Al Hakam - 19 October 2018

100 Years Ago...

Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra

Propagation of Islam in England Al Fazl, 12 October 1918

An Early Ray of Western Sunrise Tracing the roots of early Islam Ahmadiyyat in the USA

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Regional Jalsa Salana in Kamuli, Uganda On 14 October 2018, Kamuli District held their regional Jalsa Salana

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National MKA Shura 2018 Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK hold their 30th Majlis-e-Shura, in Baitul Futuh Mosque, Morden

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THE WEEKLY

www.alhakam.org AL HAKAM | Friday 19 October 2018 | Issue XXXI Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre (ARC), 22 Deer Park Road, London, SW19 3TL. UK info@alhakam.org | F: +44(0)208 544 7673

Huzoor’s Fourth Visit to the USA Hadith-e-Rasul – Sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa

A Muslim is a Brother of Another Muslim Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection . " (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Muzalim)

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words

Leaders Have Responsibilities

H

azrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah strengthen his hand, departed from London on Monday, 15 October 2018 for his tour of the Americas.

Huzoor came out of his residence in the afternoon and led the hundreds of local Ahmadis who had gathered at the Fazl Mosque hours before in prayer to bid farewell to their beloved Imam.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa arrived on Monday evening at Washington Dulles Airport at about 9pm local time where a group of US Jamaat officials were present to welcome Huzooraa. Huzoor’s entourage proceeded from the airport to Baitur Rahman Mosque located at 15000 Good Hope Road in Silver Spring, Maryland, arriving there at around 10:30pm.

The Baitur Rehman Mosque was packed with around 3,500 Ahmadis who eagerly waited to present a very warm welcome, the like of which is rarely ever witnessed in the town. Slogans of Nara-e-Takbeer and replies of Allahu Akbar along with other slogans in praise of Allah and his bounties filled the air of the surroundings. Huzooraa responded with his radiant smile waving back to the crowds with great love and affection. Although there was a drizzle, the members remained glued to their spaces, overwhelmed with the awe and love for Khilafat. These members, on a weekday evening, stayed until 1am and then reached the overflow-parking via shuttle service and departed.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa led the congregation in Maghrib and Isha prayers

in the Baitur Rehman Mosque.

The next morning, Baitur Rehman Mosque saw hundreds of Ahmadis flocking in to offer Fajr prayers behind Huzooraa. Later that morning, Huzooraa inspected the offices at Baitur Rehman Mosque and also visited the Ansar Hall, Langar Khana and MTA International USA studios.

In the afternoon, Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa blessed 60 families with mulaqat and also visited Mukhtar Malhi Sahib’s home at the premeses and met with the residents at Malhi Sahib’s home. He even made remarks to Malhi Sahib about his previous stay in 2008.

When you take a look at his demeanour on such occasions, it never occurs to Continued on page 2

O you the affluent, and O Kings! O you who are wealthy! There are but few among you who fear God and are pious in the ways prescribed by Him. Most of you are devoted to the possessions and territories of this world, and spend your entire lives occupied to this end and give not thought to your death. All those wealthy persons who do not observe their prayers and are unmindful of God carry the sins of all their servants and attendants around their necks. All those wealthy persons who consume alcohol also carry the sins of the people who intoxicate themselves under their influence. You who claim to possess understanding! Know that this world is not eternal, so take hold of yourselves.

Eschew all immoderation and abstain from every type of intoxicant.

(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Noah’s Ark, pp. 114-115)

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Friday 19 October 2018 | AL HAKAM

This Week in History 19-25 October 19 October 1924: Hazrat Musleh Maudra laid the foundation stone of the Fazl Mosque, London on this day. The foundation stone laying ceremony was attended by 200 guests.

20 October 1891: The Promised Messiahas went to Delhi’s main mosque sitting in a light carriage. There was a large gathering of people chanting slogans against him, so Huzooras had to come back in the protection of a police vehicle.

20 October 1899: The Promised Messiahas wrote: “In a dream, I saw a boy whose name was Aziz and his father’s name began with Sultan. That boy was brought before me and was seated before me. I noticed that he was slim and had a fair complexion.”

At the end of February 1906, about six years after seeing this dream, Hazrat Mirza Aziz Ahmad, son of Hazrat Mirza Sultan Ahmad, took the Bai‘at at the hand of the Promised Messiahas and joined the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat.

21 October 1904: The Promised Messiah received three guests in Qadian who were all Christians and intended to personally meet the Promised Messiahas. as

22 October 1903: An Australian convert, Abdul Haq, reached Qadian to see the Promised Messiahas.

22 October 1905: The Promised Messiahas embarked on his journey towards Delhi, the ancestral hometown of his wife, Hazrat Nusrat Jehan Begum Sahibara. The family departed at 8am from Qadian and reached Batala at 10am. Zuhr and Asr prayers were offered after which lunch was served. At 1:35pm, the train set off for Amritsar. From there, the next leg of the journey commenced at 9pm.

24 October 1902: A debate started on this day in Mudd, a small village in the district of Amritsar, between Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis. The Promised Messiahas has given its details in his book, Ijaz-eAhmadi (The Miracle of Ahmad).

24 October 1905: The Promised Messiahas was in Delhi where he paid a visit to the shrines of saints in the city and offered prayers for them.

25 October 1903: Abdur Rahim, the youngest son of Hazrat Nawab Muhammad Ali Khanra, suffered a severe fever which continued for a fortnight. His senses were disturbed, he experienced episodes of faintness, and he finally began to experience burning sensations. The Promised Messiahas was requested every day to pray for him, something which he continuously carried on. On this day, the Promised Messiahas was told with great agony that his life was almost despaired of. Huzooras was praying for him in Tahajjud when it was disclosed to him in a Divine revelation: ‫��� � �م � اور �� �ر‬ “The decree is unchangeable and his death had been decreed.”

The Promised Messiahas said: “I was severely distressed at this awe-striking revelation and quite involuntarily the words escaped my lips: ‘O Allah, if there is no time left for supplication, I beg to intercede, for there is time for intercession.’

“Immediately thereafter, I received a revelation [Arabic – ‘...Who is it that can intercede without His permission?’] This majestic revelation made me tremble and I was struck with fear and awe that I had interceded without permission. One or two minutes later, I received the revelation: ْ َ ْ َ َ َّ ‫اِنﻚ انت ال َم َﺠاز‬ ‘Surely, you have permission.’”

Thereafter, Abdur-Rahim made a recovery stage by stage and whoever looked at him was filled with gratitude to God Almighty and admitted that such a one who was dead had undoubtedly been brought back to life.

Never before seen angle of the prayer at Fazl Mosque's foundation stone laying | Ahmadiyya ARC

Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, inaugurated Masjid Bait-ul-Aafiyat on Wednesday, 17 October 2018 Continued from page 1

you that Huzooraa has just disembarked a transatlantic flight. From the very next morning, Huzooraa has been occupied since Fajr with a regular schedule, similar to what he follows in London.

Maghrib and Isha prayers were offered in the evening hours after the mulaqats of many families with Huzoor.

Huzooraa has just inaugurated the newly built Bait-ul-Aafiyat Mosque in Philadelphia.

“It was a splendid sight as thousands of Ahmadis anxiously waited for Huzoor to arrive at Baitur Rehman Mosque,” said Dr Nasim Rahmatullah Sahib, Naib

Amir USA. “The whole air of the vicinity is filled with the love that the community has for their beloved Imam. We are looking forward to the opening of the newly built mosque in Philadelphia, for which we have been preparing since May this year.”

Bilal Rana Sahib, Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya USA, said, “Volunteers have taken time off from work, schools, colleges and universities to contribute to the arrangements in whatever way they can.

Everyone seems ready to make themselves available; all this for the love of Huzoor.”

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Friday 19 October 2018 | AL HAKAM

Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra

An Early Ray of Western Sunrise Tracing the roots of early Islam Ahmadiyyat in the USA Asif M Basit London, UK

he history of Islam in America dates back to the time of the thirteen colonies, T thus Islam has existed in this vast country

throughout its modern history. (The Oxford Handbook of American Islam, p. 15) Like many other deep and lasting sociocultural impressions of the African slave trade on American society, Islam is no exception. West African slaves that were traded into America had brought with them their faith of Islam and continued to practise it even when it was near impossible for them to live and act freely. (Ibid.)

It is interesting to note that the areas of Africa first victimised by the transatlantic slave trade had been the first to be introduced to Islam. Both phenomena had coincidentally been through trade; Islam was brought to the West Africans by Muslim merchant-missionaries and slavery through the worst trade of human trafficking. Their deep-rooted affiliation to Islam is evident from the fact that they managed to practice Islamic rituals like Salat (obligatory prayers), fasting and even offered Zakat (prescribed alms).

It was in the final two decades of the nineteenth century that the formerly enslaved Africans began to decrease and with their deaths, Islam as a religion started to wane from America. The descendants of these Muslim slaves had no connection with the faith of their forefathers, although they had saved their prayer mats, prayer beads and their sacred book, the Holy Quran, as relics and souvenirs. (Ibid., p. 21) By the early twentieth century, Islam had virtually disappeared from the canvas of American society. This may be classified as the first phase of Islam in America. The second phase was destined to coincide with the final phase of Islam itself, which was prophesied by the Prophetsa of Islam. Islamic eschatology, agreed upon by all sections and denominations of Muslims, has it that the second phase of Islamic glory is to resume with the advent of the Messiah in the latter days. It is also unanimously agreed upon by all canonical works of Islamic tradition that this would be the time when the sun would rise from the West, symbolically meaning that the message of Islam would reach the Western hemisphere.

bin Abdul Wahab in Arabia to the South Asian Anglophilic movement of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, a number of Islamic reform movements took off during the aforementioned span of time, bearing testimony to the fact that the need for reform and a reinterpretation of Islamic doctrine was acute.

