Al Hakam - 30 September 2022

‘Blessed are those who serve the Divine cause’: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s heartfelt advice to the Jamaat

‘Great is Mirza Ghulam Ahmad the Messiah’: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V

visits historic city of Zion, USA

The day has finally dawned on Jamaat-eAhmadiyya USA which thousands had been anxiously waiting. The land of America has been blessed again with the auspicious arrival of our beloved Imam, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa arrived in Zion, Illinois, USA on 26 September 2022 – the weather was cold but the spiritual atmosphere created an electrifying warmth for all the believers who were eager to lay their eyes upon their beloved master.

Huzooraa arrived at the new Zion mosque – Masjid Fath-e-Azeem – where he was welcomed by over 1100 Ahmadi men, women and children that had gathered from several states across the country, along with international guests from eight different countries; Pakistan, UK, Palestine, Canada, India, Philippines, Guyana, and Bangladesh.

The American Ahmadis came from

near and distant places alike. Apart from the local Zion Jamaat, there was a heavy presence from the neighbouring Jamaats of Chicago, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Minnesota and Iowa. Similarly, a significant number of members travelled from Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles on the East Coast. Some from Dallas, and Austin in the south, along with Tennessee. Detroit, Baltimore, Virginia, New Jersey and New York were also represented.

On 27 September, the day began with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa leading the Fajr prayer, and later in the afternoon, Huzooraa came to the mosque and inspected the Zion Mosque Exhibition. From there, Huzooraa proceeded to unveil the official plaque of the mosque and then led everyone in silent prayer. This was followed by the bricklaying ceremony for the minaret of the mosque that is yet to be constructed. As soon as the brick ceremony ended, Huzooraa proceeded

inside and inspected the rest of the mosque.

Mulaqats (private audiences) of Ahmadis with Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa also began later in the day.

Earlier today, on Friday 30 September, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa delivered his Friday Sermon from the Fath-e-Azeem Mosque.

The significance and background of Zion

On a warm summer day in June 2014, I set foot in Zion City, a suburb of Chicago in Illinois. This was my first official posting as a missionary in the USA. When I entered the city, I saw the signboard that read:

“Welcome to the City of Zion, Historic Past Dynamic Future”

I wondered, “Do the people of this city

The sun shall rise from the West

Hazrat Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

“The hour will not be established till the sun rises from the West; and when it rises (from the West) and the people see it, they all will believe. And that is (the time) when no good will it do to a soul to believe then.”

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, In His Own Words

The reality of prayer

There were certain people who would write to the Promised Messiahas for prayers, and they would receive a written response to the effect that a prayer has been made for them. However, after this, they would write back saying: “There has been no benefit. There are only two cases: either you have not prayed or if you have, you have not done so with full attention.”

One day, Hazrat Maulvi Abdul-Karim Sahibra submitted this matter to the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace and blessings, who

John Alexander Dowie: The case of Messianic hope and cosmic disappointment

How the Khalifa is changing hearts in the West

Abu Asar Hafeez Jalandhari, the composer of the national anthem of Pakistan, visits Qadian

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

said: “It appears that there is a dire need to write about the subject of prayer once again. It seems that previous explanations have been insufficient. Prayer is a very delicate matter. One condition is that a firm connection must exist between the person who makes a request for prayer and the supplicant to whom the request is made. This is to the extent that the former’s grief becomes the latter’s grief, and his joy becomes the other’s joy. Just as the cries of an infant make its mother unbearably restless, and milk begins to flow forth in her bosom, in the same way, the plight of the one who makes a request for prayer and their cry for help must move the person to whom a request is made, so that the latter is wholly overcome by emotion and supplicates with a sense of resolve.”

<< Continued from previous page

even know what transpired here so many years ago?”

Do they know its history?”

The year was 1901 when Dr John

Alexander Dowie – a claimant of prophethood and the spiritual return of Prophet Elijah – laid the foundations of his theocratic historical city called Zion. He had thousands of followers who lives in Zion and soon after establishing this city, Dowie

positioned himself as the arch nemesis of Islam in this age and vowed to overtake all religions but particularly laid animosity towards Islam.

Learning of Alexander Dowie and his claims, on the opposite side of the hemisphere, the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, who claimed to be the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, publicly called Dowie out in 1902 and challenged him to a duel to the death: A duel not of swords, but of prayers, to demonstrate who God was siding with and to challenge the evil Dowie was spewing towards Islam, its Holy Foundersa and Muslims.

But let’s take a step back. To understand the magnitude of the events that transpired in this city, one has to learn about the city of Zion first. Alexander Dowie had uniquely established the city of Zion. Most of the streets and roads were named after biblical personalities and places. All the major streets of this city converged at a massive roundabout, in the heart of which stood Dowie’s mega church. With thousands of followers living in his city, a city that was considered as personal property of Dowie, worth millions of dollars even back then, Dowie was most surely a force to reckon

with.

On the other hand, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, the Promised Messiah, was a man from humble beginnings and lived in an extremely remote village in India, but with a steadily growing community by his side, he was looked upon as the stalwart and the rising star of Islam.

