Hayat-e-Saeed

Civil Employment

As the Medical Superintendent of Dadar Sanatorium (1939 — 1964)

The golden age of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s professional career is associated with the Dadar Sanatorium, an institution of international fame. He was, in fact, the founder and first medical superintendent of that institution. It was due to his hard work and his bringing to bear his professional skills that the Dadar Sanatorium came to be ranked among the best hospitals of the nation. In those days, the two names—Doctor Saeed Ahmad and Dadar Sanatorium—were synonymous with each other and, really, incomplete without each other.

The Suggestion for the Sanatorium, and Search for a Location

Doctor Saeed Ahmad took charge of the Dadar Sanatorium in February 1939 as its medical superintendent, although he was familiar with the institution from his time as an assistant surgeon at the Mansehra Civil Hospital. His excellent performance in Mansehra back then had greatly impressed his senior officers. Therefore, when the proposal for a high-quality sanatorium in that region came up, their attention—insofar as the selection of the most suitable individual was concerned—turned to Doctor Saeed Ahmad. And to that end, they had him actively participate throughout the planning phase of the proposed sanatorium. In fact, the full responsibility for preparing the scheme for the sanatorium was entrusted to him.

Initially, a location near Haripur was examined as a potential site for the sanatorium, but that region’s heat and airborne pollution would not have been suitable for tuberculosis patients. So that particular avenue of search was abandoned, and the search for a better location was launched. Various sites in the region were scouted and finally a location—this was in the jungles of Battraasi, slightly removed from the road leading from Mansehra to Balakot—was selected. But that site, too, had to be rejected during the very first phase because water reservoirs were not found despite deep excavation at several spots. Now, with the search still under way, Doctor Saeed Ahmad—during a journey, and serendipitously so—came across a location which he liked, and that’s where the Dadar Sanatorium was eventually built. He makes mention in his writing of that fortuitous discovery as in the following section.

The Serendipitous Discovery of Dadar 

The search for a site was under way when, serendipitously enough, I had the opportunity to travel to Dadar. I had not seen the village of Dadar prior to that time. The incident happened like this: The Hindus used to get life insurance, for which they would need a medical certificate. And in that connection, an insurance agent came to meet me in Mansehra. He needed a medical certificate for a relative who could not come to the Mansehra Hospital for some reason. Moreover, the insurance agent was in need of a medical certificate each for five or six other individuals. He wanted to take me to his village, and officiously assured me about the reliability of the means of coming and going. So I went with him. My oldest son, Abdul Hayee—he was seven years old at that time—was with me. 

On reaching the village, we learned that the person for whom the certificate was needed was not present, and that he would have to be summoned from another village named Bhugarmang. Furthermore, he told me that the four or five individuals, who are shopkeepers, would not be able to come here either. With this understanding, they took me on an unpaved road and told me that I would have to stay and wait in a rest house near Dadar, one which was operated by the Department of Forestry; that the village of Bhugarmang was at a distance of a mile from there; and that they would summon the agent to meet me there. We reached the rest house. It was evening. The situation was that it would have been burdensome for me to return home in the darkness. Now, the security guard of the rest house recognized me: He was a former patient of mine. He insisted that I stay the night there. So I spent the night there. And the security guard looked after me most graciously, providing every convenience.

Early the next morning, having performed my prayers, I set out for a walk. On casting my gaze around, I found the environment decidedly captivating. The resplendent beauty of nature on display all around  profoundly impressed my heart. This was the village of Dadar, and assembled here in one place—decked around, really—were all those provisions which were essential and natural subsidiaries for the proposed sanatorium. And abounding all around was a forest of pine trees. I deemed it as the ideal location. Plentiful level ground, too, was present right there in the mountainous jungle terrain. Moreover, mountain streams were flowing about, and the pristine water of the river Siran was gushing along.

This accidental discovery gave me joy. I mentioned to my officers about that location and its environment. They saw it for themselves and expressed their approval. Subsequently, that place was decisively selected as the construction site of the sanatorium.

Along with me on this serendipitous journey was my son Abdul Hayee, who is at this time one of the world’s leading experts in the treatment of tuberculosis.

Planning and Construction of the Dadar Sanatorium

What follows is an excerpt from Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s autobiography:

The Inspector General of Health for the Frontier Province was giving special attention to this project, expressing an especially strong interest. He had got a blueprint of the construction plan prepared, which he sent to my attention, asking me to peruse it and to provide my suggestions. He evidently thought that I was interested in the construction arts.

The late Khan Bahadur Ghulam Rabbani Khan’s brother, the late Fazal Haq Khan, was stationed in Abbottabad—in the Public Works Department—as the SDO [i.e. Sub Divisional Officer] for Provisions. Reporting to him was Abdul Hakeem, a draftsman who was a former patient of mine. Some amendments and changes were made [to the construction plan.] He took my advice and directions into consideration and—in incorporating them—he worked diligently. After much hard work, he presented the final plan to me. In turn, I presented it to the Inspector General, who was impressed.

A Bird’s Eye View of the Dadar Sanatorium

Calling Pakistan a beautiful land is no poetic exaggeration. This pure land is, in truth, a land covered with flowers and meadows. But the way in which Nature has especially—and profusely—blessed the Hazara region with beguiling scenery is without parallel. And it is in this extraordinarily attractive valley that the Dadar Sanatorium is located. 

In the Hazara district, there are two beautiful valleys which are separated by mountain ranges. To the East of this lush green series is the Kunhar Valley and to its West the Siran Valley: These valleys are known by the streams that run through them. These two streams—they carry ice-cold water—are vibrant with their own unique nature. Thus, the water of Kunhar sometimes appears blue and at other times turbid; the water of River Siran is so clear that the pebbles at the bottom as well as the fish swimming in its waters can be seen clearly. On the tallest peak of the mountain situated between these two valleys stands a rest house, known in the region as Kund Bangalow. On reaching the mountain peak, a mountaineer can see both valleys stretching out below their feet and then out into the horizon.

In one direction is the historic village of Balakot in the Kunhar Valley, the village which had the privilege of reverentially kissing the feet of the Mujaddid (i.e religious reformer) of the 13th century Hijrah (i.e.Islamic Era), Hazrat Sayyed Ahmad Shaheed, as well as his janissaries—Balakot became the final resting place of those martyrs, thereby getting elevated to historical significance. And in the other direction is the nation’s most highly famed Dadar Sanatorium in the Siran Valley, which was fostered to greatness by the dedicated toil of a follower of Hazrat Mirza Sahib, the Mujaddid of the 14th century Hijrah—the Dadar Sanatorium gained fame by being associated with the name of that follower, Doctor Saeed Ahmad. 

These two valleys—the Kunhar Valley and the Siran Valley—were blessed through the grace of two reformers. Whether one calls this a coincidence or whether one calls it Divine Will, both valleys came to be renowned as such, respectively.

At a distance of a few kilometers from Mansehra is a place named Shinkyari, whose outskirts are grazed by River Siran. As you travel in the opposite direction along River Siran, and travel the road for about seven or eight kilometers, you reach the village limits of Dadar. A short distance before the entrance to Dadar is situated that beautiful rest house where Doctor Saeed Ahmad had spent a night, being the eve of discovering the eminent suitability of that area for building a sanatorium—the seed of the Dadar Sanatorium was sown, as it were, during that fortuitous sojourn. To the left of the road, in a nether area, a township of immaculate houses can be seen. It is, in fact, a jail camp, serving as the residence for those prisoners whose labor was put to use during the construction of the sanatorium.

The gate at the entrance of the Dadar Sanatorium is in the shape of a mihrab (i.e. arch.) The following words adorn it: “Dadar Sanatorium May 1, 1939”. That date marks its inauguration. The mihrab’s reverse side—the one facing the individual merging from the precincts of the sanatorium—is adorned by the following pair of verses of rhyme in the Farsi language:

May your body no longer remain in need of medical care

May your tender self never be aggrieved by any trouble

The purpose of having these verses by Hafiz Shirazi adorn the gate was to bid farewell to those patients who had recovered, a farewell imbued by the hope that they remain healthy for the remainder of their lives, and never need medical treatment again.

Then, at a distance of a few furlongs from the sanatorium’s entrance gate, the road winds to the left and along the side of River Siran. In this way, River Siran is—on either side—lined by a dense growth of pine trees. Extending far into the distance are buildings which serve as the residence of the sanatorium’s staff. And only a few meters out is that part of the hospital which houses the numerous offices such as the examination room, the X-Ray room, the surgery room, etc. In the middle of the lush green lawn—surrounded as it is by a hedge—is a path covered by pebbles. You tread on that path to reach the verandah. And after climbing a brief flight of steps, no more than four or so, you stand facing the office of the medical superintendent. The interior of this office is concealed behind a series of white curtains. To either side of the office are other offices as well as various other rooms. Right across from the building, and in the other direction of the road, is the bungalow of the assistant surgeon. 

And then, at a distance of a few yards, there lies an extensive, verdant lawn in the center of which is situated the medical superintendent’s residence. From the rear direction of that bungalow can be heard the roaring River Siran as its waves crash against the immense cliffs on the periphery. Glancing at the abraq (i.e. flaky mica) sprinkled in the sandy beach reminds one of the starry sky. Toward the north of the bungalow is a seasonal stream, various other buildings of the sanatorium, and in between the bungalow is the boundary thereof. On the other side of the stream are some buildings which serve as the housing for the staff and some serve as patient wards. The rooftops of all buildings are made of tin. Viewing this placid and beatific environs, one would be hard pressed to imagine that this whole area was once overgrown with a dense jungle, a wood so oppressively dark that—even in broad daylight—wayfarers would cross it only with trepidation. And it was on account of this sense of fright that the locality was known as Dardar (the word literally means “fear-fear”, being the concatenation-with-itself of the word dar, i.e. “fear”.) With the passage of time, the name Dardar got distorted and came to be known as Daddar, and eventually settled on the current name—Dadar—by which this small village is known. Hence, the sanatorium came to be known as the Dadar Sanatorium. It should be noted that this overview of the sanatorium pertains to the period marking its inauguration: May 1, 1939.

The Construction and Completion of the Dadar Sanatorium

As for the initial construction of the sanatorium, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had already taken care of before his extended medical leave, which he had taken to undergo treatment for his own ailment. Then, having permanently relocated to Dadar in February 1939, much organizational work remained, in addition, of course, to the urgent need to reconstruct Dadar’s flood-affected main road. Working tirelessly, by day and by night, and under his direct supervision, the remaining work, too, was accomplished, and in not more than two to three months. 

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s refined taste, nicely complemented by well-trained gardeners, contributed to the area—irrigated as it was by the water from River Siran—attaining a condition of pristine serenity. Beautiful narcissus flowers—distinguished by their six petals, surmounted by a trumpet-shaped corona—which once led the way to the glory of spring on the mountainous slopes, had now come to adorn the flower beds of the sanatorium. Moreover, a fulfillment of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s vision, and a testimony thereof, were the rare types of roses and numerous other kinds of flowers, the vines of jasmine entwining the buildings’ pillars, and then the lush green lawns, not to mention the glorious, fruit-bearing plants abounding all around. In sum, that cloistered glory in the middle of wilderness invariably amazed anyone beholding the spectacle, leading them to spontaneously exclaim something in the spirit of the following verses of Farsi rhyme:

If Paradise is to be found on Earth

Then this is it, this is it, this is it.

Now the sanatorium was ready for inauguration in every way.

Inauguration of the Dadar Sanatorium (May 1, 1939)

The Dadar Sanatorium was inaugurated on May 1, 1939. The entire sanatorium was decked with colorful streamers and flowers. Posters with messages of welcome for incoming guests were affixed to multiple cliff sides. This inaugural ceremony was nothing less than a grand wedding reception. In particular, what impressed one and all was the care lavished on welcoming and hosting guests. Present at the function were not only key individuals from both governmental and non-governmental sectors but also Doctor Benjamin (Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s doctor and teacher), who was the chief officer of the Aurogyawarm Sanatorium. In inaugurating the Dadar Sanatorium, the governor of the North-West Frontier Province—Sir George Cunningham—declared the founding of the sanatorium as the year’s most successful venture. News of the sanatorium’s opening was published as the headline in newspapers across the nation and it was accompanied by pictures.

Provisions had been made in the Dadar Sanatorium to serve 70 patients. At the time of the inauguration, four patients from the Samli Sanatorium were transferred here: They were residents of the Frontier Province, and given the newly-offered availability of a sanatorium in their province of origin, they were directed to seek their treatment there. All four patients recovered quickly and regained good health. Soon thereafter, patients from all over the Frontier Province—and from all regions—came to seek treatment at the Dadar Sanatorium. Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself had experienced first-hand the agony brought on by tuberculosis: Who could have been better than him to empathize with the pain and accompanying perturbed mental state of tuberculosis patients. Moreover, his refined conduct, his deep and caring attention proved invaluable to aiding the recovery of those patients.

Arrangements at the Dadar Sanatorium

The charge of overseeing all organizational aspects was in the hands of its medical superintendent, Doctor Saeed Ahmad. And in this regard, he would seek directions directly from the Inspector General of Health for the Frontier Province. A British lady—Miss Young—who had received her training in Great Britain, served as the sanatorium’s matron. She supervised all subordinate staff and also assisted Doctor Saeed Ahmad during surgeries. Initially, an assistant surgeon—Doctor Abdur Rahman—had been appointed to work in the sanatorium, but due to his illness, he was able to serve for only a brief period of time. Replacing him was an Ahmadi Muslim from Wazirabad—Doctor Fazal ur Rahman—who proved to be a superb assistant to Doctor Saeed Ahmad in every way. Some of the male and female nurses had received training at the Madanapalli Sanatorium. In this way, the conditions were conducive for running the sanatorium at an excellent level.

Doctor Ronaq Zaman Khanzadah, who had himself once worked at the Dadar Sanatorium, has written as follows:

An organization is its visionary’s living picture. The surroundings [of the organization] themselves bear testimony that they are the fruits of somebody’s labor. This hospital, its flowers, its streets, and its walls proclaim their founder. In a small period of time, this hospital came to embody the sentiment of the following verses of rhyme on account of the honesty, the professional expertise, and the organizational excellence of the hospital’s staff:

Innocence of age, yet such skillfulness.

