Hayat-e-Saeed

Stay in Dar-us-Saeed, Abbottabad 1963 to 1974

One year before the completion of the extension to his employment, Doctor Saeed Ahmad took a one-year leave in October 1963 and took up residence in Dar-us-Saeed in Abbottabad. Dar-us-Saeed is the name of that residence whose construction he himself had arranged and overseen. He writes as follows about its construction:

My ancestral homeland is Debgaran, the village where ancestors in my family had been living since ancient times. It so happens that, during my employment, I had purchased a tract of land in the Upper Malikpura neighborhood of Abbottabad, one which was at the street level and faced the District Jail. And that is the area where I had got my house constructed. Then, from time to time, I had purchased additional tracts of adjoining land, and in that way had extended the house. In sum, the total acreage of my land was eight kanals. With the passage of time, additions continued to be made to the constructed part of the house proper, eventually leading to the house taking on a three-storeyed structural formation, one which—by the Grace of Allah—provided nearly all amenities of daily living. At the back of the house lies a ravine, one that is populated by a variety of trees, creating an atmosphere of lush greenery.

The construction of the house did not take place through the consultation or advice of an architect or engineer. Rather, its various sections—one after another—were constructed through my personal discretion, and in light of various family needs as and when they arose. But once it had attained its final construction, the building assumed a structure which served as a safe, strong, and secure refuge for us during the tragic events of 1974.

Even though there were adequate arrangements for me to reside there during my employment at the Dadar Sanatorium, some members of my family—in particular my children who were receiving education—were residing in that building in Abbottabad.

On Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s arrival in Abbottabad, where on the one hand the city was blessed with the services of a uniquely qualified and expert medical practitioner, on the other hand the doors to spiritual blessings and grace were opened for the members of the Ahmadiyya Movement. His 10-year long stay in Abbottabad was one of good fortune as well as strengthening the Ahmadiyya Movement community in every way. On the one hand, people were drawn to seek his treatment for all kinds of physical ailments, and on the other hand, members of the Ahmadiyya Movement would run to him to receive spiritual blessings. This period of time, in every way, was a milestone for him in both worldly and spiritual progress. Through his personal effort and activities, the Ahmadis in Hazara gained special spiritual strength and the Ahmadiyya Mosque was constructed in Abbottabad, providing a center for them.

Construction of the Ahmadiyya Mosque

Although Abbottabad has been home to many notable Ahmadis, the construction of an Ahmadiyya Mosque is an honor that fell to the lot of Doctor Saeed Ahmad. In the first period of the Ahmadiyya Movement, a notable Ahmadi lawyer—Shaikh Nur Ahmad—had designated a room in his home as the mosque for the Ahmadis, and it was used for that purpose. His house had burned down during a fire in 1936. When a new house was constructed according to a new architecture draft, that room which used to serve as the mosque no longer remained. However, his son designated a room in his house to serve as the venue for observing the Friday congregational prayer.

In 1961, Doctor Saeed Ahmad purchased a half kanal tract of land near his house, and got a small and beautiful mosque constructed. This mosque had two storeys whose lower section was dedicated to serve as the seating area for women. In the beginning, that section was fully prepared. And then in 1962, its construction had progressed to the point where it became possible to observe regular congregational daily prayers. Therefore, Doctor Saeed Ahmad went to meet Shaikh Mohammad Ahmad and sought his permission for the observance of future Friday congregational prayers in that mosque. He expressed happiness on news of the availability of the newly constructed mosque. But with a certain sadness, he remarked: “The good fortune of our house is departing.”

The very next day, Shaikh Nur Ahmad had the existing prayer mats sent to the new mosque so that it would be immediately furnished. Only a few months had passed when he suddenly passed away after some heart trouble. This was God’s will that the mosque be constructed while he was alive, because after his departure from this worldly life, it would no longer have been possible to perform the Friday congregational prayers at his residence. His children were still young, and other than their mother, they had no one in the house as their guardian.

Delay in the Construction of the Mosque

Right up until the construction of the upper storey of the mosque, the general public had not become aware that the building that was being constructed adjacent to Doctor Saeed Ahmad‘s house was actually a mosque. The general understanding was that Doctor Saeed Ahmad was merely making further extensions to his house. Therefore, there was no interference from them. 

