Al Hakam - 25 October 2019

“A virgin and widow”: A great sign Prophecies of the Promised Messiahas

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Hazrat Khalifatul Masih inaugurates Baitul Hameed Mosque, Fulda, Germany

100 Years Ago...

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa addresses German dignitaries in Berlin

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London Letter Al Fazl, 18 October 1919

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THE WEEKLY

www.alhakam.org AL HAKAM | Friday 25 October 2019 | Issue LXXXIV Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre (ARC), 22 Deer Park Road, London, SW19 3TL. UK info@alhakam.org | F: +44(0)208 544 7673

Hazrat Khalifatul aa Masih V inaugurates Baitul Baseer

Hadith-e-Rasul – Sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa

Inviting people to Allah Hazrat Abu Hurairah, Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “A person who invites people to the truth gets a reward equal to the reward of all those who accept the truth (at his invitation), while nothing will be subtracted from their rewards. Likewise, a person who entices others to sin carries the burden of all the sins committed at his inducement, while nothing will be subtracted from the punishment of those who commit the sins.” (Muslim)

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words The Quran is for all eras

Twitter/ @muslimtv

H

azrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, is on a tour of Germany these days. Having opened the Mubarak Mosque in Fulda and Baitul Hameed Mosque in Wiesbaden over the past couple of weeks Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa today formally unveiled the plaque of Baitul Baseer Mosque in the north of Hamburg. The first Ahmadiyya mosque to be built in Hamburg was Fazl-e-Omar Mosque inaugurated in 1957.

Before delivering his Friday Sermon, Huzooraa unveiled the plaque and led the congregation in silent prayer which marked the formal inauguration of Baitul Baseer

Mosque. In his sermon, Huzooraa reminded the Jamaat of the philosophy behind the building of mosques. Worship of Allah the Almighty being the primary impetus of mosque-building, Huzooraa stated that the first and foremost responsibility after having built a mosque is to inhabit it with worshippers who offer their salat in the way that Allah the Almighty has prescribed. To explain what Allah the Almighty expects from our prayers, Huzooraa read excerpts from the writings of the Imam of the Age, The Promised Messiah, peace be upon him.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa elaborated that Qayam-us-Salat requires to keep our salat

steadfast and upright, which means that one will fall short at times but Allah the Almighty expects us to uphold it and offer it in the best possible manner.

Huzooraa said that salat helps keep satanic temptations away and that by regularly offering our salat, we can curb the attack of temptations. There does come a time for a regular worshipper when Satan gives in and leaves them to carry on treading on the way that leads to Allah. Thus, Huzooraa said, one should never give up by not noticing immediate results.

Continued on page 2

The task of the Holy Quran was to reform people of all eras. The objective of the Quran was to transform mankind from an animal state to a human state, and thence to make of humans civilised individuals by inculcating good manners, so that a transformation could be brought about by acting within the dictates of the shariah and its injunctions; and finally, so that they could be made into godly people. These words are brief, but they encompass thousands of facets.

Since the Jews, naturalists, fire-worshippers and other nations were engrossed in evil practices, it is for this reason that upon the instruction of Allah, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, addressed all the people, saying: ّٰ ُ ُ َ ّ ُ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ْ ُ ً ‫الل ِہ إل َ ْی ُک ْم َجم‬ ‫یعا‬ ِ ِ ‫قل یا أیہا الناس ِإ� ِ� رسول‬ “Say, ‘O mankind! Truly I am a Messenger to you all.’”

And so it was necessary for the Holy Quran to gather within itself all those teachings that had been instituted at various points in time and to possess all the truths that were conveyed from heaven to the people of the world in various times through numerous prophets. The Holy Quran had the whole of humanity in view, not a specific people, country or era. The Gospel, on the other hand, had a specific people in view and this is why the Messiah, on whom be peace, repeatedly said: “I have come in search of the lost tribes of Israel.”

(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Malfuzat, Vol. 1, p. 83)

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Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM Continued from page 1

A believer should stay busy finding the Sirat-e-Mustaqeem - the right path. Huzooraa referred to the Promised Messiahas where he states that “Salat is another name for supplication”, hence anything that one wants should be presented as supplication before the Almighty God. Presenting an eloquent analogy given by the Promised Messiahas, Huzooraa said that calling out to Allah and Him replying back can only happen when one calls from an audible distance and can only hear the reply if their hearing is not impaired.

So what is required is to call out in the best way and listen carefully to the response from Allah.

This requires continuous supplicating , tirelessly and with utmost perseverance.

A farmer does not just throw a seed in soil and sits to see its results; the seed requires good care to be taken, to be watered and be protected from weathering. The same is the case with supplication and prayers. The ultimate result of salat and supplication should be attaining nearness of Allah. If this result is not achieved, one should worry and realise that there is something wrong and should try and rectify it.

Huzooraa urged that we should all contemplate and gauge the depth of our salat and supplication. The basic element that distinguishes between a believer and a disbeliever, as said by the Holy Prophet of Islam, peace and blessings be upon him, is Salat. Good deeds, financial sacrifices and not falling into temptations are routes that lead us towards better worship.

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This Week in History 25 - 31 October

25 October 1924: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra commenced his journey back to Qadian after his successful tour of England. He departed from London Waterloo Station on this date along with his entourage.

27 October 1943: An Ahmadiyya mosque in Lagos, Nigeria was inaugurated.

27 October 1945: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra inaugurated the new building of Fazl-e-Umar Hostel at Talim-ulIslam College in Qadian.

27 October 1947: Accession of Jammu and Kashmir was formally decided and signed by the GovernorGeneral of India, Lord Mountbatten. Through this legal document, the Maharaja Hari Singh, ruler of Jammu and Kashmir agreed to accede to the Dominion of India. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra had noted that this would happen very early on and disclosed the reality of this conspiracy in a public address. Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra asserted that the whole political process was mere drama.

25 October 1926: Hazrat Maulana Zahoor Hussain returned to Qadian after two years of imprisonment in Russia. This devout missionary travelled to the Soviet lands to spread the message of the Jamaat, but was apprehended upon his arrival on the false suspicions of espionage. He patiently faced barbaric torture and other hardships during his captivity.

25 October 1929: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra headed towards Lahore for some medical checkups. He also graciously addressed the gathering of the Ahmadiyya Inter-Collegiate Forum, Lahore.

25 October 1948: Hazrat Hakim Maulvi QutubudDinra passed away. He accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat in 1892. Hakim Sahibra was fortunate enough to assist the Promised Messiahas in some research work with providing references from original sources. He was also part of the team that was formulated to travel to the Middle East, with the aim of finding new evidences supporting the migration of Jesusas from Palestine to Kashmir.

26 October 1924: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra arrived in France during his journey back to Qadian from England.

26 October 1947: Jalaluddin Shams Sahib led the Eid-ul-Adha prayer in Qadian, attended by around 1,300 people. The Jamaat arranged a special meal and reception on this day for the Muslim Army deployed in and around Qadian.

27 October 1935: Hazrat Mirza Ismail Baigra passed away. He had the honour of serving the Promised Messiahas in a personal capacity since the early days.

27 October 1943: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra approved the basic constitution of Majlis Ansarullah, an auxiliary organisation for male members of the Jamaat over the age of 40.

27 October 1963: The Alam-e-Inami (flag of honour) award was introduced for Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya.

Previously, it was distributed among the leading Khuddam Majalis only. The first ever Alam-e-Inami was given to Sialkot Majlis.

28 October 1954: Hazrat Hakim Muhammad Hussainra passed away. He performed Bai‘at in 1892. He became widely known as he reproduced the ointment of Jesusas using the original prescriptions. His research led to a reputation that would also result in persecution.

29 October 1934: Hazrat Mir Mehdi Hussainra went to Iran to serve as an honourary missionary.

29 October 1938: Hazrat Maulvi Muhammad Abu al-Hasan Buzdar passed away. He was among the pioneering Ahmadi members from Dera Ghazi Khan. He also established Jamaats in many villages through his tabligh.

29 October 1951: Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra addressed the farewell event held for the first ever graduate class of JamiatulMubashireen, Rabwah.

29 October 1963: Al Fazl published a special issue paying tribute to Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad MAra. Continued on page 9

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Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM

Religious harmony: The past, present and future of Islam Hazrat Khalifatul Masih inaugurates Baitul Hameed Mosque, Fulda, Germany Tahir Bhatti, Germany Correspondent

Fulda, Germany, Sunday, 20 October: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, inaugurated the new Baitul Hameed mosque and addressed guests at the formal inaugural ceremony.

People from all walks of life convened for the inaugural ceremony of Baitul Hameed mosque in the German city of Fulda. The array of guests who attended displayed the beautiful values of diversity and multiculturalism that Germany has to offer.

The historical city of Fulda lies in the heart of Germany and has a very strong Christian background; Fulda Cathedral being one of the main attractions.

With the arrival of Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa, the session started with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Hafiz Zakir Butt Sahib, followed by German translation

by Dr Rana Ahmad Sahib.

Amir Jamaat Germany, Abdullah Wagishauser Sahib gave an introduction to Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya.

Two guests that addressed the event and welcomed Huzooraa included President of the Luther Church, Sara Kautzsch and President of the Round Table of Religions, Kurt Albrecht.

Thereafter, Hazrat Amirul aa Momineen addressed the congregation.

After reciting Tashahud and Ta‘awuz, Huzooraa thanked all the guests who attended the ceremony. Huzooraa then expressed how the new mosque in Fulda was a means of great joy and happiness for the Ahmadi Muslims living there and thanked the local authorities for having such open-heartedness that enabled this mosque to be built.

Observing the large attendance of nonAhmadi Muslim guests, Huzooraa said that the attendance proved that the guests have respect for other religions.

Touching upon the unifying effects of globalisation, Huzooraa highlighted the importance of social cohesion and “removing the reservation of fears from our hearts” about one another.

Huzooraa noted how the city of Fulda is known for its excellence towards education and explained how real education enlightens the heart, enabling one to become openhearted and participate in the happiness of others.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa noted that the presence of the guests indicated their welcoming and openhearted nature.