Whilst the interpretations of certain Islamic doctrines were mooted, the most powerful stroke came from Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian, India. Through Divine guidance, he set out to rectify the most fundamental of misconceptions: that of Jesusas being alive in the heavens. Hazrat Ahmadas proved from the Holy Quran that Jesusas had died a natural death and that the Messiah that was prophesied was meant to be a person with similar characteristics to Jesusas, rather than Jesusas himself. This metaphorical reincarnation of Jesusas, Hazrat Ahmadas claimed, was fulfilled through his own self. He claimed to be the Messiah and Mahdi (Divinely Guided Leader) who had been Divinely commissioned to reform the world of all wrongdoing and stray behaviour.

The Dual Challenge for Hazrat Ahmadas

Islam was no exception and a vast array of reform movements arose in various parts of the Muslim world. From the antiinnovation movement of Muhammad

With this claim, Hazrat Ahmadas had to face fierce opposition from not only the Muslims, but also Christians. The arguments put forward by Hazrat Ahmadas were so logical that both groups found no way to counter them, hence resorting to illogical and nonsensical accusations against the person and character of Hazrat Ahmadas. Muslim circles accused him of being an agent of the British Government commissioned to destroy the Muslim nation; a baseless allegation with no grounds whatsoever, as the prevalent Muslim appetite for sectarianism and exclusionism left the Muslim “nation” in no need of an external agency to erode them. Another fact overlooked by such an allegation was that how could a person be an agent to a nation, whilst challenging the very foundations of their faith through his claims and widely publicised writings?

A great deal of the writings of Hazrat Ahmadas focused on proving that Jesusas had died a natural death, was not alive in

heaven and would not return to this world in person. This was no less than a fatal attack on the very foundations of the Christian faith. Christian missionaries took serious notice of this “new Messiah” and their agitation was noticed in their reports sent back home from India. Christian missionary societies were perplexed at this “novel approach” taken by a Muslim against Christian beliefs. (Asif M Basit, The Holy War, http://reviewofreligions.org/8918/theholy-war) Amidst such tensions, where conflict and fierce opposition clouded the skies, Hazrat Ahmadas stood firm not only in adhering to his claims, but also to publicising and proselytising his understanding of Islam.

The whole world, of course, included the Western hemisphere where Christianity was the dominant religion.

Foreign Missions and the Outreach Scheme Hazrat Ahmadas began sending literature for worldwide printing during his lifetime.

Newspapers from Australia to London and from Europe to the Americas would, from time to time, carry his message in their publications. He had also begun a seminary in Qadian to train missionaries who could take the message of the true Islam to the corners of the earth.

Soon after the demise of Hazrat Ahmadas, Ahmadi missionaries were sent to many countries, notably to England and America, where the population was predominantly Christian. What paved the way for early missionary deployment in the Western hemisphere was based on a vision of Hazrat Ahmadas, when he had seen himself conveying the message of Islam to the Western world and its acceptance. An even more basic motive was a tradition of the Prophetsa of Islam where the sun is symbolically said to rise from the West in the latter days.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim mission in London was established in 1914 and Hazrat Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sayalra was appointed as the first missionary. The London mission served as a training camp for almost all missionaries heading to various parts of the world in the early twentieth century.

Advent of the “Mohammedan” Messiah All major religions of the world awaited a Saviour or Messiah, to relieve the world of social, moral and spiritual ailments.

Islamic and Christian eschatology foretold the advent of Jesus Christas, or someone in his similitude, in the latter days for the reformation of all mankind. The middle of the nineteenth and almost all of the twentieth century saw a proliferation of reform movements in almost all major religions. All faiths sought to reform their beliefs so as to make their doctrines compatible with the challenges of modern life. They felt that by not being able to do so, their faiths were prone to becoming extinct.

Remains of Pier 53, Philadelphia where Hazrat Mufti Sahibra first disembarked in the USA | Ahmadiyya ARC

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Friday 19 October 2018 | AL HAKAM

Cutting from The Philadelphia Inquirer (14 March 1920) in which news was given on Hazrat Mufti Sahib’s detention upon arrival in the USA | Ahmadiyya ARC

Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra in London One prominent name among the many missionaries who stayed in London and gained hands-on experience of preaching to the Western public was Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra. Mufti Sadiqra would later be the first Ahmadi missionary to take the message of Islam to America, and among the very first to actually revive the message of Islam in America. Mufti Sadiqra is unanimously described as “a learned and well-respected representative of his faith, a philologist and expert in Arabic and Hebrew. He also had a deep spiritual commitment, and came to his task with ardour.” (The Oxford Handbook of American Islam, p. 146.) But before moving onto his services for Islam in America, it is important to take a look at the time he spent in London as it laid the foundation for many successes that came his way later serving as a missionary in America.

The approach taken by Mufti Sadiqra, like other early Ahmadi missionaries in London, was to propagate the message of Islam to members through general lectures in Hyde Park on Sundays, and to members of various societies and clubs during the week.

Mufti Sadiqra and a co-missionary, Qazi Muhammad Abdullahra, would actively proselytise through printing and

distributing literature and delivering lectures far and wide in the country. An example of such booklets was The Crying Need of the Age Fulfilled, a print copy of a lecture delivered by Qazi Abdullahra, introducing the advent of the Promised Messiahas and the revival of Islam (British Library shelf mark: X.100/26796). The booklet offered universities and societies an opportunity to invite Mufti Sadiqra or Qazi Abdullahra to deliver lectures. Such offers were readily accepted by a great number of institutions across the country.

These lectures won him great renown amongst the intellectual circles of the country. It attracted the attention of literary and religious societies which felt honoured to have him as a speaker. His command on philology earned him acclaim and he was invited as a regular speaker at the Société Internationale de Philologie, Sciences et Beaux-Arts. This “society was founded in 1875 for the advancement and encouragement of all branches of Science, Literature, Music, and the Fine Arts generally, and particularly the science of Philology.” (The Philomath, October 1921.)

The Society registered him as a member and granted him an honorary degree of B. Phil., acknowledging his work on the “comparison of the Arabic and Hebrew languages.” The Philomath, the literary

journal that worked as the organ of the Société, acknowledged his lectures with high esteem (British Library shelf mark: “General Reference Collection Ac.9756”). These lectures and publications not only won degrees for Mufti Sadiqra but also the hearts of many English men and women who embraced Islam after receiving its true message.

The Sunrise from the West Mufti Sadiqra was instructed by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra (Second Successor to the Promised Messiahas) in December 1919, to proceed to America and take the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat to Americans (Al Fazl, Qadian, 11 December 1919). Mufti Sadiqra boarded the SS Haverford (a major transatlantic steamship) from Liverpool that set sail for the American state of Pennsylvania on January 24, 1920, arriving on February 15, 1920 (Richard Brent Turner, Islam in the African-American Experience, p. 115).

This first step of the representative of the Promised Messiahas and his Khalifa, was the first significant step towards the revival of Islam in America.

The first difficulty faced by Mufti Sadiqra upon his arrival was that he was arrested by the American authorities on suspicion that he had landed in their country

to preach polygamy (Ibid., p. 116). This arrest was based on the Immigration Act of 1891 that deemed “Polygamists; or persons who admit their belief in the practice of polygamy” inadmissible to the United States of America (The Cambridge Companion to American Islam, p. 208). The immigration officers wanted to deport him, however Mufti Sadiqra asked for a chance to present his case before the federal authorities. He argued before the tribunal that there was a difference between Halal (permissible) and Fardh (obligatory) in Islam. Islam, he argued, does allow men to marry up to four women at a time, but does not make it obligatory to do so. His argument was heard and accepted, resulting in him being allowed to walk free with the condition that he would not promote polygamous trends in America. (Richard Brent Turner, Islam in the African-American Experience, p. 116) The time spent behind bars was not wasted as Mufti Sadiqra utilised this time in propagating the message of the true Islam.

Many in the detention centre showed an interest and he converted nineteen inmates in a very short period of two months before his release in April 1920. (Ibid., p. 117) (Originally published in the Review of Religions, November 2015) (To be continued...)

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Friday 19 October 2018 | AL HAKAM

Regional Jalsa Salana in Kamuli District, Uganda Ahmad Kaire Batte Uganda Correspondent

Otheir regional Jalsa Salana.

n 14 October 2018, Kamuli region held

The programme began with Zuhr and Asr prayers. This was followed by the inspection of different departments, including Langar Khana, water department, exhibition, registration and others.

The formal part of the programme began with the recitation of the Holy Quran (Ch.5: V.9-12) by brother Shaban Ssentongo. This was followed by an Urdu poem by Sheikh Nasir Ahmad Ssonko.

The first speech of the event was on The Need for Khilafat by Sheikh Faisal Buyonjo.

To deal with this topic, he first elaborated on the concept of Khilafat according to Islamic terminology. Then he explained how other people understand this concept, after which he established the need of Khilafat according to the Quran and Hadith.

