Al Hakam - 10 September 2021

From the Markaz Midlands (UK) Khuddam blessed with a virtual mulaqat

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A

100 Years Ago...

Syed Taalay Ahmad: As friends and colleagues saw him

Ahmadiyya Jalsa in Kashmir: Speeches of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II

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Page 11

Ahmadi persecution in Indonesia Mosque and buildings desecrated by 100-man mob despite police presence Page 7

THE WEEKLY

www.alhakam.org AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021 | Issue CLXXXII Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre (ARC), 22 Deer Park Road, London, SW19 3TL. UK info@alhakam.org | ISSN 2754-7396

“An Ahmadi’s time should be spent productively” Khuddam from London seek guidance from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih

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

Following the sunnah of the Prophetsa َّ َ ّ ٰ َّ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ ‫ ع ِن‬،‫ع ْن أ�ِ� ﻫ َﺮﻳْ َﺮة‬ ‫الﻨ ِ� ِّ� َﺻﻠﻰ الل ُہ َ�ﻠ ْی ِﻪ َو َسﻠ َﻢ‬ َ َ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ ْ ُ َ َ َ َ َ � ‫ﻚ َم ْن‬ ‫ ِإﻧﻤا ﻫﻠ‬،‫قال دعو�ِ� ما ﺗﺮ�تﻜﻢ‬ ‫ان‬ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ،�ْ ِ�ِ‫ق ْﺒﻠ� ْﻢ � ِ ُﺴﺆالِ�ِ ْ� َواﺧ ِت�ا ِﻓ�ِ ْ� َ�ﻠﻰ أﻧ ِﺒ َیاﰱ‬ َ ُ ْ َ‫ﻓَﺈ َذا ﻧ َ َﻬ ْی ُت ُﻜ ْﻢ َع ْن َﺷ ْﻰ ٍء ﻓ‬ ‫ َو ِإذا‬،‫اج َت ِﻨ ُﺒ ْوه‬ ِ ْ َ ْ‫اس َت َط ْﻌ�ُم‬ ْ ‫أَ�َ ْ�ﺗ ُ ُﻜ ْﻢ بﺄ ْ�� ﻓَﺄﺗ ُ ْوا ِ� ْﻨ ُﻪ َما‬ ٍ ِ

Hazrat Abu Hurairahra narrates that the Holy Prophetsa said: “Leave me as I leave you, for the people who were before you were ruined because of their questions and their differences over their prophets.

So, if I forbid you to do something, then keep away from it. And if I order you to do something, then do of it as much as you can.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-I‘tisam bil-Kitab wa al-Sunnah, Hadith 7288)

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words

The reason that punishment was averted from the people of Jonahas

Photo courtesy of Suhaib Ahmad

Khuddam from London, UK had the opportunity to meet Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa through a virtual meeting on

Saturday, 4 September 2021.

The meeting started with a recitation from the Holy Quran by Abdur Rahman

Salam. The English translation of the recited verses was read out by Rohaam Khan.

Continued on next page >>

Prayer is a powerful shield that leads to success. The people of Jonah, on whom be peace, were saved from impending punishment on account of their weeping and prayers. In my understanding, the word muhawatat means “anger”. The Arabic word hoot means “fish” and the word noon in Arabic is used for both “anger” and “fish”. In short, Jonahas was overwhelmed by a state of anger.

The fact of the matter is that when the punishment had been averted, thoughts of objection and complaint Continued on next page >>

Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM

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Photo courtesy of Suhaib Ahmad

<< Continued from previous page

arose in his mind in that the prophecy made by him and his prayer had gone to waste. He was also upset that what he had foretold did not come to pass. All these thoughts constituted his state of anger. The lesson we learn from this is that Allah can alter the decree of fate, and that weeping and wailing and charity can reduce a verdict of punishment to nothing; hence the principle of giving charity. These are the ways to please Allah. In the science of the interpretation of dreams, wealth is represented by one’s liver. This is why giving alms is equivalent to giving away one’s life, as it were. When a person gives

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Khaleeq Ahmad Kusi then read out a hadith with its English translation. Taufique Ahmad read out an extract from the writings of the Promised Messiahas. A poem, written by Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, was then recited by Mashood Khokhar; after he completed the poem, Huzooraa remarked, “Masha-Allah, you recited it well.” The English translation of the poem was read out by Oisin Jadran.

Mohtamim Tarbiyat, Attiqur Rahman then sought permission from Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa for the khuddam to ask questions. Huzooraa accepted.

The first question was by Arsalan Aftab, who asked, “How can khuddam brothers encourage each other to remain close to the Jamaat and obedient to Khilafat?”

Huzooraa said: “You should first realise who you are.

Being an Ahmadi Muslim, what are your duties? And whether you want to be in the fold of Ahmadiyyat or not. If you want to, then what was the purpose of the coming of the Promised Messiah, peace be on him? He came to revive the true teachings of Islam which had been forgotten for long, and it was also according to the prophecy of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him.

“So, whenever you are making any interactive programme or any discussion, you should discuss these things, that who we are and how we should be. And being an Ahmadi Muslim, what are our duties?

Why did we accept the Promised Messiahas?

Because the purpose of his advent was to revive the true teachings of Islam. So, we should try to find out what are the true teachings. […]

“In your five daily prayers, you should also try to read the Holy Quran and find out the commandments and injunctions given in the Holy Quran, and all those things

charity, they exhibit an immense degree of sincerity and steadfastness. However, the fact of the matter is that mere words are of no use until they are supported by practice. The reason charity is called “sadaqah” in Arabic is because it is the hallmark of the Truthful (Sadiqin). In the life account of Jonahas, Durr-e-Manthur has recorded that Jonahas said to Allah Almighty: “I always knew that if anyone came before You, You would have mercy.”

As God states: � � � � �� � � � � � ‫�ا� � �ك را‬ “If I do not forgive this handful of dust then what am I to do?”

(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 243-244)

given in the Holy Quran which have been forbidden.

“In this way, when you are discussing these things, you will know your duties and the purpose of your life. And this will encourage you to remain close to the Jamaat, to the purpose of your being and also you will be close to Khilafat as well because the Khalifa-e-Waqt [Khalifa of the time] has always been telling you about the true teachings of Islam and what the Promised Messiahas wanted from us.

“So, this is how you can be close to the Jamaat and be well-knitted to the Jamaat’s activities.”

Next, Mudabbar Ahmad Zafri stood up to ask a question. Seeing him, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa, asked, “Are you Mubashar Ahmad Zafri’s brother?” After he replied in the affirmative, Huzooraa, with a smile, said, “How are you so slim?” Mudabbar Zafri smiled and enjoyed the comment.

Mudabbar then asked, “During the plague, Allah promised the Promised Messiahas that He would protect him and everyone in his household. Will this promise encompass the present and future calamities that will befall the world?”

Huzooraa responded by saying: “That was a sign given to the Promised Messiahas and it was foretold by Allah the Almighty to the Promised Messiahas, ‘Now, the plague is about to start and you should ask your community members – those who are strong in faith and are very much staunch – that even if they don’t get the anti-plague jab, they will be saved.’ Even at that time, the Promised Messiahas did not say that nobody should take this vaccination. [He said] that if the government made it compulsory, then one could take it.

“Here, we didn’t have any such promise.

You must remember this thing, that if we are strong and staunch, then, in most cases, Allah will save us from the bad effects of this

disease.

“But, even then, during the time of the Holy Prophetsa, even during the time of the Khulafa-e-Rashideen, there was an outbreak of plague. And this is why the Holy Prophetsa said that the person who died because of the plague had the status of being martyred – shaheed.

“So we cannot say that this is a punishment, if it is not a sign. During the time of the Promised Messiahas, it was a sign; now, it is not a sign in that sense. So, if the government asks us to take the antiCovid vaccine, then we should try to take it.

“And it is not necessary that no Ahmadi will have this Covid. Or, being an Ahmadi, if somebody suffers from Covid, he will be saved. If he dies, his status will be as a martyr in the eyes of Allah.

“We should take all the necessary measures against all calamities, or diseases or any outbreak. Until and unless Allah the Almighty tells the Khalifa of the time that ‘Now, this is a sign and all the Ahmadis will be saved from this’, then that is a different case.”

Another khadim, Rohaam Khan, asked, “How can one attain true and permanent love for the Holy Prophetsa?”

Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa, said: “How can you get the love of your loved ones? By remembering them, by keeping them in your mind, by doing good for them, by accepting their demands or whatever they say – this is how you attain love. In the same way, you can attain the love of the Holy Prophetsa.”

Huzooraa said that Allah the Almighty had said in the Holy Quran to the Holy Prophetsa that anyone who desired the love of Allah should follow the Prophet’s teachings; whatever was revealed to him and all the injunctions in the Holy Quran. They should invoke salutations (durood) on the Holy Prophetsa and then, in this way, “You will attain the love of the Holy Prophetsa” and Allah would always love such a person who sent prayers and salutations on the Prophetsa.

Summing up, Huzooraa said: “You should try to say durood, offer the five daily prayers fervently and read the Holy Quran and […] see all the dos and don’ts given in the Holy Quran and follow them.”

Sheikh Musawir was next to ask his question. Huzooraa asked where his family was from, to which he said they were from Karachi, Pakistan.

Musawir’s question was, “I constantly pray for my spiritual advancement, but the next day I don’t feel any progress. Can you guide me on how I can improve myself?”

Huzooraa replied by saying: “It is not necessary that you immediately get the result of it.

“There was a saint who used to pray for something and he was just fervently praying for that. He had such a close relationship with Allah the Almighty that every day, he would receive the answer of Allah the Almighty that, ‘No, your prayers are not accepted’.

“One day, one of his companions or followers was present. And in his presence, when the saint was praying, the same answer came from Allah the Almighty and that answer was also heard by the companion.

“The companion asked, ‘If Allah the Almighty said that I am not going to accept

your prayer, why are you praying? Then leave it.’ The saint said, ‘I have been praying for the last 30 years and I have received this answer daily, yet still I am doing it and I will keep on doing it until Allah the Almighty accepts it […]

“Then, immediately, a voice came and it was heard by the companion as well: ‘All the prayers you offered during the last 30 years have been accepted because of this one sentence’.”

Huzooraa said, “So you should not try to make haste.”

He further said: “If you are praying to Allah the Almighty for your spiritual advancement, then you [should] also check whether you are following the commandments of Allah.

“Allah the Almighty says in the Holy Quran that you have to be firm in your faith.

When you are firm in your faith while you are praying, [Allah says] ‘I will accept your prayers and I will increase your spiritual status’.

“You will have to pray your five daily prayers and, if possible, in congregation.

And pray fervently. Offer nawafil [voluntary prayers]. And then, follow the teachings of the Holy Quran, as I have already said. […]

“It should not be that you just, in a light mood, offer your prayer and then say, ‘O Allah the Almighty, increase my spiritual status’, and then expect Allah the Almighty to say, ‘Okay, now I am going to make you a saint’. No, you cannot be a saint in one night.

Allah the Almighty says: َ َ ‫َﺟ‬ ‫اہ ُد ۡوا ﻓِ ۡینا‬ “[‘Those who strive in Our path.’ (Surah al-Ankabut, Ch.29: V.70)] “Allah the Almighty says, ‘You have to strive hard, struggle hard in My way’, then, ‘I will give you the status’. So, you keep on doing it. One day, you will get the answer from Allah the Almighty that now He has increased your spiritual status.

“We don’t have any other way to go. Allah the Almighty is the only Being to Whom we can go for help, Whom we seek help from, right? So keep on doing it. One day, you will succeed; never give up, okay?”

Another khadim, Taufique Ahmad asked, “What would Huzoor’s advice be for young Ahmadis who are about to live out to study at university?”

Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa advised: “As I have already said, you must make it a point [to remember] that you are an Ahmadi boy and what are your duties being an Ahmadi, right?

“And even if you are in university, you should not just leave your five daily prayers or forget when you are going to offer your prayer. You should not take it casually, whether you study the Holy Quran, recite the Holy Quran or not. Make it a point that you have to do tilawat [recitation of the Holy Quran] daily.

“And in university, also try to befriend those boys who are good in nature and pious – although some of them are not religious minded, but they are good in nature and have good morals, so form a friendship with them […] And your company should always be good. Always show your own morals to your fellow students.[…]

“These are your duties. In this way, alongside your studies, you will also be doing tabligh and showing the good example of a good Muslim.”

Khaleeq Ahmad Kusi was next to ask a

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AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021 question. Addressing him, Huzooraa said ‘Originally from Ghana’, and then asked further details about where in Ghana he was from.

Khaleeq then asked, “If you were to give one unequivocal proof for the truthfulness of Ahmadiyyat, what would it be?”

Replying, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said: “For different people, you have different arguments.” A person who was an atheist should first be told about the existence of Allah the Almighty and then other religious elements would follow after.

Huzooraa further said: “A person who is a Muslim and has a Muslim background, you would have to give him a different proof, that ‘these are the prophecies of the Holy Prophetsa for this age, and they have been fulfilled’ […]

“For a Christian, you will have a different answer. You will make them realise that the person who was to come was not the same Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would descend from Heaven, but he would come from the Muslim ummah.

“So there are so many different proofs.

But we can say that the Holy Prophetsa also prophesised one heavenly sign [for] the advent of the Promised Messiahas and that was the eclipse of the sun and moon. The Promised Messiahas himself has said that this was a sign foretold by the Holy Prophetsa.”

Huzooraa then described the prophecy of the Holy Prophetsa which had foretold that at the coming of the Imam Mahdi, during the month of Ramadan, the moon would be eclipsed on the first night of those nights in which the moon can be eclipsed. The sun would be eclipsed in Ramadan during the middle of those days in which the sun can be eclipsed. This sign took place during the life of the Promised Messiahas in 1894 in the Eastern hemisphere and in 1895, it occurred in the Western hemisphere – at this point, the Promised Messiahas had put forward his claim too.

Huzooraa said that this heavenly sign was fulfilled and if someone rejected this, then, “You cannot force anybody to believe.”

Mashood Ahmad Khan was next to ask his question. Mashood said that politics – domestic and foreign – were often played with injustice and double standards. He asked Huzooraa, “How would an Ahmadi politician deal with such issues? And what policies do you think should be prioritised to improve the safety of the world?”

Huzooraa replied by advising: “I have spoken on this issue at length in my different addresses, discourses before the Jamaat and elsewhere outside the Jamaat, even in the peace symposia and peace conferences and some receptions. If you read any of my lectures or addresses, you will find the answer in that.

“But, for Ahmadis, the main thing is true justice – absolute justice. Until and unless we follow it, we cannot maintain the peace in the society or in the world. The true justice is that as the Holy Quran says, if you have to speak against your own relatives, you have to stand for witness against your own people, even then you stand and speak the truth. […]

“So, if we attain this standard, then we can spread peace in society, and this peace in society will spread all across the world and then we can say then there is a chance of peace and harmony and love in the world,

otherwise there is not.

“Politicians have double standards. They have their own vested interests. Even a politician whom you see, he will talk to you, he will say, ‘Whatever you are saying is right, and I one hundred percent agree with you’.

But, whenever he goes out, he will follow his party manifesto and whatever his party policy is – so he cannot deviate from his party policy. In this way, they say different things to you, but they practice different things.

“Being an Ahmadi, if you come into politics, then be an independent politician and raise this voice of creating peace, justice and love in society.”

Huzooraa said that if an Ahmadi joined a political party, but the party manifesto would not let them speak freely for truth and justice, “then leave the party and be an independent politician […] Then after some time, you can make your own party, or at least fight for this peace of society, as an independent politician.”

Yusuf Khan was next to ask his question.

He asked, “Many people are worried about climate change recently. What is Islam’s take on climate change and is there any advice for people at home?”

Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa, talking about climate change, said: “Allah the Almighty says that excess of anything is bad.

“Climate change is a result of the Industrial Revolution, where too much smoke is being sent in the air – the air is being polluted – this is one of the causes of climate change. Secondly, trees are being cut and no new forestation is being done, especially in the developing countries. Although the population is increasing, if we have proper

plans, we can accommodate the population in such a way that within the limited area of the land, we can accommodate as many people as possible. And infrastructure should be provided according to that.

“If we are not following what the law of nature requires from us, then the ultimate result will be that we are going to ruin our future, we are going to doom ourselves or our generation.”

Huzooraa said the world was focused on worldly comforts and the production of goods was taking place without any proper planning for the future. This has led to greed and world powers are competing with each other like China, India and the USA. Huzooraa noted that now, China said that America had started its production and industrial revolution some 100 years ago and as a result, advanced (while also polluting the world), and so China said it would continue to produce and advance too for the next 100 years before they stopped.

“So every country has their own vested interest. They are not thinking about their future generations. So the best thing is that apart from making proper planning – that how much fuel emission should be [restricted], or how can we control it – […] we should encourage and even enforce the developing countries to plant more trees so the air pollution becomes less. In this way, it will help us to reduce climate change.”

Another khadim, Jazib Shah, asked, “How can we protect ourselves from the bad impacts of social media?” Huzooraa asked Shahzib his age, to which he told Huzooraa he was 16. On this, Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said: “16? Now grown up, well-matured. Allah the Almighty has given you wisdom, Allah

the Almighty has given you the sense to understand what is good and what is bad […] you can stop, you can block those things. This is the simple solution.

“You should not have the access to those things in social media that are polluting your mind or are spoiling your morals; so you can stop […] And there are quite a number of good things on social media; you can follow those things.

“So, you yourself have to decide. If you are determined to save yourself from the bad results, the bad effects of social media, then you can save yourself. [...]

“You’re a sensible person; you decide for your own self.”

Tahir Ahmad Buwache, a khadim originally from Ghana, asked Huzooraa, “It’s mentioned in the Holy Quran that Allah has created seven heavens, so why has Allah created seven heavens?”

To this, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa replied: “There are seven degrees in Heaven, so if a person is even doing a small thing which is good, and Allah likes him, and if he has not even attained the level of that much piety and Allah wants to place him in Heaven, then Allah will keep him in the first stage.

The person who has done better than him, [Allah will] place him in the other stage […]”

“Here, in this world, you can see there are different stages; according to your work done, you are rewarded. So there, in Heaven also, Allah the Almighty rewards according to one’s work done, according to their level of piety, according to their obedience or following the commandments of Allah, according to the good things they have done Continued on next page >>

Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM

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and according to their spiritual level. This is why Allah the Almighty has given different stages in Heaven.

“This is the mercy of Allah, that if you have done the least, you will be awarded the status in Heaven, no matter whether it is the first, the second or the third. Even the first level is beyond our thinking, you cannot conceive what the level of the first stage will be […]

“We can hope then, that at least if you are doing something good, Allah the Almighty will put us in the first level or the second level.

“You should be happy instead of being worried.”

Arman Anwar asked for career advice from Huzooraa. He was advised by Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa to follow his own interests in terms of his career. With regard to choosing careers and professions, Huzooraa said: “I only believe that whatever a person likes, he should do. But it should be something within the limits of morals. Not that you like something bad and I say ‘Okay, you do it’.”

Arman said he was interested in studying business and banking. Regarding this inclination, Huzooraa said: “If you like banking and business, do it.

And being a banker, in the future, you can

do your own research and introduce Islamic banking without interest even. So that will also be beneficial for the Muslim ummah and for the whole of the world and in this way, you will be following the commandment of Allah the Almighty to remove interest from society.”

Mirza Hashim Ahmad told Huzooraa he was about to start his studies in medicine and he desired to become a life-devotee for the Jamaat thereafter. He asked for Huzoor’s advice in this regard.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa responded by saying: “The first advice is that you should do some exercise.”

Huzooraa smiled at this and Mirza Hashim and the other khuddam present thoroughly enjoyed the comment. Mirza Hashim – with a smile on his face – said that he was trying to lose weight, but it was proving hard.

Still smiling, Huzooraa said: “Being a doctor, you cannot ask the obese people to reduce their weight, until and unless you yourself are following it.”

On losing weight in a healthy manner, Huzooraa advised: “If it is your body structure, then that is a different thing. But never do dieting, do some exercise. I am against dieting. You can control your food, but not dieting. And do exercise at the same time and then be a healthy doctor.”

With regard to being a life-devotee for the Jamaat as a doctor, Huzooraa advised: “Doctors normally say that they should be ‘healthy and then wealthy’ as well, but there’s no need to be wealthy. If you are going to be a waqif-e-zindagi [life-devotee] doctor, then the main aim and objective should be to serve humanity.

“You should study medicine with the purpose and the main objective to […] serve humanity. If you are trying to achieve this goal, then it means you are successful.”

Shazaib Ahmad asked, “How can one balance their time given to the Jamaat and religion with the time given to studies?”

Huzooraa asked him what he was studying, to which he said he was studying electrical engineering at university. Huzooraa observed that he looked very young and he thought Shazaib was in GCSEs. Answering his question, Huzooraa advised: “First concentrate on your studies and on the weekends, if you get spare time, then give some time to the Jamaat, to Khuddam.

But never be relaxed in your studies at the cost of Jamaat work.

“Your first objective should be to complete your studies and then, after completing your studies, you can offer yourself for Jamaat work. But during the weekends, during the holidays, you can give some time to the Jamaat.”

Athar Mahmud asked, “How can we

show khuddam the importance and benefits of giving chanda?” Huzooraa said: “Allah the Almighty says in the Holy Quran that you should spend in the cause of Allah. If our chanda is being spent for the cause of Allah, then we should try to give it; if not, then we should not.

“So make khuddam realise that whatever we are going to spend, it is going to be spent in the cause of Allah the Almighty, for the betterment of our community, for printing literature, for the running of our day-to-day expenses with regard to our office work and other Jamaat programmes.

“Without money, nowadays, you cannot do anything. And even during the time of the Holy Prophetsa and even the previous prophets, they used to ask for chanda. This is why, in the Holy Quran, in the second Surah, at the beginning, Allah the Almighty has told us to spend in the cause of Allah.

“If we believe that what we are going to give, is going to be spent in the cause of Allah, then people will happily give their chanda.”

On the contrary, if people begin to believe that their chanda would be spent by their office-bearers to buy fast-food for themselves.

“So make them realise that whatever they are going to give, it will be spent for the purpose of spreading the message of Islam and for the betterment of our community.

“You cannot run the affairs of even a small club without money; you have to contribute something. So, here, this is why we have to contribute something to run our affairs.

“We prepare a budget and the proper detailed budget is prepared and the budget is discussed in the amila – the national amila, if it is the national budget – and then Shura also discusses it, and then they send it to me. Then, I also see that the way the budget has been prepared is [done so decently] and nothing is going to be spent without any purpose. Then, after a long discussion and deliberation, you approve the budget. You should pray for that.”

Faran Ahmad Khan said that some say that doing social activities – like going to the gym for exercise – after Isha prayers was not permitted, whereas others said they were.

He asked for Huzoor’s instructions.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said: “If you don’t have any other time to go to the gym, and you can’t find any slot in the gym other than after Isha, then you can go.

“But if you are a student, it’s better to be at home and do some reading. If you don’t have anything with regard to your studies, then some other general knowledge books can be read.