Huzooraa explained how the Holy Prophetsa allowed a delegation of Christians to pray in his mosque in Medina. Islam stresses on honouring the rights of others and the core principles of Islam are to exhibit tolerance and peace. This is what Jamaat-eAhmadiyya is striving for at a global level, Huzooraa expressed.

Huzooraa, referring to Kurt Albrecht’s speech, appreciated how he spoke about honouring human values. Huzooraa said that he agreed with this and that human values are what differentiate us from other creatures. In light of this, Huzooraa then referred to the Promised Messiahas who established a rule that in religious conferences, no speaker should talk against other religions and only describe the beauty of their own.

Huzooraa said that mosques are the catalysts to enhance sympathy and service to humanity.

Concluding, Huzooraa prayed that the new mosque enables local Ahmadis to exhibit increasing love and tolerance towards humanity.

Jamia Ahmadiyya Germany class with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih

Otour, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V visited n 15 October 2019, during his European aa

Jamia Ahmadiyya Germany. During Huzoor’s visit, the students of Jamia were fortunate to have a sitting with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. The class started with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by Hadith and nazm; speeches were also prepared and delivered by the students.

During the class, the students had the opportunity to ask Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa various questions and sought guidance on different subjects.

Huzooraa asked the students who had

never visited London if they had any questions they wished to ask.

One student asked Huzooraa how to attain a close connection with the Almighty God. Upon this, Huzooraa stated that one should continue to pray. Huzooraa further stated that this is God’s promise that those who seek God will ultimately find Him. Another student asked Huzooraa as to what a student should do if they have a desire to learn a language, which is not taught in Jamia. Answering the question, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that such a student should focus on their Jamia studies and finish the Jamia course first. Then the decision will

be made later by the administrative body of Jamia, should they feel the need. If so, they will write a report and a decision based on that will be made.

One student asked Huzooraa what should be done if one has a stutter in their speech.

Huzooraa stated that he has observed that some missionaries do stutter whilst speaking, but when they deliver speeches, the stutter seizes. Huzooraa further stated that the main thing is to talk slowly and be relaxed whilst speaking as stutters usually increase when one is nervous or tries to talk fast.

At the end of the class, the students had a group photo with Huzooraa.

Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM

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Islam and Europe: A clash of civilisations?

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa addresses German dignitaries in Berlin

Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, 22 October: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, addressed members of the German Parliament, religious leaders, dignitaries, academics and politicians. The topic of the occasion was “Islam & Europe: A clash of civilisations?”

With the arrival of Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa, the session started with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Muhammad Jariullah Khan Sahib, who recited verses 13-14 of Surah al-Hujurat (chapter 49).

Abdullah Wagishauser Sahib, Amir Jamaat Germany welcomed the guests and introduced Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya while also giving a historical background of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Germany.

Next, various dignitaries addressed the congregation. The first was Frank Heinrich, Member of the Bundestag, who said that Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya practices what it preaches and lives up to the motto, “Love for all, hatred for none”. He commended the Jamaat for upholding democracy, love and mercy under the guidance of Huzooraa.

Mr Heinrich said that very few people know that Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya has no political, militant or extremist agenda. He

also regretted the persecution the Jamaat faces in Pakistan and said that religion gives no space for such persecution.

Omid Nouripour, Member of the Bundestag, gave the next speech. Mr Nouripour acknowledged that he did not agree with everything the Jamaat teaches, however, he said, this was something positive as differences of opinion are important. He said that no one has a right to declare another as non-Muslim, this discrimination is faced across the board for Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya.

Niels Annen, Minister of State also spoke. He discussed the multicultural richness of Germany, which has sprout from the German constitution. Mr Annen said that the first lecture delivered on radio about Islam was by an Ahmadi missionary, Sheikh Nasir Ahmad Sahib. He said that the members of the Jamaat add to the sparkle of the city and are active members of society.

Thereafter, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa addressed the congregation and thanked all those who had attended.

Huzooraa carried on by saying that there is a great deal of debate about immigration, often focused around Muslims not being

able to integrate into the Western world.

However, one must first define the definition of “civilisation”. Huzooraa presented the definition of civilisation in the words of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, may Allah be pleased with him, saying that civilisation is the material progress and development of a society, and this was further detailed by Huzooraa.

However, culture is different to civilisation. Culture is a manifestation of the views of a people, their attitudes towards social issues and their practices.

Huzooraa said, “Instead of being based on material progress, culture is rooted in morality and the religious values and traditions of a nation”. Civilisation relates to the technological and intellectual advancements of society, whereas culture is based on the religious, moral and philosophical makeup of society, Huzooraa explained.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that the difference between culture and civilisation can be understood from the history of Christianity. Though Rome possessed advancement in civilisation, they did not have high standards of morality, “Rather it was during the early period of Christianity

that their people were infused with a progressive culture”. Hence the progress and advancement of the Romans reflected their great civilisation, while Christianity gave the Romans “a laudable culture”.

Returning to the debate of immigration, Huzooraa said that though immigrants have arrived from many countries, the influx of Muslims has caused the greatest concern and alarm. Many indigenous people fear that mass immigration from Muslim countries threatens their civilisation, culture and values. Huzooraa highlighted that civilisation was actually being adopted by the Third World with the advancement of technology; they are being influenced by Western civilisation. Thus the assertion that Western civilisation is being threatened does not hold water, Huzooraa explained.

On the other hand, a fear that the religious and moral culture of the West can be threatened if Islam spreads in Europe “is a more legitimate concern”, Huzooraa said.

Addressing this issue, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa explained that people are rapidly moving away from religion, particularly in the West. Censuses indicate that people are moving away from Western religious culture and atheism is on the rise.

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Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM

Atheism is a great threat to Western culture that is thousands of years old.

Huzooraa said, “As a Muslim leader, I believe you should protect your heritage and culture by focusing your energies on arresting the decline in religion and bringing people back towards faith and belief ”. It should not be that in the name of advancement that moral standards are suddenly abandoned.

Huzooraa said that he believes that the decline of religion in the West is the reason people fear Islam. In reality, despite what the media says, there is no reason to fear Islam. Muslims believe that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, brought the final religion. Islam gives absolute freedom of religion, therefore there should be no fear that Muslims will enforce their views upon the West.

Extremists do not represent the teachings of Islam and the authorities should be very firm on such extremists.

Islam does not allow for any type of force in converting people. Why then is there a fear of Islam?

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that he would present the core teachings of Islam.

However, Huzooraa said that he could not cover all the elements due to the shortage of time, therefore he would address the teachings on the rights of mankind taught

by Islam.

Referring to the Holy Quran, Huzooraa said that where Allah the Almighty teaches to worship Him, He also teaches to honour parents; how can this teaching clash with any religion or nation?

The Quran also requires Muslims to treat their loved ones and those in need with

utmost kindness.

Islam promotes education of those in need as it will enable them to escape poverty. If poorer countries can build up their economies, then people will not migrate abroad as they will have jobs.

The Holy Prophetsa said that God Almighty emphasised the rights of neighbours so strongly that he thought that neighbours would be included in inheritance. He also taught that those who are not grateful to human beings are not grateful to Allah. How can such a teaching be a threat to Western civilisation?

Huzooraa sai, “It is counterproductive for Western people to suggest that Islam or Muslims have no place in this part of the world.” If Muslims come to these countries for the betterment of society, then this is something to praise.

Some people argue that Muslim are instructed to perform Jihad, therefore they fear that Muslim will wage a Jihad of the sword when they come to the West.

Huzooraa said that this was based on a clear misunderstanding of what Jihad is.

Huzooraa made it clear by saying, “Islam is not a bloodthirsty or violent religion”.

The Holy Prophetsa once declared that the “Jihad” for a certain companion of his was for them to take care of their old and frail parents.

During the early period of Islam, the defensive Jihad was only to protect the institution of religion and freedom of belief, they were not to compel people to convert.

With regard to the upbringing of children, Huzooraa referred to the Holy Quran once again – chapter 6, verse 152.

The verse instructs Muslims to nourish their children “with love and affection, to morally guide them and to educate them so that they grow to become highly competent and moral individuals who are assets to their community and nation.”

Another common allegation in the Western world is that Islam does not give women rights. Huzooraa said that it must be noted that Islam granted women many rights for the first time in human history. Further, the Holy Prophetsa said that paradise lies under the feet of one’s mother; this saying indicates the great role of women in society.

Huzooraa said, “Mothers are the people who have the power and influence to turn their nation into a heaven on earth and who can unlock the door of eternal paradise for their children.”

Further, Huzooraa said that in chapter 4, verse 20, Allah instructs Muslim men to treat their wives lovingly and respectfully.

However, in Western countries, not a day goes by where the courts do not have to deal with domestic violence. A report by the Office of National Statistics in 2018 indicates that domestic crimes in the UK are not linked with any religion and a similar report indicates this for Germany as well. Thus Islam cannot be blamed.

Huzooraa said that Islam also instructs its followers to respect people of other religions and faiths.

Today’s world, which proudly boasts of being more civilised and advanced than any previous era, instantly jumps on the inhumane treatment of opponents.

However, Islam teaches a civilised response to opponents even during warfare.

Another moral revolution that Islam brought was regarding slavery, which, prior to Islam, was normal and rampant.

The Holy Quran instructed that if a slave desired freedom, they should be released.

In today’s world, physical slavery no longer exists, but it has been placed with economic bondage and servitude. World powers give loans to poorer nations with strings attached. The result is that poorer countries have no option other than to bend. Such slavery, Huzooraa said, is utterly immoral.

Huzooraa said that he only mentioned a few points that illustrate the rights of humanity that have been established by Islam. Huzooraa said that he hoped that the audience had been reassured that Islam is not a threat to the West.

Concluding the address, aa Huzoor mentioned that the world is experiencing a very dangerous term that can have devastating results. Instead of attacking others and speaking of divisions, we should seek to unite and spread social cohesion.