But when construction of the upper storey of the mosque began, curious and spying eyes fell on it, and soon the news began to spread that an Ahmadiyya Mosque was being constructed. How could the opposition let this opportunity slip through their hands? They immediately began scheming and started involving the residents of the neighborhood. As soon as they had got their cooperation, they were able to get a lawsuit registered in the court and thereby obtained legal orders for preventing any further construction of the mosque. 

So the construction ground to a halt. Every member of the Ahmadiyya Movement was deeply shocked. They were all going through unspeakable agony, trying to come to grips with how their freedom and their very lifespan, as it were, were being confined and abridged in a supposedly free country. In such circumstances, Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s forbearance and patience were exemplary: He urged everyone to carry themselves with patience and forbearance and—during times of hopelessness such as those—to beseech God and to keep their hopes alive for receiving justice. 

However, Doctor Saeed Ahmad disliked taking up legal recourse or worldly protest. The majority of the Ahmadis agreed with his position, although a few members did demonstrate some emotionalism. Thus, an Ahmadi who had formerly been a judge in Srinagar—Khawaja Raheem—put a lot of emphasis on taking legal recourse against the order which had brought the construction of their mosque to a complete halt. Considering such a step inappropriate, Doctor Saeed Ahmad dissuaded Khawaja Raheem from doing so. However, in his personal capacity, Khawaja Raheem made efforts to get the annulment of the legal order. While the construction of the mosque had no doubt been stopped, the gatherings for daily prayers and for reflections on the Holy Quran continued with regularity in that small mosque.

At last, that day drew closer when the prayers—and sorrowful beseeching—of the Ahmadis would be answered by God. And through God’s special Grace, an unprejudiced and decent soul—a new DC (Deputy Commissioner)—was appointed to Abbottabad. Soon after the DC had assumed his official responsibilities, Doctor Saeed Ahmad went to meet him, and made him aware of the circumstances. Understanding the situation and the facts on the ground, the DC immediately canceled the legal restraining order. As a result, construction on the mosque began anew, and a beautiful mosque came into existence.

A brief guest house was also constructed adjacent to the mosque, one which consisted of about seven rooms. From the upper storey, the view of Abbottabad is an especially pleasing one, being a view graced with the sweeping grandeur of the great outdoors.

Adornment of the Ahmadiyya Mosque

Neither a minaret nor a dome were ever added to the Ahmadiyya Mosque. However, a beautiful kalimah—one which adorned the facade of the mosque—added to its attractiveness. From afar, passersby could clearly see it. The beautifully inscribed kalimah was the handiwork of a highly capable Ahmadi painter and artist, Mirza Latif, who had put in many weeks’ worth of dedicated effort to complete the work. This kalimah is no longer there: While it had remained unscathed during the turmoil of the anti Ahmadiyya Movement of 1974, it was martyred in the week of the events which ensued in the wake of the promulgation and enforcement in 1984 of the Ordinance of General Zia, one which severely circumscribed what little remained of the rights of Ahmadis in Pakistan to practice their religious freedom. 

In a moving act of reverence and with the utmost respect, Doctor Abdul Karim rescued a few fragments of the kalimah, and placed them in a frame, with an accompanying poem, which he himself wrote, one expressing his shock and sadness. He then presented the framed collage to his father—Doctor Saeed Ahmad—who placed it as an adornment in his office in the Dar-us-Salam colony in Lahore, that being the office which was designated for the use of the president of the Ahmadiyya Movement. The framed collage remains there to this day.

The impressions of a patient regarding the aforementioned attractive kalimah are worthy of reminiscing about, and are as follows: This medical patient, Safia Begum, was the daughter of Mian Fazal-ur-Rahman in Multan and the sister of Mian Umar Farooq. Safia Begum herself had related this impression to Doctor Saeed Ahmad from a time in the past when she was troubled by her illness, and how she came to his clinic in Abbottabad, at which time she was provided living quarters in the section above the clinic itself. While standing in the lawn adjacent to the residence, Safia Begum’s eyes spontaneously fell on the kalimah adorning the Ahmadiyya Mosque: She sensed that her healing and cure were destined in this very place. And with her heart at peace and rest, she began her treatment. And Allah granted her healing. Mian Umar Farooq narrated this anecdote —which his sister had shared with him—during a gathering on July 4, 2004 to reminisce and honor those gone by with their remembrance.

