Answers
to Everyday
‘Progress is impossible without peace’
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s lecture at the Bradlaugh Hall in Lahore, 1927 Page
www.alhakam.org
Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre (ARC), 22 Deer Park Road, London, SW19 3TL, UK info@alhakam.org | ISSN 2754-7388
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The amila members of Majlis Ansarullah Australia were blessed with the opportunity to meet Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, in a virtual mulaqat on 7 May 2023.
Sahib, Sadr Majlis Ansarullah Australia, replied that they were not sleepy, rather everyone was feeling active. Hearing this, Huzooraa said, “Masha-Allah!” He then
:لﻮﻘﻳ ،��ﻴﻠﻟا صﺎﻗو ﻦﺑ ﺔﻤﻘﻠ� ���ا ��ر بﺎﻄ��ا ﻦﺑ ��ﻋ ﺖﻌ�� لﻮﺳر ﺖﻌ�� :لﺎﻗ ،��ﻨﻤﻟا ﻰﻠ� ﻪﻨﻋ :لﻮﻘﻳ ،ﻢﻠﺳو ﻪﻴﻠ� ���ا ﻰﻠﺻ ���ا ﻞ�� ﺎﻤﻧإو ،تﺎﻴﻨﻟﺎﺑ ل�����ا ﺎﻤﻧإ” ﻰﻟإ ﻪﺗﺮﺠﻫ ﺖﻧﺎ� ﻦ�� ،ىﻮﻧ ﺎﻣ ���ا ،ﺎﻬﺤﻜﻨﻳ ةأ��ا ﻰﻟإ وأ ﺎﻬﺒﻴﺼﻳ ﺎﻴﻧد “.ﻪﻴﻟإ ﺮﺟﺎﻫ ﺎﻣ ﻰﻟإ ﻪﺗﺮﺠﻬﻓ Deeds are judged by
motives
Hazrat Umarra ibn al-Khattab stated, while he was on the pulpit, “I heard Allah’s Messengersa say, ‘Verily deeds are [judged] by intentions and for everyone is a reward, according to his intention. So, whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration [hijrah] was for what he emigrated for.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab aljana’iz)
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words
“According to the Holy Quran, taking frivolous or false oaths is prohibited because it amounts to trivialising and disrespecting God.
“Furthermore, it is also forbidden to take oaths that hinder one from engaging in acts of virtue. For
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instance, when Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, had sworn that he would not give alms or charity to a certain companion by the name of Mistahra [ibn Uthathah] in the future, the following verse was revealed:
“It means, ‘Refrain from such oaths that may hinder you from doing good deeds.’ [Surah al-Baqarah, Ch. 2: V. 225] [...]
“In the exegesis by Mufti Abu Mas‘ud, the mufti of Rum, under the verse
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asked where he was from. Abdul Jamil Mubbashar Sahib replied that he was from Rawalpindi and later moved to Islamabad, Pakistan before eventually settling in Australia.
Huzooraa then asked who was seated to the right of Sadr Sahib. Qaid Umumi, Shageer Mohammed Sahib, introduced himself and mentioned that he was from Fiji, however, he grew up in Australia. Hearing him speak in Urdu, Huzooraa asked, “You spent your [youth] here in Australia, which is why you know Urdu so well?” Shageer Mohammed humbly replied that he continued to learn Urdu even after moving to Australia. Huzooraa asked him about the number of majalis in Australia and how many of them were active. Shageer Mohammed replied that there were 33 majalis in total, which were highly active and regularly submitted reports. Huzooraa asked whether he went through the reports and provided feedback and remarks. Shageer Mohammed Sahib replied in the affirmative, and hearing this, Huzooraa said, “Masha-Allah.”
Huzooraa then spoke with Naib Sadr
not Allah a target for your oaths’], it is written that ‘ۃﺿر�’ here refers to something that prevents or hinders the accomplishment of a task. It has been stated that this verse is in the context of [the incident of] Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, when he had sworn not to give any alms to Mistahra, a companion, due to his involvement in the incident of the hadith of slander [hadith al-ifk].
“Therefore, God Almighty in this verse commands not to take such oaths that prevent one from doing good deeds or righteous actions, or prevent the resolution of a disputed matter.” (Al Hakam, Vol. 8, No. 22, 10 July 1904, p. 7)
Saf-e-Daum, Shajar Ahmad Sahib, and enquired about the number of ansar in saf-e-daum and their activities. Shajar Ahmad Sahib replied that, according to the tajnid, there were 593 ansar in safe-daum. He added that during the last virtual mulaqat with Huzooraa, cycling was especially emphasised, and as a result, they organised various cycling events. He further mentioned that they had recently held a cycling fundraising event for the Australian Muslim Medical Association, which raised $13,000.
Huzooraa asked about the cycling route, to which Shajar Ahmad Sahib replied that it was approximately 10-15 kilometres. He further mentioned that the ansar were encouraged to cycle as much as possible along this route.
Upon hearing about the cycling route, Huzooraa remarked, “Ansar can do more than this.” Huzooraa then shared that some ansar from the UK had recently travelled to Spain, distributed tabligh literature, and cycled 200 kilometres. Huzooraa smiled and commented that “Ansar can travel much farther. You are underestimating their abilities.”
Huzooraa provided some advice and
said that they should also reach out to local cycling clubs and collaborate with them to organise events. In this way, Huzooraa explained that they could raise more money for charity while also spreading the message of Islam and doing tabligh Huzooraa added that they should distribute literature on the topic of peace and wear vests, stating words and phrases that promote peace and harmony during such events.
Huzooraa then turned to Mubashar
Ahmad Khalid Sahib, Qaid Talim and asked where he was from. Mubashar
Ahmad Khalid Sahib responded that he was originally from Rabwah, Pakistan. He then reported that they had held several academic competitions this year and distributed a syllabus that included various passages from the Holy Quran, ahadith, and books of the Promised Messiahas Huzooraa enquired about the number of ansar who read regularly. Mubashar Ahmad Khalid Sahib presented his report on how many ansar studied the books of the Promised Messiahas regularly. Huzooraa then asked which books were assigned to ansar to study this year. Mubashar Ahmad Khalid Sahib responded that the assigned
books were Lecture Ludhiana, Lecture Sialkot and Lecture Lahore
Speaking with Romeo Istafaq Hassan Khan Sahib, Naib Sadr Awwal, Huzooraa enquired about his responsibilities. Romeo Istafaq Hassan Khan Sahib reported that his primary responsibility was to support Sadr Majlis and perform any duties assigned to him. Additionally, he mentioned that he worked in four departments: Tarbiyat, Talim-ul-Quran, Wasaya, and Ishaat. Mashood Shah Sahib, Naib Sadr, reported that he had been assigned to oversee three departments, worked closely with the qaideen, and also assisted Majlis Ansarullah in a number of events and seminars.
Abdul Majeed Zahid Sahib, Qaid Tarbiyyat, reported that the theme for this year was “Love for Khilafat”. He mentioned that all tarbiyat plans were centred around this theme. The primary objective is to ensure that 100% of the ansar offered the five daily prayers. Additionally, various seminars were held with speeches about salat. When Huzooraa enquired about the seminars’ results, Abdul Majeed Zahid Sahib reported they were able to conduct seven seminars in different regions, which
brought about a significant change in the attendance for the five daily prayers. Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that they should share short passages highlighting the importance of salat to attract people’s attention. He added that the ansar should always remember the significance of salat, particularly at their age.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said they should also emphasise the importance of listening to his sermons. He then enquired how many ansar regularly listened to his sermons. Majeed Zahid Sahib responded with the relevant figures.
Muwain Sadr, Syed Mubarak Ahmed, reported that he was tasked by Sadr Sahib to oversee the official website of Majlis Ansarullah, set up email addresses and manage the official Twitter account. Huzooraa enquired whether he was professionally involved in IT, to which he responded in the affirmative. He further mentioned that the calendar of events was regularly updated on the official website, and they also uploaded the regularly published ansar bulletins, among other things.
Syed Sabih Ahmed Sahib, Muawin Sadr Wasaya reported that the first target assigned to him by Sadr Sahib was to try to have 100% of the national amila in the blessed scheme of Wasiyat. Huzooraa asked for the percentage of musis to date; to which Syed Sabih Ahmed Sahib replied 80%. Hearing this, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said, “Masha-Allah!”
Huzooraa enquired, “Are you yourself a musi, Shah Sahib?” Syed Sabih Ahmed Sahib replied in the affirmative. Huzooraa then spoke with Dr Asim Ali Malik Sahib, Qaid Mal.
When speaking with Mujeeb Ur Rehman Sanauri Sahib, Qaid Tabligh, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa enquired about the number of amila members who are dai‘in il-Allah. In response, apart from himself, Mujeeb Ur Rehman Sanauri Sahib reported that there were no others at the moment. Upon hearing this, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa advised that at least 25% of the amila should be among dai‘in ilAllah. He further stated that Qaid Tarbiyat, Qaid Talim, Sadr Sahib, Naib Sadr Sahib, and all the muawinin should all strive to be dai‘in il-Allah
Huzooraa explained that they could dedicate one hour over the weekend to distributing leaflets that highlight the teachings of Islam. Huzooraa explained that this could open up avenues for further tabligh
Huzooraa remarked that a large majority of people in Australia are still unaware of the Jamaat and the peaceful teachings of Islam. To address this issue, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa emphasised the need for different auxiliary organisations of the Jamaat to collaborate and “work together to maximise the outreach” and to achieve the unified goal of spreading the peaceful message of Islam Ahamdiyyat. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said that coordinated programmes can be developed to raise awareness about Islam Ahmadiyyat and its teachings.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa emphasised that it is important to introduce the Jamaat and its peaceful teachings to the Australian population, and those who are destined to enter the fold of the Jamaat will eventually
do so. However, it is necessary to do the spadework first. Huzooraa advised the amila to explore new avenues in tabligh instead of merely relying on old methods of preaching. He encouraged, “Ansarullah, being more mature, should make good plans and execute them effectively.”
Next, Mubashar Ahmad Sahib, Qaid Ishaat, reported that they publish a quarterly periodical called Az-Zujajah, which they also distribute. Huzooraa enquired about the origin of the name to which Qaid Isha‘at said that he did not know. Huzooraa stated that they should include an article in the editorial section of the next issue, detailing the history of Az-Zujajah
Luqman Majoka Sahib, Qaid Ithar, reported that he coordinates with major
regarding Tehrik-e-Jadid and Waqf-eJadid. Huzooraa commended their region for taking the lead in this matter.
Mahmood Ur Rehman Sahib, the Nazim-e-Ala for the Blacktown Region, Sydney, was asked by Huzooraa about the origin of the region’s name. Mahmood Ur Rehman Sahib responded that he was not sure.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa also spoke with Hafiz Tariq Saleem Sahib, the Nazime-Ala for the Penrith Region, Sydney. He enquired about Tariq Saleem Sahib’s hifz revision and was informed that he had continued to revise the Holy Quran. Tariq Saleem Sahib further mentioned that he had the opportunity to lead the tarawih prayer during Ramadan.
Upon seeing Mahmood Ahmad Abbasi
Quran, Huzooraa enquired about the classes conducted. Nasir Ahmed Malik Sahib responded that they held 185 Darsul-Quran classes throughout Australia. Huzooraa stressed that they should focus on holding regular classes that would help the ansar to better understand and recite the Holy Quran.
During a conversation with Rizwan Ahmad Sahib, Qaid Waqf-e-Jadid, Huzooraa asked him about the percentage of contributions by Majlis Ansarullah. Rizwan Ahmad Sahib replied that it was 35.7%, to which Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said, “Masha-Allah, you are very precise in giving the figures!” Huzooraa then turned to Muhammad Salman Yousaf Sahib, Qaid Sehat-e-Jismani & Zahanat, and asked about his participation in sports. Muhammad Salman Yousaf Sahib replied positively and mentioned his regular participation in badminton, along with around 15-20 other ansar who played weekly in the allocated area in the hall.
Mohammad Ahmad Uppal Sahib, Qaid Tajnid, reported that the IT department had recently developed an app that they are now using to update and create the tajnid Mahmood Shah Sahib, Qaid Tarbiyat Nau Muba’i‘in, reported that there were two new converts who were very active in tabligh work. Huzooraa advised them to take good care of these new converts and to keep them attached to the Jamaat.
national events such as “Clean Up Australia Day” and “National Tree Planting Day” to carry out activities and events. Huzooraa said that if he also coordinated with the tabligh department, they could accomplish much work. Huzooraa advised Luqman Sahib to organise events that promote Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya and the teachings of Islam. Luqman Sahib reported that this year, they focused on coordinating with charities and holding charity walks.
Syed Fawaz Ahmed Sahib, Muawin Sadr for IT, reported that Sadr Sahib had assigned to him seven projects to move the day-to-day paperwork online. Anwar Ul Haq Sahib, Nazim-e-Ala of the Queensland Region, reported that the majalis were very active in terms of tabligh and holding book stalls. Then, Anas Khaliq Sahib, the Nazime-A‘la for the South Australia Region, reported that there were six majalis in his region. Next, Osama Ahmed, the Nazime-Ala for Region Victoria, reported on the number of ansar in his region, which primarily consisted of the Melbourne Metropolitan area. Huzooraa asked about their relationship with their neighbours, to which Anas Khaliq Sahib replied that their relationship was very good with the majority of the neighbours.
During the meeting, Huzooraa had a conversation with several members from different regions in Sydney. He spoke with Muhammad Ahsan Ghumman Sahib, the Nazim-e-A‘la for Marsden Park Region,
Sahib, Naib Qaid Umumi, Huzooraa remarked that he seemed to have aged. In a humorous response, Mahmood Ahmad Abbasi Sahib attributed his old age to his membership in Majlis Ansarullah. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa replied in a lighthearted manner by saying, “Does one age after joining Ansarullah? One should always keep a youthful spirit.”
During a conversation with Ziallah Khan Sahib, serving as the Auditor, Huzooraa enquired about the progress of the auditing work. Ziallah Khan Sahib responded that, with regards to any issues that came up, he would bring them to the attention of the national amila meetings. Following this, Moeen Ul Haqq Shams Sahib, Qaid Tahrik-e-Jadid, reported that 39% of the total amount of Australia’s Tahrik-e-Jadid chanda was contributed by Majlis Ansarullah. Upon hearing this, Huzooraa said, “You have done an excellent job.”
Whilst speaking Nasir Ahmed Malik, Qaid Talimul Quran & Waqf-e-Aarzi, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said that he should encourage the amila to participate in the Waqf-e-Arzi scheme for at least two weeks in a year, followed by the nazimeene-a‘la and then the zu‘ama. Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa emphasised that such efforts would signify a great accomplishment.
Huzooraa added that once ansar saw this, they would also be motivated to take part in Waqf-e-Arzi. With regard to Talimul
Speaking with Syed Shahid Abbas Naqvi Sahib, Naib Qaid Tabligh, Huzooraa advised him to assist the Qaid Tabligh and follow the instructions Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa had given to him. Next, speaking with Mohammed Nisar Khan, Naib Qaid Tabligh, Huzooraa instructed him to follow the same instructions given to Qaid Tabligh and added that he should explore more avenues to do tabligh, in addition to the programmes already planned by the Qaid Tabligh.
Upon seeing Mubarak Ahmad Minhas Sahib, Naib Qaid Tabligh, Huzooraa remarked with a smile, “You have aged considerably.” Huzooraa then enquired about Mubarak Ahmad Minhas Sahib’s family, to which he responded that he has two sons and two daughters and that he has New Zealand nationality. Moving on, addressing Feisal Ahmedi Sahib, Naib Qaid Ithar, Huzooraa asked if his parents are from East Africa. After receiving a positive response, Huzooraa mentioned that he had previously given instructions to Qaid Ithar and advised Feisal Ahmedi Sahib, Anees Ur Rahman Sahib, and Attaul Mujeeb Sahib – all serving as naib Qaid Ithar – to follow those instructions as well.
Addressing Waseem Ahmed Sahib, Naib Sehat-e-Jismani & Zahanat, Huzooraa asked if he also played any sports. Waseem Ahmed Sahib said he played cricket and added that he was coming to the UK for the Masroor Cricket Tournament. Hearing this, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa smiled and said, “Are you coming as the coach or a player?” In response, Waseem Ahmed Sahib said that he was coming as a wicketkeeper.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa conveyed his salaam, after which the meeting came to a close.