Huzooraa said that it seems as though the world is hell-bent in inviting its destruction and the threat of nuclear weapons will destroy the future of our generations. Nuclear warfare will shatter the hopes and dreams of our children, Huzooraa said. Therefore, “Instead of fanning flames of hatred”, we must change our ways and work with a spirit of mutual respect, tolerance and affection.

Huzooraa thanked the guests once again for attending and ended the session with silent prayer.

Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM

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Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Philippines office-bearers’ workshop

Abdul Mukhlis Philippines Correspondent

amaat-e-Ahmadiyya Philippines held Jbearers a three-day workshop for local officefrom 4 to 6 October 2019. Local

Message of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra to the German Nation On the inauguration of the First Mosque in Hamburg, Germany “Allah willing, more mosques will be built in other cities of Germany” “We want Germans to embrace Islam in millions and lead Europe in the mission of propagating Islam” My dear Germans, Peace and blessings of Allah be on you.

I am sending my son, Mirza Mubarak Ahmad for the inauguration of the mosque in Hamburg. Chaudhry Zafrulla Khan Sahib will officially inaugurate the mosque, but Mirza Mubarak Ahmad will represent myself. Allah willing, my plan is to open more mosques, one after the other, in German cities …

May Allah enable the German nation to embrace Islam soon and, utilising its capabilities, lead Europe in spirituality,

as it leads in worldly matters. For now, we do have a German Ahmadi who has devoted his life and is serving in America, but we cannot be content with one or even dozens of converts.We want hundreds of thousands of missionaries and millions of Germans to embrace Islam so that Germany may lead the cause of Islam in Europe. Amin.

Humbly yours, Mirza Mahmud Ahmad Khalifatul Masih II

office-bearers from six Jamaats attended the workshop, which was conducted in Peace Compound in Sinunuc Village, Zamboanga.

The purpose of the workshop was to train the local office-bearers about their responsibilities and how to fulfill them. On the first day of the programme, participants were given a detailed explanation about the system of the Jamaat. During the presentation, it was explained in detail that the system of the Jamaat is based on the institution of Khilafat and all blessings come from obedience to this divine institution.

Further, the participants were briefed about Tahrik-e-Jadid Anjuman Ahmadiyya and the system of the Jamaat on national and local levels. The importance of obedience was also highlighted, and various excerpts were read about the expectations of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, for office-bearers.

On the second day, the office-bearers were split into various groups depending on their respective office. Each group meeting was conducted by the respective national office bearer of that department.

During these working groups, the officebearers were briefed on how to carry out their responsibilities. They were taught how to conduct an amila meeting, how to make programmes and the importance of following up and preparing reports.

On the last day, the participants were invited to attend and observe the national amila meeting. The purpose of this was manifold. Firstly, this gave the local officebearers a practical example on how to conduct local amila meetings. Secondly, a national report form was introduced for the first time for the ease of reporting, but also as a reminder for various departments about their monthly duties. Lastly, local officebearers were able to see how the national departments allocate resources and plan.

Another highlight of the workshop was that it coincided with Jalsa Salana France. This gave a chance for all the local office-bearers from different branches to collectively listen to the live Friday Sermon and speeches of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. Alhamdolillah, the workshop was very successful. Most of the attendees mentioned that the workshop improved their knowledge about the system of the Jamaat, but more importantly about what is expected from them and how to go about implementing it.

Readers of Al Hakam are humbly requested to remember Jamaat-eAhmadiyya Philippines in special prayers.

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Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM Responding to Allegations

Prophecies of the Promised Messiahas

“A virgin and widow”: A great sign of the Holy Prophetsa, a son representing his father in a prophecy, the Promised Messiah’sas prophecy is clearly fulfilled.

Both of these applications of the prophecy are valid and a clear sign of the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas.

Regarding interpretations, the Holy Prophetsa َ said: ْ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ‫الم ْج َته ُد ُي ْخط ُئ َويُص ْي‬ ُ ‫ان‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫ب ف َ ِإن أصاب فله أج َر‬ ٌ َ ٌ ْ َُ​َ​َ َ َْ ْ َ ِ ‫احد‬ ِ ‫و ِإن أخطأ فله أجر و‬

Ataul Fatir Tahir

ۡ َ ُ َ َّ ۡ َ ً ‫ٰی َح ۡس َرۃ َعلی الع َِبا ِد ۚ َما یَات ِۡی ِہ ۡم ِّم ۡن ّر ُسوۡ ٍل ِالا کانوۡا ِب ٖہ یَ ۡس َت ۡہ ِز ُء ۡو َن‬ “Alas for My servants! There comes not a Messenger to them but they mock at him.”

(Ch.36: V.31) A point of contention a recent video has made is upon the Promised Messiah’sas understanding of a revelation that he received concerning his marriage.

The Promised Messiahas received the following revelation from Allah around 1881: َ​َ ْ ‫بک ٌر ّوث ِّی ٌب‬ [A virgin and a widow.]

Commenting on this revelation, the Promised Messiahas interpreted it as his marriage to two separate ladies: “It is God’s intention that He will bring two ladies in my wedlock. One will be virgin and the other, a widow. Therefore, this revelation, that is related to the virgin, has been fulfilled and presently, by the grace of God, I have four sons from this wife. I am still awaiting the [fulfillment] of the revelation regarding the widow.” (Taryaqul-Quloob, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 15, p. 201) One must note here that the Promised Messiah’sas interpretation is not the prophecy, rather the Arabic words are the prophecy given by Allah. This is important to keep in mind.

The Arabic of the prophecy: َ​َ ْ ‫بک ٌر ّوث ِّی ٌب‬ can have two translations. Firstly, it can describe a state and condition of one woman who would be “A virgin and widow”.

Secondly, it can be used to mean two separate women, “A virgin and a widow”.

The Promised Messiahas interpreted the revelation to mean the latter. However, time would tell that Allah merely described the state and condition of one lady in this revelation.

As we have explained in our previous issue, prophets, including the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, can, and have, interpreted prophecies and revelations initially according to their understanding. We desire not to delve into this topic as it has been dealt with in our previous issue. Nevertheless, the incident of the Treaty of Hudaibiya and also the Holy Prophetsa understanding a dream to mean that he would migrate to Yamama or Hajar are two instances that should suffice for any fair-minded person to accept this reality.

The Promised Messiah’sas understanding and interpretation of this prophecy, which he received very early on, was further informed

by Allah in 1906. The following revelation was given to the Promised Messiahas on 16 February 1906: َُ ْ ْ ٰ َ ْ َ ‫تک ِف ْیک ھ ِذ ِہ ال ِام َراۃ‬ [This woman will suffice for you] “This woman” was none other than Hazrat Nusrat Jehan Begum Sahiba, may Allah be pleased with her, who the Promised Messiahas was married to.

“The one who makes an independent judgement may be correct or incorrect. If they are correct, then they will have two rewards. If they are incorrect, then they will have one reward.” (Al-Nibras Sharh-ulSharh Aqaid Nasfi) In fact, Muslim scholars of the past have attested to the fact that the Holy Prophetsa gave some judgments and interpretations that were not correct: ً َ َ ُ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ َ ّ ‫أن‬ ‫الن ِب ّي قد يجت ِهد ف َيك ْون خطأ‬ “The Holy Prophet gave a judgement and was mistaken.” (Ibid.)

When one can come to grips with this trait of prophets, the Promised Messiah’sas prophecies will be better understood and readily accepted. Prophets, after all, are human beings and can make human errors.

We have presented numerous examples of where prophets have misjudged a prophecy. The following example of the Holy Prophetsa is also presented for this purpose.

The Holy Prophetsa said to his wives: َْ ً َ ُ َ ً َ ُ ‫ا ْس َر ُعک ّن ِلحَاقا بِ ْی اط َولُک ّن یَدا‬

Through the above revelation, Allah told the Promised Messiahas that “a virgin and widow” was always about one lady.

Consequently, the revelation was fulfilled with Hazrat Nusrat Jehan Begumra, who experienced both “states” of the prophecy as she passed away after the Promised Messiahas. The revelation was always about her and in this manner, the prophecy was clearly fulfilled.

Prophets do not shy away from openly sharing revelations and prophecies Allah has revealed to them, even if they seem impossible. They also give interpretations of their prophecies and revelations throughout their life, most are accurate, and others are not.

One must keep in mind that prophecies can be multidimensional and fulfilled in numerous ways and so, if, for some reason someone does not attest to the fulfilment of this prophecy with Hazrat Nusrat Jehan Begumra, then another angle will also fulfil this prophecy.

In As-Sirat-ul-Halabiya (volume 3, Battles and the Conquest of Mecca) it is

written: “The Holy Prophetsa saw in a dream that he entered heaven and saw a date palm full of fruits. This surprised him. He asked, ‘Who is this for?’ It was said, ‘For Abu Jahl’. This was difficult to bear for the Holy Prophetsa. He said, ‘None will enter heaven except a believer.’ So, when Ikrimah, son of Abu Jahl came to him as a Muslim, he became joyful and interpreted the fruit as being for Ikrimah.”

Here, the Holy Prophetsa himself did not fully understand or interpret a prophecy Allah gave him. However, later, the Holy Prophetsa understood that Hazrat Ikrimahra, the son, represented Abu Jahl in reality and his conversion was the fulfilment of the prophecy.

In the same vein, the son of the Promised Messiahas, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra also fulfilled the prophecy of “A virgin and a widow”. This is so as Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra married both a virgin and a widow. In this manner, sticking to the manner of interpretation

“The one from among you who has the longest hands shall be the first to pass away after my demise and join me.” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Zakat) Regarding this, Hazrat Aishara said: “We inferred this to mean physical hands and would often measure our hands with one another. However, when the Holy Prophetsa passed away and Zainab bint Jahash was the first to leave this world, it was then that the secret revealed itself to us that the word ‘hand’ referred to charity and alms, not a physical hand.” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Zakat) The point to note here is that the Holy Prophetsa did not stop his wives measuring one another’s physical hands, nor told them the prophecy was metaphorical.

This indicates that the Holy Prophetsa also believed this prophecy to have a literal meaning, which was not the case in the end.