Surely, some teacher is guiding you

(Doctor Ronaq Zaman Khanzadah, courtesy of Doctor Abdul Karim Saeed)

The ranking of the patient wards was such that those patients who had the means to obtain better sections of a ward had access to those sections, with the understanding that they themselves would pay for that access. For others, an official kitchen was provided as well as wards in which to convalesce, each ward housing eight patients. The timings of the hospital were maintained with great precision. All staff at the hospital were dressed in immaculate and clean uniforms. Great care was taken to ensure cleanliness of the hospital. The medical superintendent and the matron had the authority to spot-check any area of the hospital at any time. Any dereliction of duty, any sort of carelessness, or dishonesty could serve as a precursor for punishment. As such, all staff appeared diligent, performing their duties with excellence. On a handful of occasions, a few incidents took place in the hospital’s kitchen, where the cook, or the cook’s helpers, stole bread, cooking oil, or other items, and were caught and immediately dismissed from their positions.

Where any lapses in the upkeep of the environment’s cleanliness were concerned—or in the protection and care of the plants and flowers around the sanatorium—Doctor Saeed Ahmad would not tolerate those. Even small children never dared to do any damage to the flowers. In recounting the clean atmosphere of the sanatorium, Raja Zoq Akhtar Khan, who was a wealthy resident of the area as well as a contractor for works related to the surrounding jungle, has written as follows:

Even minor incidents would immediately come to the attention of Doctor Saeed Ahmad. Once, a complaint was lodged against me to the effect that I, as a contractor, had a horse in my keep, and that the horse was defiling the sanatorium’s atmosphere with its excreta. I was given a 15 days notice to arrange for relocating my staff, as well as the horse’s keep, outside the perimeter of the sanatorium. So I got a temporary shed constructed far from the sanatorium.

(Excerpted from Paigham-e-Sulh, November and December 1997)

Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself narrated this incident like so: Once, following the morning prayer, as he was setting out for his morning walk, he noticed that a cow was grazing the grass on one of the lawns and the cow’s owner was present. It was difficult for Doctor Saeed Ahmad to see his sanatorium’s lawn being wrecked like that. In the heat of the moment, he involuntarily struck the cow’s belly with his walking cane, an act which he immediately regretted. He admonished the cow’s owner and, deciding to forgo his morning walk, he returned home. Doctor Saeed Ahmad remarked: I was extremely ashamed of my involuntary act and regretful aside, and stopped carrying my cane with me on my morning walks. When Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s employment at the sanatorium was completed, and before his departure, he had that cow owner summoned and asked for his forgiveness for his inadvertent act of many years ago.

The Patients and Doctors of the Dadar Sanatorium

The sanatorium’s patients, doctors, and other staff could be witnessed—at any given time of the day—visibly engaged with their designated duties. In viewing the sanatorium’s overall system, one got the distinct impression that it were some self autonomous machine: Even a small defect in said machine, as it were, would get surfaced easily. The sanatorium’s operation seemed to move along smoothly with the precision of clockwork. The attendance of staff, the medical rounds by doctors, the timings of physical exams, the taking of x-rays, the dining times, the resting times, times for recreation—in short, the time for anything, and everything—as soon as the bell rang, the relevant activity would commence. It was as if the button of a machine had been pressed.

God had blessed Doctor Saeed Ahmad not only with sterling medical skills, but also with organizational excellence. He had in his heart the immense desire to serve humanity; he had the ability, too, to transmit to others that self same spirit of service. His friends and helpers remained impressed by him. And anyone who had the opportunity to work alongside him couldn’t help but embrace the desire of serving humanity. He himself took full responsibility of serving his patients, encouraging them, and doing so with love and affection. The sense of service and dedication which permeated the activities of the medical staff was unique, and contributed to a peaceful environment in the sanatorium. Those patients admitted to the sanatorium—once in a state of utter hopelessness— would experience peacefulness and amiableness, which would invariably prove helpful allies in their recovery.

It was in such an environment into which the author of a book titled Jaltay Bujhtay Deep (i.e. Flickering Lamps)—Bilqees Cheema—was admitted. It was with a sense of dread that she had set foot in the sanatorium. But only in a few moments, that fear had dissipated. She has noted in the above mentioned book:

I felt as if, instead of a sanatorium, I had been transported to an imaginary, fairytale-like kingdom. In the place of sighs, wails, coughing, and other dreadful sounds, I heard melodious laughter instead. And instead of jaundiced and emaciated faces, and humans reduced to dreadful, skeleton-like remnants, I witnessed faces which were blooming like roses, and eyes which glimmered with the sparkle of life, and physiques that radiated good health. The shadow of fear and dread, which had been looming over my heart and mind, now disappeared. My heart and mind were imbued with a new ray of hope. Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s routine was that whenever a new patient was admitted to the hospital, he would personally meet them in the ward. He himself was intimately familiar with this agonizing ailment, and with the dread which it instills in the patient. So he would, first of all, bolster the patient’s confidence so as to banish from the patient’s mind the fear of the disease, which improved cooperation between the patient and their doctors.

And it is in the following words that Bilqees Cheema describes her first meeting with Doctor Saeed Ahmad: A nurse notified me that Doctor Saeed Ahmad was coming to inquire into my health. “Assalamu alaikum. How do you feel?” I heard an affectionate voice addressing me.

An embodiment of affection, love, gentleness, forbearance, distinction, seriousness, as well as possessing a commanding presence: In other words, an admixture of glory and amiableness. This was Doctor Saeed Ahmad, incharge Dadar Sanatorium.

She further writes:

Doctor Saeed Ahmad smiled and said to me with much affection: Set aside all thoughts of your illness. It is now our job to worry about your illness. You stay happy. Cooperate with the doctors: That is now your job. You will soon regain health. With that, Doctor Saeed Ahmad left, taking with him all of my worrisome thoughts about my illness.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad had a highly refined skill of diagnosing a patient’s ailment. Sometimes, patients came to him—ones who had been referred to him as having tuberculosis—but on seeing them, and without so much as examining them medically, he would forthright diagnose and assure them that they did not have any trace of tuberculosis whatsoever. Once, a female patient was brought to his medical attention. When she arrived, she was mired in dread and doubts. As soon as he looked at her, he said to her: Bibi! Why are you so worried? I think that all you have is a common cold and cough, along with low-grade fever. She had brought along with her an X-Ray, which she handed over to Doctor Saeed Ahmad. Appearing on that X-Ray was a prominent and long marking on her lungs. But Doctor Saeed Ahmad was convinced that this was not a sign of tuberculosis. He looked at the patient. Her long hair was tied into a braid. He realized what was going on and ordered for another X-Ray to be taken, though this time after instructing that the patient tie her hair into a bun. The result was evident: The X-Ray came out without any marking. The same patient who had only recently felt hopeless—anticipating that she would have to undergo treatment for tuberculosis—now happily returned to her home.

Another incident is related by Doctor Asghar Hameed, the fourth president of the Ahmadiyya Movement, an incident regarding his wife, and which is presented below in his own words:

My wife was severely ill. She had been undergoing medical treatment for an extended period of time. Eventually, a female doctor diagnosed her ailment as tuberculosis of the intestines. The doctor started her treatment with four or so medicines. This treatment did not have any effect on addressing her ailment, whereas her weakness—conspicuous as it had been at the outset—was greatly worsened. Through mutual consensus, we decided to take her to the Dadar Sanatorium. At that time, Doctor Saeed Ahmad was the medical superintendent there, and we reached out to him. He graciously arranged for her admission, and so we went there. Perhaps some medical tests were done. Anyhow, Doctor Saeed Ahmad diagnosed that, first, the patient did not have tuberculosis of the intestines in the first place. And second, in view of her weakness, it was inappropriate to her to have undergone medical treatment via the four or so medications at the same time. It would have been better to have given her only one medication. In his opinion, the real ailment was malaria, and for which she underwent at that time a treatment through medical shots. Allah blessed us, the patient regained health, and we returned home.

(Excerpted from Paigham-e-Sulh, November and December 1997)

One of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s patients—Rabia Khanum—who later served as the principal of the Government Jameh High School in Abbottabad, and wherefrom she retired as well, writes her recollection as follows:

Not much time had passed since the formation of Pakistan. I was taking classes at a teacher training school. Fate took me from there to the sanatorium. I was in the throes of extremely advanced illness, with no hope for recovery, and hopelessness of depths that could not be fathomed. In sum, I was waiting for death to consume me. And it was in those circumstances that a messiah, one whose personality was a marvelous confluence of dignity, piety, affection, and love, one who was, after God, our recourse in this world. Along with attending to his patients with medicines, he would beseech God in the early hours of the morning. His tireless attention, affection, and graciousness pulled me out of the valleys of death, back to life, with God‘s grace. That great individual whose spending even a few moments with a patient—and who’s encouraging remarks bolster their morale—would effectively cure half their ailment right there. It was his beseeching Allah, his attention, his graciousness, and his treatment that restored good health to me, enabling me once again to be active in the world.

After acquiring further education, I reached a good professional post in life. I often wonder that if that distinguished individual’s graciousness had not been available to me through the Grace of God, I would have been relegated to oblivion and forgotten by time. My prayer for him is this:

May your grave be radiant like the halls of dawn

May your earthly sleeping chamber be filled with light.

(Excerpted from Paigham-e-Sulh, November and December 1997)

Note: Rabia Khanum passed away in 2008. She was the biographer’s teacher. And toward the final days of her life, she was under the medical care of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s son, Professor Doctor Abdul Karim Saeed.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad was an expert surgeon, one who had gained specialized training in performing surgeries to treat tuberculosis. During his career at the Dadar Sanatorium, he performed hundreds of successful surgeries. It is noteworthy that the day designated for surgeries held special significance for the entire medical staff, just as it did for the patients who—with heartfelt sympathy for the well-being of fellow patients—would remain concerned about those undergoing surgeries and would remain engrossed in offering prayers for their success. Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself—before emerging from his house, and on his way to the sanatorium’s work—would perform voluntary prayers and offer special prayers for the success of the surgeries that he was to perform that day. He would direct his family members to pray as well, and also made charitable contributions by way of sadaqa. God’s special grace remained with him, and never was even a single life lost in all the surgeries he performed.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad has recounted an incident where a female patient was acutely worried about her upcoming surgery. She was markedly weak in health. He prayed for her extensively. Miss Young, the British matron, offered much consolation to Doctor Saeed Ahmad in this regard, and in fact stayed up all night with the convalescing patient, looking after her. God granted that patient a full recovery.

In mentioning Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s surgical expertise, Doctor Ronaq Zaman has written as follows:

In those days—this would be between the years 1939 and 1964—Doctor Saeed Ahmad would perform all kinds of surgeries using only local anesthesia. These included surgeries of the chest. One would be hard-pressed nowadays to find a surgeon having the daring to perform such surgeries even with access to the latest surgical instruments and facilities.

In the Dadar Sanatorium, the very first surgery he performed was on Major Muhammad Zaman‘s daughter, Hafeeza Durrani. At that time, she was a young girl. God granted her good health and a long life. Now she is leading an active life, blessed with sons, daughters, granddaughters, and grandsons.

Impressions shared by Babu Faqeer Muhammad, who was a radiographer:

There was no other surgeon like Doctor Saeed Ahmad in the Frontier Province. He would devote his full attention to the patient. He would not tolerate any kind of negligence from others. One would be hard-pressed to find anyone else who had performed as many surgeries as he had.

Mrs. Surrayyia Iqbal, one of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s long-standing patients noted:

The intake examination itself would be the patient’s first step to regaining health. His mellifluous conversation and comforting words would dispel thoughts about the disease from the patient’s mind.

Mian Fazl-e-Ahmad noted the following during one of his speeches:

During a visit to the Dadar Sanatorium, I was a guest at Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s residence for a few days. During that time, I had the opportunity to meet some of the patients. One of the patients turned out to be from the town of Faisalabad, and was, in fact, an acquaintance of mine. He said to me: “When Doctor Saeed Ahmad arrives in the ward, one feels as if an angel has descended from the heavens, and that one will surely be healed now.”

Between 1946 and 1947, a young man hailing from a renowned Sikh family in Abbottabad was under the medical care of Doctor Saeed Ahmad. He had only recently regained health when that family—including the young man—migrated to India as those were the days of the Subcontinent’s partition (into modern day Pakistan and India.) Thereafter, no contact remained with Doctor Saeed Ahmad. Then, in 1987, that man’s sister as well as other ladies—alumni of the Kinnaird College in Lahore—traveled to Lahore to participate in an alumni function. During that time, and at their first opportunity, they were able to find the address of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s residence in Dar-us-Salam (the Ahmadi Muslim colony in Lahore.) They came and met him, repeatedly expressing their sentiment of the removal of a burden that had been weighing them down for 40 years, and that it was their circumstances that had not allowed them to thank their benefactor—till now. And how their brother was hale and hearty, in a good situation, a family man and a father; that the thought that they were unable to thank their benefactor had been tormenting them; and that this day, having met Doctor Saeed Ahmad, the burden had been removed.

Whenever time arrived at the Dadar Sanatorium to bid farewell to a fully-recovered patient, a wave of joy would sweep through the entire place. Following farewell ceremonies—the patient laden with garlands of flowers—Doctor Saeed Ahmad would personally join in bidding farewell to the healed individual. With much love and affection, he would give directions to them for the coming years, and then everybody would gather and offer collective prayers for their well-being before bidding farewell from the sanatorium. Bilqees Cheema, in her autobiographical work titled Jaltay Bujhtay Deep (i.e. Flickering Lamps), has noted her related experience from which the following is an excerpt:

Doctor Saeed Ahmad came on his morning round [of the ward.] How great was the affection, and how deep the sincerity with which he bid me farewell: I simply cannot forget those indelible impressions for the rest of my life. Doctor Saeed Ahmad was a pious believer. In addition to treating his patients with medicines, he equally believed in the efficacy of prayers. Completely enveloped and drenched in the farewell prayers that had been offered for my well-being, I emerged from the room. And then I was awash in a circle of my female friends, who were honoring me with garlands of flowers. The flowers in those garlands were, as it were, steeped in the love, the sincerity, and the affection of the well-wishers. The time for the bus [which I was to board] was getting close. My friends—the ones who had shared in my sorrow and my pain—had laden me from my head to my foot with flowers. With tears running down my cheeks, they bid me farewell and with countless prayers.

Thousands of patients were similarly afforded farewells from the Dadar Sanatorium, emerging from its environs with a renewed lease on life, becoming active once again in their professions as well as engaging in other activities. Many young boys and girls, whose education had been disrupted and left incomplete, began to lead healthy and normal lives following treatment. Like many other patients, some notable ladies—Rabia Khanum, Bilqees Cheema, and Nisar Aziz among them—recovered from tuberculosis, following which they picked up their incomplete education, going on to attain high positions in their professions. Among them, Bilqees Cheema and Nisar Aziz gave shape to their recollections by way of memoirs associated with the Dadar Sanatorium. Bilqees Cheema wrote Jaltay Bujhtay Deep while Nisar Aziz wrote Nagri Nagri Phirraa Musaafir.