Next on the programme was a speech on The True Meaning of Ahmadiyya by Sheikh Adam Hamid Ssembajje. By using the Quran (Ch.62: V.3-4), he explained the aims of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and then managed to establish the true meaning of Ahmadiyya by explaining the history of the establishment of the Jamaat as compared to the prophecies contained in verses 3-4 of Surah al-Jumu‘ah and Hadith.

The Amir and Missionary In-charge recognised the activities of Humanity First and gave a brief history about the organisation and the aims of its establishment.

He then briefly spoke about their various projects like Water for Life, where many boreholes were constructed; Orphan Care, where orphans are helped in attaining knowledge through bursaries and Knowledge for Life, where poor families with bright children are helped in giving children quality education.

Amir Sahib called upon all Jamaat members to give Humanity First a helping hand because helping God’s creation is one

of the responsibilities placed upon every Ahmadi Muslim according to the Promised Messiahas. Amir Sahib then launched a fund which will be a helping hand to Humanity First.

Following Amir Sahib’s speech, members of the Jamaat were introduced to guests who had come to attend.

The District Councillor, Mr Mutaawe Ronald, said: “I have become a great friend of the Jamaat because when I was young, I lost my father. The man who helped us so much in this sorrowful situation was an Ahmadi missionary called Sheikh Sulaiman Sewannyana. Then, I was encouraged to go for Jalsa Salana, though I was not a Muslim.

I ate to my full and I was given the best hospitality, a thing which doesn’t happen at other non-Ahmadi Muslim gatherings.

At the Jalsa, I saw that the teachings of the Jamaat were exactly as what I saw in one of the Ahmadi missionaries during the time of the death of my father. This made me love Ahmadiyyat a lot.”

Former MP of Kamuli Municipal Council, Martin Muzaale Mugabi, was very much interested in the Jamaat slogan and asked to hear it again, to which the Jamaat slogan was proclaimed again, a thing which impressed him a lot. He then said: “When I was still schooling at Wandegeya Ahmadiyya high school, a missionary who was in charge of that school took good care of me. That man was called Sheikh Sulaiman Sewannyana. I am working in the government because of the Jamaat’s help. I want to thank the Jamaat because at the time, when I was still in the office of the MP, I was greatly helped by the Jamaat to bring help to our people.”

The Jalsa saw an attendance of 2,569 people, and these are the people who received the message of the Promised Messiahas.

AMJ Uganda

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Friday 19 October 2018 | AL HAKAM 100 Years Ago...

Propagation of Islam in England Al Fazl, 12 October 1918

The Daily Sketch published this picture of Liberty Day Meeting at Westminster Central Hall. Hazrat Mufti Sahibra is seated at the far back, second from left | Ahmadiyya ARC

ur existence, works and efforts, all are insignificant and inconsequential O without the grace, forgiveness, mercy,

kindness, covering of faults and the assistance of the Holy, Glorious, High and Great God. This is because He is the being Who possesses all power. It is He to Whom belong all treasures. Everything lies within the sphere of His control.

He gives to whomever He pleases and takes away from whomever He pleases.

All are accountable to Him and there is

The Daily Telegraph published Winston Churchill's speech of 4 July 1918. Here, Hazrat Mufti Sahibra (“A Voice”) affirmed Indian sympathy with the British | Ahmadiyya ARC

no one who can bring Him to account.

Who can attain guidance in this rocky land of blind Christianity and rebellious irreligiousness? There is none save He Who can guide mankind. Our endeavours are weak, in fact, the word “weak” is weak in itself to describe them.

Letters and invitational cards are penned for weekly lectures, announcements are made, with some people in attendance, while others, having quietly listened, depart. Some ask questions while others promise to return.

A respectable lady by the name of Miss Spitan, who attained the rank of captain at […], attended a few lectures and addresses. Then, one day, after much deliberation, she finally accepted Islam.

She has been given the Islamic name, Hasina. Her Bai‘at form is being sent in

this post to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih for approval. (Editor: It has arrived.) ّٰ ّٰ ّ ّ ‫باللہ‬ �‫وما ﺗوفیﻘنا ال‬ ‫الﻌلی الﻌﻈیم اللہم زِد � ِ�د‬ [We possess no power but through Allah the Great, the Highest. O Allah, increase and increase further.]

Presently, the mail of Hindustan arrives after every fifteen days. It used to previously arrive weekly. The mail which was meant to arrive on 5 July has not yet (on 8 July) arrived. I have come to hear some rumours about it.

If the mail has been lost, those friends who wrote important letters from India from 4 May to 25 May should write them again. The missing batch most probably contains these dates of letters. I used to receive letters from friends every fifteen days and would feel joyful. This time,

I did not experience this joy and had to wait another fifteen days. I shall wait to see when it arrives.

Around one hundred and fifty years have passed since the United States of America gained independence. From that period onwards, the American people uphold a celebratory gathering each year on 4 July to commemorate this independence. This year, celebratory gatherings were not only held in America, but also in England, Italy, France and other countries.

In London, a very large gathering was held for this function in which Lord Bryce, Lord Armaghdale, the Earl of Coventry, Lord Burnham, Lord […], the Duchess of Marlborough and numerous esteemed people gathered in a vast hall which is renowned by the name of Westminster Central Hall.

I also went to observe this gathering, but having gone there, I came to know that only selected people could attend this gathering who had been sent invitations with their names beforehand and that chairs with names had been reserved for every person. When I arrived at the doors, the person assigned there enquired, “Ticket?” I replied, “What sort of ticket?”

He became surprised and said, “Very well, your turban is better than all such tickets.

Please go ahead.” In this manner, I headed inside. The people with tickets were all at their allocated seats. The gathering was prepared to commence and there were no free spaces. I headed straight for the platform. I was asked for my ticket and replied, “I have no ticket”. The person in-charge of the stage said, “Well, there happens to still be an empty seat beside Viscount […]. Please seat yourself there.”

I sat down after expressing my gratitude.

The function commenced.

Viscount Bryce, the Bishop of London, Mr Churchill, and General […] all delivered addresses. The address of Mr Churchill was lengthy and very powerful.

On behalf of this gathering, he sent a telegram of congratulations to President Wilson. During the speech, he said that all hearts were united in the war, mentioning Australians, Africans and others. He happened to omit India. I was close to him. I added, “And Indian”. He replied, “Yes, Indian as well.” Upon this, people cheered very loudly.

The newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, mentioned it and The Daily Sketch published a photo of those individuals who were on the stage. My photo was also included in it. A copy of this newspaper has been sent to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih.

Due to this small incident, all attendees had specially recognised me. For this reason, many esteemed people met me there while others met me outside after the gathering. Some people, with great desire, exchanged visiting cards. To some, I had the opportunity to briefly perform tabligh and convey the tidings of the second coming of the Promised Messiahas.

All praise be to Allah.

(Translated by Fateh Alam, London, UK)

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Friday 19 October 2018 | AL HAKAM

An Audience with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa Uzbek and Lithuanian Guests

W

hile Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa is gracing the Jalsa Salana of a country, delegations that travel from various parts of the world get the blessed opportunity to have audience with Huzooraa and to get to speak to him.

On the occasion of Jalsa Salana Germany 2018, a delegation from Uzbekistan and Lithuania got this blessed opportunity. They asked Huzooraa questions on a variety of issues. Some of these questions and the enlightening answers given by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa are given below.

she was translating addresses originally delivered in English, then she could get closer to the meaning.

The lady’s passion became even more evident when she asked again, “Some sentences are so energetic that I feel that I am unable to convey the energy behind the words.”

Huzoor said that this is how translations work and that she should continue to do whatever she had been doing because there is only so much that can be done about it.

A gentleman in the audience asked that he felt that his faith was not firm enough. “What should I do?”

A gentleman asked Huzoor that since it is becoming difficult to practice Islam in Russia and other countries under her influence, what are some measures that Muslims should take to continue practicing their faith. He also wanted to know if Huzoor thought that the situation could get any better, if new leaders came to power.

Huzoor asked him, “Do you believe in God?” He replied, “I do. I believe in Jesus Christ.”

Huzoor replied that then he should pray to God – the Almighty and the Omnipotent God – and fervently ask for His help. Huzoor said that he was quite sure that if he prayed to God with zeal and passion in relation to this matter for a number of days, his faith would become stronger and firm.

Huzoor replied: There is a very slim chance that replacing the current leaders can bring about much positive change. Who is it that would come to power? Politicians? But politicians that get elected and form a government are usually those that are backed by the same powers that are against Islam. When politicians come to power, they become cowardly and only want to save their positions. All this is part of the same scheme of the antichrist that is fully functional against Islam. Since Christianity – the religion of the West – got abrogated and no longer exists in its true form, they want the Quran, which is still intact, to disintegrate in form and meaning so that Islam too becomes impracticable. Asking women to remove their hijab is one of the initial steps that they are taking.

One other demand made by the Western powers is that the Quran should adapt to the modern world and not otherwise. When he speaks to the Western media, Huzoor said, he tells them that they want religion to follow modern man whereas religion is there for people to follow it and not vice versa.

Huzoor said that Muslim countries should unite against this surge of Western schemes against Islam and defend their religion. It is the duty of anyone who claims to be a Muslim to defend their faith and uphold its teachings.

The gentleman asked that, if they are legally required to do so, should women remove hijabs.

Huzoor replied: This could be an immediate and

A lady in the audience wanted to know why men are not allowed physical contact with women in Islam.

Huzoor stated: temporary solution but Muslims should voice their concerns and remind the authorities that it is also a legal right of every citizen to practice their religion.