Therefore, one must always look at the bigger picture and refer to the actual prophecy at hand.

It is not that the Promised Messiahas would misinterpret all his prophecies.Far from it! The majority of what he understood from his revelations were accurate and the opponents of Islam Ahmadiyyat, like all previous deniers of prophets, cling onto ambiguity or human errors.

Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM

8

Wives of the Holy Prophetsa

Hazrat Khadijara Hazrat Ali, Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Mary, the daughter of Imran, was the best among the women [of the world of her time] and Khadija is the best amongst the women of this nation.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

Awais Rabbani Pakistan

“She believed in me when the whole world refuted and attested to my truth when the whole world accused me of falsehood. She offered me compassion and loyalty with her wealth when everyone else had forsaken me” (The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him) Born: 555 in Mecca, Arabia Full name: Khadija bint Khuwaylid Father: Khuwaylid ibn Asad Mother: Fatima bint Zai‘dah Tribe: Quraish, Banu Asad Titles: Tahira (pure), Mother of the believers, Khadija al-Kubrah (Khadija the great) Date of demise: 619 AD Hazrat Khadijara was born to a noble and wealthy family. Her father, Khuwaylid ibn Asad, was a merchant. After his demise she took over the family’s business and earned distinction within the Quraish for her fair dealings and piety which gained her the name of Tahira, the pure one.

Even before the advent of Islam, she was renowned for distributing riches to the destitute, generously spending on the needy, financially assisting her relatives and providing women with dowries for their marriages. Unlike her own people, she never believed in, nor worshipped idols. She married twice before the Holy Prophetsa; first to Atiq bin Aidh bin Abdullah and later to Abu Hala bin Al-

Nabbash; both of her husbands passed away during the earlier years of her life. By the time she married the Holy Prophetsa, she was 40 years old.

the poor and the forlorn and bear their burdens? You treat guests with honour and help those who are in distress.”

Soon afterwards, she took him to her cousin Waraqa bin Naufal, a renowned scholar of past religious scriptures, who affirmed the Holy Prophetsa of his prophethood and declared his encounter to be of divine origins. Thus, Hazrat Khadijara was the first person to believe in her husband’s mission and embrace Islam.

Marriage to the Holy Prophetsa Hazrat Khadijara was an esteemed businesswoman who traded through the primary commerce centres at that time.

Since she would not travel with the caravan herself and relied on an agent to trade on her behalf, she was in search of an honest person who would take her merchandise to Syria. Hazrat Abu Talib suggested that she hire the Holy Prophetsa. The integrity and honesty of the Prophetsa brought such blessings that he returned with an unexpected profit. Hazrat Khadija’sra servant, Maysarah, who accompanied the Holy Prophetsa on his journey was full of praise for him. Impressed, she extended the marriage proposal to the Holy Prophetsa, which was accepted and through mutual consent, they got married. The Holy Prophetsa was 25 and Hazrat Khadijara, 40.

Despite the disparity between their ages, the union proved extremely successful.

The Holy Prophetsa also had children from this great wife.

Services to Islam In its nascent years, when Islam was under the constant tempest of oppression, Hazrat Khadijara stood firmly by the Messengersa of Allah and assisted him with moral and financial support. She bequeathed all her wealth at her husband’s disposal for the propagation of Islam. Her services can only be best described in the words of the Holy Prophetsa himself, he said: “She believed in me when the whole world refuted and attested to my veracity when the whole world accused me of falsehood. She offered me compassion and loyalty with her wealth when everyone else had forsaken me” (Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 6, p. 117)

The first revelation When the Messengersa of Allah was 40 years old, he received his first revelation.

Greatly agitated, he returned home and recounted the whole encounter to his wife and disclosed his fears of the responsibility, which God had placed on him. Her answer reflected unwavering support, faith and love she held for her husband. She consoled him with the following words: “Allah will never disgrace you [how can God do such a thing], while you are kind and considerate to your relations, help

The year of grief Despite the hardships and atrocities Muslims faced at the hands of the aristocrats of Quraish, they remained as stout as ever and their resolve in the message of Islam only increased. The zenith of oppression was a three-year socio-economic boycott, which forbade dealings with the Muslims and proved to be a time of excessive austerity and privation. Consequently, it took its toll on both the Prophet’ssa beloved wife and his uncle Hazrat Abu Talibra, who met their demise shortly after their return

from Shib.

Hence, this year is known as the year of grief (Aam-ul-Huzn), owed to the loss of Hazrat Khadijara, a caring wife and a faithful proponent of Islam; and Hazrat Abu Talibra, the Prophet’ssa trusted counsellor and uncle who protected him at the cost of his life and demonstrated great fortitude at the face of persecutions till his demise.

Hazrat Khadijara died at the age of 65 and was buried in the Meccan cemetery of Hujoon.

The Holy Prophetsa lost his family and Islam lost its valuable defenders.

High regard Hazrat Khadijara held a distinctive position among the wives of the Holy Prophetsa. He would reminisce fondly of her and often mention her great stature. He once said: “Of all the women in Paradise, the most noble are Hazrat Khadija bint Khuwaylidra, Hazrat Fatimatul Zohrara bint Muhammad, Hazrat Mariam bint Imran, and Hazrat Asiya (wife of Pharoah).

(Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 1, p. 293) Hazrat Khadijara demonstrated unequivocal faith and support for the Prophetsa in the moments when he was alone and helpless. She stood firmly by him and sacrificed her vast wealth to promote her husband’s cause. She remained steadfast and practiced immense patience at the face of the oppositions levelled against her family by the adversaries of Islam.

Despite all this, she filled her home with peace and provided her husband solace.

It is no wonder she was promised a palace in paradise wherein she was promised no clamour or fatigue. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3819)

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Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM Obituary

Continued from page 2

30 October 1913: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira graciously laid the foundation stone of Hazrat Maulvi Sher Ali’sra house.

Khawaja Rashiduddin Qamar Sahib

30 October 1947: The aftermath of the partition and expulsion of Jamaat members from their homes continued. On this date, the minarets of mosques in Darul Rehmat were demolished and Masjid Noor was made as a meeting place of intruders instead of worshippers.

30 October 1948: Jamaat Sialkot convened its three-day annual Jalsa. Hazrat Muslehe-Maud’sra special message for this occasion was read out in the concluding session by Hazrat Syed Zain-ul-Abideen Walliullah Shahra. It was about the message of Ahmadiyyat. During the course of the Jalsa, Liwa-e-Ahamdiyyat was also hoisted after special permission was sought from Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra.

30 October 1949: The Jamaat in England held its two-day Jalsa Salana. It included speeches on the holy life of the Prophetsa of Islam. Speakers from other faiths were also invited to speak.

30 October 1949: The first ever Khuddam Ijtema was arranged at the new Markaz in Rabwah.

It was attended by more than 1,500 Khuddam. 89 camps were erected by the participants of this Ijtema. During the course of his speech, Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra announced that from now on, he would be head of Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya.

30 October 1954: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra began his two-day tour of Lahore. During the course of this short trip, he oversaw the rescue and rehabilitation mission conducted by the Jamaat for those affected by recent flooding of the area. Around 200 Khuddam from Rabwah and Lahore took part in the relief operation, in which they repaired 75 houses, providing shelter to more than 1,000 people. Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra commended the efforts of Khuddam and motivated them with his presence.

31 October 1902: Upon the commencement of the newspaper Badr, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira extended his support for it and also wrote some articles.

n 18 October 2019, Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih V O announced the demise of Khawaja aa

Rashiduddin Qamar Sahib.

The late Khawaja Sahib had a long history of service to the Jamaat.

In the early 1950s, Khawaja Sahib served as qaid Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya in Drigh Road, Karachi. Later, upon relocating to the UK in 1958, he served the Jamaat in various capacities.

He had the honour of serving as qaid Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK for seven years, general secretary of the UK Jamaat for 18 years and chairman of the Jalsa Salana UK committee.

He is also remembered for accompanying Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh on his daily morning walks around the Queensmere Pond situated at Wimbledon Common and for Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh naming a club, the “Khawaja Club”, after him, in which selected members would gather regularly to greet each other and eat meals together.

During the Friday Sermon, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said: “I would now like to mention someone who recently passed away and I will also be leading his funeral prayer in absentia; he is respected Khawaja Rashiduddin Qamar Sahib, son of Maulana Qamaruddin Sahib. “[Khawaja Rashiduddin Qamar Sahib] passed away under divine will at the age of 86 on 10 October after suffering from an illness. َ ْ َ َّ َ ّٰ َّ ‫اج ُعوْ َن‬ ِ ‫ِانا لِل ِہ و ِانا ِالی ِہ ر‬

“[Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.] Khawaja Sahib was born in 1933 in Qadian and, as I mentioned earlier, he was the son of Maulvi Qamaruddin Sahib. Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra appointed Maulvi Qamaruddin Sahib as the first Sadr [president] of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya.

“Khawaja Sahib was the paternal

grandson of Hazrat Mian Khairuddin Sahib Sekhwanira and was the maternal uncle of our respected Amir Sahib UK. “With regard to Hazrat Mian Khairuddin Sahib Sekhwanira and his two brothers, the Promised Messiahas has written in Anjam-e-Atham: “‘I am astonished at the love and sincerity of our Jamaat; even persons with meagre incomes like Mian Jamaluddin, Khairuddin and Imamuddin of Kashmir who live near our village. These three brothers of meagre means, who work as labourers and perhaps earn twelve or sixteen annas [a form of currency in India] a day, take part in monthly donations with great zeal.’

“Then, the Promised Messiahas once made an appeal for Chanda and all three brothers contributed. Mentioning this, the Promised Messiahas states: “‘Their contribution towards Chanda is indeed astounding and admirable for they keep very little of the worldly wealth to themselves, much like the example of Hazrat Abu Bakrra who brought everything he had in his home, and they have given precedence to faith over all worldly things, just as it is stipulated in the conditions of the Bai‘at.’

“Khawaja Sahib was among their progeny.