The world press at the time gave immense coverage to this spectacular spiritual battle of the two claimants. At least 160 different newspapers mentioned this prayer duel. The details of this prayer duel are captured in Hazrat Ahmad’s book Haqiqatul Wahi –The Philosophy of Divine Revelation – under the chapter titled, A Great Victory. Dowie used severe and harsh words against the Promised Messiahas and promised he could destroy Hazrat Ahmadas without any effort.

On 20 February 1907, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas received the following revelation from Allah:

“I shall manifest a fresh Sign in which there shall be a great victory. It shall be a Sign for the whole world”. (Haqiqatul Wahi – The Philosophy of Divine Revelation, p. 641)

Soon afterwards, the news reached Qadian, India that Dowie had perished.

“Great is Mirza Ghulam Ahmad the Messiah” was the headline in the Sunday Herald of Boston on the morning of 23 June 1907, marking the conclusion of this prayer duel that ended with the defeat and death of Dowie.

In 2014, I went to a local cafe for a cup of coffee with the local chapter president of our community in Zion when I noticed that one of the espresso drinks was named after Dowie. When I asked the cafe owner, a sixty-year-old lady, born and raised in Zion, about Dowie, she had no idea about him. But when I told her about the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the community of Hazrat Ahmadas, she recognised Ahmadis immediately as having the mosque with the message of “Love for all, hatred for none”.

I have previously been posted as a missionary in Zion for three and a half years, and to my astonishment, I did not meet a single person who remembered the name of Dowie or claimed to be his follower. But the followers of the Promised Messiahas, a hundred years out, have firmly established their roots in this city.

Today, as I write these words, sitting inside the brand-new mosque, named Masjid Fath-e-Azeem (A Great Victory) built by the followers of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas in Zion City under the leadership of his fifth successor, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa, a shiver goes down my spine.

I am reminded of the sign at the entrance of this city, “Historic Past, Dynamic Future”. The city of Zion absolutely had a historic past, but its future with the opening of the Masjid Fath-e-Azeem is most definitely going to be dynamic, marking a “Great Victory” for Islam Ahmadiyyat in the truest sense of the word.

From here the mighty name of Allah — the One — will be proclaimed five times a day, every day calling people towards peace and salvation and the fifth successor of Hazrat Ahmadas is there to mark this grand victory.

(Report by Faran Rabbani, USA Correspondent)

How Khalifatul Masih is changing hearts in the West

Frasat Ahmad Missionary, USA

Do you feel it?

Do you feel the angels of Allah descending from the Heavens?

“The time is not far. Nay, it is very near.

“You will witness armies of angels descending from the Heaven upon the hearts of Asia, Europe, and America.” (The Victory of Islam, pp. 56-57)

These words of the Promised Messiahas, stated some 132 years ago, powerfully resonate today. As the Khalifaaa of the Promised Messiahas sets foot in Zion, Illinois for his historic USA tour.

“It is essential for angels to descend along with the descent of the Khalifatullah [Allah’s Chosen One] so that they may direct the hearts towards truth.” (The Victory of Islam, p. 57)

But has the Khalifa really magnetised the West? Is he changing the hearts of its inhabitants?

The truth lies in the numbers, the data.

So let’s analyse the tours that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa has embarked upon in the West for nearly two decades.

Fortunately, an article of Al Fazl International, published on 19 April 2019, has compiled data of all of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’saa tours outside of the UK.

The article states:

“Hazrat Khalifatul Masih’s illuminating and beaming countenance has performed an enchanting magic on the hearts of different nations, countries, populaces, colours, languages, and classes of society spread across the world. […]”

So, let’s get into the numbers. Please note that this data only covers 2003-2018.

A brief analysis of the tours:

Total tours: 109

Total countries: 29

Total days on tour: 1,071

Total foundation-stones laid for mosques: 42

Total inaugurations of mosques: 103

Mulaqats with dignitaries: 14,237

Personal mulaqats with Ahmadis: 190,692

I want you to read those numbers again.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa has spent nearly three years outside of the UK on tours of Western countries. He has toured 29 countries, where he had 190,692 personal meetings with Ahmadis, and 14,237 meetings with various dignitaries.

The data speaks for itself.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’saa Press Secretary, Abid Khan Sahib, in his diaries, also presents innumerable quantifiable proof that Huzooraa has magnetised Western hearts towards recognising God. So do many impressions recorded by MTA with dignitaries and members of the public who listen to Huzoor’s addresses or get an audience with him.

Only one example from Huzoor’saa recent 2018 tour to America, and Philadelphia in particular, will suffice here.

Abid Khan Sahib recounts how he met Anetta Curry, an African American Christian who listened to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa deliver his address inaugurating the new Philadelphia Mosque. He writes:

“Amongst the people I met, one person I will not forget was a middle-aged AfricanAmerican lady, a practising Christian, called Anetta Curry. She said:

“‘Definitely, I came here with a very different impression of Islam and Muslims. Before I came here, I was fearful – actually very fearful. You do not know what thoughts I had in my heart! I actually believed that this Mosque was going to be built as a front for terrorist financing and as a hub of extremism and that you would plot another 9/11 at this Mosque. It’s no exaggeration to say that I thought that this Mosque will destroy the peace of this city and in fact of the United States.

