| My dear Nazir Ahmad,
I heard of your sad loss some days ago and meant to write
to you; but in the Ramadan mental seclusion I lost count of
time and perhaps thought also that my remembrance of your
father and thought of you at such a time might be understood,
so that the formal letter seemed less urgent.
I have had a very clear remembrance of your father in these
days as I saw him first in England in his prime, and of the
impression which he made upon all who had the pleasure of
meeting him. It is less as a missionary that I like to think
of him — the word ‘missionary’ has mean associations — than
as an ambassador of Islam. His return to India owing to ill-health
was a blow to the cause in England from which it has hardly
yet recovered.
I differed from him on some matters, as you know — relatively
unimportant matters, they seem now — but my personal regard
for him remained the same. And now, looking back upon his
life-work, I think that there is no one living who has done
such splendid and enduring service to Islam. The work in England
is the least part of it. Not until I came to India did I realise
the immense good that his writings have done in spreading
knowledge of religion and reviving the Islamic spirit in lethargic
Muslims; not only here, but wherever there are Muslims in
the world his writings penetrated, and have aroused new zeal
and energy and hope. It is a wonderful record of work, which
could have been planned and carried out only by a man of high
intelligence inspired by faith and great sincerity of purpose.
Allah will reward him! To you I will only say, as the Arabs
say to the survivor of a great worker, “The remainder is in
your life.”
Accept the assurance of my deep and sincere sympathy.
Yours ever,
M. Pickthall. |