Among the sanatorium’s patients were senior government officials, political personalities, the elite, chieftains, philosophers, poets, writers, laborers, farmers, Hindus, Sikh, Christians—in other words, people belonging to every strata of society, and hailing from all creeds and cultural backgrounds. And everyone in their own place received the same attention and got the same affectionate care and were  recipients of proper treatment which they deserved. Never was preferential treatment given to anyone. Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s one and only niece—while she was undergoing treatment in the hospital—she followed the same rules as did the other patients. Never did she receive any additional services or favors as were not afforded to the other patients.

It would be appropriate to add that a unique bond —one of affection and devotion—existed between the patients, the doctors, and the other staff in the sanatorium. The medical practitioners were the embodiment of affection while the patients were the embodiment of devotion. One felt as if they all were members of one big family, a family whose joys and sorrows were common and whose tears and smiles were meant to be shared with one another.

Arrangements for Recreation at the Dadar Sanatorium

Since the sanatorium was located far from any cosmopolitan area, the usual recreational activities were not available. So the need was felt for the arrangement of such activities which would benefit both the patients and the staff in the sanatorium.

Right next to the hospital’s administrative block was a wide open field, one which was dedicated to hosting sports such as volleyball and badminton. The staff would play here. As for those fond of swimming and sailing, the River Siran offered an open invitation. However, permission was given to engage in such aquatic activities only if such engagements would not interfere with the patients’ times of rest and their usual activities. And as for those fond of animal hunting, they would occasionally head out to the jungle.

An auditorium and an adjoining library were also available for patients’ recreation. In the auditorium were available board games such as checkers, carrom board, playing cards, as well as other pastimes. Present, too, was a radio and a gramophone. Many patients also availed from their personal radio or gramophone.

The staff as well as those patients who were nearly fully recovered would collaborate and put together small, dramatic presentations in the auditorium. This would provide substantial recreation for everyone. A cultural society called the Zinda Dilan-e-Dadar (i.e. Society of the Enthusiasts of Dadar) remained active, fulfilling the literary and cultural needs of the patients and the staff. Speeches, poetry renditions, humorous skits, and other such activities would be presented to audiences.

In the aforesaid activities were to be found philosophers of high standing such as Doctor G.M. Naz, Doctor Usmani and Abdul Qayyum, individuals who happened to be undergoing treatment at the Dadar Sanatorium. They would regale audiences with their literary creations. Many other aficionados, too, would present their poems and drama sketches. Sometimes, even Doctor Saeed Ahmad was unable to avoid becoming the target of good-natured humor and satire. And in this way, everyone got to take part in recreation and to enjoy themselves.

On some occasions, arrangements were made for a portable movie theater. In later years, when a movie projector was purchased, movies were projected on the screen in the wide-open field.

The female patients had their own dedicated activities. For example, knitting and cross stitching, get-togethers, and the make-believe weddings of dolls. Singing sessions took place as well, and Doctor Saeed Ahmad never placed any kind of restriction on the recreational activities.

Doctor Ronaq Zaman Khanzadah writes as follows:

The late Doctor Saeed Ahmad—where he increased the capacity to host additional patients from time to time—also took care of arranging for the lounging needs of the medical doctors as well as guests: He had a club constructed on the shore of River Siran. This club included a huge library, housing medical texts, and the commenting on whose details are beyond the ability of this humble writer.

The Eid celebration and other rituals that took place at the sanatorium were jovial occasions. During such times, patients—other than those  who had been directed by their doctor to rest completely, as well as those attending to the patients—and the practitioners of medicine would together perform the Eid prayer. Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself led the prayer. Following that, everyone would be served with sweets and confectionery. After that, Doctor Saeed Ahmad and other doctors would go to meet and greet those patients who had not been able to attend the prayer because of the restriction to convalesce in bed. In recounting an occasion of such an Eid celebration, author Bilqees Cheema writes as follows:

Near the shore of River Siran, close to Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s residence itself, arrangements have been made to perform the Eid prayer. A tent had been pitched, and floor matting had been rolled out. Toward one side, curtains have been hung to afford privacy to women. When we arrived, the prayer had begun. We all performed our prayer, after which Doctor Saeed Ahmad delivered the Eid sermon in which he first clarified the significance of Eid. Then, in a highly effective manner, he urged for the disciplined and steadfast endurance of illness. The men who had been performing the prayers now gathered with the sons of Doctor Saeed Ahmad, joining them for casual conversation. And we headed for Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s residence. All of the ladies in his residence met us with much graciousness and with joy, never showing any hesitation whatsoever in hosting us. The marriage of one of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s sons had recently taken place, and we were eager to see his bride. Our wish was fulfilled that day, and we saw her with our own eyes amid the joyful celebration of Eid. And then, our hearts feeling unburdened, we headed back for our medical ward.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s Routine at the Dadar Sanatorium

Doctor Saeed Ahmad led his entire life in a disciplined way. The way he attended the 24 hours on any given day—in a balanced way, and the amount of work he accomplished—would amaze everyone: One wondered, When does he sleep? When does he eat? And on top of all that, no signs of fatigue were ever to be found on his face.

He was an early riser. After performing his Fajr prayer, he went on a walk. Then, following a brief period of rest, he would get ready for work. According to his routine, he would make the rounds of the medical wards, examine patients, diagnose, and treat—all matters were attended under his personal supervision.

On returning home from the hospital, Doctor Saeed Ahmad would leave his white coat outside. He would take a bath, perform the Zuhr prayer, have lunch, and then rest for a little bit. He had arranged for the construction of a patio on the shore of River Siran, a little distance from his residence. With a view to beautiful scenery, he would rest in the comfort of open air. After the Asr prayer, he would head over to the patio. Many of his guests would head over there as well. Certain friends and officers in Mansehra and Abbottabad would head out from their respective towns for a recreational break, and they would join him for a cup of tea. On such occasions, he would especially arrange for his expert cook, Sher Zaman Lala, to make cakes, confectionery sweets, and kebab at home to serve to the guests

Mian Fazl-e-Ahmad has noted as follows during one of his speeches:

I had the occasion of spending a week in the Dadar Sanatorium as a guest of Doctor Saeed Ahmad. On the shore of the River Siran was situated a patio. We would perform our Maghrib prayer there, and on certain occasions, the Fajr prayer as well. The melodious sounds of the waves coming from the nearby river, and the beautiful environment—combined with his beautiful recitation of the Quran—would create a mesmerizing atmosphere, making it a decidedly satisfying experience.

A bit before the Maghrib prayer, Doctor Saeed Ahmad would do a brief medical round and attend to those patients only who needed special care. And then, after the Maghrib prayer, the Quranic dars (i.e. discourse) would take place. Following that, he would attend to his mail, and then, after the Ishaa prayer, he would return to his residence. If guests were present, then he would have his evening meal outside with the guests. On some occasions, when he had the opportunity to have meals with his family, he would engage in casual and informal conversation, always with an eye on the education and growth of the children. During the afternoon, and at night as well, he would peruse the newspaper or study some book or the other. Included, too, in his routines was listening to news on the radio as well as other broadcasted speeches. The Friday congregational prayer was attended to with regularity. On Fridays, following the Asr prayer, he would stroll along the river, reciting the durood (i.e. salutations on the Holy Prophet Muhammad) and istighfar. If anyone were to listen from a distance, they could hear his mellifluous and beautiful recitation.

Footnote: During the final days of his life, Doctor Saeed Ahmad told the biographer that following the Asr prayer—and until the Maghrib prayer—he would recite the durood and istighfar, praying especially for his parents.

For as long as his father was alive, Doctor Saeed Ahmad used to spend Sundays with him in the village. After his death, he started going to Abbottabad on Sundays, where—at the house of his friend Shaikh Muhammad Ahmad—patients would come to seek Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s medical advice and treatment. When news of this routine spread in the town, patients from the various localities between Dadar and Abbottabad would wait with great anticipation to be seen by him and to get his medical advice. In Mansehra, too—at the home of Khan Bahadur Ghulam Rabbani Khan—patients would be waiting for Doctor Saeed Ahmad. In this way, even the weekend, the day of rest, would be dedicated to serving humanity.

During the journey from Dadar to Abbottabad, and on the way back from Abbottabad to Dadar, he would memorize portions of the Holy Quran. He would recite the Quran in a loud and soulful way. If anyone were perchance accompanying him, they would never fail to be impressed by it. In this way, Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s practice of memorizing the Holy Quran continued.

Despite all these activities, his guests and others who came to meet him never felt that their arrival had caused any kind of disruption to his routines. He would treat everyone with eagerness and would never turn anyone away on account of his activities and commitments. Yet his work never suffered from lack of completion. How could this have been were it not for God’s assistance?

Arrangement for Congregational Prayers and Dars

Any time he found someone available to accompany him during one of the five obligatory prayers, Doctor Saeed Ahmad preferred to pray in congregation. During the early days of the sanatorium, he organized daily, congregational prayers, and Quranic sermons with the members of his household. He also initiated the Friday congregational prayers with members of his household. Among his staff were a few Ahmadi Muslims. They, too, began participating in the daily prayers, as well as in the Quranic sermons. When this news spread, non-Ahmadi Muslims, too, expressed their desire to participate. Similarly, when some of his nearly-recovered patients expressed their desire to participate, they, too, were given permission to participate.

The daily congregational prayers and the Quranic sermons were generally hosted at Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s residence. When the weather was mild, a paved portion of the lawn outside the house—one which had been made for this express reason—was used to host those activities. A similar area was constructed, adjacent to the patio near his house. The two annual Eids as well as the Friday congregational prayers, too, would usually be performed there. Following the Eid sermon, all attendees would be served with sweets.

Construction of a Mosque in the Dadar Sanatorium

Hewn out of rocks, that building—with its sloping tin roofs, situated at a slight distance from the main block of the hospital, and facing the women’s wing of the hospital block—is taller than all the other buildings, and, standing unique among them, is the sanatorium’s mosque. It consists of a large hall, verandahs, a lawn, and two galleries. One gallery is designated for female patients, and the other gallery for the remaining women. This all came into being as a result of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s efforts and his personal supervision. Right from the beginning, he had appointed to the mosque an Ahmadi Muslim youth named Hafiz Ghulam Rasool, who was the brother of Maulvi Ahmad Gul. During the month of Ramadan, Hafiz Ghulam Rasool would lead the taraweeh prayers, in addition to teaching children the Holy Quran.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself would often lead the prayers and many residents of Dadar—without any distinction of religious sect—would perform their prayers in his leadership, and would also benefit from his sermons on the Quran and Hadith.

Soon, though, these peaceful arrangements began to rankle the riotous element of society, and became unpalatable to them. Signs of opposition began to appear among the medical staff. There were some demonstrations, and the instigators made exaggerations, and started to give everyone the impression that the medical superintendent—Doctor Saeed Ahmad—was using his position to unduly and forcibly convert Muslims to the Ahmadi sect. As a result, the Friday congregational prayers as well as the joyous Eid celebrations had to be relocated out of the mosque and into his personal residence. Nonetheless, members belonging to the Ahmadiyya Movement—as well as unbiased, non-Ahmadi Muslims—would participate in the daily prayers with Doctor Saeed Ahmad, and continued to benefit from his sermons of the Quran and Hadith.

Note: These incidents, which are related to the mosque at the Dadar Sanatorium, took place a few years after the independence of Pakistan in 1947.

Construction of a School in the Dadar Sanatorium

Immediately following the inauguration of the Dadar Sanatorium, Doctor Saeed Ahmad felt the need to attend to the educational needs of the children of the sanatorium’s staff. His own children themselves were students. For the immediate time frame, he selected from among the prisoners of the camp an individual who was educated, and laid the foundation for the schooling of all the children in front of his residence in the gardens-like area, with a floor matting serving as their seating. 

In addition, he engaged in efforts to found an official school consisting of two rooms, a building within the precincts of the sanatorium, and in this way a lower middle school was created. Fortunately, qualified teachers were available for appointment, including two noteworthy Ahmadi Muslims of distinction: Mohammed-ur-Rahman, and Master Asghar Ali. Doctor Saeed Ahmad personally supervised the school, and in addition to his own sons and daughters, many other children, too—when they graduated from the school and matriculated in the high school in Abbottabad—were counted among the good students, and regarded with honor on account of their good behavior, their civility, and their refined conversation. In a few short years, that school was transformed into its own independent, detached building. First, it gained the distinction of being a full-fledged middle school, and then that of a high school.

Founding of a Post Office in the Dadar Sanatorium

The post office nearest to Dadar was located in Shinkiari, and dispatching mail to it, not to mention the fetching of mail from it, incurred delays. Through an official request, Doctor Saeed Ahmad established a temporary post office in Dadar. Initially, when no postmaster was available for appointment to that post office, the head clerk of the hospital would—outside of hospital hours—serve the duties of the postmaster as well. In a few years, a permanent post office, one including telegram capabilities, was instituted. The sanatorium itself as well as the surrounding villages came to benefit from it.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s First Motor Car

The means of transport in Dadar were decidedly limited. In fact, the only means of transport from Dadar to Mansehra was a lorry service known as Sulaiman kee Laari (Sulaiman’s Lorry.) It would depart from Dadar at nine in the morning, and return at four in the afternoon, it would make a solitary trip back from Mansehra to Dadar. Doctor Saeed Ahmad often had to travel, and those circumscribed means of transport were problematic and disruptive to his busy life. Therefore, in 1940, he purchased a small, black colored Ford motor car. In those days, it was uncommon for people to own an individual personal car. Thus, other than the occasional military vehicles, or some miscellaneous trucks on the road, his Ford was the only other vehicle that could be seen on the roads.

When he told his father about his car, requesting at the same time to pray in that regard, his father’s advice to him was by way of the following words, as captured by Raja Zoq Akhtar Khan:

Saeed Ahmad, the thing is that all these things belong to Allah. When he blesses someone, and the recipient of the blessing—as long as he apportions a part of the blessing to others by deeming it a gift of God—then Allah increases his blessings. On inquiring into the meaning of this, his father replied: If an officer’s empty car is traveling on the road, one should—on seeing a poor individual traveling by foot—give that individual a ride in the car. In this way, zakat of the car would have been given. Doctor Saeed Ahmad followed this advice from his father throughout his life. Whenever he was driving his car, were he to see someone on foot, especially elderly people, he would give them a ride to Mansehra or to Abbottabad.