When such sanctions are placed on our women in universities or workplaces in the West, they have spoken out and made their point of view known. Their pleas have been duly heard and, in many cases, the authorities have decided in their favour.

Huzoor said to the gentleman that the ulema of his country should raise the issue with the authorities; or, Huzoor asked, are the ulema just there to receive salaries?

The gentleman replied that one of the Muslim ulema in their country had recently helped restore a statue of Lenin.

Huzoor said, “They are ready to restore Lenin’s statue, but not their faith!”

Another gentleman in the audience asked Huzoor how he had become what he is.

Huzoor smiled and replied, “What am I? I am only a human being. I am only a humble servant of Allah.”

The gentleman repeated his question by adding that how Huzoor had got to the position of Khalifa.

To this, Huzoor replied that this was a question that he had no answer to.

Huzoor said that he had thought about it but had not got an answer to what it was that brought him to this position.

A lady took the microphone and told Huzoor that she had had the honour to translate many speeches and addresses of Huzoor into the Lithuanian language. She said that Huzoor’s message is always so strong that she feels she is able to translate the message but not the power behind the message.

“What do you suggest I should do?” was her question.

Huzoor replied that if she had been translating addresses that were delivered in Urdu, and then translated into English before she could translate them into Lithuanian, then she was of course not translating from the direct source. “In this case,” Huzoor said, “I suggest that you learn Urdu. That is all I can suggest”. This was thoroughly enjoyed by the lady who had asked, as well as by other members of the audience.

Huzoor further explained that if

Islam teaches to abstain from anything that has even the slightest chance of taking one astray and deviate them from the right path. Islam understands that men easily fall to temptation, so this prohibition of physical contact is due to the psyche and mentality of men. So this is not something against women, rather it should be men, if at all, objecting to this and not women.

Huzoor said that the world is now beginning to realise the importance of avoiding physical contact between opposite sexes, except in lawful relations.

The recent series of accusations raised by women in Hollywood is an example of where this physical contact can lead to.

There has been a lot of hue and cry about this matter in the media. The West is also becoming more cautious in this matter by organising segregated concerts for men and women like a recent one in Berlin.

Employers have considered segregated work places for women.

Huzoor further clarified the matter by explaining to the lady, “If you are in difficulty and need help, you will see me or any true Muslim to be at the forefront to help you. If you are lying on the ground for being ill or are unconscious, then I can raise you up and touch your body with my hands. So, where there is a need, we do it; but without need, there is no need.”

Friday 19 October 2018 | AL HAKAM

8

Friday Sermon 28 September 2018 Delivered from Baitul Futuh Mosque

Men of Excellence After reciting the Tashahud, Ta‘awuz, and Surah Al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:

B

efore my last tour, I was relating the accounts and incidents of the Companions of the Holy Prophetsa who took part during the Battle of Badr. Today, I shall continue with the same subject. One of the Companions whom I shall mention today is Hazrat Ummarahra bin Hazm.

Hazrat Ummarahra is one of the seventy Companions, who participated in the Second Pledge at al-Aqabah. Both of his brothers, Hazrat Amr bin Hazm and Hazrat Muamar bin Hazm, were also Companions.

He joined the Holy Prophetsa in all the battles, including Badr and Uhud. He was holding the flag of the tribe of Malik bin Najjar in his hands at the occasion of the Victory of Mecca. After the migration, the Holy Prophetsa established a bond of brotherhood between Ummarah and Hazrat Muhriz bin Nazlah. Upon the demise of the Holy Prophetsa, when a fitna [disorder] arose from among the apostates and they initiated a war against Muslims, he joined Hazrat Khalid bin Waleedra in the battle [against them]. He attained martyrdom during the Battle of Yamamah. (Ashaab-eBadr, Qazi Muhammad Sulaiman, p. 182, Maktabatul Islamiyyah, Lahore, 2015) His mother’s name was Khalidah bint Anas. Abu Bakr bin Muhammad narrates, “When a snake bit Hazrat Abdullah bin Sahl, the Holy Prophetsa instructed that he be taken to Hazrat Ummarah bin Hazm, so that he may perform dam [special prayer for health and protection] for him.

He replied, ‘O Messengersa of Allah! He is about to die!’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Take him to Ummarah! When he will perform dam, God Almighty will cure him.’” (Subulul-Huda Wa al-Rishaad, Vol. 10, p. 771, Cairo, 1995) Certainly, the Holy Prophetsa must have taught him that dam and that prayer. This does not mean that, God forbid, the Holy Prophetsa was in need of the dam prayer by Hazrat Ummarah or that he was unable to do it himself. Certain people are especially appointed for certain roles, however the actual source of the impact of the prayer was owing to the holy power and the blessings of the Holy Prophetsa.

It is stated in Sirat ibn Hisham that the hypocrites used to come to the mosque of the Holy Prophetsa and after listening to the conversation of the Muslims and departing from them, they used to mock them. They used to ridicule their faith. Sometimes, they would even do so in front of them. Once, when some of the hypocrites gathered at the

Mosque of the Prophet, the Holy Prophetsa saw them conversing among themselves secretly. The Holy Prophetsa instructed that they be evicted from the mosque. Thus, they were removed from the mosque.

Hazrat Abu Ayyub advanced towards Umar bin Qais, who belonged to the clan of Ghanam bin Malik bin Najjar and who used to take care of their idols during the period of ignorance. He grabbed him by his leg and dragged him out of the mosque. He kept saying, “O Abu Ayyub! Are you going to expel me from the company of Banu Tha‘labah?” Then [Hazrat Abu Ayyub] turned to Rafi bin Badi‘ah, who also hailed from the clan of Najjar. He wrapped him in his sheet of cloth, pulled him firmly, and hit him and removed him from the mosque.

route to Tabuk, the camel of the Holy Prophetsa, Qaswa, disappeared from sight.

The Companions of the Holy Prophetsa set out in order to search for it. Hazrat Ummarah bin Hazm was also with the Holy Prophetsa. He had taken part in the pledge of initiation at al-Aqabah, he was a Companion who participated in the battle of Badr, as has already been mentioned, and he was the brother of Hazrat Amr bin Hazm. The person narrating this account states that Hazrat Zaid bin Salat was in the carriage of Hazrat Ummarah. In other words, he was given the responsibility of taking care of the rides and carriages and he was the person to place the carriages on the camels. Some people were assigned to place a form of carriage or saddle on the

Abu Ayyub then said to him, “You wicked hypocrite! May you be cursed. Get away from the Mosque of the Prophet!” Hazrat Ummarah bin Hazm went to Zaid bin Amr and dragged him out of the mosque while grabbing him by his beard. Then Hazrat Ummarah struck both of his hands on his chest with such force that he fell down.

He said, “O Ummarah! You have injured me!” Upon this, Hazrat Ummarah replied, “O hypocrite! May God destroy you!

The punishment that God Almighty has prepared for you is more severe than that.

Thus, never come close to the Mosque of the Prophet ever again!” (Sirat ibn Hisham, p. 246, Dar-e-ibn-e-Hazm, 2009) On the occasion of the battle of Tabuk, when the Holy Prophetsa was on

camel. He belonged to the tribe of Qaynuqa and was a Jew, and although he became a Muslim, he showed some hypocrisy. Zaid, i.e. the person who became a Muslim but had a sense of hypocrisy within him, asked in a very pretentiously innocent manner, “Does Muhammadsa not claim that he is a prophet and that he informs you of heavenly matters? Yet, he is unaware of where his camel went!” Hazrat Ummarah was near the Holy Prophetsa and somehow this comment reached the Holy Prophetsa, or God Almighty must have informed him about it. The Holy Prophetsa then said, “A person had commented that Muhammad tells you people that he is a prophet and that he informs you of heavenly matters, whereas, he is unaware of where his camel

is.” After this, the Holy Prophetsa said, “By God! I do not know of anything, but what God Almighty has informed me of. I do not know the unseen. However, I speak as God Almighty informs me.” Following this, in order to silence this hypocrite, the Holy Prophetsa stated that God Almighty informed him [of the camel]. The Holy Prophetsa further said, “Indeed, God Almighty has informed me in relation to my camel that it is in such and such valley”.

The Holy Prophetsa then pointed into the direction of the valley and said, “Its rein got caught in a tree. Go and bring it to me.”

Hence, the companions went and brought it back. In order to silence the hypocrite, God Almighty then showed the Holy Prophetsa the exact location of the camel.

Al-Bayhaqi and Abu Na‘eem state that Hazrat Ummarah went to his carriage and said, “By God! A strange thing occurred today. Moments ago, the Holy Prophetsa mentioned to us the comments of a certain individual, which God Almighty had informed him of.” Thus, it has become clear that God Almighty had informed the Holy Prophetsa of the comments of this hypocrite, Zaid bin Salat. A person in the carriage of Hazrat Ummarah then said, “By God! Before you came, Zaid had uttered this exact comment you have just mentioned to us.” Upon this, Hazrat Ummarah grabbed Zaid by the neck and said to his comrades, “O servants of Allah! There was a snake in my carriage and I was unaware of removing it.” He then turned to Zaid and said that he would cut off all his ties with him. According to some people, Zaid repented later, while according to others, he remained engaged in such mischiefs until he died. (Tarikh-ulKhamis, Vol. 3, p. 18, Ghazwa Tabuk, Darul-Kutb Al-Ilmiyyah, 2009, Beirut) Hazrat Ziyad bin Nuaim narrates from Hazrat Ummarah bin Hazm that the Holy Prophetsa said that there are four important principles. If a person acts in accordance with these, he becomes a Muslim. However, if he leaves out even one, the other three will be of no avail to him. Hazrat Ziyad says that he asked Hazrat Ummarah about these four principles and he said that these are, prayers, Zakat [almsgiving], fasting and Hajj [Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca]. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 4, p. 129, Dar-ul-Kutub Alilmiyyah, Beirut) It is necessary to believe in and act in accordance with these four principles.