“And try to go to bed early so that you can wake up early in the morning for Fajr prayer or Tahajud prayer. That would be better.

“But if there’s no other way, then you can do it. There is not any hard and fast rule.

“But make it a point to not waste your time, whether it is after Isha or before Isha. An Ahmadi’s time should be spent in the best way, it should be productive and beneficial for yourself and for your society.”

Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa then said that the hour assigned for this mulaqat had come to an end. Huzooraa conveyed his salaam and the meeting drew to a close.

(Report prepared by Al Hakam)

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AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021

From the Markaz

“I cherish my every moment that was spent in Khuddamul-Ahmadiyya” Midlands (UK) Khuddam blessed with a virtual mulaqat

On 5 September 2021, 60 members of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Midlands Region were given the opportunity to meet with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa in a virtual meeting.

The meeting commenced with a recitation of the Holy Quran and its English translation by Roshan Musa. Following this, a hadith was presented by Musleh Mahmood. After this, Saqib Mahmood delivered an extract from the writings of the Promised Messiahas; thereafter, a poem [nazm] was recited by Khalid ud Din Ahmedi, the English translation of which was presented by Hunain Shakeel.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa then turned to Attiqur Rahman, Mohtamim Tarbiyat, and asked how many khuddam were seated in the hall, to which Attiqur Rahman Sahib

responded that 60 Khuddam were seated there from Midlands Region. After this, the khuddam had the opportunity to ask Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa various questions relating to contemporary issues, Islam, religion and spirituality.

The first question was with regard to Huzoor’saa personal experiences and most cherished moments as a khadim. Safeer Ahmad Suleman requested Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa to share any memorable experiences from his days in Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya.

Huzooraa said that he cherished every memory while in Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya and then said: “I cherish my every moment [that was] in Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya. When you get old, you cherish every moment of when you

were young.

“I remember, when we used to hold our Ijtema – and that used to be in the open air – we would erect our own tents, not the properly made tent as you get here or elsewhere, but we used to use our bedsheets. So, when it rained, then drops of rain would fall inside the tent since it was not waterproof. So, we used to cherish those days and enjoy camping.

“For three days, we would stay there. It was a makeshift arrangement in an open field […] A group of 10 people would stay in one tent. So, these were the days I still remember and cherish.”

Next, Timur Bhatti stated that in today’s society, atheism was very prevalent. He asked Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa what advice he would give to those khuddam who

had doubts about the existence of Allah.

Huzooraa answered: “You should have your personal relation with Allah the Almighty. Has Allah Almighty ever answered your prayer?” The khadim replied in the affirmative. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said, “So, until and unless you work hard to attain the closeness of Allah Almighty, you cannot be close to Allah Almighty.”

Huzooraa emphasised that Salat was the means of attaining and establishing a relationship with Allah.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa added, “Read the Holy Quran and find out the commandments mentioned in the Holy Quran and then follow those Continued on next page >>

Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM

6 << Continued from previous page

commandments […] Allah will accept your prayers if you follow His commandments.

Allah says, ‘Become firm in your faith and pray to Me, then I will accept your prayers.’

When your prayers are accepted, then you will know that God does exist. And you can give this proof to your fellow students [classmates] or your friends that ‘I have first-hand experience of having a close relation with Allah Almighty through the acceptance of my prayers.’ So, make yourself an example for your friends. This is how you can prove Allah Almighty does exist […].”

Qasim Ahmad asked Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa what field those waqifeen who were interested in doing medical research should specialise in.

Huzooraa said: “In the medical field, every field is very important”. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa emphasised that all medical fields had their own importance and significance.

“Whichever [medical] field you choose, it has its own importance. We need doctors, in Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, in each and every line, in each and every field of medicine,” Huzooraa emphasised.

He further said, “Anything which is beneficial for human beings, and wherein you can do something for humanity, you should try to do it. […]”

Next, Roshaan Ahmedi had the opportunity to ask a question. Recognising the young khadim, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa asked, “Are you Naseem Bajwa Sahib’s grandson?” To this, Roshaan Ahmedi Sahib replied in the affirmative. He stated that he had a strong desire to study but was distracted very easily. He asked Huzooraa for guidance on this matter and queried how to improve focus and stay motivated.

Huzooraa replied: “You have a strong desire to excel and at the same time, you are distracted. Why? You are using the word ‘strong’ – and you have a strong desire, then nothing should distract you. You should focus solely on the objective you have in your mind”.

Huzooraa said that he should work hard and pray to Allah Almighty to help him.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said: ّ ‫ا ۡہد نَا‬ َ ۡ َ ‫الص َر‬ “When you pray, recite ‫اط ال ُم ۡست ِق ۡی َم‬ ِ ِ ِ [Guide us in the right path,] repeatedly so that you are not distracted and Allah Almighty keeps you on the right path. You see, the ‘right path’ does not only mean for your spiritual betterment; the ‘right path’ is also for your worldly achievements […]

Keep in mind that ‘I am seeking Allah’s help for my spiritual betterment and for my worldly achievements.’”

Next, Khakan Ahmad said that after listening to Huzoor’saa Friday Sermon about Syed Taalay Ahmed Sahib, he was very inspired and asked how one could become Huzoor’saa beloved.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said, “I already told you in my sermon. Listen to my sermon again, then you would know.

“Try to achieve the love of Allah. And if you try to achieve the love of Allah, then you will also be from among those whom Khalifatul Masih also loves”.

Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa then mentioned the following verse of the Holy Quran: “Say, ‘If you love Allah, follow me: then will Allah love you and forgive you your faults. And Allah is Most Forgiving,

Merciful.’” (Surah Al-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.32) Huzooraa then told the khadim to study the life of the Holy Prophetsa and his conduct and practice. In this way, if one followed the Holy Prophetsa, one would achieve the love of Allah. Huzooraa added, “So, when you achieve the love of Allah, then you will be loved by Khalifatul Masih”.

Owais Ahmad Sahib stated that Afghanistan had not been at peace since the martyrdom of Hazrat Sahibzada Abdul Latifra. He asked if there would be peace in Pakistan after all the people who were martyred and the cruelties perpetrated against the Jamaat over the past many years.

Huzooraa said: “If Pakistanis, the ulema – or the socalled maulvis, clerics – do not change their attitude, there will never be peace in Pakistan. Until and unless they behave well, they practice good morals, and they change their attitude and try to be humane [...] if they are doing inhumane activities, Pakistan can never be at peace”.

Upon being asked by Labeed Buttar how one could attain true love of God, Huzooraa said: “Make it a point to remember that Allah Almighty watches over you. Your every deed and action is being watched by Allah Almighty. If you think that you can hide something from people, but you cannot hide anything from Allah Almighty and Allah is always watching over you, then you will not do bad things. And if you do not do bad things, you will keep yourself away from sin.

This is the only way. Read the Holy Quran, find out the commandments mentioned in the Holy Quran – the dos and don’ts of the Holy Quran – and then follow them”.

Fariduddin Ahmedi stated that the coronavirus pandemic had had a massive impact on mental health issues. He asked Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa how a khadim should deal with such issues.

Huzooraa said: ُ ُ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ّٰ ۡ َ َ “Allah Almighty says, ‫الا ِب ِذک ِر الل ِہ تط َم ِئ ّن القلوۡ ُب‬ [meaning that] ‘My remembrance, and My zikr will satisfy your hearts.’ (Surah al-Ra‘d, Ch.13: V.30) So, during these days, we should try to get closer to Allah Almighty. [We should try to] offer our prayers fervently five times [a day], if possible, in congregation; and also do some zikr, say durood sharif, istighfar and seek Allah’s guidance and help.

Then Allah Almighty will give you comfort and strengthen your heart.

“During this coronavirus those who are living close to me, and even myself, didn’t feel anything wrong [mentally]. I don’t think it has left a bad effect on us. We are okay, and you are also okay. You seem to be okay.

Are you not okay?” The khadim smiled and answered in affirmative. Huzooraa added that those who have been mentally impacted by social changes caused by the coronavirus should “seek Allah’s help.”

Next, Muhammad Huzaifa asked Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa how one could increase concentration and remain focused in Salat.

Huzooraa answered: “When you recite Surah al-Fatihah, you ّ ‫ ]…[ ا ۡہدنَا‬If َ ۡ َ ‫الص َر‬ should often recite ‫اط ال ُم ۡست ِق ۡی َم‬ ِ ِ ِ you are ٰ offering prayer in congregation, ّ then say ‫ اعوذ باللہ‬and focus on what the Imam is saying. When you are offering your own prayer – offering sunnah [prayer] or offering َ َ َ ّٰ ْ َ Salat at home – then recite:ٰ ‫ لا َح ْول َ َولا‬- ‫ا ْس َتغفِ ُراللہ‬ َ ٰ َ ُ ّ َ ّ َ ّ ُ ُْ َ ّ َّ َّ ‫الر ِج ْی ِم‬ ‫ان‬ ِ ‫ اعوذ بِالل ِہ ِمن الش ْیط‬- ‫ ]…[ قوة ِإلا بِالل ِه‬Seek

Allah’s help in this regard and then Allah Almighty will help you. It is a continuous process”.

Following this, Ansar Iqbal stated that when one went to university, one gained more independence. He asked how one could keep away from the temptations of society.

Answering, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said: “The gist of it, as I have already said, is to always remember that whatever you are doing, Allah is watching. And you cannot hide anything from Allah Almighty. […]

You should know the purpose of your life.

Allah has told us that the purpose of man’s life is to bow before Allah Almighty, seek Allah’s help. So, if you are doing this, you will never go astray, you will not follow the vices of the world or your environment”.

Zamreez Ahmad stated that due to Covid-19, people were quite hesitant in coming to the mosque for Salat in congregation. He asked how to motivate people to come to the mosque.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated that the reward of offering Salat in congregation was 27 times greater than the prayer one offered at home. Huzooraa said that it was due to the restrictions imposed by the government that people were offering at home; however, as the restrictions had been lifted, members should be asked to come for congregational prayers. Huzooraa said, “Even then we should be very much careful,” Huzoor added: “It is the commandment and it is the sunnah of the Holy Prophetsa. They should gather together in congregation for our five daily prayers. […] You have to be very much persuasive.”

Sameer Qureshi, who is a waqif-enau, said that he was going to university and studying computer science. He asked Huzooraa how he could serve the Jamaat when he graduated.

Hearing this, Huzooraa said: “When you complete your studies, then tell me. Then I will let you know how you can serve the Jamaat. If we need you at that time, we shall ask you to come and join the regular service of the Jamaat. If not, we shall ask you to gain some experience by working somewhere else, and then later come to help the Jamaat”.

Next, Musleh Mahmood asked what younger khuddam could do to impact all khuddam in a positive manner.

Huzooraa said that if the older khuddam were shameless, then one should tell them about the true teachings of Islam Ahmadiyyat. “If you are a practicing, good Muslim, set your own example before the elder ones [khuddam]. Religion is not the property of any person. Even being young, you can be an example for others, even elders. Not only khuddam, but ansar as well […]

“The day before yesterday [on 3 September], when I was talking about the late Taalay Shaheed, I told people that he was an example for older people as well.

So, try to be that example. He [Syed Taalay Ahmed] didn’t ask anybody to ‘Follow me’, but the way he was living his life, that was an example for everybody. This is how you can set your own example. Then you will become a good asset for the Jamaat as well […]”

Kashif Mahmood asked Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa if it was permissible to give money to needy people instead of sacrificing an animal on Eid-ul-Adha. He further asked if this method could be considered as qurbani [sacrifice].

Upon hearing the question, Huzooraa asked: “Should we introduce our own Shariah, or follow what the Holy Prophetsa did?”

Kashif Mahmood responded by saying that we should follow the Holy Prophetsa.

“He [the Holy Prophetsa] used to do qurbani. You see, there are quite a number of people in the world who do not even get meat. Here, in Europe, you cannot even realise this thing. People living here in Europe – or Western countries or rich countries – can do their sacrifice in less privileged countries like Africa, Pakistan, India, or elsewhere in South American countries”, Huzooraa said.

Following this, Hunain Shakeel asked Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa if a pious person who did good deeds but did not believe in God, would still go to Heaven.

Answering this, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said: “You can say that a person is morally good, he is doing good things. [However] you cannot say he is pious. Pious is one who believes in God and follows His commandments. Allah Almighty says, ‘I will reward every person according to his deeds.

As long as he has done good things – morally good things – and helped poor and needy people in this world, then Allah may send him to Heaven. We do not know anything [about God’s decision of the Hereafter], and we are not here to decide who is going to Hell and who is going to Heaven. […]”

Next, Burhan Ahmad Butt had the opportunity to ask a question. As he proceeded towards the mic, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said, “Masha-Allah, I am happy that every khadim has kept a beard”.

Burhan Ahmad Butt, asking his question, stated that the Promised Messiahas mentioned the success of Ahmadiyyat and stated the majority would accept the Imam of the age. He asked Huzooraa when the majority of the world would accept the Imam of the age.

Answering this, Huzooraa said: “The Promised Messiahas has also said that the acceptance of the Messiah of the Mosaic dispensation took almost 300 years or more when the Roman King accepted Christianity. The Promised Messiahas has also said that 300 years would not have passed or come to an end before the majority of the people would accept Ahmadiyyat, the true Islam; but all these things are dependent on our other deeds and actions.

If we are good in our deeds and actions, if we are following the commandment of Allah Almighty, if we are praying to Allah Almighty, if we are true Muslims, then it [the success of Ahmadiyyat] can happen earlier than that”.

After this, the series of questions came to an end. Huzoor asked Attiqur Rahman, Mohtamim Tarbiyat, “Are the khuddam happy? I cannot see their faces because the masks are covering their faces. Anyway, I hope they are happy.”

In the end, Huzooraa conveyed his salaam and the meeting came to a close.

(Report prepared by Al Hakam)

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AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021

Persecution of Ahmadis in Indonesia: Mosque and buildings desecrated by 100-man mob despite police presence

Abdul Basit Amir Jamaat Indonesia On 14 August 2021, three days prior to Indonesia’s Independence Day, our newly established mosque in Balai Harapan village, Tempunak District, Sintang Regency, West Kalimantan, Indonesia was sealed by the authorities of the Sintang Regency government and the Regional Leadership

Communication Forum including the personnel from police officers. The sealing was the aftermath of the demands of the Sintang District Muslim Alliance which rejected the existence of the Jamaat in their region, whereas, in fact, Jamaat-eAhmadiyya has been established in Sintang Regency since 2005. They urged and warned the government to ban Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya in Balaigana within three days, otherwise,

they themselves would take action to stop all the Jamaat activities.

Prior to that, the persecution and practice of intolerance against Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya had actually been institutionalised long ago by the Sintang District Government.

In 2005, our first mosque in Balaigana was demolished by the mobs and our local muballigh at that time had to suffer injuries during the incident. On 29 April 2021, the

Regency Government issued a Joint Decree (SKB) of the Regent of Sintang, the head of the Sintang district attorney’s office and the head of the office of the ministry of religion of the Sintang Regency regarding warnings and orders to the members and office bearers of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Sintang to stop all the Jamaat activities.

We have coordinated with our Legal Committee to take the proper actions required. Currently, members of the Jamaat in Balaigana (76 persons) have to perform daily prayers at home due to the situation.

On 3 September 2021, after Friday prayers, there were attacks and destruction of mosques and other buildings belonging to Jamaat of Balaigana, a local Jamaat located in Sintang Regency, West Kalimantan.

The attacks and destruction were carried out by a group calling itself the Alliance of Muslims. On the day the attack occurred, security forces from the police and military had been already there to handle it, but even though there were more than 300 personnel, the security forces were powerless against the rioters, who numbered no more than 100 people.

One mosque was badly damaged and one warehouse building was burned but alhamdulillah there were no casualties or injuries.

Prior to the attack and destruction that took place, on 14 August 2021, the local government had previously sealed our mosque and banned other activities in Balaigana at the urging of the Alliance of Muslims group. We have tried to ask for security protection from the police, but unfortunately, the attacks continue to occur.

Many national figures condemned the incident, such as the Minister of Religion, the Coordinating Minister for Law and Security and several members of the People’s Representative Council and various other elements of civil society.

Currently, security is key and we remain alert to any possible attack. We will try to take legal action and insha-Allah, on 5 September 2021, we will submit a report to the National Human Rights Commission as well as report criminal acts to the Criminal Investigation Unit at the police headquarters in Jakarta.

(Report courtesy of the Central Indonedian Desk)

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Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM

This Week in History 10 - 16 September 10 September 1941: Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra was in Dalhousie when an unfortunate incident happened in his residence; some local police officers behaved discourteously towards him.

This was a conspiracy that was woven to trap and malign some members of the Jamaat. Huzoorra dealt with it untiringly till the end. After months of investigation and enquiries, the home secretary of the Punjab government himself had to submit a written apology to Huzoorra on 27 April 1942, which concluded this fiasco. (Tarikh-eAhmadiyyat, Vol. 8, p. 248) 11 September 1924: Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra called on the secretary of the religious and ethics department in the League of Nations and a topic of mutual interest – world peace – was discussed in detail.

According to pages 3 and 4 of Al Fazl of 14 October 1924, the following topic was discussed in this meeting: “Mr Ellison asked Huzoorra, ‘In what way will you help the League of Nations?’

In reply, he said: ‘I sympathise with every movement that works towards the restoration of peace in the world because the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community has been given a name

by God Almighty, the Prince of Peace; therefore, it is my duty to strive for the fulfilment of this, the purpose for which Allah the Almighty sent him, because I am the Khalifa of this Prince of Peace.’”

God in Germany by the Jamaat, in such (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 540) a short period of time, was due to the 12 September 1959: The Noor Mosque personal attention and efforts of Hazrat in Frankfurt, Germany was inaugurated Musleh-e-Maudra. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat,

by Hazrat Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Vol. 20, p. 525) Khanra. This was the Jamaat’s second 12 September 1969: Hazrat Khalifatul mosque in Germany and the fourth in Masih IIIrh delivered a speech in which Europe. This mosque is well known as he urged the Jamaat to memorise the the one where the heavyweight boxer, Muhammad Ali once prayed and visited. first 17 verses of Surah al-Baqarah.

Huzoorrh said: A well-known and prominent newspaper “It is my heartfelt desire that every based in Frankfurt, Germany, the Ahmadi should memorise the first 17 Frankfurter Rundschau, in its 14 verses of Surah al-Baqarah, which I have September 1959 issue, published a photo of Hazrat Sir Muhammad Zafrulla just recited. [Ahmadis should also learn] its translation and should also know the Khanra and wrote that a white mosque commentary of these verses, as much as in Frankfurt, with a green dome and possible […] I hope that you will respond charming minarets, was constructed. to this appeal, which I have made from The inauguration ceremony was the depths of my heart, and memorise performed by Hazrat Sir Muhammad these verses.” (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Zafrulla Khanra. In his speech, Chaudhry Vol. 25, p. 124) Abdul Latif Sahib, who served as a 13 September 1924: Hazrat Muslehmissionary in Germany, read out the e-Maudra delivered two lectures in messages of the Jamaat’s missions Portsmouth, England, wherein he shed around the world and said that the light on the second advent of Jesusas construction of the second house of

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra and his entourage during the 1924 trip to Europe

and elaborated on the heavenly call of God for this age.

Due to the abundance of engagements on 12 September, Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra tasked Maulvi Muhammad Din Sahib to prepare a lecture on the second advent of Jesusas. Huzoorra said that if need be, Maulvi Muhammad Din Sahib would deliver one lecture and he would deliver the other; however, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra started writing the lectures and at the same time, Hazrat Sir Zafrulla Khanra would translate them into English. By the time Huzoorra had finished preparing the lectures, it was midnight.

The next day at ten o’clock in the morning, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra left for Portsmouth from Waterloo Station.

Huzoorra delivered one lecture at 3:30 pm and the other lecture at 6:45 pm.

(Al Fazl, 14 October 1924) 13 September 1947: Fatehgarh Choryan, a village near Qadian, came under attack and remained cut off for

some days. Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, with the aid of their aeroplane, assisted these besieged villagers by dropping supplies of food and messages of reassurance into the village. (Tarikh-eAhmadiyyat, Vol. 10, p. 91) 14 September 1947: At the time of the Indian partition, Ahmadis were a ray of light for the refugees who were the prime targets of rioters. Being furious at the humanitarian efforts of the Ahmadis, the then government arrested Hazrat Syed Zainul Aabidin Waliullah Shahra, Nazir Umur-e-Ama (Director of General Affairs) of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian. He was charged with premeditated murder. He has written about the events of his imprisonment in his book, Hayat-ul-Akhirat. A day prior, Hazrat Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sayalra, Nazir Tabligh (Director Outreach) was also apprehended. He was arrested by the police of another district in Qadian. It was alleged that he had gone to a distant village and shot dead a non-Muslim. All these allegations

AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021

were false and they were both acquitted. (Tarikhe-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 10, p. 159) 14 September 1969: The ambassador of Pakistan to Switzerland arrived in Baitul Hazrat Syed Zainul Aabidin Waliullah Shahra Mehmood, Zurich. In 1969, Mr Afzal Iqbal, Ambassador of Pakistan to Switzerland, visited the Mahmood Mosque. Chaudhry Mushtaq Ahmad Bajwa Sahib also invited Pakistanis living in Zurich and nearby areas on the occasion. (Tarikh-eAhmadiyyat, Vol 25, p. 330) 15 September 1971: Adviser to the President of Pakistan, Sahibzada Mirza Muzaffar Ahmad Sahib, son of Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra, was attacked by a man named Muhammad Aslam Qureshi.

15 September 1980: On this date, Hazrat Qazi Muhammad Nazirra of Lyallpur (Faisalabad) passed away.

He was an eminent religious scholar, researcher and writer. He wrote extensively and added many valuable books to the literature of Jamaat-eAhmadiyya.

He was born on 3 September 1898.

In 1938, he dedicated his life to the service of Ahmadiyyat. Initially, he was appointed as a teacher of oriental studies and later as a teacher of Arabic Literature at Jamia Ahmadiyya. He also served as a lecturer in theology, Urdu and Persian at Talim-ul-Islam College, Qadian. In May 1955, he was appointed as the principal of Jamia Ahmadiyya. In 1965, he was appointed as nazir islah-oirshad.

He delivered darses of the Holy Quran and hadith for many years. He had a deep study of many fields of theology.

For many years, he would deliver speeches at Jalsa Salana. His speech was so eloquent that his addresses would be listened to with great interest.

16 September 1914: Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra sent a letter to the Begum of Bhopal with the aim of propagating the message of Ahmadiyyat. Hajjah Nawab Begum Dame, Sultan Jahan GCSI (9 July 1858 - 12 May 1930) was a notable and progressive ruler of Bhopal who ruled from 1901 to 1926. (Tarikh-eAhmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 161) 16 September 1927: The Amatul Hayy Library was inaugurated in Qadian.

Hazrat Syeda Umm-e-Tahirra was incharge of it.

