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100 Years Ago... Nayyar Sahib set to depart for West Africa and permanent Ahmadiyya mission house in London (63 Melrose Road)

Al Fazl, 27 January 1921

Abinsi, the ship Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Nayyarra – the pioneering Ahmadi missionary for Africa – boarded for his journey to West Africa on 9 February 1921

Photo Credits: Trove Australia National Library | shipspotting.com

Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Nayyarra (1883-1948) First Ahmadi Muslim Missionary for West Africa

Happy New Year

Brothers! May Allah the Almighty be with you and bless your courageous works. May He crown your good intentions with success and grant you an abundance of religious and worldly treasures. Amin!

As I write my last letter of the year 1920, I express congratulations to you along with prayers for the [New Year] 1921. I have full trust in Allah the Almighty that as you have purchased land for the London Mosque in the last year and also established a great mission in America, in the same way, you will not only spread the white light of the blessed Messiah’s message to the continent of black people i.e. Africa, but you will also look forward to every country of the world, insha-Allah!

Thus, O dear friends! Happy New Year from Nayyar, the traveller.

My journey and request

In following the instructions of the Imam – the wajib al-ita‘ah [necessary to be obeyed] leader of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat – I will set off to West Africa from Liverpool on 9 February 1921 by a ship called Abinsi.

I have a huge task ahead of me, but I am a weak and fragile person. The ghair mubai‘een [those who refused to take bai‘at of the Second Khalifa] have sent their literature over there and letters of nonAhmadis have already reached that place. Christians are ready to confront Islam in every way possible. In the face of so many enemies, as far as worldly resources are concerned, I am going there with a wooden sword. However, I have firm faith that being a servant of the Promised Messiahas, I will be able to annihilate anything they send my way.

I am fully convinced that victory is ours. The Akharin [people of the Latter Days] are included in the following instruction [of Allah the Almighty]: ہللا ہجو مثف اولوت امنیاف [So withersoever you turn, there will be the face of Allah. (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.116)]

This was exactly why Hazrat Jariullah [the champion of Allah, the Promised Messiahas] said: دبو ہداخو دسع ہر پنہما ئےالو شدبا ما مبنا ںا�نما فتح ئےاند [The refuge of my [the Promised Messiah’s] flag will be acquired by every blessed person and the announcement of the glorious victory of my name shall be made.]

However, this humble one, who is unskilled, sinful and weak, needs the prayers of his Imam and all members of the Jamaat. Please, for the sake of God, do not show negligence and pray as much as possible.

I will get news from India and newspapers of Qadian after every two months. Thus, keep sending me messages through the wireless signals of spiritual relationship and I firmly believe that prayers possess the power [to do it].

Apology and a request

I apologise to those friends who have sent me letters and are waiting for a reply, for I was not able to write back to them as I was engaged in preparations of my journey. [I expect] that being generous, they will accept [my apology].

Moreover, I humbly request all my friends who love me for the sake of God and also those who have treated my family with love and kindness in my absence that please keep me updated about your well-being and continue to do so without waiting for my reply. I will remember all of you in my prayers, insha-Allah. Some friends have not sent a single letter in over a year and this is rather disappointing.

Permanent Ahmadiyya Dar-ul-Dawat [tabligh house]

The house on the land of the mosque for the accommodation of missionaries has been repaired and the necessary equipment has been provided in it.

On 29 December 1920, missionaries will move into [that house]. It is by the grace and blessings of Allah the Almighty that the Ahmadiyya Jamaat has now its own permanent house and a permanent markaz, Dar-ul-Tabligh [mission house], has been established.

We have been saved from the troubles caused by moving from one place to another on a regular basis. This was a huge task, which came about with the support of Allah the Almighty. Now, the construction of the mosque will begin, insha-Allah!

The previous Dar-ul-Tabligh is being retained as a branch and I am living here for the time being. After my departure, when people get acquainted with the central Darul-Dawat, it will be decided whether to keep this branch or not.

The postal address of the central Dar-ulDawat is as follows:

“Ahmadia Movement, No. 63 Melrose Road, Putney, London”

(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu)

Hazrat Maulvi Abdur Rahim Nayyarra

Islam and the reality of exorcism and jinn

Reem Shraiky UK

Exorcism is the practice of removing evil spirits and it is common in many faiths. Many Christians have a strong belief in exorcism. It is likewise a feature of popular Hindu practice and as a custom, it is rife in the Indian subcontinent and in the Middle East and Africa.

Some Muslims also believe in such a concept; however, as far as Islam is concerned, there is no scriptural support for exorcism. Indeed, we find no trace of it in the Holy Quran at all, while in the ahadith – which are the traditions of the Holy Prophetsa – there is one tradition which is classified as da‘eef, meaning it was narrated by an untrusted narrator, so it is classified as denounced.

It says that a woman went with her seven year-old son to the Holy Prophetsa and told him that he was suffering from a kind of epilepsy twice a day. The Holy Prophetsa put his hand on him and said, “O enemy of Allah, get out!” So, from this, some scholars understood that this boy was possessed by a jinn and the Holy Prophetsa drove out the evil spirit from him.

As Ahmadi Muslims, we do not reject even a weak hadith unless it clearly contradicts the Holy Quran. Thus, we can easily understand from this narration that the Holy Prophetsa was praying that this illness left the boy’s body and that he recovered from it – not that he was possessed by a jinn or spirit.

The Holy Quran speaks about jinn in different contexts and the meaning changes from one place to another, but there is a general rule which is applicable to the interpretation of all references to jinn in the Holy Quran. The rule which we have to always bear in mind is to look at the linguistic meaning of the word jinn in Arabic. The word jinn in Arabic is a descriptive word, which refers to anything hidden from sight.