(Report prepared by Al Hakam)
12 May 1907: On this day, an important session for the general public was held in Qadian for raising awareness of the establishment of peace. Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra presided over the event on the instructions of the Promised Messiahas. Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddinra also made an important speech on the topic of the gathering. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 2, p. 494)
12 May 1954: On this day, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra statement was recorded at the court in Lalian (a town near Rabwah), in connection with the assassination attempt made on him. A total of 12 statements, including those from various other people, were also recorded. (Tarikhe-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 16, p. 267)
12 May 1970: On this day, the then governor-general of Sierra Leone hosted a reception in honour of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh, which was also attended by various
at the Salam Mosque. On the same day, Frederick Sumaye, the then Prime Minister of Tanzania, had a meeting with Huzooraa. (Al Fazl International, 10 June 2005, p. 13)
13 May 2006: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa addressed the closing session of Jalsa Salana Japan. After the Jalsa, Japanese guests had the privilege of meeting Huzooraa. (Al Fazl International, 30 June 2006, pp. 12-13)
14 May 1924: Hazrat Musleh-eMaudra received an invitation from the organisers of the Wembley Conference, London. On this day, Huzoorra wrote a detailed letter to the Jamaat for mutual consultation and explained the background and different aspects of the proposed tour.
Huzoorra wrote that people from many walks of life were scheduled to attend and “in relation to this
very day, Huzooraa travelled about 200 kilometres from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro where he was warmly welcomed by Ahmadis. There, Huzooraa inspected Jamia Ahmadiyya and many other sites.
At the end of this busy day, Huzooraa attended a dinner to which dignitaries of the area and government officials were invited.
(Al Fazl International, 17 June 2005, p. 16)
15 May 1908: On this day, Sir Fazli-Hussian, the renowned politician of British India, paid a visit to the Promised Messiahas in Lahore.
(“Coming from every distant track: Sir Mian Fazl-i-Husain meets with the Promised Messiah”, Al Hakam, 18 March 2022, Issue 209, pp. 1213)
16 May 1878: Munshi Gurdiyal, a teacher in a middle school in Chiniot, Punjab wrote an article in Aftab-e-Punjab, which was published on this date. In it, he dealt with the Samajist belief regarding all souls being uncreated. As he addressed Prophet Ahmadas in his article, Huzooras wrote a reply which silenced the Munshi forever.
(Purani Tahrirein, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 2, p. 46a)
16 May 1924: Hazrat Muslehe-Maudra conducted a shura on this day after the Asr prayer at the Mubarak Mosque, Qadian and discussed with representatives the invitation received from the Wembley Conference. This was the first ever proposed long-distance journey of any Khalifatul Masih out of the Indian subcontinent.
dignitaries of the country, including ministers and foreign ambassadors.
(Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 26, p. 67)
13 May
13 May 2005: On this day, during his visit to Tanzania, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivered his Friday Sermon
conference, it is said that even in the next 100 years, it will be difficult for the English people to hold an event of this calibre.”
(Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 423)
14 May 2005: On this day, the then-president of Tanzania had the privilege of meeting Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. Also, on this
15 May 1908: On this day, The Promised Messiah’sas book Chashmae-Ma‘rifat was published from the Anwar-e-Ahmadiyya Machine Press, Qadian.
15 May 2005: On this day, during his tour of Tanzania, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa inaugurated a mosque in Chalinze, held a meeting with missionaries of Tanzania and also addressed a press conference in addition to attending a dinner that evening. (Al Fazl International, 17 June 2005, pp. 11-12)
Al Fazl reported that on 16 May, after the Asr prayer, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra called an open sitting of the Majlis-e-Shura in which every Ahmadi had the opportunity to give his view. At last, voting was held on that matter and the votes in favour of the matter were far more than the votes against it. Huzoorra stated that he would not disclose his view until the viewpoints of the other Jamaat members living outside Qadian had been received.
(Tarikh-
e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 4, p. 423)
16 May 1947: Delhi’s newspaper
“Riasat” commented in its editorial that Ahmadis were supporting the Pakistan Movement, but soon after the creation of Pakistan, the [nonAhmadi] Muslims would start treating them exactly as the Afghan government had treated them in the past. Upon this, during his speech on 16 May 1947, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra stated that in a situation like this, a divine community which is purely based on religion, morals, and justice, will keep in mind the rights of the people while making any decision, rather than seeking its own benefit:
“No matter in what way Muslim Leaguers treat us after the formation of Pakistan, whether they treat us the same as Kabul, or even with more severity, the question right now is, who is right in this dispute between Hindus and Muslims, and who is wrong. […] It is our obligation to help the oppressed nation, no matter if they kill us or harm us.” (“Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad’sra services to the Muslim cause: Guidance and support to leaders of the Pakistan Movement”, Al Hakam, 5 March 2021, Issue 155, pp. 20-23)
17 May 1908: On this day, whilst in Lahore, the Promised Messiahas invited dignitaries of the town to his place. A meal was served and the Promised Messiahas spoke to the gathering. Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddinra also delivered a speech. (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 2, p. 530)
17 May 1989: On this day, the Zurich University Council held a reception in honour of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh. Huzoorrh addressed a press conference and delivered a lecture at the University as well. (Silsila-eAhmadiyya, Part 4, p. 855)
17 May 2005: On this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa arrived in Uganda from Tanzania. Huzooraa also addressed a press conference. Many officials had the opportunity to meet with Huzooraa. (Al Fazl International, 24 June 2005, pp. 10-16)
18 May 2005: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa visited an Ahmadiyya School in Mbiko, Uganda. (Al Fazl International, 24 June 2005, pp. 10-11)
On 30 April 2023, Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya UK had the opportunity to hold its annual Waqf-e-Nau Ijtema for boys at Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden. This came after a muchanticipated wait, as it had been four years since the previous ijtema took place due to the pandemic.
Preparations for the event started many months in advance, with a National Ijtema committee being formed, led by Usman Ahmad Sahib. The committee worked tirelessly to create a new and unique ijtema that would cater for the needs of waqifeen-enau of different ages.
To maximise engagement for the waqifeen, they were split into five age groups. For each of these groups, a tailored programme was prepared and separate activities were organised to cater for their specific needs. Within these age groups, the waqifeen-e-nau were divided into further groups of 20 people and assigned a group leader, who helped engage in conversations and provided direction throughout the day.
The opening session was chaired by respected Luqman Kishwer Sahib, head of the Central Waqf-e-Nau Department. Following this, the waqifeen divided into different groups took part in various activities and workshops. Academic competitions were organised for all participants to create an authentic Ijtema experience. In addition to this, more effort was put in this year to create an activity zone in Tahir and Nasir Hall where the waqifeene-nau had the chance to take part in games and sports which tested and helped develop various skills, such as teamwork and handeye coordination. This was thoroughly enjoyed by all participants.
Group leaders assessed members of their groups according to their engagement throughout the day in the workshops and activities. The purpose and result of this was that the waqifeen-e-nau had more opportunities to build relationships and make friends.
Apart from this, the younger age groups
were able to benefit from the ‘Islam and Me’ workshop, which focused on contemporary issues. The older age groups took part in tabligh workshops that emphasised the role that waqifeen have to play in spreading the message of Islam and how they can get involved in the various tabligh platforms of the UK Jamaat, such as True Islam UK and Rational Religion.
There were also presentations from the Muslim Television Ahmadiyya (MTA), The Review of Religions and the Central Waqf-e-Nau Department. The waqifeen-enau were able to have a session with Rafiq
An additional 168 guests also attended the ijtema this year.
The highlight of the day was the address delivered by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, where he reminded the waqifeen-e-nau about their responsibilities and upholding their pledge. He stated:
“As I have said, your pledge is of utmost seriousness and magnitude. In essence, you have affirmed before God that you will be ready for every possible sacrifice and hardship for His sake and will, until your dying breath.” (www.alhakam.org/waqifeene-nau-ijtema-uk-2023/)
Hayat Sahib, Amir Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya UK, who shared numerous experiences in his lifetime linked to Khilafat followed by a short question-and-answer session.
In the evening, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa graced the ijtema with his presence. After leading Zuhr and Asr prayers, he chaired the concluding session. Tilawat and a Nazm were recited with their translations to start the session.
An ijtema report was presented by Dr Anas Ahmad Rana Sahib, Secretary Waqfe-Nau UK. The total attendance of this year’s ijtema was 1,552, which compares to the 2019 ijtema attendance of 1,394 boys.
A constant theme in the speech was the importance of building a living connection with Allah and showing the level of obedience that was expressed by Hazrat Ibrahimas
“Always keep in view the extraordinary way in which Hazrat Ibrahimas fulfilled his pledge. Similarly, you should look to the Companions of the Holy Prophetsa who displayed incredible levels of faith and devotion. They surrendered all personal desires and were ever-ready to give their lives for the sake of their faith. Similarly, the companions of the Promised Messiahas also showed exemplary standards of sacrifice. Amongst his followers were those who relinquished all material pursuits and worldly opportunities for the sake of their faith. They included exceptionally welleducated people who had gained Bachelors’ and Masters’ degrees – which was extremely rare at that time and for whom there was a huge demand in society. Instead of seeking fame and fortune, they left behind everything and came into the service of the Promised Messiahas. They devoted their lives to the service of Islam and fulfilled their pledges without a second thought for what they had left behind.” (Ibid.)
This is the mindset that Huzooraa urged the waqifeen-e-nau to reflect on and embody in their lives. If not, then their claim of having devoted their lives has not been fully understood. May Allah give us the capacity to fulfil our obligations and exceed the expectation of our beloved Imam. Amin
Guidance regarding basic Islamic issues – which Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa has given on various occasions in his written correspondence and during MTA programmes – is being officially published below for everyone’s benefit.
Six kalimas
A lady wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, asking about the number of kalimat, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat believes in according to the Islamic sharia and acknowledges them as being substantiated by either the Holy Quran or the Hadith. Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 21 March 2022, provided the following response to her query:
advice to him:
“‘You are going to a people, from among the People of the Book. When you reach them, invite them to testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad[sa] is His Messenger.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab az-zakat)
maidens of modest gaze, which in simple terms means women. She said that, if these were women, then only men would get this reward. She asked, what the reward would be for the believing women in heaven. She also asked whether women were created only for men. Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 9 April 2022, provided the following answer to her question:
to describe them in this way so that the hearts may be drawn towards them.’ (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya V, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 21, p. 424)
“Explaining the above-mentioned verse of Surah as-Sajdah [32:18], the Promised Messiahas stated:
“The Islamic creed is only one and it is expressed through what is known as “al-kalimah at-tayyibah” or “kalimah ashshahadah”. In al-kalimah at-tayyibah, the concept of Allah’s Tawhid [Oneness] and the messengership of the Holy Prophetsa are testified to in simple terms. On the other hand, the kalimah ash-shahadah involves testifying to Allah’s Tawhid and the messengership of the Holy Prophetsa through a declaration of faith, which is known as shahadah or witnessing.
“This kalimah, i.e. testifying to the Tawhid of Allah and the messengership of the Holy Prophetsa, also forms the foremost and fundamental pillar of Islam. In a hadith, the Holy Prophetsa stated:
is based on [the following] five [pillars]:
1. “‘Giving testimony that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad[sa] is His Messenger;
2. “‘Observing salat;
3. “‘Paying the Zakat;
4. “‘Performing the Hajj, and,
5. “‘Fasting in the month of Ramadan.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-iman)
“This kalimah was the one that the Holy Prophetsa instructed every new convert to Islam to profess. As an example, when Hazrat Mu‘azra bin Jabal was sent to Yemen by the Holy Prophetsa, he imparted this
“Following the footsteps of his master and guide-Sayyiduna Muhammadsa alMustafa-the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, who was his most ardent devotee, would also require initiates to recite the same kalimah ash-shahadah before accepting their pledge of allegiance. Hence, while recounting the story of his bai‘at, Hazrat Maulana Ghulam Rasool Rajekira wrote, ‘While accepting my bai‘at, the Promised Messiahas asked me to recite the kalimah ash-shahadah.’ (Hayat-eQudsi, p. 494) In adherence to this sunnah of the Holy Prophetsa and the Promised Messiahas, the Khulafa-e-Ahmadiyyat also require the recitation of the same kalimah ash-shahadah during the bai‘at ceremony.
“Thus, every member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat wholeheartedly believes in this kalimah by the grace of Allah the Exalted. We hold it to be the foremost among the [five] fundamental pillars of Islam.
“As far as the concept of the six kalimas with their distinct names and arrangement, that are commonly found among [South Asian] Muslims, is concerned, it is not substantiated anywhere by the Holy Quran or the ahadith of the Holy Prophetsa. Rather, these kalimas were formulated much later after the blessed era of the rightly-guided caliphate by combining various kinds of zikr and supplications mentioned in the ahadith and by giving them distinct names. Therefore, this particular arrangement of these kalimas, as well as the significance and obligation attached to them (which is prevalent among the Muslims populace), does not hold any status according to the sharia.” [For more on this topic, see Friday Sermon, 14 April 2023; Al Hakam, Issue 269, 12 May 2023, pp. 17-20]
A lady from the UK wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, stating that the Holy Quran promises that the dwellers of Paradise will be given chaste
“The descriptions of the blessings of Paradise are all conveyed in the Holy Quran and the Prophetic traditions [ahadith] through figurative language, which draws comparisons to worldly objects only in order to facilitate our comprehension. Allah the Exalted states:
“‘The similitude of the Heaven promised to the God-fearing is […].’ (Surah ar-Ra‘d, Ch. 13: V. 36)
“Allah the Exalted further states:
“‘That is, no virtuous one knows what bliss is kept hidden from him, as a reward for that which he used to do. Thus, God has described all those bounties as hidden, the like of which is not to be found in this world. It is obvious that the bounties of this world are not hidden from us and we are familiar with milk, pomegranates and grapes etc. which we eat here. This shows that the bounties of the next life are something else and have nothing in common with the bounties of this life, except the name. He who conceives of the conditions of paradise in the terms of the conditions of this life has not the least understanding of the Holy Quran.’ (Islami Usul Ki Falasfi, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 10, pp. 397-398)
“‘And no soul knows what joy of the eyes is kept hidden for them, as a reward for their good works.’ (Surah as-Sajdah, Ch. 32: V. 18)
“Likewise, the Holy Prophetsa stated:
“‘Allah the Exalted states, ‘I have prepared for My righteous servants, such things as no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of, and nobody has ever thought of. All that is reserved, besides which, all that you have seen, is nothing.’’ (Sahih alBukhari, Kitab at-tafsir)
“The Promised Messiahas stated the following in this regard:
“‘God has described the good things of Paradise in the guise of things that were cherished by the Arabs so that their hearts would be drawn towards it. In reality, those things are of a different nature and not things of this world. But it was compulsory
“Explaining the wisdom behind keeping these blessings hidden, the Promised Messiahas stated:
“‘Concealment, as an act of Allah, carries an inherent greatness. God’s act of concealing is like what is articulated in the following about Paradise:
نيعا ۃر� نم مہل ��خا ام سفن ملعت الف
“‘(‘And no soul knows what joy of the eyes is kept hidden for them.’)
“‘In fact, there is an honour in the act of concealing itself, akin to the presentation of food under a covering cloth. That too is a sign of respect.’ (Al-Badr, Issue 11, Vol. 1, 9 January 1903, p. 86)
“The concept of the hur in Paradise is a figurative one and is mentioned in the Holy Quran on four occasions. The first two references (in Surah ad-Dukhan and Surah at-Tur) promise that نيع روحب مہنجوزو, i.e., the dwellers of Paradise will be consorted with fair maidens with wide, black eyes. The remaining two references (in Surah arRahman and Surah al-Waqi‘ah) describe the exquisite attributes of the hur – they will be in well-guarded pavilions like pearls and corals, i.e., they will be adorned with qualities of modesty and shyness, as well as goodness, purity, beauty, and excellence of character.
“The word ‘zawj’ means a mate or spouse. It is not correct to interpret this as
referring only to a man or a husband, rather it means a righteous and pure companion or mate. In view of this, the meaning of these verses would be that ‘We will make pious women the companions of pure men and pious men the companions of pure women in Paradise.’
“Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra interprets the verse ۃرہطم جاوزا اہیف مہل و of Surah alBaqarah, [i.e., ‘And they will have therein mates perfectly pure.’ (2:26)], as follows: “‘ ۃرہطم جاوزا اہیف مہل و: There is no room for contention when considering the term ‘pure companions’. In this context, it would imply that just as sustenance in Paradise will be mutually beneficial, all its inhabitants will also assist each other in their spiritual growth. Consequently, there will be an all-encompassing sense of peace and cooperation, both internally and externally.