“‘I had those fears right up until the moment your Caliph started speaking. But as soon as he started to talk, he immediately put my heart at ease. He made me feel comfortable. Honestly, I cannot tell you

how glad I was that I came this evening! Today, after listening to him I feel I have been educated. I have realised that every religion has some bad people but that we should not assume all Muslims or Mosques are extremist.’

“Wiping tears from her eyes, Anetta continued:

“‘Even the way he looked and spoke put my heart at ease. The Caliph is so elegant, so beautiful. It is as if there is a halo around him. I feel so peaceful now. I feel so peaceful. You have no idea how peaceful I feel! I never expected to feel like this. I honestly never did. I was in awe of the Caliph. I kept looking at him and thinking he is a man of truth and a man of peace. The more he spoke, the more I relaxed and eventually every single fear I had completely disappeared.

“‘He said that Ahmadi Muslims will be there to wipe away the tears of their neighbours. What he does not know is that when he said these words, I began to weep and had real tears in my eyes. I thought of how my fears were completely wrong and how miseducated I had been.

“‘I promise you that I am going to tell my people everything I have seen and heard here tonight. I am going to tell them about Islam and educate them, like I have been educated. My name is Anetta Curry and I promise you that Anetta Curry is going home with a message to tell her people to embrace this Mosque, just like this Mosque has embraced me. That is my mission now and what I am going to do. I promise. I promise. This is my task and I’m not going to waste any time. Starting tomorrow, I am going to be preaching the message of the Caliph!” (www.pressahmadiyya.com/wpcontent/uploads/2019/03/USA-Guatemala2018-Part-1.pdf, pp. 66-71)

What more do we need? Quantifiable proof that Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa is influencing “the hearts of people in Asia, Europe, and America.” (The Victory of Islam, pp. 56-57)

He continues to do so today as he blesses the USA with his presence.

This Week in History

30 September

30 September 2005: During his Friday Sermon on this day, delivered from the Netherlands, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa narrated some of the highlights of his recent tour of Scandinavian countries and called the attention of members of the Jamaat towards various responsibilities, particularly tabligh (preaching).

30 September 2011: During his Friday Sermon on this day, while inaugurating the Baitun Nasr Mosque in Norway, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned some of the facts and figures in relation to the construction of this mosque.

30 September 2016: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned Mazhar Ahsan Sahib, a student of Jamia Ahmadiyya UK, who had passed away earlier that month.

1 October

1 October 2004: During his Friday Sermon on this day, while inaugurating the Darul Barakat Mosque in Birmingham, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa narrated

the early history of the Jamaat in Birmingham and said that the Jamaat was established in Birmingham in 1960 and initially comprised of only five members.

1 October 2013: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa arrived in Australia for the second leg of his Asia Pacific tour. Huzooraa arrived at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith International Airport, following an overnight flight from Singapore and was greeted at the airport by the Rt Hon Kevin Conolly MP, a member of the NSW Legislative Assembly. During

a twenty-minute meeting with Kevin Conolly, the MP said he was delighted to welcome Huzooraa to Australia.

2 October

2 October 2009: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned Muhammad Azam Tahir Sahib of Uch Sharif, Pakistan, who had been martyred on 26 September.

Huzooraa also mentioned Chaudhry Anwar Kahloon Sahib, who had passed away on 27 September. He served the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya UK in various capacities, including as the Amir Jamaat, the Sadr Qaza Board, and as a member of the Fazle-Umar Foundation as well. When Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh migrated to the UK, he included Anwar Kahloon Sahib in the team formed for the revision of the Holy Quran’s English translation.

2 October 2015: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned the incident of fire in the two halls of the Baitul Futuh Mosque, UK and the reactions of some of the non-Ahmadi Muslims and non-Muslims. Huzooraa said, insha-Allah, soon we would rebuild in a better and more beautiful manner.

3 October

3 October 2003: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa inaugurated the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden, UK and prayed that may Allah the Almighty make this mosque a source for spreading the beautiful and peaceful teachings of Islam in Europe.

Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Australia welcome Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivering the Friday Sermon from Baitun Nasr Mosque Oslo, Norway

History

3 October 2014: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned Mubashar Ahmad Sahib Khosa of Mirpur Khas, Pakistan, who had been martyred on 22 September.

3 October 2016: Hazrat Khalifatul

Masih Vaa arrived in Canada, where he was greeted by thousands of Ahmadi Muslims as he returned to Peace Village in Vaughan, Ontario after a period of more than four years.

Huzooraa was also greeted by the Mayor of Vaughan, Hon Maurizio Bevilacqua, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, Hon Steven Del Duca and National Member of Parliament, Hon Deb Schulte.

4 October

4 October 2013: Hazrat Khalifatul

Masih Vaa was interviewed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation TV and Radio. During the 25-minute interview, Huzooraa was asked a range of questions about Islam and the purpose of his visit to Australia.

Moreover, on this day, Jalsa Salana Australia commenced, in which Huzooraa was participating after seven years.

