It is a matter of great sadness and loss for our Movement, as well as very painful and distressing to me personally, that Qazi Abdul Ahad, Librarian of the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Lahore Library, has passed away in Lahore on Monday 17th September 2012. The news of his death and some details of his life can be read at this link.
The title “Librarian” does not do justice to his work and contribution. He was much more a walking library of accurate and detailed knowledge than a librarian. More than that, he had great mastery over the Arabic language and grammar. He was a hafiz of the Holy Quran and had extensive knowledge of Hadith, classical Islamic literature, and Ahmadiyya writings, whether books or periodicals. At the same time, he was the most modest and humblest of people, and ever willing to help others with the benefit of his knowledge, especially of the contents of the Library.
I remember how happy and proud he used to be if any of his students showed interest in pursuing knowledge of the Arabic language at an advanced level.
Upon hearing the news of his death, I sent the following note to our Lahore Centre:
The late Qazi sahib was of enormous help to me in locating material in the Darus Salaam Library for more than thirty years. During the 1980s, in the days before electronic scanning of documents, he undertook at my request, which was channeled through the late Dr Saeed Ahmad Khan sahib, to photocopy all the articles of Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi from Paigham Sulah and Ruh-i Islam. I have all that massive material in my possession, and have recently started publishing it on a website.
It is simply staggering to think of all those references and quotations from the Quran, Hadith collections, Islamic classical literature, and Ahmadiyya writings, which flowed from Qazi sahib’s lips. Then, before the days of the Internet, the large number of indispensable books that were long out of print, which he photocopied by hand, and bound, and made accessible to people, was a tremendous service rendered by him.
Our only consolation is:
“Everyone on it passes away — And there endures forever the person of thy Lord, the Lord of glory and honour.” (55:26-27)
Inna li-lllahi wa inna ilai-hi rajioon.
May Allah admit Qazi sahib to His great mercy, shower upon him His blessings profusely, raise him to high ranks, and join him with our departed elders — Ameen and Ameen again.
Zahid Aziz.
According to an article published by BBC Urdu the total number of Ahmadiyya community in India is One hundred thousand.…
----Jul 27, 18:49