“‘If the term is interpreted to mean ‘husband’ or ‘wife’ – recognising that ‘zawj, pl. azwaj’ can refer to both genders, a woman’s ‘zawj’ being her husband and a man’s ‘zawj’ his wife – then one possible interpretation would be that every denizen of Heaven will be paired with a virtuous partner. There should be no objection to this interpretation either; rather, it serves as motivation for individuals to consider not only their own virtue but also that of their spouse; a man should consider not only his own virtue but also that of his wife, and a woman should consider not only her own piety but also that of her husband. This is premised on the idea that if couples desire to live together in the afterlife, as they do in this worldly life, each should strive to elevate the other’s righteousness. This would prevent a situation where the husband is in Heaven and the wife in Hell, or vice versa. From this standpoint, it is a sublime teaching of spiritual purity, and instead of objecting to it, one should appreciate its virtues.
“‘Furthermore, another interpretation could be that each person will be granted a pure mate in Heaven. There should be no contention with this interpretation either. If the interpretation implies that every man will be given a pure wife and every woman a pure husband, what possible objection could there be? An objection could only arise if there were an insinuation towards an impure act. Given that the Holy Quran uses the term ‘pure’ [mutahharah], it is clear that only actions deemed pure by the standards of Paradise will occur in Paradise. Hence, there is no basis for any objections.’ (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 1, pp. 252253)
“Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh has also interpreted the following verse of Surah ad-Dukhan:
“He explained the verse to mean, that the spouses of the believers will be transformed into hur and bound together in the bond of matrimony. In the subsequent verse, it has been stated that their children will also be gathered with them in Paradise. The reason why wives are not mentioned in the second verse is that they have already been referred to in the first verse, i.e.
“The Holy Prophetsa told an elderly woman that no elderly woman would enter Paradise. She began to cry and asked, ‘O
Messenger of Allah, where will I go then?’ He replied, ‘I did not say that you will not enter Paradise. Rather, no elderly woman will enter Paradise as an elderly person. You will enter Paradise as a young person.’ Thus, when an old woman will enter Paradise, she will be transformed into a young woman, and an ‘unattractive’ woman into an ‘attractive’ woman. Similarly, a woman who was disabled or disfigured in this world will have a healthy body and perfect features in Paradise. Hence, when it is said that ‘ نيع روحب مہنجوز و’, i.e., the companions of Paradise will be wed to ‘hur’, it does not mean elderly women, as they left them behind in the world. Rather, those women who enter Paradise will be hurin ‘inin, i.e., young, beautiful, and righteous, regardless of whether they were elderly or young in this world. In any case, the word ‘hur’ in this context refers to a spouse-like companion [zawj]. (Abridged from Friday Sermon, 19 February 1982; Khutbat-e-Nasir, Vol. 9, pp. 386387)”
“Therefore, from the aforementioned references, it becomes evident that the term ‘hur’ refers to virtuous and pure mates who will be united in matrimonial bonds with believing men and women in paradise. These mates will be granted as a divine reward. What will be the nature of these mates? The perfect knowledge of this rests solely with Allah Almighty. Humans will gain this understanding only upon their arrival in paradise.
“This interpretation also provides an answer to your second question, ‘Are women only created for men?’ because, according to Islam, both men and women are created
for each other. By comprehending this fact, a wise husband and wife can create a heaven for themselves in this life and also assist each other in their spiritual growth in the afterlife.”
A lady from the USA wrote a letter to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, asking why the funeral prayer [janazah] is offered again when the body of a person who had been given interim burial is eventually moved to Bahishti Maqbarah, especially considering that many years may have passed since their death. Huzoor-e-
buried him. The following day, when this was brought to the attention of the Holy Prophetsa, he questioned, ‘Why wasn’t I informed?’ Then, he proceeded to visit the man’s grave, where he also offered his funeral prayer. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab as-salat) Similarly, it is narrated by Hazrat ‘Uqba bin Amirra that one day the Holy Prophetsa supplicated for the martyrs of Uhud in the same way as one prays for the deceased. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab aljana’iz)
Anwaraa, in his letter dated 21 April 2022, replied to this question as follows:
“Salat al-Janazah is a prayer offered for the forgiveness and spiritual elevation of the deceased. There are countless ranks in Paradise, so even after the funeral prayer, people continue to pray for the deceased. When they visit the graves of their loved ones, they also pray for their spiritual elevation. These practices are based on the sunnah of the Holy Prophetsa. “Hence, as conveyed in ahadith, there was a man who used to clean the mosque. One night, he passed away, and the people subsequently
“It is not necessary to offer the janazah prayer again after the transfer of the dead body of a person who had been given an interim burial, but if it is offered, there is nothing wrong with it. When Hazrat Maulana Abdul Karim Sahib Sialkotira passed away, he was given an interim burial on 11 October 1905. However, it was the wish of the Promised Messiahas that his dead body should be moved to Bahishti Maqbarah. Therefore, when Hazrat Maulvi Sahib’s dead body was moved to Bahishti Maqbarah on 26 December 1905, the Promised Messiahas offered his funeral prayer again. (Al Hakam, No. 36, Vol. 9, 17 October 1905, p. 1; Al Hakam, No. 1, Vol. 10, 10 January 1906, p. 6)
“So, this is our practice, that sometimes we repeat Salat al-Janazah upon the transfer [and reburial] of the dead body, and sometimes we only offer a du‘a when a new grave is prepared. Both practices are correct.”
(Compiled by Zaheer Ahmad Khan, Head of Records Department, Private Secretariat, London. Translated by Al Hakam.)
Arshad Mehmood Khan Scotland Correspondent
Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Glasgow North held a tabligh event titled “The Big Iftar” on 14 April 2023. Over 60 non-Muslim participants from all walks of life attended the event. The event was hosted by Ahmad Owusu Konadu Sahib, the local secretary for external affairs.
The event began with an exhibition of translations of the Holy Quran and other Islamic literature for visitors, followed by light refreshments. The programme continued with the recitation from the Holy Quran and its English translation, followed by a welcome address by Rana Mubasher Ahmad Sahib, the local president, and a slideshow, showcasing humanitarian work organised by the Scotland region in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fife, and Dundee. The event also featured a series of short videos including an introduction to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Several speakers addressed the audience, including Martin Cawley, CEO
of Beatson Cancer Charity Glasgow, who talked about their ongoing projects helping cancer patients and their families in Glasgow.
Aileen McConnell, community manager of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, thanked the Jamaat for their partnership in collecting charity for needy children in the Glasgow Hospital. Melody Whitley, the founder of Help 4 The Homeless, talked about the projects her charity is doing in Glasgow and thanked the Jamaat for donating food items for their soup kitchen regularly.
Baillie Anthony Carroll, the Green Party councillor for Dennistoun, said that he felt profound to be a part of the Big Iftar, seeing people of different backgrounds come together.
Rt Hon Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, spoke about how competing for good is something the whole world could benefit from and how she learned about Ramadan and its conditions, and how Muslims sacrifice during this blessed month.
Fakhar Aftab Sahib, the missionary in
Glasgow, delivered a speech, explaining the roots of fasting in Islam, the spiritual benefits of fasting, and the importance of fasting during Ramadan as one of the five pillars of Islam.
A question-and-answer session was also held, where the panel responded to questions from the audience.
The event ended with silent prayer, followed by iftar and Maghrib prayer.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered a lecture at the Bradlaugh Hall in Lahore, on 2 March 1927, titled “Hindu-Muslim Fasadat, Inka Ilaaj, Aur Musalmanon ka Ainda Tareeq-eAmal”, i.e., Hindu-Muslim Relations and the Future Line of Muslim Conduct It was published in Al Fazl on 15, 18 & 22 March 1927.
The Civil and Military Gazette reported:
“Hindu-Muslim Relations
“Powerful Appeal For Mutual Toleration
“Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, Head of the Ahmadiyya community, gave a very significant speech on ‘HinduMuslim Relations and the Future Line of Muslim Conduct,’ on Wednesday, March 2. The Hon Sir Muhammad Shafi, K.C.S.I., was in the chair. The hall was packed to its fullest capacity and both communities were amply represented by leading members.
“The lecturer traced the origin of the Hindu-Muslim disturbances to two causes, viz., the absence of religious toleration and political injustice. Both these traits in the Indian character, he remarked, were the inheritance of past Indian history, for which the present generation was not responsible. Therefore, instead of quarrelling amongst themselves and making matters worse, both communities should try to bury the past and make mutual efforts to forget and forgive. He appealed strongly to both communities, in the name of their respective religions and in the name of their country, to cultivate the virtues of broadmindedness and fair play which were greatly needed to develop national life in India. The lecturer was listened to with deep attention by an appreciative audience.” (The Civil and Military Gazette, 5 March 1927, p. 5)
The president of the session, Sir Muhammad Shafi said in his welcoming speech:
“In my view, the time has come for the well-wishers and sympathetic people to raise their voices and say that those who are causing the clash between different communities of India are in fact, the enemies of the country. Since, there are such difficulties in India, thus, today Mirza Sahib will tell you the suitable solution to all these [problems], through which, hopefully, the country’s situation will improve and these problems will cease to exist.” (Al Fazl, 15 March 1927, p. 5)
At the beginning of his speech, Hazrat
Musleh-e-Maud said that in his view, no one could remain unaffected by the painful impacts of the disturbance and unrest between Hindus and Muslims of India, and regardless of whichever religion, community, belief, or school of thought they belong to, if they have any sympathy for their country, they must be distressed upon seeing this situation.
“In my view, no religion, civilisation, or politics can ever progress until there is peace. Just like crops cannot flourish without water, likewise, progress is impossible without peace. [...] India is that unfortunate country where, instead of delivering such speeches which may establish peace and enable people to progress under a peaceful atmosphere, people deliver such speeches which flame the unrest, intensify the communal and sectarian hate, and tarnish the country’s peace. Consequently, as a country, India’s progress is at a halt. [...] Here at the same Bradlaugh Hall, I delivered a speech around 4 to 5 years ago [delivered on 14 November 1923, “‘We must recognise the rights of every community’: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s lecture at Bradlaugh Hall, Lahore”, Al Hakam, 11 November 2022, Issue 243, pp. 8-9)]. On that occasion also, I had expressed my views on the conciliation between Hindus and Muslims.” (Al Fazl, 15 March 1927, pp. 5-6)
Further, Huzoor shed light on the reasons
behind the unrest between Hindu and Muslim communities. Huzoorra said that the main reasons included political injustice, inequality, and religious intolerance:
“The strong foundation of religious tolerance which is present in Islam, is not found anywhere else. [...] On one hand, where Islam teaches [its followers] to present its distinctive features – which means that its own hallmarks be presented [as an argument of truthfulness] – on the other hand, it also teaches that prophets have come in every nation which has existed in this world, as its states:
ریذن اہیف الخ الا ۃما نم ناو
“‘And there is no people to whom a Warner has not been sent.’ [Surah Fatir, Ch. 35: V. 25]
“Now look, how great the difference is between Islam and other religions. It has not been stated in other religions that apart from them, prophets have come in any other nation as well. However, it is the teaching of Islam which tells that prophets have been coming to all nations. Now, in light of this teaching, the Muslims are obliged to believe in prophets of all nations, and when they do so, could they ever say to any community that ‘your prophet is false’? If anyone says this, they will not only be falsifying that certain prophet, but rather, they would be falsifying [God forbid] this verse of the Holy Quran. [...] A Muslim honours each of them
[prophets], and utters respectful and honourable words for them. When the Holy Quran states,
, then every Muslim will be obliged to accept that prophets have come in Hindus as well since Hindus are also a nation in this world. And when they will have to accept this, how could it be expected from one to abuse the holy personages of the Hindus.
“I believe that Krishanas and Ramchandar Jias were prophets, though it is possible that other Muslims may disagree with me, but they still cannot disrespect [Hazrat Krishanas and Ramchandar Ji ]. If they cannot say good, they should not disrespect either, since they are all followers of the Holy Quran. In the Holy Quran, it has been stated that ‘there is no people to whom a Warner has not been sent’. This teaches Muslims that they should not disrespect the prophets of any other community because they are sent by God. However, as far as I know, Hindus cannot present such a teaching in comparison, in which they have been taught religious tolerance through a teaching of this kind, and through which they could learn to respect the holy personages of other religions. However, I respect Krishan and Ramchandar Ji , since, in accordance with the teaching of the Holy Quran, they were prophets. [...]
“The religious tolerance which has been taught in relation to different communities, has also been taught in regards to different countries. Therefore, I can say that if a prophet had come to India in light of this verse, then [a prophet] would have also come to China, as Confucius came there as a prophet. [...] Thus, in light of this teaching of the Holy Quran, a Muslim can never disrespect the prophets of any other community or country. In light of this teaching, a Muslim cannot disrespect any prophet who came amongst the Hindu, Christian or Jew communities. The same is the case with the prophets of all countries, they cannot disrespect them, whether a prophet came to France, Japan, Germany, Russia, Iran, Africa, or America. [...] The nur [divine light] of God shines in whichever nation He desires. For this reason, I respect each and every one of them. This is what
the Holy Quran teaches me, and with respect to this teaching, I can say that due to this [teaching], it is impossible for me to disrespect the people of other religions. Thus, this is the religious tolerance that Islam has established and taught.
“If everyone understands the points which have been stated, and the Hindus also begin to act upon the point that they should not disrespect anyone’s religious holy personages, then religious tolerance can be established. [...]
“If one ponders over this, they will find that it is Faith and religion which inculcate patriotism. As it is stated:
نامیالا نم نطولا بح
“[‘Love for one’s country is part of faith.’ (Mauzu‘at-e-Kabir, by Mulla Ali Qari, p. 35, published from Delhi in 1315 Hijri)
“However, if one abandons the Faith and only adopts patriotism or gives it precedence over the Faith, then neither one’s Faith remains intact, nor the patriotism, because patriotism does not instil Faith in a person, but rather, it is Faith which inculcates patriotism in them. [...]
“If the two major communities of India [Hindus and Muslims] adopt these points, they can live in comfort, however, if they act against it, as they are doing currently, then a peaceful life is a far cry, they cannot even sustain their being. [...]
“Since I am here to speak justly, I say it categorically that the reason why the Muslims do not cooperate with the Hindus is that they presume that the Hindus, due to their strength, will harm them and will not treat them in a just manner. And the Hindus do not show tolerance towards the Muslims because the Muslims are in the minority, and they [Hindus] wish to expel them from India. If the Muslims are treated by the Hindus with tolerance, they can easily join hands with the Hindus, however, it is not happening. Moreover, I witness that in
addition to religious intolerance, religious hate is also being flamed. Such [hateful] rhetoric is used verbally and also books are written in which the prophets are abused and the holy personages of the Muslims are disrespected. All of such acts flame the hateful and disrespectful sentiments, which cannot allow the communities to live in comfort and they cannot live a peaceful life.”
(Al Fazl, 15 March 1927, pp. 7-9)
After this, Huzoorra mentioned that in addition to publishing books to spread disrespect and hate against Muslims, another notion which is being spread by the opponents of Islam is that the religion of Islam has spread through force. Huzoor refuted this false allegation in detail and stated that “there is no commandment in Islam which teaches the usage of force for tabligh and propagation [of religion].” (Al Fazl, 18 March 1927, pp. 5-7)
Huzoor continued:
“The Hindus complain that ‘Islam has used force, and caused the unrest’, however, Islam has established peace in such great manner that one does not find its example even in the religion of Hindus. In India itself, Islam became a source of peace. [...] Islam has never used force, but rather, it has advocated peace and granted a teaching of peace. [...]
The community among the Hindus which accepted Islam the most are the [Malkana] Rajputs, about whom the Hindus claim that they had been converted to Islam by force. There is no doubt that the Rajputs had accepted Islam the most among the Hindus, however, there is also no doubt that the Rajputs were a very brave and courageous community within India. For this reason, one wonders how this brave and courageous community was ‘compelled’ to accept Islam, or that this community accepted Islam ‘with the fear of the compulsion by the Muslims’. [...] The Rajputs have always been the fighters, they could have ‘defended’ against the ‘force used by the Muslims’. [...] This also shows that the Muslims had not used force, and Islam also never gave such teachings as to convert people to Islam by compulsion.