4 October 2015: Hazrat Khalifatul

Masih Vaa arrived at the Baitun Noor Mosque in Nunspeet, the Netherlands. Upon arrival, he was greeted by the Hon Dick van Hemmen, Mayor of Nunspeet, as well as hundreds of Ahmadis.

5 October

5 October 2012: During his Friday Sermon on this day, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa mentioned Khawaja Zuhoor

Ahmad Sahib of Sargodha, who had been martyred on 4 October.

5 October 2015: Hazrat Khalifatul

Masih Vaa was interviewed by the Dutch News Agency, Omroep Gelderland. In response to a question in regards to the changes in the perception of Islam in Western society in the 60 years since the Mubarak Mosque in The Hague was opened, Huzooraa said that during the past six decades, people had drifted away from religion and that this was not limited to Islam. However, Huzooraa said there was a growing perception that Islam was the root cause of today’s problems and conflicts, but this notion was entirely wrong.

On the same date, Huzooraa was also interviewed by RTV Nunspeet at the Baitun Noor Mosque complex in Nunspeet, the Netherlands. The radio interview was broadcast live and streamed worldwide.

5 October 2016: Hazrat Khalifatul

30 September - 6 October

Masih Vaa was visited by the late Mr John Honderich, Chairman of the Board at Torstar Corporation (media group) at the Baitul Islam Mosque in Peace Village, Canada. During the meeting, Mr Honderich expressed his regret that the Toronto Star newspaper (a Torstar publication) had published an article about a new study that suggested extremist literature was prevalent in Canadian mosques and had mistakenly included a photo of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s Baitul Islam Mosque. Mr Honderlich informed Huzooraa that the Toronto Star had immediately removed the photograph when notified of the error and published an official apology.

6 October

6 October 2013: Hazrat Khalifatul

Masih Vaa delivered the concluding address at the 29th Jalsa Salana Australia. Huzooraa spoke of Jihad

in the modern era, saying the circumstances of today’s world did not permit Jihad by the sword.

6 October 2015: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa was interviewed by the Reformatorisch Dagblad newspaper at the Baitun Nur Mosque complex in Nunspeet, the Netherlands.

On the same day, Huzooraa delivered a historic address at a special session of the Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs at the Netherlands National Parliament in the country’s capital city of The Hague in front of an audience of more than 100 dignitaries and guests.

6 October 2016: Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa addressed the volunteers of the 40th Jalsa Salana Canada. During his address at the Baitul Islam Mosque in Peace Village, Huzooraa reminded them that it was their duty to display the highest moral standards and etiquette.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa delivering an address at the Jalsa Salana Australia

From right to left: ABC National TV & Radio interviewing Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, Australia. John Honderich, Chairman and CEO of Torstar Corporation meeting Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa. Dutch media outlet, Reformatorisch Dagblad in Nunspeet, Holland, interviewing Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa.

John Alexander Dowie: The case of Messianic hope and cosmic disappointment

Asif Basit Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre

So much has been written about the prayerduel of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas and John Alexander Dowie in Ahmadiyya literature and otherwise that there remains no need to further reiterate a point already so well proven.

I would, however, like to discuss a point often raised by some: When there were hundreds of claimants of Jesus’ reincarnation, why did Hazrat Ahmadas only target two?

To address the question, we must go back in time and glance at the climate that loomed at the time of Hazrat Ahmad’s own claim to being the Messiah.

Towards the end of the second millennium – spanning over several centuries – Millennialism (also: Millenarianism) was at its height and almost all religions were experiencing a high tide of reform movements. Doomsday was seen as lurking closer and the final transformation of the world was deemed due, or even overdue, in various religious belief systems. Abrahamic faiths had their expectations invested in the one character that was to appear to make it all happen – the Messiah. For some, it was to be his first and final appearance, for others the second and conclusive – Islam and Christianity sharing the latter.

The time of the claim of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas – of being the awaited Messiah of Abrahamic faiths – was a time when Messianic hope was rife. The last decade of the nineteenth and the first one of the twentieth century saw many figures claiming the same, or similar.

Since the case of John Hugh Smyth Pigott has been dealt with thoroughly, we try to analyse below why Dowie’s claim attracted such significant attention of Hazrat Ahmadas – the warning, the emphasis, the prayerduel, and subsequently, the celebration of victory. For this, we will first have to see what these figures – both ambassadors of Messianic hope – stood for.

The claim of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Hazrat Ahmad’s claims can all be summed up in one: The awaited reformer of all faiths. As for the Abrahamic faiths in general, his claim was that of the promised reformer, the Messiah. In the case of Islam specifically, this meant being the Mahdi as well, for that role too stood for a reformer of the latter days. For other faiths, he was the final Godsend, whomsoever they awaited. Summed up, he was the awaited reformer for any and every religion in the world.

Since he saw in Islam the finality of all faiths, he claimed that all religions are destined to culminate in Islam and unite as one whole and not remain fragmented. For this, he had to prove that the God of Islam was the only acceptable and the best concept of Deity because God, through Islam, had given mankind a complete code of life – one encompassing spiritual, social, political,

moral and economic principles.

