A series looking at the high standard of morals of the Promised Messiahas and his Khulafa when receiving visitors in Qadian
Awwab Saad Hayat, Al Hakam
Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib first visited Qadian during the Khilafat of Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddinra. He was a member of a prominent family of East Bengal. He was a well-known, unparalleled researcher and scholar of his region.
He stayed in Qadian for approximately 15 days, during which he had the opportunity to ask Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira an array of questions and remove various doubts he had. After receiving satisfactory and sufficient answers to every question, he accepted Ahmadiyyat and returned to his homeland.
Through him, with the grace of Allah the Almighty, a large number of people from Bengal entered the fold of Islam Ahmadiyyat.
The hospitality accorded to this distinguished guest was more in the form of alleviating his doubts and answering his questions, as opposed to worldly food and comforts.
Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib, after completing his Arabic studies in Dhaka, travelled to India to gain further knowledge in theology. While critically inspecting various schools in India, he chose to study under the famous Abdul Haye Farangi Mahal of Lucknow. He continued to study theology there for a long time.
After Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib completed his studies there, Maulvi Abdul Haye Sahib wanted him to apply for a top governmental post; however, due to an illness, Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib did not want to go to the hot area of Hyderabad.
We find in various historical accounts that by rejecting various offers, Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib was content with leading a simple a life in Brahmanbaria. And, at the request of local Muslims, he continued to serve in a high school to adorn the new generation. He also worked as a local judge.
Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib heard about the message and claim of the Promised Messiahas through his friend, Munshi Daulat Ahmad Khan, a lawyer in Brahmanbaria. From the moment he heard about Hazrat Ahmadas, he became busy investigating the claims made by the Promised Messiahas. Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib spent 10 years, from 1902 to 1912, studying and researching Huzoor’sas claims. He also had correspondence with the Promised Messiahas through which he asked various questions.
In Maktubat-e-Ahmad (Vol. 5, pp. 268-269), the text of the replies to these letters are available. Similarly, the Promised Messiahas has also mentioned Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib in the fifth volume of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, where Huzooras laid to rest some doubts expressed by him.
Though he accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat later in his life, Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib was not able to pledge allegiance at the hand of Hazrat Ahmadas. Prior to accepting Ahmadiyyat, he was absorbed in resolving some doubts he had, and as he continued to pursue his research, time also continued to pass.
In 1912, in spite of his old age and poor health, he decided to go to Qadian. He left for Qadian in October 1912 along with his three close students, Maulvi Imdad Ali Sahib, Qari Dilawar Ali Sahib and Dhano Munshi Sahib.
On the way to Qadian, he met, discussed and debated about the truthfulness of Hazrat Ahmadas with famous Indian scholars such as Maulvi Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi, Allama Shibli Nomani, Maulvi Abdullah Sahib of Tonk, Maulvi Ain Al-Qada Sahib of Lucknow, Maulvi Abdul Bari Sahib of Lucknow, Maulvi Abdul Haq Sahib, author of Tafsir Haqqani; Maulvi Sanaullah of Amritsar, Maulvi Muhammad Hussain of Batala, etc.
Even after his personal research and in-depth study, he thought that perhaps these Indian scholars would have some definite evidence of the invalidity of Ahmadiyyat. He went out to meet these “great scholars” in person. The various conversations Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid had with these Muslim scholars further stimulated his interest in research into Ahmadiyyat. After arriving in Qadian, Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib observed and benefited from the spiritual condition of those who were in Qadian who lived with the Promised Messiahas.
His stay in Qadian has been recorded in the third volume of Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat:
“He [Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib] remained in Qadian for 15 days, during which he had various discussions with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I[ra]. When he received a satisfactory answer to all his doubts he had previously noted and was satisfied in every way, and after considering the [spiritual] condition of the people of Qadian, he accepted the truth, and without further ado, pledged allegiance at the blessed hand of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I[ra].”
In the 7 November 1912 issue of Al Hakam, it is stated:
“Maulvi Abdul Wahid of Brahmanbaria, East Bengal, has entered the Jamaat following thorough research [of Islam Ahmadiyyat and the claims of Hazrat Ahmadas].”
After staying in Qadian, Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib sought permission from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira and returned to Brahmanbaria.
The interesting and detailed circumstances of Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib’s journey have been narrated and described in detail in his book, Jazba-tul-Haq. Much of this book was prepared under Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib’s supervision.
On the last pages, after Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib’s demise, his son, Syed Saeed Ahmad Sahib, wrote a note and recorded the text of two letters of the Promised Messiahas to Maulvi Syed Abdul Wahid Sahib. These letters were written by the Promised Messiahas on 17 August 1905 and 24 January 1906.
The book, Jazba-tul-Haq, by Maulvi Abdul Wahid Sahib of Brahmanbaria, is available at www.alislam.org.