Financing the Construction of the Ahmadiyya Mosque

The mosque was built on that tract of land which Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself had purchased. However, members from all Ahmadiyya Movement chapters in Hazara enthusiastically contributed to financing its construction. Some philanthropists of the Ahmadiyya Movement also lent their support. At that time, the construction had cost approximately Rupees 30,000. The Central Ahmadiyya Movement also contributed Rupees 5,000 toward that end.

Ahmadiyya Movement Activities in the Ahmadiyya Mosque

With Doctor Saeed Ahmad taking up permanent residence in Abbottabad, a new pulse of life began coursing through the Ahmadiyya Movement. The five daily congregational prayers began to be observed regularly in the mosque. Qazi Abdul Ahad was appointed as its imam. When the azan (i.e. call to prayer) was sounded by him from the mosque, its reverberations would fill the air, stretching through the airy expanse, far and away. People all around would listen to the azan with curiosity, wondering whether it was from some ordinary Muslim. But unable to ascertain its source, they would remain hesitant and confused for some time. 

Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself would lead the morning prayer. His mellifluous and entrancing recitation of the holy Quran, along with his soulful beseeching of Allah during prayers, would move and melt the hearts of those in his company. And in the evening prayer, men and women and children in large numbers would participate and benefit from his reflections on the Holy Quran, the Hadith, and the recorded sayings of the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Sahib. Such blessed gatherings would continue until the Isha prayer, following which they would be concluded.

This mosque rapidly became the center of the Hazara division. The Friday congregational prayers, as well as the two annual Eid celebrations in particular would be times of festivities. Men and women and children from adjoining areas would come to participate in the Friday congregational prayers, in particular from Mansehra, Daata, Haripur, etc., increasing the number of believers gathered to remember and worship Allah. Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself would look after arrangements for their dining and rest needs. Everyone would be served with tea following the Friday congregational prayer. In this way, everyone would sit together informally and engage in casual conversation, leading to greater interaction and mutuality in getting to know one another better. Large gatherings in particular would congregate during the two annual Eid celebrations. Following the Eid prayer, everyone gathered would be served sweets and such. And care was taken to ensure that children were given eidee (i.e. small sums of discretionary money.)

Annual Gatherings

In the summer of 1963, Doctor Saeed Ahmad initiated a series of annual gatherings. These gatherings would usually take place over two days. Participants would come from Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, as well as several other locations. Adequate arrangements would be made for the lodging and dining needs of the guests. The attendees would benefit from the high caliber speeches delivered by such well-known individuals as Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi, Naseer Ahmad Faruqui, Mirza Masud Baig, Professor Khalil-ur-Rahman, and others. In such gatherings, non-Ahamdis would also be invited, and would receive opportunities to deliver speeches and exchange their ideas as well. In particular, the noteworthy educator Aziz-ur-Rahman Badshah—he was based in Abbottabad—would participate and address the audiences.

Footnote: Aziz-ur-Rahman Badshah was the teacher of Doctor Abdul Karim Saeed and one whom he—during his student days—had introduced to the Ahmadiyya Movement’s English translation of the Holy Quran and to other Ahmadiyya Movement literature as well.

The Ahmadiyya Mosque as an Educational Center

The pleasant climate of Abbottabad, its wide open atmosphere was, naturewise, especially attractive for residents of other cities and localities that had warm climates. Many members of the Ahmadiyya Movement would often come to Abbottabad during the summer season. In fulfilling the wishes of Doctor Saeed Ahmad and in respectful deference to him, missionaries undergoing their educational studies—in particular the students from other countries who had come to the Ahmadiyya Movement Center in Lahore—would come to Abbottabad and stay there for a period of two months. In those days, too, Naseer Ahmad Faruqui would take up residence in Abbottabad. 

Thus, the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Abbottabad would be transformed into a veritable educational academy where Naseer Ahmad Faruqui would, with the utmost diligence and dedication, educate others in the knowledge and understanding of the Holy Quran. He was, in fact, the moving spirit and the overseeing individual of the lecture series. And when Professor Khalil-ur-Rahman, Qazi Abdul Ahad, and other teachers were present, they, too, would enrich the attendees’ education with their respective sermons. 