Hinduism and Christianity as prime targets

A question often asked is why a reformer sent to redress all faiths devoted all his efforts towards Hinduism and Christianity. Everyone can address this in their own way, but one way of seeing it is that these two faiths were based on shirk and potentially led to more avenues of associating deities with the One God. Where Hinduism was based on polytheism by way of belief in multiple gods, Christianity had gone way beyond by turning a human being into a deity.

To establish the Oneness of God, Hazrat Ahmadas saw in refutation of these two religions as uprooting shirk altogether; if beliefs of these two could be proven false, all other avenues would shut down automatically.

In this cause, he went to every possible limit. He wrote, he spoke and he warned the leaders of these faiths, asking them not to misguide innocent people away from tauhid – the Oneness of God. In both cases, Hazrat Ahmadas had to touch the limit set by the Holy Quran, known as mubahalah – a prayer-duel where the untruthful one is annihilated, usually in the truthful one’s life.

In the case of Hinduism, the Arya Samajist Lekh Ram invited this decisive mode of religious conflict and met his fate and as for Christianity, John Alexander Dowie. I do not include here John Hugh Smyth Pigott as Hazrat Ahmadas saw him as belonging to no faith for his claims to be God himself, hence not being an adherent of any.

Claims of John Alexander Dowie Setting off as a minister of religion and having moved on to being a faith healer, Dowie went to claim that he was Elijah the restorer, the messenger of God’s covenant and a restorer of the Kingdom of God – sent to annihilate every other faith in order for Christianity to prevail.

He founded a Christian Catholic Church – which he emphatically disassociated from its Roman namesake – and styled himself as the First Apostle. He purchased vast expanses of farmland in the north of Illinois and became the owner of a 10 square-mile land where he built his Utopian town and named it “Zion”. He established here his church and his rule by having his own legal and penal system, staying aloft the law of land.

It was from here that he intended to build a network of similar cities where, he claimed, only his teachings would prevail and will hence, bring about the rule of Christianity in the whole world.

His vision of Zion can be summed up in a passage that he preached to his congregation:

“Get ye all out and come into this City of God beside this lovely Lake, and, when we have filled it to overflowing, we shall build another, another, and another until every

Nation has its Zion City.”1

Dowie’s strong aversion to Islam

Of all other faiths, he despised Islam the most. Why? Only he could tell, but from what we gather from his own words, he possibly saw it as a tough nut to crack and the strongest competitor.

This aim to annihilate Islam seems to be at the heart of building Zion, as he said:

“This is the reconstruction of Zion, spiritually and physically.

“The reorganization of the administration of government throughout the entire world will proceed from Zion’s Holy Hill at Jerusalem.

“Every other Zion will be subordinate to that. From there the Messiah, the Christ, the King of all the Earth and all the Nations will reign.

“It is beginning to be about time to rebuild that old city, to clear away the rubbish of the many generations […]

“How can any one who knows exactly what Mohammedanism is, for one single moment imagine that God or man can forever stand that abomination?

“‘Where the Moslem hoof comes no grass grows,’ is the Eastern proverb. Wherever the accursed teaching of Mahomet has come, there has been an end of all real progress. How can there be progress when one-half the people are treated as spiritless beasts?

“The nation has no right to political existence that makes a religion of bestiality, and promises a heaven of harlotry to man — his reward being a number of peri or houri as paramours.

“The theology of Mohammedanism is that no woman has a spirit. The Mohammedan paradise is a palace where the satisfaction of a man’s dirty belly, his abominable passions, are the highest form of reward through endless ages.

“It is time that such an organized abomination as that should be swept out.”2

The presence of Islam haunted him so badly and he incited the hatred in his followers had been quite conspicuous, when he had spoken of it a year earlier:

“Great portions of the world that were Christian when the Apostles died, and within the first three centuries of the Christian era, are heathen and Mohammedan today. On the northern shores of Africa, where great Christian churches flourished, the Moslem now rules. Where many of the noblest Fathers of the Early Church toiled, suffered and died, to plant great Churches, there are none to be found today.

“A great deterioration has taken place.”

By the summer of 1902, Dowie was possessed by his own idea that he was Elijah. He was dreaming of taking over control of all faiths with his centre at Jerusalem. His message was bold and loud when he ordered his congregation:

“Tell them that Elijah has entered upon his work, and, if he takes some care of himself, he will last a little time.

“Elijah will have to get away and rest awhile.

“People must take care and not be foolish and try to run Elijah. They cannot do it.”

His biographers observe that “one of the tragedies of Dowies’ life was the fact that in the latter part of his life, he entered into pride and self-exaltation”.5

Gary Bourgeault observes that this episode of vanity and self-exaltation “led to his most disastrous conclusion in regard to himself and his position in the kingdom of God, and that was that he proclaimed himself to be the third and final manifestation of Elijah […]”6

Commenting on this tragedy of his life, biographers almost agree with Bourgeault, with their own reasoning, that “why an intelligent man would risk his legacy and life’s work to declare this, is puzzling.”

And now we turn to solve this puzzling twist of Dowie’s life.

Invitation to a prayer-duel

We have seen that Dowie’s sermons in the summer of 1902 had turned quite fiery against Islam and Muslims, and he was obsessed with the idea of having them annihilated.