Prayers are obligatory. Zakat [almsgiving] is obligatory upon all those who are eligible.

9

Friday 19 October 2018 | AL HAKAM It is obligatory to fast if one has good health. It is also obligatory to perform the Hajj for those who have the means to do it. Nevertheless, it is necessary to believe and adhere to these four principles. These principles have been written in [the book] Usdul Ghaba. These are the very books in which Muslims themselves have outlined the definition of a Muslim. However, now there are some scholars who issue edicts of disbelief and have now formed a new definition of being a Muslim.

The second Companion to be mentioned today is Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud. His title is Abdur-Rahman and he belonged to the tribe of Banu Huzail. His mother’s name was Umm-e-Abd. He passed away in 32 AH. His father’s name was Mas‘ud bin Ghafil. Abdullah bin Mas‘ud is counted among the early converts to Islam.

He accepted Islam at the same time as the sister of Hazrat Umarra, Hazrat Fatima bint Khattab and her husband, Hazrat Sa‘eed bin Zaid. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 4, p. 129, Dar-ulKutub Al-ilmiyyah, Beirut) He accepted Islam before the Holy Prophetsa went to Dar-ul-Arqam (AlTabqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 112, Dar-ulKutb Al-ilimiyya, Beirut, 1990). Dar-ulArqam is the place which was built in Mecca for Muslims to be able to gather. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud relates, “I was the sixth person to accept Islam. At that time, there was no other Muslim on the face of the earth apart from the six of us.” Narrating his acceptance of Islam, Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud says, “When I reached the age of understanding (an age where a person is able to correctly recognise and distinguish between good and bad, the age of maturity), I was grazing the sheep of Uqba bin Mu‘ayt one day. The Holy Prophetsa approached me and Hazrat Abu Bakrra was also alongside him. The Holy Prophetsa said to me, ‘Young man! Do you have any milk?’ I replied that I did, but as I had been entrusted with that, I could not give him any.” He was extremely pious from his very childhood. “The Holy Prophetsa then said to bring him a sheep, which is not expecting, nor producing any milk.” He further states, “I brought a young sheep to the Holy Prophetsa. Following this, the Holy Prophetsa tied its feet together, rubbed his hands on its teats and started to pray until they were filled with milk. Hazrat Abu Bakrra then brought a bowl, which the Holy Prophetsa filled with its milk and then told Hazrat Abu Bakrra to drink from it.

Hazrat Abu Bakrra drank the milk and then the Holy Prophetsa drank from it. The Holy Prophetsa then rubbed his hands over the teats and said, “Contract” and they began to contract and returned to their previous form. I asked the Holy Prophetsa to teach me the words he had recited. Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa placed his hand on my head and said, ‘You are an intelligent young man.’” He then states that he memorised seventy chapters of the Holy Quran directly from the Holy Prophetsa. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 382, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-ilmiyyah, Beirut) With regard to him, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra also writes in Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyeen [The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophetsa] that Abdullah bin Mas‘ud was not from among the people of Quraish, but belonged to the tribe of Huzail. He was a very poor man and used to graze the sheep of Uqba bin Abi Mu‘ayt,

chief of the Quraish. After accepting Islam, he stayed with the Holy Prophetsa and eventually became a great scholar as a result of the company of the Holy Prophetsa. The majority of Fiqh Hanafiyyah [Hanafi School of jurisprudence] is based on his accounts and interpretations. (Sirat Khatam-unNabiyyeen, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra, p. 124) There is a narration regarding his proficiency in religious knowledge. Hazrat Ibn Mas‘ud states, “People know that I have a lot of knowledge of the Holy Quran. I know when and where each chapter and every verse of this Holy Book was revealed.”

Abu Wa-il narrates, “No one raised any objection to this”, i.e when Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud made this statement. (Ashaabe-Badr, Qazi Muhammad Sulaiman, p. 107, Maktabatul Islamiyyah, Lahore, 2015) The four Companions regarding whom the Holy Prophetsa instructed [the believers] to learn the Holy Quran from, Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud is on the top of this list. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitaab-ulMunaaqib, Baab Munaaqib Abdullah bin Mas’udra, Hadith no. 3760) Hazrat Musleh Maudra has explained this in detail in Dibacha Tafsirul Quran [Introduction to the Study of the Holy Quran] in the following manner, “As the eagerness of the people for memorising the Quran increased, the Holy Prophetsa appointed four principal teachers of the Quran who used to memorise it under the supervision of the Holy Prophetsa and then taught other people to commit it to memory. These four in turn trained a number of other people who became competent to teach the Quran. These four were: Abdullah bin Mas‘ud, Salim Maula Abi Hudhaifa, Mu‘az bin Jabal and Ubayy ibn Ka‘b. The first two of these were Muhajirin, early Muslims who had migrated from Mecca to Medina, and the last two were Ansar, early Muslims of Medina. Abdullah bin Mas‘ud used to occupy himself as a labourer, Salim was a freed slave, and Mu‘az and Ubayy were two of the leading men of Medina. Thus, the Holy Prophetsa appointed teachers of the Quran from among different sections of society. It has been mentioned in a Hadith: ٰ ُْ ُ ُ َ ّٰ َ ‫خذواالق ْرا َن ِم ْن ا ْرب َ َع ٍۃ ِم ْن ع ْب ُ ِدالل ِہ ابَْ ِن َم ْس ُع ْو ٍد َو َسال ٍِم َو‬ ‫َم َعا ِذ ابْ ِن َج َب ٍل َو ٔاب َ ْی بِن ک ْع ٍب‬ ‘Those of you who wish to learn the Quran should learn it from Abdullah bin Mas‘ud, Salim Maula Abi Hudhaifa, Mu‘az bin Jabal or Ubayy ibn Ka‘b.’ These four had learnt the whole of the Quran under the supervision of the Holy Prophetsa. But many other Companions of the Holy Prophetsa had also learnt portions of it directly from him. It is related that on one occasion when Abdullah bin Mas‘ud was reciting the Quran, Hazrat Umar pointed out that a certain word should be pronounced in a particular way. Abdullah bin Mas‘ud protested that he had been taught by the Holy Prophetsa to pronounce it in the manner in which he had pronounced it. Hazrat Umarra took him to the Holy Prophetsa and complained that he did not recite the Quran correctly.

The Holy Prophetsa asked him to recite the portion concerning which there was a difference of opinion between the two and when he recited it, the Holy Prophetsa said he was quite right. Thereupon Hazrat Umarra submitted that he had been taught by the Prophet to pronounce the word

differently. The Holy Prophetsa then asked him to recite the verse and when he did so, told him that that was also correct.” Hazrat Musleh Maudra thus concluded from this that “This shows that in addition to the four Companions whom the Holy Prophetsa used to teach the whole of the Quran, there were others who used to learn portions of it from him. Umar’s submission that he had been taught to pronounce a certain word in a particular way shows that he, too, used to learn portions of the Quran from the Holy Prophetsa himself.” (Dibacha Tafsirul Quran, Anwar-ul-Uloom, Vol. 20, pp. 427-428) It is mentioned that after the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud was the one to recite the Holy Quran in public for the very first time. There is an incident mentioned regarding this: “One day, the Companions had gathered and it was mentioned that the Quraish had not yet heard the recitation of the Holy Quran aloud in public. They enquired if there was anyone who could recite it to them. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud responded, ‘I will recite the Holy Quran to them.’ They replied, ‘We fear that the disbelievers may cause you harm as you are a poor man. It would be better to find someone of a prominent status instead and his tribe will protect him if the disbelievers resort to violence.’ Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud responded, ‘Do not worry about it as God shall protect me.’” These Companions had such extraordinary passion. “The next morning, he began reciting the Holy Quran publicly near the Ka‘bah. He recited: ُ ْ َّ ّٰ ْ ّ ‫الرَ ِح ْیم۔‬ ّ ‫الرَ ْح ٰمن‬ ّ ‫الل ِہ‬ ‫ِبس ِم‬ ‫الرَ ْح ٰم ُن َعل َم الق ْر ٰا َن‬ ِ That is, ‘In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. It is God, the Gracious. Who has taught the Qur’an’. (AlRahman:1-3) The people of Quraish were astonished when they heard this and some said, ‘He is reciting from the same scripture of Muhammadsa recites’ and when they heard this recitation they got up and began to strike Abdullah bin Mas‘ud on his face.

However, he continued with the recitation and finished the entire portion he had intended to recite. When he returned, the Companions saw the marks on his face because of the beating he had endured and they said that this is exactly what they feared that he would be attacked. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud replied, ‘In my sight, these enemies of God have never been as insignificant as they seemed when they were attacking me. If you’d like, I can do the same tomorrow.’ The Companions responded, ‘No! This is enough. You made them listen to something they did not want to hear.’” (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 383, Darul-Kutub al-ilmiyyah, Beirut) The Holy Prophetsa kept Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud with him after he had accepted Islam and he would serve the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa had instructed him that if he heard the voice of the Holy Prophetsa and the entrance of his home was uncovered (i.e. it was open) then he could enter therein without permission. Meaning that he should not enter without permission when the entrance was covered. If, however, the entrance was not covered, the door was open and he could hear the Holy Prophet’s voice, then he had his permission to enter therein because it meant that there were no ladies present inside at that time. He

would do everything for the Holy Prophetsa.