“After the partition, the deceased served in the Pakistan Air Force for a short while, before moving to the UK in 1958 and worked in British Airways for 33 years. Since he had great passion to serve the Jamaat, he would arrange to have nightshifts during his employment so that he could serve the Jamaat during the day.

“He spent almost his entire life serving the Jamaat and served in various posts.

The deceased had the opportunity to serve as the first qaid of Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya UK and served at this office for seven years. At the time, all of the auxiliary originations of Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya

around the world were under the central Markaz and Khawaja Sahib was the first qaid for the UK. Khawaja Sahib also had the opportunity to serve as the national general secretary, secretary mal, secretary rishta nata, secretary umur-e-ama and naib afsar Jalsa Gah. “Khawaja Sahib was a man of many qualities. He had great love for Khilafat and would show great respect towards the elders of the Jamaat, missionaries and office-bearers of the Jamaat. He was an extremely pious person, very regular in offering his Tahajud prayer, congregational prayers and in his contributions towards Sadqa and charity. He was very sociable, looked after the poor, showed great compassion towards children and showed respect to everyone, young and old alike and was extremely devoted towards prayers.

“The deceased was a Musi by the grace of Allah the Almighty and leaves behind his wife, a son and two daughters. He also has one sister and three brothers. One of his maternal grandsons, Qaasid Muin, is a missionary of the Jamaat and is currently serving in MTA and Al Hakam.

“Qaasid Muin Sahib writes: “‘Every weekend, we would spend at our grandfather’s house and would stay there. Therefore, every week, I had the opportunity to observe him very closely.

During my childhood, I would often sleep in his room and I observed that he would always offer nawafil [voluntary prayers] before sleeping. He would offer these nawafil in a most beautiful, calm and peaceful manner. He would then wake up for the Tahajud prayer in the morning and would also wake us for the Fajr prayer.’

“He further writes: “‘I always found him to be extremely compassionate and had a very angelic personality. He never told us off, however I recall that once he told me off when, during the time of the fourth Khilafat, in my childhood innocence, I asked him about the next Khalifa and who it would be. Upon this, my grandfather told me off and explained to me not to say such things. Thus, right from my childhood, this taught me a great lesson about the true status of Khilafat.’

“He had an extraordinarily loyal relationship with Khilafat and would regularly write to me. During the final days of his illness, he also came to visit me a few days before this tour. He had been diagnosed with cancer and had to go through a very painful treatment and illness, however he endured this with great patience and steadfastness and explained everything to me with great courage.

“May Allah the Almighty grant him His forgiveness and mercy and grant him the company of his loved ones. And may he also enable his children and future progeny to continue his good deeds.”

Amin.

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Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM 100 Years Ago...

Blueprints of Life: AMRA Academy

London letter Al Fazl, 18 October 1919 Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Rahim Nayyarra

London’s weather Through the warmth of the sun, the first half of August was beautifying the weather in such a way that the atmosphere of the east was being experienced in the west. A lot of people were traumatised by the hot weather as it caused a lot of deaths and some women even lost her minds. However, the weather has changed now and the temperature varies between cold and hot. At times, it begins to rain. Beneath the ever-changing skies, Ahmadi missionaries request their master and the members of the Jamaat to always pray for their spiritual and physical health.

Meetings Below is the list of those noteworthy persons who visited the house during this week: 1. A Christian doctor, who is extremely keen on listening to the attributes of Islam. He takes interest in our Jamaat as well 2. An educated young lady, who is a Catholic and holds hours of discussions with our missionaries. After the discussions, she says that she is a Christian and will remain so till the time of her demise. She studies Arabic from Mufti Sahib and now, she has started to learn Urdu from me 3. An educated new lady convert who accompanied us at the time of our arrival. She accepted the teachings of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and returned with a positive impression 4. Some sailors and several Arab and Egyptian gentlemen have visited the house and listened to the narrative of the Jamaat. They had a long discussion as well 5. A lady by the name of Annie May, to whom [the teachings of] Islam has been explained The list of people who we visited at their residence, is as follows: 1. We met Mr Ahmad Din Kar Ahmadi, who is a passionate person, along with his wife Amina (an English lady) and their children. Certain beneficial recommendations were presented for the promulgation of the Jamaat. Soon enough, a second Markaz of tabligh shall be established in London, Insha-Allah!

2. We met two musadiqa [those who attest to the truth] ladies. I was greatly moved to see their affection, familial dignity and compassionate attitude towards Ahmadiyyat. Allah Almighty is AllPowerful that owing to their virtues, He may illumine them with the light of Islam. Each of the two ladies prepared sumptuous feasts for us and we met new persons through them, conveying the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat to new souls Distribution of literature and general tabligh The meetings demand a great deal of time and money. As we put in money, other

people also spend their money in coming [to meet us]. Therefore, meetings hold a special importance. Besides this, as time is equally precious, we distribute literature while walking along the way and travelling on a tram or a motor. Our brothers in Ceylon have recently printed a tract and sent us [tabligh literature] in a large quantity. [In the literature] they have admonished the world from divine torment and have drawn attention towards the prophet of the age.

Hazrat Mufti Sahib distributes the leaflets in a very effective way and gives them to all sorts of people by talking to them in charming words. For instance, yesterday, some ladies approached us and there were four of them. He turned towards them, their eyes were already focused on the green turban and now they were more attentive.

Mufti Sahib said, “You are four, correct?”

They responded with a smile, “Yes, four! Yes, four!”

Mufti Sahib, “These four are for each of you.”

(He handed over four leaflets in the hand of one lady.)

The Ladies replied, “Thank you, so much.”

On one occasion, the ladies who bring telegram messages met us. They had a conversation with Mufti Sahib in the following way: Mufti (with a green turban): “Are you here with a message for me?”

Ladies: “No.” Mufti: “Right, if you are not, then I am here with a message for you.” (The very next moment, he handed them some leaflets.)

Ladies: “Thank you.”

Sometimes when leaflets are distributed to passenger vehicles, the answer is, “No, thank you.” At other instances, not only is the leaflet accepted, but a long discussion ensues and questions are asked. Moreover, letters are received afterwards.

Sermon and lecture I delivered the Friday sermon this week.

An Egyptian gentleman and an English Ahmadi lady seemed greatly influenced.

On Friday, Dr Abdul Hakim Khan Ahmadi (veterinary assistant) came along with three men from Houston Court. A lecture was held on Sunday at 6pm in the evening. Its announcement was already made through mail. We had also glued the announcement on the wall of our house in bold letters in the following manner: “Mohammad[sa] the Perfect Ideal” The attendance was quite good. Apart from Ahmadi English ladies and gentlemen, the audience also included a Christian doctor and Catholic Christians (as mentioned in the section of “Meetings”). Moreover, a Brazilian gentleman was also there along with his English wife. I delivered the lecture and it proved successful by the grace of Allah.

After the lecture, Dr Sahib expressed remarks in extremely affectionate words and showed his interest in Islam. Following the speech, some people had a discussion with me and Mufti Sahib regarding the Jamaat.

Ali Khalid AMRA UK

he Ahmadiyya Muslim Research Association (AMRA) ran a biology T workshop in conjunction with funding

from the Royal Society of Biology, on 5 October 2019 at Tahir Mosque, Catford, UK. The workshop was organised by AMRA academy, the educational division of AMRA, to celebrate the national initiative of Biology Week 2019. The workshop comprised of three different hands-on activities for the participants.

Maulvi Abdul Rahim Nayyarra

A new convert friend delivered a number of successful lectures in the suburbs of London about Ahmadiyyat. A lot of people are enquiring about the Jamaat.

Acceptance of Islam Ahmadiyyat By the blessing of Allah Almighty, as a result of our humble efforts in the current week, a respected and wealthy lady accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat through this humble one and embraced the servitude of Syedna Mahmud Ahmad. Her request of Bai‘at has been sent to be presented before Huzoor. The name of the lady was Annie May and I have given her the Islamic name of Ayesha.

Aside from her, two Arabs, Haji Ali Musa and Haji Hassan have accepted Ahmadiyyat through the combined tabligh of this humble one and Mufti Sahib. Their request of Bai‘at has been sent to be presented before Huzoor.

Through the tabligh of Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sahib, an educated and respected English man of noble descent has started to call himself an Ahmadi in Folkestone.

A recent musadiqa Owing to the efforts and influences of Hazrat Mufti Sahib, a party of those people is being established who possess affection towards Islam and prefer to use Islamic names for themselves.

If we have no fear of Allah Almighty and the only goal is to collect money from people, their names can very easily be mentioned in the list of Muslims. As matter of fact, our task is based on taqwa [righteousness], therefore except for those people who sign the Bai‘at form, we do not add anybody’s name in the list of those who accept Islam.

This week, a lady of noble descent by the name of Ms Ronald included herself in the party of musadiqin and got herself named from Mufti Sahib as Saeeda. These persons use Islamic names in correspondence with Mufti Sahib.

DNA origami Over 20 students undertook a 12step origami in the Blueprint of Life workshop to produce the double helix of DNA. Students engaged in discussions on the discovery of DNA and its role in inheritance.

Life under a microscope During Life Under a Microscope session, students were able to appreciate the differences between lifeforms and, in particular, the differences between plant and animal cells. The highlight for the students was using a special equipment to take photographs of the microscopic field of view.

DNA extraction Finally, the students conducted an experiment to extract DNA from fresh strawberries. Students crushed the strawberries to break the cells. A detergent solution was used to break nuclear membranes to extract the DNA into solution. Finally, a salty solution was used to make the DNA stick together.

In total, we had 20 participants and five volunteers with a background in science to help and run the event.

The aim of the AMRA Academy is to enable youngsters to experience learning in a hands-on way from experts in their respective fields. Previous workshops have included rocket building, programming and codebreaking to name a few.

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Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM

Canada missionaries’ refresher course 2019 Syed Mukarram Nazir Canada Correspondent

refresher course for Canadian missionaries was held from 7 to 12 A October 2019.