By Allah’s grace, following that first car, he always had a personal car at his disposal. When his new Vauxhall car was burned down by rioters in the 1974 crisis, Allah blessed him with a new car, one which was sent to him by his son, Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed who was based in England at that time.

Participation in an Important Medical Conference, and Promotion

In 1940, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had the distinction of participating in an important medical conference, which took place in Delhi. On returning from the conference—three months later, on April 11, 1941—he was given an advance, one-year promotion. This gave him further official distinction.

In March 1942, he was appointed as the examiner and invigilator of the practical exams portion of the Fellow of Science (F.Sc.) program in Peshawar. He served in that capacity with excellence for many years.

Lady Linlithgow’s Visit to Dadar

On April 17, 1942, the wife of the Viceroy of India, Lady Linlithgow, visited the Dadar Sanatorium. She was welcomed with much ceremony, and she returned highly satisfied and happy from her tour. She was greatly impressed by the organizational arrangements, the cleanliness and the modes of treatment. Doctor Saeed Ahmad received a thank you letter from the Viceroy House in Delhi, and was told that Lady Linlithgow was greatly pleased by her tour of the Dadar Sanatorium and impressed as well. In fact, Lady Linlithgow sent a personal letter of thanks, expressing her goodwill.

Surgery Training in Madanapalli

In the final months of 1942, Doctor Saeed Ahmad went to Madanapalli to receive training dedicated to the surgical treatment of tuberculosis. He had received this training following his own illness and treatment, but it was necessary for him to get more practical experience, and to spend further time in Madanapalli. On the successful completion of the training, he returned to Dadar in the month of December.

Award of the Khan Bahadur Title (1944)

Following six years of untiring efforts, Doctor Saeed Ahmad took the Dadar Sanatorium to a point where, despite extensions made to and expansions of the sanatorium, patients had to wait for their turn to be admitted. The fame of the sanatorium had spread far and wide in pre-partition India. People were greatly impressed and appreciated his kind and thoughtful conduct, in addition to being highly satisfied by his diagnostic abilities and treatment aside. 

Alongside that, the senior officials in the Health Department remained impressed by his medical skills as well as his organizational acumen. As a result, the government acknowledged this by selecting him for a special honor. On November 10, 1944, he was awarded the title of Khan Bahadur at an investiture ceremony, at which time he also received the associated medal. The residents of Dadar expressed their outpouring of happiness at his being awarded this great honor. They dressed him in garlands of flowers, and arranged for a joyful reception in his honor.

Nomination for Participation in an Expert Level Training Course at the Madanapalli Sanatorium (December 1944)

The Health Department of the Frontier Province nominated Doctor Saeed Ahmad for a training course in the Madanapalli Sanatorium. He mentioned it to his father and asked his permission to travel. In response, his father expressed his view that the proposed journey was undesirable, and expressed certain reservations. His father was evidently seeing with his spiritual vision that something untoward might unfold, something that was hidden from everyone’s view. 

However, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had already conveyed his willingness to his senior officials, indicating his willingness to travel, and all of the arrangements official for his journey had been put in place. Therefore, at that time, he could not refuse to go. Thus, in the predicament in which he found himself, he had no choice but to travel, and to leave behind his father unhappy. On December 24, 1944, he departed from Debgaran, and arrived in Lahore. There, he participated in the Annual Convention and then, on December 24, he also delivered a speech. Then, on December 28, he embarked from Lahore on his journey to Madanapalli.

Illness During Travel

During his stay in Lahore, Doctor Saeed Ahmad developed a cold and cough, accompanied by slight fever. With that ongoing ailment, he undertook his journey, arriving in Madanapalli on December 31. The next day, he met with Dr. Huben, the principal, as well as with other doctors. The training was to commence on January 8, 1945. However, none of the other participants had arrived yet. In this way, he got the opportunity to rest a bit, but his good health was not fully restored.

Turmoil and Prayers

With his sensibilities perturbed, he sensed the worsening of his weakness. In that condition, he continued to beseech Allah with the following words:

Oh, God Almighty, open up for me some way of honor and blessing in regards to my health, one which is aided by your strategy alone, and not through any efforts of mine. O Allah, grant me complete healing that dispels my mental agitation, my worries, and which helps me pass through this period of time with happiness through Your Mercy.

With an eye on God’s assistance at every step, and His guidance at every juncture, Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes in his diary as follows:

What am I to do with my naturally sensitive temperament, and how shall I deal with my restlessness? And what of my shortcomings and faults which are now pricking my conscience and me like thorns? 

What follow are the sayings of his affectionate father, the words of inveterate believer:

There is none who has succeeded in wrapping up their worldly tasks.

So whatever task you take up, do so with an eye on its brevity

These words would echo in my ears and throw me anew into states of spontaneous startle and worry.

And so it was, with such heartfelt prayers, that Doctor Saeed Ahmad continued to beseech God Almighty for guidance. He got some solace in that it must’ve been God‘s Wisdom and planning that he had been brought to that place. And that he was not serving penance, but rather all this would be a prelude and precursor to some unseen goodness.

When the training course began on January 8, he began to participate regularly. However, the state of his mind remained agitated. He wrote a letter to his father, mentioning his illness and his agitation, along with a section of Farsi verses of rhyme, which depicted his sentiments. Alas, his father would not receive that letter in his life. That section of  Farsi verses was as follows:

If we remain alive, then this garment, one torn by the anguish of separation;

We will stitch it back together

But if we perish, you must forgive us our limitations;

Alas, many are the wishes which get tossed to the dust of oblivion.

Note that both excerpts were taken from Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s diary.

Intention to Return from Madanapalli

The fact is that the source of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s dire agitation was that his father had been dissatisfied by his undertaking the journey; his father had asked him to abstain from the journey. Despite that, due to his limitation, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had to go to Madanapalli. On the other hand, he was not recovering from the constant feverishness. As such, he resolved to return home, and expressed his intention to Colonel Huben. In turn, Colonel Huben dealt with Doctor Saeed Ahmad with great sympathy, and conveyed to the Inspector General of the Frontier Health Department that it was no longer necessary for Doctor Saeed Ahmad to remain in Madanapalli since he had taken several such courses in the past. Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself sent some telegrams and dispatched letters to the relevant officials.

Return from Madanapalli and Arrival in Debgaran

Doctor Saeed Ahmad departed from Madanapalli on January 11, 1945. With the decision having been made to return home, ease of mind returned to him, and physical symptoms began to recede. During the journey, the fever also dissipated. After meeting his relatives and friends in Delhi, when he arrived in Debgaran on January 17, he headed, as usual, to his father’s residence. At that time, his father was busily preparing some medication. Wishing not to disturb him, Doctor Saeed Ahmad went into the living room. On learning that his father was freed up from work, he went to meet him. Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s two and a half year old son, Muhammad Saeed, was holding his finger, and accompanied him. Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s father saw Muhammad Saeed, and said to him with a smile: “Your father would not have come here, and instead would have gone straight to Dadar. I have brought him here. Are you happy now?” On hearing those words from his grandfather, Muhammad Saeed clung to his fathers legs.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad continued conversing with his father for a long time. They caught up on each other’s recent happenings which had taken place during the separation caused by the journey. His father said to him: “The prospects of your journey had made me fearful and I was worried that you might not return safely.”

Footnote: Evidently, Maulvi Muhammad Yahya had received a divine revelation or a spiritual vision, one in which he had been shown events that pointed to the eternal separation between father and son. And since Doctor Saeed Ahmad had undertaken the journey, his father felt as if he would never return in his lifetime. However, his own death, a few days later, proved to be the source of this eternal severance in this world‘s life.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes: “At the time when my father had expressed disapproval of my journey, matters were out of my hands. It was through God’s Mercy that I was able to return in time to meet my father.” Father and son fell down in prostration to thank their Creator.

Death of Maulvi Muhammad Yahya (January 30, 1945)

On January 19, Doctor Saeed Ahmad headed to the Dadar Sanatorium, leaving behind his father in good health. The next day, he did a complete round of the hospital and met with the patients. He worked in his office till late. It was a bitter cold evening, and he developed a cough and cold, and he could not go to the hospital as a result. Meanwhile, he got news that his father was unwell. Due to his own illness, undertaking the journey to meet his father seemed difficult. So he dispatched someone to find out the nature of his father‘s illness. His junior wife was already waiting on and serving Maulvi Muhammad Yahya, her uncle and Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s father. She was markedly uneasy about the illness. When Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself did not arrive, her agitation grew. She arranged for a letter to be sent to him, conveying that the illness was growing, and that he should come to Debgaran without further delay.

The paralysis that befell him was severe. When Doctor Saeed Ahmad arrived in his village on January 27, he found his father severely ill and unable to speak. Maulvi Muhammad Yahya stopped after being able to utter only a few words, and those, too, only after intervals: “Assalamu Alaikum… Allright…O Lord.” He was unable to speak more than this. 

Those days in January—the 28th, the 29th, and the 30th—were days of great tribulation. Then, on January 30, on a Tuesday, at 4:00 PM, at the time of the Asr prayer, Maulvi Muhammad Yahya departed from this world.

We belong to Allah, and to Him is our return.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s Patience

That period of time—one that marked the permanent severance of his father from this worldly life—tested Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s patience in the extreme. Nonetheless, he directed all his relatives to remain patient. In his diary, he wrote:

All praise to Allah that, on receiving my directions, everyone in the household conducted themselves with patience and with forbearance. All family members were present except Abdul Hayee, Abdulla, and Abd-ur-Rahman.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad further writes:

It rained all day on the 29th, and then again on the night between the 29th and the 30th. The morning of the 30th dawned with a strangeness wherein the Earth and the skies were suffused with a silver hue. When I went out to make arrangements for the grave’s stone slabs, that task loomed before me in its difficulty. It was only with great difficulty that the words came out of my mouth. It was as if something was impeding the passage of those words from my lips. I saw signs of God‘s mercy during the Fajr prayer. My Lord, who is the Fountainhead of my strength following the unspeakable grief of January 30, Who gave me the strength to carry myself during the exacting events that were unfolding. To this day, I cannot understand how I—ill, feeling feeble, and sleep deprived aside in that period of tribulation—remained intact in my health.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself performed the last rites of burial, including bathing his father’s body, wrapping it in the shroud, and then placing the coffin in the lawn. Oh, the joy and spiritual glow on his face, impressing the hearts of one and all. The funeral took place following the Zuhr prayer. Attending the funeral was a large number of people, including members of the Ahmadi community, senior officials, chieftains of the region, relatives, friends, and other well wishers.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad had a long-standing and deep friendship with Ghulam Rabbani Khan, who remained with Doctor Saeed Ahmad the whole night. Doctor Saeed Ahmad has noted that as follows: “I will always remember his friendship. May Allah give him a reward.”

As for all those who demonstrated their sympathy and generosity during those days of mourning, Doctor Saeed Ahmad made note of them all in his diary, name-by-name, and prayed for them in particular. He especially made mention of the chieftains of Phulrah, Parhinnah, Talhala, Beerh, etc., who not only participated diligently in the funeral rights, but also provided the meals and other necessities for everyone who had gathered at the funeral.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad received many letters of condolences on the death of his father. One of those letters was from the Inspector General of the Health Department, containing the following words of condolence: “Was shocked when I came to know about coming back without completing your training, but it seems to be God‘s Will that you arrived to see your father before his death.”

Return from Debgaran to Dadar

Following his father‘s death, Doctor Saeed Ahmad remained in Debgaran for an additional 10 days. Guests continued to arrive in large numbers. Eventually, on February 11, he decided to return to Dadar. At that time, he was feeling exceedingly averse to departing from his relatives; taking even a single step out of the village felt oppressive. But he had to return to resume his livelihood and kept his sorrow in check. He writes about it as follows:

At 5:00 PM on February 11, I departed from Debgaran on my way to Dadar. There was no money in my pocket. On reaching Gujri Dee Galli—a location a few miles from Debgaran—a man came and insisted on giving me Rs.16 because he wanted me to examine a patient in Mansehra. This, too, was a sign of God’s assistance. So all praises to Allah.

Sayyed Asadullah Shah’s Arrival in Dadar (July 1945)

Sayyed Asadullah Shah was one of those eminent members of the Ahmadiyya Movement who had the good fortune of being blessed with the company of Hazrat Mirza Sahib—the spiritual leader of the era—on many occasions. Sayyed Asadullah Shah was a recipient of revelations and spiritual visions. Doctor Saeed Ahmad met him for the first time during the Annual Convention in December 1944 by way of an introduction by his brother in law, Habib-ur-Rahman Sadiq. Akhunzaadah Hameed Ullah was the father-in-law of Doctor Saeed Ahmad and the father of Habib-ur-Rahman Sadiq.

Right from that first meeting, the two—Doctor Saeed Ahmad and Sayyed Asadullah Shah—came in close spiritual communion with each other. Doctor Saeed Ahmad extended an offer to him for spending the coming summer time in the open environment of Dadar, an offer which he accepted.

Sayyed Asadullah Shah was one whose prayers were accepted by Allah, and he was among the wali’ullah (i.e. friends of God.) Even before his arrival in Dadar, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had come to observe many instances of Sayyed Asadullah Shah receiving spiritual revelations and Allah’s acceptance of his prayers. 

Meanwhile, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had—in the wake of his father‘s death—remained in a state of grief that year. He acutely sensed being deprived of his father’s affection and of the prayers with which his father would beseech Allah on his behalf. Thus, Allah prepared and presented a means of solace for Doctor Saeed Ahmad in the person of Sayyed Asadullah Shah, who arrived in July 1945 at the Dadar Sanatorium and spent the summertime there. Thereafter, he would come every summer, and live with the family in the capacity of a pious elder. Although his death severed his physical connection with Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s family, his spiritual nearness is sensed to this day by his family.

Construction of a House in Debgaran (1946)

During the decade of 1930, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had some extensions made to his residence. At the location of his father’s and uncle’s medical practice—atop the raised terrace—two additional rooms were constructed, as well as a verandah in order to have a second story built on top of them. This structure has an extensive roof, which gave a unique and beautiful impression to the onlookers. It was divided into  enclosures for men and for women. A pleasing, woodwork lattice-like structure stood in the verandah. And the pillars themselves were made of wood, and were entwined with vines of grapes. 

The beautiful expanse of agricultural fields and mountains offered a beautiful view from the bungalow all the way to the horizon. During summer time, Doctor Saeed Ahmad liked to sleep on the rooftop, under the open sky. And since the mountain range is located sufficiently far, the nighttime sky was clearly visible, peppered with stars, giving a pleasing impression. He used to experience deep solace from it.