“In addition to all these points, I will now tell you that Islam does not require the usage of force. The Holy Quran states:
“Meaning, ‘There should be no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong.’ (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch. 2: V. 257)
“God Almighty has stated the reason why Islam does not require compulsion. Islam does not require any compulsion because دشرلا نيبت دق, meaning ‘Surely, right has become distinct’. [...] Through Islam, the truth and nur [divine light] have become distinct from misguidance and ignorance, and there remains no need for compulsion. The truth and nur comprise the power to at-
tract people. Thus, since Islam is the truth and nur, it does not need any compulsion. [...]
There is peace in every Islamic teaching
“The fact that God Almighty has named it ‘Islam’, manifests that this religion will advocate peace and harmony, instead of compulsion and violence, since the word ‘Islam’ means to be in peace and to give peace. It is utterly wrong to imply about a religion that it uses compulsion, while its name has such meanings that it is peace, remains peaceful, and grants peace to the world.” (Al Fazl, 18 March 1927, pp. 7-8)
Do not abuse the Holy Prophetsa
Mentioning the anti-Islam rhetoric and disrespectful literature published against the blessed life of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, Huzoorra said:
“We can endure everything, but one thing which we cannot endure is the disrespect of that holy person, we cannot endure abuses about that holy person. He is the one who established peace in the world, gave the teachings of peace, turned barbarous people into civilised ones, and brought the world into the light from darkness. Thus, we can bear anything, but cannot endure abuses about the Holy Prophet . [...] However, we will neither create any chaos, nor it is the teaching of the Holy Prophet Muhammad .” (Ibid., pp. 8-9)
Huzoorra then quoted the following excerpt of the Promised Messiahas:
“I declare that it is possible for us to make peace with the serpents fed on brackish soil and the wolves of the wilderness, but not with those who make wanton attacks on our Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who is dearer to us than our lives, our mothers and our fathers. May Allah cause us to die as Muslims. We are not willing to do anything at the cost of our faith.” (A Message of Peace, pp. 30-31)
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud continued by advising the Muslims that “If the Muslims have any respect for Islam in their hearts, they are required to awaken themselves. [...] If the Muslims have any pain for Islam, if they desire for Islam to progress, and if they want that the Muslims stay firm on
their Faith instead of converting to other religions, then the Muslims themselves are required to become [true] Muslims. They should not disobey any commandment of Islam, despite having the ability to act upon it. Thus, I advise that if you will care for the future now, then you will be able to succeed. [...] If you will not save those Malkanas whose shuddhi [conversion to Hinduism] is being carried out, then others will also be made shuddh [converted to Hinduism] in the future. God Almighty states in the Holy Quran:
“[O ye who believe! be steadfast and strive to excel in steadfastness and be on [your] guard and fear Allah that you may prosper. (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch. 3: V. 201)
[...] “Hence, we are required to be on our guard by remaining vigilant, and to save our weaker communities – which are our ‘boundaries’ – from the reach of our opponents. Malkanas are also our ‘boundary’, and it is our important duty to protect them. The propagation and protection of Islam are incumbent upon us. The Muslims need to fulfil this duty which is an obligation for them and to become [true] Muslims themselves as well. [...]
“Now I wish to advise the Muslims a plan for the future which they should follow, and which they really need at the moment. [...] I will tell you the truth that the first and foremost method for success and protection is for us to become true Muslims.
“Along with the foremost point which I have stated, i.e. to become true Muslims, the second point that I will advise, which is also very essential, is precaution [tadbir]. It is a distinctive feature of a Muslim to take precautions. Moreover, a Muslim knows, and I say it in particular, that my religion teaches me to act with precaution, instead of remaining idle and hoping for everything to happen itself. The religion of the Muslims does not advocate this, but rather, it teaches one to take precautions at
all times. [...] A Muslim’s duty is to always take precautions and along with it continue the prayers, and then put their trust in God. In the same way, I also wish to advise you that on the one hand where you become Muslims in true essence, on the other hand, also take necessary precautions. [...] One ought to devote themselves to God. Thus, if you will devote yourselves to God, then whenever the opponent will attack you, God Almighty will Himself protect you, since He does not let His servants be ruined, and saves them from becoming prey to the attacks of the opponents.
“It is stated in the Holy Quran:
“[Surely, Allah changes not the condition of a people until they change that which is in their hearts. (Surah al-Ra’d, Ch. 13: V. 12)] [...]
“The contemporary Muslims have abandoned their connection with God, for this reason, He has also turned Himself away from them. As a result, they lack the courage which is found in God’s servants, and due to this, they fear weaker people as well. [...] The condition for the progress of the Muslims is for them to devote themselves to God, and when God befriends someone, then no one can halt their progress.” (Al Fazl, 22 March 1927, pp. 5-6)
Huzoorra continued by emphasising the need for unity among the Muslims:
“The point which is essential for creating unity and harmony among all sects of the Muslims is for them to take care of the rights of each other. In this way, with unison as a community, they will be able to take care of the rights of other non-Muslim communities as well.
‘You are the best people raised for the good of mankind’
“In the Holy Quran, you have been called the best of the people, and the reason for calling you the best has been stated that you enjoin what is good and forbid evil. Therefore, it is stated in the Holy Quran:
“‘You are the best people raised for the good of mankind; you enjoin what is good and forbid evil.’ (Surah al-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.111) [...]
“Therefore, the only reason behind the Muslims being the best of the people, is only due to tabligh [preaching], and if they abandon tabligh, how can they be called the best of the people? I advise that if you wish to progress, in fact, you must have the desire to progress, then you ought to carry out tabligh. [...]
“For tabligh and also for general requirements, it is essential for the Muslims to acquaint themselves with their Faith since I have seen that in response to a small objection, the Muslims get worried. If one has full acquaintance with their Faith, then they will never get frightened over any objection. However, if one is not acquainted with their Faith themselves, how can they preach about their Faith to others? Moreover, as a result of being unacquainted with their Faith, Muslims are negligent in their responsibilities as well.
“Then, the current decline of the Muslims requires them to establish madaris [schools] for the Muslim children, where they may get high quality [religious] education. Thus, for the education and training of Muslim children, the Muslims are required to establish such schools at various places, where they could attain worldly and religious education in the best manner. [...]
“Our national character has been somewhat tarnished, and continues to happen, through the history books which are taught in the schools, because in those books the forefathers of the Muslims have been portrayed as thieves, dacoits, and bandits. Thus, when the [Muslim] children read such things, they consider themselves as the progeny of thieves, dacoits, and bandits. Once they mature and acquaint themselves with the true facts through research, these impressions are removed from their minds, however, its impact remains for a long time. [...] Hence, there is a huge need for the revision of the current history books. [...] Aurangzeb [Alamgir], who was a pious and righteous person, has also been portrayed as a dacoit and bandit in those histories, and [Chhatrapati] Shivaji [Maharaj, an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan] is portrayed as a clever and wise king. The children do not hold that much ability to differentiate as to carry out research, and thus, they remain under the impression that Shivaji was a very clever and wise king, and Aurangzeb a dacoit king. I do not intend here to unnecessarily praise the Muslim kings, however, I wish that the due right should be given to our [Muslim] kings, and they should be praised for what they deserve.
[...] Since as a result of such traditions, a
nation is heavily impacted, thus, there is a need to correct the history books.
“On this occasion, I also wish to appeal to the Hindus with true sympathy. By God, I declare that I do not have even the slightest animosity in my heart towards them. However, due to their actions, I feel the pain. Thus, for the sake of country, religion, and humanity, I appeal to them to reform themselves. […] Our country was seen with respect by other countries, however, today they are laughing at us. Therefore, you ought to reform yourselves, help the neighbouring community and get their assistance in return.
“I also advise the Muslims to [...] act with good morals, and do the acts which are a source of pride for the country. Remove from your hearts the grudge, animosity, and discrimination, whether it is against your own people or others. Keep in mind the betterment of the country at each step. Respect your neighbouring communities, and treat them with love and affection.
“I also wish to say that peace cannot be made as slaves, but rather, it is done with freedom, and the one who makes peace, is a respected one in the sight of God. Thus, you ought to do the acts which foster peace. Since God Almighty is pleased with conciliation, thus, I say that make peace for the sake of God’s pleasure. May God enable the people of India to do the acts which please Him, may they serve the nation, and may they strive for the peace and progress of the country. The one who will do so, meaning live with love, affection and harmony, will shine on this world’s crown as a diamond. My desire is that God may make this country and its people shine like diamonds. O God, make this happen. Amin.” (Ibid., pp. 7-8)
After Huzoor’sra speech, the president of the session delivered the concluding speech and said:
“Dear attendees, I thank Mirza Sahib on behalf of myself and all of you that he expressed his valuable views in front of the audience, and taught us such pious lessons that if, hopefully, we act upon, they will prove to be beneficial for the country and nation. I hope that my Muslim brethren will pay heed to and ponder over what Mirza Sahib has advised to both the communities for the country’s betterment.”
(Ibid., p. 8)
This series, Zikr-e-Habib, explores the life of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahamdas, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, and his sayings, shedding light on his noble character and the impact of his teachings on his followers and the world at large.
Al Hakam
Describing how the Promised Messiahas used to perform salat, Hazrat Maulana Syed
Muhammad Sarwar Shah Sahibra states:
“[In salat], there is a disagreement on the issue of raf‘ul yadayn (to raise both hands up to the ears every time the takbir [Allahu Akbar] is recited, i.e., before going into ruku‘, prostrating after standing up, and then, just as the hands are raised with the first takbir, repeating the same after the completion of second raka‘ah). The difference is that some people raise their hands after every [takbir] and others do not. The Promised Messiahas […] did not perform raf‘ul yadayn after every [takbir during salat]. However, if someone did it in front of him, he never objected to it.
“During congregational salat, there is also a big disagreement on the issue of saying ‘amin’ out loud [after the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah]. However, the practice of the Promised Messiahas, (which is a practice of great weight for preference and proof, and every wise believer can swear on oath that the All-Knowing God approve of it), was that he never said ‘amin’ aloud, and did not object to anyone who said it aloud.
Sajdah-e-sahw
“Sajdah-e-sahw [performing two prostrations at the end to rectify the omission or mistake done during salat] is done in such a way that upon finishing the last qa‘dah, and before or after taslim, one says Allahu Akbar and performs two sujud like the two prostrations of the salat, and then say salaam at the end. Generally, if the Hanafites’ imam makes a mistake in their prayer and they have a discussion over it, they perform the whole salat again. They do not consider sajdah-e-sahw enough after having a discussion, even if that discourse is related to the mistake done in that prayer.
“But here [in Qadian], even if there is a discussion [after the salat] regarding the mistake [committed during the prayer], we do not offer the whole prayer again, rather we just perform sajdah-e-sahw in accordance with the Hadith.” (Risala Talimul-Islam, Vol. 1, No. 5, pp. 171-188)
Regarding raf‘ul yadayn, the Promised Messiahas said:
“Whether one chooses to do this or not, there is no harm either way for we find mention of both practices in the ahadith. The same conclusion is reached based
on the practices of the Ahl al-Hadith and Sunnis, as one sect adheres to raf‘ul yadayn whereas the other does not. It seems as if at one point the Holy Prophetsa adopted raf‘ul yadayn, but later abandoned it.” (Al Badr, 3 April 1903, p. 85; The Review of Religions, Friday Sermon Archives, 27 January 2017)
addressed the first part in his answer, i.e., the Promised Messiahas only addressed the issue of reciting Surah al-Fatihah behind the imam – but Allah knows best.’ (Sirat-ulMahdi, Vol. 1, narration 592; Ibid.)
Describing raf‘ul yadayn and amin bil jahr to Sahibzada Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra MA, Hazrat Mian Abdullah Sanori Sahibra said:
criticise those who adopt these practices. Some recite amin out loud, others do not, some adopt raf‘ul yadayn, but the majority do not, (and in fact, now it is not practiced at all), except by those who have recently joined and are accustom to it, but even they slowly abandon this practice.” He further continues by saying: “Some people recite the basmalah out loud, but the majority do not. The Promised Messiahas would state that in fact all of these practices can be found through the example of the Holy Prophetsa, however, the Promised Messiahas adopted those practices which the Holy Prophetsa carried out most often.” (Sirat-ul-Mahdi, Vol. 1, narration 154; Ibid.)
Hazrat Mian Ali Muhammad Sahibra narrates:
who writes:
“Hafiz Noor Muhammad Sahib, a resident of Faizullah Chak once wrote to me stating, ‘On one occasion I enquired from the Promised Messiahas about repeating Surah al-Fatihah after the imam, raf‘ul yadayn and saying amin. The Promised Messiahas stated that these practices are proven from the ahadith and should be adopted.’”
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra says in this regard, “This humble one would like to mention that repeating Surah al-Fatihah after the imam was a continuous practice of the Promised Messiahas, i.e., repeating Surah al-Fatihah after the imam during the congregational prayer. However, with respect to raf‘ul yadayn and amin bil jahr [reciting amin aloud], I do not believe that the Promised Messiahas ever explicitly instructed to do this. If the Promised Messiahas had deemed these practices obligatory, then he would have established this through his own continuous practice. However, there is no evidence of the Promised Messiahas ever adopting this as a continuous practice. In fact, the general practice of the Promised Messiahas was in contrast to this.”
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra further writes:
“It is my understanding that since there were many parts to the question that Hafiz Sahib asked, the Promised Messiahas only
“Initially, I was strictly a Ghair Muqallid [non-denominational Muslim] and would strictly adhere to raf‘ul yadayn and amin bil jahr, which is to recite the amin loudly. Even after meeting the Promised Messiahas, I continued this practice for some time. After some time, I had the opportunity to offer salat behind the Promised Messiahas When the salat had finished, whilst turning to me, the Promised Messiahas smiled and said, ‘Mian Abdullah, you have adopted this particular sunnah [practice] long enough.’ The Promised Messiahas was referring to raf‘ul yadayn, i.e., raising up both hands after every takbir.”
Mian Abdullah Sahib further states, “From that day I abandoned the practice of raf‘ul yadayn, in fact, I even stopped amin bil jahr.”
Maulvi Abdullah Sanauri Sahibra said, “I never once saw the Promised Messiahas adopt raf‘ul yadayn, nor heard him say amin bil jahr, nor did I hear him recite the basmalah [In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful] out loud.”
Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra further states:
“This humble one would like to affirm that the practice of the Promised Messiahas was just as Mian Abdullah Sahibra has described it. However, from the time of the Promised Messiahas and also after him (and even until today), it has always been the practice of Ahmadis that we do not
“Once I saw the Promised Messiahas offering the sunnah prayer, he folded his hands above the navel, in such a way that the middle finger of the right hand was not touching the left elbow. While prostrating, the Promised Messiahas used to place his forehead and nose on the ground in between his both hands. The Promised Messiahas would place his fingers in the direction of the Ka‘aba. When he would rise from the prostration, the blessed turban of the Promised Messiahas would slightly move backwards as it was a bit loose. Consequently, as soon as he would get up from prostration, the Promised Messiahas would place it back with his finger.” (Register Riwayat-e-Sahaba [unpublished], Vol. 3, p. 212)
Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahibra writes:
“On one occasion Maulvi Syyed Muhammad Sarwar Shah Sahibra told me that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira once received a letter asking whether there was any authentic narration which mentioned folding one’s hands above the navel. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira presented the letter before the Promised Messiahas and stated that the ahadith found in this regard are not free from scrutiny. The Promised Messiahas stated, ‘Maulvi Sahib! If you pursue this matter, you will certainly find something because, despite the fact that in my early years, everyone around me followed the Hanafi school of thought, I was never keen on placing my hands below the navel; on the contrary, my personal disposition was always inclined to place my hands above the navel region. I have experienced on numerous occasions that whenever I had a natural inclination regarding a particular practice, upon researching it, I was always able to find it consistent with the ahadith, even if I had no prior knowledge of it [i.e.,
The London Book Fair ended recently with tens of thousands of people visiting and hundreds of companies from the publishing industry, from all around the world, exhibiting. A simple walk around the Fair will tell you that these people are passionate about books and about what they are trying to convey through them.
Indeed over 100 years ago it was the Promised Messiahas too who, in relation to Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, prayed that people read a book that would set the foundation for the revival of Islam (of course the writings of a prophet are peerless and can never be compared to other books). Now we know that in those humble pages were prophecies that would change the course of history. So naturally, when the Promised Messiahas was so hopeful yet there was barely any interest, his heart was greatly aggrieved, and when he reached the farthest limit of human worry and – as he himself describes – owing to this grief, he trembled like the newly germinated plant in the wind, did God’s succour descend. A major aspect of the Promised Messiah’sas prophetic mission can be found in Barahine-Ahmadiyya. So great it is that when it was
<< Continued from previous page
the ahadith].’ Maulvi Sarwar Shah Sahibra relates that upon this instruction, Hazrat Maulvi Sahibra [Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I] left and in no more than thirty minutes,
published a man who later became a vicious opponent commented that a book like this had never before been published in Islam’s history.
