Intro
This entire entry was taken from the islam_Ahmadiyya reddit forum.
The following material is referenced from Maktubat-e-Ahmadiyya (Letters of Ahmad) Volume 5, Number 3, published on February 18, 1929 compiled by Yaqoob Ali Irfani Sahib and printed in Qadian.
About these letters, Irfani Sahib has said in the preface, and I quote:
“I feel ashamed in having to say that it is sad that until now, there are very few admirers in the jamaat who fully appreciate the value of these invaluable gems”
One of these gems on page 166 is letter number 273 written by the Promised Messiah on October 31st, 1899 addressed to Munshi Rustam Ali Sahib, whereby he is trying to seek Munshi Sahib’s help in finding a match for his companion Maulvi Mohammad Ali Sahib.
I feel that the letter is self-evident in identifying what is critical in seeking a girl for marriage. I will just give some perspective to a couple of items here.
First of all, why the insistence on a female barber? I cannot think of any other reason other than the fact that female barbers having spent their lives providing female grooming services, had a hands-on knowledge of female anatomy, presumably unmatched by a woman in any other capacity. They would be able to provide the information the promised Messiah was looking for, in a much more accurate way than a lay person. I will let you do your own analysis of the situation.
Second, Maulvi Mohammad Ali was not a young man at the time of this Nikah, he had already been divorced a long time ago, so why seek the younger of the daughters of the Superintendent? I can only guess that young girls were most sought after and it is consistent with the pattern exhibited in other marriages of the family.
Third, why is all this information expected to be transmitted back to the promised Messiah and not Maulvi Mohammad Ali in private? Does a third person really have to know and be able to pass judgement on the detailed physical attributes of one’s future wife? Beats me.
Fourth, that laundry list of what to look for in the girl by sending in an ‘expert’ in female anatomy for inspections, is so sickening, I felt like puking. But that is probably just me, it must have increased others in faith.
I want to conclude by saying that perhaps our jamaat should actively encourage our young women to take up the profession of female barbers and provide their services free of charge to the membership, so the success rate of ahmadiyya weddings can improve. I see the aunties are doing a pretty pathetic job of evaluating the most important attributes of prospective brides. I also suggest that our Rishta Nata website should have a spreadsheet to voluntarily fill in all these physical attributes which could then be attested by the local sadr sahiba or the family physician.
In the end, I would love for the aplogists to provide an alternate spin to this letter so that all those of us who are feeble of heart and mind can regain the state of peace which was disturbed by my blasphemy.
Continue reading “Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and the marriage of Maulvi Muhammad Ali” →
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