The Martyrdom of Sahibzada Abdul Latif Shaheed
by Prof. Khalil-ur-Rahman
In Kabul
What happened to him in Kabul?
On arrival in Kabul, he was lodged in the Royal Guest House. On orders from the Ameer, Hazrat Sahibzada was presented before him. The Ameer tried to convince him to refrain from propagating Ahmadiyyat, but he was met with the same reply:
“I am commanded by the Promised Messiah, the Imam of this era, to take the message of truth which I have found to other people.”
The Ameer insisted, over and over again, for him to desist, but Hazrat Sahibzada remained adamant.
“How can I refrain from spreading the message of truth?”
he replied.
When no other way could be found, on the advice of mullahs the Ameer ordered a debate. Hazrat Sahibzada imposed the condition that the debate would be verbal and before the public, but the mullahs were afraid that such an arrangement would reveal the truth to the public. They, therefore, insisted on a written debate so that the public may remain uninformed of the questions and answers of the opposing sides and of the arguments advanced. Because the Ameer was afraid of the influence that the mullahs had on the populace of Kabul, he ordered a written contest. The written arguments took place, but when the mullahs saw the truth triumphing over falsehood, they took out the last arrow from their quiver and declared Hazrat Sahibzada to be a kafir (disbeliever) and an apostate. Just as it has always happened, and continues to happen today, the Ameer felt constrained by the verdict of the mullahs. He broached Hazrat Sahibzada again and said:
“I am proud of the pious, learned, spiritually elevated people like you in my kingdom. You are a priceless pearl of my court. Just reject Mirza Qadiani and stop propagating his message.”
Once again, the reply he received was:
“I cannot deny the truth that I have found. At any cost and to the last breath in my body, I will continue to propagate (Ahmadiyyat).”
The Ameer was enraged at this reply, and ordered Hazrat Sahibzada removed from his presence. He was put in a cell of the prison with no natural light and tortured in many ways. He was handcuffed, fettered, and yoked around his neck with a heavy chain. His guards reported that the light in his cell remained lit all the time and Hazrat Sahibzada kept busy in Divine worship, with the chains hanging down at his side. Allah alone knows how greatly He would reward this act of Divine devotion. Allah causes the angels to remove the load of those who wear collars and chains for His sake, and says:
“We….made for him a light by which he walks among the people” (The Holy Quran, 6:122).
Those who stumble along in the darkness, cannot know this secret.