In 1925, a library was proposed by Hazrat Syeda Umm-e-Dawoodra in memory of Hazrat Syeda Amatul Hayy Begumra, keeping in view her knowledge and interest in reading. (Tarikh-e-Lajna, Vol. 1, p. 230)

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National Atfal Rally 2021, USA Syed Raza Ahmad Mohtamim Atfal, USA

Majlis Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya USA held its National Atfal Rally on 28 to 29 August 2021, virtually over Zoom. In the absence of a National Ijtema, this was the largest event of the year for Majlis Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya.

The planning for the Atfal Rally started several weeks ago with Naib Mohtamim, Alamzeb Khan Sahib serving as Nazim-eAla, and Muavin Mohtamim, Aasim Ahmad Sahib as his Naib. A team of more than ten Atfal National Amila members worked very hard for the planning, management and registration for the event.

The programme for the Atfal Rally started on 28 August 2021 at 12pm EST. The opening session was presided by Anwer Mahmood Khan Sahib, Secretary Tahrik-e-Jadid Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya USA, who talked to Atfal about “How to attain nearness to Allah the Almighty”.

Other presentations included the topics “Attributes of Allah’”, presented by the missionary Syed Adil Ahmad Sahib, “Uswa-e-Hasanah” presented by Noor Mohammed Sahib, “Healthy living and Islamic teachings” presented by Rehman Nasir Sahib, “Spending time wisely” by Aasim Ahmad Sahib and “Story Time” by the missionary Azam Akram Sahib.

At the end of day one, there was an interactive session for Atfal aged ten and above titled “Two sincere friends”, led by Ousman Mbowe Sahib, Assistant Secretary Rishta Nata Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya USA. The second and final day of the Atfal Rally started with a recitation from the Holy Quran.

The first presentation was titled “Anti-social media” by Dr Bilal Rana Sahib, Secretary Umur-e-Ama Jamaat-eAhmadiyya USA.

The next presentation was titled “How to beat the K-12 system” by Muhammed Chaudhry Sahib, President Jamaat-eAhmadiyya Silicon Valley.

In addition to interactive presentations, a scavenger hunt was conducted in four parts throughout the Atfal Rally, which consisted of questions from all presentations and required some online research on Jamaat websites.

The concluding session of the Atfal Rally was presided by Dr Mirza Maghfoor Ahmad Sahib, Amir Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya USA. After the recitation from the Holy Quran, the Atfal pledge and nazm, Syed Raza Ahmad Sahib, Mohtamim Atfal presented the event report, along with the names of the winners of various competitions held throughout the year. They included the Sehat-e-Jismani physical fitness challenge, the weekly Friday Sermon quiz and the scavenger hunt.

Amir Sahib Jamaat USA then spoke to

Atfal about prioritising their relationship with Allah the Almighty in their busy schedules and the importance of thanking Him. This was followed by a question and answer session. Some of the questions included, “what is the best way to do tabligh”, “how to always remember Allah”, “when is the next USA Jalsa”, among others.

In the end, Dr Madeel Abdullah Sahib, Sadr Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya USA thanked all the participants.

The event concluded with silent prayer.

The total number of unique Atfal in attendance was approximately 700. All praise belongs to Allah for enabling us to hold this event.

May Allah bless the efforts of our volunteers and presenters and increase them in their service to the Jamaat. May Allah make Atfal USA the worthy flag bearers of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya in the future. Amin

“Nations cannot be reformed without the reformation of the youth.”

— Khalifatul Masih IIra, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud

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Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM

100 Years Ago...

Honourary degree of doctor of literature and Mufti Sahib’s first impressions of America The Moslem Sunrise, July 1921

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra (1872-1957) Certificate “W Mayes Martin, AM, DD, LLD, Chancellor John FB Walker, PhD, STD, LLD, President and Dean of the Theological School AW Slade, AKC, DD, LLD, Dean of the College Orlando A Mansfield, Mas Doc, FRCO, FAGO, Dean of the College of Music EG Ravenscroft, PhD, JD, DCI, Secretary Fredrick Arnd, AR, LLD, Dean of the University Law School of Pharmacy “Lincoln Jefferson University Chicago, Illinois TO WHOM THIS MAY COME Greetings!

“This is to certify that under and by virtue of a charter granted by the State of Illinois to the Trustees of the Lincoln Jefferson University, there has been conferred upon MUFTI MUHAMMAD SADIQ The Honorary Degree DOCTOR OF LITERATURE on the nomination and approval of the faculty, in recognition of his attainments as a scholar, success as a leader of men, and his devotion to promoting the higher and nobler relations between man and man. “To him we grant all the rights, privileges and

My dear and respected friend Mr Karoub’s younger daughter, Fatima, once softly touching my beard with her little hands, said: “What a long moustache you have got, my Shaikh.” Her knowledge of the English language is well-developed, but still she knows no such word as beard. The Americans, approached rightly and talked to reasonably, are ready to accept the truth.

There is no cockney drawling of vowel sounds in the American tongue, but their idioms are peculiar in some cases, for example:

honors appertaining to this degree, and in testimony thereof witness the signature of our President and the Seal of this University.

“Done in the City of Chicago, Illinois, this the 16th day of December, 1920. “(Sd.) John FB Walker, PhD, DD, LittD, President of the University and of the Board of Trustees.”

Some of my first impressions America is a mixture of nationalities, languages, races and colors. You will find here the best of them as well as the worst.

It is a land of freedom, but freedom is being misused in some cases.

Over in England, I was used to seeing all the traffic go to the left; here, on landing, I noticed everywhere written “Keep to the Right.” Sounds nice and right, and one begins to feel that this is the right land to live in. The Americans are taller and stouter than the English but not so quick. They do all their business on their extremely excellent telephone system, but are slow in writing work. Some parts of the states are colder than England but the Americans seem to know beforehand (while English do not) that they have to encounter the cold weather and therefore they provide for it in time.

The houses are built to be well-heated with the heating provisions in the basement and very few are seen catching cold, while

in England everybody seems to be sneezing and wiping his nose in winter.

The wood framework houses are exquisite and electric light enhances their colored beauty. While in England, they generally shave their beard but keep their moustache, here all around the clean shave is the fashion of the day. Very few keep moustaches and very seldom a foreigner – Jew – is seen with a long beard.

In England

In America

Reel of thread

Spool of cotton

Chest of drawers

Bureau

Lift

Elevator

Commercial traveler

Drummer

Small wares

Notions

Season ticket

Communication ticket

Autumn

Fall

Cock

Rooster

Girl is shy

Girl is bashful

Don’t mention

You are welcome

Certainly

Sure

Boot polish

Shoe shine

Half boiled egg

Soft egg

A cry for the Holy Quran A bookseller writes from England: “We have been asked several times for Part 2[n]d of the Holy Quran, but we cannot give any satisfactory answer. It would be a great pity if this fine publication were to be stopped.”

This is one example of the cries for need of such an elaborate [and] complete edition of the Holy Quran as our first part is. May Allah help us in bringing that grand work to completion soon.

Assalam-o-Alaikum Peace be with you and the mercy of Allah and his blessings.

In most of all the letters that I get from brothers and sisters in India and other countries, I read a request of giving their respects, greetings and salutations to the Moslem brothers and sisters in America, and vice versa, so through this paper today, I pass on the salaams on both sides with my love and earnest prayers for the welfare and happiness of one and all.

(Transcribed by Al Hakam from the original in The Moslem Sunrise, July 1921)

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Syed Taalay Ahmad: As friends and colleagues saw him

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivered his Friday Sermon today (3 September 2021) on Syed Taalay Ahmad, who was martyred in Ghana while doing what he lived and breathed for – serving the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas.

In 2013, Syed Taalay Ahmad, after completing his master’s degree in journalism, sacrificed his life for the cause of Islam Ahmadiyyat and was posted to the Central Press & Media department. In 2016, he was assigned duties in the MTA News department, an office which he took to new heights.

Huzooraa spoke about the great qualities and attributes of Syed Taalay Ahmad and spoke of him as a “model” for those who had sacrificed their lives to serve Islam Ahmadiyyat and also for the family of the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him.

Huzooraa expressed his own love and admiration for Syed Taalay Ahmad too in the sermon. He said: “He was a gem, who left us. May Allah the Exalted continue to grant the Jamaat such loyal people who have a relationship with Khilafat that is based on obedience and sincerity and who give precedence to faith over the world […] This beloved individual fully understood the spirit of waqf [life devotion] and fulfilled the oath that he had made in the truest sense. Upon observing him, I used to be amazed, and still am, as to how a child raised in this worldly environment understood [the essence of] his waqf and then fulfilled it. He fulfilled it in such a way that he reached its peak.”

Huzooraa highlighted that Syed Taalay Ahmad was the first martyr of MTA International (UK) and also the first martyr

from the UK Waqf-e-Nau. After the Friday Sermon, Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa led the funeral prayer of Syed Taalay Ahmad and travelled to the burial site too. Huzooraa held the coffin as it was being carried to the grave and also took part in the burial.

The whole Friday Sermon can be listened to on MTA International’s YouTube channel and its transcript will be published in the coming weeks in Al Hakam, insha-Allah.

We spoke to some of Syed Taalay Ahmad’s colleagues and friends who reminisced on his great qualities and attributes.

Nosherwan Rashid, an MTA News colleague who worked closely with Syed Taalay Ahmad at their office, said: “Huzooraa had graciously appointed me to serve in the MTA News department over

three years ago. At the time, I had never come across Taalay bhai before or spoken to him.

“When I initially joined the MTA News department, I had little or no knowledge regarding editing, filming, lighting, scriptwriting or TV presenting and for the news department, these were daily tasks.

From the first day, Taalay bhai sat me next to him and showed me the basics of editing and told me to just watch as he edited daily world news or any other work he was doing, and whilst he was doing that, he explained to me what he was doing. Taalay bhai was an amazing and compassionate teacher and within days, I managed to pick up the basics and that was not due to my own abilities; rather, the continuous effort of Taalay bhai.

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“Throughout the last three years, I worked closely with Taalay bhai and he would encourage me and support me at every step of the way. He always gave me comments like, ‘Well done, I’m proud of you’, or, ‘Keep up the good work.’ I had made mistakes and never did he once discourage me or tell me off as a senior; rather, he supported me and always told me in a polite manner what I had to do. I recall that in the beginning, he kindly compiled a list of over 25 videos about editing, filming, various shots, lighting, story-telling etc. and named that playlist ‘For Nosh’ and said to me that he created a list for me especially to learn more from. He wanted me to learn and achieve a lot “Taalay bhai had immense love for the Holy Quran and learning about it.

I do not know a single person besides Taalay bhai who had achieved this task which I will share with you now: “Taalay bhai quite frequently used to walk to work from his house, which is about an hour walk, if not more. He would listen to dars-ul Quran classes of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh to work and then on the way back too. This way, over a few years, he had listened to all the dars-ul-Quran classes and when he finished, he was extremely happy and told me about it with such joy and jubilation on his face that I can still picture it. And if I’m not wrong, he had started listening to those classes once again.

“Taalay bhai had immense love for Khilafat and this was apparent from his life. He would set his password in a way that every time he would log on, he would be praying for Huzooraa and when I spoke to him about this, he told me he had set passwords in this way so that every time he logged on (and that would be a few times a day), he would pray for Huzooraa. This was so inspirational not just for me, but another colleague of ours, Mubahil Sahib, so much so that we started doing the same.

“I remember when he wanted to launch This Week With Huzoor, he told me about the idea and was very much looking forward to it and had been praying that it would be approved to go ahead. Throughout the week, whatever other tasks he had, he would look forward to filming, editing, scripting and producing the episode for the week and I am sure he would be praying for its success. After he would finish the episode, he himself checked it multiple times to make sure there were no mistakes

and would tell me to sit down and watch the entire episode before it was broadcast, in case he had not picked up anything. Every time he was about to upload it to YouTube, he would say, ‘Bismillah’ – ‘In the name of Allah’ – and then proceed to click on the upload button. He was extremely careful about the reports and events of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa and wouldn’t ever want to displease him.

“Since Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa moved to Islamabad, UK, Taalay bhai would regularly send me his letters to Huzooraa and ask me to forward them to the private secretary’s office. I had seen that after sending me the letter, he would message after a couple of hours or the following day to see if I had the chance to send it. Before he departed for Africa, he had sent me three letters to forward.

“Taalay bhai was so obedient to Khilafat that he would try his utmost to follow the instructions of Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa to the best of his abilities, whether that instruction was for him or anyone else.

“A few months ago, when Huzooraa had a few virtual meetings with missionaries from different countries, Huzooraa said that every missionary should try to offer Tahajud prayers for at least one hour every day.

“After a few days, I was sat in the office with Taalay bhai and we were having a conversation and I saw that he looked a little tired. I asked if everything was okay. He replied, ‘I wake up an hour and a half before Fajr now and offer an hour-long Tahajud and then Fajr prayer as this is what Huzooraa expects from us. It is hard for me but as this was Huzoor’s instruction, I am trying my best.’ This instruction was specifically for missionaries, but Taalay bhai had made it compulsory for himself too.

“As we worked closely in the office and were sat just across from each other, I had seen his routine and the way he worked.

When he worked on anything, he would wholeheartedly be concentrating on his work and would forget about everything else – about eating, drinking or taking a break. Every Friday, he would work on This Week With Huzoor and prepare to have the episode ready for broadcast and on those days, he would never go out to get lunch; rather, he would continue to work on the episode till it was complete and then leave.

This was his practice not just on Fridays, but on most days.

“He was regular in the voluntary Thursday fast, something which I observed

for over three years.

“I had the opportunity to not only work with him but also participate in other activities with his, like sports. Every week, on Friday, we would play football together and on some occasions, if he had forgotten his wallet, he would ask if I could pay for him. Many times, I would forget that I paid or I would say it was fine and he didn’t need to pay me back as it was so little, but I would return to the office and he would just place the amount on my desk. He was very careful about who he owed and no matter what the amount, he would do so. At times, it would only be a small amount, but he would consider it his responsibility to pay them back. He even mentioned that he had made notes on his phone to remind himself if he had to pay someone back.

“Taalay bhai was not only my colleague, but a teacher as well, and more importantly, a friend and a brother. He helped me immensely when I was producing my first documentary and helped with the entire script and also the editing. Even a couple of months ago, I had completed my research for the next part and sent it to him for help with the script and he immediately pinned the email so he could see it later. He said to me, ‘I’ll work on it whenever I get time; I won’t forget about it.’

“Taalay bhai will be missed and remembered every day and every time I walk into the office – his laugh, smile and the spark in his eyes. He was truly a gem, a diamond and I will miss him a lot.”

James Sutton, a school-friend and football teammate, said: “I first knew Taalay as the head boy of our school. Taalay came across in his head boy campaign as a real people person and someone with a great sense of humour and a lot of charisma. As I got to know Taalay as a friend in later years, I found that these were only a few of his many qualities.

“A few years later, when I was around 16, Taalay recruited me, through his brother Adil, to The Gents FC, a seven-aside football team that he had entered into the local league. The player base was very diverse and I knew no one in the team, but one thing had brought them together – Taalay. What Taalay created with the gents was a big part of growing up for me and he was responsible for many laughs and great memories. For this, I will always be grateful to him.

“Taalay was an expert at bringing people together and making them feel welcome in any situation. He even had me playing in a table tennis league at the local mosque.

“He would organise events and trips and would always deliver on his elaborate ideas, to the point where The Gents did a tour of London. He arranged a tournament with local teams, showed us around the sites of London and even put the full team up for the weekend in his accommodation.

“The weekend was one I will never forget.

“Taalay became someone I would go to for advice and he always delivered, it always felt like he cared and had a genuine interest in every conversation we had, he was someone I looked up to learn a lot from and always respected.”

Richard Sirs, a school friend and cricket teammate, said: “Trying to describe why I liked Taalay

seems so difficult to put into words because I don’t think that I have the vocabulary to do him justice. The only thing I can do to reflect the boy he was and the man he became is by stories that I have of him.

“I never told him about this story, and I doubt he ever realised that we had met at such a young age.

“I decided at a young age that I wanted to play cricket. I must have been around the age of 11 at the time, maybe a bit younger.

I was a nervous and shy young boy who turned up to cricket practice on a Saturday morning at Park Drive Cricket club. I knew nobody there and was left with around 10 other boys with a set of stumps, a cricket bat and a tennis ball. The coach made no introductions and just left us to it. One boy straight away took to organising everything to get a little game going. Whether he could tell that I was nervous or not, I can’t be sure, but he came over and introduced himself as ‘Taalay’ and instantly put me at ease.

This encounter encouraged me to stay and return week after week.

“I never told him this, and perhaps I should have, but at that moment, I looked up to him.

“At the age of 17, we once again found ourselves back at the cricket club. We had a net and had decided to have a game of football. During the game, I broke two bones in my leg. There was a clubhouse full of adults who did nothing to come and help, even when asked. The person who again dealt with the situation, made sure I was okay and calmed the situation was Taalay.

He waited with me till the paramedics arrived, making sure to reassure me that everything was going to be fine.

“Strangely enough, the final time we met face to face was at the age of 28 back at the cricket club once again. He told me about what had been going on in his life and we discussed old times, and although we had not talked in a while, nothing had changed. He offered me to come down and visit where he lived and said he would put me up and show me around and introduce me to his new family.

“For me, the measure of a man is being able to leave the world in a better place than when you came into it. Well, Taalay, my friend, this is something you have certainly achieved as your kindness knew no bounds.”

Mubahil Shakir, an MTA News colleague who worked closely with Syed Taalay Ahmad at their office, said: “Taalay had a pure soul. He was very innocent-hearted. He would act the same with everyone and wouldn’t discriminate.

“He was kind and very jolly. He was enthusiastic about life. I remember he would come in to the office some mornings bursting with energy, saying: ‘Assalamo alaikum Mubahil! How are you?

What’s happening?’ He would change the atmosphere of the office and bring it to life.

“Taalay had a very strong work ethic – he worked like a man on a mission. When he was working on a project, he did so relentlessly without any care for himself.

Sometimes he’d be sat at his chair working for a long period of time and wouldn’t have eaten anything. If he did eat, it would just be snacks from the vending machine so he could keep working while he was eating. He didn’t let anything distract him. This is how he achieved so much in such a short space

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of time.

“When he worked, he did so discreetly and would tell very few people what he was working on. Then, once his work was complete, we would all be amazed about what he produced.

“At one time, he mentioned to me and one of my colleagues, ‘I have this hard drive and all my work is on this hard drive. So if anything is to happen to me, you both know where my work is.’ He said this jokingly, but I remember thinking at the time that it was a strange thing to say. In hindsight, this statement he made makes more sense.

“He made many excellent documentaries, which touched the hearts of millions of Ahmadis. But in my opinion, his biggest legacy is This Week With Huzoor, which brought millions of Ahmadis closer to their Khalifa.

“May Allah bless him and grant him a lofty place in Heaven. May he continue to reap the rewards for all of the good he has left behind in this world.”

Shazil Lone, Manager of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association football team, who worked closely with Syed Taalay Ahmad for his documentary For Love and the Game, said: “Taalay was a very polite person, who first joined us years ago to play football at Wandle, London regularly. It was a few years later that he approached me to do a documentary on the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA UK) Jamaat football club. Thinking it was a standard MTA News segment, I told him to go ahead.

“Little did I know that he would follow us for an entire season, often discussing tactics and thoughts with me and was not afraid to ask the testing questions to myself, the players or spectators. He was never afraid to say, in his straight-talking Northern sarcasm, that if the season or tournament didn’t lead to a promotion or a win, the documentary would come out awfully!

“He had a clear storytellers’ vision and though many of us were unsure how it would pan out, we left it in his hands and the storyboard he had put together.

“What transpired was an ‘all or nothing’ fly-on-the-wall style documentary that was ahead of its time called, For Love and the Game, which was directed and narrated by Taalay. The follow-up documentary covered the inaugural Masroor European Football Tournament.

“He put his heart and soul into his documentaries, which was shown through his commitment to doing the aforesaid documentary over a year and the time spent with us all – getting footage and interviews, in the sun and the pouring rain. He would be there regardless. He captured a golden moment for the club and its players, but more so, his talent was to bring out the human stories, with the football story as its backdrop.

“He managed to intertwine this seamlessly with the ethos and history of the Jamaat and to ultimately raise the name of our beloved Jamaat.

“He also had a sense of humour and when doing the trailers for the documentary, he would always check that even the funny elements did not offend or hurt any feelings.

Such was his duty of care.

“When it came to submitting this new style of documentary, he would always

say Huzooraa knew better if it was to be approved. He messaged me when he was submitting it for approval and was as humble as saying that if it got rejected, it would be down to his own mistakes. He was always humble and ready to submit to the verdict of the Khalifa.

“The documentary was graciously approved and such was the documentary’s effect and reach that it even helped open dialogue with the Football Association (the FA) and when islamophobia was mentioned in the sporting press, the FA were able to make official statements to media outlets, including being aired on Sky Sports, wherein they had discussions with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community also on these matters.

Taalay’s work had helped open these doors.

“Away from his MTA duties, Taalay was a regular five-a-side player with us also and I can say he was uniquely respectful, as the only player I knew to this day, that would call someone by their name and without fail, to add on ‘Sahib’ during the game!

“A competitive defender, he clearly had enough time to show people respect while still challenging them, such was his respectful and humble nature even in the heat of the contest.

“Allah charts the best of courses and He bestowed Taalay with the honour to leave this earth in this manner, but he will certainly be missed. A gentle smiling soul.”

Ali Khan, Manager Fazl-e-Umar football team, said: “Although I served alongside him in the National Amila of MKA UK, my connection with Taalay Sahib was mostly through football, a sport he loved dearly.

“Taalay Sahib played football with us every week over the last few months, he was also an Assistant in my capacity as Manager of the Fazl-e-Umar football team of waqife-zindagi competing in the Masroor International Football Tournament.

“Taalay Sahib played football with

exactly the same level of humility as he conducted the rest of his affairs. Taalay Sahib was always so conscious of making a mistake and was highly self-critical of his ability and performance – excessively so.

“He would always ask questions trying to learn and understand more. I loved his dry sense of humour, his devotion to the Jamaat and unwavering loyalty to Khilafat.

“Several times Taalay Sahib asked me to find a replacement for him in one of our planned football sessions at the last minute, because he had to redo some of his MTA work overnight – this is a lesson in dedication, hard work and taking accountability to all of us.

“We didn’t appreciate Taalay as much as he deserved when he was with us, that’s the tragedy. Perhaps he didn’t want us to. I never heard him raise his voice and couldn’t stop him from addressing me as Ali ‘Sahib’ even during a game of football!”

Dawood Oto’o, from MTA Ghana Studios, who worked closely with Syed Taalay Ahmad during his recent trip to Ghana, said: “I met Taalay Sahib for the very first time when I was asked to travel with him to the Western Region of Ghana and assist him with the documentary. The trip was for two days. He was so kind to me. He talked to me like we knew each other for years.

“The first night, we reached Jamiatul-Mubashireen, where we were given two rooms, but we were three in number.

Immediately, he said that he wanted to be in the same room as me. The room had two fans. He asked me to choose which bed I wanted to sleep on, to which I said, ‘The one without the fan on top because I don’t like fans.’