It has been over a century now since the establishment of the Jamaat and with this particular Jamaat comes a colossal literary legacy – in other words, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has published a monumental amount of literature since 1889 – something that continues even today. The community dedicates significant resources to publishing literature and has offices here at the markaz as well as worldwide that translate and publish books in multiple languages.
However, despite the availability of a vast collection of books, in my opinion, there is huge room for improvement in terms of encouraging reading. The Ishaat department conducted a survey a few years ago, before embarking on our own quest to publish. The survey results showed that a significant number of people are not regular readers, with over half reading very little. However, we are hopeful that by the grace of Allah, through our continuous humble efforts, we can encourage more people to read, including the books of the Promised Messiahas. We have also spotted another trend that relates directly to the Jamaat: those
he came back cheerfully with a book in his hand. He informed the Promised Messiahas that he had found the hadith and in fact, the hadith he had found was one that was on the authority of Hazrat Abu Bakrra and Hazrat Umarra and also authenticated by Bukhari
that do read, even if it is rarely, very quickly become attached to the Promised Messiah’sas writings and soon find themselves immersed in a world that they did not know existed previously. We certainly need to encourage more of this. It is always interesting to meet someone who is well-read in the Promised Messiah’sas writings. To describe these books as life-changing is, to say the least.
Returning to the London Book Fair, one observation the khuddam in the Ishaat team made is that the people here make their living from books. For them whether their books sell or not is a make-or-break thing: their livelihoods depend on this. That is indeed true, and I have heard this argument many times before. However, is our passion for tabligh not greater than their desire to make money? Should it be? It all comes down to the simple question that we have to ask ourselves: how far are we willing to go to promote our books and ensure the voice of the Promised Messiahas reaches the corners of our country?
It is for this reason that this year the MKA UK Ishaat department, under the guidance of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa will be looking to add more books to our list of publications that have become a Sunday Times Bestseller. We are incredibly fortunate to have received continuous guidance from
and Sahih Muslim, therefore it cannot be contested or challenged. He further stated that this was due to the blessings of the Promised Messiahas’s instruction.” (Siratul-Mahdi, Vol. 1, narration 115; The Review of Religions, Friday Sermon Archives, 27 January 2017)
Hazrat Haji Ghulam Ahmad Sahib relates:
“Someone once asked where one should place their arms when folding them during salat. The Promised Messiahas said, ‘The physical postures of salat are important, however, one’s main focus in salat should be towards Allah Almighty.’” (Fiqh-ul-Masih, p. 77; Ibid.)
A person asked why the index finger is raised when reciting the Atahiyyat [prayer recited when in a seated position in salat]? The Promised Messiahas replied:
“In the Era of Ignorance, prior to the advent of Islam, people would raise this finger as a gesture for expressing abuse and profanity. Hence, this is known as Sabbabah, i.e., the finger used to express profanity. God Almighty reformed the people of Arabia and removed this habit and instead instructed them to raise this finger when proclaiming the Unity and Oneness of God. Likewise, the Arabs used to drink five times in the day, but instead Allah Almighty prescribed the five daily prayers.” (Al Badr, 20 March 1903, p. 66; Ibid.)
Malik Salahuddin Sahib MA writes:
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa on this.
We are looking to publish extensively. On all topics and for everyone. We would like to hear what interests you, what books have you read that had an effect on you? What type of literature would you like to see more of? We would greatly appreciate your feedback.
In the end, the message of the Promised Messiahas shall reach the corners of the earth, this is something that has been destined by God Almighty. The question is whether we want to gain any reward for our humble efforts.
“While reciting tashahhud, the Promised Messiahas used to gently raise his index finger, but I never saw that he stiffened or rotated it. The Promised Messiahas would usually raise his index finger once, and sometimes twice when I think, the imam would prolong tashahhud and the Promised Messiahas had read it twice.” (Ashab-e-Ahmad, Vol. 9, p. 155)
Hazrat Maulvi Muhammad Ibrahim Sahib Bakapurira narrates:
“Once the Promised Messiahas was standing in prayer and he rubbed his nose with his right hand. I also saw him rub his left foot with his right foot while standing. (This shows that if one experiences a strong itch during salat, they can scratch it.)”
(Register Riwayat-e-Sahaba [unpublished], Vol. 8, p. 67)
Hazrat Maulvi Fazl Elahi Sahibra narrates:
“Several times, I was blessed with the opportunity to offer congregational salat standing on the left side of the Promised Messiahas in Mubarak Mosque. The Promised Messiahas used to offer salat quietly. He would exalt and glorify Allah very gently. After completing the prayer, the Promised Messiahas would often sit in the corner of the mosque facing the east and have a discourse with the guests and friends.” (Register Riwayat-e-Sahaba [unpublished], Vol. 12, p. 323)
Al Hakam
Prophet Eliasas ( سایلإ), also referred to as Elijahas, was a noble prophet and “he was [one] of Our believing servants.” (Surah asSaffat, Ch.37: V.133). It is said that Elijahas was a descendent of Aaronas (Ibn Kathir, Qasas al-Anbiya [Urdu], under Prophet Eliasas, p. 543); however, some assert that he was sent to the residents of Baalbek and its surrounding areas. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Vol. 3, Maktabatul Bushra, p. 167)
Elijahas lived during 900 BC. He lived in Gilead, east of Jordan. (Five Volume Commentary, Vol. 2, p. 891; 1 Kings, 17:1)
Elijahas has been mentioned in the Holy Quran, by name, in a few places. Allah the Almighty, with regards to Elijahas, states:
“And assuredly Elias [also] was [one] of the Messengers” (Surah as-Saffat, Ch.37: V.124)
He is especially mentioned in the Holy Quran to have warned his people against idol worshipping.
“And [We guided] Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias; each [one of them] was of the virtuous.” (Surah al-An‘am, Ch.6: V.86)
This verse mentions various prophets and includes them in the list of the virtuous. None of the prophets mentioned in the verse possessed any temporal power or grand material wealth. They led simple and noble lives, so much so that there are accounts suggesting that Elijahas, for example, lived in seclusion in the woods and was rarely seen. (Five Volume Commentary, Vol. 2, p. 891)
It has been a common practice of mankind to forget the guidance provided to their forefathers, except for those whom God guides. All prophets who walked the earth taught Tawhid, which is the oneness of God. As time passes, the message of the prophets is slowly forgotten, and people tend to revert to useless practices and idol worship.
While studying history, we observe a repetitive theme. Whenever a prophet of Allah is sent to a nation, he finds that some parts of that nation are absorbed in idolatry. Even the people to whom Elijahas was sent worshipped idols, specifically the sun.
Addressing his people, Elijahas asked:
“When he said to his people, ‘Will you not fear God? Do you call on Ba‘l, and forsake the Best of creators, Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers of old?’” (Surah as-Saffat, Ch.37: V.125-128)
“Ba‘l was the name of an idol belonging to the people of the Prophet Elijah. These people worshipped the sun. Ba‘l may also stand for the sun-god which belonged to the people of a town in Syria now called Baalbek.” (Five Volume Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 2702)
Like all prophets, Elijahas introduced God to them as the “Best of creators” and the “Lord of your forefathers”. He reminded them that what they worshipped could not avail them in any way and that it went against the practices of the rightly guided ones before them.
Though his people treated him as a liar, as idol worshipers do, generations that followed went on to revere Elijahas. (Surah as-Saffat, Ch.37: V.130)
“Peace be on Elias [and his people]!”
(Surah as-Saffat, Ch.37: V.131)
The matter of Elijah’sas ascension,
The Bible states that Prophet Elijahas
was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, a chariot of fire. Following his departure, Elisha took over Elijah’s role. (2 Kings 2:11)
Then, in Malachi, we are told:
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD” (Malachi, 4:5)
At that time, the Jews interpreted the above-mentioned prophecy in its literal sense, and, thus, as a result, their understanding of the prophecy prevented them from accepting Prophet Jesusas as the Messiah.
Prophet Jesusas, explaining this, is reported to have said the prophecy was fulfilled with the coming of John the Baptist. (Mathew, 11:14)
Shedding light on this, Hazrat Ahmadas stated:
“The Jews awaited the appearance of Elijahas before the advent of the Messiah son of Mary; and in view of the promise given in the book of Malachi, they were perfectly entitled to hold this belief. However, since the Jews were literalists, heavily influenced by the apparent, they could not grasp the deeper reality of this concept. They continued to await the coming of Elijahas for it was written in the Torah and in the books of the Prophets that the promised one
is he who appears in accordance with the promise. The Jews were misled to believe that Elijahas himself would appear before the coming of the awaited Messiah. Since they held a superficial outlook on things, they continued to wait first for the coming of Elijahas himself. On one occasion, they came to the Messiahas and even posed this question. Jesusas responded by saying that Elijahas had come; and he is none other than Johnas. So the Jews went to Johnas and asked him, to which he responded: ‘I am not Elijah.’ Since their hearts were not pure, to them this formed the basis for contradiction and so they concluded that this Messiah was not the true Messiah. However, the fact of the matter is that the Messiahas was absolutely true in whatever he had said and there was no contradiction whatsoever. The Messiahas meant that Johnas, who is known as Yahya amongst the Muslims, had appeared with the nature, disposition, and power of Elijahas. However, the Jews held that this could only mean that the very same Elijahas who appeared in the past had actually come again in person, although this was against the established law of God Almighty.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 3, p.173)
Did Prophet Elijahas raise the dead?
We find accounts in the Bible that allude to Prophet Elijahas raising people from the dead. One account is found in 1 Kings where Elijah brought back to life the son of a widow. (1 Kings 17:17-24)
In light of this, the Promised Messiahas states:
“The Holy Quran also mentions the raising of the dead at the hands of the Holy Prophetsa. But we believe that the raising of the dead by the Holy Prophetsa was in a spiritual sense and not in a physical sense. Similarly, we believe that the raising of the dead by Jesusas was also in a spiritual sense and not in a physical manner. Moreover, this phenomenon is not peculiar to Jesusas alone. It is written in the Bible that Prophet Elijah also raised some of the dead. In fact, he far excelled Jesusas in the matter. Even if we concede it as a remote possibility that the Bible refers to the raising of actually dead people, then we are forced to accept Prophet Elijah as a God too. So what distinction of Jesus is there in this? And how is it the differentiating feature? In fact, it is written about the Prophet Isaiah that the dead would come to life just by coming in contact with his body” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 10, p. 270)
“
And We did raise among every people a Messenger”
The Moslem Sunrise, April & July 1923
Muhammad Yusuf Khan
[Muhammad Yusuf Khan of India is] our young friend in America, who works hard for his living and then evangelizes for Islam in his spare time. […]
In praise of the Master-Prophet Muhammad[sa]
“He never frequented the wine-shop, or looked at the dancing-girls, or talked abroad in the bazaars. He was more modest than a virgin behind the curtain. When he met children, he would stop and pat their cheeks; he followed the bier that passed him in the street; he visited the sick; he was kind to his inferiors; he would accept the invitation of a slave to dinner; he was never the first to withdraw his hand when he shook hands; he was humble, gentle and kind; he waited always on himself, mending his own clothes, milking his own goats; he never struck anyone in his life. When once asked to curse someone, he said, ‘I have not been sent to curse, but to be a mercy to mankind.’ […]
“When we regard him as a ruler and lawgiver, we can only wonder and admire. He established for the first time in history a United Arabia. In the moral life of his countrymen, he effected a remarkable reform. He abolished drunkenness and gambling, vices to which the Arabs have been especially addicted. He abolished the practice of infanticide, and also succeeded in rendering its memory detestable. […] Whatever laws he made respecting women and slaves were made with the view of improving their condition. […] His career is the best example that can be given of the influences of the Individual in human history. That single man created the glory of his nation, and spread his language over half the earth. The words which he preached to jeering crowds twelve hundred years ago are now being studied by scholars or by devotees in London, Paris and Berlin; in Mecca, where he labored; in Medina, where he died; in Constantinople, in Cairo, in Fez, in Timbuctoo, in Jerusalem, in Damascus, in Bassora [now Basra], in Bagdad, in Bokhara, in Cabul, in Calcutta, in Pekin; in the steppes of Central Asia, in the islands of the Indian Archipelago, in lands which are as yet unmarked upon our maps, in the oases of thirsty deserts, in obscure villages situated by unknown streams. It was Mohammad who did all this, for he uttered the book which carried the language, and he prepared the army which carried the book. His disciples and successors were not mad fanatics, but resolute and sagacious
men, who made shrewd friendship with the malcontent Christians among the Greeks, and with the persecuted Jews in Spain, and who in a few years created an empire which extended from the Pyrenees to the Hindoo Koosh [now Hindu Kush].” (Winwood Reade, The Martyrdom of Man (1872), pp. 266-69)
Abraham Holasi
[Abraham Holasi is] our dear brother and friend in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania. […]
Islam and Issa, salam
Brief statement of faith by Mohammad Abdul Haqq, Charles Francis Sievwright (Australian Muslim):
“Dear Brethren: On the 26th of March, 1896, in Melbourne, Australia, I was converted to the religious belief known as Islam. Prior to that date, I followed the teachings of Jesus[as], and in doing so. I was professedly what is called “A Christian”. After twenty-seven years a follower of the teachings of Mohammad, the founder of the Faith of “Islam”, I desire to tell you that I find that both Teachers are one and the same in teaching the Truth concerning the way to God by Submission or Resignation, or as I would describe its name, “Soul’s Peace.”
“Issa (Jesus[as]), salam (the peace of) is the meaning of the words I have placed on the headline of this statement. Islam, the other word, I can only define as the Peace of Mohammad which he gave to the world in his message. Both these Messengers have shown me in their Teachings that the peace of the Soul consists in absolute resignation to the will of God or Allah.
“What we all require is true simplicity, a certain calmness of spirit which comes from entire surrender to all that God wills, patience and toleration for all your neighbors’ faults which a sense of God’s presence inspires, a certain candor and childlike docility on acknowledging one’s faults and accepting reproof and counsel; these are the solid graces which are needful for our Sanctification.
“The trouble we feel about so many things comes from our not accepting everything which may happen to us, with sufficient resignation to God. Put all things, then, in Allah’s care and offer them beforehand to Him in your heart as a sacrifice. From the moment when you cease to want things to be according to your own judgment, and accept unconditionally whatever Allah sends, you will be free from all your retrospects and anxieties about your own concerns; you will have nothing to conceal or contrive. Until then you will be troubled, changeable in your views, and tastes, easily displeased with others,
and out of harmony with yourself, full of reserve and distrust. Your talents, until they truly become humble and simple, will only torment you; your piety, however sincere, will serve less to sustain and comfort you than to fill you with inward self-reproach. If on the contrary, you give your Soul fully to God, you will be full of peace and joy in this Holiness as was also stated by Issa in the fourteenth chapter of the gospel of John in the twenty-seventh verse, [‘I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid’].” [...]
Stories of Turkish atrocities untrue Buffalo Express, New York, 13 February [1923], AP [Associated Press], states:
“Dr Albert Ross Hill, former president of the University of Missouri, and vicechairman of the American Red Cross in charge of foreign work, returned today from Athens on the Carmania with the assertion that stories of Turkish atrocities after the burning of Smyrna were without foundation.
“Dr Hill, who set up the original Smyrna relief outfit and forced refugees to bathe almost at the point of the bayonet, said he had found no evidence of Turks having deliberately separated families. One instance of a Greek mother having had her children taken away was disproved, he said, when the children later were found by a relief party and returned to her.”
An excerpt from a letter from BW Lye of Ceylon to Brother Abdullah Din Muhammad (Mr JL Mott) of New Orleans:
“I am indeed delighted to hear that you are standing firm by your religious conviction in spite of adverse circumstances. Never be discouraged in the least for you are never alone, Allah is always with you. Be prepared to make every possible sacrifice for Islam and you will have your reward with Allah in this and the next life. If calamities befall you, be resigned completely to Allah. Immunity from sorrow pertains not to this world but to another. Divine succor is always near at hand to the earnest souls like you.
“I assure you of the very sincere prayers of all of us here for your family and all the other American Muslim Ahmadi brothers and sisters.