He would assist in putting his shoes on, he would travel with the Holy Prophetsa when needed, he would hold the purdah (cover) when the Holy Prophetsa took a bath. He was known amongst the companions as Sahib-ul-Swaaq. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p.

383, Dar-ul-Kutub al-ilmiyyah, Beirut) According to another narration he was known as Sahib-ul-Swaaq, Sahib-ulWasaad and Sahib-ul-Na‘layn as well. (AlTabqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 113, Dar-ulKutb al-ilimiyya, Beirut, 1990).

Abdullah bin Mas‘ud was a confidant of the Holy Prophetsa; he would prepare the bedding of the Prophetsa and would carry the Holy Prophet’s Miswaaq (short dry twig used to clean teeth) and also carry his shoes. The meaning of these Arabic words just mentioned in fact refer to the services he rendered and translate as: preparing his bedding, providing the Miswaaq for his teeth, help in arranging the water for ablution and bathing. One who prepares the bedding is known as Sahib-ul-Suwaad and he would render this service for the Holy Prophetsa and he would also repair and carry the Holy Prophet’s shoes and therefore was known as Sahib-ul-Na‘layn.

He would carry water for the Holy Prophetsa to perform ablution. He would also take care of these chores when the Holy Prophet would travel.

Abu Maleeh narrates, “Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud would provide a purdah (covering) for the Holy Prophetsa when he would bathe, he would wake the Holy Prophetsa when he would sleep and he would also travel fully armed alongside the Holy Prophetsa.” (Al-Tabqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 113, Dar-ul-Kutb al-ilimiyya, Beirut, 1990).

Hazrat Abu Musa narrates, “When I initially arrived in Medina from Yemen, I thought that Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud was amongst the Ahl-e-Bait [the family of the Holy Prophetsa peace be upon him] as he and his mother would often visit the Holy Prophetsa.” (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p.

384, Dar-ul-Kutub al-ilmiyyah, Beirut) Since they would often visit the Holy Prophetsa and do a lot of his work, therefore he states that those who newly came to Medina would think that they too were from among the family members of the Holy Prophetsa. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud participated in both migrations – the migration to Abyssinia and also to Medina.

He accompanied the Holy Prophetsa in the Battle of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Bai‘ate-Rizwan and many other occasions.

After the demise of the Holy Prophetsa, he participated in the Battle of Yarmuk. He was amongst those companions who were given the glad tiding of paradise by the Holy Prophetsa in their lifetimes. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 383, Dar-ul-Kutub al-ilmiyyah, Beirut) He also played a huge role in putting an end to Abu Jahl. It is narrated by Hazrat Anas that at the end of the Battle of Badr, the Holy Prophetsa said, “Is there anyone who can find out the accurate and correct news regarding Abu Jahl?” And so, Abdullah bin Mas‘ud went and saw that Abu Jahl was lying in the battlefield, wounded and in agony.

The sons of Ifra had caused him to be in this state. Hazrat Ibn Mas‘ud grabbed him by his beard and said, “Are you Abu Jahl?” Even in that state he very arrogantly replied, “Have

10 you ever killed a greater chieftain than me?”

(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Maghazi, Baab Qatl Abi Jahl, Hadith no. 3962) The first narration was from Bukhari however there is also a narration from Sahih Muslim. The narration from Sahih Muslim regarding this incident is that Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud grabbed him by the beard and asked him, “Are you Abu Jahl?”

Abu Jahl replied, “Have you ever killed a great man like me before?” The narrator states that Abu Jahl said, “If only a person other than a farmer would have killed me.”

(Sahih Muslim, Kitab-ul-Jihad Wa Al-Sair, Hadith no. 4662) There were two boys of Medina who left him in this state. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra has also mentioned this in Tafsir-eKabir in great detail that how the opponents burnt in the fire of spite and malice all their lives and even at the time of their death they were in this state. He writes that Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud said, “After the battle, I saw that Abu Jahl was groaning in agony due to the wounds. I went to him and asked how he was. He replied, ‘I am not regretful of my death. It is soldiers who die after all.

I am regretful that I was killed by the hands of two Ansari boys of Medina. I am going to die so confer one favour upon me and sever my head with a sword so that I am relieved of this misery. But remember to sever my head from the lower part of the neck so that my head stands tall as generals are killed in a similar manner from the lower part of the neck.’” Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud said, “I will not fulfil your last desire and will sever your head from your chin.” At last he placed his sword on his chin and beheaded him.

Hazrat Musleh Maudra writes, “Look at the scale of this fire that was burning Abu Jahl. All his life he was spiteful over the fact that they were unable to inflict the pain that they desired upon the Holy Prophetsa. Even at the time of his death he was burning with rage since he was going to die as a result of an attack from the hands of two unskilled boys of Medina. The last desire that he had at the time of his death was also not fulfilled and he was beheaded close to the chin.”

(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 6, p. 461). Ultimately burning in all sorts of enraging fires he departed from this world.

When Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud migrated to Medina he stayed at the house of Hazrat Mu‘az bin Jabal. According to some, he stayed with Hazrat Sa‘d bin Khaisma. In Mecca, a bond of brotherhood was established between him and Hazrat Zubair bin Al-Awam, whilst in Medina the Holy Prophetsa appointed Mu‘az bin Jabal as his brother in faith. In the early days of Medina, his financial state was quite poor.

When the Holy Prophetsa made some arrangements for the accommodation of the Muhajireen near the Prophet’s Mosque, certain people belonging to the Banu Zuhra tribe displayed some hesitation in keeping Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud with them, saying that he was a layman, a poor person, whilst they were of higher status. When the Holy Prophetsa came to know about this, standing up for his poor and weak servant, he said, “Has God sent me so that you can have these indifferences? Remember that God Almighty never blesses such a community in which a weak person is not given his due rights.” Then the Holy Prophetsa accommodated Hazrat Abdullah

Friday 19 October 2018 | AL HAKAM bin Mas‘ud near the mosque whilst Banu Zahra were placed far in a corner. (AlTabqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, pp. 112-113, Darul-Kutb al-ilimiyya, Beirut, 1990).

Hazrat ibn Mas‘ud himself narrates that the Holy Prophetsa instructed him to recite Surah al-Nisa to him. (He is relating his own incident and states,) “The Holy Prophetsa instructed me to recite Surah alNisa to him. I replied, ‘What can I recite to you since this was revealed to you?’ The Holy Prophetsa replied, ‘I like it when others recite the Holy Quran and I listen to it.’” He then states, “I began to recite it and when I reached the verse: َ​َ َ َُ ُ َ ُ َْ َ َ َْ َ ‫فک ْی َف ِاذا ِجئنا ِم ْن ک ِ ّل ا ّم ٍۃ ِبش ِہ ْی ٍد ّو ِجئنا ِبک َع ٰلی ٰہ ٔولَٓا ِء ش ِہ ْی ًدا‬ ‘And how will it fare with them when We shall bring a witness from every people, and shall bring thee as a witness against these!’

(Al-Nisa:42) the eyes of the Holy Prophetsa were filled with tears.” It is also mention in the narrations that the Holy Prophetsa instructed him to stop. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 383, Dar-ul-Kutub al-ilmiyyah, Beirut), (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitab Fazail-ulQuran, Hadith no. 5050) Once, Hazrat Umar Farooqra was at Arafat when a man approached him and said, “O Leader of the Faithful (this is after he was elected as the Khalifa) I have come from Kufa and I have seen a man there dictating the Holy Quran without looking.” Hazrat Umarra said angrily, “Woe to you! (This is a style of speech of the Arabs) Who is this man?” The man replied fearfully, “Abdullah bin Mas‘ud.” When Hazrat Umarra heard this his temper subsided and returned to the state he was in before. He then said, “In terms of undertaking this task, I do not see anyone more worthy and befitting than Abdullah bin Mas‘ud.” (Masnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 1, p. 128, Hadith no. 175, Alim-ul-Kutb, Beirut, 1998). He could write the entire Holy Quran without looking.

Hazrat Umarra states, “One night, Hazrat Abu Bakrra and I were in the company of the Holy Prophetsa when we passed by Abdullah bin Mas‘ud who was reciting the Holy Quran whilst offering voluntary prayers. He was standing in prayer reciting and the Holy Prophetsa stood listening to his recitation. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud then bowed and went into prostration. The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘O Abdullah, whatever you now ask of God will be granted to you.’