First Ahmadiyya mosque in Hamburg opened Inaugural ceremony by Chaudhry Zafrulla Khan Sahibra

Hamburg (West Germany): Reuters reports that Hazrat Chaudhry Zafrulla Khan, Judge of the International Court

Ataul Manan Sahib reports that the course took place at the Canadian headquarters of the Jamaat, located in Peace Village, Vaughan. 35 field missionaries participated in this refresher course.

The programme was designed as per the instructions received from the Markaz in London.

Two of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’saa addresses delivered at the occasion of Jamia Ahmadiyya convocations were listened to. Similarly, Hazrat Amirul Momineen’saa Friday Sermon regarding the responsibilities of office-bearers and missionaries was played.

In total, 20 lectures were delivered; 7 by missionaries, 10 by national officebearers and 3 by Jamaat scholars.

A recent instruction of Huzooraa stated that missionaries should be

well-versed in the constitution of the auxiliary organisations. As such, soft and hard copies of these constitutions were provided to the missionaries and lectures were arranged to discuss the constitution of each auxiliary organisation of the Jamaat.

The highlight of the programme was that missionaries were able to listen to the live addresses that Huzooraa delivered at UNESCO and at the inauguration of Mahdi Mosque in Strasbourg, France.

The refresher course was held for 6 days. Each day started with Tahajud prayers and ended at Isha. Lectures started at 9am until midday. After prayers, there was time for rest and sports. In the evening there were lectures and in-class study.

We are grateful to all the speakers and missionaries who delivered lectures and also those who assisted in any capacity.

We are also grateful to respected national secretary ziafat (hospitality) and his team for arranging accommodation and hospitality.

of Justice, inaugurated the first Ahmadiyya mosque in Hamburg on 22 June 1957.

After London and The Hague, this is the third mosque to have been built in Europe in the blessed era of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud. All praise be to Allah.

Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmad Sahib, Wakil-utTabshir and representative of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II for this occasion, read out a special message from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II… All are requested to pray that Allah the Almighty bestows blessings on this mosque and makes it an integral centre for the propagation and prosperity of Islam in Germany.

May it hold high the flag of Islam and the Holy Prophet in Europe. Amin.

(Al Fazl, 25 June 1957)

Humanity First in Bosnia Zubair Khalil Khan Director Projects Humanity First Germany South East Europe

umanity First aims to support the most deprived segments of society H and to deliver the aid and relief to the door step of those who need it most. This service to humanity was once again displayed in an elementary school of Bosnia on 14 October 2019.

The director of the elementary School at Ustikolina, a small city about 80 kilometres from Sarajevo, through the mayor of the city met with concerned authorities of the Jamaat and Humanity First for provision of a van, enabling the school to transport the students and teachers living at places

where arrangement of public transport was difficult.

A van was procured by Humanity First at the earliest possible opportunity. On 14 October, close to midday, Humanity First handed the van to the school at a ceremony.

In addition to the director of the school, Ms Jasmian OmarBasic, Mayor of the city, Mr Zijad Kumanovic and the Minister of Education for the area, Mr Arman Beslija were also present at the occasion.

The swift response by Humanity First for the provision of a van surprised the Bosnian authorities. They all thanked Humanity First for this donation and also expressed their wish to continue such humanitarian works in future.

Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM

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Praying for Islam in the West Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra stated: also points to occurrences where Christian nations will become weary of Christianity and turn to Islam…

“Ahadith indicate that one of the eschatological signs of the Mahdi would be that the Sun would rise from the west. The Holy Quran

“Currently, there are about ten or fifteen members of the Jamaat in Germany, but I hope that the number will soon rise to hundreds or even thousands … We should have full trust in Allah that His prophecies will surely be fulfilled; we should also pray for this to happen. It is a blessing for one to pray to Allah for His prophecies to be fulfilled. Allah becomes pleased with such a person and says: ‘Although they are praying for My prophecies to become manifest, but it shows that they want My

word to prove truthful; and if this is what they desire for, I should grant them a pure and truthful life.They have thus proved that they have taken my will to be their will,and My pleasure to be their pleasure.’

This is how such supplications become beneficial for those who offer them.

“One who prays for the Sun to rise from the west soon, or, in other words, for Islam to spread in the Western world, desires for Allah’s decree to become manifest and for His prophecies to be fulfilled.Thus, Allah’s pleasure and help becomes committed to such a prayer.”

(Friday Sermon, 9 August, 1957)

Lajna Imaillah refresher course for Sub-Saharan Africa Dr Swaleh Kitabu Pazi Tanzania Correspondent

n the spirit of “We listen and we obey”, Lajna Imaillah responded to the Iinstructions of Hazrat Amirul Momineen,

may Allah be his Helper, to hold an East African refresher course. This course was organised by Secretary of Lajna Section in Markaz, Rehana Ahmad Sahiba.

The refresher course took place from 13 to 15 September 2019. Representatives from five countries took part in this historical meeting, namely, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Tanzania (the host).

The very fruitful refresher course took place in the newly opened and impressive Masjid Salaam, situated in Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of Tanzania. It was a rewarding, spiritual and intellectual banquet that covered the following topics: the faith of Promised Messiahas, the significance and importance of Lajna Imaillah’s pledge, the responsibility of Lajna Imaillah, the background and the history of Lajna Imaillah, the Lajna Imaillah constitution, election rules, responsibilities of office-bearers, Lajna Imaillah’s Majils-e-Shura, the blessings of

financial sacrifice, compilation of monthly and annual reports, and last but not least, the importance and blessings of MTA International.

It was a tight schedule, which included two sessions each day for all three days. As it is customary, sessions started with the recitations of the Holy Quran followed by Hadith.

All members present also listened to the Friday Sermon delivered by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. During the seminar, Rehana Ahmad Sahiba, distributed books and pamphlets that covered matters pertaining to the activities of Lajna Imaillah.

Participants were overjoyed, as the course was a source of knowledge and created a sense of unity and solidarity

among African countries. Rehana Ahmad Sahiba also stressed special emphasis on the importance of developing a bond with Khalifatul Masih by writing letters to him.

After the course, the participants visited the Ahmadiyya centre in Kitonga where they were able to see Lajna Imaillah Tanzania offices, the Ahmadiyya secondary school and the Jalsa Salana site. Poems were read out during this occasion.

On the 19 September 2019 the facilitator of the East Africa refresher course went to Johannesburg, South Africa for another refresher course that included 30 countries.

All Sub-Saharan Africa Lajna Imaillah participants give a special thanks to Huzooraa for this historical opportunity.

Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM

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Friday Sermon Jalsa Salana Holland 2019 27 September 2019 After reciting the Tashahud, Ta‘awuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:

oday, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, Jalsa Salana [the annual T convention] of the Ahmadiyya Muslim

Community in Holland is going to commence.

After many years, Allah the Almighty has also enabled me to participate in your Jalsa. Amir Sahib [National President of Holland Jamaat] has been inviting me to the Jalsa for the past few years, but due to other Jamaat engagements and despite the desire to attend, it was not possible.

In any case, it is by the grace of Allah the Almighty that I have been enabled to attend this Jalsa today.

Over the previous few years, the Community in Holland has increased; there has been a definite increase of at least a ⅓. Many people have migrated from Pakistan and also some new members have joined the Community. Nonetheless, like other Jamaats of the world, Holland Jamaat is also making progress according

to their numbers and means.

The publication of literature etc. has now also improved here. The Jamaat has also acquired some new centres and a mosque. Although, I have not seen the mosque yet, but I have heard other people praise the beauty of the Almere mosque.

Thus, you have been able to construct a very beautiful mosque. Insha-Allah-uTa‘ala [God willing], its inauguration will take place next week, that is, the formal inauguration, otherwise, prayers are already being offered there.

However, you should always remember that the increase in your numbers or the construction of mission houses or centres or a mosque will only be beneficial if you fulfil the purpose of their construction.

Thus, every Ahmadi who lives here needs to analyse their condition and search for those objectives which we ought to fulfil after having come into the Bai‘at of the Promised Messiahas.

As I said, over the last few years, many Ahmadis have migrated here which is one of the reasons for an increase in the Jamaat numbers. But why have they migrated here?

They have done so because Ahmadis do not have freedom of religion, particularly in Pakistan. They are persecuted on the basis of religion. Their rights are usurped for they have accepted the Imam of the Age in accordance with the prophecy and instruction of the Holy Prophetsa. We are prohibited from calling the name of Allah the Almighty and from worshiping Him because we have come into the Bai‘at of the most ardent devotee of the Holy Prophetsa.

Let alone constructing mosques, we are even prohibited from holding gatherings such as Jalsas and Ijtemas for the purpose of moral and spiritual training of our own members. Moreover, according to their law, we are prohibited from praying even in our homes. We are prohibited from sacrificing animals on the occasion of Eid

al-Adha as the law does not allow us to do so and charges are brought against those who do so. This is also enforced because it “hurts” the sentiments of the so-called scholars and their followers.

Thus, due to these circumstances, many Ahmadis have migrated from Pakistan and gone to other countries where there is freedom of religion. Those among you who have migrated to this country have freedom of religion as well as opportunities to improve your financial and economic conditions.

Hence, every Ahmadi, who is living free from the restrictions that were imposed on them in Pakistan should particularly be grateful to Allah the Almighty even greater than before and they should also strive their level best to do true justice of having pledged Bai‘at [initiation] to the Promised Messiahas. They should endeavour to improve their spiritual, intellectual and moral states. They should not simply

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Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM

Hence, every Ahmadi, who is living free from the restrictions that were imposed on them in Pakistan should particularly be grateful to Allah the Almighty even greater than before and they should also strive their level best to do true justice of having pledged Bai‘at [initiation] to the Promised Messiahas. rejoice at the mere fact that they are now free and that there is no such restriction upon them, which prevents them from acting in accordance with their faith.

If our deeds are not in accordance with the commandments of Allah the Almighty, if we do not endeavour to develop an even purer transformation within us than before and if we are not expressing the love of Allah the Almighty and His Messengersa more than before, then to what benefit is this freedom? What is the benefit of participating in these Jalsas [annual conventions]? What is the benefit of constructing these mosques? We will only reap the true benefit of this freedom when we fulfil the due rights of our Bai‘at [pledge of initiation].