Adding that Maulvi Kamal Hydal and Safura Hameed—both from the Caribbean islands—were present in Abbottabad as students during the summer of 1974. Both students were, in fact, present alongside the family of Doctor Saeed Ahmad during the traumatic events of 1974 and are eyewitnesses of the violent chaos which anti-Ahmadi hooligans wreaked at that time.

The Fulfillment of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s Wish to Learn Arabic

Doctor Saeed Ahmad had received his introductory Arabic training in the high school in Qadian. He had systematically and thoroughly studied the translation and explanations of the Holy Quran, and continued his studies. All the same, the longing for deeply and fully comprehending the Arabic works of the Promised Messiah—Hazrat Mirza Sahib—in their totality had remained unfulfilled. Through the agency of the mosque in Abbottabad, Allah made possible the means for the fulfillment of his yearning. As mentioned earlier, Qazi Abdul Ahad was the imam of the mosque: It was from his complete mastery of Arabic as a language and its grammar that Doctor Saeed Ahmad tremendously benefited.

In his essay entitled Hazrat Ameer, Doctor Saeed Ahmad Khansahib, Qazi Abdul Ahad writes as follows:

Although by way of profession Doctor Saeed Ahmad was a capable medical practitioner and a specialist in treating chest diseases, he also commanded excellence in the mastery of religious knowledge. In Abbottabad, it was the daily routine that, following the Maghrib prayer, and leading up to the Ishaa prayer, Quranic sermons, reflections on the Hadith in the Sahih Bukhari, and the recorded saying of the Promised Messiah (Hazrat Mirza Sahib, the founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement) would take place and attendees would participate in all these activities. Moreover, a conference between us two—Doctor Saeed Ahmad and I—would take place in which I would read aloud to him in Arabic the written works of the Promised Messiah. I personally benefited from such conferences and from Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s company in that my own knowledge progressively continued to grow. And this is a treasure that came my way through his person.

(Excerpted from the November/December 1997 issue of the flagship magazine of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Paigham-e-Sulah.)

Summer School in Abbottabad

In Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s heart remained active the sentiment and desire for the betterment and welfare of the Ahmadi youth, and in particular their religious and moral education. And he always harbored in his heart the wish for future generations to be given opportunities for benefiting from the teachings of the great ideals and objectives of the Ahmadiyya Movement as well as the teachings of the Promised Messiah. Once the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Abbottabad had been built, and the Hazara-based Ahmadiyya Movement had become sufficiently active, the idea arose in his mind to organize a high caliber educational series of courses during the summer vacation whereby students would attend in a health-giving environment via the formation of regularly occurring summer camps: Where students would participate in extracurricular activities during summer vacations, they could likewise receive excellent education and, at the same time, be able to enjoy pleasant and cool weather of Abbottabad. It was on the aforesaid foundations that a series of courses for the youth should be started in the Ahmadiyya Mosque. 

With that in mind, and having prepared a comprehensive plan to implement it, Doctor Saeed Ahmad presented the suggestion to the President of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Maulana Sadr-ud-Din, who wholeheartedly approved it. And thus, under the auspices of the Central Ahmadiyya Movement in Lahore, the summer school in Abbottabad was initiated. The summer school was inaugurated in 1971 during the summer vacations for the school system and its duration was approximately three weeks. 

Thus, youth from the majority of the Ahmadiyya Movement chapters throughout Pakistan in particular, and other family members in general, would participate with great enthusiasm, and in addition to receiving training in religion and morals, they had the pleasure of doing so in the pleasant and cool climate of Abbottabad, not to mention the peaceful atmosphere. To achieve the goal of supporting the youth’s educational needs, the Ahmadiyya Movement Center in Lahore would make available scholars and missionaries and speakers to travel to Abbottabad. 

Maulana Sadr-ud-Din himself—the second president of the Ahmadiyya Movement—would come as well to Abbottabad. In addition, Doctor Allah Baksh, Naseer Ahmad Faruqui, Mirza Masud Baig, Saleh Nur, Professor Khalil-ur-Rahman, Qazi Abdul Ahad, and Doctor Saeed Ahmad himself would be prominent among the teachers. And oftentimes, Mian Fazl-e-Ahmad and many other leading members of the Ahmadiyya Movement would spend some time there.