These sermons reached the township of Qadian in the British-Indian Punjab and in the hands of Hazrat Ahmadas. It is hard to believe that if these brazen claims of Dowie could reach Qadian – a town with the least amenities of postage and telegraphic connections – they would have remained inconspicuous to other Muslims and their leaders.

But defending and rejuvenating the faith of Islam was a task assigned to Hazrat Ahmadas, and so it was he who stood up to the call of duty. He immediately wrote to Dowie – in what can be called an open letter for its publication in the Ahmadiyya journal The Review of Religions, alongside a whole array of global newspapers:

“Since Dr Dowie is the messenger of the powerful deity who was crucified by the Jews, I would entreat him to refrain from destroying the whole body of Muhammadans living on the face of the earth […]

“As regards the Muhammadans, we hope Dr Dowie will renounce his claim upon all if the decision can be come to by an easier method. Whether the God of

tried to move him, they lost their grip and his body fell with a hard thud on the floor […]”

Thus dropped the curtains of John Alexander Dowie’s pretentious claims.

Why the importance to Dowie

We now return to the question as to why Hazrat Ahmadas saw Dowie as being eligible for so much of his attention, and why the press around the world showed so much interest.

1. While Dowie can be placed among a whole band of impostors, he was a hardline enemy of Islam – the faith that Hazrat Ahmadas believed to be the only restorer for humanity, faith and morality. Hazrat Ahmadas was to later state:

“With each passing day, he grew in fame, wealth, and the number of his followers. He started living like a king, whereas previously he was akin to a beggar. If a Muslim, who was weak in faith, had seen him ascending to such glory despite his falsehood and fabrication, he would have gone astray and been at a loss. Even if such a Muslim had been a learned scholar, he could not have saved himself from falling into error, the reason being that [Dowie] was an enemy of Islam who used foul language against our Prophet, the Best of Mankind, yet reached the pinnacle of fame and wealth.”13

2. Why the large-scale publicity of the mubahalah? Hazrat Ahmadas knew people would enquire, and thus he addressed the issue:

“[…] There was nothing hidden or secret about the mubahalah; rather, it was a matter well advertised all over the world – in the east and in the west, in the north and in the south.

“The reason for such advertisement was that Dowie was like the great kings in renown. In America and Europe, there was not even a single person in the upper and lower classes of society who did not know him well. In fact, the people in those countries held him in great honour and revered him as a king. Moreover, he travelled extensively and used mesmerizing speeches to lure people into his trap, like a hunter traps his prey.

“This is why no newspaper editor ever refused to publish the material sent to them regarding the mubahalah. Instead, they were eager to publish it out of a strong curiosity to see the end of this contest.”14

3. No other impostor had been so ambitiously active in propagating his claim as was Dowie and hence had to be addressed at a similar level. Hazrat Ahmadas stated:

“He believed Jesus to be God and was so ambitious in spreading the belief in Trinity in the whole world that, despite having read hundreds of books by Christian missionaries, I have not come across anyone so passionate in this cause.”15

4. The Holy Prophet of Islam had prophesied that Islam shall prevail all over the world, and its Sun shall rise from the West, it was important that an impostor, whose claims were so extensively publicised in the West, be exposed as an impostor. Writing to Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddinra, Hazrat Ahmadas stated:

“Should Dowie agree to my offer of mubahalah and stand up to my challenge, he will, before my eyes, leave this world in great anguish and agony. Such are the signs that have been dedicated for Europe and America. I hope they ponder over these signs and benefit from them.”16

5. Dowie, when making his claim to be the Messenger of the Covenant of God,

used in his favour the Biblical prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:18. This prophecy, Hazrat Ahmadas believed and preached, was about the advent of the Holy Prophetsa of Islam. The words, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow brethren. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command”, could not so conveniently be given away for

abuse by an impostor.

6. Dowie was not only an enemy of Islam but had set out to wipe out all faiths from the face of the earth. He wanted to see Muslims, Jews, Zoroastrians and even Christians fall to his feet or be annihilated.17

Hazrat Ahmadas respected people of all religions and wanted to bring them

peacefully under the banner of Islam. He believed and preached that the second advent of Jesus would not bring with it temporal power, but would rather be a kingdom over hearts through peaceable means.

7. In his sermons, he incited his believers against the law of the land. He roused a sense of revolt against the government, including the government of the United States of America, stating that “theocracy was the only way” America could be ruled.

His grand visitation of New York, although resulting in failure, was a venture which proved to what extremes he could go to establish his temporal power in the country.

He chartered eight trains, all heading to New York and filled with a band of his believers, to instil in every citizen of New York to turn to his theocratic ideas and to accept the supremacy of Zion over all other worldly methods of governance. Despite huge publicity in the press, the venture turned out to be a disastrous failure, but the scale of it was something worthy of attention.

Hazrat Ahmadas, on the contrary, had brought with him a unique political philosophy where revolting and rebelling against the ruler of the land was an unIslamic act, as long as the ruler provided freedom of faith. Hazrat Ahmadas did not deem it essential that a state must be theocratic for faith to prevail. He saw faith and political affairs as two separate realms which could be brought together like two sides of a coin.