“I left the room for a moment and when I came back, I found the fans turned off. I asked why he had turned them off. To this, he said it was because he didn’t want me to feel uncomfortable. Although I was sure he

was feeling hot himself, he sacrificed his comfort for my comfort. In the middle of the night, I realised he was feeling hot so I turned the fans on. In the morning, he asked why I had turned them on. He was completely selfless.

“He was also very humble with me.

At one point, I noticed the camera was unbalanced, and when I pointed it out to him, he was happy and said, ‘That is why I need you here to help me.’

“After the trip, he was expecting me to come with him to the next trip to North Ghana as well. Before they left, he was upset as to why I didn’t join him. He was concerned that it was maybe something he said to me which was why I didn’t go.

But I assured him it was not the case. I explained that I could not go because I had not been assigned to this trip, that was all.

He said that insha-Allah, when he returned, we would sit down together again – Allah willed otherwise.

“These were just very small moments I had with him in a short period of time, after hearing and reading about all the wonderful things they have to say about him from people all over the world, it all makes sense to me. I will cherish the moments I had with him forever.”

Usmaan Omer, who knew Syed Taalay Ahmad from childhood and was a close friend, said: “We grew up together in the same jamaat of Hartlepool. Taalay was someone who would light up any room or any environment he was in. He was in-charge of many sporting initiatives throughout his time in Hartlepool. For around five years, Taalay was running a Jamaat table tennis league, which spanned the course of nine months.

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day as champion. Taalay and I always had a friendly, but intense rivalry throughout our sporting endeavours. When it came to the deciding match, I was defeated.

“I was visibly disappointed that the league had slipped away, but despite our intense rivalry, Taalay was the first person to come up to me, pick me up by the hand and put an arm around my shoulder to tell me how proud he was of me and how far I had come as a table tennis player.

“He was two years senior to me in school and we went through some of our tough examination times together, but he was always on hand to encourage me and give me advice, despite him going through his own exams.

“Throughout the times I knew Taalay, he always emphasised how, when it comes to our level of spirituality, we should never look down on one another and judge whether one is less spiritual than ourselves; rather, as Ahmadi Muslims, we are like one and should always be on hand to help and support one another.”

Adam Brough, a close friend of Syed Taalay Ahmad from school, said: “Taalay meant a lot to a lot of us who knew him from school and college. He was the head boy in those places for a reason.

Popular, witty, intelligent, talented – it’s no surprise he continued to achieve during the rest of his life. He was always set up to do so.

“One of the kindest people I’ve ever met, with one of the warmest hearts, he would always look out for those around him. His intelligence allowed him the capacity to focus on so many things, and never far from his mind was the welfare and wellbeing of his friends.

“His sporting talent too provided him with an outlet for his competitive edge to flourish, and he always wanted to be doing the next great thing. Be it academics, personal, or sport, there was always something to achieve and something to strive towards.

“The small seven-a-side football team he founded in 2007 that went on to win the small league we participated in, despite a fairly inauspicious start, will remain one of my fondest memories and will always serve as a reminder from Taalay that it’s always possible to achieve.

“It’s cruel that he didn’t get to achieve more because there’s little doubt he would have. He will be sorely missed.”

Tawqeer Mirza, a colleague from MTA International who worked closely with Syed Taalay Ahmad for the documentary Taalay was filming in Africa, said: “We prepped over the phone together multiple times before he set out to his trip to Africa. It was so clear that he was genuinely concerned about there not being a single reason on his part for any shortcoming. Seeing that, I would give advice, accordingly, that he should rather take his own equipment that he trusts etc.

And even though these types of trips I have had multiple opportunities to go to, Taalay was still not satisfied, and he made even more preparations. He would rather sacrifice taking personal items and clothes and taking further equipment that would ensure that nothing got in the way of the project he was undertaking. Such was his

planning.

“I knew Taalay from 2005 when I first met him when I travelled with his family and some Jamaat members to Qadian Jalsa Salana. Even though I was young at that time, his inquisitive nature, respect and admiration for the Promised Messiahas and love for his extended family was apparent.

His eventual waqf (life devotion) and all the works he undertook later in life were a clear testament to these early qualities.

“At MTA International – where Taalay was posted as a life devotee – my MTA colleagues and I would at times struggle with the few tasks that we had. However, we learned that the newly posted Taalay was not only giving his whole days at MTA News, but he’d spend the rest of his time with the Central Press & Media team. And not only that, but he was also heavily involved with the Atfal UK department. And if that wasn’t enough, shortly after, Voice of Islam radio started, where he was involved in regular programming too.

“One unique quality was that he would work quietly. I mean, if he was working on a project, no other person would know. He would bury his head in his work and the rest of the world would just fade away.

“A few years ago, he started enquiring from me how I went about planning and making a documentary. I shared what I could and then thought nothing of it. A few months later, he asked me to come to his office in MTA News to review something he made. He seemed embarrassed, constantly saying how he filmed it and so it was terrible etc. He then played ‘the video’, after which I realised it was a full-blown documentary!

“This was the first documentary he made without any technical or operational knowledge of cameras, half of which was filmed on a phone! (This was the For Love and the Game documentary.) But I found it so candid and wonderful in its nature, as it seemed like this person had been telling visual stories for half his life. I didn’t even finish reviewing it. I just said, ‘Whatever

you’ve done here, it’s great and I don’t think I’ll find anything here that I would change.’

And Taalay was sure and headstrong; he didn’t seem like he was in doubt or even looking for approval.

“In essence, that is the mark of a true creative artist. From what I saw, he was a natural at this. And what he was then able to accomplish, alhamdulillah, we have all witnessed.

“Whatever I may have learnt only due to blessings of MTA and Khilafat over the past many years, Taalay far surpassed that in what he picked up in just a couple of years, as not only was he talented, but he was also extremely passionate.”

Wadood Ahmad Daud, who knew Syed Taalay Ahmad since childhood, said: “I have known Syed Taalay Ahmad since 2002. We had recently migrated from Pakistan to the UK and were making Hartlepool Jamaat our new home – Taalay must have been 11-12 years old at the time.

I have fond memories of going to Hashim bhai’s (Talaay’s father) house for prayers or meetings and staying back to play cricket or football in their back garden. It wasn’t just their house, it was also our community hub where their whole family welcomed the local Ahmadis with open arms.

“The legacy of the late Dr Hameed Khan Sahib (Talaay’s maternal grandfather) and his wife continued in Hartlepool through their progeny and Syed Taalay Ahmad embodied his grandparents’ nurturing and caring nature. Even at a very young age, Taalay was always extremely respectful and courteous to everyone. He always spoke with a lot of confidence and maturity, even with a six-year age gap, we soon became very good friends.

“When I was qaid of Hartlepool, Taalay was a very active member of our amila. He was always looking for improvements and would come up with new and innovative ways of bringing people closer to the Jamaat. An example of this is when the Nasir Mosque opened in Hartlepool and we faced

a lot of local opposition from locals. Taalay was always keen to bring his non-Ahmadi Muslim friends to the mosque on a regular basis and so, he started and managed the ‘Hameed Khan Table Tennis Tournament’ for many years, which was open to locals and allowed people from Hartlepool to visit the mosque and spend time with Ahmadis.

The same passion for showing people what true Muslims were like led to him making exceptional documentaries for MTA. “I currently serve in MTA Online as a volunteer and had the honour to help Syed Taalay Ahmad with the promotion of Brutality & Injustice: Two Trials in a Time documentary. By the grace of Allah, this promotional campaign helped the new documentary get more traction compared to some of the other documentaries. Two weeks after its launch, Taalay sent me a detailed comparison of all his previous documentary views in the first 14 days and thanked the MTA online Urdu team for their help. In my reply, I wrote to Taalay, ‘The quality of the video content and historic footage of Huzooraa makes it a unique documentary so I know we may have played a small part to promote it, but the actual work was done by you and your team’. To this, I got a very short reply, which truly reflected his humble nature, true submission to Allah and his love for Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya, as he didn’t take an iota of credit himself.

“Taalay replied with, “It’s all the blessing of Allah that he’s given us Khalifa-e-waqt to guide us and learn lessons from his life, alhamdulillah”.

“Whenever we spoke, the transition from ‘Wadood bhai’ to ‘Wadood Sahib’, and then back to ‘Wadood bhai’ was seamless.

He would always greet everyone with his infectious smile and knew what to say, when to say it, how to say it and more importantly, he also knew when to stay quiet. He knew what his objectives in life were and he wouldn’t waste any valuable time in idle chats.

“My final meeting with Taalay was at Jalsa Salana UK 2021 where he spoke about his children with so much love and affection. He was full of energy and was so excited about Jalsa Salana taking place after a year’s gap. I will never forget the spark in his eyes and the smile on his face when he was talking about Huzooraa – his love for Khilafat was so evident from every word he spoke. I will cherish that short conversation for the rest of my life as little did I know that this handsome young man was soon going to join a very prestigious group of shuhadae-Ahmadiyyat – martyrs of Ahmadiyyat.

I will always remember him as a very dear younger brother who lived up to the expectations of his parents and all those around him.

“Taalay was honest with his waqf and remained true to his pledge with Khilafat to his very last breath. May Allah enable me to learn from his short, yet exemplary life.

Amin.”

Muhammad Ali Ahmad, who knew Syed Taalay Ahmad since childhood, said: “I have known Syed Taalay Ahmad Sahib since 2004. He was slightly younger than me, and a very talented and intelligent individual.

“Taalay used to come to the Nasir Mosque in Hartlepool daily for prayers with his father and brother.

AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021 “He was very keen to play sports.

He started the Hameed Khan Table Tennis Tournament (named after his late grandfather) in Hartlepool to engage khuddam and encourage competition.

Alhamdulillah, that tournament was a great success and brought all khuddam together.

“He also greatly enjoyed reading. I don’t know which book was his favourite in terms of Islam and Jamaat literature, but one of his favourites as a young man was the Harry Potter series.

“Taalay Sahib was very focused on his work. Whilst in Hartlepool, at times, I saw him busy thinking about something or planning something. Even though he would be physically present, his thoughts would be occupied in something else. Everyone has seen his hard work in the shape of successful MTA documentaries.

“Taalay Sahib loved Huzooraa and the institution of Khilafat. He also wanted Jamaat members to establish a strong bond with Khilafat, just like the one he aspired to establish himself and I believe he tried to achieve this through his work in MTA International. For me, as incidents and stories about Taalay begin to be shared, his love for Khilafat has become much more apparent than it was before his martyrdom.

Taalay Sahib’s love for Khilafat is shining like a bright star in Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya today.

“Taalay Sahib has proven that even with all the distractions of the modernday, like TV, the Internet, social media etc., one can still achieve the status of shahadat (martyrdom) through their bond with Allah the Almighty, the Holy Prophetsa, the Promised Messiahas and Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyyat.

“He has become a role model for us – an English role model who grew up in England and achieved a high status of a shaheed.”

Qaasid Muin Ahmad, Editor Al Hakam, said: “Al Hakam was launched in March 2018

by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. Since then, it has been published every week and has presented a plethora of articles on various subjects alongside conveying news of the Jamaat’s activities around the world.

“As the editor, it is my role to ensure that we are moving on track and that articles are engaging with our readers. Syed Taalay Ahmad was one of those readers who would help me in this regard.

“Although Taalay had no official affiliation with Al Hakam, on a personal note, he would frequently tell me which articles he was enjoying and he would give suggestions on what we could focus on more to keep our readers engaged.

“In our last conversation over the telephone, he expressed his desire to gather as much information and narrations of elders of his family as he could to write an article for Al Hakam on his greatgrandfather, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmadra.

“Alongside my Al Hakam duties, I have the honour of serving in MTA International, and it was here that I came to be well-acquainted with the beautiful and charismatic personality of Taalay. His thirst for knowledge – in particular, to do with the history of the Jamaat – and his drive to get projects to see fruition in the best possible manner are some of the traits that I pray to see in myself and my children in the future.

He was a person who had a passion to bring members of the Jamaat closer to their Khalifa and he used every fibre of his being to see that this was made possible through the role that he was assigned.

“Every Wednesday, the Al Hakam team sits down and spends the better part of the day proofreading the final copy of the newspaper to ensure that everything is up to the mark.

15 “During this rigorous exercise, very rarely do I pay much attention to those momentary thoughts that occur in the back of my mind.

“The day after Taalay’s demise, whilst proofreading our most recent issue, and whilst examining an article proposed for our 100 Years Ago section, I fleetingly asked myself, ‘I wonder what Taalay will think of this.’ Thereafter, I truly realised that we had just lost one of our most avid readers, who not only provided feedback in his lifetime, but actually gave me direction and inspiration in taking this newspaper to newer heights; such that I never properly appreciated how his observations and feedback had begun to impact how I saw articles.

“It would not at all be incorrect to say that Taalay was one of Al Hakam’s regular and passionate readers, which only tells of his zeal for this beautiful Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas. That he would read Al Hakam with such detail so as to point things out and provide constructive feedback was an indication of just how staunchly he supported the cause of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas.

“May Allah bestow Taalay a place in Paradise in the company of his loved ones; may Allah enable all of us to serve the Jamaat with the same fervour and drive as did our beloved brother, and may the coming generations see more servants of Ahmadiyyat like Taalay Ahmad; for he will surely be missed.”

Adnan Zahid, a close friend and colleague of Taalay at MTA International, said: “I had the privilege of working with Syed Taalay Ahmad Sahib, which nourished into friendship.

“He was a true servant of Khilafat and his love for Khilafat was immense. He

was a simple person and had no desire for materialistic life.

“He was a kind and loving person, who took special care of his friends and, more importantly, lived a true waqf-e-zindagi life.

“He worked very hard in making his documentaries and set a very high standard for us to follow. He touched so many hearts with his kind and loving personality and brought comfort to people’s hearts through This Week With Huzoor, especially during the pandemic.

“I had the honour of working with Syed Talaay Ahmad Sahib on the documentary, Four Days Without a Shepherd. He had the drive and determination to make such interesting documentaries and his passion for storytelling can be exemplified through his work.

“I feel honoured that Syed Taalay Ahmad Sahib would ask me to review and provide feedback on his work every time before it was made public. I will miss our conversations we had regarding his work.

“I pray that Allah the Almighty may elevate his status in Paradise, accept his efforts and keep him in the shade of His abundant grace and mercy. Syed Taalay Ahmad Sahib will truly be missed.”

Fowad Ahmad, In-charge MTA Ghana Production, who worked closely with Taalay Ahmad while in Ghana, said: “The most glaring personality traits were his humility, passion and zeal to work for the Jamaat. It is difficult to find such motivated and driven people working with this level of energy. What I had noticed was how meticulous he was in aiming to get the absolute best from the documentary he was currently working on. It was evident that it was the unconditional love and respect he had for Khilafat that was the driving factor.

It is what he lived and breathed for.

“His humility was on a level that is hard to find in others. This reminds me of when we were in his guest room preparing for the next interview and I noticed that there was no facility for hot water. I recommended to him that we could arrange to get some hot water for him, to which he instantly said, ‘No, it’s okay. I have been having cold showers; I have already become used to it.’

When he said this, I realised these were very insignificant issues to him. I would see him constantly analysing the footage he had recorded and he told me that he had made various backups in case anything went missing or ‘anything crazy happens’.

“It is very rare to find someone so concerned for not being able to work for a moment during the day. Once, he forgot his laptop during one of the journeys between the recordings and he would say, ‘If I had my laptop, I could have continued working during this time.’

“Once I would reach home at the end of the day, my wife would always ask me how the day was spent with him and we would find it comforting to know that he was enjoying his stay in Ghana. Being in his company inspired me to become more like him in the way he was serving as a waqfe-zindagi [life devotee]. He was a true role model for us all.

“My wife, Naila Sahiba, with a heavy heart, summarised the days since his demise with the following: When we heard that you’re gone Continued on next page >>

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Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM its launch in November 2018. The stronger relationships between the Jamaat members and Khilafat, as a result, are a testament to the man, and his humble efforts have surely affected the lives of many.

“This is the type of legacy that Taalay leaves behind – one that inspires us to truly make the most of the time we have.

“A face I will miss seeing, and a voice I will miss hearing – a dear friend who I’ll miss greatly.”

<< Continued from previous page

The world cried, we mourned But you were true in your mission You were in total submission We raised our hands in grief And believe that you are now in peace A true life devotee The epitome of humility Chosen by the Creator to die as a martyr But will live on in History His name is Syed Taalay Ahmad An exemplary waqf-e-zindagi.”

Syed Amer Safir, a close friend and chief editor of The Review of Religions, said: “Syed Taalay Ahmad is someone I knew for a long time, both from work but also in a personal capacity – he was like a brother to me. I had developed a very close connection with him and therefore, his loss was something that I keenly felt and was impacted by immensely.

“Whilst I was saddened so deeply like the whole Jamaat, I also felt a sense of great pride. The initial reaction was, of course, of shock. As I kept thinking about Taalay, I also realised how his name will always be remembered and he has become an important part of history.

“What I remember about Taalay is someone who always wanted to achieve the best for the Jamaat and left no stone unturned to do this. He had a singular vision in his entire outlook of life. Whether it related to a trivial football match or an important Jamaat project, he never settled for mediocrity; he always wanted only, and only, the best.

“This might seem like something common to everyone, to want to achieve the best, but most people don’t follow up practically on this wish. Taalay had the desire, commitment, discipline and love of

Allah and Khilafat to want to follow through with this desire.

“I was able to personally witness this on many occasions and I was and am truly inspired by this. Taalay worked for The Review of Religions for a number of years as the head of an important department where he helped categorise and index the last 100 years of editions in topics, and he always kept this connection because of his time with us. He always showed immense respect and never lost touch.

“His qualities are truly inspiring and he was more to me than a friend; he was someone with whom I could discuss personal matters and share jokes at the same time and have important discussions.

He would often call me after documentaries and speak to me about it, all because of that old connection we had.

“I will never forget Taalay because of our personal connection, but mostly because he left a great example of how to live the life of a waqf (life devotee).”

Dr Hammad Khan, a friend and family member, said: “I knew Taalay from a young age. He was a gentle and passionate young man who was always clearly destined for great things. He had a passion and determination about him that belied his youth.

“Taalay was extremely active within the Jamaat even prior to his waqf (life devotion) and expressed his love for the Jamaat and Khilafat through his work.

“I was most closely involved with him through his participation in Voice of Islam’s live discussion programme, Weekend World – he was a regular contributor and had a very relaxed and easy-going style. He had a very natural ability to express an Islamic viewpoint in a clear and articulate manner.

He was knowledgeable and well-read and

had the remarkable capacity to weave facts and quotes into his opinions.

“He was always smiling, friendly, open and big-hearted. Generous with praise and compliments, whilst humble in receiving the same. He had a cheeky sense of humour and was always ready to take a joke at his own expense.

“Taalay was a beautiful example of a dedicated and passionate servant of Jamaate-Ahmadiyya and stands as a beautiful model for many of us to emulate.”

Mubariz Ahmedi, a friend and colleague from MTA International, said: “‘Mubariz?’, he would say with his distinctive Hartlepudlian accent as he walked towards my desk in the MTA Production office. I knew it was him coming to formally make a request, which would be for such a minor task, such as copying a file to a different location. He didn’t need to make a formal request, but that’s how Taalay was. The utmost respect for individuals – young and old – and the utmost respect for Jamaat work – small or large.

“The relentless hard worker who would pour through the MTA archives for days to locate the right footage for his documentary; the footballer who would command from the back and a friend who simply wanted to have a chat – these are just some of the countless qualities which Syed Taalay Ahmad possessed.

“The pioneer of This Week With Huzoor, Taalay had a vision of connecting more and more people with Khilafat and he ultimately created the most popular programme on MTA, second to the Friday Sermon. Seeing our beloved Huzooraa in a more relaxed setting, answering the questions that many Ahmadis hold in their hearts and the insightful responses from their Khalifa have resonated with hundreds of thousands since

Rana Ataur Rehman, a close friend and colleague at MTA International, said: “Although there are many incidents one can narrate in order to celebrate the wonderful character of Taalay as a friend and a person in general, one incident that really left a mark on my heart was, in fact, the last professional engagement I had with him as an MTA worker.

“Syed Taalay Sahib was an excellent professional and would not leave any stone unturned in producing the best quality work. On some occasions, he would send me translations of the Friday Sermon to ensure they were correctly proofread before being aired on MTA News that day, and I would do my best to provide him with an accurate assessment of the translation before me. Eventually, Taalay actually went on to seek approval for me to proofread the subtitling of one of the finest documentaries produced by MTA, Brutality and Injustice: Two Trials in a Time, which was directed

by Taalay himself. This project was very personal to Taalay and I could sense that he had put his life and soul into making this the best piece of work he possibly could. Seeing this passion, I also buckled up to ensure that I did not let him down with any mistakes or let-ups whilst proofreading the translation of the documentary. I prayed and did my best to cooperate with Taalay accordingly.

“The documentary was aired and it turned out to be a major success. The content itself was superb considering all the archival material from Rabwah and the late 20th-21st-century videos from MTA. The genuine emotions in the interviews and style of narration were pinpoint in order to recapture the mood of the time that was being described.

“Taalay had done a brilliant job overall with the directing and editing. To me, Taalay was a hidden gem that was yet to be unleashed to its full potential as a director and producer, and this documentary was a great example of this. A small part of me was feeling a sense of satisfaction from inside that I helped my friend on something so dear to him, even though the contribution was nowhere near as immense as the standard of his creativity.

“A few weeks later, Taalay was insisting on taking me out for lunch out of the blue – he had been trying to get ahold of me for a month or so. I knew it was his way of showing his appreciation for my help in this project and other translations, but I really did not feel it was necessary for him to do so.

“I did my best to deflect his proposition on treating me, but those who know Taalay well would also know that he would not give up on something that he intended on doing.

Eventually, we did go to the local Pizza Hut buffet during our lunch break to enable ‘Rishi Sunak to cover half the cost’, as Taalay would put it (referring to the ‘Eat Out to

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AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021 Help Out’ scheme). He had a great sense of humour, no doubt.

“The thing that touched me the most about this entire episode was the fact that I realised Taalay would not give up in order to show his sincere appreciation towards the people who had done anything for him.

Unfortunately, this turned out to be the last time that we sat together to have a meal as friends, as England once again embraced a national lockdown during the winter.”

Safeer Uddin Qamar, a friend and colleague from MTA International, said: “Taalay was one of the most humble, pious and devoted humans I knew in MTA International. One unique personality of his was that before speaking, he would always go quiet and think before he spoke, or he would go quiet when he thought nothing useful needed to be said.

“His talent shone in all his work, yet he remained humble about his efforts and hard work. He worked in silence to produce stunning and captivating documentaries which have touched the hearts of millions of viewers. Taalay helped me and many of my colleagues in our projects and always had a unique talent in storytelling and coming up with ideas.

“His leadership and devotion also carried over in his sportsmanship – I observed this while playing football with him in the Fazle-Umar football team. He always showed passion and dedication to bring the team’s spirits high.

“My most recent memory of Taalay was when I asked him for some help on very short notice for my Jalsa documentary.