In referring to the Ahmadiyya Mosque, Doctor Saeed Ahmad writes as follows:

This was the central meeting point for the Ahmadiyya Movement chapters in Hazara for holding conferences. The series of Quranic sermons, and the observation of daily congregational prayers, was begun here. Men and women from Abbottabad as well as other chapters began coming here to perform their Friday congregational prayers. Gatherings of the local [Abbottabad] chapter would be held here in which members from other chapters, as well as members of the Ahmadiyya Movement Center in Lahore would participate. 

In the Annual Gathering, men and women, from near and far, national and international, would all come to participate. Given the pleasant climate, members of the Ahmadiyya Movement would come here. Moreover, students, and missionaries from foreign countries would come and stay here to acquire knowledge of Islam, and under the auspices of the Ahmadiyya Movement Center in Lahore, the summer school was inaugurated here, which would take place in summers, given the cooler environment of Abbottabad, as well as its healthy atmosphere, one in which the youth in particular and other members of the Ahmadiyya Movement in general would participate. For their education and training, the Ahmadiyya Movement Center in Lahore would arrange for scholars, missionaries, and speakers to come to Abbottabad, whose atmosphere would be transformed—for all the while they were here—into a festive one. Those meetings and gatherings would be intellectually rich. The excellent sermons were sure to enrich and edify the attendees. In this way, the atmosphere in Abbottabad would become like that of the festivities associated with an Eid, or perhaps a wedding reception. 

For its influence as well as for its results, and for its usefulness as well as for its importance, the launching of the summer school has historical significance. Alas, this series had to be discontinued due to adverse circumstances: It was discontinued after a few years. Now it is held in the Ahmadiyya Movements Center in Lahore.

Professor Ijaz Ahmad has, in his article entitled Alhumdulillah, observed as follows regarding the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Abbottabad as well in connection with the summer school:

Those individuals who have seen the mosque for themselves readily acknowledge its beauty. His [i.e. Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s] presence and this mosque became the center of the Ahmadiyya Movement in the district of Hazara. In fact, the Abbottabad chapter [of the Ahmadiyya Movement] played the role of hosting the summer camps. Doctor Saeed Ahmad had initially founded the training courses to be held in Abbottabad after getting approval from the President of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Maulana Sadr-ud-Din. These training courses were highly lauded. Distinguished religious elders of the Movement such as Maulana Sadr-ud-Din, Doctor Saeed Ahmad, Naseer Ahmad Faruqui, Mirza Masud Baig, and Professor Khalil-ur-Rahman actively participated in it.

(Excerpted from the November/December 1997 issue of the flagship magazine of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Paigham-e-Sulah.)

Commencement of Regular Medical Practice in the Dar-us-Saeed Clinic

During his employment, Doctor Saeed Ahmad had arranged for necessary alterations and requisite additions to a portion of his residence, Dar-us-Saeed—that part which consisted of three or so rooms in the upper level, and including the garage, and present in the form of a house—and transformed it into a comprehensive clinic through the expenditure of a significant sum of money to equip it with the latest medical instruments as well as surgical equipment. The latest technology X-Ray machine as well as a superior quality laboratory was also set up.

It was the only clinic of its kind in the entire region. During his employment—on Saturday evenings, and the daytime on Sundays—he would remain present in the clinic to serve humanity. Once his public employment contract was completed, he took permanent residence in Abbottabad, launching his regular medical practice in the clinic. The fame of his expert medical skills had already spread throughout the region. Now, very quickly, the fame of the clinic, too, spread far and wide, and the convenient availability of all kinds of medical treatment under one roof became an additional source of attraction for the patients. Sometimes, when patients wanted to spend the night there, arrangements were made for handling that need as well.

