Tribute to Zubaida Naheed Qazi
By Masood A Qazi
I wish to write a few words about my sister, Zubaida Naheed Qazi (who was known to us as CHAND GUL).
She was the daughter of Hazrat Qazi Mohammad Yousaf Farooqi RA and the wife of Dr Bashir Ahmad Sahib (Late).
Sister Zubaida was a few years older than me, but we were very close while growing up. She was extremely intelligent and a very good student, popular among her peers and colleagues. Besides her studies and books, she would participate with us in games and sports like badminton, etc. She also loved gardening. Both of us would spend hours planting in the garden and taking care of the flowers and plants. She also loved knitting and made so many lovely sweaters for me and other family members. She had a special knack and gift for sewing and embroidery (“KASHIDA KARI”) and was always busy producing splendid pieces of embroidery. These pursuits were lifelong and continued after she got married and had children of her own.
Allah Taala blessed her with a devoted and pious husband (Dr Bashir Ahmad Sahib) and wonderful children.
Sister Zubaida proved to be an exemplary wife and mother. She devoted her whole life to her family and instilled in her children an abiding love and devotion for Ahmadiyyat and Khilafat. Imbued with unflinching devotion and unswerving zeal and loyalty to Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyyat, her children grew up to be stalwarts of Ahmadiyyat. Her resolute and unfaltering obedience to Khilafat was evident when she decided, with great alacrity, to leave for a very remote and underdeveloped area in Ghana, Africa. Her husband, Dr Bashir Ahmad Sahib, had volunteered to serve in Ghana as part of the Nusrat Jahan Scheme of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III (RA).
Her youngest child was just a few months old. The indigenous population was penurious. The area was impoverished, with pervasive, abject poverty and meagre resources. With unwavering conviction and self-sacrifice, they were able to establish a thriving and flourishing health service in the area which outshone and eclipsed the well-funded church facility that had previously dominated the area. Their noble and benevolent mission was abundantly fruitful, earning genuine accolades from everyone who was aware of their virtuous and honourable labour of love.
Sister Zubaida, on returning to Pakistan, first stayed in Peshawar and then moved to Islamabad. She rendered distinguished service to the Peshawar Jamaat as a regional Sadr and, subsequently, served as Lajna President of Islamabad for many years. The Islamabad Lajna won the Shield of Best Performance (Husn-e-Karkardagi) every year under her auspices. Hazrat Choti Apa Sahiba, while presenting her the Shield of Performance, paid her rich tribute by declaring that “Islamabad has woken up!”
She sedulously pursued Tabligh efforts in the surrounding areas and villages and developed an organised Tabligh network.
In the mid-eighties, the whole family stayed here in Chicago for a couple of years, and she was privileged to serve as Lajna President in Chicago also, with distinction.
After their migration to London, Dr Bashir Ahmad Sahib chose accommodation close to the London Mosque, so they were able to offer all the congregational prayers in the mosque, led by the divinely appointed Khulafa-e-Ahmadiyyat.
After the sad demise of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (RA), we immediately left for London and stayed with them during those days of grief and anguish. Their blessed company was a great source of solace and comfort and helped us in assuaging our sense of this devastating loss.
This year in March, my oldest sister passed away on the 27th of Ramzan. We immediately left for London to have the privilege of participating in the Janaza and burial (which was on Eid day, on a Friday).
Chand Gul appeared to be quite frail and feeble but, as always, extremely gracious, solicitous and hospitable.
Even with her failing health, she had assiduously and tirelessly devoted herself to reproducing and expanding the books written by our father (Hazrat Qazi Muhammad Yusuf ra). She spent countless hours in rewriting the manuscripts, communicating with the publishers, proofreading and documenting this precious treasure of our father’s literary works. May Allah reward her abundantly for this yeoman’s effort. Ameen.
Sister Zubaida (CHAND GUL) was a paragon of piety, probity and propriety. She was the epitome of Taqwa, rectitude, righteousness and integrity. She was immersed in the love of Allah, the Holy Prophet(saw), the Holy Quran and the Promised Messiah(as).
She was the embodiment of grace, elegance and dignity.
She was scholarly, erudite and a quintessential intellectual.
We pray that Allah Taala, the Most Merciful, grant her an exalted and lofty status in Jannatul-Firdous, in the blessed company of our Lord and Master, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (saw) and his Sahaba Karam(ra).
May Allah Taala grant her loved ones Sabr-e-Jameel and the ability to follow in her footsteps to become shining exemplars of piety, Taqwa and godliness themselves, Ameen.