His Status

Hadhrat Maulana Hafiz Haji Hakim Noor al-Din, Khalifat al-Masih the First (RA) was truly a revered saint, a great mystic, a distinguished divine, and an expert physician. God Almighty blessed him to be the first person to enter into the covenant of allegiance. All his life he remained vigorously steadfast in support of the Promised Messiah, peace be on him.

Besides his intense love for Allah and His Apostle, his love for the Holy Quran was also all consuming. In sickness or in health, recitation, and instruction of the Holy Quran was his soul's refreshment. In 1901 he made a translation of the Holy Quran into Urdu. The first chapter was published in 1907. He often said that if God were to ask him, what was it he loved the most, he would ask to be given the Quran.

As a physician not only that he had recourse to Yunani and Ayurvedic systems of medicine, he also employed Aloepathic medicine in the treatment of disease. He reinforced his prescriptions with prayers. He based his treatment of some diseases on the guidance contained in the Holy Quran. He was conferred the honorary titles of ‘Raees al-Ittiba’ and ‘Hakeem al-Ummat’ by his contemporary physicians.

He earned large sums of money from his medical practice, all of which was spent on good causes such as welfare of the orphans, widows, students, & the needy, as well as in the printing and free distribution of books. He also contributed generously towards the Muslim education and the establishment of Aligarh Muslim University. Yet all his life he never demanded fee from his patients.

His piety, sincerity and devotion to his holy master were unmatched. That is why the Promised Messiah (AS) conferred the title of Siddiq (truly faithful) on him. He obeyed wholeheartedly every directive of the Promised Messiah (AS). Whenever he got a call from Hadhrat Ahmad (AS) he would rush to see him at a moment’s notice, so much so that he would forget to put his turban or shoes on.

Long before anyone else could discern his outstanding qualities, Hadhrat Ahmad (AS) summed up his character in the following terms.

“My heart was filled with such delight as was experienced by the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, on meeting Hadhrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. When he came to me, and I looked at him, I perceived that he was a sign of the signs of my Lord, and I realized that he was the outcome of my constant supplications, and my intuition informed me that he was one of the chosen servants of Allah.

I observe that wisdom flows from his lips, and heavenly light descends upon him. When he addresses himself to the exposition of the Book of Allah, he reveals the sources of mysteries, and causes the subtleties to gush forth, and uncovers wonderful treasures of wisdom that had hitherto been covered up…. He is in such complete accord with me as the pulse is in accord with the breath.” (Nooruddeen by M. Z. Khan, page 67)