That house which had served as the residence of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s father became vacant following his father’s death, and made a significant claim on his attention. He had some routine changes made: Having a solid verandah constructed, and some stairways made, thereby adjoining the lawn with the house proper. He also had some other minor alterations made to the rest of the house. His personal supervision was needed, and so he took a three month-long leave from work and spent that time along with his family in Debgaran.

During that period, he also made arrangements to put the family’s agricultural activities on a solid footing, since, following his father’s death, that responsibility, too, had been placed on his shoulders. In this way, it became possible for him to come to Dadar on two or three occasions every year during the times of crop harvesting.

Association With the Pakistan Movement

Doctor Saeed Ahmad never had any practical involvement in politics. However, the Pakistan Movement had a special place in his heart. Muslims were in majority in the Frontier Province. Unfortunately, though, the government was in the hands of the Congress political party, which would periodically stoke fear in the minds of the population that if Pakistan were to come into existence, they would become subservient to the larger provinces. Once the Pakistan Resolution came to pass, the Muslim League political party slowly gained a strong and stable base in the Frontier Province. Muhammad Ali Jinnah—commonly known as Quaid-e-Azam, i.e. “the great leader”—through his galvanizing leadership, greatly impressed the people of the Frontier Province, and in particular the youth. The loyal workers of Muslim League worked tirelessly, and through their efforts the tide was turned: The people of the Frontier Province demanded that a referendum should take place in order to gauge the wishes of the people.

The leaders of Muslim League—as well as the population at large in the district of Hazara—were infused with vigor for supporting the formation of Pakistan, and they eagerly participated in its activities. 

Near Dadar is a location which goes by the name Bhugarmang. Their leader, Khudadad Khan, was a decidedly active member of Muslim League. He had managed to galvanize the population in the area, and would organize big marches, proceeding to Shinkiari and Mansehra. The Dadar Sanatorium was along the way. At that time, Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s son Abdul Karim Saeed was a small boy, and used to speak with a lisp. Taking out the pacifier from his own mouth, he would loudly proclaim, “Patitan zindah baad” (i.e. “Pakistan zindah baad”, aka “long live Pakistan”) with great relish. Once, on hearing this expression of support from the little boy, Khudadad Khan was overcome with emotions. He remarked: “Now, even the children are demanding the formation of Pakistan. There is no power on earth that can stop it from becoming a reality.”

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s older son, Abdul Hayee Saeed, was a student at the King Edward Medical College in Lahore and among the students who were active in the Pakistan Movement. When Quaid-e-Azam visited Lahore, Doctor Abdul Hayee Saeed was at his side wherever he went. Many photographs are extant of him with Quaid-e-Azam. Along with his fellow students, Abdul Hayee Saeed would visit even the faraway areas of the Frontier Province. And he would work hard to enlist the support of people for the Pakistan Movement. Along with those in the vanguard of active leaders in the Pakistan Movement, Doctor Abdul Hayee Saeed spent a few weeks in jail. Doctor Saeed Ahmad viewed his son’s activities with approval.

When the Referendum took place, the population of Hazara participated in great numbers, and the Ahmadi Muslims were in the forefront. Polling stations were set up in the Dadar Sanatorium, and Shinkiari, and all kinds of facilities were extended to improve their efficient running. Not even a single vote was cast against Pakistan in Dadar. Similarly, the majority of votes in Shinkiari were cast in favor of the formation of Pakistan, which led to the ratification of the Pakistan Movement. He himself organized the people in the village of Debgaran, had them gather under the flag of Muslim League, and then got them on their way to Mansehra so that they could cast their votes. The people in Hazara viewed the formation of Pakistan as glad tidings, and the majority viewed it as a new lease on life.

The Formation of Pakistan

Once the date and time for the creation of an independent nation—Pakistan—had been designated, preparations began in earnest in the Dadar Sanatorium to befittingly celebrate the occasion. The entire staff of the sanatorium was visibly mobilized. Colorful streamers could be seen waving about everywhere. The national flag of Pakistan was prepared and a place was designated for it to be hoisted high up into the air. All night long, sweets were prepared and neatly placed in small paper bags.

On the night between August 14 and August 15, the time of midnight had been designated for the official formation of Pakistan. Before that—on the morning of August 14—Quaid-e-Azam had taken the oath as the first governor general of Pakistan. That day, all restrictions on the patients of the sanatorium were lifted. Therefore, they could go to whichever place suited them for listening with their own ears to the official announcement of the formation of Pakistan. In Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s own house, men and women, as well as children in large numbers, had eagerly gathered, waiting expectantly. 

The announcement was made, “Pakistan zindah baad” (i.e. long live Pakistan), and its reverberations filled the air, followed by echoes from every direction of “azadi mubarik” (i.e. congratulations on Independence.) Tears could be seen streaming down faces that were enraptured with exuberance. People were embracing each other. Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s himself was beaming. Everyone then fell into a prostration of gratitude before Allah. And then people return to their houses, getting engrossed in preparing for a day of fasting by way of sehri (i.e. the meal before starting one’s fast.)

Celebration of Independence Day (August 15, 1947)

The day of August 15, 1947 happened to be a Friday and the 27th day of Ramadan. Every building of the Dadar Sanatorium was decked in colorful streamers. The wide open field adjacent to the assistant surgeon’s residence had been chosen as the venue of the celebration. And then the school children began arriving in neat queues. They held small flags in their hands, and sat down in the field in a neat formation. Similarly, all the staff as well as the patients of the sanatorium arrived and sat down neatly in their designated places. 

Doctor Saeed Ahmad raised the flag of Pakistan. When the flag began waving in the air, echoes of “Nara-e-Takbeer” and  “Pakistan zindah baad” could be heard from every corner. The faces of one and all were beaming with joy. A few speeches were delivered. Sports matches of the children and the staff took place. Prizes were awarded and sweets were distributed. One of the sanatorium’s patients who happened to be a poet in residence, read a poem befitting the occasion.

The pride of the occasion, and the moving force behind the entire celebration was Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s son Abdulla Saeed, who was at that time stationed as a cadet at the IMA (i.e. the pre-partition India Military Academy) in Dera Doon; he had come home to be with his family and to participate in celebrating the freedom of Pakistan. After a few days, Abdulla Saeed returned to Dera Doon, and then—along with the army coming to Pakistan—he was transferred to the PMA (i.e. the Pakistan Military Academy) at Kakul.

Travel to Kashmir (August 1947)

Doctor Saeed Ahmad had traveled to Kashmir on numerous occasions. The awe inspiring Kashmir had always impressed him. Till that time, some members of his family had not been able to accompany him to Kashmir. After the formation of Pakistan, the determination of the allocation of Kashmir—whether it would be parceled out to India or to Pakistan—had remained uncertain. So the wish arose in his heart to take a leave of a few days from the Dadar Sanatorium, and to travel and visit Kashmir along with his family. Furthermore, one of his daughters was somewhat unwell. He thought that a change of environment would do her good, and help her regain health. So he decided to have them all go on a trip to Kashmir.

It was in the final days of August 1947 that they started their journey to Kashmir. On arriving in Mansehra, they learned that on that very day, a civilian disturbance had taken place in the nearby town of Abbottabad. They were advised to cancel their travel plans. However, he decided to proceed with the journey.

When they were a little past the exits for Batraasi, evening time began overtaking them. Soon, they had to stop their vehicle, because some mischief mongers had barricaded the road with a fallen tree. Recall that, after the partition, most non-Muslims were fleeing out of Pakistan, and these mischief mongers were looting and beating up such people. And thus it was that they had barricaded their passage. When their car came to a halt. Doctor Saeed Ahmad emerged fearlessly. On the other end, from the direction of the jungle, a few individuals emerged. He spoke with them for a few minutes, They could not fail to be impressed and awestruck by his personal glory and gravitas. They stepped aside, allowing them to proceed. 

A few days prior to this incident, Sayyed Asadullah Shah had received a revelation regarding Doctor Saeed Ahmad: “So We answered him, and delivered him and his people from the great calamity” Surah Al-Anbiya (21:76).” Doctor Saeed Ahmad remarks that perhaps it was that incident wherein Sayyed Asadullah Shah‘s revelation had its fulfillment. 

During his stay of 10 days in Kashmir—in addition to being immersed in the pristine beauty of the outdoors—they visited the grave of Jesus (peace be upon him). He went to visit Doctor Nazir-ul-Islam as well as other members of the Ahmadiyya Movement. They performed the Friday congregational prayer as a community, including the children.

Hajj (1947)

Doctor Saeed Ahmad had the honor of performing the hajj (i.e. pilgrimage to Mecca) in October 1947. The events leading up to, and during the journey, serve as testimony that this man of God was always accompanied by special assistance from Allah.

Following the death of his father in January 1945, he had been in mourning. Sayyed Asadullah Shah sent a letter of condolence to him. In his reply, Doctor Saeed Ahmad expressed his profound sorrow and requested him for prayers. Sayyed Asadullah Shah, in turn, beseeched God, whereupon he received the following revelation: “Why do you grieve so much? Make savings and perform the hajj.”

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s own heart remained filled with the ardent desire to perform the hajj. During one of his long illnesses—it was the day of hajj—he had beseech Allah soulfully, questioningly, wondering how this wish of his would be fulfilled: Both his circumstances and his illness remained obstacles. The time for the acceptance of his prayers was to take place many years later.

Sayyed Asadullah Shah came to Dadar in July 1945. He further directed Doctor Saeed Ahmad to continue saving in order to finance his performance of hajj. Doctor Saeed Ahmad was troubled by his personal circumstances during those days: His limited earnings and the expenses of his large family did not allow him to save much. By nature, he was inclined to host guests. And in that way, all those additional expenses would eat away at his savings. In short, saving money appeared to be an impossibility. When he explained the circumstances to Sayyed Asadullah Shah, he again urged him to save money in order to perform the hajj.

Believing that if God did intend for him to perform hajj, then circumstances would emerge to enable it, he resolved to perform the hajj, and to do so within a year and a half. Doctor Saeed Ahmad was able to rely on just enough funds to cover the cost of traveling by ship. This was not an easy task for him, so he postponed it to the following year. 

Then, in the summertime of 1947, he resolved to travel for hajj and God—in His Great Mercy and Benevolence—provided the means for his doing so. And then the nawab of the Indian state of Umb, Farid Khan, became ill. When the Deputy Commissioner visited the Nawab to inquire into his health, he brought his attention to getting treatment from Doctor Saeed Ahmad. So Nawab Sahib of Umb summoned Doctor Saeed Ahmad, who treated him, following which God granted him a full recovery. And he gave Doctor Saeed Ahmad a lump sum of Rupees 3,000 for his medical services.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s close friend—Ghulam Rabbani Khan—one for whom he had brotherly love, had, along with his wife, decided to perform hajj that same year. In this way, they were blessed with each other’s company on the way to perform the pilgrimage. So this brief caravan of three individuals began their journey, departing with the prayers of relatives and friends, showered with flower petals, and tears shed while bidding them farewell.

Merely a few weeks had passed since the partition of the Indian Subcontinent, and the beloved motherland—Pakistan—was beset by many kinds of tribulations. In fact, difficulties arose right in the early stages of their journey. The first destination was the city of Lahore, and as they approached the outskirts of the city, Doctor Saeed Ahmad witnessed for himself the tragic condition of the refugees, beset as they were by numerous troubles, including the plight of homelessness. Taking it all in was traumatic for his sensitive temperament. 

On their own end, problems affecting the means of transport emerged—The feasibility of the journey itself became questionable. However, Allah is the Originator of opportunities, and they had complete faith in Allah. They were not disappointed.

His Stay in Lahore of a Few Days

In Lahore, Doctor Saeed Ahmad was lodged at the Ahmadiyya Buildings on Brandreth Road. He learned that traveling from Lahore to Karachi would be beset by severe problems accruing from the circumstances unleashed by the recent partition of the Subcontinent. They became aware that acquiring seats on the railway trains was effectively an impossibility: The situation was so dire that people were forced to travel by clinging—for their lives—on the rooftops of trains. With his dear friend, Ghulam Rabbani Khan, he went to the railway station with the intention of buying tickets for their train ride. 

Along the way, the thought crossed his mind that they could visit Khwaja Nazir Ahmad. So they stopped by his residence. He met them with great enthusiasm, and they had an extended discussion on the book—Jesus in Heaven on Earth—which he was writing at that time. When they mentioned that they ought to get going to the railway station, adding that they were troubled by the situation at hand—the seeming impossibility of gaining berth on the train—whereupon Khwaja Nazir Ahmad immediately told them that he was traveling to Karachi the very next day, and that his family, too, had originally planned on accompanying him. But the plan had changed, and as a result, they now had three extra tickets—for the following day—on that Karachi-bound train. 

So Khwaja Nazir Ahmad went with them to the railway station, and instead of returning the tickets, he had them transferred in their names. This aid from the Unseen thus served to strengthen their hearts at the very first juncture of the journey.

During their stay in Lahore, they met Maulana Muhammad Ali as well as other Ahmadiyya Movement members based in Lahore. Then, on October 13, 1947, with the prayers of them all, they began their journey to Karachi in earnest.

Some Events in Karachi, and Scenes of Divine Assistance

Doctor Saeed Ahmad arrived in Karachi on the morning of October 14, 1947, and stayed at the residence of his daughter Ayesha and son-in-law Mirza Abdur Rahman Baig. No sooner had he arrived than he read in the daily newspaper Dawn the disconcerting news that the steamship Islami had been declared unfit for its upcoming sea journey, and that thousands of pilgrims were in a state of being half distraught and half hopeful. Also that the government of Pakistan had demanded of the Indian government that they provide the steamship Rizwan in its place. (At that time, the two, newly formed governments—that of Pakistan and that of India—shared the hajj booking department.) 

Doctor Saeed Ahmad, too, was planning to travel—along with his companions—on that very steamship Islami. So it was with acute worry that they absorbed the news that the Government of India was not forthcoming with any definitive answer. But thanks to the blessings of Allah, the state of anxiety was staved off.

Unbeknownst to Doctor Saeed Ahmad, his son-in-law—Mirza Abdur Rahman Baig—went to meet Laal Shah Bukhari, who was at the time an officer in the hajj booking department. Laal Shah Bukhari jotted down a note, which he gave to Mirza Abdur Rahman Baig, instructing him to get their name registered in the hajj camp. 