8. Dowie had prohibited any medical facilities, including any drug stores, in Zion. Seeking medical advice, he said, was against faith as only God alone had the power to heal. He led a so-called “Holy War” against the medical professionals, turning most doctors of the land against himself. The doctors obviously found it unflattering and gathered in their thousands to attack him when he appeared to deliver one of such lectures. Had it not been for the Chicago police, the riots could have resulted for Dowie in grave injury and harm.

In a world that was steadily losing faith in God, it was a grave crime to lead people to further abandon their belief in God. Hazrat Ahmadas believed in a God who alone was the healer of pains and ailments, but he also believed that the same God had created facilities for mankind – medicine and practitioners being among them.

To quit all medical advice and medication would mean testing God, which is unIslamic, could result in grave consequences in terms of belief.

Above all, it was the scale of publicity – sweeping across the whole world – of his pretentious and harmful claims that called for a similar scale response. That the response Hazrat Ahmadas overshadowed the impostor’s claim and campaign, shrinking it to its annihilation, is already proven and accepted by not only the followers of Hazrat Ahmadas, but by all fair-minded people, contemporaneous and of modern-day alike.

Post Scriptum

While Dowie was completely deluded in false pretence, we must however credit him for the fulfilment of two of his prophecies.

On a Sunday morning in 1899, Dowie

Answers to everyday issues

Guidance on basic Islamic issues which Hazrat Khalifatul

Masih Vaa has given at various occasions in written correspondence and during MTA programmes

was giving a sermon, when all of a sudden “he stood with uplifted hands, and while weeping with copious tears,” and said:

“I sometimes fear that I shall be like Moses, having led this people on, I shall be set aside – yea God Himself setting me aside and choosing another to lead the people on. I fear that I shall sometime say: Dowie did something, when Dowie never did anything. I shall this grieve God by taking some glory for myself, when it all belongs to him.”18

He got the Moses analogy wrong, but his words were fulfilled. One of his own ministers, Anton Darms, recalled this incident later:

“This premonition may have been a Divine warning […]”

Well, we now know that it actually was. He stubbornly refused to heed. God sent this message in more clearer words through his true Messiah, and yet, Dowie turned a blind eye and a deaf ear. And the fact is that Dowie was, in his own words, “set aside” and God showed vividly who he had chosen, again in Dowie’s own words, “to lead the people on”.19

Another prophecy of Dowie saw fulfilment and we conclude this article on its mention, for nothing more needs to be said.

Around the time when Dowie had been forewarned by Hazrat Ahmadas, and had landed in an abyss of confusion, he declared

the following words before his congregation:

“I know not the possibilities of electricity. It is possible that it may yet convey the face of the speaker, and, by photo-electricity, show the man as he is talking. Perhaps a discourse delivered here may be heard in every city of the United States. Some day that will be so and the word spoken in Shiloh Tabernacle will be heard even in the farthest corners of the Earth.”20

He wasn’t wrong. It was to happen. It happened. But it happened in a world where time and tide and tables, had all turned. It was not he who was to speak from Zion and the world was to hear, but a successor of Hazrat Ahmadas

The victory of Hazrat Ahmadas over Dowie saw a new height when Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa spoke from the Ahmadiyya mosque in Zion, and his audio and video reached every corner of the Earth.

Endnotes

1 Leaves of Healing (being the mouthpiece publication of Zion), 28 February 1903 (Punctuation and capitalisation as in the original text and not the author’s. The same applies to all other passages cited in this article)

2 Leaves of Healing, 14 February 1903

3 Ibid, 30 November 1902

4 Ibid, 23 August 1902

5 Gary Bourgeault, John Alexander Dowie: The Flawed Dreamer and the Servant of God, www. owlcation.com/humanities

6 Ibid 7 Ibid

8 The Review of Religions, September 1907

9 Leaves of Healing, 27 December 1902

10 Lindsay Gordon, John Alexander Dowie: A life story of trials, tragedies and triumphs, p. 67, Christ for the Nations Inc, Dallas, 1980

11 Lindsay, pp 186-187

12 Ibid, p 178

13 Haqiqatul Wahi [English translation], Islam International Publications, Surrey, 2018, p. 875

14 Ibid, p 881

15 Haqiqatul Wahi, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 22, p. 505

16 Maktubat-e-Ahmad, being a collection of letters of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Vol. 1, p. 269

17 Leaves of Healing, 1902

18 Lindsay, p. 183

19 Ibid

20 Leaves of Healing, Vol 16, No 1, p. 15

Permissibility of missing the Eid sermon | Etikaf at home | The age of wearing a scarf | When one should observe every compulsory fast | Halal and haram | Women’s status in Islam | Purdah and close relatives | Jinn | Insurance | A father’s prayers | Seeing God | The role of Waqifat-e-Nau girls after marriage | Islam and terrorism | Boys wearing bracelets | Nawafil before Eid | Reciting the Holy Quran and entering a mosque during menstruation | Purdah of different body parts

Whether Eid prayers are obligatory and if the imam forgets the takbirat | Savings accounts and profit | Music | Female prisoners of war | Replying to people’s mockery of holy personages | Duties of a missionary | Evil eye, prayers of the oppressed and shirk

Ways of expressing gratitude to Allah | Huzoor’s prayers as a student

100 Years Ago...

A message to the Turks, poems by new converts, and why Mrs Rahatullah converted to Islam

The Moslem Sunrise, October 1922

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra (18721957)

At the request of Muftizada, Ali Riza Ahmadi, who is going back to his native country, Asia Minor, the following message has been sent to the Turks in Anatolia: Brethren!