“I read with much interest the brief account you have given of your noble family’s history in your letter. Remember, the name of the Motts shall go down in history as the great pioneers of the Islamic propaganda [tabligh] in the New World. Brother, can you foresee the great future of Islam? America is going to be the field
where the past might and glory of Islam is to be revived. ‘The sun of Islam shall rise from the west’, aye, from America! Its light-waves shall hound over the plains of Europe and cover the whole world. This is the age and time for this final consummation of Islam’s glory in the world.
“Man, hath a body and a soul. They are the two sides of his nature. Religion is spiritual sustenance for him. As there is but one God, Allah, and one humanity, there is, as there can be but one religion or Divine Law. From the beginning upwards this Religion and Law was being revealed by Allah to the Prophets, only modified to suit the special needs of humanity of the age at every stage of its evolutionary progress. The final perfection of this Law and Religion is Islam. Open the Holy Quran and see if its laws and teachings are not such as are only conducive to the progress, enlightenment and perfection, of mankind. See if they are not the remedy for the countless evils and abominations prevailing in the so-called civilized countries. See if they are not the laws that can and will save Europe and America.
“It is true that Islam has been the religion that is most misrepresented. and, therefore, most misunderstood in the Western countries. This is chiefly due to the bigotry and hatred of the early Christians against Muslims, and the mischievous writings of Christian missionaries and journalists. But Truth triumphs in the end. Glory be to Allah! Muhammad’s[sa] vicegerent, Ahmad[as] of Qadian, has again unfurled the banner of victory of Islam. Come, ye valiant sons and daughters of Islam from the fertile soil of the West, stand by us under this banner. Victory is ours, is yours, is Islam’s.”
From London (England), Shaikh Khalid Sheldrake writes:
“Allah has indeed blessed you [Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib] abundantly and we are seeing the reward your labors merited. To light the torch of Islam in America is a grand work, and Mufti Muhammad Sadiq is the worthy instrument chosen by Allah. Your Moslem Sunrise is a journal of which you may indeed feel proud. It is full of Divine guidance and brings us so close to you that we can feel that your endeavors are ours.
“As one who dwelt in the light of Islam for twenty years, may I send a message to my American brethren? It is this:
“‘Remember that each Muslim is a sentinel who must be ever watchful over his habits and actions. Islam is judged by men from what we say and do. By example, we can make men first wonder, then enquire as to our motive power and so they come to know of the eternal truths of our Holy Faith. Let us guard ourselves, be true to Islamic principles, and we need not fear others.”
This is a sample of the letters recently written by the Moslems in this country to
the head of the Ahmadia Mission in India:
“To His Holiness, Khalifatul-Masih II[ra], Qadian, Gurdaspur, Punjab, India.
“From: The Ahmadia Moslem, Americans in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
“Most Reverend Sir:
“Whereas: We, the Moslem members of the Ahmadia Movement of Chicago, Illinois, USA, have stepped from darkness into light from religious ignorance into Religious Truth through the Spiritual and intellectual guidance, personal and individual love of our dear leader and teacher, Mufti Muhammad Sadiq. We, as a community, express our love for Dr Sadiq and beg that he be commanded to remain with us indefinitely, with or without other assistants that you can manage to send to America. Yours obediently, (Signatures)”
In his “Confessions of an Old Priest”, the Reverend Samuel David McConnell, who has been for fifty years a minister in the church, writes of Jesus[as] as follows:
“[...] As an example, to copy, his manner of life will not serve. It does not furnish the material. He had no experience of the multiform relations in which every human life must be spent. The parent, the citizen, the father, the soldier, the man of business,
the craftsman find nothing in the actual conduct of his life either to copy or avoid.”
(Confessions of an Old Priest (1922), pp. 3334)
The reverend gentleman is quite right. Jesus[as] never pretended to teach all mankind. He came for the lost sheep of Israel only as he himself avers. That was his role. His mission was confined to his time and place and the attendant circumstances only. This ministry can only be accepted in that light. As a world-teacher there is only one blessed teacher, Muhammad of Arabia, peace be on him and the blessings of God. His is the most perfect exemplar, and in him we find solution for the minutest details of our life, whatever walk of life we may happen to belong to.
Some remarks on the Christian “Moslem World” by Maulvi Muhammad Din
The Quran mentions some incidents in the lives of the various Prophets, but it does not relate them for the sake of giving information about the past. Its purpose is to teach a lesson. However seemingly “minor” or “unimportant” a detail, if it can teach a lesson, then it has served its purpose. It says: “In their histories, there is a lesson for men of understanding.” These incidents presage that something is coming about, and if the disbelievers cannot profit by the lesson, their end will in no wise differ from those who rejected the previous Prophets and they will suffer in the long run. It draws the attention of the scoffers of the Holy Prophet[sa] of Arabia to a similar fate that is awaiting them by telling them in prophetic words that “It is not a narrative which could be forged, but a verification and fulfilment of what is impending.” To the believers, it holds out the same promise of “guidance and mercy” as was given to the believers of old and fulfilled, in their case. These promises may take long to fulfill and may sometimes try the patience of believers as well as the Prophets, but come they must. The fulfilment of these promises generally comes about at the time “when the Prophets and the believers despair of any more success” among the unbelievers who on account of the long delay in their punishment come to regard those warnings as empty threats and so get hard-hearted. It is at this juncture that the divine aid comes “delivering those with whom he is pleased” and “His punishment is not averted from the guilty people.”
This is the lesson which the holy word of God wanted to drive home into the minds of the people – the opponents of the Holy Prophet Muhammad[sa]. Like the brethren of Joseph[as], “They had resolved upon their affair and they were devising plans”, but their plans were all destined to be wrecked, and one day they were told that they would all have to be down on their knees as did the brethren of Joseph[as]. “He is the true Prophet of God; he stands on the bedrock of certainty; with this certainty of faith, he and his followers call the people to the way of Allah.” He is certain that if they do not believe in him their end would be the same as that of those who preceded them. History was sure to be repeated in his case with certainty and with a wealth of detail as was never witnessed before. It was then all the more necessary for them to hearken to
his message and be not foolhardy. It is with this end in view that the third verse of the chapter “Joseph” begins. “We explain to you with the best explanation by our revealing to you this Quran, though before this you were certainly of the unaware ones.” Reverend Boyd Oscar of the American Mission of Beirut laughs at this revelation which, he says, only recounts past events recorded in other books. His Christian mentality does not allow him to see what is written a few lines ahead, for four verses further we find it recorded: “Certainly in Joseph[as] and his brothers, there are signs for the inquirers.” What those signs are is clear from the concluding portion of the chapter, where the Holy Prophet[sa] in the most critical part of his life, when his enemies are thinking of banishing, imprisoning or trapping him to death, is told that he will return victorious and that his own people will bow down before him asking to be forgiven, just as did the brethren of Joseph[as]. Surely there can be no greater revelation than this that a fugitive and forlorn is told that all the details of Joseph’s[as] life will find their fulfilment in him and that on a far grander scale, and then like Joseph[as] when his erstwhile foes will be quite at his mercy, he would pass over all the wrongs done to him. If this is no revelation, we do not know what the Reverend gentleman means by revelation and prophecy. [...]
To whom it may concern:
The Building Lot No. 3 in the subdivision of Lots Four and Five in Block Two in Hoxies Subdivision of the South 263.18, known as 4448 S Wabash Avenue, Chicago, purchased by Dr MM Sadiq and used as The Mosque and the Ahmadia Mission House is the property of the Ahmadia Movement with its central headquarters at Qadian, India, and directed and guided by the Khalifatul Masih II[ra] and now represented in America by Dr Mufti Muhammad Sadiq and Maulvi Muhammad Din.
(Transcribed and edited by Al Hakam from the original in The Moslem Sunrise, April and July 1923)
Ashir Ahmad
Student Jamia Ahmadiyya UK
In Muslim societies, arranged marriages are very common but often misunderstood by those unfamiliar with the practice. The term “arranged marriage” often elicits images of forced unions, leaving many to falsely believe that women are devoid of choice in such scenarios. However, this perspective is a stark misinterpretation of the Islamic approach to arranged marriages.
Allah the Almighty states in the Holy Quran:
“[…] then marry of women as may be agreeable to you […]” (Surah an-Nisa, Ch.4: V.4)
This verse unequivocally emphasises the right of both parties – men and women – to agree to their marriage, thereby invalidating the notion of forced marriage within Islam.
The life of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa provides notable instances that counter the notion of forced marriages. For instance, Sunan Abi Dawud – a collection of ahadith – gives the following narration:
“Abdullah Ibn Abbasra narrated:
“A girl came to the Prophetsa and mentioned that her father had married her against her will, so the Prophetsa allowed her to exercise her choice.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab an-nikah, Hadith 2096)
This shows that the Holy Prophetsa did not approve of any kind of forced marriage.
The process of arranging marriages among Muslims typically begins once individuals attain a suitable age and level of maturity. Parents or guardians undertake the responsibility of finding a suitable match. However, Islam encourages potential couples to familiarise themselves with each other, albeit within its prescribed boundaries, such as the presence of a guardian.
Upon mutual agreement between the prospective bride and groom, the marriage proceedings commence. The Holy Prophetsa himself advocated this principle, as evidenced by his advice to Hazrat Mughirahra ibn Shu‘bah:
“Mughirahra ibn Shu‘bah wanted to marry a woman. The Prophetsa said to him: ‘Go and look at her, for that is more likely to create love between you.’ So, he did that, and married her, and mentioned how well he got along with her.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab an-nikah, Hadith 1865)
If you have grown up in Western society, you may find this idea difficult to accept at first. However, this method of spouse selection has been practised for hundreds of years and really does produce more stable and happy marriages. A comparison of
divorce rates between Western societies, where dating is the norm, and Islamic societies will clearly show that arranged marriages last longer and are more secure.
Arranged marriages constitute 55% of marriages worldwide, yet according to a 2012 study, they have a global divorce rate of only 4%, which is a remarkably low figure. This statistic indicates that arranged marriages have a significantly higher success rate compared to other forms of marriage. ( www.statisticbrain.com/arranged-marriage-statistics/)
In Islam, it is permissible for a man or a woman to express their interest in marriage to each other if they are attracted to each other. However, it is strictly forbidden to engage in an illicit relationship.
The Quran emphasises the importance of mutual love, respect, and understanding between spouses. In fact, the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa said:
es are typically organised by parents or elders who possess a deep understanding of the families and their cultural backgrounds, there is a greater chance of compatibility between the spouses. As a result, the relationship can be more harmonious and fulfilling.
Arranged marriages also foster a broader familial support system, as they typically involve both parties’ families. The shared religious values provide a robust foundation for the marriage, bolstering commitment to each other and their faith. Furthermore, these marriages, viewed as a long-term commitment, tend to forge a stronger bond between the spouses, enhancing the likelihood of marital success.
Sahih al-Bukhari records the following fundamental hadith of the Prophetsa when it comes to choosing the right kind of spouse in Islam. Hazrat Abu Hurairara narrated that the Holy Prophetsa said:
“‘In marrying a woman, a man’s choice of a spouse is determined by the consideration of her wealth, her family and her physical beauty and her religious piety, but you should make your life happy, prosperous, and successful [by choosing a spouse] on account of her religious piety; otherwise your hands will ever remain in the dust.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab an-nikah, Hadith 5090)
that ensures compatibility, mutual respect, and a strong foundation of shared religious values. It is a system that, when followed with sincerity and honesty, has proven to yield fruitful and successful unions.
“The best among you are those who are the best to their wives.” (Riyad as-Salihin, Hadith 278)
This means that in Islam, the relationship between husband and wife should be based on love, compassion and mutual support.
A perfect example of a legitimate and beautiful proposal of marriage found in the life of the Holy Prophetsa is the proposal of Hazrat Khadijara to the Prophet Muhammadsa.
Hazrat Khadijara came to know of his integrity, honesty, and high morals through her servant. She was deeply moved and impressed by his that she sent him a proposal of marriage through her close friend.
Hence, Islam permits one to marry someone they like as long as it is conducted in a manner that is in accordance with Islamic teachings and principles.
One of the biggest advantages of arranged marriages is that the partners will often have a great match when it comes to culture, religion, social status, lifestyle, and many other factors that always affect the compatibility of couples.
Due to the fact that arranged marriag-
Studies show that arranged marriages have a significantly higher success rate than “love marriages,” further bolstering the case for this traditional form of matrimony.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
“Say everything truthfully when arranging matrimonial matches. If a proposal comes for a girl, her health, age, height, etc., whatever it may be, should be told very clearly. All the information should be given to the boy. However, after receiving the information, it is the obligation of the boys not to turn up simply to look at the girl. Rather, after receiving the information, they should pray and then only go with the intention of arranging a match. If they go with this intention a pure society will be created.” (Domestic Issues and Their Solutions, p. 250)
Huzooraa has outlined that in Islam, arranged marriages are not just based on luck and guessing who might make the best potential partners. Rather spirituality has a big role to play as well. In addition, due diligence is done in terms of the couple finding out about one another and friends and family give their input in the best interests of the pair. Then the couple engages in serious prayer to supplicate to God to help them decide if the potential partner is suitable to spend the rest of their lives with.
In conclusion, arranged marriages in Islam, far from the misconceptions of being forced, provide a comprehensive framework
Jinahuddin Saif Missionary and President, Jamaat-eAhmadiyya KosovoOn 24 April 2023, a formal meeting took place between a delegation of Jamaat-eAhmadiyya Kosovo and the head of the Municipality of Lipjan, located in close proximity to the capital city of Kosovo. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a dialogue and exchange information about the Jamaat and its activities.
The representatives from the Jamaat commenced the meeting by providing a comprehensive introduction to the history, values, and objectives of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. They highlighted the mission of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, i.e., to propagate the true and peaceful teachings of Islam.
The representatives also highlighted the global efforts of the Jamaat, under the leadership of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, in advocating mutual understanding, tolerance, and harmony among people of different faiths and cultures.
The representatives then extended an invitation to the head of the Municipality of Lipjan to attend the upcoming 10th Jalsa Salana of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Kosovo, scheduled to be held on 21 May 2023.
Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, Tilford, UK
14 April 2023
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
[“There is no god but Allah”] is the creed that forms the foundation of the Oneness of God [Tawhid]. The Holy Prophetsa stated, “Allah the Almighty has forbidden the fire for the one who proclaims
[there is no god but Allah] in order to attain His pleasure.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Salat, Hadith 425)
Hence, when one proclaims ہللا ا ا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah], in order to attain Allah the Almighty’s pleasure and with the desire to gain His attention, submitting to Him, and focussing all of their attention on Him, then they become the recipients of Allah the Almighty’s blessings. And as the Holy Prophetsa stated, Allah will forbid the Fire for them. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab AlRiqaq, Hadith 6423)
In another instance, the Holy Prophetsa has again mentioned that Allah the Almighty will forbid hellfire for them. This is the very teaching that was taught and upheld by every single prophet.
On one occasion the Holy Prophetsa stated, “The most noble word which I and the prophets before me have spoken is, الا ہلاآ ہل کیرش ا ہدحو ہللا [there is no god but Allah, He is Alone and has no partner].” (Mauta Imam Malik, Kitab-ul-Salat, Hadith no. 501, Maktabatul Bushra, Karachi)
Thus, this was the teaching of all the prophets. However, it is unfortunate that the very people to whom the prophets brought these teachings are the ones who, having forgotten it, whether intentionally or otherwise, have made it a means of associating partners with God. They have forgotten the true essence of their teachings. We are fortunate that Allah the Almighty has made us a part of the Ummah of the Holy Prophetsa and granted us the perfect teaching that completely eradicated shirk [associating partners with God], and by teaching the true lesson of the unity of God, the Holy Prophetsa has provided us with the means to adorn our lives in this world and in the Hereafter.
Therefore, thsoe who now act upon the
true teachings of the Holy Prophetsa and proclaim the Oneness of God Almighty in a sincere manner, are the ones who shall be the recipients of Allah the Almighty’s grace and partake of the intercession of the Holy Prophetsa. Regarding this, it is mentioned in a narration that the Holy Prophetsa stated, “The most fortunate among my people with regards to my intercession is the one who testifies with a sincere heart or a sincere soul that ہللا ا ا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah].”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Ilm, Hadith 99)
Thus, the one who truly partakes of the intercession of the Holy Prophetsa is the one who makes the proclamation of ہللا ا ا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah], in a manner whereby it is not influenced by the material world.