Taalay, to my surprise, put his things on the table and immediately started to go through my Jalsa project and spent a good 4-5 hours editing my documentary, even skipping lunch. At the end of the edit he had made – although it wasn’t entirely how I wanted it – to my surprise, once again, without a script or any notes, he had come up with a story that I just couldn’t imagine. It was like he had turned all of my work upside down and brought a whole new angle to it and I was left in shock as to how amazingly he put this together.

“He stood out from everyone in MTA when it came to producing stories and documentaries that we all used to go to him for ideas and help.

“I hope and pray that Allah grants him the highest place in Paradise and that his family are able to overcome this tragic loss.

Amin.”

Mansoor Clarke, a colleague at the Central Press & Media office, said: “Taalay was no ordinary man. Yes, he was a magical storyteller, a phenomenally dedicated worker and an exemplary waqf-ezindagi, but he was also an immensely kind, sincere and caring human being.

“I remember after a particularly long day of filming in Central London, Taalay and I were heading back to Fazl Mosque. As we were walking back from the train station, Taalay suddenly stopped and looked almost panicked. I asked him what was wrong, and he said, ‘I completely forgot! He’s going to be so upset with me!’

“For a moment I shared his panic thinking that perhaps we had forgotten an essential piece of footage or had left out a crucial interview in the project, so I turned

to him and asked what he meant, to which he replied, ‘I promised Talal (Taalay’s son) that I would bring him back a toy today because I’ve been spending a lot of time away at work, but if I go back home now empty-handed, he’ll be so upset!’

“It was dark and we were round the corner from the mosque, tired and weary from traipsing around all day. Any ordinary person would have shrugged it off, gone home and explained the situation to his son.

But Taalay was no ordinary man. He walked back to the high street, lugging his heavy camera bag with him and went off in search of the toy he was going to give his little boy.

“After a lengthy search, we came to the realisation that the only shop still open was the supermarket, Tesco. We went in and I simply stood and watched in admiration as this loving father paced up and down the aisles comparing dozens of toys assessing which one would make Talal happiest.

“Taalay was frustrated, not because it was late at night and he wanted to go home and lay his heavy camera bag down, but because, the way he saw it, none of the toys or magazines were good enough for his beautiful baby boy. After at least 20 minutes, Taalay picked out a children’s magazine and a couple of toys and said that these would have to do for now and that he would make it up to Talal by getting him something the next day as well.

“You see, Taalay was a simple man – frugal, stoic and collected – but when he loved something, people around him could see the glint in his eye, that passion and zeal he reserved for those that he loved most.

But this kindness, love and care were not only reserved for his biggest love – Khilafat, or indeed even for his own family – rather, it was something he showed in his character to everyone he met.

“He cared immensely about his work, but he also cared about the people as well.

Even now, I cannot believe he is gone. As the person who drove Taalay to the airport for his final trip, I was the last person from the

Jamaat to see him in the UK – an honour that I will cherish forever.

“The whole way, we laughed and joked about life and the obstacles we had both overcome. He spoke about how honoured and privileged he felt to be waqf and how his only goal was to do justice by the task given to him by Khalifatul Masih – a goal he no doubt achieved.

“As I dropped him off at Terminal 2 and loaded up his bags onto the trolley, we laughed one last time, hugged and said our goodbyes. ‘I’ll see you soon’, he said in his happy Hartlepudlian accent, and off he went through the automatic doors.

“Fi amanillah (Be you in the protection of Allah) Taalay! You leave behind a global family who will forever remember your smile, your laugh, your kindness and your passion. Whilst I am left ridden with grief that you are gone, I am immensely proud that I knew such an extraordinary human being, and take comfort in the knowledge that you now sit in the protection and shade of Our Lord.”

Safwan Choudhry, a friend and colleague of Taalay from Canada, said: “The news of the passing of Syed Taalay Ahmad Shaheed is a source of great sorrow and joy. Joy, because when martyrdom is bestowed by Allah, it is in fact glad tidings of eternal life. Indeed, it is news of great significance to join the rank of a shaheed.

For those left behind, there is also immense sorrow. A great-great-grandson of the Promised Messiahas, who was a life-devotee of the highest order has been elevated to the rank of shaheed.

“They say that the seeds on good soil, under any condition, produce the finest crop. Syed Taalay Ahmad Shaheed came from good soil. He became a visionary leader at a tender age – a leader who once said he would die for Khilafat, even as he lived every minute for Khilafat. His life validates that through prayers, and dedication, and willingness to open our hearts to Allah, we

can reap a bountiful harvest.

“Many have remarked about his witty sense of humour – like a priceless gift, his laugh just made you feel better. Especially during the tough projects, when the path ahead looked crooked, when obstacles abounded and when others entertained doubts, Syed Taalay Ahmad, like a ray of sunshine, would refuel the air with a crafty joke.

“200 to 300 years from now, he would say, people would reflect, and they would ask the question, ‘What did you do?’ Hearing the firmness of his conviction, it would be a stark reminder that it falls upon each one of us to be ready to offer any sacrifice for guarding the institution of Khilafat-eAhmadiyya.

“Syed Taalay Ahmad was a person of noble qualities and a pure heart. His greatgreat-grandparents, great-grandparents, grandparents and parents planted the seeds in that good soil of his. At a tender age, he harvested all the crops that he could, for the Almighty has now called Syed Taalay Ahmad home, to give his dedicated, faithful servant rest. It now falls on us to continue the work, so that an entire generation of Ahmadi Muslim youth may captivate audiences from around the world through storytelling. That’s how we will remember him; that’s what he would hope for.

“May Allah grant mercy and elevate his spiritual status in Heaven!”

Sabahuddin Ahmedi, a colleague and friend at the Press and Media office, said: “Taalay was a gentle, kind-hearted and jolly individual. I had the opportunity to work with him on a few projects. I noticed that he never wasted time on other things.

He would do his work quietly and efficiently and wouldn’t stop until the job was complete.

I think this is such an amazing quality and something I’ll never forget about him. His passion for work was evident.”

Continued on next page >>

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Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM UK, said: “In Talaay’s second term as secretary for sehat-e-jismani (health and fitness) of Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyyat UK, at the start of the Khuddam year, he invited all team members to his house for a meeting and ordered pizza for everyone. It was a really relaxed and fun time, but when he got slightly serious – the serious Talaay wasn’t even him talking loudly – it was him saying, ‘Listen, boys, in all seriousness …’ and we were all ears immediately.

“Anyway, he wanted to get his message across about the real objective of the pizza meeting. He beautifully narrated the story of the sacrifice of Prophet Abrahamas and of his son, Prophet Ishmaelas. He linked this to us as a team and told us that when we are given instructions by him, then we are not working for him; rather, the sole purpose of all of the activities we organised as a team was to get everyone, including ourselves, closer to Allah the Almighty and Khilafat.

We all grasped this message immediately.

“On a more personal note, when my maternal grandfather passed away, my mother and sister travelled away to the US. It was my father and me in the house for two to three weeks. Talaay found out and kindly sent us food for a couple of days. But what was even more astonishing, which lifted my whole mood, was when he shared his whole pot of honey with my family which was blessed by Huzooraa. He didn’t just do this on one occasion, but he did this several times.”

<< Continued from previous page

Ameer Cannen Naraynen, a khadim whom Syed Taalay Ahmad interviewed for MTA News, said: “I remember, it was the laying of the foundation brick for the new Southall mosque in the UK, Dar-us-Salaam, on 8 October 2017. It was a widely covered event as beloved Huzooraa was attending.

“MTA covered the event with great quality, and this was where I met Taalay Sahib for the first time. He was passionately pacing around the new mosque grounds trying to line up khuddam and ansar for interviews on the new mosque and the experience of the day.

“As I was doing security duty outside the perimeter of the new mosque with my fellow local Hounslow South khuddam brothers, I had a clear view of Taalay Sahib and his cameraman pacing back and forth keeping organised and fulfilling their duties.

“He came to a group of us during the afternoon and asked if any of us would be willing to do an MTA interview with him.

I happily agreed as I was beyond words and happy with the experience of the day and wanted to get that emotion across in interview form.

“Before the interview, Taalay Sahib kindly enquired into my background as he noticed something different about me.

I told him I was born here in the UK but had a family background of being Mauritian and also that I joined the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in 2011. On this, Taalay

Sahib enquired deeper into my story and background, and I was more than happy to relate everything to him. Straight away, I felt with him a sense of calmness, openness and friendship and I didn’t even know anything about him.

“After relating everything to him, Taalay Sahib, with zeal and passion, said this interview had now changed! He wanted to expand the interview he was going to do and ask questions about my journey to the community, combined with questions on the experience of the day.

“Suffice to say, the interview alhamdulillah went well, despite being outside in windy conditions, and Taalay Sahib expressed his delight in being able to talk to me and record all the necessary footage he could.

“I was more than thankful for this and expressed my sincere gratitude to Taalay Sahib for the opportunity and his time for listening so attentively to me. He was so passionate about his work. He seemed to always think about what more he could do to improve and always went above and beyond.

“He had complete trust in the people he worked with and completely trusted in Allah the Almighty with his life and devotion to Khilafat.

“May Allah Almighty bless him with Paradise and grant him peace in the Hereafter. Amin.”

Umar Bhatti, who worked closely with Taalay Ahmad in Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya

Abdullah Dibba, a friend and colleague from the USA, said: “In the US, I have talked to quite a number of people about the famous MTA documentary, Four Days Without a Shepherd and how it beautifully captured those challenging days for the global Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, and how, through Khilafat, Allah once again restored security and peace to the believers as He promises in the Holy Quran.

“But I would barely mention it without talking about how I personally knew Talaay Ahmad Sahib, the man who made the documentary. I texted Talaay Sahib and shared positive feedback from different people. But Talaay Sahib’s responses would always be short and he would just request prayers. I didn’t understand why.

“When I met him in the UK later that year, I thought it was an opportunity for me to talk to him about the great job he did. But I realised that Talaay Sahib didn’t want to have that conversation. He was shy to talk about himself. He kept changing the topic to talk about football and how he couldn’t wait for us to play together before I returned to the US. “Now I look back and realise how humble Talaay Sahib was about such a good job he did, and how he didn’t want to be praised, nor did he want to leave any room for himself to be overly proud of his work.

“As I worked with him over time, I understood more, that he always told himself that he could have done much better.

“On the occasion of the Jalsa Salana UK 2018 inspection, Taalay Ahmad Sahib wanted me to present live on MTA for a few seconds to say a few words. I happened to be busy when he needed me to start the setup. But he patiently waited for at least 45

minutes, without bothering me or rushing me.

“Eventually, when I was available, we walked together to the area he needed me to be in. We started the rehearsals and went through everything, now waiting to get the cue from MTA to tell us when we would be live.

“A few minutes before we went live, some technical issues arose due to which we were told that the segment may be cancelled. I remember telling Taalay Sahib that it was probably better to just forget about it and I wouldn’t mind. Taalay Sahib would simply not give up. He kept hiking back and forth between MTA and my location, trying hard to ensure that everything worked out. At the very last moment, he came back running towards me, immediately picked up his camera and told me that we were set to start.

He made it back just in time.

“My presentation was for less than a minute, but I was amazed at how much effort Taalay Sahib put into it. His dedication and drive to keep trying were very inspiring for me.

“I tried to tell him how I felt, but he didn’t want to be praised. He immediately changed the topic to thank me for my patience and he moved onto his next duty.”

Mirza Usama Bashir Ahmad, a family member from the UK, said: “I will always remember Taalay bhai as that humble, friendly and approachable person whose love for Khilafat, the Jamaat and his work was ever-present.

“Wherever a Jamaat event would be taking place, I would always see him extremely busy in the midst of his work, yet constantly with a radiant smile on his face. The various documentaries and projects he had worked on are an example of the dedication with which he fulfilled his life devotion – truly an example for the generations of waqifeen to come.

“Several years ago, my mother fell ill and when I received the news, I was attending an ijtema at Baitul Futuh Mosque with my brother. With no immediate way home, it occurred to me at the time that Taalay bhai’s office was in Baitul Futuh.

“To this day, I remember that after explaining the situation to him, he proceeded, with a look of great concern and worry, to immediately pack his things up and take me and my brother home which was a considerable distance away. This act of kindness is something that I will be forever grateful for.

“Taalay bhai was truly an excellent example of a loyal servant of Khilafat and the Promised Messiahas, whose dedication to his mission was faultless. An excellent example that has been penned into the history books and a legacy which generations of waqifeen to come will seek to emulate.”

Atif Rashid, a colleague, said: I had the brief opportunity to work with Taalay this year. He took such care in his filming and loved his work and quietly got on with his tasks. He tried to make every shot perfect. He would redo shots again and again until it was up to his standard.

The footage he filmed was used in a national TV report which I had the privilege to make and was broadcast by a major news outlet. He was so happy that his work was used and grateful that he was serving the Jamaat. He also very nicely gave me some

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AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021 feedback about editing and although I did not do justice to his filming in my editing, he congratulated me and was very kind in his feedback.

Without his filming, which was of a very high standard, I would not have been able to make the report which reached many millions of people.

He had no idea where the footage would go but was still determined to get every shot as good as possible. From the brief moments I had with him, Taalay came across as very hard working, diligent and passionate. It felt like you could really rely on him for good camerawork. I felt he was one of those meek, unassuming and loyal kinds of people who do their work without pretension or desire of credit from people. His motivation was just service and doing his duty. It was extremely shocking and saddening to hear of his demise just a few weeks after I had worked with him. It was unimaginable and such a great loss.

Salman Abassi, a colleague from MTA International, said: “Taalay always brought a smile to your face. He would whisper salaam quietly or nod like he was in a different world altogether. Walking through the MTA corridors, holding his camera bag, you knew a special documentary would soon be coming to our screens. I always asked what he was working on and he would give me a small glimpse of it and I used to always ask how he created these memorable documentaries. I always wanted to learn storytelling from him. The emotions he brought from his work were unparalleled.

“I was unfortunate to not have had the opportunity to work on an MTA project with him, but our friendship grew through football. As we worked in MTA, every Friday, we got the opportunity to play against The Review of Religions’ football team. The day before, Taalay would come to me and tell me what tactics we should use or who should play in what formation. He was so passionate and enthusiastic, he used to get a pen and paper and start writing people’s names down and form a squad of players. He knew everyone’s attributes and qualities and I was so amazed at how much he knew about each person. He used to have an account of how each person played the week before or if he had a slight knock (injury) and so his position should change.

“But it should be mentioned here that every individual he spoke about, he spoke about dearly, positively and how each person could become a better player.

“To keep it short and precise, without any exaggeration, Syed Taalay Sahib was a sincere, loyal and devout follower of Khilafat. What struck me most about him was the fact that he did not attend Jamia Ahmadiyya; he was not provided with the refined training that Jamia students are provided in an intense seven-year period where the essence of waqf (life devotion) is taught to each individual attending, yet the quality of Taalay’s sincerity to his waqf was of the purest and highest calibre.”

Usman Shahzad Butt, a friend and colleague, said: “When the waqf-e-arzi scheme started in Jamia, the first jamaat I was assigned to was Hartlepool. It is there where I met Taalay for the first time.

“During our stay, Talaay, along with his

brother, Adil, would come to the mosque every day. We would enjoy each other’s company, play sports and open our fasts together (as it was Ramadan). In fact, it was Talaay and Adil who introduced me to Chicken Parmo (Chicken parmigiana) – a tasty and unique dish famous in Hartlepool.

Both brothers and their family really made

us feel welcome and lifelong friendships were formed.

“When he moved to London, I would often see him every Friday night for a game of football. He was extremely passionate and left everything on the pitch. One quality of Taalay that I really admired was that he would never hold any grudges and would always make it a point to resolve and apologise for any issues that may have occurred during the match.

“From my interactions with him, I also noticed he would never shy away from having difficult conversations, as he was a very simple and straightforward individual.

He had an infectious smile and was ever so humble.”

Abdul Haleem, a colleague from MTA International, said: “I only knew Taalay for a few years after joining MTA. What I noticed instantly is that whenever he met anyone, he always had a smile on his face. He was a very joyful person whenever we shared a conversation.

When having a conversation with someone

else near me, there were bound to be some jokes involved from him.

“I noticed that he would always try to hide his good deeds. Once, he came to our office and someone offered him some biscuits, which he respectfully declined, but the person was persistent in asking him.

After a few more times of turning him down,

Taalay then quietly said that he was fasting so that the person would stop insisting. I heard him because I was sitting quite close to him, otherwise, he made sure to tell the person he was fasting in a low voice. This was his level of piety and humility.

“He was very passionate about sports.

In our conversations, often football would come up and Talaay would tell me and my friends how to improve our game and what tactics we should be applying for the Fazl-eUmar football team.

“He was a kind, humble, hardworking and pious soul and will be missed a lot.”

Nooruddin Jahangeer, a colleague, said: “One thing about Taalay which stands out to me ever since I got to know him was his tireless efforts in everything he did. If he was occupied in his work, he would be deeply delved into it and focused on the task at hand. If his mind was on sports, he would always be thinking about how best to involve everyone and to allow us all to enjoy participating. He brought a spirit of healthy

competitiveness which would push us to achieve more.

“In short, I always saw him invest himself entirely in whatever he was doing so that it could be carried out in the best manner possible.”

Rana Qasid Rahman, who worked closely with Syed Taalay Ahmad in Atfalul-Ahmadiyya UK, said: “Unlike some of the other memories that Taalay’s family and closest friends will express, to all of whom I extend my most sincere condolences, I never realised that my encounters and moments with Taalay would become memories that I would cherish.

“Taalay was always someone who I could get ahold of to ask him about anything and everything. I didn’t ask him much; however, I remember speaking to him as a young 15-year-old entrusted with Jamaat responsibilities that felt extremely overwhelming and so I simply asked him for advice: ‘How do I balance my education and these new responsibilities, as I simply cannot manage them together?’ I enquired.

Taalay, who always had a way with words and putting people at ease, asked me one question in response. This one question will remain my most powerful memory of Taalay.

“He said to me, in a calm yet encouraging manner, ‘Has God ever failed you?’ to which I replied, ‘No, but I don’t want to fail my responsibilities to Him.’ “Then Taalay said, ‘So keep your head up and tackle everything from one Namaz (prayer) to the other Namaz. If you don’t have the strength to continue and want to stop, submit to God. If you can muster the courage to bow to him and then stand again, then nothing in this world will stop you from completing your responsibilities to God because He is the One giving you the power to continue.’

“Back then, these words were simply a short dose of motivation and inspiration; however, without knowing, Taalay’s words have allowed me to push beyond boundaries that were set by myself and others.

“A day after I heard of the sad news of Taalay’s passing, without realising, I was standing in the same mosque and in the exact same spot where I took Taalay’s advice and tested whether I could still continue by submitting in prayer. At that moment, in prayer, I had a sudden rush of emotions and remembered all of our discussions, debates and his guidance.

“Now, sitting at the end of my table typing up some of the memories of Taalay that I can share, I offer my salaam to him and will always be grateful for that message I never realised until today was so meaningful and impactful for my life.

“Taalay was the embodiment of a man who lived by his words; a man who honoured his own guidance and as a man who loved his Creator more than anything in this world. I know this because he said to me during a conversation, ‘If, one day, my legs give in while serving the Jamaat, don’t pick me up! I’m finally resting because I’ve achieved my goal.’”

Asef Hadi, a colleague from MTA International, said: “Growing up, I’ve heard countless Continued on next page >>

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Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM << Continued from previous page

narratives of martyrs in our Jamaat from beloved Huzoor, but I’ve never had the opportunity to spend time with and interact with any of those blessed souls before their demise. So naturally, I would always wonder what the personality of those martyrs may have been like when they were alive. What was special about them? These questions were always unanswered for me until I heard the news about Taalay.

“Suddenly, all my questions and thoughts were answered at once. Looking back now, Taalay’s character and personality perfectly fits the narratives we hear about martyrs. I can’t claim to have been one of his closest friends, but if you observed him closely, there was something about him I was always perplexed by. His dedication to his work always made him aloof to the world. At times, you would see him coming to MTA, shoes hardly on properly, rushing to meet his next deadline. It’s like he had no care in the world except for his service to the Jamaat. Despite his apparent detachment from the world, he was one of the most informed people I knew. It was as if he was always buzzing with new ideas and concepts.

“Whenever I think of him now, I think of his iconic high-pitched laughter. He was always smiling or cracking some sarcastic joke. Yet, when it came to his Jamaat work, he was more dedicated than most.

“Taalay managed to achieve more for MTA International in the last 7-8 years than I could ever imagine achieving in a lifetime! He was the rock of MTA News.

He transformed the News department into a vibrant and lively Jamaat news

channel. His documentaries still have the largest viewing figures on MTA Online.

He understood the MTA audience better than anyone I know. Whilst I would try to cater for an external and internal audience with my documentaries and failed to grab the attention of either group, Taalay would solely focus on the Ahmadi audience and would always win their hearts.

“I guess his biggest legacy after his martyrdom is that he was the sole founder of This Week With Huzoor. Many might not know this, but in the beginning, like with all worthwhile ideas and projects, he struggled greatly to get the show on its feet.

I, like many others in MTA, was sceptical of its success due to early production issues.

But fast forward to the pandemic, look at the show now! This Week With Huzoor has been the life and soul of millions of Ahmadi Muslims around the world. It is one of the most successful shows in MTA and it was all down to the services rendered by Taalay.

God blessed him greatly.

“Taalay was ever willing to help and suggest ways to improve someone else’s work. Taalay and I always had mutual respect for each other’s work. Being somewhat senior to him in age and timeserved, he would always praise my work, way more than I ever deserved. Whenever he wished to see any projects I was working on, with the intention of seeing how I worked, I would happily show him my timeline. And whilst he may have thought he may learn something new by observing my editing or filming styles, I was secretly always learning from his feedback and observations. You could rely on him to give honest constructive feedback.

“Every time Taalay would release a

new documentary, I would always be awestruck with his ability as a storyteller.

His production skills in terms of camera work and editing weren’t always the best, but recently I was shocked at how great it had improved, almost overnight.

“To summarise, I finally understand what type of personalities Allah chooses as a martyr. I finally understand the verse in the Holy Quran that states that martyrs will never die but will always remain alive.”

Zaafir Malik, a colleague, said: “It is very hard to capture even a glimpse of Taalay Sahib’s qualities in a few lines. I am fortunate to have known him both in a work capacity and personally as well. As anyone who knows him will tell you, he was extremely dedicated and passionate about his faith, his beliefs and his work. This is plainly evident from the legacy he leaves behind.

“Away from the work-life, he was extremely passionate about football. We would spend hours discussing, arguing, laughing about the latest football transfers in the Premier League or which team would go on to win the league. I had the pleasure of sharing the same football pitch with him.

His passion and dedication were the same on and off the pitch.

“The thing I remember most about him was his infectious smile and the jolly aura around him. If someone was down about anything, I can guarantee that a few minutes with Taalay would make them forget all their worries as he would leave you in hysterics.

“He never had a bad word to say about anyone. Even in sports, if someone criticised his performance, I saw that he would never react to it and was always ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of the team.

