Obituary: Mr Muhammad Ahmad, M.A. (1920–1981)
Son of Maulana Muhammad Ali
The Islamic Guardian (UK), April to June 1981 Issue (Vol. 2, No. 2, p. 20)
Mr Muhammad Ahmad, son of Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali the late Head of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, passed away in London on 23 January this year [1981] —
“we belong to Allah, and to him do we return”.
Mr Ahmad marhoom [The late Mr Ahmad] had last year retired from a high post with Pakistan Railways, after a long and distinguished career in which he was noted for his ability, hard work, integrity, and devotion to duty. Spurning offers of lucrative jobs, he decided to devote the rest of his life solely to the service of Islam and the Lahore Ahmadiyya Anjuman. He had many ambitious plans in mind, and had set up a fund for propagating the Quran and other Islamic literature.
Even while pursuing his official career, Mr Ahmad made the most valuable contribution to the Anjuman’s literary work as well as to its internal administration. He revised some of his father’s major English works, and prepared a briefer version of the Hazrat Maulana’s Quran commentary. He was the author of the Maulana’s Urdu biography, Mujahid-i Kabir, which is a standard work in Ahmadiyya literature. On the organisational side, he served the Anjuman in various capacities for thirty years, and recently did very valuable work for its Foreign Missions Committee.
Since June last year [1980] he had been in London for treatment for a serious illness. Despite immense discomfort, he attended functions and meetings organised by the Jamaat [branch] here. He led both the Eid prayers and gave excellent khutbahs [Friday sermons], and also addressed other gatherings. He gave invaluable advice, and made an indispensable contribution, regarding the U.K. Jamaat’s organisational affairs.
Mr Ahmad had learnt French with the intention of translating the Holy Quran into that language — a task he was well-qualified to undertake considering his linguistic proficiency and M.A. degree in English and Arabic.
The untimely demise of this humble, unassuming, and thoroughly worthy son of a great man, is a serious loss to the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. The U.K. Jamaat extends its deepest sympathies to his wife and children. May Allah raise his soul to the highest ranks in heaven, Ameen!