The Holy Prophetsa is the final and perfect Prophet, to whom Allah the Almighty gave the right to intercede. Faith in him must also be in accordance with the commandments of Allah the Almighty, and the Holy Prophetsa has himself described this station in the following manner, “Whoever proclaims with a sincere heart ہلاآل ہللا الا [there is no god but Allah] and لوسر دمحم ہللا [and Muhammadsa is His Messenger], Allah the Almighty will forbid the fire for them.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Ilm, Hadith 128)
In one narration, the wording is ہللا ا ا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah] and in another narration, the words ہللا لوسر دمحم [‘Muhammadsa is His Messenger] have also been mentioned. Therefore, it is impossible to testify to and profess the Oneness of Allah the Almighty without also accepting the Holy Prophetsa as the final and perfect Prophet. It was he who announced the complete eradication of shirk among his people. Allah the Almighty and His Messengersa have announced their aversion to anyone who expresses even an iota of shirk. Yet despite this, such people have appeared among the Muslims who commit such hidden shirk, which Allah the Almighty and the Holy Prophetsa have strongly
forbidden.
We Ahmadis are fortunate that Allah the Almighty has enabled us to accept the Imam of this age and the ardent devotee of the Holy Prophetsa, who expounded upon the Islamic injunctions and made us aware of their deep wisdom. Where he informed us in great detail with regards to ہللا ا ا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah] he also taught us about the noble rank of the Holy Prophetsa
In relation to this, I shall now present some excerpts of the Promised Messiahas which beautifully shed light upon this subject and draw our attention towards how we must assess our conditions whilst understanding this subject in great detail.
The Promised Messiahas states:
“Allah the Almighty has Himself explainedتلمکا مویلا ‘this day have I perfected [your religion]’ [5:4]. Three signs of this must be sufficiently fulfilled. (The Promised Messiahas was describing the signs, the first of which is) تباث اہلصا ‘Whose root is firm.’ [14:25]. The second is, ءآمسلا یف اہعرفو ‘Whose branches [reach] into the heaven.’[14:25] The third is, نيح لک اہلکا یتؤت ‘It brings forth its fruit at all times.’ [14:26] Hence, it is the religion of Islam alone that fulfils this standard.”
In any case, whilst further explaining تباث اہلصا i.e. ‘Whose root is firm,’ which is the first sign, the Promised Messiahas states:
“[…] The principle of faith, which has to do with the first sign—by which is meant the kalimah ہللا ا ا ہلاآ (i.e., if one wishes to prove تباث اہلصا [Whose root is firm], the first sign is ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah].)
It has been mentioned at such length in the Holy Quran that if I were to write all the arguments given in its support, it would not finish even after writing many chapters, (many books can be written on it) but I shall write a little herein below, by way of example.
Allah the Almighty says in the second part of the Holy Quran, in its second chapter, Surah al-Baqarah [2:165]:
That is to say, verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of night and day, and in the ships which sail in the sea with that which profits men, and in the water which Allah sends down from the sky and quickens therewith the earth after its death and scatters in the earth all kinds of beasts, and in the change of the winds, and the clouds pressed into service between the heaven and the earth – all of these are Signs for the existence of God Almighty and His Unity and the existence of His revelation, and for His being the Regulator of all by virtue of His Will.
Now, look how Allah, the Lord of Glory, has argued within this verse in favour of this principle of faith of His, from His law of nature – (he has proven the truthfulness of ہللا الا ہلاآل and given proof from the law of nature) in other words, from His creations which can be found in the heaven and earth – by looking at which, in clear accord with the intent of this noble verse, it becomes very clearly evident that, without a doubt, there is an Eternal Creator of this world Who is Perfect, and One, without any partner, and the Regulator of all that exists by virtue of His will, and the One Who sends His Messengers into the world.
The reason for this is that all of these creations of God Almighty, and this system of the universe which we see before our eyes, clearly tells us that this world did not come into being all by itself, but that it has an Originator and a Maker Who should necessarily have these attributes – that He should be Gracious, and Merciful, and AllPowerful, and One without any partner, and Eternal and Everlasting, and the Regulator by virtue of His will, and also the Possessor of all perfect attributes and the One Who
also sends down His revelation.” (The Holy War [Jang-e-Muqaddas], pp. 62-63)
Thus, the declaration ہللا ا ا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah] not only instils the thought of One God in one’s heart, but also cements the thought that our Lord is One, Who has existed from all eternity and is Everlasting; He is the creator of everything and that the entire order of the universe runs because of His will; we must turn to Him in prostration for all our needs. When a person instils this level of faith within them, this is what is known as perfect faith, which is free from the taint of idolatry. This is the level of faith regarding which the Holy Prophetsa has said that if one believes in the declaration of ا ا ہلاآ ہللا [there is no god but Allah] with full sincerity, then the fire of Hell will be forbidden for such an individual.
The Promised Messiahas further says:
“Moreover, as far as seeking assistance is concerned, it ought to be remembered that in reality, it is Allah the Exalted alone Who deserves to be implored for help. (It is only Allah the Almighty Who has the right to be sought for help or to grant help. Allah the Almighty is the only Perfect Being from Whom help should be sought. Nobody else has this right nor has the power.) This is what the Holy Quran emphasises. As such, God Almighty states:
نيعتسن كایاو دبعن كایا
[Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help.’] Firstly, God Almighty states His attributes; “Rabb” (Lord), “Rahman” (Gracious), “Rahim” (Merciful) and “Maliki Yaum ad-Din” (Master of the Day of Judgement).
Then He taught us the following:
نيعتسن كایاو دبعن كایا
In other words, we worship Thee alone and it is from You that we seek assistance, (i.e., in order to worship Allah, we seek His help. Without Allah’s help, we cannot perform worship). From this, we learn that the right to be implored for help is the sole prerogative of Allah the Exalted. No human being; no animal, whether beast or bird; no creation whatsoever, whether in heaven or on earth, has this right. However, in a partial sense, as reflections of God, this right is given to saintly people and the holy men of God. (We attain help through their prayers.) We must not invent things of our own accord, rather we ought to remain within the boundaries of Allah’s commandments and the Messengersa of Allah – this is the right path (as-sirat al-mustaqim).
This point can also be understood from the following:
[There is none worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammadsa is the Messenger of Allah.] The first part of this makes it clear that man ought to hold Allah the Exalted alone as his beloved, worthy of worship and his objective.
The second part of the Muslim creed expresses the deeper reality of the prophethood of Muhammadsa.” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 2, pp. 53-54)
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“Ever since the birth of man, and until he disappears from the world, the divine law has been that God supports His Tauhid or Oneness. The object of all the prophets sent by Him was to eradicate the worship of man and of other creatures and to establish the worship of God in the world. Their duty was to make ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah] shine in the earth as it shines in heaven. The greatest of them, therefore, is he who highlighted this formula with such brilliance; who first exposed the impotence of false gods and proved their insignificance on grounds of reason and strength, and then, when he had proved everything, he left as a symbol of his decisive victory the testament ہللا لوسر دمحم ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah and Muhammadsa is His Messenger].
“He did not pronounce ہللا الا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah] as an unproved assertion. No, he first proved it, and exposed the errors of false belief and then inviting the attention of the people declared, ‘Look, there is no God besides Him Who has demolished all your might and shattered your pride.’ Thus, to serve as a reminder of an established truth, he taught the blessed kalimah: ہللا الا ہلاآ ہللا لوسر دمحم [there is no god but Allah and Muhammadsa is His Messenger].” (Jesus in India, pp. 74-75)
During the conquest of Mecca, thousands of idolaters understood the supremacy of the declaration ہللا ا ا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah]. When the Holy Prophetsa asked Abu Sufyan, “Has the truthfulness of ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah not yet dawned on you?” He replied, “I have now fully understood that if there was any god beside Allah, then he would have come to our aid. We have placed 360 idols around the Ka’bah that we worship, at least some of them ought to have assisted us.” (Al-Sirah Al-Nabawiyyah Li ibn Hsiham, p. 739, Dar-ul-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001), (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Al-Mazalim, Hadith 2478)
Replying to an opponent, the Promised Messiahas said:
“Your saying is absolutely true that it is
the teaching of the Holy Prophetsa that sins are removed by the affirmation that: ہللا
[there is no god but Allah and Muhammadsa is His Messenger].
This is absolutely correct and the truth. (We indeed assert their claim that sins are removed.)
It is a reality that he who believes in God as One without associate and that Muhammad, the Chosen Onesa was sent by the same All-Powerful Unique One, will undoubtedly attain salvation, if he dies whilst affirming this declaration. There is no salvation under heaven through the suicide of anyone (there is no salvation in the death of anyone, and there will be no salvation even if someone dies for your sake. Indeed, they will attain salvation through the declaration of the Islamic kalimah) and no one can be more insane than one who thinks (that they cannot attain salvation from the kalimah). But to believe in God as One without associate, (i.e., one ought to ponder over this, it is not the case of simply verbally professing it). But to believe in God as One without associate and so Compassionate that by His great mercy, in order to rescue the world from misguidance, He sent His Messenger whose name is Muhammadsa, the Chosen One and it is this very doctrine by adhering to which the darkness of the soul is removed and the ego is replaced by the belief in the unity of God. In the end, the mighty upsurge of unity spreads over the whole heart and a heavenly life begins in this very world. (We ought to understand what is the reality behind the words
ہللا لوسر دمحم [there is no god but Allah and Muhammadsa is His Messenger]. Subsequently, one’s paradise begins in this very life). As you observe that by the advent of light, darkness disappears, in the same way, when the bright reflection of ہللا الا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah] falls upon a heart, the dark passions of the ego disappear. The essence of sin is that there is a tumult in the passions of the ego by yielding to which a person is called a sinner, and the meanings of ہللا ا ا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah] which are derived from its various meanings in the Arabic lexicon are:
ہللا الا یل عاطم الو یل دوبعم الو یل بوبحم الو یل بولطم ال
That is, ‘there is no one to be desired, or to be loved, or to be worshipped, or to be obeyed except Allah.’” [Nur-ul-Quran No. 2, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 9, pp. 418-419)
When this condition is developed within a person, then indeed, this life becomes a paradise and the means of their forgiveness begin to manifest in this lifetime.
Further elaborating on the Islamic creed of ہللا الا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah], the Promised Messiahas says:
“In reality, Allah the Almighty has set forth many commandments. Some of them are such that not everyone can partake in them, for example; Hajj [pilgrimage] is incumbent upon the one who has the means for it. (Hajj is not obligatory upon every single person.) Then, that there be safety along the way, is also a prerequisite for Hajj. Similarly, a person has to ensure that their family has the necessary provisions during their absence. (One has to ensure that their family members who remain behind have provisions for food and drink etc. It should not be not the case that one goes for Hajj and leaves them to starve.) If one can meet all these requirements, then they can
perform Hajj. The same is the case for Zakat [alms]. Only those people are to pay Zakat who meet the minimum threshold for Zakat. (Only those people are to pay, who become eligible to pay.) Similarly, at times there are certain changes within the prayers, for example, if a person is travelling or is unwell, then they are shortened or combined. However, there is one aspect [of Islam] in which there is no change and that is the Islamic declaration of faith: ہللا
لوسر دمحم [there is no god but Allah and Muhammadsa is His Messenger]. This is the true essence and everything else completes it. Tauhid [declaration of the Oneness of God] cannot be complete without worship. (If one does not perform worship, then their deceleration of Tauhid remains incomplete and one cannot fulfil the rights of the creed ہللا لوسر دمحم ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah and Muhammadsa is His Messenger].) This means that the one who declares دمحم ہللا ا ا ہلاآل ہللا لوسر [there is no god but Allah and Muhammadsa is His Messenger] will only be truthful in their proclamation when they demonstrate through their actions that there is no one to be desired, to be loved, or to be worshipped except Allah.”
Thus, this is a condition for faith; it is not enough to simply make a verbal proclamation. If one recites ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah], then one has to demonstrate this through their deeds by adhering to the commandments of Allah the Almighty; by worshipping Him and by fulfilling the rights of Allah and His creation. These are the commandments of Allah the Almighty. For the sake of our Beloved and the One Whom we seek to attain, it is necessary to adhere to His commandments, only then will one truly be acting upon and affirming their faith in ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah].
The Promised Messiahas states:
“When a person instils this condition in them and their faith and deeds demonstrate this declaration, then they are not false in their proclamation in the sight of God Almighty. (When one achieves this, then this is an excellent thing and one cannot be considered false.) All of the worldly material burns away, as it were, and they become completely immersed and devoted to their faith. (By proclaiming: ہللا الا ہلا ال [there is no god but Allah], all other material desires burn away and only Allah the Almighty remains as one’s desire, objective and beloved. This is the state of belief. It is in such a state that) when one utters: ہللا الا ہلا ال [there is no god but Allah] and ہللا لوسر دمحم [Muhammadsa is His Messenger] – which is the second part of [the Muslim creed] –then serves as a practical model because through examples a matter can be easily understood. The prophets, may peace be upon them, appear in order to establish their examples and the Holy Prophetsa was an embodiment of all the excellences of their noble examples because the qualities of all the prophets were found in him.” (Malfuzat [1984], Vol. 3, pp. 82-83)
The Holy Prophetsa understood the true meaning of ہللا الا ہلاآل [There is god but Allah].
The Holy Prophetsa presented the commandments of Allah the Almighty and practically fulfilled them and expounded upon them in detail. He is the perfect model who presented and practised ہللا ا ا ہلاآ in its most perfect form. Then, whilst advising us, the Promised
Messiahas states:
“A superficial oath of allegiance to a spiritual guide brings no benefit and it is difficult to derive any gain from such an oath of allegiance. A person shall truly reap benefit only when they abandon their ego and attach themselves to this person with abiding love and sincerity. (One has to attach themselves with complete love and sincerity to the person they have made an oath of allegiance to and it is only then that their oath of allegiance shall be of benefit.) Since the hypocrites did not possess a true relationship with the Holy Prophetsa, and his progeny, ultimately, they remained bereft of faith (they only did the Bai’at superficially); they were left devoid of pure love and sincerity. And so, the mere proclamation ہلاآ ہللا الا [There is none worthy of worship except Allah] was of no avail to them. Thus, it is very important to forge these bonds. If a follower does not strengthen these ties and fails to make an effort in this cause, any expression of grief or regret would be unwarranted. One should nurture a relationship of love and sincerity with one’s spiritual guide and insofar as possible, adjust the hue of one’s disposition to that of one’s master, both in terms of action and belief. The inner self of man promises him a long life, (one thinks they will live long and that they are still young,) but this is deception. There is no telling how long a person will live. One should hasten to adopt piety and worship, and introspect on one’s condition from morning to evening (as to what extent they are adhering to ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah]).” (Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 4-5, [English Translation])
Then, whilst drawing our attention to understanding the meaning of ہللا الا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah] and to do justice to it, the Promised Messiahas states:
“My purpose is not to suggest that Muslims ought to become indolent (i.e., to recite the kalimah and then become lazy). Islam does not make anyone slothful. You ought to engage in business and employment as well, but I do not approve that you should have no time at all for God. (Although they recite ہللا ا ا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah] however, they are immersed in worldly endeavours and are failing to do true justice to it.) When it is time to engage in business, engage in business; but even then, keep the fear and awe of Allah Almighty in view so that even your businesses become a form of worship. When it is time for the Prayer, do not miss your Prayer. In every situation, whatever it may be, give precedence to religion. (It is imperative to give precedence to one’s faith. Also, we proclaim this in our pledge that we shall give precedence to our faith over the world.) Let not the world itself become your objective; instead, religion ought to be the actual objective that you seek. When this becomes your way, even your worldly engagements will be deemed religious. Look at the companions—even in the most trying times, they did not forsake God. At a time of war, when the sword is drawn, one is faced with such danger that even the mere thought of it makes one anxious. This is a time of passion and anger, but even in this state, the companions never turned away from God; they did not miss their Prayers. In fact, they remained engaged in supplication. The unfortunate thing now is that Muslims exert efforts in every other
way; they deliver eloquent speeches, (they speak about the kalimah) they hold conventions in order to further the progress of the Muslims, but they are so negligent of God that they do not turn to Him even by mistake. When this is the state of the Muslims, how can they hope that their efforts will bear fruit, when all of them are so materialistic? (They take on the name of Muslims, yet their efforts are all for the sake of attaining worldly material and simply using the religion of Allah.) Remember! Until the words ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah] saturate our heart and soul, and until every particle of our being is not illuminated and ruled by Islam, progress can never be attained.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 3, pp. 51-52)
If we wish to succeed, then we must understand the essence of ہللا الا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah]. Rather than worldly provisions, we will have to make Allah the Almighty our ultimate objective.