Kindly Dealings with Medical Patients

Doctor Saeed Ahmad never charged medical visit fees from those patients who were genuinely poor. Moreover, he would often personally defray the cost of their medicines as well as other expenses that such patients’ visits incurred. If the needed medicine was available, he would give it to them on the spot. Otherwise, he would write a medical prescription and instruct them to get their prescription filled at any one of two pharmacies: The Pak Medical Store or the Khyber Medical Store. Subsequently, he would take care of reimbursing these medical stores for the expenses of filling the prescriptions. The aforementioned pharmacies were owned by two Ahmadis, Master Asghar Ali and Ahmad Sadiq. Both pharmacies were burned down by hooligans during the tragic riots and disturbances of 1974.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad never charged medical fees from anyone belonging to his village, or from his relatives, and in fact never even charged medical visit fees from his children’s teachers, or from their families, and neither from any member of the Ahmadiyya Movement. Despite all this, Allah always kept open for Doctor Saeed Ahmad the doors of plentiful remuneration for his pious and honest work, one in which the poor and needy always had a portion.

Bashir Ahmad, Deputy Superintendent Police Peshawar, writes as follows:

Once the turn for a poor medical patient to be seen came late. Nighttime was falling and his home was far away. Doctor Saeed Ahmad offered the patient an invitation to stay there for the night. However, it was urgent for the patient to return home. So Doctor Saeed Ahmad returned the medical visit fee to the patient, and moreover paid for the expense of the patient’s taxi trip.

(Excerpted from the November/December 1997 issue of the flagship magazine of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Paigham-e-Sulah.)

An excerpt from an essay by Professor Ijaz Ahmad:

After retiring, Doctor Saeed Ahmad took up residence in Abbottabad. Here, too, his activities revolved around the service of humanity, and around the imparting of religious education to others. His fame extended far and wide. Medical patients from other districts and cities would seek him for medical treatment. As for those patients who could not afford to pay their medical visit fees, he would not even bring up the subject of their making any kind of payment. Rather, he would personally furnish medications to the poor patients, as well as to Ahmadi patients. In addition, he would often give them money to buy suitably nourishing food. Located below his clinic was a room where patients—those who had come from far away—would often be served with meals quite often.

(Excerpted from the November/December 1997 issue of the flagship magazine of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Paigham-e-Sulah.)

The public placed complete trust in Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s healing touch. Sometimes, patients would express sentiments to the effect that just one look from him was the source of healing; that just one look of mercy from him would suffice for them. It is related that toward the beginning of 1974—at that time he was unwell and therefore unable to go to the clinic—his older son Abdul Hayee Saeed was present to inquire into his father’s health. So Doctor Saeed Ahmad asked him to spend some time in the clinic so that patients would not have to go back disappointed. Abdul Hayee Saeed examined one patient and suggested a medicine. The patient replied, “Doctor Sahib, your diagnosis and recommended medications are absolutely valid. However, I sure would be satisfied if the Senior Doctor Sahib could perhaps cast just one glance at me.” Countless similar incidents are well known. However, it is not possible to include all of them here.

Timings of the Dar-us-Saeed Clinic and the Zuhr Prayer

The designated schedule of the clinic was from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. But seldom was it that Doctor Saeed Ahmad was able to leave the clinic at 1:00 PM. Oftentimes, it would be 3:00 PM or 4:00 PM in the afternoon before he was able to conclude his medical activities on any given day. As such, the combining of Zuhr and Asr daily prayers was becoming a routine. Allah communicated to him an admonition by way of Surah Israel (a portion of verse 78) as an auditory revelation:

اَقِمِ الصَّلٰوۃَ لِدُلُوۡکِ الشَّمۡسِ

Keep up prayer from the declining of the sun till the darkness of the night—Surah Bani Israil (17:78)

Acting on the divine directive immediately, Doctor Saeed Ahmad instructed his medical assistants that no medical patient should be sent to him after 1:00 PM. Sometimes, when patients protested, he would proceed to the mosque all the same at 1:00 PM, and after performing his Zuhr prayers, he would return to the clinic and see those patients.

The clinic would remain open between the times of the Asr and Maghrib prayers, and if any patients came during that interval, Doctor Saeed Ahmad would be notified, and he would proceed to the clinic to attend to them.

Treatment of Patients and Successful Surgeries in the Dar-us-Saeed Clinic

Doctor Saeed Ahmad specialization was the treatment of tuberculosis. However, he had comprehensive expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of all kinds of ailments. He performed many kinds of surgeries in his clinic, in particular appendectomies.