Based on this meaning, we can easily understand the word jinn in the Holy Quran as well as the ahadith of the Holy Prophetsa to sometimes refer to the elite among men, who do not usually mix with the public, while sometimes referring to strangers and foreigners in a country, whereas elsewhere it refers to night travelers.

There is also one reference in the Holy Quran to a snake (Ch.27: V.11 & Ch.28: V.32) and in many traditions of the Holy Prophetsa, it means bacteria and germs. The common denominator among all of these is the idea of disappearance and invisibility.

Where does the Holy Quran refer to jinn possessing humans?

There is no basis for this idea in the Holy Quran; however, there are some who misinterpret verse 276 of chapter 2 (Surah al-Baqarah), which says, “Those who devour interest do not rise except as rises one whom Satan has smitten with insanity.”

“Satan has smitten with insanity” is in fact a metaphorical expression to indicate the ugliness and atrocity of taking interest, as the Arabs of the time did not consider anything uglier than devils or Satan, so it is a literary device.

However, the Quran does speak about the jinn and Satan. What exactly are these two entities? Are these physical entities such as can be removed or are these conscious thoughts within a person’s mind?

Satan in the Holy Quran is the whisper in the hearts of people and he incites and urges them to do evil. He cannot possess their body, nor physically be in their minds or in their veins. He is quoted clearly in the Holy Quran:

“And I had no power over you except that I called you and you obeyed me. So, blame me not, but blame your own selves.” (Surah Ibrahim, Ch.14: V.23)

So the solution to be protected from Satan according to the Holy Quran is to be a good, righteous person and to follow the Quranic commandments. This is how you can be protected from Satan’s attacks.

Jinn, as mentioned earlier, are either human beings who are not visible normally or are hidden creatures like snakes, bacteria and germs.

In the first case, in chapter 72, which is called Surah al-Jinn, we read:

“Say, ‘It has been revealed to me that a company of the jinn listened, and they said, ‘Truly we have heard a Quran that is wonderful.’’” (Surah al-Jinn, Ch.72: V.2)

According to an authentic tradition of the Holy Prophetsa, those jinn were a group of Jewish people from a place called Nasaibeen who came to meet the Holy Prophetsa and accepted his message. They were called jinn because they travelled to meet the Holy Prophetsa secretly, fearing the non-believers of Mecca; secondly, they were foreigners from another country.

Some Muslim scholars insist that they were supernatural beings from Nasaibeen; however, they declared themselves to be believers in Mosesas .

Furthermore, the Holy Quran declares, “O company of jinn and men, did not messengers come to you from among yourselves?” (Surah al-An‘am, Ch.6: V.131). We do not know of any prophet who came from among supernatural beings! This shows clearly that jinn, in this context, are just human beings.

Moreover, if this delegation consisted of supernatural creatures, why then did they meet the Holy Prophetsa at night? They could have met him during the day and no one would be able to cause them any harm.

In the ahadith, we read, for example, “Do not use bones and dung to clean yourselves after relieving yourselves, for they are the food of [jinn].” (Sahih Muslim)

The Messengersa of Allah also said, “Cover up the [kitchen] containers, tie up the mouth of the water pots, lock up the doors because Satan can neither untie the water pot, nor open the door, nor uncover the containers.” (Sahih Muslim)

It is very clear that the Holy Prophetsa is speaking here about bacteria and germs; an astonishing hadith, as the Holy Prophetsa , over 1400 years ago, is explaining the modern phenomenon of germs and bacteria.

What did the Holy Prophet say about ridding ourselves of such inner thoughts?

The Holy Prophetsa advised us to get rid of the whispers and attacks of Satan and inner evil thoughts through seeking refuge in Allah from Satan in every matter and through the continuous istighfar, meaning to ask Allah to save us from the evil effects of our sins and to help us from falling into error or into Satan’s clutches. He also encouraged us to read, on a daily basis, a number of chapters of the Holy Quran, such as al-Mu‘awwidhatain (the last two chapters of the Holy Quran).

We have always to remember the golden principle in the Holy Quran in the words of Allah to Satan: “Surely, you shall have no power over My servants”.

Thus, the Holy Prophetsa admonished us to always be true servants of Allah in order to be protected from Satan or from evil thoughts.

The Promised Messiahas said:

“‘Say, “I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind”’ [Ch.114: V.2] indicates satanic incitements that Satan is spreading among humankind nowadays.” (Malfuzat [Urdu], Vol. 2, pp. 244-245 [1985 edition])

The Promised Messiahas also explained:

“Until and unless all lowly morals are shunned, one’s heart cannot be cleansed. Everyone has some form of evil within them and that is their Satan. Until and unless that Satan is killed, one cannot progress.” (Malfuzat [Urdu], Vol. 9, pp. 280-281 [1985 edition])

According to the Holy Quran, there are two types of sehr (magic); the first type is the magic of imagination and visual deception, which is mentioned in the story of Mosesas with the Pharaoh’s sorcerers.

The second type is the magic of secret groups and gangs, which seek to trick, conspire, incite and spread rumours within society to undermine the system of government and rebel against it. This type of magic is also mentioned in Surah al-Falaq, so one can refer to its tafsir as well as the tafsir of Surah al-Baqarah (verse 103, under “Harut” and “Marut”).

All of this serves to highlight the multifaceted and complex understanding of jinn in Islam, a far cry from the supernatural jinn of folklore.

Even if there does exist a separate creation of Allah called the jinn, according to what Khulafa-e-Ahmadiyyat have told us, there is no evidence from the Holy Quran or ahadith that proves that such jinn can affect human beings in anyway. Where jinn are mentioned in the Holy Quran, they are descriptive words used for certain types of people.