The Holy Prophetsa then departed saying, ‘Whoever desires to read the Holy Quran with such freshness as though it was just revealed, then he should learn the Holy Quran from Abdullah bin Mas‘ud.’” This Hadith and narration is of Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal. (Masnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 1, pp. 156-157, Hadith no. 265, Alimul-Kutb, Beirut, 1998) Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Yazid relates that we went to Hazrat Huzaifah and said, “Tell us of such a man who was closest to the Holy Prophetsa in his practise, in following his example and in his deeds, so that we may learn from him and listen to his narrations”. He told them, “The person closest to the Holy Prophetsa in his practise is Abdullah bin Mas‘ud”. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 385, Dar-ul-Kutub al-ilmiyyah, Beirut) The level of passion he had in following the example of the Holy Prophetsa was such that after the demise of the Holy Prophetsa, when the Companions were asked which

companion was the closest to the Holy Prophetsa in terms of conduct and habits, his behaviour and characteristics, Hazrat Huzaifah stated that to his knowledge, in terms of conduct, dialogue and behaviour, Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud was the closest to the Holy Prophetsa. Perhaps this is the reason why the Holy Prophetsa would say, “Whatever Abdullah bin Mas‘ud prefers, I desire the same for my people”. This is a Hadith of Bukhari. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitaab-ul-Munaaqib, Baab Munaaqib Abdullah bin Mas‘udra, Hadith no. 3762) Hazrat Alqamah relates that Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud’s behaviour, his good character and his moderation in his practises were similar to those of the Holy Prophetsa. Hazrat Abdullah bin Masu‘d’s son, Ubaidullah, relates that he [Abdullah bin Mas‘ud] had a habit of waking up for the Tahajjud prayer at night when everyone else was asleep. One night, he heard him murmuring like the humming of a bee.

(Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 386, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-ilmiyyah, Beirut) i.e. he was murmuring lightly as he supplicated or recited the Holy Quran.

Hazrat Alira relates that the Holy Prophetsa said, “If I was to ever appoint someone as a governor without consultation it would be Abdullah bin Mas‘ud.” (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 385, Dar-ul-Kutub alilmiyyah, Beirut) Then, the same narration of Hazrat Alira has been recorded in the following manner in Al-Tabqaat-ul-Kubra wherein Hazrat Alira relates, “The Holy Prophetsa told me that if he was to appoint an Amir without the consultation of the Muslims, he would appoint Abdullah bin Mas‘ud as an Amir.”

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud relates that after embracing Islam he never slept beyond the period of chasht [between sunrise and noon]. (Al-Tabqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 114, Dar-ul-Kutb al-ilimiyya, Beirut, 1990).

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud loved his wife and children. When he entered the home, he would clear his throat and speak up so that the household members would know [he arrived]. His wife, Hazrat Zainab relates, “One day Hazrat Abdullah entered the house when an elderly woman was giving me an amulet to wear”. It is the habit of women to sometimes make use of charms or amulets perhaps in hope of gaining blessings. She knew Abdullah bin Mas‘ud did not like this. She says, “So in fear of him I hid it beneath the bedstead I was sitting on. He came and sat next to me and looking to my neck he said, ‘What is this thread which you have placed on your neck?’ I told him it was an amulet. He broke it and threw it away immediately saying that the family of Abdullah is free from shirk [associating partners with Allah]. Abdullah bin Mas‘ud then said, ‘I heard from the Holy Prophetsa that making use of charms and amulets is shirk.’ I then said, ‘What are you saying? My eyes would swell up and become painful and so I would go to a certain Jewish woman to use the amulet. and I would be relieved after doing so.’ Abdullah bin Mas‘ud then said to me, ‘These are all works of Satan.

The following prayer of the Holy Prophetsa should suffice you: َّ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ ْ َّ َّ َ َ ْ َ ْ َْ ‫الن‬ ‫اذ ِھ ِب الباس رب‬ ‫ف َوانت الشا ِف ْی لا ِشفائ اِلا‬ ِ َ ‫اس اِش‬ ِ ً َ َ ُ َ ً‫ائ لا ی ُ َغاد ُِر َس َقما‬ ‫ِشفاءک ِشف‬ ‘O Lord of mankind! Remove my illness and

cure me. Only You can cure and there is no cure except through You. Such a cure which leaves behind no disease.’” (Sira Al-Sahaba, Vol. 2, p. 225, Dar-ul-Isha‘at, Karachi) So those people who go to mystics and mendicants, who spend their entire day intoxicated, not offering a single prayer, they go to them to make use of charms and amulets and then they claim that they have been cured and have been bestowed a great favour, or they have now been granted offspring, or such and such has happened as result; this is the answer to all those things.

Abdullah bin Mas‘ud once went to see his friend, Abu Umair. However, he was not at home. So he conveyed his greetings to his wife and requested some water to drink. There was no water available in the house so she sent a female servant to bring water from the neighbours, but she did not return till very late. Umar’s wife scolded their female servant saying she was extremely lazy and cursed her. Having heard her, Hazrat Abdullah returned home thirsty. The following day he met Abu Umair and he asked him why he returned home so quickly without drinking water.

He answered, “When your wife cursed the servant, the saying of the Holy Prophetsa came to mind that whoever is cursed but is innocent, the curse is reverted to the one who cursed. So I thought that if the servant was innocent then the curse would revert to me without cause.” (Sira Al-Sahaba, Vol. 2, p. 223, Dar-ul-Isha‘at, Karachi) Therefore, it is better to go without drinking. So this was the level of fear of God these people possessed that if there was even a remotest chance of God Almighty being upset with them for any reason, they would abstain and stay away from it.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud was slim, short in height and had a wheatish complexion. He would wear fine white clothing and use perfume. Hazrat Talha relates that he would be recognised by his perfume. (Al-Tabqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, pp.

116-117, Dar-ul-Kutb al-Ilimiyya, Beirut, 1990).

Hazrat Alira relates that once the Holy Prophetsa instructed Abdullah bin Mas‘ud for a certain task to climb a tree. Seeing as his calves were apparently thin and weak, the Companions began laughing. The Holy Prophetsa thereupon asked, “Why do you laugh? The virtues of Abdullah bin Mas‘ud will be heavier in the scales on the Day of Judgement than the Uhud Mountain.”

(Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 385, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut) Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud had hair which he would lift from his ears. According to one narration his hair reached his neck.

When he prayed he would put his hair behind his ears. (Al-Tabqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 117, Dar-ul-Kutb al-Ilimiyya, Beirut, 1990).

Zaid bin Wahhab narrates: “One day, I was sitting with Hazrat Umarra when Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud arrived. Since he had a short stature it was difficult to see him in the crowd of people that were seated.” The other people seated in the congregation were tall or perhaps they were seated in a way that it was difficult to see him. He was almost concealed from view. “When Hazrat Umarra saw him, he smiled and then began to converse with him in a joyful manner. During this discourse Hazrat

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Friday 19 October 2018 | AL HAKAM Abdullah remained standing lest he became obscured from view. When they finished the conversation and Hazrat Abdullah left, Hazrat Umar watched him until he was out of sight. He then said: “This individual is an extraordinary vessel of knowledge”. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 386, Dar-ul-Kutub Alilmiyyah, Beirut) One can gauge the level of Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud’s knowledge and stature from the following incident that took place towards the end of Hazrat Mu‘az bin Jabal’s life when people asked him to give them some advice. He replied by saying, “Knowledge and faith both hold separate ranks. Knowledge has a certain rank and so does faith. Whoever strives to attain them both will be successful. He then mentioned the names of four individuals who led by example and Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud was among those four people.

(Masnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 7, p. 375, Hadith no. 22455, Alim-ul-Kutb, Beirut, 1998) After the demise of the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Umarra appointed Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud as a missionary for the education and moral training of the people of Kufa and at the same time appointed Hazrat Ammar bin Yassir as the governor.

Hazrat Umarra then said to the people of Kufa, “Both of these individuals are among the close companions of the Holy Prophetsa and have a special standing. They were among the people who took part in the Battle of Badr. You all should follow their example and obey their directives and also listen to what they say. For you, I have given precedence to Abdullah bin Mas‘ud over me.” (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 385, Dar-ulKutub Al-ilmiyyah, Beirut)

During his last days of his illness, Hazrat Usmanra went to visit Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud and asked him, “Do you have any grievances”. He replied, “Now that you have asked, my only grievances are my sins, for there are many.” Hazrat Usmanra then asked if he required anything, to which he replied that he only required the Mercy of God Almighty. Hazrat Usmanra then asked him if he should arrange for a physician to attend to him. To this he replied that it was the physicians who had put him in this condition, i.e. that whatever was taking place was due to the Will of God and he was content with it. Hazrat Usmanra then asked if he should set an allowance for him to which he replied that he did not require anything.

Hazrat Usmanra said that it would be useful for his daughters. He replied by saying, “From this, do you imply that my daughters will be left impoverished?” He then further said, “I have advised my daughters to recite Surah al-Waqi‘ah every night. I heard the Holy Prophetsa say that whoever recites Surah al-Waqi‘ah every night, they will never have to endure starvation.” (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, pp. 386-387, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-ilmiyyah, Beirut) This was the level of the trust in God and the contentment of these shinning stars.

Salma bin Tawam says, “A person once met Abdullah bin Mas‘ud and related his dream and said, ‘I saw you in my dream last night. I also saw that the Holy Prophetsa was sat on a tall pulpit while you were sat below the pulpit. The Holy Prophetsa then said, “O Ibn Mas‘ud! Come close to me for you have become so detached since I have gone.”’

Abdullah bin Mas‘ud then said, ‘Swear by God that you really did see this dream.’ He replied that indeed he did. Upon this, he

Continued from page 12

Sahib had earlier referred to Hazrat Musleh Maud, pointing out that the purpose of our service within Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya is to train the next generation so that a continuous improvement is always maintained. Sadr Sahib then led the congregation in silent prayer, thereby concluding the final session with all four proposals being approved for submission to Huzooraa.

It was almost 9:30pm when the Shura delegates were served with dinner in the marquee to the rear of Baitul Futuh Mosque. As per tradition, during this meal, the outgoing members of Khuddam-

ul-Ahmadiyya – those entering Majlis Ansarullah – who had rendered significant services towards the Majlis in their time as a Khuddam, were presented with tokens of appreciation, including a special crystal trophy. There were 45 such special guests this year that received this award on behalf of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK. The delegates and guests of Majlis-eShura made their way home after a long day, one which will Insha-Allah shape the coming year and beyond for Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK with a desire and passion to seek continuous improvement.