The Promised Messiahas announced to organise these Jalsas upon the commandment from Allah the Almighty and he did so in order to develop a pure transformation within us; so that we may become those who give precedence to faith over the world; so that we may acquire the true understanding and comprehension of our faith; so that we may develop the love of Allah the Almighty and His Prophetsa within our hearts and so that we may improve our spiritual, moral and intellectual states and make every possible effort for this.

Outlining the objectives of Jalsa and imparting advice to those who pledge initiation to him, the Promised Messiahas stated on one occasion: “All sincere souls who have entered the fold of this humble one should know that the purpose of pledging allegiance is to dampen the worldly ardour, so that the heart is engulfed in the love of the Bountiful God and of the Holy Prophetsa, and to develop such a state of detachment that the Final Journey does not seem an unwelcome prospect.” (Aasmani Faisla [The Heavenly Decree], Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 4, p. 351) Thus, this instruction is evidently clear that after pledging initiation to the Promised Messiahas, we should not limit ourselves to a mere verbal proclamation, rather we should join those who demonstrate sincerity. However, one is only able to increase in sincerity and devotion when the love of Allah the Almighty and His Chosen Messengersa takes precedence over every other relationship of love. Thus, the Promised Messiahas has also included this among the conditions of Bai‘at that the initiate shall make the Word of God and the sayings of the Holy Prophetsa the guiding principle in every aspect of one’s life to the best of their ability. (Izala-eAuham, Part II, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, p.

564)

Every word of Allah the Almighty and of His Messengersa can only be made the guiding principle in one’s life when a person develops true love for them. Hence, these Jalsas are organised so that we are repeatedly reminded of what the objective of our Bai‘at is.

It is not an ordinary matter for the love of the world to be completely removed [from the heart] and to be superseded by the love of Allah and His Messengersa.

One needs to greatly strive to achieve this.

Moreover, once we have taken the pledge of initiation then we should most certainly strive in this. We must sacrifice our worldly affairs for the sake of our worship. We must sacrifice our worldly engagements in order to fulfil the rights of Allah the Almighty. We must safeguard ourselves from whatever hinders us from acquiring the nearness of Allah the Almighty. If our employments and our businesses prevent us from fulfilling the rights of Allah the Almighty, then we must protect ourselves from these ills in order to remain in the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas. We must remove these hindrances. Similarly, if our egos, our so-called worldly respect and honour and our selfish thoughts and deeds are preventing us from fulfilling the rights of the creation of God then this is also disobedience to the commandments of Allah the Almighty. Allah the Almighty has also commanded to fulfil the rights of His creation and by disobeying this, we are not fulfilling the objective of being in the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas.

The next aspect which the Promised Messiahas has drawn our attention towards is the love for the Holy Prophetsa. The Promised Messiahas has clearly stated that the love for the Holy Prophetsa should supersede and dominate every other relationship of love. The reason for this is that now, we are able to reach God Almighty only through the Holy Prophetsa.

We are able to reach God the Almighty only by acting in accordance with his commandments and by following his Sunnah. Now, the Holy Prophetsa is the only means for the acceptance of prayers and for a prosperous end. The Promised Messiahas states: “Ponder that Allah the Almighty states in the Holy Quran: َّ َ ّٰ َ ُّ ُ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ ْ ُ ّٰ ُ ‫قل ِان کنتم ت ِحب‬ ‫ون الل َہ فات ِب ُعوْنِ ْی یُ ْح ِب ْبک ُم الل ُہ‬ “That is, ‘Say o people! If you love Allah the Exalted, follow me then He will also love you. [Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.32]’” This means that Allah the Almighty will also love you when you follow the Holy Prophetsa, when you follow his traditions and act in accordance with his commandments. The Promised Messiahas further states: “In order to become a beloved of God, the only path is to follow the Holy Prophetsa. There is no other path that will enable you to reach God. A person’s objective should merely be the search for the One and Only God.” This should be our very objective; to search for the One and Only God and not to search for something else and not to associate anything else with Allah. The Promised Messiahas further states: “You should refrain from Shirk [associating partners with God] and from [harmful] innovations and you should not follow harmful traditions and desires.”

The Promised Messiahas states: “Look, I say it once again that apart from true path of the Holy Prophetsa, a person is unable to be successful through any other means.” The Promised Messiahas further states, “We only have one Prophetsa and only one Holy Quran, which was revealed to the Holy Prophetsa, by following which, we are able to reach God.” (Malfuzat Vol. 5, pp. 124-125)

The Promised Messiahas states that one should remember that apart from the Holy Quran and following the commandments of the Holy Prophetsa and his practises such as the formal prayer and fasting etc., there is no other key for unlocking the doors of the bounties and blessings of God. This is the only path and there is no other way.”

Hence, in order to acquire these blessings, it is necessary to love the Holy Prophetsa and owing to this love, act in accordance with his commandments. If we do not do so then the Promised Messiahas has clearly stated that it is of no benefit to pledge initiation to him and that there is no benefit in gathering for these Jalsas. The Promised Messiahas states he is a devotee of this Belovedsa of Allah the Almighty.

Thus, if we wish to uphold our pledge of initiation to him, it is essential that we also love his Belovedsa.

Following this, the Promised Messiahas states that one should develop a state of detachment [from worldly pleasures] inside them. That is, you should develop a state that detaches you from the amusements and pleasures of the world. Every deed of yours should be in accordance with the commandments of Allah the Almighty and His Chosen Prophetsa.

Certainly, earning worldly wealth and engaging in worldly affairs and businesses are permissible, in fact, God Almighty has commanded us to do so. The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, also engaged in these worldly endeavours and owned businesses and took part in trade. They had great businesses which were worth hundreds of thousands and even millions. They took part in trade and possessed properties worth millions.

However, they were immersed in the love of Allah the Almighty and His Messengersa and they were ever mindful of fulfilling the rights of the worship of Allah the Almighty and acting in accordance with the commandments of the Holy Prophetsa.

They remained cautious of not committing a deed as a result of which their beloved would be displeased with them.

Recently, I have been relating accounts from lives of the Companionsra of the Holy Prophetsa in my Friday Sermons. There are countless examples of their standard of worship, their level of obedience and their immense love and passion for the Holy Prophetsa. They were always fearful of doing something that might lead to the displeasure of their beloved. Hence, we

“All sincere souls who have entered the fold of this humble one should know that the purpose of pledging allegiance is to dampen the worldly ardour, so that the heart is engulfed in the love of the Bountiful God and of the Holy Prophetsa, and to develop such a state of detachment that the Final Journey does not seem an unwelcome prospect.” (Aasmani Faisla [The Heavenly Decree], Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 4, p. 351)

Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM should always bear in mind that despite all of our worldly engagements, we will not let our love of God Almighty and His Messengersa diminish in any way, InshaAllah.

In this regard, we must strive as much as possible to fulfil the commandments of Allah the Almighty and His Messengersa.

We have gathered here for three days to improve our condition, to benefit from the spiritual environment of Jalsa and to improve our practical conditions.

Therefore, we should always be mindful of the purpose for which we have gathered here for three days. The purpose of this is to take advantage of this spiritual environment, strive to improve our practical conditions, and remove our ill habits, and to focus on the remembrance of Allah the Almighty and seeking His forgiveness along with performing worship during these days. If this is not our mindset, then it is pointless for us to attend the Jalsa. It is wise to consider these three days as a training camp and to strive to overcome the weaknesses in our practical conditions that naturally arise when an individual leaves a particular environment.

Whilst speaking about the benefits of Jalsa, the Promised Messiahas states: “All our friends should, to the best of their ability, come and listen to Divine words and to join us in supplication for the sake of Allah.” He further states, “This gathering will be devoted to the exposition of such truths and spiritual insight as are necessary for the promotion of faith and certainty and spiritual understanding” (Aasmani Faisla [The Heavenly Decree], Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 4, pp. 351-352) Therefore, the objective of Jalsa is to progress in faith, conviction and spiritual insight. On another occasion, the Promised Messiahas also stated that the Jalsa is not like other worldly festivals wherein we simply gather like other worldly gatherings and display our numbers. This is not the objective. Hence, everyone attending the Jalsa – whether they are men, women, the elderly, or young – should focus towards improving their faith, conviction and spiritual insight so that their love for God and His Messengersa may strengthen further.

If we cannot recognise the true status of Allah the Almighty and His Messengersa; if we are not convinced of God’s existence, then how can our spirtual insight improve? One can strengthen their faith after progressing in spiritual insight.

Therefore, we should not think that we are gathering together merely for the sake of enjoyment and entertainment and nor should we spend our time in idle conversations and then simply return home. If this is our mindset, then as I mentioned before, attending the Jalsa is pointless. While directing our focus towards performing virtuous acts, which include fulfilling the rights of Allah Almighty and His creation, the Promised Messiahas states: “One should commit a righteous deed only for the sake of attaining the pleasure and acceptance of Allah Almighty and so that His commandment is followed, irrespective of whether it will be rewarded

15 or not.”

Hence, this is the philosophy of genuine love. The love of Allah the Almighty demands us to act according to His commandments. This includes worshipping God and fulfilling the rights of His creation. One should not simply obey these commandments with the intention to obtain a reward from God Almighty. It is true that Allah the Almighty does not allow an action to pass without rewarding it. However, just as the Promised Messiahas stated that true faith demands that one should not simply commit a good deed to attain something in return, rather, one should do because it is the commandment of God Almighty to perform virtuous deeds. The Promised Messiahas further states, “Faith reaches the state of perfection when this concern and worry no longer exists.” One should not worry as to whether or not they will be granted reward. If an individual persists on thinking in this manner, then their faith cannot reach the highest stage.

The Promised Messiahas states, “Although it is true that God Almighty does not allow a righteous act to go in vain as He states: ْ َ ُ ُ ّٰ َ ْ ‫ِا ّن الل َہ لَا ی ِض ْیع أ ْجرَ ال ُم ْح ِس ِنی َن‬ “‘Surely, Allah suffers not the reward of those who do good to be lost. [Surah alTaubah, Ch.9: V.120]’ “However, one who performs a virtuous deed should not do it with the intention of gaining a reward.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 2, pp. 371-372) Thus, true virtue is that which is done without any selfish or ulterior motive.