At that time, Ali Gohar Khan was in charge of the hajj camp, and he happened to hail from the same province—the Frontier Province—as did Doctor Saeed Ahmad. And he knew about him through mutual acquaintance. He comforted Doctor Saeed Ahmad by telling him that he would at a minimum be able to gain a berth aboard steamship England on a second class fare. The very next day, three seats—one first class and the other two second class—became available to them. Such an occurrence had been unthinkable at that time: He had learned that even numerous, distinguished individuals, senior officials, as well as people of influence, were forced to travel on-deck steamship England. So Doctor Saeed Ahmad fell into a prostration of gratitude before Allah, and began preparing in earnest for the sea journey.

Meeting with Members of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Karachi

Doctor Saeed Ahmad had a further two days to spend in Karachi, during which time Naseer Ahmad Faruqui invited him and his companions to have tea with him. He was feeling unwell, so he was unable to go to the tea reception with his companions. In view of this, Naseer Ahmad Faruqui, along with Khawaja Nazir Ahmad as well as other members of the Ahmadiyya Movement, themselves came to meet Doctor Saeed Ahmad. He learned how the members of the Ahmadiyya Movement based in Karachi had rented an apartment where they regularly met for Friday congregational prayers, as well as for reflections on the Holy Quran. On learning this, Doctor Saeed Ahmad was delighted. 

In addition, he met with Sheikh Nur Ahmad’s sons—Sheikh Iqbal Ahmad and Sheikh Aftab Ahmad—on several occasions. Thanks to those brothers, several matters associated with the upcoming journey were facilitated. Moreover, they handled many arrangements associated with his traveling to the seaport, and the boarding of the steamship itself.

Departure for Hijaz (October 18, 1947)

The journey for Hijaz—that region in the Arabian peninsula which includes the holy places of Mecca and Medina—began on October 18, 1947 by sea. On board steamship England, where he met numerous long standing acquaintances, he also got introduced to a few others. His fame as an accomplished medical practitioner began to spread everywhere on the ship, and people began benefiting from his medical attention and care.

Among the people he got introduced to at the outset of the journey was an important person by the name of Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi, who already knew Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s father. He was a member of Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s family, and in fact he introduced himself to Doctor Saeed Ahmad. That brief introduction proved to be a precursor to a permanent friendship. 

On arriving at the seaport in Jeddah, it became evident that Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi had a wide sphere of influence in the land of Hijaz, including his personally knowing the ruler, Abdul Aziz Ibn-e-Saud. So Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi introduced Doctor Saeed Ahmad as “rafiq-e-Ghaznavi” (i.e. friend of Ghaznavi) and as “zaif-e-malak” (i.e. royal guests.) As a result, Doctor Saeed Ahmad got many facilities during his stay. In Jeddah, Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi arranged for Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s stay at the residence of his friend Ghulam Mustafa, which, in turn, was a source of all kinds of comfort and facilities.

Arrival in Mecca

For the journey by road from Jeddah to Mecca—this was on October 17, 1947—Doctor Saeed Ahmad boarded a brand new, spacious, and comfortable Chevrolet sedan, whose use had been arranged by Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi. The journey was accomplished in comfort, and enabled visiting numerous locations aside. On entering the outskirts of Mecca, Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi led a prayer.

Except from Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s diary:

On entering this holy land, I find myself overcome with shame in that my impure self is not worthy of being here. Yes, it is Your Mercy which encompasses all. You are the Originator. Have Mercy on me.

Thanks to his being in the company of Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi, he was able to enter Mecca from that route wherefore the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) himself had entered that city. Thus, following the Holy Prophet in this way, that special opportunity came his way. Soon after arriving at the Kaaba, he proceeded to perform the tawaf (i.e. “walk all the way around” aka “circumambulate”) Doctor Saeed Ahmad has recorded his impressions from that time as follows:

Passing through the quarters, we arrived at the Bab-ul-Salam; my heart began pounding.

In the verses of rhyme by Fakhr-ud-Din Iraqi:

When I went to do tawaf of the Kaaba, they prevented me from entering the sanctuary;

They said, what have you done outside that you should be given permission to come inside?

On setting my foot in the precincts, the Kaaba came into full view in all its grandeur, its glory, its greatness, and its imposing presence.

Location of Stay

Thanks again to the mediation by Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi, Doctor Saeed Ahmad was afforded residence right across from the Darwaza-e-Abbas (i.e. the Door of Abbas) of the Kaaba. This residence, too, was a special sign of Allah’s mercy, and he writes about it as follows:

What a house it was, but a special Sign of Allah’s mercy. Allah’s promises came to mind… The Darwaza-e-Abbas of the Kaaba was right across from the house. The terrace was on the third and fourth levels of the building [in which I was residing.] The way out from the house is somewhat unclean and challenging, but when I entered the lawn adjacent to my room, the entire Haram came into full view through a handful of broken windows. And right in the middle is that view of the Kaaba, which has the door itself. Muqam-e-Ibrahim (i.e. the Place of Abraham) and the location of the Zamzam all are in front, by night and by day—24 hours of the day—and the sea of pilgrims can be seen flowing as they circumambulate the Kaaba. All that is needed to visit the Kaaba is to wake up and to get up. How can I ever express my gratitude for these facilities?

During his journey as well as his stay in the days of hajj, where Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s time was spent in the worship and remembrance of Allah, Allah’s creation—the people all around—benefited from him. And fame spread everywhere of his piety, his high morals, and his excellence in the practice of medicine. Through a wire sent to the ruler of the land, the glory of the land, Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi introduced Doctor Saeed Ahmad. And following the hajj, when he met the ruler in person, he mentioned to him about Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s excellence as a medical practitioner. It was Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi‘s wish that Doctor Saeed Ahmad should stay on after performing the hajj and to personally meet the ruler. However, Doctor Saeed Ahmad was disinclined to do so.

Allah’s Assistance and Glory manifested themselves at every step of this journey, and not only in Mecca, but in the field of Arafat, in glorious Medina, as well as in various other locations that he was able to visit in the most excellent manner.

What follows are some personal impressions that Doctor Saeed Ahmad recorded in his diary.

Excerpt from Diary (October 18, 1947)

My companions slept after the Fajr prayer. I, too, slept. But on waking up spontaneously, my enthusiasm compelled me to perform a circumambulation of the Kaaba. The first voluntary circumambulation that I performed, I dedicated it to the martyrs and to the downtrodden people of the Punjab province, as well as those of the entire subcontinent. And I offered prayers for their forgiveness by Allah… Then, before evening, I performed another circumambulation: this one dedicated to the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and the other to the Promised Messiah (Hazrat Mirza Sahib.) The final circumambulation I performed that day was following the Maghrib prayer, that being one I dedicated to my paternal grandfather.

Excerpt from Diary (October 21, 1947)

Only a half hour remained before time for the Fajr prayer would run out. There was embarrassment in my heart. Nevertheless, I comforted myself with the thought that this was perhaps destined by Allah. Moreover, I received some solace from Him. And then—near the western wall of the Kaaba—the overcoming of my heart with intense and overflowing emotions, through Allah’s Mercy, brought deep comfort to my heart. 

Till then, I had carried with the emotions of a certain complaint in regards to the other pilgrims. Their harsh voices, and their pushing one another during the circumambulation, and then the matter of my experiencing anxiety in the midst of large crowds. This morning, during a circumambulation of the Kaaba, right at that time and when the pushing of one another by pilgrims was at its most intense, Allah put in my heart the knowledge that this phenomenon was serving to promote tolerance, and that it was an essential part of building one’s morals. So the inadvertent—and inevitable—impinging of bodies against one another of individuals during the circumambulation was a source of blessings. And that some of the sins of a sinner like me would be washed away, perhaps, through these impingements, so on and so forth: Thereupon, I experienced clarity in my heart and profound, spiritual pleasure. Rather, at times during the circumambulation when I was not getting impinged by others, I felt a certain degree of deprivation, as it were.

Excerpt from Diary (October 22, 1947)

This morning, a speaker from India delivered a speech regarding a minor Judgment Day in India. Afterwards, an appeal was made for prayers. Thousands of individuals said amen and I saw many crying. May Allah accept these prayers, offered as they were at the House of Allah, and may He deliver us from those tribulations.

An Incident

Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes as follows in his diary:

A notable event from the evening of the day before yesterday now comes to mind… A corpulent individual, small in height, having a white complexion, sporting a black beard which perhaps had only a few white hair, approached us from behind, and began to make a place for himself between Ghulam Rabbani Khan and I. And when I reflexively—unintentionally as it were—tried to prevent him from doing so through my hand, or perhaps with my elbow, he said in the most mellifluous and sweet Arabic words: “Why this stinginess, and that, too, in this sacred place?” I felt utterly embarrassed, unable to reply. After some deliberation, I said to him, by way of excuse: “No, who is being stingy. You were coming between my brother and I.” I was not satisfied with my own answer, and my heart grieved during the prayer and experienced shame aside. My shortcomings began staring me in my face. On completing my prayer, I said to him: “Brother, please accept my apology.” He replied: “It is all right.” On hearing his reply, a thorn in my side, as it were, was removed.

Further Excerpts from Diary (October 22, 1947)

I met Sayyed Altaf Hussain while offering my evening prayer in the mosque. He related to me a dream in which he saw Hazrat Ameer in the Kaaba in the role of the leader of the entire Muslim nation. And this was as a result of the heartfelt prayer offered at the Kaaba. And that he had offered prayers regarding the struggle of Maulana Sadr-ud-Din. He told me that being shown that dream had given him immense satisfaction of the heart.

Then, in recording his impressions of his time at the field of Arafat, Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes:

The spiritual pleasure I experienced in offering the four rakahs of prayer at that location, and in the company of those people, is unique.

After climbing atop the rocks, we reached a perceptible height. That rocky and spiky structure, a source of mercy, was packed with people. From every direction could be heard prayers being offered, commitments being made, as well as expressions of repentance. From that place could be viewed the entire Arafat Camp. Now the sun was about to set. A few precious moments were afforded to me, ones which are, to me, just as precious as an entire lifetime. Momentarily, the sun sank behind the mountain and disappeared. Yet, the wailing and the humble prayers of the gathered souls did not cease.

Footnote 1: Sayyed Altaf Hussain was the son of Sayyed Muhammad Hussain Shah, and was an active member of the Ahmadiyya Movement.

Footnote 2: Reference to Maulana Muhammad Ali, the first president of the Ahmadiyya Movement based in Lahore.

Funeral Prayer for the Downtrodden Martyred (October 18, 1947)

Today, we learned that funeral prayers in absentia would be offered during the daily conference for the tormented martyrs of India. An argument took place in that regard. Finally, it was decided that the funeral prayer would be offered. Once while I aboard the ship that brought us here and then again in Mecca, I had instigated that such prayers be offered. Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi had sent a wire to the king of the land. In response, the matter has been referred to Islamic scholars. Muhammad Ibn Ibrahim (the visually impaired maulvi) had opposed it. However, the proposal got support from Sheikh-ul-Islam, and was approved. Tomorrow, on Friday, the funeral prayer would indeed be performed.

Impressions of the Departure from Mecca to Medina (October 18, 1947)

Our travel belongings were loaded into the car. And a farewell circumambulation was performed. Following the Zuhr prayer, the Asr prayer was combined with it. Then, casting a final glance at the Kaaba—the emotions of being torn away from it all—we emerge from the Bab-e-Vidah (i.e. “Farewell Door.”)

Impressions of the Arrival in Medina and of the Prophet’s Mosque (October 18, 1947)

Glory be to Allah! Such is the beauty and adornment of the Holy Prophet’s Mosque. And as for those who have lovingly attended to the adornment of this holy place, may Allah protect them spiritually. And we extend our salam (i.e. salutations) and Allah’s blessings on those holiest of personalities, whose blessed presence graced this land, lending it good fortune, and who gained the treasure of Islam, directly from our master and our first leader—the Holy Prophet—and thereafter conveyed it to us.

Arabic: [add / complete] O Allah, elevate our leader and messenger, Muhammad, and his followers, and his companions all, and may Allah be pleased with them.

Return from Hajj

On November 16, 1947, Doctor Saeed Ahmad and his companions made the journey from Medina to Jeddah, and stayed at the house of Doctor Ghulam Mustafa. And then, on November 19, they departed aboard an airplane, on their way to Karachi. On the night of the same day, they arrived in Karachi at 10:00 PM. They spent a few days there, and in addition to meeting their relatives, they met friends, as also the members of the Ahmadiyya Movement based in Karachi. 

In fact, during that time, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had the opportunity to lead the Friday congregational prayer. Moreover, he went to view the area of land in the Malir region which belonged to the Ahmadiyya Movement. On Monday, he also had the opportunity to participate in the series of Quranic sermons which the local chapter had organized.

The journey from Karachi to Rawalpindi was made by air, and from Rawalpindi to Mansehra by bus. From there, he proceeded to his village—Debgaran—where his relatives and friends were awaiting him eagerly. And it was with a grand reception that he was received on arriving at the Dadar Sanatorium.

This journey—one that spanned approximately two months—was the time during which many aspects of this pious believer (Doctor Saeed Ahmad) were manifested: His special relationship with God, and God’s guidance at every step, were manifested, being phenomena that an ordinary individual couldn’t otherwise have attained. On the one hand, that aspect of his personality came to the foreground wherein were evident his qualities of worshipfulness. And on the other hand were manifest his love of God‘s creation and his unalloyed service to them, as well as the sentiments of his patriotism. Most of all—and at every moment—his sincere dedication to and love for the cause of the Ahmadiyya Lahore remained prominent.

Arrival of Miss Fatima Jinnah in Dadar (1947)

It was brought to the attention of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah how the Dadar Sanatorium—one organized along the lines of its European counterparts—and located in the Frontier Province itself, was an institution of exceptionally high standard. As a result, he added the Dadar Sanatorium to the list of places he intended to visit on his tour of the Frontier Province, and in particular in the district of Hazara. 

And the news of this proposed visit was given to Doctor Saeed Ahmad. Preparations began a long while before they were to receive and host Quaid-e-Azam as well as his sister, Fatima Jinnah. On both sides of the road, welcoming phrases such as “Long Live Pakistan”, “Long Live Quaid-e-Azam”,  “Long Live Fatima Jinnah”, as well as other welcoming phrases were written on huge rocks—a permanent natural feature in Dadar—on both sides of the road. 

Then, due to certain unavoidable circumstances, Quaid-e-Azam had to cancel his trip. However, his sister, Fatima Jinnah, went ahead with her planned trip to the Dadar Sanatorium. On her arrival, a grand reception was held. At that time, Doctor Abdul Hayee Saeed—Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s son—was working in the sanatorium as part of his posting there. He had been given the entire responsibility for hosting the reception and organizing it. Speeches were delivered, and a laudatory speech was made as well. In addition, students of the local school presented a poem which the famous educator Doctor Usmani had specially written for the occasion. (Doctor Usmani, it should be added, was undergoing treatment in the sanatorium at that time.)

