Maimona’s father, Haider Ali William, was a diamond trader. In addition to his abundant wealth, God had given him another treasure in the shape of his 12 beautiful daughters and one son. Haider Ali was known in the family as Achhey Sahib.

Haider Ali’s father, William, was from a lord’s family in Europe. His gems business used to take him to different countries. When he came to India, he became friends with rajas and nawabs. Here he accepted Islam, married into a nawab family and established his business. He was such a big admirer of Taj Mahal that he settled upon Agra for his permanent residence.

While he still spent a major part of his life travelling, his Indian wife and children remained in Agra. In Agra, William became friends with Masih-ul-Zaman, who was among the richest people in the city. With time, the friendship and love between the two families increased. Their children grew older and William’s sons started assisting him in business.

One son established a business in Turkey and married a Turkish woman. Another son, who was called Khan Sahib, returned to his hometown Paris, married a woman from his family, settled there and started a business. Only one son Haider and two daughters remained in India.

To make their friendship even stronger, Masih-ul-Zaman asked William to marry his two daughters to his sons Essa and Raif-ul-Zaman. Now why would William have any objection? In fact, he offered his son Haider for his friend’s daughter Mahboba.

Masih-ul-Zaman’s wife did not want to marry her sons into a newly-converted Muslim family; at last, though, she agreed to her husband’s wish on the condition that her son’s second marriages will be to women in the family. The marriages between the two families took place but Haider, that is Achhey Sahib, did not like the treatment of his sisters. Wanting to distance his wife from this environment, Haider, making the excuse of touring Europe, left India. They did see Europe, but giving up the idea of returning to India, Haider joined his brother Khan Sahib’s business in Paris and settled there.

The parents visited their sons in Europe whenever they felt like it. Mehboba’s mother-in-law gave her title of Achhi Begum. Achhi Begum showed a lot of patience and courage and never said anything against her husband. Her longing for her parents and her country remained in her heart but she never complained. Achhey Sahib too found no fault with his wife, but in his heart he always resented her parents and brothers for their treatment of his sisters.

Anyway, God gave him wealth, children and every comfort in the world. Achhey Sahib was very fond of his daughters. Their education was arranged at home. He was attached to Islam and liked the tradition of pardah. The daughters grew up in Europe; they were taught Arabic, Persian, English and French so that they could understand these languages and converse in them. Achhi Begum’s conservative nature and attachment to Indian culture did not let her children get influenced by European culture.

— Translated from the Urdu