Therefore, keeping this principle in mind, we should treat one another with kindness and seek to fulfil each other’s rights.

Moreover, we must do this because it is the commandment of Allah the Almighty to treat one another with kindness and it is also the instruction and practise of the Holy Prophetsa to fulfil the rights of one another and to demonstrate excellent morals, irrespective of whether one receives any reward in return. Allah the Almighty indeed grants reward for our acts of virtue. Thus, if God Almighty treats His creation in such a manner, then how great a responsibility is it for us to adhere to all His commandments for the sake of gaining His pleasure and also to refrain from all that which He has forbidden for us.

Moreover, after having come to these developed countries where, in the name of so-called freedom, all forms of immoralities are widespread, there is a far greater need for us to assess our conditions.

At times, wealth and opulence can become a hindrance in performing acts of virtue.

When one’s conditions significantly improve, they tend to forget their past.

One begins to feel that if such and such worldly endeavour is not fulfilled, they will incur a loss, however God Almighty states that He alone is the One Who grants provisions.

This is something that is generally witnessed amongst the worldly people who direct all their attention so that they do not incur any loss and fail to fulfil the due rights of Allah the Almighty.

Regrettably, there are certain individuals among us who abandon their obligatory prayers for the sake of their worldly objectives. For instance, if they are engaged in some work and the time of prayer approaches, they will neglect the prayer or combine it with another prayer, and in some cases, completely forget about it and fail to offer the prayer, but they will not abandon their worldly activity they are occupied in.

Thus, they should refrain from this.

Or, they will perform the prayer in such a haste manner as if it is a burdensome obligation that they have to become free from. As I have mentioned, this is not true love for God Almighty, rather such actions demonstrate one’s love for the world.

Thus, if one wishes to fulfil the due rights of the Bai‘at with the Promised Messiahas, they ought to fulfil the due rights of God Almighty’s worship.

It is my belief that if one becomes truly devoted to God Almighty and adopts true righteousness, God Almighty continues to grant His blessings and mercy for seven generations.” (Malfuzat Vol. 5, p. 245) God Almighty continues to safeguard them, unless owing to one’s own misfortune, one commits such actions which deprive one from the blessings of the Allah the Almighty.

The Promised Messiahas further states: “One ought to completely eradicate every kind of means, except one, and that is the love of God Almighty.” This alone should be the means, i.e. the love of God Almighty, through which one seeks to attain everything. The Promised Messiahas further states, “Verily I say that one who devotes himself wholly to God, God Almighty stands with them.”

The Promised Messiahas further states: “Transform your conditions so that

“Look, I say it once again that apart from true path of the Holy Prophetsa, a person is unable to be successful through any other means.” The Promised Messiahas further states, “We only have one Prophetsa and only one Holy Quran, which was revealed to the Holy Prophetsa, by following which, we are able to reach God.” (Malfuzat Vol. 5, pp.

124-125) The Promised Messiahas has drawn our attention towards understanding the true essence of worship which is to worship God Almighty by immersing oneself in His love. (Malfuzat, Vol. 5, p. 107) This is the true essence. One should worship Allah the Almighty but not in a manner in which one simply seeks to fulfil an obligation, rather one should offer their worship whilst wholly immersed in the love of God. It is only then that one can free themselves from worldly desires and it is then that one will understand the true essence of giving precedence to one’s faith over all worldly things. When one frees themselves from their worldly desires, God Almighty Himself will then grant them provisions from where one could not even imagine. Just as God Almighty states: ُْ ْ ُ ّٰ َّ ‫َو َم ْن یَت ِق الل َہ یَ ْج َع ْل ل َ ُہ َمخ َر ًجا۔ َویَ ْرزق ُہ ِم ْن َح ْیث لَا یَ ْح َت ِس ُب‬ “And he who fears Allah – He will make for him a way out; And will provide for him from where he expects not.” [Surah al-Talaaq, Ch.65: V.3-4] Further elaborating upon this, the Promised Messiahas states: “Taqwa [righteousness] is the means to attain prosperity.” The Promised Messiahas further states, “Indeed, it is true that God Almighty does not allow His servants to perish and safeguards them from having to extend their hand before others for help.

God Almighty bestows His blessings and mercy … An individual whose purpose of life is to simply fulfil the desires and aspirations of this world, what benefit will the longevity of his life grant him? (What benefit is there for one to seek a long life simply so he can attain the luxuries and attractions of this world?) Such a person who does nothing for the sake of God, simply seeks a long life so that he can eat exquisite foods, sleep as much as he can, have a family, own lavish houses and horses, gardens and land, etc. and merely serves his own stomach.”

Such an individual is not a servant of God Almighty, nor do they worship Him. In fact, such a person cannot even be called a servant for their personal objectives are in fact the object of their worship. They are only concerned with accumulating property, wealth, houses, cars; the Promised Messiahas earlier gave the example of horses because in those times they would use horses, but nowadays it is cars whereby people wish to have the best cars. This should not be one’s objective.

Indeed, one should most certainly derive benefit from the provisions God Almighty has granted them but these should not become one’s sole objective otherwise one cannot be considered as a servant of Allah the Almighty and one who worships Him, instead such a person would be deemed

16 to only be worshipping his own personal interests. The Promised Messiahas further states: “Such a person considers the fulfilment of the inner desires and carnal pleasures as his sole objective and the focus of his worship.” This becomes his primary objective. “However, God Almighty has established His worship as the sole purpose of man’s creation just as God Almighty states: ُ ْ َّ ْ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ‫ون‬ ِ ‫َو َما ﺧلﻘﺖ ال ِج ّن َوال ِ�ن َﺲ إِلا ل َِیع ُبﺪ‬ ‘And I have not created the Jinn and men but that they may worship Me.’ [Surah al-Dhariyat, Ch.51: V.57] The Promised Messiahas states: “God Almighty has clearly proclaimed that the primary objective is to worship God Almighty and the entire universe has been created for this purpose alone.

However, the intentions and desires of people are completely contrary to this.”

(Malfuzat, Vol. 5, pp. 246-247) However, the reality is that people have become inclined towards fulfilling worldly endeavours and have adopted completely strange and peculiar desires. Their desire to seek worldly objectives has far exceeded their desire to attain God Almighty. Thus, all of these factors should make us greatly ponder and be concerned as to how we can fulfil the true purpose of our lives.

We must not only be concerned about the life in this world, nor should all our deliberations and efforts be spent in how

Friday 25 October 2019 | AL HAKAM to attain this world, rather we must utilise all our faculties to their utmost in order to attain the true purpose of our lives. After having come to these countries [in the West], we must become those who fulfil the due rights of God Almighty’s worship whilst striving to become the recipients of God Almighty’s blessings. Just as the Promised Messiahas mentioned that our intentions and desires should not be contrary [to our real objective], rather we must recognise our Creator and fulfil the true purpose of our creation and also fulfil the objective for which God Almighty has sent the Promised Messiahas in this age.

The Promised Messiahas states: “I have been sent so that I may strengthen the faith of people and establish the existence of God Almighty in their hearts. The condition of the faith of all nations has become extremely frail. The concept of life in the hereafter has become nothing more than a mere tale. Each and every person is demonstrating through their practical conditions that they do not have the same conviction and belief in the Hereafter as they have in the life of this world and all its splendour and glory.

What they utter from their tongues is completely contrary to the conditions of their hearts which are overwhelmed with the love of this world.”

Despite verbally proclaiming the name of God, their hearts are filled with the love of this world and this love is demonstrated

through their actions. The Promised Messiahas further states: “The love for God Almighty no longer remained in the hearts of the Jews, hence the Messiah was sent in order to bring them back to faith. Now, in my era, the same condition is prevalent once again.

Thus, I have also been sent to revive faith and establish righteousness in the hearts once again.” (Kitab-ul-Bariyyah, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 13, pp. 291-293) Today, it is our responsibility that where, on the one hand, whilst fulfilling the due rights of our Bai‘at, we increase in our love for God Almighty; firmly establish the unity of God in our hearts; give preference to our love for God Almighty and the Holy Prophetsa over all worldly comforts, on the other hand, whilst bringing about a pure change within ourselves, we should seek to bring our societies closer to God Almighty. Today the people of this world deny the existence of God Almighty and each year a significant portion of people are joining those who deny His existence and abandoning their faith. This is the case in Christianity and across other faiths as well, in fact, even amongst Muslims.

Therefore, in light of these conditions wherein people are denying the existence of God Almighty, we should instil the love of God Almighty within our hearts and also enlighten the world about the existence of God Almighty. It is only then that we will be fulfilling the true purpose

of the Jalsa and doing justice to our Bai‘at with the Promised Messiahas.

It is not sufficient to merely instil the love of God Almighty and His Prophetsa in our hearts, in fact our duty is far greater than this. We must also strive our utmost to instil the love of God Almighty and His Prophetsa in our children and our future progenies as well. Similarly, as I mentioned, we must also inform the world about the existence of God Almighty.

After having entered the Bai‘at of the Promised Messiahas, it is now also our duty to further His mission. May God Almighty grant us the opportunity to do so.

During these days of the Jalsa, may we be able to increase the standard of our worship and remain firm on them in the future as well. May we continue to increase in our love for God Almighty and His Prophetsa and may the worldly desires and pleasures never overcome us.

However, also remember that none of this is possible without the blessings of God Almighty. Therefore, continue to especially pray so that you may also become the recipients of His blessings and for this, one must greatly focus their attention. May God Almighty grant us the opportunity to do so.

(Originally published in Al Fazl International, 18 October 2019, pp. 5-8.

Translated by The Review of Religions.)

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Learning could never be so easy Editor: Qaasid Muin Ahmad | Design & Layout: Jalees Ahmad | News: Ata-ul-Haye Nasir | © Al Hakam 2019