MKA UK

then said, ‘Have you come from Medina to offer my funeral prayer? As it seems that my time has come.’ A short while later he passed away.” (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 386, Dar-ul-Kutub al-ilmiyyah, Beirut) However, prior to his demise, when Hazrat Usmanra learnt of his illness, he called him to leave Kufa and come to Medina. However, the people of Kufa urged him to remain in Kufa and also assured him that they will protect him. It is also possible that this incident of Hazrat Usmanra calling him to Medina was prior to his illness as it seemed as if he was in good health then when this incident took place wherein this man related his dream to him. However, it was after this that Hazrat Usmanra called him from Kufa. And, even though the people of Kufa desired for him to remain there and promised to protect him, he said that it was the instruction of the Khalifa of the time and it was incumbent upon him to obey. He also said that very soon, certain disorders would emerge and he did not wish to be the cause of them and after that he left to go the Khalifa of the time. He passed away in 32 AH in Medina. Hazrat Usmanra led his funeral prayer and buried him in Jannat-ulBaqi. At the time of his demise, his age was just a little over than 60. (Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, p. 387, Dar-ul-Kutub al-ilmiyyah, Beirut) According to another narration he was just over 70 when he passed away. (AlTabqaat-ul-Kubra, translated by Abdullah Al‘amadi, Pt. 3, p. 230, Vol. 3, p. 387, Nafees Academy, Karachi) Upon the demise of Hazrat Abduallah bin Mas‘ud, Hazrat Abu Musa said to Hazrat Abu Mas‘ud, “Do you think that Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud has left behind after him a person who possesses the same kind

of qualities?” Hazrat Abu Mas‘ud replied, “The fact is that during certain times when we were not allowed to go and visit the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud was permitted to enter the Holy Prophetsa’s home. When we were not around the Holy Prophetsa, Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud however had the opportunity to serve the Holy Prophetsa and benefit from his company. Thus, how can it be that there is someone else who possesses the same kind of qualities?” (Al-Tabqaat-ul-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 119, Dar-ul-Kutb Al-ilimiyya, Beirut, 1990).

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud would fully adhere to the noble practise of the Holy Prophetsa. Once, Hazrat Aishara was asked [in regards to the correct practise of breaking one’s fast] that there are two Companions; one of them breaks his fast quickly, that is, he breaks his fast as soon as the sun sets and also offers his prayers immediately, while the other Companion does both of these relatively later. Hazrat Aishara enquired as to which Companion does it immediately and she was informed that it was Abdullah bin Mas’ud. Hazrat Aishara said that this was also the practise of the Holy Prophetsa which the Abduallah bin Mas‘ud followed. (Masnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 8, p. 51, Hadith no. 24716, Alim-ul-Kutub, Beirut, 1998) There are many other traditions and accounts regarding Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud which I will Insha-Allah relate in the future. May God Almighty enable us to follow the example of these shinning stars.

(Translated by The Review of Religions)

Hurricane Michael Relief Operation Dr Aziz Ahmad Hafiz Director, International Disaster Relief HF

L

ast week, the east of the United States, along the Florida panhandle was heavily battered by a category four hurricane.

USA experienced a fiercest of storms as Hurricane Michael ravaged eastern parts of the country, leaving many missing as well as others severely affected, without food or shelter.

The hurricane destroyed many of the surrounding areas with winds reaching up

to 155mph (249 km/h). Relief operations began immediately after the hurricane.

Humanity First, in association with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat USA, immediately set out with members driving from Atlanta all the way down to Panama City in Florida with relief supplies to assist those that had been affected. The Humanity First volunteers worked alongside the National Guard of the United States to distribute these supplies to those most in need.

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Friday 19 October 2018 | AL HAKAM

National Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK Shura 2018

MKA UK

Hamid Choudhry Motamid MKA UK

n Saturday 13 October, Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK held O their 30 Majlis-e-Shura, in Baitul Futuh th

Mosque, Morden. The event formally commenced at 9:30am with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by the declaration of the Khuddam Pledge by all delegates.

Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya (Sahibzada Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib) then delivered a welcome address and summary report of key activities from the previous year. The many activities and initiatives undertaken by the Majlis over the year offered a moment of reflection for the delegates, who were able to appreciate the significant achievements and advancements through their efforts and those of their peers. However, as was noted by Sadr Sahib, all of the humble efforts made by the Majlis are only ever sacrifices in the name of Allah, Who is the actual doer of all good things.

In his address, Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib referred to the guidance of the founder of Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra – al-Musleh al-Maud – may Allah be pleased with him.

After the opening session, the implementation reports of the previous year’s Shura proposals were delivered by the respectively allocated chairpersons.

Following these implementation reports, the proposals for this year’s Majlis-e-Shura were presented by Motamid MKA UK

(Hamid Choudhry).

In total, 26 proposals were presented to the National Amila by members throughout the country, across many different departments. Of these proposals, 4 had been proposed to, and approved by, Hazrat Amirul Momineen, may Allah be his Helper.

At around 11am, the sub-committees were formed, based on delegates being nominated by their respective regional qaideen, as well as special appointments by Sadr Majlis.

As this year’s Majlis-e-Shura was also required to conduct an election for Sadr Majlis, since Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib had now served 3 consecutive 2-year terms, his morning address was noted by him as his final formal opportunity to address the distinguished delegation of Khuddam before him, in the position of Sadr. His address was therefore an opportunity to reflect and pass on some words of advice and support to the Majlis.

Notably, Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib referred to the guidance that he had received from Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa upon his appointment to the office of Sadr Majlis, which was to always refer to Mashale-Rah (a compilation of the speeches given about Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya by Hazrat Musleh Maudra) to seek guidance and wisdom, especially in difficult and trying times.

The address by Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib was indeed a moment of reflection

for all those in the audience, who had been serving under his passionate leadership for the past six years. Nonetheless, the audience found themselves having to prepare now for another challenging task – electing the next Sadr Majlis Khuddamul-Ahmadiyya.

This year, a record number of delegates were present to conduct the election – 402 delegates would vote to determine the names to be presented before Huzooraa, as recommended by the Shura.

Huzooraa had appointed Hafiz Zafarullah Sahib from the Markaz to preside as chairman of the Sadr election.

At around 12:30pm, the election began with silent prayer. Hafiz Zafrullah Sahib pointed out that all members should spend that critically important moment in reciting Durud Sharif and Istighfar. He advised the delegation to pray sincerely so that the Shura may present some suitable suggestions for candidates to lead this Majlis before Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa.

This year, MKA UK Aitimad department had developed a digital solution to support the counting of votes cast against all the nominated candidates. In total, there were 7 candidates nominated. With all candidates having to place 3 votes, the system was designed to capture votes and stream the results live for presentation on a dashboard that was placed in front of the chairman.

Allhamdolillah, the voting was counted and validated by the system in record time, saving significant time and ensuring

greater accuracy. The names along with their respective votes were documented by Hafiz Zafarullah Sahib and were presented to Huzooraa for his consideration.

After the Zuhr and Asr prayers were combined, a delicious Chinese-style lunch was offered for all to enjoy – lovingly prepared by the exceptional and wellregarded chefs of MKA UK’s Ziafat team.

After lunch, the sub-committees that had been formed were able to now deliberate over their respective proposals.

To keep the size of sub-committees to a reasonable number, allowing discussions to be manageable and meaningful, there were inevitably a number of unallocated delegates. Therefore, in parallel to the subcommittee deliberations, two presentations were delivered to these members: 1. General Data Protection Regulation, delivered by Naib Sadr, Muddassar Ahmad Sahib and members of the Khuddam IT Committee) 2. Dealing with Disabilities, delivered by Mohtamim Khidmat-e-Khalq (Abdul Rauf Lodhi Sahib) The plenary & closing session of the Shura commenced at around 6pm, with tilawat. The sub-committee chairmen along with their secretaries presented their summary reports of the deliberations and recommendations made. The floor was then opened up for questions, comments and suggested additions/amendments to the recommendations. The proposals were then voted upon for approval to be sent to Huzooraa for review and approval.

Soon after the plenary session had commenced, Hafiz Zafrullah Sahib had returned with a message from Huzooraa, something everyone had been anticipating.

The announcement was thus made that Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa had graciously appointed Abdul Quddus Arif Sahib as Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK for the next 2 years. Abdul Quddus Arif Sahib, is currently a serving missionary and teacher at Jamia Ahmadiyya UK. Abdul Quddus Arif Sahib came up onto the stage and after embracing him, Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib congratulated him and the entire Majlis on his appointment and asked that everyone should pray for him and offer their full support to him.

Shortly after, Magrhib and Isha prayers were offered and the plenary and closing session reconvened. Once all proposals had been presented and reviewed by the Shura delegates, a few closing remarks were given

by Mirza Waqas Ahmad Sahib, in which he thanked all the Majlis for their support and hard work, as well as requesting prayers for himself and his family.

The Majlis-e-Shura then repeated the Pledge after the newly appointed Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK. A short address was then given by Sadr Sahib, in which he reflected upon the speech in which Mirza Waqas Ahmad Continued on page 11

Editor: Qaasid Muin Ahmad | Design & Layout: Jalees Ahmad|© Al Hakam 2018