A renowned medical doctor based in Lahore, Doctor Abdul Wahab, once visited Abbottabad and stayed there for a few days. Doctor Saeed Ahmad had made arrangements for him to stay in the upper level above his medical clinic. Doctor Abdul Wahab would often stop by the clinic and spend some time with Doctor Saeed Ahmad. He was considerably surprised by how effectively Doctor Saeed Ahmad performed successful appendectomies without the assistance of an expert surgeon. When he returned to Lahore, he made mention of this—about Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s skills and excellence in diagnosis, treatment, and successful surgeries—to many people, in particular to Mansur Ahmad.

Medical Examination of Patients During Aitekaf

During the last 10 days of the month of Ramadan, Doctor Saeed Ahmad would undertake the itikaaf—the retirement for secluded and sustained worship. The clinic would in general be shut down during that period. All the same, one of his helpers would remain present in the clinic, and if any patient needed urgent care, or if a patient had come from far away, unaware that the clinic was closed during those days, Doctor Saeed Ahmad wanted to prevent that from posing a problem for such people: On being notified, he would see such patients right inside the mosque where he was in itikaaf. And if anyone would leave a medical visit fee, he would immediately give it in charity

Founding of a Tuberculosis Testing Clinic in Abbottabad

Mahmooda Saleem had served as the Minister of Health in the past. During the period when Doctor Saeed Ahmad lived in Abbottabad, Mahmooda Saleem, too, was living in Abbottabad. She carried out many welfare works in the Hazara region. One of them was the founding of a tuberculosis testing clinic, which was located on Nawan Shehr Road, behind Government College, and near the Civil Hospital. In connection with that founding, when Mahmooda Saleem sought the cooperation of Doctor Saeed Ahmad—given his extensive medical experience—he agreed wholeheartedly. In addition to providing all kinds of medical and other aspects of information, he helped financially: On the basis of his supplied funds, an X-Ray Center was built. In fact, the name of Doctor Saeed Ahmad was prominently written on an edifice of white rock, one which is intact in that shape to this day. Evidently, hooligans never espied it.

What follows is an excerpt from Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s written work entitled Tragic Events of 1974, and is related to the medical clinic affiliated with and located within Dar-us-Saeed:

This clinic was furnished with the latest medical facilities. In 1964, on retiring from public service, I began medical practice in my clinic. It soon became famous. Patients began coming from near and far. There is a long narrative related to this clinic and to the patients associated with the clinic, one which is extraneous to the subject being considered here. All the same, it would be appropriate to mention that people from all walks of life and from all over Pakistan have benefited from this clinic, whether rich or poor, business owners or salaried individuals, landowners, chieftains, scholars, literary individuals, and so on. Many historic and well-known individuals also come into the aforesaid ranks. At this time, when I am writing these lines, those individuals are living healthy and happy lives. But mention should be made of how regrettable it is that, in 1974, this medical clinic was burned down, wrecked unto ruins, and the medical equipment was vandalized. And the individuals responsible for the aforesaid destruction and ruination are none other than those very individuals whom Allah had granted further life by way of their having undergone treatment in this clinic. It would be inappropriate for me to disclose their identities in the spirit of Allah being Sattar (i.e. the One who overlooks the faults of others), Ghafoor, Rahim and Karim.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s Routine

During his professional employment, Doctor Saeed Ahmad was an exceptionally busy individual: In addition to carrying out his professional duties, he was engaged in welfare work as well as in religious activities. An ordinary individual—having thus busily spent many years engaged in such activities—would be inclined to take up leisurely pastimes. However, such a thought never crossed his mind. People would be utterly amazed by the large number of activities in which he was engaged by day and by night. Designated for every time was an engagement; and for every engagement was designated a special time. On top of that, there were no signs of fatigue, no annoyance, and no expression or hint of any complaint.