Then, with regards to the reality of the sacred creed [kalimah tayyibah], its meanings and how we should understand and implement it, the Promised Messiahas states:
“I have expressed on various occasions that you should not rejoice upon the mere fact that we are Muslims and declare the Islamic creed. Those who recite the Quran are well aware of the fact that Allah the Almighty is never pleased with mere words, nor does any virtue come about within a person as a result of simple words, until one’s practical state is reformed (verbal claims carry no weight, actions are the true essence). Nothing can be achieved until the state of a person’s practical actions is reformed. There was a time when nothing remained among the Jewish people except verbal claims and these claims were all they had left to rely on. They made great verbal claims, yet their hearts were polluted with evil thoughts and toxicity. This was the very reason that Allah the Almighty sent various calamities upon this nation and caused them great difficulties, abasing them to the extent that they became akin to swines and apes.”
The Promised Messiahas continues:
“This is a point to ponder upon. Did they not believe in the Torah? Of course, they did, and they also believed in the prophets, however, Allah the Almighty was not pleased by their mere words or that they express their faith, whereas their hearts were not aligned with their claims.” They made claims with their words, but their hearts were not aligned with what they said.
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“Be sure to remember that if a person verbally claims to believe that God is One and has no partner and believes in the prophethood of the Holy Prophetsa and believes in other tenets of faith, but these proclamations are limited to mere words and the heart is not aligned, then they remain nothing more than words. Verbal utterances cannot suffice until the voice rises from the heart. One will only attain salvation when their heart believes, which entails practically expressing these matters. Until then, nothing can be achieved.” What does it mean to practically embody these things? It is to act according to the commandments of Allah the Almighty, which have been clearly stipulated in the Holy Quran.
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“I say truthfully that one’s real purpose can only be achieved when they abandon all else and turn wholly towards God Almighty and truly give precedence to faith over the world.” A mere oath will not suffice, rather, one will have to practically give precedence to the faith over worldly matters.
The Promised Messiahas continues:
“Remember, people can deceive other humans, and people can be fooled by seeing that an individual offers the five daily prayers or does virtuous deeds (people will see someone offering prayers or coming to the mosque and offering voluntary prayers and will say that they are regular in offering the five daily prayers and regularly attend the mosque. If they undertake other virtues and make their financial contributions, others would deem that person to be virtuous. People can be deceived) but God Almighty cannot be deceived. That is why a person’s actions should be especially sincere (even the practical actions one undertakes should be with the utmost sincerity). Sincerity connotes doing something solely for the sake of Allah the Almighty. These are the types of actions that develop capability and excellence.”
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“Now it should be remembered that we must understand the meanings of the creed which we recite every day. This creed means that a person verbally attests and authenticates with their heart that the Object of their worship, their Beloved, and their Objective is none other than God Almighty.” This has also been mentioned before.
The Promised Messiahas states, “The word الہ refers to the beloved, the ultimate purpose and the object of one’s worship.”
He should be the most Beloved, He should be the ultimate purpose, the attainment of which should be a person’s goal instead of attaining material things. Only He should be worshipped, without any hidden forms of associating partners with Him.
The Promised Messiahas further states, “The word ہلا refers to the beloved, the ultimate purpose and the object of one’s worship. This creed is a summary of all the teachings in the Holy Quran as taught to Muslims. Since it is not easy to remember such a great and vast book (it is not easy to remember all that is in the Holy Quran), this creed was taught so that one may always bear in mind the essence of the Islamic teachings. What is the essence? It is ہللا ا ا ہلاآل – there is no god except Allah. There is no object of worship except Allah. He is the ultimate goal, the ultimate purpose and the most beloved. Until this reality is not instilled within a person, they cannot attain salvation. That is why the Holy Prophetsa said:
“Meaning, ‘whoever sincerely accepts that there is no god except Allah will enter Paradise.’”
Whilst explaining the fact that other people can be deceived, the Promised Messiahas states, “If people think that merely repeating words like a parrot can grant a person entry into Paradise, then if this is all that was required then all actions would be useless and futile. (If all one needs to do in order to enter paradise is proclaim that there is no god except Allah, then all practical
actions would become extinct.) What was the need for all the commandments found in the vast Quran? In that case, God forbid, the Shariah is rendered useless. But this is not the case. Rather, the reality is that intrinsic meanings should enter a person’s heart. When this happens, then that person truly enters Paradise.”
When one understands the reality of the meanings of ہللا الا ہلاآل [there is no god but Allah] then they enter Paradise, not only after passing away, but they experience it in this very life as well.
In another instance, during a gathering, the Promised Messiahas was mentioning something similar, which is quoted in detail by another newspaper. The Promised Messiahas said, “God Almighty does not associate with mere words, He associates with the hearts. This means that those who adopt the meaning of the creed in their hearts and the majesty of God Almighty entirely takes root in their hearts, then they enter Paradise. When a person truly attests to the creed, then none other than God remains beloved to them. (If a person truly recites the creed, then they can love no one except Allah the Almighty.) They worship none other than Allah; (there is no one else whom they would worship even in a hidden manner). Nothing else remains for them to covet other than God; (there remains nothing else for them to search for except the pleasure of Allah the Almighty). The ranks of abdal [saints], qutub [guiding stars] and ghauth [saints] are all to wholeheartedly believe in the creed ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god but Allah] and to act upon its meanings.”
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“It is true, and one quickly realises that if a person has no other beloved or purpose aside from Allah the Almighty then no pain or discomfort can cause them grief. (If a person realises that their pain is also for the sake of Allah the Almighty, then they can cause him no grief.) They do not worry on account of these difficulties. They know that Allah the Almighty is swift to help His friends, and at times, in fact, most times, He bestows ease of heart.” The Promised Messiahas continues that this is the rank granted to the abdal and the qutub. If the purpose is attaining God rather than worldly things, then one has nothing to worry about. The Companions understood this. It is not that this is bestowed only upon the qutub or the abdal or on specific ranks of people, rather the majority of the Companions achieved this rank. They understood this matter, which is why Allah the Almighty made the Companions an example for us.
Furthermore, the Promised Messiahas states:
“Do not consider it enough to renounce idol worship.” Even after stating that this is a grand station for a typical person, the Promised Messiahas explained that it is not enough to simply renounce idol worship and to claim to worship Allah the Almighty alone. The Promised Messiahas states:
“Keep in mind that refraining from idol worship is a trivial affair. Hindus who have no knowledge of verities are now forgoing idol worship. (They are ignorant of the reality of God and His Oneness, yet they are ceasing to worship idols.) Associating partners with God is not limited to just humans and idols. (This is not limited to refraining from the worship of material objects such as humans and idols, but also
includes other incorporeal entities.) It is, as Allah the Almighty has stated in the Holy Quran, that selfish desires and inclinations are also the objects of worship.” The desires and inclinations of the self also become the objects of our worship when they are set up beside Allah the Almighty, ultimately bearing us away fromہللا الا ہلاآ – [there is no god except Allah].
The Promised Messiahas states: “Whoever submits to his selfish desires and obeys his impulses to the degree of dying for them is an idolater and polytheist. The ‘آل’ [none] not only negates other entities, rather, but it also negates all and every object of worship.”
When we proclaim ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god except Allah] it not only negates material objects of worship but anything that can be set up beside Allah the Almighty. One who sets up anything equal to Allah the Almighty testifies that he does not believe in Allah.
The Promised Messiahas continues:
“Thus, we must understand that all objects of worship are negated by the proclamation of ہللا الا ہلاآل [there is no god except Allah], whether those objects are internal or external; material or immaterial; the idols we have concealed in our hearts or physical ones. For instance, one who relies solely on their means and abilities has created an idol for himself. Such idol worship infects its host like pulmonary tuberculosis and destroys them from the inside. Material and overt idols are easy to identify and equally easy to renounce. I have observed that hundreds of thousands of people have renounced them and continue to do so. Have many Muslims not emerged from this country that was once brimming with Hindus? (Those who had become Muslims were once idol-worshippers.) Have they not abandoned idol worship? Many factions continue to emerge from the Hindu people (as mentioned before), who do not worship idols. However, the concept of idolatry does not end there. Indeed, one may have abandoned idol worship that is overt, but there are thousands of idols that people cling to. Even those who are considered philosophers and logicians cannot expel these idols.” Such philosophers and intellectuals passionately parade their philosophies and arguments, yet idols also reside in their hearts; their pride in knowledge has become their idol; their opinions have become their idols, and they cannot eliminate them.
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“The truth is, such an infestation cannot be eliminated from within without the grace of Allah the Almighty, for this infestation runs deep and causes immense harm and damage to the host. Those who, under the influence of their inner passions, abandon the rights of Allah the Almighty and His limits – and in doing so neglect the rights of His creation – cannot be considered knowledgeable. You will find thousands who are considered scholars and intellectuals, and theologians and saints, yet despite this, they too suffer from the same infestation.”
If one does not fulfil the rights of humankind, then they have also forgotten the meaning of ہللا الا ہلاآل [there is no god except Allah]. True courage demands that
one abandon such idols. Those impressive personalities whom you consider to be pious also have idols concealed within them. True courage requires one to abandon such idols, and to duly fulfil the rights of Allah and humankind. Only then can one come to understand the real meaning of ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god except Allah]. This is true courage, and one who can identify these is truly intelligent and wise.
The Promised Messiahas continues:
“These idols are the root cause of mutual enmity, which subsequently results in conflict and bloodshed. A single man usurps the right of his brother, giving way to thousands upon thousands of evils. Such occurrences take place every day and at every moment. Material means are relied upon so excessively that in comparison, God Almighty is regarded as an ineffectual limb.”
The Promised Messiahas continues:
“There are very few who have understood the true meaning of the Oneness of God. If the people are questioned in this regard, they contest immediately, cite the fact that they are Muslims and proclaim the kalimah However, it is unfortunate that they believe it to be enough to simply utter the kalimah I say with certainty that if one uncovers the truth behind the kalimah tayyibah and practically adheres to it, he can achieve great progress and witness the extraordinary and astonishing powers of God Almighty. Consider this matter carefully; I am not in this position as an ordinary admonisher, nor am I a storyteller. Rather, I have taken a stand to bear testimony and convey the message given to me by Allah the Almighty. I am not concerned with whether this message is heard or accepted; you will be held accountable regarding it. I must fulfil my obligation. I am aware that although many people have entered my community and have attested to the Oneness of God, I must say with regret that they do not truly believe in it. I cannot be certain that he who usurps the right of his brother, is unfaithful or engages in other evils actually believes in the Oneness of God, because this is such a blessing that upon attaining it, one undergoes an extraordinary transformation. (He who believes in the Oneness of God must undergo a transformation.) God Almighty loves such people, and the idols of malice, rancour, envy and affectation cannot persist within them. This transformation can only take place – at which time one becomes a true adherent of the Oneness of God – when one removes the inner idols of arrogance, conceit, affectation, malice, enmity, envy, miserliness, hypocrisy, unfaithfulness and so on. Until such idols persist within oneself, how can they be considered truthful in their proclamation of
[there is no god except Allah].”
Thus, during this Ramadan, every one of us should strive to purify ourselves of these idols so that we are able to understand the true meaning of ہللا
[there is no god except Allah] and believe in it. The Promised Messiahas further states:
“Because this requires one to relinquish their dependence [on other things], it is an
established fact that there is no benefit to simply uttering that ‘God is One and has no partner.’ In one respect, a person recites the kalimah, yet when faced with a matter that is a conflict of interest, they submit to their anger and rage. I say repeatedly that one should always be mindful that as long as these hidden objects of worship exist, one cannot hope to attain the rank of a true believer in the Oneness of God, in the same way, that one cannot safeguard against the plague as long as rats infest the earth; as long as this infestation of rats (i.e., the infestation of sins) persists, one’s faith is not safe. Pay close heed to my words and act upon them. Thus, in summary, the kalimah means to recognise Allah the Almighty as the only One worthy of worship, the Beloved and the Ultimate Purpose. This rank can only be attained when one purifies themselves of all inner vices and removes the idols that reside within their hearts.” (Malfuzat [1984] Vol. 9, pp. 101-108, including footnote on p. 104)
May Allah the Almighty enable us, through our special efforts and prayers, to remove all our inner vices in the remaining days of Ramadan. May we safeguard against all forms of hidden shirk [associating partners with God] and remove all the idols from within us. May Allah the Almighty become our sole object of worship, our Ultimate Purpose and Beloved. May we come to understand the truth of ہللا الا ہلاآ [there is no god except Allah], and upon proclaiming ہللا لوسر دمحم [Muhammadsa is His Messenger], may we find before us the beautiful and practical example established for us by the Holy Prophetsa. All this cannot be achieved without the grace of Allah the Almighty. To gain the grace of Allah the Almighty, we must struggle and strive, both through our actions and spirituality.
In the last ten days of Ramadan, people often speak about Lailatul Qadr [The Night of Decree]. However, one is only able to truly experience Lailatul Qadr when they are ready to transform their every word and deed in accordance with the commandments of Allah the Almighty; always act upon this and then make this a permanent change in their lives. This is indeed the true sign of having attained Lailatul Qadr. To claim that one saw a light, witnessed or experienced a particular thing or rain appeared or experienced a certain fragrance, and so forth, are all temporary signs. The true sign of having experienced Lailatul Qadr [The Night of Decree] is when a transformation takes place within one’s heart. Some jamaats have made special programmes for prayers in light of what I said: If we sincerely pray for three days, we can draw the special blessings of Allah the Almighty. If these three days have been dedicated to prayers, only to return to one’s old ways and to forget the true objective of the kalimah, then one ought to remember that Allah the Almighty is aware of the conditions of our hearts and our intentions. Nothing remains hidden from Him and therefore this will be of no benefit.
If you wish to spend these days devoted to prayer with the intention of attaining the pleasure of Allah the Almighty, then you
must do so by pledging to make these days a permanent habit of your lives. As a result, God Almighty will manifest His special support and succour to remove the hardships being afflicted upon us by the opponents, God-willing. And, in accordance with His divine promise, Allah the Almighty shall become our Guardian and we shall become wholly devoted to Him. In any case, I also mentioned that if every member of the Jama’at, without any exception, brings about this change in them, then it can bring about a revolutionary change. Therefore, one should also remember that if such a change is not instilled within themselves, then those who have formed these programmes should not think after three days that, Godforbid, their prayers were not heard or no revolutionary change occurred. In fact, Allah the Almighty has vouchsafed His promise to the Promised Messiahas that He shall grant him and his Jama’at victories either very soon or after some time. Indeed, if we bring about a revolutionary change within ourselves; worship Allah the Almighty alone and make Him our sole objective and our beloved whilst understanding the true spirit of ہللا الا ہلاآ ; if we give precedence to our love for God Almighty and to attaining Him over our love for the world, then we can bring about this revolutionary change sooner. Allah the Almighty is not dependent on anything and has certain conditions in His promises [that need to be fulfilled]. Thus, we will need to pledge to instil a permanent change within ourselves.
The Holy Prophetsa has stated that the last ten days of Ramadan are for seeking protection from Hellfire. Also, just as it has been mentioned that the Holy Prophetsa stated that the one who recites the kalimah truly from the heart, that is: لوسر
[there is no god but Allah and Muhammadsa is His Messenger] such a person shall be protected from the Hellfire. Therefore, all of these aspects draw our attention to the fact that a person needs to make a practical effort on a permanent basis. The Promised Messiahas has also mentioned this and I have explained in detail that along with reciting the kalimah, that is: ہللا
[there is no god but Allah and Muhammadsa is His Messenger] one also needs to practically adhere to this as well. Therefore, in order to derive maximum benefit from these last ten days of Ramadan and in order to truly attain the Lailatul Qadr [the Night of Decree], we will need to ensure that the kalimah: ہللا ا ا ہلاآل
[there is no god but Allah and Muhammadsa is His Messenger] should echo forth from within the depths of our hearts and minds. We will need to adhere to this in our every action, just as the Promised Messiahas has mentioned. May Allah the Almighty enable us to lead our lives in accordance with this. Pray for the world in general these days that may Allah the Almighty grant it peace and steadfastness. May Allah the Almighty bestow His mercy and blessings upon mankind.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 5 May 2023, pp. 2-7. Translated by The Review of Religions.)