arrived and given oath of allegiance, and yet his murshid bestowed such honour upon him.

Upon seeing many gifts and honours being conferred in the first meeting, all the other murids were amazed. At that time, the grandson of Shāh Āl-i-Rasūl Marehrawi and his spiritual heir, Abū al-Ḥusayn Aḥmad Nūrī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, was also present. He asked:

O my master! Spiritual successorship and ijāzah from you are not common. You instruct murids to carry out many years of spiritual training. You make them traverse spiritual stages gradually, and it is only then that you find someone worthy. Even then, you only bestow ijāzah and spiritual successorship in one or two spiritual orders. Why did you confer so much upon this 22-year-old young man in this first meeting?

Upon hearing his grandson’s question, Shāh Āl-i-Rasūl Marehrawi’s رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه eyes filled with tears, and he said:

O people! What do you know of Aḥmad Razā? I was worried about what answer I will give on the Day of Judgement if Allah asks, “O Āl-i-Rasūl! What have you brought before Us from the world?” اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه That concern has now been removed. Now, if Allah asks this, I will present Aḥmad Razā.

Shāh Āl-i-Rasūl Marehrawi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه added, “Other people bring tainted hearts, and they have to be prepared. Aḥmad Razā brought a completely prepared and clear heart. He was only in need of a spiritual link.”^[1]

سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه Dear Islamic brothers, this is the accomplished murid, our master, Imam Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه. Now let us think about the following for a moment: What was the age of Imam Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه at that time? 22 years. How pure, devout, clean-hearted,