Doctor Saeed Ahmad was a keen observer of the daily tahujjud prayer (i.e. the “night prayer”, being a voluntary prayer.) He would wake up in the latter part of the night for the tahujjud prayer. At the call of prayer for Fajr, he would head for the mosque and lead the prayer. The majority of the members of his household would perform the morning prayer in his leadership. Joining them would be those members of the Ahmadiyya Movement who lived nearby. Having performed the Fajr prayer, he would head out for a long walk. Occasionally, somebody would accompany him. Otherwise, his two faithful black labrador dogs—Cinder and Rover—would be his companions on the morning walk, sprinting ahead and then back as he walked through the rain falling on the mountains. The love and loyalty of those animals was exemplary when he was in the mosque: Both dogs would wait for him outside the mosque. As soon as he emerged, the two would accompany him from there.

On returning home from work, Doctor Saeed Ahmad would rest for an hour, following which he would get ready to return to the clinic for medical duties. But first he would perform voluntary prayers, following which he would head for the clinic. And then, following lunch, he made it a point to rest. Evenings would be spent looking after guests. Sometimes, he himself would go to visit friends. During the time between the Maghrib and Isha prayers, he would participate in the lectures on the Holy Quran, on the Hadith, and on the recorded sayings of the Promised Messiah. Following the Isha prayer, he would spend some time with his family. Finally, before turning in for the night, he would engage in some light reading—including the perusal of newspapers, TIME magazine, The Reader’s Digest magazine—as well as the literature of the Ahmadiyya Movement. The aforesaid, in short, was within the purview of his bedtime reading. 

One’s mind is boggled by how Doctor Saeed Ahmad managed to fit all these various activities within the confines of the 24 hours in any given day. In addition to that, he replied to hundreds of letters, attended to friends, looked after the well-being of his near ones, attended to the education of children, offered encouragement to patients, and so on and so forth. Never did any visitor to his house return disappointed because Doctor Saeed Ahmad did not have the time to meet them. When and how did all of these activities take place?

The day of Friday had been designated as the weekly holiday for his clinic staff. However, if any patient came on a Friday, he would not turn them back. Even in the absence of his entire clinic staff, he himself would attend to examining the patient and tending to their needs. During the morning time on Fridays, he would prepare the sermon for the Friday congregational prayer, and also write replies to letters and attend to personal correspondence. Initially, he would write the replies with his own hands. But later, Master Asghar Ali—husband of his niece Ruqayyah—would help him in this area of replying to letters. Master Asghar Ali would close his pharmacy on those days to exclusively perform that service for Doctor Saeed Ahmad, who would speak out aloud the reply, which Master Asghar Ali would write down, following which Doctor Saeed Ahmad would sign it. Then the letters would be dispatched via the postal service. Doctor Saeed Ahmad also had a small portable recorder into which he would dictate things which he wished to avoid forgetting: He would often record the subject of many letters that he wished to compose, which Master Asghar Ali would in turn listen to, and then write out in long hand. That facilitated Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s flow of work.

Life as such continued till the fateful day of June 11, 1974. The duration of Doctor Saeed Ahmad’s residing in Abbottabad—spanning 10 years as it did—is both wonderful and meaningful, one in which he was afforded all kinds of peace of mind and heart. His financial situation was secure. All of his children—with the exception of his youngest son, Zahid—had completed their education, were working fully employed, and were spending busy lives in their own chosen professions. This was also a golden chapter for the Ahmadiyya Movement Lahore, and one which history will never forget. Outside of the Ahmadiyya Movements Center in Lahore, there was no other chapter of the Ahmadiyya Movement—other than the one in Abbottabad—which was as active. And this was a thorn in the side of opponents. It was a substantial success, and one which the Ahmadiyya Movement’s opponents—those in Abbottabad in particular and those in Hazara in general—had a hard time coming to grips with. 

Otherwise, nobody had any personal quarrel with Doctor Saeed Ahmad: His magnanimous personality was such as to compel even enemies to befriend him. So it is all the more regrettable that at the time when the residents of Abbottabad and Hazara were destroying Dar-us-Saeed and his medical clinic, they did not pause for one moment to reflect on the fact that it was this individual—Doctor Saeed Ahmad—and his clinic whose beneficiaries they themselves had been over the years. Prejudice and fury had, alas, blinded their eyes. The majority of the building, one whose construction and furnishing had spanned many years, was burned down to ashes in a matter of a few hours. But Allah protected Doctor Saeed Ahmad and those within his residence. He bid farewell to Abbottabad and, along with his family, moved to Lahore.