“Indeed, he was a true team player, a true friend. He has departed, but will not be forgotten. We are content with the will of God.” Mudabbir Ahmad Din, a colleague from MTA International, said: “Taalay was a special individual with many praiseworthy attributes. I would like to mention only two here: “The first is his humility. As we know, Taalay was a very skilled and accomplished documentarian. Enquire from anyone in this field and they will tell you the amount of time and effort required to produce a documentary – the mental capacity and intellect to form a storyboard, the patience and persistence behind a camera and the countless hours glued to a screen.

“When I would be assigned a project or documentary, I would, at times, approach Taalay for his advice and give examples of his work. It is no exaggeration that he would never take any credit for his effort and hard work. It was always attributed to the guidance of Khalifatul Masih.

“The second unique quality I would like to mention is that he would never hold a grudge. Apart from working in MTA together, we would also play football on a weekly basis. There is no hiding the fact that we both were very passionate about the sport. To say we were football fanatics would be an understatement. Even if the game was highly competitive and things got heated up, never had it been that Taalay ever held a grudge or would stay upset with me. The next day, we would be joking and laughing about the game in the MTA corridors and would already be looking forward to the following week.”

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AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021

100 Years Ago...

Daily diary of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II: Discussions in Kashmir Al Fazl, 8 September 1921

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih in Kashmir In the early hours of 22 August [1921], Huzoor[ra] felt abdominal pain, but by the grace of Allah, he got well by eight o’clock in the morning. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] then went for an excursion and returned at around Maghrib prayer. The Ahmadi friends of Asnoor and Reshnagri jointly presented food provisions to Huzoor[ra] as a feast and he accepted them.

On 23 August [1921], Huzoor[ra] remained in good health by the grace of God Almighty. The honourable mother of Mian Nasir Ahmad Sahib[ra] did not feel well. After Asr prayer, a person took bai‘at at the blessed hand of Huzoor[ra]. Then, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] discussed various topics for some time. Huzoor[ra] said that the stimulators of Non-cooperation and Swadeshi movements were making loud speeches these days to burn foreign clothes.

What would be the benefit of all this? If these people sent the clothes to Smyrna instead of burning them, it would be very apt and useful.

On 24 August [1921], Huzoor’s[ra] health was good by the grace of Allah the Almighty, but a third family member had a high fever.

After Asr prayer, Huzoor[ra] had a discussion with a few Ahmadi friends here. Someone told Huzoor[ra] that there

were huge obstacles in giving up phiran [a long cloak or robe worn by the people of Kashmir]. The first reason was that the people there were very poor. Secondly, it was completely against customs [to abandon it]. Huzoor[ra] explained that as compared to phiran, less cloth is used to make purdah daar [garments that fully cover the body] trousers and kurtas [shirts]. Even if it cost a little more, trousers should be prepared for women by saving money from household expenses.

Then Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] said that there were many opportunities and means of progress for the people of Kashmir but the people did not make use of them.

Huzoor[ra] gave the audience many valuable and useful pieces of advice.

On 25 August [1921], Huzoor[ra] was well all day, but after sunset, he experienced a slight fever. At eight o’clock in the morning, Huzoor[ra] went for a walk for two to three hours. After Asr prayer, Huzoor[ra] discussed various subjects for an hour. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] said that there were different tribes in the time of the Holy Prophetsa. If the elders of a tribe converted to Islam, the whole tribe would accept Islam. The same is true in West Africa. The tribal system is prevalent over there as well. Hence, a tribe sent a few of its educated representatives [to the missionary

of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat] and when they thoughtfully accepted Ahmadiyyat, everyone else joined them too. This is not the case in India. Sometimes, it has been observed that the husband is Ahmadi but the wife is not.

Then Huzoor[ra] said that as science progressed, so did the exceptions and the [old] laws are being broken. However, as for the prophets, each one of the opponents presents his own standard of authenticity.

Thereupon, Maulana Hafiz Roshan Ali Sahib[ra] narrated an incident in which a Shia professor in Hyderabad said, “Leave aside the prophets of the past. In this day and age, I would only consider that person to be a prophet who can travel thousands of miles in minutes without a train or a motor and control the electricity without the help of existing scientific instruments, etc.”

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] then said that whenever this country was destined to be reformed, it would be through the [people of] villages. In Punjab, it has been observed that the educated people living in the cities are usually rural. For example, 80% of lawyers in Lahore are from rural areas and that is why the educated people of Punjab do not look down on the [people of] villages. But here in Kashmir, almost all the educated people are from the cities and the people in the villages are not educated.

Therefore, the people of the cities consider them inferior.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] said that cities that consider themselves superior to the surrounding cities are deprived of accepting the truth. The same is true of Delhi and Lucknow in this age. Moving the discussion forward, Huzoor[ra] said that if all the people of Kashmir converted to Ahmadiyyat, then the adjoining areas – Ladakh, Tibet, etc. – would soon accept Ahmadiyyat by the grace of Allah the Almighty because these people were civilised, kind-hearted and hospitable, and not savages.

Thus far, about 70 to 80 friends have joined the Ahmadiyya Jamaat at the blessed hand of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih, and by the grace of God Almighty, people continue to enter the Jamaat. May Allah help the entire region to accept Ahmadiyyat, the true Islam.

Amin!

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih’s mail was received eight to 10 days late. Therefore, the friends were not responded to promptly.

Now, everyone will be sent a reply, inshaAllah, so friends should stay informed.

Humbly yours, Syed Mahmood, [Asnoor].

(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu in the 8 September 1921 issue of Al Fazl)

“

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Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM

If someone is in doubt because

some prayers are not accepted and are

apparently ineffectual, I would say that

the same is also true of medicines. Have

100 Years Ago...

Ah Spe

medicines closed the door of death, or is it impossible for them to fail in their purpose? And yet can anyone deny their effect? It is true that Predestination comprehends everything, but it has neither rendered the sciences useless nor has it shown the means to be unreliable. If you reflect deeply enough, you will see that the physical and spiritual means are not outside the sphere of Predestination. For instance, if a sick person’s destiny is favourable, all the means for the proper remedy become available and his physical condition happens to be such that it is ready to derive full benefit from the remedy, and the medicine also finds its mark accurately. The same principle applies to prayer. All the means and conditions for the acceptance of a prayer only become available when God wills to accept it. God Almighty has bound both the physical and spiritual orders in the same chain of cause and effect.

(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Blessings of Prayer, pp. 18-19)

Ahmadis in Paraguay restore children’s park, bringing joy and excitement for locals Mishaal Baten Paraguay Correspondent

Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Paraguay adopted a park in Villa Hayes, a town which is about 30 km from the capital.

The Jamaat members came out for waqar-e-amal along with the neighbours. It was a sweltering hot day, 39 degrees celsius, but that did not stop any of the volunteers from working tirelessly to restore the park.

Benches and swings were repaired and painted. Goalposts were made from wood and installed in the field so the local children could play football.

We also installed a sign at the entrance of the park with the hadith of Prophet

Muhammadsa, “None of you is a true believer until they want for their brother what they want for themselves”, as well as the Jamaat logo and contact information.

Along with the repairs, we planted mango and avocado trees around the football field to create shade.

Later in the evening, a small football tournament was held for children as an inauguration of the park. Some children were so excited that about four hours before, they came and sat in the park, waiting for it to begin. Three teams participated and the players of the winning team were given jerseys from the Jamaat as a prize.

Everyone enjoyed the work and it was a wonderful activity to bring community members together and strengthen friendships. The children’s faces glowed with excitement, and the neighbours were very grateful that the plaza has been given new life, alhamdulillah.

On 26-27 August [1921], a Jalsa of Ahmadis of Kashmir was held in Asnoor under the guidance of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra].

The Ahmadis of Kashmir participated in it and representatives of Ahmadiyya jamaats came from far off places. The total number of participants was around 500.

On 26 [August 1921], Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] delivered two lectures that spanned over four and a half hours. The next day, Huzoor[ra] gave another lecture which lasted for two hours. The details of the Jalsa are as follows: The issues that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] paid special attention to, for the betterment of the people of the Kashmir region, were their excessive swearing, substance abuse and inappropriate clothing.

The people [of Kashmir] have started quitting the said practices and similar bad habits.

The Jalsa took place in the apple orchard of Abdur Rahman Dar Sahib, which is a high, breezy and pleasant place. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, the weather remained clear in the said days [of Jalsa].

On Friday, 26 August 1921, at nine o’clock in the morning, the first session began under the chairmanship of Maulana Hafiz Roshan Ali Sahib[ra]. The [Jalsa] commenced with a recitation of the Holy Quran by Hafiz Syed Mahmoodullah Shah Sahib. Then, Dr Hashmatullah Sahib delighted the audience with a poem of the Promised Messiahas.

Mirza Gul Muhammad Sahib then recited a poem of Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib[ra]. Thereafter, Maulana Hafiz Roshan Ali Sahib[ra] started his speech. The following is a summary [of his speech]: In a hadith, the Holy Prophetsa said that there is a part in the human body if it becomes good [reformed] the whole body becomes good but if it gets bad [corrupt] the whole body gets bad and that is the heart.

Thus, most of one’s attention should be on purity and chastity of heart. As the purpose of sending prophets by Allah the Almighty is the reformation of human beings, the prophets also pay attention to the heart.

Moreover, the revelation that is given to the prophets also descends on the heart, as in the Holy Quran, Allah the Almighty says: ُ َ َۡ ۡ َ ّ َ َ َ َ ۡ َ ٰ ۡ ّ َ ُ ۡ ۡ َ َ ٗ َّ َ ‫الرُ ۡو ُح الۡا ِمی ُن۔ َع ٰلی قل ِبک ل َِتکوۡ َن‬ ‫و ِانہ لتنزِیل ر ِب العل ِمین۔ نزل ب ِہ‬ ۡ ِۡ ‫ِم َن ال ُمن ِذرِیۡ َن‬ [“And verily this is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. The Spirit, Faithful to the Trust, has descended with it, on thy

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AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021

hmadiyya Jalsa in Kashmir: eeches of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II Al Fazl, 5 September 1921

heart, that thou mayest be of the warners.”

(Surah al-Shuara, Ch.26: V.193-195)] Generally, some people are not reformed even if they practice one religion or another.

The reason behind this is that they are not anxious to purify their hearts. Religion has three parts and all three of them are necessary for reformation – namely beliefs, practices and morals. The reformation of beliefs is the most important part because without it there can be no reformation in practices and morals. Actions without beliefs are mere rituals and they are not accepted. The religion of Islam has six beliefs, i.e. belief in the Oneness of God, belief in the angels, belief in the books of Allah, belief in all the prophets, belief in the Day of Judgment and belief in divine decree.

He then briefly explained these beliefs.

Hafiz Sahib was delivering the speech

when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih came.

Therefore, Hafiz Sahib stopped his speech.

Then, the speech of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] started at 10:30 am and ended at 12:30 pm. The number of listeners was around 500. Thereafter, around two hours were spent on the preparation of food and getting ready for Jumuah.

The Friday sermon started at 2:30 pm. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] briefly advised the Jamaat on unity and harmony in accordance with the meaning of the word “Jumuah.” The Asr prayer was combined with the Friday prayer.

Before the proceedings of Jalsa [resumed], Hafiz Sahib, an elderly blind man from Mazgam, a village two miles away from this place, who had been here for two days, got up, shook hands with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] and said in a loud voice, “You are

truthful and your followers are truthful, so consider that I have taken your bai‘at.” Some friends explained to him that he should take bai‘at by saying the words [of bai‘at], but he insisted, “When I have put my hand on the hand of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih and said that he is truthful, then my bai‘at had taken place.”

The second session began at about 3:30 in the evening. Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib[ra] recited the Holy Quran and Mirza Gul Muhammad Sahib recited the poem. After this, the speech of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] started at 3:45 pm and Huzoor[ra] continued to speak on internal disputes of the Jamaat for two and a half hours. In it, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih explained that all the differences began with personal enmities. After the speech, Maulvi Muhammad Abdullah Sahib, a Kashmiri

lawyer, asked permission to present some questions on the issue of prophethood.

After permission was granted, Maulvi Sahib asked three questions which were replied to

by Huzoor[ra]. I will also send this dialogue along with the [transcript of] speeches, insha-Allah.

The next day, on Saturday, the session began at around nine o’clock. Maulana Hafiz Roshan Ali Sahib[ra] recited the Holy Quran.

Mian Nasir Ahmad Sahib[ra] recited a ruku of the Holy Quran and then Mian Mansoor Ahmad Sahib, son of Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib[ra] recited a poem of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II. Then, Neik Muhammad Khan Sahib recited a Persian poem of the Promised Messiahas. Ghulam Rasool Sahib Kashmiri and Ghulam Ahmad Sahib, son of Abdul Rahman Sahib Dar also recited poems.

Hafiz Sahib then gave a short and interesting speech on ghair mubai‘een [those who refused to take bai‘at of the second Khalifa].

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II’s[ra] speech started at 10:15 am and for two hours he drew the attention of the Jamaat towards internal reformation and management. Then, after a silent prayer, the Jalsa successfully came to an end. A few friends took bai‘at after it and four people joined the Ahmadiyya Jamaat.

At around two o’clock, Zuhr and Asr prayers were combined and most of the guests left.

Huzoor[ra] conversed [with the remaining people] for a long time. Before evening, Maulvi Ghulam Rasul Sahib, a resident of Zora village, located near Shopian, took bai‘at of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, Huzoor[ra] remained in good health.

On this occasion, the mention of the passion and sincerity of the Ahmadis of Kashmir will not be less interesting.

Most of the friends had come from far off places and some had travelled several days to participate. Moreover, the courage of the Ahmadis of Asnoor area is also commendable who left no stone unturned in making arrangements for the Jalsa and serving the guests.

May Allah the Almighty grant them all the best of rewards and help them to greatly excel in good deeds. Amin!

Yours humbly, Taqiuddin Ahmad, Asnoor (Translated by Al Hakam from the original in the 5 September 1921 issue of Al Fazl)

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Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM

Ahmadis dispel misconceptions about Islam in South Australia through Quran exhibitions

Atif Ahmed Zahid Regional Missionary, South Australia

In the past few months, the Covid-19 restrictions have eased in South Australia.

As a result, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Adelaide has started a special campaign to spread the peaceful message of Islam in regional towns by holding Quran exhibitions and bookstalls.

In July 2021, a group of seven members of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya visited the town of Millicent, which is around 450km away from Adelaide and the population of this town is around 4700 although the larger area of Millicent is made up of 13 communities with a population of around 12,500.

The members of the Jamaat held a meeting with the mayor of the town, Honourable Des Noll and presented him a copy of the Holy Quran along with some other Jamaat literature.

The mayor was very welcoming and passionate in working together. During the meeting, it was decided that the members of the Jamaat will organise a Quran exhibition in the town at a later date. In mid-July once again the members visited the town to finalise all arrangements including date, venue, etc.

The programme was promoted through various mediums including print and social media. 1000 flyers were distributed among the local residents.

A regional newspaper of the area SE Voice published the interview of the missionary, Atif Ahmad Zahid Sahib, along with the flyer of the exhibition. The newspaper has a readership of around 7,000 and alhamdulillah, it gave a major boost to the campaign.

On 30 August 2021, a day before the

exhibition, a group of ten members of Jamaat Adelaide South travelled to the town of Millicent. This journey started from Masjid Noor after silent prayer.

After five hours of travelling, members reached Millicent. The next morning they got up early to set up the exhibition in the library. At 11am, the exhibition was officially inaugurated by the Mayor of the town, Honourable Des Noll. In the opening remarks, the mayor said: “Our community has been very rewarded this afternoon in working with the Muslim community, in the wattle range council area. We appreciate the support we have been able to give them and welcome them into our community. We are richer for the involvement of our Muslim community.

So thank you very much.”

On the day of the exhibition, the translation of the Holy Quran in 28 different languages along with the variety of books such as Life of Muhammad, The Philosophy of the teachings of Islam, World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace and Islam’s Response to Contemporary Issues, were displayed.

In pamphlets, Muslim for Peace, Muslims for Loyalty, Muhammad in Bible, and Messiah has come were displayed.

Paintings of the verses of the Holy Quran written in Islamic calligraphy were also displayed.

The exhibition attracted a lot of interest from the general public. Around 150 people from different parts of the town came to see the exhibition. They had a look around and were very impressed with all the information that was displayed. Detailed discussions were held with many of them about the peaceful teachings of Islam.

A new feature of calligraphy was introduced in this exhibition. People were

provided with the opportunity to have their names written in Arabic.

Alhamdulillah, it was a very successful experiment and many people admired the art of Islamic calligraphy.

The final session of the exhibition was the presentation and question and session.

At 2 pm, the session started with a recitation from the Holy Quran. A presentation on Islam Ahmadiyyat was presented by Atif Ahmad Zahid Sahib, followed by a question and answer session. Many people asked questions about Islam which were answered in detail.

The topics of these questions included: The status of women in Islam, freedom of religion in Islam, the difference between Islam and Christianity, the current situation of Islamic countries and how Islam can establish peace in the world. Three copies of the Holy Quran and a total of 33 books were distributed at the bookstall.

On the same day, a small group of members of the Jamaat distributed 1164 pamphlets in local streets. As per the tradition of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, refreshments were served throughout the day to the guests.

Below are some comments from the people who visited the exhibition.

Virginia, a local resident said: “Well, I think it is a wonderful initiative.

I wish we had seen something like this years ago and through the years, it is something that should be repeated very often because most of us know very little or anything at all about Islam. And so much negative press is perpetrated in the media. If people don’t read themselves, this is a wonderful way of

learning something of the true meaning of Islam, and I wish that I had learnt about this earlier or read about it earlier.”

Kristine, another local resident expressed her views in the following words: “It has been very informative and the young fellas who have been talking about the displays have been very helpful and giving very clear explanations about each of the different areas. The fact that it encompasses all people, a true interpretation of Islam.

Whereas we in the West see this alienation between different groups of people [...] you see so much violence yet this is so encompassing of all people. I really enjoyed it, I was really quite excited about seeing this because we have very few Muslim people in the lower south-east and most you don’t get to interact with them, and it is only by meeting that we break down prejudices.”

Raquel Mustillo, a journalist at a regional newspaper, said: “It was very informative and particularly important in regional South Australia to hear directly from the Muslim community about what the Quran means to them.”

The exhibition received coverage from the media as well. A regional newspaper The Border Watch published a detailed report along with some statements of the missionary, and comments of the mayor about the exhibition.

At the end, members of the Jamaat set up a small exhibition in a section of the library, in which copies of the Holy Quran and books along with pamphlets are displayed.

This exhibition will go on for a month. This small exhibition is mainly for those people who missed the main exhibition.

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AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021

Opinion

If certain things are haram, why did Allah create them?

Rumana Ashraf USA

The terms halal and haram were coined 1500 years ago to define two separate concepts – halal meaning “permissible” and haram meaning “forbidden.” However, it is important to understand that the terms halal and haram have significantly deeper meanings; connotations that are meant to be explored and reviewed according to context, situation and objectivity.

Evidently, there are certain things under Islamic law that are considered permissible for human use and consumption such as fruits and vegetables, milk, seafood and grains etc. On the contrary, there are things that are considered forbidden and should be avoided at all costs such as alcohol, pork, interest and drugs like marijuana. Pondering over this concept, the inevitable question arises: If certain things are considered haram, why did Allah the Almighty create them?

The simple truth is that Allah the Almighty’s infinite wisdom and reasoning behind His creations are well beyond our understanding. We can, however,

understand a fraction of it with the level of capacity that He has allowed our minds.

I have chosen to use the pig as an excellent example to illustrate a well-evidenced explanation to answer our question. Since the time of the first revelation of the Holy Quran when the instruction to cease consuming pork was revealed, Muslims around the world have faithfully avoided pork for generations. In addition to the numerous health-related problems that the consumption of pork is correlated to, it is also a harbour for incredibly dangerous and pathogenic organisms detrimental to humans. So why did God create it?

It is important to understand, as mentioned before, that although God may not want us to use a certain thing in a certain way, it well could be possible He meant for us to use it another manner. Research has shown that despite the risks associated with consuming pork, the heart of a pig is actually the gold standard when used for medical research, medical-surgical trials and heart transplant procedures. Evidently, the heart of a pig is strikingly similar in both anatomy and physiology to that of a human one.

Porcine hearts, like human hearts, have four

22 DEER PARK ROAD, SW19 3TL. UK

chambers, two ventricles and two atriums.

The flow of blood through the organ is a reflection of how it does in a human one.

“The porcine heart bears a close resemblance to the human heart in terms of its coronary circulation and hemodynamic similarities and offers ease of implementation of methods and devices from human healthcare facilities.” (https://pubmed.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/25255064/) For this purpose, porcine hearts have been at the forefront of clinical trials related to cardiovascular disease. In shape and size too, porcine hearts have been tested and proven to be one of the best options for future heart transplants and correlated studies.

َ َ َۡۡ َ ُ َّ ّٰ َ َ َ َ َّ ‫ض َو ا ۡﺳ َبﻎ‬ ‫الس ٰم ٰو ِت َو َما ﻓِی الار‬ ‫ال َ ۡم ترَ ۡوا ا ّن الل َہ َﺳ� َر لَک ۡم ّما ﻓِی‬ ِ َّ َ َ ً َ َ َّ ً َ ٗ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ َ ُّ ۡ َ ّٰ ِ�‫اس َم ۡن ی َﺠا ِد ُل ﻓِی الل ِہ �ِﻐی‬ ِ ‫علیکم �ِعمہ ﻇا ِہرَة و با ِﻃنﺔ � و ِمن الن‬ َ َ ۡ ۡ ُ �ٍ ‫ِعل ٍم ّو لَا ُہ ًدى ّو لَا ﻛِ ٰت ٍﺐ ّم ِنی‬

“Have you not seen that Allah has pressed for you into service whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and has completed His favours on you, [both] externally and internally? And among men there are some who dispute concerning Allah, without knowledge or guidance or an

illuminating Book.” (Surah Luqman, Ch.31: V.21) In the same way that alcohol is used in conjunction with compounds for medicinal use, so can pigs also be used, if inevitable, when used for specific purposes including research and the progress of medicine for mankind. It is important to understand that there is more to the word of Allah than what first meets the eye. Deep meanings are behind every word, phrase and sentence.

All creation between the Heavens and the Earth, whether considered halal or haram, are at the end of the day still Allah’s creation.

For that matter, it is our responsibility as Ahmadi Muslims, to first strive to the best of our capacity to understand the word of God. As the blessed community of the Promised Messiahas, it is our responsibility to establish firm faith within our own hearts and open up the inevitable possibility of there being a deeper explanation behind ideas and contexts that we first thought to be simple. Only by exploring new avenues, as opened to us in this ara by the Promised Messiahas and his Khulafa, can we move our understanding of Islam and the Holy Quran into the new age.