Grief at the Death of Quaid-e-Azam (September 11, 1948)

Like every other Pakistani, Doctor Saeed Ahmad, the patients at the Dadar Sanatorium, as well as the entire staff, had immense reverence and love for Quaid-e-Azam. News of his death cast a pall of silence over the entire sanatorium; a strange atmosphere of helplessness pervaded the air, and every individual was affected by it personally. The national flag was immediately lowered. Readings of the Holy Quran were organized. Speeches were delivered, expressing sorrow on this tragic news. For many days, the entire staff wore black bands on their arms to express sorrow. An in absentia funeral prayer—one in which everyone participated—was performed in the leadership of Doctor Saeed Ahmad.

The Good Fortune of Performing Hajj a Second Time (September 1950)

In the September of 1950, Allah blessed Doctor Saeed Ahmad with the good fortune of performing hajj a second time. In reality, the fame which he had garnered during his first hajj proved to be the cause of the second one. Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi had personally made mention to the Arabian King of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s high morals, as well as his expertise in the treatment of tuberculosis. Consequently, through the agency of Maulvi Ismail Ghaznavi, he received a royal invitation to perform hajj as a royal guest and to moreover give medical advice to the King of Arabia.

For assistance in this matter, Doctor Saeed Ahmad brought along with him Babu Illahi Baksh, who was commonly known as “Puppa.”

An offer was made by the king for Doctor Saeed Ahmad to be appointed as his personal medical doctor. But he gave preference to serving his native land and its population. So he did not accept the royal honors and wealth, and instead returned to his homeland after performing the hajj.

Footnote 1: During his childhood, Abdulla—son of Doctor Saeed Ahmad—was very fond of Babu Illahi Baksh, whom he affectionately called Puppa. As a result, he came to be commonly known by that name.

Tour of Sweden and Other European Countries (1951)

Doctor Saeed Ahmad proceeded to Europe on a fellowship of the World Health Organization (WHO.) He was a member of a team whose eight members—all at the top of their fields—had been selected from countries from all over the world. He toured many countries in Western Europe, and had the opportunity to receive training in the finest hospitals there. After approximately six months, he returned home.

Shock of Maulana Muhammad Ali’s Death (1951)

The first President of the Ahmadiyya Movement based in Lahore—Maulana Muhammad Ali—passed away on October 13, 1951. At that time, Doctor Saeed Ahmad was away in Sweden. The death of his affectionate and honorable leader, and that, too, while being stationed in a land far away from home, saddened him immensely. He used to love Doctor Saeed Ahmad like he loved his own children: His passing away was a personal shock. But even more than that, it was the realization in particular that the Ahmadiyya Movement had lost its leader, and that an unparalleled scholar had been lost to posterity. And this sensation of loss was overwhelming, and compelled him to mention it to a Swedish colonel, an  eminently egalitarian and knowledgeable individual. At the moment when Doctor Saeed Ahmad mentioned the news of Maulana Muhammad Ali‘s death, the colonel had a fork or perhaps an edible item in his hand. The news so startled him that it spontaneously dropped from his hand. He had studied Maulana Muhammad Ali‘s books, and immediately got up and brought back an issue of the Islamic Review Magazine. On the cover of that particular issue was a photograph of the late Maulana Muhammad Ali. For a long time after that, the colonel reminisced and conversed at length about him, which brought comfort and solace to the grieving Doctor Saeed Ahmad.

The Situation at the Dadar Sanatorium on Return from Sweden

Doctor Saeed Ahmad returned to his homeland in early 1952. The circumstances of the Dadar Sanatorium had changed considerably during his long absence. Many kinds of conspiracies had been hatched and were simmering below the surface: To promote their personal gains, his subordinate doctors had enlisted the help of the local mullahs (i.e. religious clerics) and managed to invidiously turn the entire staff and patients against him. Many groundless allegations were leveled against him—and circumstances which they had fomented—had made the situation a grave one, one dangerous for him personally. 

However, Doctor Saeed Ahmad knew that such intrigues and conspiracies usually ended up fizzling away quickly. So he tried to bring the situation back under control. But the matter had escalated to an extent that even the overseeing governmental organizations had been apprised of the situation. And in this matter, he was given orders by the Government that he was being transferred to Peshawar on February 24, 1952. For Doctor Saeed Ahmad, this transfer was unsuitable because of personal reasons at that particular time: He had returned home from overseas after a long time—a duration of six months—and the marriage of his daughter Khadija was to take place in the last week of March for which many arrangements had yet to be taken care of. So he made a request for an extended leave, along with offering his resignation. His request for a leave was approved. In the interim, the Inspector General of the Health Department himself came to the Dadar Sanatorium, made investigations into the ongoing situation, and revoked his resignation. He requested Doctor Saeed Ahmad to continue his medical service, a request that he accepted.

Nationwide Agitation Against the Ahmadiyya Movement (1953)

Nationwide agitation against the Ahmadiyya Movement started in the province of Punjab in 1953, resulting in the enforcement of martial law in the city of Lahore. From there it spread like wildfire, with its flames reaching as far as the Frontier Province. And once again, the conspirators made Doctor Saeed Ahmad their target. Those conspiracies which had been fermenting unnoticed during peaceful times now reared their ugly head yet again. As a reminder, among his associates were those who, along with other doctors positioned elsewhere in the Frontier Province, were covetous of becoming the next medical superintendent of the Dadar Sanatorium. As a result, the prevailing situation—the nationwide agitation against the Ahmadiyya Movement—was a source of strength for the conspirators.

The Dadar Sanatorium, because of being located in the great outdoors, was strategic in its qualities of supporting and promoting health. Its natural pleasantness was truly remarkable. Doctor Saeed Ahmad had been stationed here for a long period of time. Therefore, the entire social atmosphere had taken on a coloration of his personality. People usually associated his merit, his distinction, and his fame with Dadar. As a result, the medical practitioners in his field dreamed of being appointed here so as to themselves stay in that attractive atmosphere, to gain distinction, and to earn a good living as did Doctor Saeed Ahmad.

Thus, those opportunists saw the ongoing civil disorder in the land as a valuable opportunity, and so they began registering baseless and contrived complaints against him with even the highest government officials in the Frontier Province. At the top of the list of their complaints—reflecting their age-old attack—was the complaint that he was an Ahmadi, that he was preaching Ahmadiyyat, and that his presence in the area posed a danger to the safety of the region. The impression, too, was given to senior officials that Doctor Saeed Ahmad carried himself around as a dictator in the sanatorium, and that, too, to the extent that he would not even consider anyone else’s opinion. Now, the Dadar Sanatorium lay in the jurisdiction of the provincial government, and the district officials had no say in the matter. They, too, found this a hard pill to swallow. They, therefore, joined hands with the conspirators, and left no stone unturned in strengthening their hands. And it was in this way that the conspiracy of removing him from the sanatorium was swiftly accomplished, with the results emerging rapidly.

In March of 1953, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had traveled to Peshawar in connection with some work. The Inspector General of the Health Department spoke with him over the telephone, asking him to extend his stay in Peshawar, and that he would meet him in connection with important, official work. So Doctor Saeed Ahmad extended his stay for a whole week. He would daily go to the Inspector General’s office. However, neither the Inspector General met him nor was he told what the work was that he was to assume or for how much longer he would have to remain in Peshawar. The circumstances, thus, were troubling. He decided that it was unwise to stay on for an undetermined period of time, so he left a note in the office of the Inspector General to the effect that he was returning to the sanatorium.

In those days, the enforcement of martial law in Lahore had begun. However, no such events had taken place in the Frontier Province as to be warranted as concerning. Thus, using the subterfuge of the matter of civil disorder, the senior officials deemed the moment as being opportune for removing Doctor Saeed Ahmad from the Dadar Sanatorium. And so it was that the Inspector General had asked him to come to Peshawar and to meet him. No inkling, though, was given regarding the nature of the work that Doctor Saeed Ahmad was to take up. On his arrival in Peshawar, he was appointed to a place that was inferior when compared to his professional standing. And his return to the sanatorium was branded as posing danger to its integrity. Meanwhile, a doctor—one who had worked as a subordinate to the Doctor Saeed Ahmad—was immediately appointed as the medical superintendent of the sanatorium. That doctor had, for a long time, dreamed of attaining that position, and had been doing everything in his power to make his dream come true.

With Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s departure for Peshawar, and the arrival of the new doctor in the sanatorium, the scheme for the expulsion of Ahmadis from the Dadar Sanatorium reached its completion. Police troops descended on the sanatorium, and a list of Ahmadi patients and staff was prepared, following which they were made to board a big bus, which was dispatched to Abbottabad‘s Civil Hospital under the pretext that their lives were in danger if they remained in Dadar.

In Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s absence, these people were utterly helpless; without any protest, they arrived in Abbottabad. In those days, the facility of telephones was neither available in the sanatorium nor in his Abbottabad residence, Dar-us-Saeed. So the members of his household were completely unaware of the circumstances. His younger children were students in Abbottabad, being looked after by their mother (his junior wife) whereas his senior wife, along with a few household servants, lived in the Dadar Sanatorium. A police officer told the latter (his senior wife) that in the prevailing, dangerous circumstances, she should make arrangements to quickly leave. However, she bravely had her response conveyed back to the officer that she was not going anywhere until Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself returned. And that she did not sense any kind of danger. Meanwhile, her son Abdulla Saeed himself came and personally brought her safely to Abbottabad.

This entire exercise was based on an assumption whereby they could bring about the exodus of the Ahmadis from the sanatorium: Remember, at that time, neither was there any civil unrest in the area nor was there any agitation against Ahmadis. When this deluge of tribulations inundated the Ahmadis, it eventually proved to be a precursor to a better life for many of them. The majority of them left their employment and started their own businesses. Thus, they set up their own pharmacies and clinics, and became self-sufficient by the Grace of God. Prominent among them were Lala Ali Bahadur and Babu Illahi Baksh.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s Patience and Steadfastness During the Tribulation, and Signs of Divine Assistance

This unjust treatment of Doctor Saeed Ahmad—and the demeaning handling of him aside—tried his patience in the extreme, as it tried the patience of those near to him. It was an era of severe trials, and all kinds of dangers were looming on the horizon. Doctor Saeed Ahmad was markedly frustrated. The thought of protesting this treatment crossed his mind. Nonetheless, he remained silent, and carried himself with patience and with forbearance, reluctantly taking up his new professional appointment in the hospital. This was roughshod treatment which he had to endure—afflicted on him because he was an Ahmadi—and he wished to beseech Allah alone in this matter, and to seek assistance from Him alone. Doctor Saeed Ahmad brought to his mind the patience of Prophet Jacob (peace be upon him), and beseeched Allah with the following words:

I complain of my grief and sorrow only to Allah—Surah Yusuf (12:86)

Having Power over all things is possible for Allah Alone, and when—during times of tribulations—His servants rise to the occasion, He helps them and creates avenues of encouragement for them. Some such encouragement was created immediately for Doctor Saeed Ahmad in that when he took up his new charge in the hospital—with extreme reluctance because it was considerably below his professional standing—it was at that very time that an upheaval emerged in the government assembly of the Frontier Province. That very day, even before evening had set, the senior most government official—the one who had been at the back of this entire episode—was dismissed from his position, and a new official took the oath and replaced the former.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad would have worked in his new position for a week at most in the hospital when the Inspector General of the Health Department left on a visit of foreign lands: In his absence, Doctor Saeed Ahmad was appointed as the acting Inspector General. Allah Almighty blessed Doctor Saeed Ahmad with an honorable position after that first, trying week. As for the doctor who had taken up the position at the Dadar Sanatorium with great relish, he once again became a subordinate of Doctor Saeed Ahmad. In this way, Allah showed the latter a Sign of His Assistance.

After serving two months in this honorable position, Doctor Saeed Ahmad made a request for an extended leave. The Inspector General, by lending his personal support, got the senior most official to approve an extended leave of four months for him. Following that, Doctor Saeed Ahmad proceeded to Abbottabad. God granted him and his family peace and equanimity after two long and trying months which had been filled with anxiety.

Medical Practice in Abbottabad (1953)

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s residence in Abbottabad—Dar-us-Saeed—is made up of two sections: The vast, residential housing and the upper house, which usually served to accommodate guests. The upper house was at street level, and above the two garages was another room. During his four month-long leave, he had converted that room to serve as his modest medical clinic, situated as it wise at the street level. After that, he began to routinely attend to medical patients. 

Merely a few days had passed when news spread throughout the region that Doctor Saeed Ahmad of the Dadar Sanatorium had opened his personal medical practice. The volume of incoming patients kept increasing, and he began to realize that—compared to working for the government—his private practice was more financially lucrative. The limited compensation he received for his service as a government employee was inadequate to cover the educational expenses of his children. So he decided to give up his medical practice for the government, and arranged for the creation of an architectural plan whereby the entire structure of the upper house could be remodeled,so as to transform it into a clinic.

On the other hand, the new person in charge of the sanatorium—having arrived there with the goal of realizing many personal ambitions and dreams—was dejected and troubled after realizing that his dreams would not be fulfilled after all. Moreover, the scope for his establishing a personal private practice was non-existent and so he was having a hard time justifying his existence there. Soon he began to exert himself in the hopes of getting himself transferred somewhere else. In a few months, the senior officials had gotten a good sense of the fact that the moving spirit behind the sanatorium’s excellence was none other than Doctor Saeed Ahmad, and that its vitality was inextricably linked to him. The current medical superintendent had neither the same affection for the patients nor the same compassion. As a result, the patients and the staff were unhappy in their respective situation, and the doctors were troubled aside. Meanwhile, that medical superintendent was able to gain access to the chief minister, and having done so, explained his predicament, requesting that he be transferred back to Peshawar. The chief minister sympathized with him, and promised that he would look into that matter.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s Return to the Dadar Sanatorium

The time for the leave of Doctor Saeed Ahmad was drawing to a close when the Chief Minister spoke with him over the telephone, and asked him to take charge of the sanatorium once his leave ended. In his place, Doctor Saeed Ahmad articulated somewhat evasively and circumspectly his plan to discontinue public practice. Thereupon, the chief minister insisted, and by way of a request, drew the attention of Doctor Saeed Ahmad to the decline in the circumstances of the sanatorium and how hundreds of patients were in need of his attention, and how his taking charge of the sanatorium was essential to keep them alive and to save them from hopelessness. Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself had always been personally dedicated to the goals of the sanatorium, and always considered it his foremost duty to give them his full attention and care. As such, the Chief Minister’s request gave him cause for deliberation. So he responded that he would be in touch after giving further thought to this matter. After a few days, the Chief Minister—having received an answer in the affirmative from Doctor Saeed Ahmad—issued immediate orders for him to be transferred to the Dadar Sanatorium. And in this way, he returned honorably to the Dadar Sanatorium.

