father and my stepmother. Father was known for his memory. Mother decided to outshine him with a competition in memory. The intent besides pleasing the Almighty God by memorizing His message to us was to prove who had more memory.
She started memorizing the Holy Qor-aan. She encouraged several of us children to hear her recitations and point out areas she needed to work in. She succeeded in her resolve and memorized nearly 6 Parts (20%) of Holy the whole Qor-aan by the time she passed away in 1957.
That match remained a Draw because it could not be conclusively proven that anyone we knew had more memory than that our Father. But Father was complementary to her in her efforts to show beating him in a competition as to who had more of the memory.
Precedent
How much of Father’s known memory went with his research in the following case is I can’t say but the result became a reported precedent. The legal researchers will come across it whenever searching for the pertinent issue: the citation 1969 PLDJ 568 with Father’s name.
The police officer in that case did not furnish to the defendant all copies of statements made to him while investigating a murder case. The Criminal Procedure code mandated it. But when objected, the court of Magistrate brushed the irregularity under the carpet.
Precedent-setting cases are reported in Law Reports. The aforesaid irregularity was challenged by my father. His challenge was fortified by other decisions reported in the citations PLD 1966 BJ 30 and PLD 1953 Dacca 10. The High Court decided in his favor.
Father’s role in the administration of justice that ended by his retiring as a Judge will continue as that by a lawyer. Good lawyers seldom retire. Their achievements are crystallized and reported in the Law Journals. Legal value of their contribution stays perceptualized.
Results of Father’s memory and efforts will remain precious as long as the precedents by High Courts are accredited of any value.
Copying the Best Exemplar
Father always tried his best to recall and find in the life of the Holy Prophet, s.a.w., an example to light up a situation confronting Father. Father wanted to follow the example. For this purpose, he had memorized several occasions and prayers. He extensively used them.
Every day he went to his Court, Father specially offered the memorized prayer that the Holy Prophet, s.a.w., used to solicit for divine guidance in his daily chores.
Every crossroad in life, Father specially offered the memorized Istikhara prayer that the Holy Prophet, s.a.w., used to seek the best course out of all available alternatives.
Every drought that affected co-villagers crops due to lack of rain, Father specially offered the memorized Iss-tiss-qaa prayer that the Holy Prophet, s.a.w., used to seek rain.
Every funeral he attended physically or in absentia, Father offered one memorized Janaaza prayer that the Holy Prophet, s.a.w., used to implore forgiveness for a departed soul.
Every good or bad he faced, Father looked for and added to his memory what the Holy Prophet, s.a.w., had used in a similar situation and obtained intended or desired results.