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Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM

Friday Sermon 13 August 2021 Jalsa Salana UK 2021: Blessings and gratitude After reciting the tashahud, ta‘awuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:

All praise is due to Allah as the UK Jamaat’s Jalsa Salana was held after a two-year gap and the three days it brings of its spiritual atmosphere came to its conclusion last Sunday.

Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Jalsa could not be held in 2020 and the organising committee of the Jalsa thought that since the conditions were more or less the same, perhaps there would not

be a Jalsa this year either. Due to this assumption, they did not pay full attention towards its preparation, which I also mentioned in the previous Friday Sermon.

Nevertheless, when they were informed that the Jalsa would, insha-Allah, take place, they started their preparations, but I still felt that they were not doing this with full conviction. I was concerned that if the organisers remained relaxed like this,

then maybe the workers would also have a similar attitude, but at the same time, I had the faith that Allah the Almighty would, insha-Allah, bring about better provisions for the preparation as well as workers.

Hence, on one occasion, I very sternly told the organising committee that if they continued to work half-heartedly and entertained doubts as to whether or not the Jalsa would take place and had

little hope of it, then I would appoint a new organising committee. These words of mine jolted them into motion and thereafter, work began to be carried out in a very swift manner, even though the work started late.

However, the volunteers who work under them, and in fact, who are the real workforce and provide the manpower, seemed to be anxiously awaiting from

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AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021 before and immediately came from all different areas to help with the preparation of the Jalsa. There was a long line of dutyworkers willing to help during the days of Jalsa. However, since the Jalsa was going to be held on a much smaller scale, it was very difficult as to who to select from among them.

In any case, both the men and women had to make a selection for this. The Lajna perhaps selected only one-fifth of its duty workers and the men reduced it by perhaps a third. Those who were not selected for the duty were disappointed as they were unable to serve.

Therefore, I would like to say to all those men, women, boys and girls and children – who would normally be assigned duties as well – that Allah the Almighty rewards one for their intentions. Your intention to serve the guests of the Promised Messiahas has been fulfilled and even though you did not have the opportunity to serve, Allah the Almighty will not deprive you of its reward owing to your intentions.

I pray that may Allah the Almighty grant everyone the most excellent reward for their passion to serve.

Also, it is my practice that in the Friday Sermon following the Jalsa Salana, I express my thanks to the volunteers who were serving in the various departments.

People from all around the world are also writing to me and expressing their gratitude to the volunteers. Whatever duty they were assigned, they strived to do full justice to it.

Due to the rain, at one time there was a huge issue in getting all the cars out from the parking area and the volunteers worked in an extraordinary manner and practically lifted the cars out of the mud.

Volunteers serving in other departments would also help them when they were on break from their duties. Some of them wrote to me and mentioned that they also joined in. Later, upon assessing the condition of the parking, arrangements for parking were made elsewhere.

In any case, on the first day and for some part of the second day, there was a huge challenge to get the cars out. This challenge was captured by the lens of the camera and was also shown to the world through MTA. In this way, Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis all around the world, who were witnessing these scenes expressed their great astonishment.

In fact, upon witnessing this sight, the non-Ahmadis and non-Muslims said that to witness such a scene in this day and age was unbelievable. Whether someone was an officer or a labourer, they were all covered in mud in order to get the cars out of the mud. These are the people who work like jinns and have been granted to the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas by Allah the Almighty.

Similarly, there are various other departments – the hygiene department, food serving, preparing the food, preparing the rotis. Then one of the most important tasks before the Jalsa is to put the marquees up, lay down the tracks, etc. and there are various other preliminary tasks for the preparation of the Jalsa and to help with this, the volunteers would come regularly every week. Now, for the wind-

up, there are many who are volunteering their days for this. Thus, there are various departments involved and people from all around the world who were watching on MTA and the live stream were greatly impressed by watching these duties being carried out. The guests who attended were also filled with emotions of gratitude.

The various scenes shown by MTA and the different programmes it prepared in order to show the various aspects [of Jalsa] were produced with great effort and MTA did full justice to this. They did not only show the Jalsa to the world but they also relayed to us in the Jalsa Gah and to the rest of the world of the scenes in various countries where people had gathered to watch the Jalsa proceedings. The proceedings of the Jalsa, the work of the volunteers before and during the Jalsa and also the various educational and tarbiyati speeches delivered in the Jalsa Gah were shown by MTA in such a manner that the Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis all around the world are both amazed and grateful to have witnessed these scenes.

It had depicted a scene whereby people of different countries and nations had come together under one roof.

Thus, I would like to thank all those volunteers – the men as well as the women, who despite the difficult circumstances, and for whom this announcement [of the Jalsa] was quite unexpected in a way, and despite the challenges posed by the weather – who worked selflessly and did full justice to their duties.

I would also like to thank them on behalf of all those who watched the Jalsa from around the world and have been writing to me and expressing their gratitude. I initially thought that after expressing my thanks to the volunteers, I would resume with the regular subject of my sermons, but I am receiving so many reports and letters in which Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis from all around the world have expressed their extraordinary emotions of the impact that the Jalsa had on them and the positive outcomes that it brought about after watching the Jalsa.

Therefore, I have decided that just like in previous years, I will mention some of those sentiments and the blessings in today’s sermon.

It is not possible to mention them all, but I have selected some of them as an example.

This year’s Jalsa Salana which was held under very unique circumstances has opened the doors of Allah the Almighty’s grace that one continues to bow before Allah the Almighty in gratitude. Allah the Almighty is bestowing His grace in so many ways despite the current circumstances. One aspect [of the Jalsa] which was missing and has been generally mentioned by everyone is that this year we could not hold the International Bai‘at Ceremony, which they were eagerly awaiting. However, in the current circumstances, it was difficult to organise the bai‘at [ceremony] and there was no other choice.

Now, I shall briefly mention some of these reports and the sentiments of people.

This year, for the first time, jamaats [from different parts of the world] participated

in the Jalsa through the live streaming. In other words, people were sat listening to the Jalsa in their own areas and could be seen on the screen in the Jalsa Gah. There were five locations in the UK where these arrangements were made, where people sat together to watch.

Despite the time difference of many hours, members had congregated to watch the Jalsa in various countries, including Australia, Indonesia, Guatemala, Bangladesh, etc. Apart from the UK, members participated in the Jalsa through the live streaming from 37 different locations across 22 countries.

This year, for the first time, there was live streaming from the women’s side and the women from different countries have expressed their happiness. According to one estimate, the women’s session and programme, which included their speeches, was viewed and heard by approximately 30 to 35 thousand women.

The countries that participated [through live stream] included USA, Canada and Guatemala (and people had gathered in numerous centres in each country) and in Guyana, Australia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Kababir, India, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, the Gambia, Tanzania, France, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Finland, Holland and various other countries.

A non-Ahmadi friend in Niger, Isa Sahib came to the mission house on all three days to listen to my addresses. He says: “Before this, I had heard that the Ahmadiyya Jamaat was against Islam and they had a TV inside the mosque which was not allowed. However, after watching the Jalsa, I realised that if the entire Muslim world became united just like Ahmadiyyat was united and conveyed the message of Islam like them, then the Muslims would become so powerful that no power in the world could utter a word against it.

The unity and bond of the Ahmadiyya Community that I have witnessed at the Jalsa is proof of its truthfulness.”

In Zambia, apart from the Ahmadi members and the new converts, some non-Ahmadis also watched the Jalsa and in one area 35 non-Ahmadi guests had gathered to watch. Upon watching the Jalsa proceedings, a Christian teacher commented: “I thoroughly enjoyed watching the proceedings of the Jalsa. I have learnt about the teachings of Islam.” He further said, “Based on my knowledge and understanding, I have now learnt that Islam is the only true religion and there is no other religion in the world that helps the needy. I have had the opportunity to learn a great deal.”

The missionary in-charge of Gabon writes: “A non-Muslim police officer along with his wife came to the mission house to watch the proceedings of the Jalsa. Before this, he never showed much interest in the Jamaat; however, after hearing the account about the acceptance of Ahmadiyyat of a new convert from Lebanon, he enquired after the Jalsa as to how he could watch MTA. Upon this, he was informed that he could view MTA through YouTube as

well. He immediately took his phone out of his pocket and opened the MTA French channel on YouTube and began to watch the Jalsa. He then said that he will learn more about the Ahmadiyya Community through this channel.”

A non-Ahmadi friend from Nigeria heard the Jalsa proceedings and stated afterwards: “After the proceedings of this Jalsa, I am convinced that if there is a true sect in this world, then it is the Ahmadiyya Community, and very soon I will join them.”

Another non-Ahmadi friend commented regarding the Jalsa: “Indeed, this is a community of the truthful and a community of believers.

I observed that despite the intense rain, the volunteers were busy in performing their duties and providing comfort for the guests.” He also stated that he was very impressed by my address to the ladies.

The missionary in-charge of Japan writes that a non-Ahmadi Japanese friend, who belongs to Hiroshima, Macshima Osamu Sahib (when I visited Japan and travelled to Hiroshima, he was there and also hosted us. He also attended the peace conference in 2017) stated: “I am currently watching the Jalsa and just watched the Friday Sermon of 6 August. Upon watching this, I was reminded of the service rendered by the Jamaat in Japan and how the second Khalifa of the Community (Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra) spoke out against the destruction caused to Hiroshima by the atom bomb in his Friday Sermon of 10 August 1945. This was among the very first voices to speak in favour of Hiroshima.

“Then, the current Khalifa visited Hiroshima and his message of peace and harmony holds great significance for me. Today, whilst watching MTA on Hiroshima Day, first it is my wish that just like MTA Africa, MTA Japan also is established very soon and secondly, after witnessing the atmosphere of the Jalsa and people joining together from all over the world, the idea continues to take root in my heart that the Jamaat has a very significant role in uniting the world on a single platform and establishing peace and harmony in the world.”

A non-Ahmadi teacher from Lusaka, Zambia says: “Today, I learnt something from your Khalifa, which is that in Islam, women have the full right to express their opinion and that Islam grants women the right to choose their life partner in marriage.

However, in some cultures, people are forced into marriage and the rights of people are overlooked.”

He then said that Islam is the only religion which has emphasised upon the rights of women.

He says, “If Islam permits a man to marry more than once, at the same time it stresses that the man must uphold equality and that if one cannot uphold justice, then he should marry only one. This is a beautiful Islamic teaching and only Ahmadiyyat is upholding these teachings.”

Then, Maman Ghali Sahib, a nonAhmadi friend from the Tasawa region in Niger says:

28 “I attended for the first time and I am greatly impressed. If other Muslim sects followed suit, then Muslims around the world would make huge progress.”

Usama Sahib, a non-Ahmadi engineer from Niger says: “The thing that impressed me the most was that there were representatives of various countries and despite the differences in language and culture, and despite the deadly Coronavirus outbreak, the level of obedience and perfect organisation was a sight to behold.”

The amir of Niger says that Maryam Sahiba, a non-Ahmadi guest says, “Listening to the addresses of the Imam of the Ahmadiyya Community, today I learnt about the true rights and responsibilities of women. Otherwise, the torrid conditions the woman are enduring in Africa are such that people living in the developed world would not be able to comprehend. Your words are in harmony with your actions.”

She writes, “If your actions and words are in harmony, then there is nobody better than you.”

Thus, every Ahmadi has to ensure that they emulate this teaching in their homes so that the positive impression of the true teaching of Islam on the people may continue to make a mark on them. This is not for speeches only.

Fareed Musa, a non-Ahmadi gentleman from Niger also praised the Lajna address. Then, Maryam Ilyas Sahiba, a non-Ahmadi woman says: “After learning about the rights of women and the true teachings of Islam, I feel proud to be a woman. If only people would understand this, the world would become like Paradise.”

Nafisa Adamoos, a non-Ahmadi woman from Niger says: “I listened to an address of the Imam of the Ahmadiyya Community for the first time. It has become plainly clear for me that if there is anyone in the world today who is fulfilling the respect and honour given to women by our Master, the Holy Prophetsa, it is the Ahmadiyya Community.”

Thus, I would reiterate that every Ahmadi man should ponder over this and that they should ensure their conduct at home is good. Do not deceive the world.

Amir Sahib Niger writes that a nonAhmadi, Al-Haj Hussain Sahib, is a businessman by profession and remains rather occupied due to his work. However, when he was invited to attend the Jalsa, he accepted the invitation. Following the Jalsa, the aforementioned individual said: “I attended your Jalsa as a formality as I thought this might be a worldly event.

However, when I started listening to the Jalsa, I decided that I would attend all three days. What impacted me most was the atmosphere of the Jalsa. Seeing the volunteers at work, it seemed as if their hearts are filled with a particular passion which is giving them courage otherwise this could not have been performed by a worldly person.”

The missionary in-charge of Guinea Conakry says that that the local missionary of the Kindia region mentioned that they invited the local mayor. The local mayor said that he was unwell, but his son would attend.

Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM When he attended, my address to the ladies was about to start. There is a great shortage of electricity and they are currently passing through the monsoon season and if the electricity goes out, it goes out for several hours. He says that when the programme was about to start, the power went out. The guest had also arrived and there was no generator. The missionary said that they prayed, “O Allah the Almighty! For the truthfulness of the Jamaat, show us a miracle today and restore the electricity.” He says that they fervently supplicated.

I had not yet arrived at the dais to deliver my address that the electricity was restored. He says that Allah the Almighty listened to the prayers of these humble servants of the Messiahas of the age and manifested a sign for the truth of the Promised Messiahas and Islam, which also had a great impact on their guest.

Astonishingly, as soon as the address finished, the electricity went out again. The guest also said that he had never before heard such a comprehensive address and whatever the Muslims have propagated against the Jamaat was false.

A mu‘allim in Cameroon says that the chief of a village near the northern area of Maroua, Al-Haji Usman, who is a nonAhmadi, watched the proceedings of the Jalsa on MTA Africa. Following this, he said: “Since our childhood, we have heard that when the Imam Mahdi appears, the entire world will see him. Watching the proceedings of the Jalsa today, I am convinced that this Jamaat is truly the Jamaat of the Imam Mahdi, whom the entire world can see at this moment. People from various countries participated in the Jalsa through MTA and were seeing and listening to the Imam of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. Today, I have witnessed the words of the Prophetsa of God being fulfilled.”

With regard to bai‘ats through the Jalsa, Amir Sahib Mali writes that a teacher from the city of Kita, Umar Bari Sahib, called and said: “Although I am not an Ahmadi, me and my entire family listened to the proceedings of the Jalsa with great enthusiasm. In particular, when various slogans were raised during the address of the Khalifa of the time, all of us family members became impassioned and we also repeated those slogans.” Umar Bari Sahib further stated that he would soon come to the Ahmadiyya mission along with his family and join the Ahmadiyya Jamaat.

The missionary in-charge in Cameroon says that a chief Imam in Cameroon, Douala Farooq Sahib, said, “I listened to the speeches of the Jalsa through MTA Africa. People say that the members of the Jamaat are disbelievers and that it is a terrorist organisation. Their [the Ahmadiyya Jamaat’s] response is the verse in relation to Khatam-an-Nabiyyinsa [Seal of the Prophets], which was written in bold letters on the banner behind the stage.

Through MTA, many misconceptions regarding the Jamaat will now be removed, insha-Allah [God willing].”

Amir Sahib Tanzania writes that a nonAhmadi lady from the Arusha region, Jabu

Sahiba, said: “This was the first time that I saw the Jalsa Salana. I have never seen such a peaceful gathering in my life.

Usually, people make a lot of noise during gatherings and arrange various programmes of entertainment in order to keep their interest. However, nothing of the sort was to be found during this Jalsa. As a matter of fact, during every programme, the true teachings of Islam were highlighted. Without a doubt, the love Ahmadis hold for their Khalifa cannot be found anywhere else in the world.”

After watching the proceedings, a local chief in the city of Maroua in Cameroon, said: “It is an excellent achievement of the Jamaat that the Jalsa Salana is being translated into so many different languages and people are benefitting from this. I also benefitted from the Jalsa and I increased my knowledge. MTA is a blessing. I will now install a cable connection and benefit from watching MTA at home and increase my knowledge.”

Even non-Ahmadis are now influenced

by MTA and benefit from this spiritual knowledge. This is a path to progress, if one desires to progress spiritually.

Ahmadis should also pay greater attention towards MTA. The missionary in-charge in Gabon writes that a new Ahmadi said: “This indeed is the Jalsa of the entire world in which we, as well as people from various other countries, are participating in. This is also increasing our faith. Despite the difference in time, people are attending the Jalsa all across the world. This scene is only to be found in Ahmadiyyat, as it is not possible for other Muslims to do this.”

Ali Sahib, who belongs to a city in the eastern province of Zambia, Lusangazi, who is a new Ahmadi and also the chief of his area, says: “We have entered Ahmadiyyat from Christianity and Ahmadiyyat was formally established in our village in February 2021.

Following this, non-Ahmadi scholars visited our area several times and tried to fill our hearts with various kinds of misconceptions and doubts with regards to Ahmadiyyat.” No one visited them as long they were Christian and when they entered Ahmadiyyat, non-Ahmadi scholars came to them in order to “rectify their faith”.

He says: “We were now able to watch the Jalsa Salana UK live. We watched scenes of an organised gathering for the first time in our lives, where, despite the circumstances due to the pandemic, people attended in such large numbers and government representatives from various countries sent their video messages.

“By the grace of Allah the Almighty, after watching the Jalsa, all of our doubts and misconceptions have been removed; Ahmadiyyat is not the name of a small group; rather, it is the name of an international community. The manner in which the Khalifa of the time highlighted the Islamic teachings in relation to the rights of women and other people, astonished us. In other words, women also have rights, as we would not give any

importance to our women. We will take whatever we have heard and seen here back with us and insha-Allah convey it to the others so that their faith strengthens as well and we will try to act in accordance with this.”

A new Ahmadi from Malaysia, Rusli bin Mappasulle, says: “Having watched the Jalsa Salana UK, I am extremely grateful to God Almighty that I was enabled to join the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and recognise the Imam of the Age. Although I was not in the UK, I had the opportunity to see the Khalifa of the time and listen to his addresses. If I had not joined the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, I would have been deprived of these blessings. I now promise to always remain sincere and obedient to Khilafat.”

Priscila Marleme Sahiba of Brazil says: “A few months ago I took the oath of allegiance. I am fortunate that this was the first time I had the opportunity to watch the Jalsa Salana, and despite my lack of understanding of the language, I learnt so much. I thank God for enabling me to accept Ahmadiyyat.”

The missionary in-charge of Guinea Bissau writes that four female converts who live in far-off village called Kasini walked eight kilometres to their nearby jamaat in Masra to listen to the Jalsa Salana UK proceedings. When they heard my sermons, they said: “It is by the grace of Allah that we have accepted Ahmadiyyat, but today, having listened to the address of the Khalifa, we felt just how far we are from such a wonderful blessing. Today, our faith in Ahmadiyyat has been completed 100% and we have now made an oath to always come and listen to the sermons of the Khalifa.” So this is how Allah the Almighty is bringing about changes in people.

People in Guiana also gathered to watch the live stream of the Jalsa. One new convert, Muzaffar Kwesi Sahib says: “This was my first Jalsa Salana. This experience has been remarkable, especially when I sat down with my Ahmadi brothers to watch the Jalsa and when I saw the Khalifa and heard his address, it was all an amazing experience for me. I have never heard a Muslim woman recite the Holy Quran so beautifully.” He praised the recitation.

He then says: “Members of our Jamaat gathered in one place from various towns and villages to listen to the Jalsa. These are all the blessings of Khilafat and Ahmadiyyat which God Almighty has bestowed upon this Community. Likewise, to witness the jamaats from all over the world participating virtually in the Jalsa was wonderful. I saw how the Community has reached so many countries, which I didn’t even know about. Furthermore, I witnessed how members of the Community unite and work together during the Jalsa.

“One person who works in a bank in the UK, took leave from work and was working voluntarily in the Jalsa and was sleeping in his car. This all proves that the members of the Jamaat possess sincerity and are making sacrifices. I also learnt about the different rights from the various addresses.”

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AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021 He expressed his sentiments in this manner.

Safwan Naik Sahib, a new convert in Mauritius says, “This was my first time participating in the Jalsa via the live stream. Indeed, this experience is bringing me closer to Khilafat. Every single word of the Khalifa touched my heart and I am so pleased to have decided to join the Community. I am learning so much about the Promised Messiahas from the MTA programmes.”

Ashraf Zia Sahib of Austria writes: “Donatella Sahiba took the oath of allegiance at the beginning of the year. She said, ‘Whatever the Khalifa of the time said would instil great passion within me.

Tears were flowing from my eyes whilst listening to his addresses. Islam is indeed a path that grants life and leads to the truth.

My life is changing gradually. I am so grateful to Allah the Almighty for having enabled me to accept Ahmadiyyat.’” She is from Austria.

There are many incidents of people joining Ahmadiyyat after the Jalsa.

A non-Ahmadi, Hasan Sahib of Ivory Coast says: “I had the opportunity to watch all three days of the Jalsa programme. It was extremely faith-inspiring. Falsehood doesn’t live for long and dies its own death, whereas the truth always remains. In line with this principle, the daily progress made by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is in itself a testimony to its truthfulness.

“After the conclusion of Jalsa Salana, some of my friends and I were speaking at a restaurant, when an unknown person overheard us and said, ‘If, today, there is any community which is acting upon the true teachings of Islam, it is only the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.’ Saying this, he left but confirmed what we were discussing in that the Community follows the true Islam not only in speech, but also in practice.” Thereafter, Hasan Sahib met the mu‘allim, saying he wished to take the oath of allegiance to join Ahmadiyyat, and that he didn’t wish to deprive himself any longer of this truth.

The missionary in-charge of Congo Brazzaville says: “A jamaat in Gamboma had the opportunity to show the broadcast of all live programmes from the three days of Jalsa Salana on TV and radio. In this area there is only one TV station and the Jalsa programmes continued to be repeated on it. According to one estimate, 4,000 people watched and listened to the Jalsa.

30 jamaats in the villages surrounding Gamboma participated in the Jalsa via radio.” In those areas, there is no electricity, which is why they listen to it via radio. Then they listened to all of my addresses as it was being translated in the local language of Lingala.

“Alhamdulillah, the programme was very successful, which our members and externals all expressed. In all three days, we were surrounded by the Jalsa atmosphere.

Food preparations were made as is done in the Jalsa. By the grace of Allah, during the Jalsa, 12 people had the honour of entering the fold of Ahmadiyyat.”

The missionary in-charge of Guinea Bissau writes that by the grace of Allah,

having accepted Ahmadiyyat, the majority of new converts are regularly preaching the message in their areas and to their near relations. Due to the blessed occasion of Jalsa Salana UK, when members were urged to watch the Jalsa proceedings, all the new converts called their non-Ahmadi relatives and friends to especially listen during the times of my four addresses at the Jalsa. People walked or cycled 30 kilometres and 18 kilometres to get there.

The majority of people only came to listen to the address on the first day, but when they heard this address of mine, they changed their minds and remained for all three days. After listening to the concluding address on the third day, they said, “Your Khalifa has won our hearts and the Islam he has presented is indeed the true Islam.” On this occasion, 127 people – men and women alike – accepted Ahmadiyyat. They all took the oath of allegiance.