Nevertheless, he did not wind down his private practice, and continued to see patients during the weekends. At the same time, he gradually attended to the transformation of his upper house into a proper clinic. After one year, the multi storey structure of the clinic began to be visibly conspicuous from a distance. All kinds of latest medical facilities had been installed and made available. Allah blessed him with His Grace in that, during the one and a half days that he had available every week in Abbottabad, a throng of patients could be seen milling around to be seen by him. And only seldom did he have time for himself, time to rest.

Appointment as the Deputy Director of the Northern Region (1955 — 1956)

In October 1955, the four provinces of West Pakistan were organized into a unified province, and given the name “One Unit.” This unified unit itself was divided into many regions. The senior official of the Health Department who was given charge of “One Unit” was known as the Director of Health, and each of the subordinate regions had a Deputy Director appointed to oversee it. Doctor Saeed Ahmad was appointed as the Deputy Director of the Northern Region. All districts in the Frontier Province, plus a few districts of Punjab, were included in that region.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad had the highest seniority in that region, and it was inevitable for the Government to appoint him to that position. He accepted the appointment and prepared to travel to Peshawar. His friend, Raja Zoq Akhtar Khan—in his devotion to Doctor Saeed Ahmad and in expressing his love and joy at this development—took Doctor Saeed Ahmad to Peshawar by road in his new car and, in fact, left the car for Doctor Saeed Ahmad‘s personal use. As for his lodging, Doctor Saeed Ahmad rented in the Services Club a unit consisting of two rooms, and also hired a car driver and an orderly.

Legal Case Against Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s Appointment

In certain segments of society, the aforementioned, prestigious appointment given to Doctor Saeed Ahmad was unexpected and difficult to swallow. On the provocation of those individuals, a certain doctor in the region filed a lawsuit which asserted that it was he who was justified as the recipient of that appointment. Even though that doctor was junior to Doctor Saeed Ahmad, the lawsuit was based on the premise that—at the time of the founding of “One Unit”—that doctor was serving as the successor of the Inspector General and, therefore, it was his right to be appointed the Deputy Director.

In this regard, the night-time prayers of Sayyed Asadullah Shah and his beseeching Allah resulted in Allah giving him glad tidings in this matter that was troubling Doctor Saeed Ahmad, and those glad tidings served as a source of solace and comfort. The lawsuit was swiftly dismissed, and Doctor Saeed Ahmad served this one year appointment with great success and continued to be held in great esteem.

Connecting with the Ahmadiyya Movement Members During Stay in Peshawar

During his stay in Peshawar, Doctor Saeed Ahmad would spend the majority of his non-working hours with the members of the Ahmadiyya Movement. On returning from office, he would rest for a little while or read newspapers, etc. Then, following the Asr prayers, many members of the Ahmadiyya Movement would come to his Services Club residence to meet him. In particular, his long-standing friend and fellow Ahmadi, Doctor Abdul Aziz, would come often and spend time with him.

Following the Maghrib prayers, he would go to the Ahmadiyya mosque, which was located on the street known as Koocha Gulbadshah, and oftentimes it would be after the Ishaa prayers that he would return to his residence in the Services Club. During that time, matters of mutual interest would be discussed with other Ahmadis. Discussions regarding the Ahmadiyya Movement, as well as the series of Quranic sermons and reflections were established. Anytime that Doctor Saeed Ahmad was present in the mosque, he would lead the prayers. 

At that time, Babu Faqeer Muhammad—he would go on to become a radiographer—was a young man who had completed his education and was going through professional training. He resided with Doctor Saeed Ahmad in Peshawar for four months, and has recorded the following recollections:

Outside of his working hours, Doctor Saeed Ahmad preferred to spend his time with the members of the Ahmadiyya Movement. He would also go to meet Ahmadi members individually. However, they would often come to meet him at his Services Club residence. Following the Maghrib prayer, they would head for the mosque on Koocha Gulbadshah. Among the Ahmadi members I remember in particular are: Dilawar Khan, Abdur Rahman Niazi, Abdullah Jan Niazi, Muhammad-ur-Rahman, and Doctor Abdul Aziz Khan. In addition, there would be 10 or 15 other individuals. Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself would lead the congregational prayers and deliver the Friday sermons.

Extension of Employment and Appointment to the Dadar Sanatorium (October 1956)

In October 1956, with a view to his age—Doctor Saeed Ahmad was 56 years old at that time—he resigned from the Department of Health as its Deputy Director. After giving charge to the newly designated Deputy Director, he returned to Abbottabad. In those days, the Department of Health was going through a confounding predicament: The situation of the Dadar Sanatorium was not good. The then medical superintendent—not having found the financial profitability that he had dreamed of—was unhappy and had, in fact, requested that he be transferred to another location. And no other doctor wanted to be transferred to Dadar. 

The Government, therefore, was compelled to acknowledge that only that individual could take charge, with excellence, as the sanatorium’s medical superintendent as the one who was personally familiar with it, and who was imbued with the spirit of selfless service. Consequently, the senior officials approached Doctor Saeed Ahmad with the offer of an extension of employment whereby he would return to the sanatorium. Doctor Saeed Ahmad accepted the offer with some concessions and proceeded to the sanatorium.

Extension of the Dadar Sanatorium

From time to time, additional medical wards were added to the sanatorium. This time, extension began in the section located in the direction of the Northern hill, the one which separated Dadar from Bhugarmang. Many wards—for men as well as for women—were added, and in this way, the hospital came to have more than 300 patient beds. And then, alongside the main building of the hospital lay an empty field, which had facilities for volleyball and other sports. At that location was constructed a new block in which came to be housed a surgery room, a few recovery rooms, and other rooms with medical facilities as well. In those days, too, a recreational club—earmarked for the recreational pursuits of the doctors—was constructed adjacent to the bungalow of the assistant surgeon.

Death of Sayyed Asadullah Shah

On February 14, 1957, Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s especially dear friend and religious elder—Sayyed Asadullah Shah—passed away. The position he held in Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s life was nothing short of an affectionate father. At every step of his life, he had gained comfort and sustenance from Sayyed Asadullah Shah’s prayers. His death, thus, had the effect of draining the life out of Doctor Saeed Ahmad, leaving him enervated. 

On receiving the wire bearing the news of his death, he remained in his room for a long time. He beseeched Allah Almighty to be granted patience and forbearance to bear the acute loss. One can only imagine that he must have shed tears in those moments. Eventually, he opened his room’s door and called out to his daughter Safia Saeed, instructing her: “It is difficult for me to pronounce the contents of this news wire. So I am entrusting you with this task. Convey this news to your mother and to your brothers and sisters.” Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s directives were followed: In a few moments, the entire household got enveloped in silence. Then he summoned all members of the household and shared with them some comforting words. And following that, he set out from Abbottabad for Lahore. However, he was unable to arrive in time to participate in the funeral, which, in itself, was a source of grief for him.

Offer of Extension to Employment

Initially, Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s employment had been extended by three years, and so his employment was to end in October 1959. The Government then extended his appointment by an additional three years, along with some concessions. So he continued his public practice in this way.

Arrival of Malik Ameer Muhammad Khan (Nawab of Kalabagh) at the Dadar Sanatorium

As the medical superintendent of the Dadar Sanatorium, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had the honor of hosting innumerable guests—both local and from other nations—as well as senior officials, people in high positions, ministers, and so forth. However, hosting Malik Ameer Muhammad Khan had greater significance in that he came as a result of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s personal request: Back when he was serving as the Deputy Director of the Northern Region, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had visited the Kalabagh region (whose nawab was Malik Ameer Muhammad Khan.) During that visit, when he met Malik Ameer Muhammad Khan, he had extended to him an offer for him to come to Dadar, saying: “You have constructed a glorious resting place on the banks of the river in Kalabagh. I, too, have constructed a resting place—an eminently modest one—along the banks of the river in Dadar. You must come and visit us sometime.”

Malik Ameer Muhammad Khan promised that he would come visit the Dadar Sanatorium. And he did come, accompanied by the Minister of Health, Khudadad Khan. He was greatly satisfied by his visit. In the afternoon, he spent leisurely time on the terrace on the banks of the River Siran: Arrangements had been made to host him right there on the terrace.

Subsequently, Khudadad Khan and other ministers came to visit the sanatorium on numerous occasions. Sometimes, they even dropped by unannounced, and always found the conditions satisfactory in every way: And they never had any reason whatsoever to interfere in the operation of the sanatorium.

The Honor of Sitara-e-Khidmat (i.e. Star of Meritorious Service award)

In 1961, the Government of Pakistan honored Doctor Saeed Ahmad with the prestigious Sitara-e-Khidmat (i.e. Star of Meritorious Service award), which acknowledged his many years of selfless service. And in this way, he received three high awards: The first two awards were given to him by the British government of the time: Khan Sahib, and then, Khan Bahadur. These two honorary names thereafter became, in the minds of the people, inextricably linked with his own name: They always refer to him as “Khan Bahadur Doctor Saeed Ahmad Khan Sahib.”

Plan for the Construction of a Medical Ward to be Named in Honor of Doctor Saeed Ahmad

During the years 1962 to 1963, at the instigation of patients who had recovered—and with the cooperation of patients undergoing treatment—some funds were gathered to finance the construction of a medical ward that would be dedicated in Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s name. Their goal was to express appreciation and give thanks for all those blessings with which he had blessed the sanatorium. A lot of back-and-forth had taken place on this matter, and in fact, even some construction had commenced. 

However, a group of enviers considered that development contrary to their nefarious goals: That the name of Doctor Saeed Ahmad would be remembered for posterity in this way, and that this would be a thorn in their side. So they caused mischief and unruliness. The upshot was that this plan had to be put on the back burner, and the supporters of Doctor Saeed Ahmad did not have the opportunity to carry the plan through to its completion.

Resignation from Employment at the Dadar Sanatorium

At the conclusion of his three years of extended service, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had been requested to serve an additional three years. He had accepted the extension of one year in order to give time to the Health Department to find a suitable medical superintendent to replace him whereby he could leave the sanatorium in the hands of an individual who could continue to run its operations with the same dedication and selfless service and to make it continue to prosper.

In October 1963, he requested the leave of one year, that being his rightful benefit at the end of his employment. And in October 1964, following a period of a 25 years-long association with the Dadar Sanatorium, he permanently resigned from that employment.

If the task of performing a comprehensive assessment of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s services as the medical superintendent of the Dadar Sanatorium is not outright impossible, it is certainly difficult. He spent many years—both inside the sanatorium and outside—with an exceptionally busy schedule. For many years, he served as the president of the Specialist Panel of the Medical Association of Hazara. He would regularly give talks at the auspices of Radio Peshawar, by request, on the treatment of tuberculosis in the Pashto language. He was designated time after time to participate in medical conferences. He used to travel to far away places—Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, for example—to participate in medical conferences.

He used to participate in all kinds of welfare works in his geographical area. He would organize for the provision of inoculation to prevent seasonal as well as other illnesses, not only in his own village, but in all the nearby villages as well, and that, too, by financing it personally.

During his 25 years-long association with the sanatorium, Allah blessed Doctor Saeed Ahmad with more children: One daughter and five sons. And during that same period of time, four of his daughters, as well as one of his sons, got married. In short, that period of time was filled with fruitfulness, mercy, and blessings for him and for his entire household. Reflecting on that era, Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes:

Glory be to Allah in that I was myself a long-standing patient of tuberculosis. There were times when I would begin to lose hope in my life and in my future. Allah not only rescued me from this ailment, He made me qualified enough whereby I could serve patients who were stricken by this disease. And to serve them on their way to healing, to give them the good news of a new life that lay ahead for them. It is wholly through the Grace and Blessing of Allah that I was given the extended opportunity of 25 to 26 years to serve humanity at this location. This is the Blessing and Grace of Allah. And I simply do not have enough days left in my life to thank Allah by prostrating myself before Him.

He further writes:

Today, there are innumerable people—not only in the Indian Subcontinent, but in every part of the world—who have benefited from the sanatorium and thereby gained a new life. One’s head bows before Allah in awe of the manifestations of His Power in that it was from decidedly humble beginnings that this place quickly began to make progress, to the point that after I had completed 25 years of service there, and I had come to retire, this institution was the second most well-known institution of its kind in the Indian Subcontinent which had the facilities for 310 patient beds. My son, Abdul Hayee Saeed, who had accompanied me on my very first visit to Dadar, he, all praise to Allah, is at this time one of the leading doctors—at the international level—in the area of treating tuberculosis.

Glorious manifestations of Divine assistance were clearly expressed during my service of this institution. And the 25 years of life that I spent here constitute a period to which I can refer as paradise on earth.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad remained involved in all aspects of the sanatorium, beginning with its planning, its construction, and its inauguration. And then—from 1939 to 1964—he served as its medical superintendent. Those years of his were the best years of the sanatorium. Following his departure, the grandeur of the sanatorium, too, departed. Thereafter, it was converted into a general and mental hospital.

In a news article titled “The Government Mental and General Hospital in Dadar, on the Verge of Destruction,” which was published on October 13, 2014 in North—a daily newspaper published from Abbottabad—captures the story of the rise and fall of the Dadar Sanatorium. The following excerpt is taken from that article:

Finally, in 1939, this grand plan was completed whereby the famed medical practitioner, Doctor Khan Bahadur Doctor Saeed Ahmad Khan was appointed as the medical superintendent. And in this way began the treatment of those afflicted by a disease that was considered untreatable, and one whose pronouncement—for an individual—would effectively ring their death knell. Local residents offered every kind of cooperation. The patients entering the hospital received excellent care, and were provided all kinds of facilities. A movie theater had been constructed for the entertainment of the patients. They, along with their companions, were able to watch movies for free. 

It was said that at the time of bidding farewell to a recently recovered patient, they would be sent off with great fanfare: They would be draped in garlands of flowers and, astride a horse, they would be escorted in an eminently dignified manner to the gate at the perimeter of the sanatorium grounds, the gate being located at a distance of one kilometer from the hospital itself. The medical superintendent himself, along with the staff, would accompany the newly recovered patient who was astride the horse.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad was a diligent medical practitioner, and this is the reason why he served as the medical superintendent of the hospital for the longest time. During his posting there, the hospital made tremendous progress. Patients from all parts of Asia would come, and leave after regaining health. Thus it was that it had the honor of being the largest hospital in Asia.