Ibrahim Sahib, a mu‘allim in Congo, says: “A Christian friend, Mouk Ngantasibi was invited to attend and watch the Jalsa

along with his wife. After watching the Jalsa, he said to his wife, ‘It seems to me that we will never find such teachings and guidance anywhere. We have wasted a large part of our life in Christianity. What we have learnt here during these three days, we would not be able to learn if we stayed as Christians our entire. It is better for us if we join them.’ In this way, both husband and wife, and their children all took the oath of allegiance and joined the Community.”

The missionary in-charge of Guinea Bissau writes that Kambajao Sahib, a non-Ahmadi friend of the Bafata region, Guinea Bissau, listened to the proceedings of all three days of the Jalsa Salana UK and he also heard my addresses. He then said, “Islam is in need of such a leader and this leadership exists in the form of the Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. The entire Muslim world can be gathered through this.”

Upon the conclusion of the Jalsa, he straight away did the bai‘at and joined the fold of Ahmadiyyat.

Angutaani Sahib, a Christian from

Congo Brazzaville, writes: “I never took an interest in religion because after dealing with Christians, I felt that religious people are not sincere.

My brother was already a member of the community and invited me to attend this Jalsa. Upon his request, I attended and as I watched the Jalsa, I began to feel a gradual change within myself and started to develop an interest in religion. After listening to the speech of the Khalifa, my heart, for the first time, testified to the truth of religion. True religions have the power to transform the heart. For the first time in my life, I am accepting Islam Ahmadiyyat as my faith.”

A non-Ahmadi friend from Nigeria was also able to take bai‘at after listening to the Jalsa proceedings. He writes, “I was greatly influenced by the Jalsa proceedings and at long last, found the truth I was searching for. I now wish to take the bai‘at.”

Zafar Iqbal Sahib from Senegal writes that throughout the three days of Jalsa, all of my addresses were broadcast live on four radio stations and one TV channel in the Ambur region. As a result, after listening to those addresses, a radio host accepted Ahmadiyyat. The radio host is well-educated and popular amongst the people, and he said, “I had heard many things about the Jamaat, but after hearing the words of the Imam of the Jamaat today, I have discovered the truth and will enter the fold of Ahmadiyyat.” That very day, he took the bai‘at, along with his whole family.

A local Imam from Maroua in Cameroon, says: “The salient feature of the Jalsa are the addresses of the Imam of the Jamaat.

The Khalifa of the Jamaat says everything based on the Quran and Hadith and this had a profound impact on my heart.

Surely this community and its Khalifa are from God. My heart is content.”

As a result, he and his friends all took the bai‘at and entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, there are also people among the scholars who judge with integrity and when they see the truth, they accept it.

Some non-Ahmadis from Mali also accepted Ahmadiyyat after listening to the Jalsa proceedings. Before Jalsa, the Jamaat’s local radio channels held many programmes about Jalsa and they also aired daily announcements and information about the Jalsa. They mentioned: “We gave an open invitation for all to come and watch the Jalsa at the mission house. As a result, Ahmadis and nonAhmadis gathered to watch the Jalsa together. On the last day of Jalsa, four individuals took the bai‘at and entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat. Those individuals are very educated and said that they had been listening to the radio in Kayes city and became interested in Ahmadiyyat. When they heard about Jalsa on the radio, they became even more intrigued and decided that they must see the Jalsa.

“After viewing the Jalsa, they admitted, ‘The progress and victory of Islam is linked only to Ahmadiyyat. The Islam that Ahmadiyyat is presenting to the world is the true Islam. The greatest thing of all is that Muslims are in dire need of a Khalifa

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to guide them, and in this day and age, Khilafat has been established through Ahmadiyyat.’ They also said that they are firm in their faith as Ahmadis and desired to know the prescribed monthly amount of chanda so that they can also partake in the service of their faith.”

The amir of Mali writes: “In the Kayes region, non-Ahmadis also arrived to the mission house to view the Jalsa. On the third day of Jalsa, when a documentary on the faith-inspiring incidents of the previous bai‘ats was shown, the non-Ahmadi who were quite educated began to ask about the conditions of bai‘at. During the break, the mu‘allim read out the conditions of the bai‘at in the local language. Upon this, the non-Ahmadi stated, ‘This is a summary of Islam and contains excellent guidance for how to lead our daily lives.’ He further said, ‘It is vitally important for everyone to adhere to this.’ Subsequently, after the Jalsa he took the bai‘at.”

People also participated in the Jalsa from Ghana through the live stream. The arrangements to watch the Jalsa were made in the lush green grounds of Bustane-Ahmad in Accra. They have said: “There was a truly special atmosphere.

The live proceedings of the Jalsa were shown to the men and women on two large video screens. On all three days, over 2,500 people attended, including men and women. Extensive arrangements were made in the central mosque in Kumasi.

On all three days, more than 2,000 people attended. Arrangements were made in 14 mosques in the Upper West Region for members to view the Jalsa and similarly, arrangements were made in other regions as well. In Wa, there were 12 different locations and in the rest of the regions

Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM

there were 14 locations [where members gathered]. And in this way, more than 2,000 people watched the Jalsa proceedings here as well. MTA was also available through other TV channels as well.”

Apart from MTA Africa and MTA Ghana, the proceedings of the Jalsa were also being aired on three other TV channels of Ghana.

Akram Ali Al-Kehlani Sahib from Yemen says: “Today, through this Jalsa and his addresses, the Khalifa of the time has revitalised our spirit. The tears from our eyes had dried up and they have now returned and our hearts have softened after having become hardened. If the entire world heard the address of the Khalifa which he delivered to the ladies and adhered to it, then our entire society would be 100% reformed. Similarly, the concluding address was a highlight of the entire event. No one can find a similar example of such organisation. Every face was cheerful and supporting a smile. This is the blessings of God Who established this Jamaat.”

Amir Ali Sahib from Yemen states: “The three days of Jalsa were like Eid for us in which we witnessed the blessings of God Almighty descend and the fulfilment of the promises He vouchsafed to the Promised Messiahas. Due to the Jalsa, our faith in Khilafat continued to increase day by day because we witnessed how Allah the Almighty is granting support to Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya.

Without Khilafat, there is nothing except darkness.

Although we were not physically present at the Jalsa, our hearts were with you and we were experiencing the pure and spiritual atmosphere of the Jalsa as if we were there.”

He further states, “After looking at you and listening to your advice, our emotions were indescribable. It had a deep impact upon our hearts. I greatly benefited from the addresses as my attention was drawn to many of my responsibilities and I learnt of many ills which I was committing without any knowledge of it.”

He further stated, “I was extremely moved upon witnessing how Ahmadis from different countries had gathered together for the Jalsa and I prayed that may Allah the Almighty quickly grant us a place in Yemen where we can sit together and participate in the Jalsa.”

Hamid Sahib from Jordan states: “Every year, people from all around the world attend the Jalsa and stand witness to the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah’sas prophecy. This year’s Jalsa was unique in that many Ahmadis from all around the world participated in the Jalsa through the Internet and MTA. Allah the Almighty grants His support to the Jamaat in all circumstances because this is a truthful Jamaat. I consider this year’s Jalsa in which the Khalifa of the time was present as a special spiritual experience or like the example of Paradise in this world whereby we have tasted its fruits over the three days. It seems like a heavenly tent had been erected in the spiritual atmosphere for the propagation of Islam.”

Muhammad Badr Sahib from Syria says: “At the Jalsa, despite a difference of background, race and culture, the Ahmadi Muslims are united behind their Khalifa; under the flag of the Jamaat.”

He then says: “The saying of Allah the Almighty is proven true, in that even if one was to spend all the wealth in the world, one

could not join the hearts of the people, it is Allah alone that can unite the hearts of the people.” This is a verse of the Holy Quran, “Allah has bestowed His grace and blessings upon us.” He further writes, “Love could be seen emanating from the faces of all the attendees. One could feel a sense of peace and harmony.

It seemed as though all of us Ahmadis were behind our spiritual leader in the middle of an oasis in the desert, where the atmosphere is completely peaceful and harmonious. I have realised that I have a lot of weaknesses and I will have to strive very hard to bring about a virtuous change within myself, I will have to attain the highest level of righteousness and I will have to give precedence to my faith over worldly pursuits. In order to have a pleasant atmosphere at home, one has to treat women with love and kindness.”

Abdur Rahman Sahib from Lebanon, who is living in Germany, says, “I watched the three-day Jalsa proceedings with Jamaat members in the Berlin mosque. I felt the spiritual atmosphere of the Jalsa and benefitted from it greatly. The lack of spirituality that we were feeling has returned.”

Umar Sahib from the West Bank, Palestine, says: “It is my wish for the Jalsa to take place every day so that we can become like the prophets and saints. It was a unique atmosphere. I listened to the Jalsa together with my fellow brothers, where there was an atmosphere of love and brotherhood.”

Rizwan Shahid Sahib from the Ivory Coast says, “Andre Sahib, who is the president of the Jamaat in the city of Man said that the most powerful aspect of the Jalsa is that Ahmadis all over the world are united under the banner of Khilafat and show complete obedience to Khilafat.

It is daytime in some places and night in others, but everyone is sitting attentively to listen to the address of the Khalifa and to rejuvenate their faith.”

Ilyas Kurbatov Sahib, the national president of the Kyrgyzstan Jamaat, says: “Listening to the speeches at Jalsa, I was unable to control my emotions and my eyes welled up. I watched the Jalsa Salana on YouTube and was overwhelmed when I saw comments from my brothers and sisters who were wishing everyone a prosperous Jalsa and extending the greetings of peace to each other. All my brothers and sisters belong to different nations, for example Russia Ukraine, Armenia, Tatarstan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan etc. This scene touched my soul.”

Sulaiman Sahib, an Ahmadi from Niger says: “It was an honour for me to hear the words of the Khalifa live in my mother tongue – Hausa.” He says, “The addition of the translation in the Hausa language on MTA 5 has enhanced our Jalsa greatly; this was as if Jalsa and Eid had come at once for us.” He stated, “The delight experienced in hearing the Khalifa translated in the Hausa language is a luxury that can only be truly appreciated by those who can understand Hausa.” This was the first time that the proceedings were available in the Hausa language.

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AL HAKAM | Friday 10 September 2021 A member of the Indonesia Jamaat, Suwitono Sahib, says: “Having watched the Jalsa and heard the addresses of the Khalifa of the time has instilled a new spirit of love for Khilafat in the hearts of my family. We saw outstanding examples of brotherhood, the likes of which cannot be seen anywhere in the world. Undoubtedly, Khilafat is the embodiment of love and peace, which does not differentiate between the colour and background of all humans.”

Atif Zahid Sahib from Australia writes: “The live broadcast of the opening address started at 00:55 in the night.

Despite this, people had gathered together and listened to the Jalsa proceedings with complete concentration. One person had brought his young son along with him.

The Friday Sermon finished at 22:30 and so he said to his son to go home, but he replied that he wanted to listen to the address and he remained there until late.”

He further says, “The concluding address was to begin very late on Sunday and the following day was a working day. Hence, we were worried that people may not come to the mosque. However, due to the grace of Allah the Almighty, people gathered in the mosque in large numbers to listen to the concluding address. In fact, the number of people who came for the concluding address was more than the opening address.”

Ibrahim Sahib, who is originally from Guinea Conakry but is in Brazil due to his studies, says: “One thing that is noteworthy for me, which I would like to highlight is the institution of Khilafat, under which people from different nations come together and listen to the speeches and proceedings of the Jalsa. This is a proof that Jamaate-Ahmadiyya is the true representation of Islam. Had the Imam Mahdias not appeared, there would never have been so much harmony among us, nor would we have been united. I am very grateful that through the proceedings of the Jalsa, my knowledge increased greatly and I am also grateful to God that I am a member of this Jamaat.”

Atakhanova Dilyara Sahiba says: “It was wonderful to see the sincerity and interest with which the speeches were listened to. Upon listening to the sermons of the Khalifa, a person slips into another world, which brings about the revival of Islam. The entire family sat together to listen to the addresses of the Khalifa, especially the address to the Lajna, in which the rights of women in Islam were explained. Having listened to this address, we ought to prostrate before Allah the Almighty even more than before at just how Allah the Almighty has safeguarded the rights of us women.” She says that the sermons would fill her with emotions.

Byron Sahib from Guatemala writes: “For me, Jalsa Salana is a special time and is nothing short of a miracle, because shortly before the Jalsa, various members of the Guatemala Jamaat caught the coronavirus. They fell ill and their health began to deteriorate. However, today, all the members of the Guatemala Jamaat are gathered together to listen to the Jalsa and no member is unwell. When I was

a Christian, my beliefs about miracles were very strange. Having joined the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, I now understand the true reality of miracles and that a true miracle is if a person brings about a virtuous transformation within oneself.

One year ago, I would come to the mosque alone. It seemed impossible that my family would come to the mosque or accept Islam.

Today, my wife and children, my mother, one of my brothers, brother-in-law and his family have all come here with me, who are sat listening to the Jalsa proceedings.

Indeed, I consider this to be a miracle.”

This person is a very sincere and humble Ahmadi, with a modest income, yet he has a great passion for propagating the message [of Islam Ahmadiyyat].

Wherever he goes, he propagates the message and brings many people to visit the mosque at his own expense.

Ramiro Martinez, who is also from Guatemala, writes: “Today was a special day for me.

Seeing Jalsa UK proceedings on MTA and also the video links from other places, I am now convinced that this international community is a divine organisation. The Khalifa is indeed appointed by God, who advises us about how Muslims should conduct themselves in society. I am overjoyed. From now on, I will always listen to the sermons of the Khalifa.”

This gentleman taught about the Bible for 35 years and remained a member of different Christian sects. However, due to their internal conflicts, he would change from one sect to another. He has accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat after researching himself. He lives 20 kilometres from the mosque. From the time he has accepted Ahmadiyyat, he has only missed the Friday prayers once because his car broke down. Otherwise, he regularly attends the mosque for Friday prayers and regularly offers the five daily prayers at home.

Evalin Gonzalez from Guatemala says: “Joining the live proceedings of Jalsa Salana UK, I have realised that the Jamaat is one community, where it seems as though everyone is linked together as one.

I am grateful to God Almighty that He has granted us an opportunity to be part of this community.

“It saddens me that a large part of the world remains deprived from listening to the words of the Khalifa. This is the reason that there are issues around the world and there is warfare. Having entered the Jamaat, I have learnt that every issue can be solved through prayers. Many of my issues were resolved through prayers. My house which was falling apart was saved by the prayers of the Khalifa. I do not know the words with which I can thank the Khalifa.”

She says, “Having participated for the first time, I can say that this is a year of great success and victory. Although we are not perfect, a new spiritual journey has begun.

I shall attend the Jalsa every year.”

Isa Baba, an Ahmadi from Niger, says: “In the Friday Sermon, I heard about hospitality and how the Imam Mahdias would sacrifice his own comfort for the sake of his guests and the Khalifa presented an example of the Promised Messiahas in that he offered his own charpoy for the

ease of his guest. All night he spent in difficulty.

“We then witnessed this atmosphere of brotherhood in the Jalsa. Cars that were stuck in the mud were being pulled out by Khuddam who were not concerned about themselves. This lack of brotherhood in the Muslim world is perhaps the reason why they are being humiliated and disgraced in the world. The solution to this issue, however, has been told to us by the Khalifa.”

Samad Ghauri Sahib from Albania writes: “A friend of mine, Dr Bujar Sahib told me that he watched the addresses of the Khalifa and also the other proceedings of Jalsa Salana UK. He said that in this day and age, the Jalsa Salana is essential for the guidance of people. He said that the addresses of the Khalifa were delivered in simple words, but contained a grand message for the current times.

“In this day and age, where all moral codes have been destroyed, or are being ruined, [these words] will ensure people will be granted their rights and will save the world. The worldly people claim that they will grant people their rights; however, they forget that these rights were established by the Holy Prophetsa 1500 years ago, the flag of which is today raised aloft by the Ahmadiyya Community.

“Witnessing the scenes of Jalsa Salana and the services rendered by Humanity First in the underdeveloped areas of Africa, had a big impact on me. Seeing the glistening eyes of those children reveals the truth and exposes the covering of worldly leaders in that their eloquent promises and propaganda are nothing. Those eyes require the means of life and water is a key part of life, the delight of which some of them were tasting for the first time.”

109 goodwill messages from prominent personalities were received on the occasion of Jalsa Salana from nine countries other than the UK, which comprised of video messages, audio messages and in writing. Aside from the UK, messages were received from the USA, Sierra Leone, the Gambia, Senegal, Kenya, Spain, Holland and Germany; messages were received from the prime minister of UK, prime minister of Canada, leader of the UK’s Labour Party, leader of the UK’s Liberal Democrats, as well as other politicians in the UK; also eight ministers, 11 shadow [cabinet] ministers, four former secretaries of state, London’s police commissioner, six religious leaders and also 13 mayors. In addition to this, messages were received from people from all backgrounds.

MTA Africa reports that this year – as with previous years – the proceedings of Jalsa Salana UK were watched and listened to via MTA Africa throughout the continent, which we have also just heard from people’s impressions about Jalsa.

By the grace of Allah the Almighty, in addition to MTA Africa, the proceedings of Jalsa Salana were also broadcast on other local African channels. This year, including Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Uganda, Mali, Rwanda, Burundi, Senegal, Burkina Faso, my addresses were

broadcast directly on 14 different TV stations. According to one estimate, more than 55 million received the message of Islam through this. Those Jalsa guests who attend from Africa and could not participate in the proceedings because of Covid-19 restrictions, also expressed their desire to join the Jalsa.

The translation of the Jalsa proceedings was provided for the first time in the Hausa language, a language spoken by over 50 million people in Africa. 16 different African television channels aired news segments about the Jalsa Salana UK. The number of viewers for these channels exceeds 60 million.

A missionary from Uganda, Zaki Sahib, writes, “Before the Jalsa, opponents of the community had started spreading propaganda on social media against the Jamaat, saying that these people have a different Quran, etc. so do not watch the proceedings.” When people were shown the advert for the Jalsa so they could join, the opponents began to insist that they should not listen to the Jalsa, saying that these people have their own version of the Quran.

“As a result of this propaganda, a large part of the Ugandan population’s attention was actually directed toward the Jalsa Salana. This had the exact opposite effect of what was intended, and many non-Ahmadis expressed that this propaganda actually made them curious, and after watching and listening to the programmes, their views about the Jamaat have changed. They said that they have come to realise that the Ahmadis believe in the same Quran as them. In fact, they love the Quran even more than them.”

A Catholic friend in Uganda writes: “I saw the advertisement for the Jalsa on Uganda’s national television network, explaining that there is some Islamic Conference taking place in the UK. Upon seeing this, I thought, ‘Let me see what kind of conference this is.’ And so, on Saturday, when I turned on the TV to watch, I saw a man in a white turban delivering an address. I began listening to the sermon and found myself unable to get up from in front of the TV. I ended up listening to the entire address from beginning to end.”

He further writes, “The teachings about women presented by Islam cannot be found anywhere else, and I have never seen any other person raising a voice in favour of women´s rights in this way before.” This person immediately dialled the contact number provided on the screen, saying that he wished to be provided a script of the address that was delivered in the ladies session. And so, he will be sent a copy, insha-Allah.

A non-Ahmadi friend named Abdullah Quyi Sahib from Liberia states: “My intention to watch the Jalsa Salana was to ascertain the difference between Ahmadi Muslims and other Muslims and so that it may become clear to me whether the claims of non-Ahmadi clerics are true or not. After watching the Jalsa, it has become abundantly clear to me that everything they say against this community is only negative propaganda – they are all lies. In reality, through Jamaat-

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Friday 10 September 2021 | AL HAKAM

e-Ahmadiyya, the true message of Islam is being propagated the world over, and I consider it my personal responsibility to inform others about this reality – that it is only Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya which is truly conveying the message of Islam.”

A non-Ahmadi friend in Liberia also said the same. He says that he tuned in to the proceedings of the Jalsa to foster religious tolerance.

“When I read the Quranic verse written on the stage’s backdrop, I was amazed because non-Ahmadi clerics spread the allegation that Ahmadis don’t consider the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa as the Seal of the Prophets, nor respect him. But, contrary to this, Ahmadis are actually spreading the love of the Holy Prophetsa throughout the world. And the way in which the Khalifa of Ahmadis repeatedly emphasised the teachings of the Holy Quran and mentioned the Holy Prophetsa over and over in his address, is itself a conclusive proof of their love for

the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa.”

These accounts came between this report, but in any case, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, there was coverage of the Jalsa Salana through press & media as well. BBC covered it on its regional station, BBC South also gave coverage to it, they also aired a documentary and BBC world aired a report [on the Jalsa], a channel watched in over 200 countries. Aside from this, BBC National News channel covered this report and it continued to repeat a few times as well.

The Press & Media Department reports that while assessing the exact reach of this coverage is difficult, according to one estimate, the total reach was about 52 million viewers. 40 websites covered the Jalsa Salana, with a collective viewership of 27 million. 20 newspapers and publications published articles etc. about the Jalsa, with a collective readership of 735,000. 16 radio programs aired information about the Jalsa, reaching about 16 million listeners.

Similarly, 12 television channels provided coverage, with a collective reach of up to 2.2 million people. Aside from all these media, through social media as well, the message of Jalsa was conveyed to 6.3 million people.

In Dhaka, Amir Sahib of Bangladesh writes that in the central mosque of Dhaka, Narayanganj, Bahman Bariya and Chittagong, they joined in via live stream.

They say that according to the report, more than 800 non-Ahmadi guests joined into the proceedings and benefitted from it.

Then, they say that 10 Bengali online news outlets and portals published pieces on the Jalsa with pictures. Of these, three are very well known and reputable. According to a very conservative estimate, the collective reach of the message through online papers and portals was at least 5.4 million people.

Then there is the coverage achieved through MTA International. More than 15 million people visited MTA via its

YouTube channel. About 500,000 hours of MTA coverage of the Jalsa were viewed on YouTube. On Instagram, 35,000 people visited the MTA page, reaching 1.97 million people. On Twitter, over 100,000 people saw the Jalsa feed, with over 35,000 likes and retweets. 550,000 people also viewed the message through Facebook.

Also, MTA’s own website was viewed 100,000 times. Over 200,000 people also tuned in to the proceedings through MTA OnDemand.

Thus, these were just some brief aspects and even then it took quite some time.

May Allah the Almighty grant lasting blessings as a result of this Jalsa. May the hearts of pure souls become increasingly inclined toward Ahmadiyyat, the True Islam, and may Allah keep the members of the Jamaat and all sincere souls protected from the evil of these so-called ulema.

(Original Urdu transcript published in Al Fazl International, 3 September 2021, pp. 5-11.

Translated by The Review of Religions.)

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Editor: Qaasid Muin Ahmad | Design & Layout: Jalees Ahmad | Sub-Editorial: Ataul Fatir Tahir, Aqeel Ahmed Kang | News: Ata-ul-Haye Nasir | © Al Hakam 2021