1. Turn to Allah and follow His Sacred Book Al-Quran and the path laid down by the Master Prophet Muhammad[sa] and you will be successful in all your undertakings.

2. Continue your defence against the usurpers with faith in Allah and help from God and victory is near.

3. Never trust in the friendship of the enemies of God and His Prophet, always remain prepared to defend yourself.

4. Live a pure Muslim life obeying God and sympathizing with all His people to whatever nation, colour or creed they belong.

5. Give the message of Islam to all near and far as this is the way to gain His will, help God and His Prophet and they will help you.

6. Join the fold of the Ahmadiyya Movement, established by God to help the cause of Islam in these latter days.

Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, Mubashshir [missionary] in America. 4448 Wabash Ave., Chicago. 1 September 1922. […]

Listen to what the leader says Extracts from the sermons, writings and table-talk of His Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, the second successor to the Promised Messiah[as] and the present head of the Ahmadiyya Community, established under the Divine Authority to unite all under the one banner of Islam, and utter obedience to Allah, the One. [Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra said]:

“Is not Islam the only religion in the world which thirteen hundred years ago, in the prevailing darkness of the seventhcentury society, laid the foundation of a new social order the like of which has not been imagined by the most advanced thinkers of the twentieth century?”

“Islam holds up before humanity such a high ideal of life, the adoption of which would save them from all sorrows and enable them to lead a heavenly life on this earth.”

“God has assigned it as a duty of the Muslims that they should carry the message of Islam to all the corners of the earth.”

“Know it for certain, that Islam contains

within itself a most powerful force of attraction and the decree has been passed by God that He will spread it all over the world and to this end, He has already sent to the world His accredited Messenger.”

“Islam is God’s appointed religion and the Holy Quran is His word. It is therefore impossible that Islam will be destroyed by the weak hands of men, especially of such men who believe a weak mortal to be their God and prostrate themselves in worship before him. In reality, all these mischances are due to the Muslims’ neglect of Islam.”

“The most important fact relative to the advent of Islam, is the significance embodied therein that it marks the opening up by God of new doors of spiritual advancement, and that consequently, the human race as a whole must continue converging toward this focal point till ultimately it comes to be merged in one single brotherhood worshipping the one true God. And this constitutes the end of human life.”

“God raised one Prophet (the Master Prophet Muhammadsa) for all.” “One common college has been thrown open for all mankind.”

“Man was not created without purpose. Religious quarrels arise because men depart from religion. Religion is very needful because, without it, man cannot fulfil his purpose. Matter develops into spirit and spirit into eternal life. Heaven is for those who develop Divine love. Hell is the painful process of cleaning the spirit of the dross of matter. Ultimate salvation for all – that is the purpose of human life.”

“The world has seen many prophets, for all of whom we entertain the highest regard. We [pray to God to] bless them because they were beloved ones of God, and hence also beloved of us. God granted them honour, so we honour them, though we may not know their individual names. The Holy Quran speaks about them generally.”

“But in spite of this admission we entertain, the opinion that Muhammad[sa] was the foremost and the leader of all great men, who ever lived, whether Nabis [Prophets] or non-Nabis, whether Rasuls [Messengers] or non-Rasuls, living in any country or speaking in any tongue.”

At the feet of the master

Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, sitting at the feet of the Prophet Ahmad[as], the Promised Messiah and Mahdi. The Prophet is mentioned as the “Righteous” from the East in the Bible (Isiah 41:2), [“Who raised up the righteous man from the east”]. And

again, his disciple sent to America is named “Sadiq,” which is the Arabic and Hebrew word for “Righteous.”

[Introduction of Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib]

Mufti Muhammad Sadiq – Born at Bhera, 13 January 1872; father’s name, Mufti Inayatullah; mother’s name, Faiz Bibi (May Allah bless their souls); educated in Government High School of Bhera; married Imam Bibi (1889); sons Muhammad Manzur (1895), Abdus Salaam (1899), Abdul Momin (1909), and daughter Saeeda (1906); initiated into the Ahmadiyya Movement in winter 1890-91; teacher Islamia High School, 1895; clerk, accountant, general’s office, 1896; teacher Qadian High School, 1901; superintendent Talim-ul-Islam College, Qadian, 1903; editor Badr Weekly, 1905-1913; Ahmadi lecturer in India, 19141916; Ahmadi missionary in London, 19171919; First Ahmadi Muslim missionary to America, 1920; member of Royal Asiatic Society; Associate of Societie Internationale Philologie, Sciences et Beau Arts; fellow of the College of Physiology; fellow of the College of Chromatics (London); Doctor of

Literature (LJ University, Chicago); Doctor of Divinity (Metaph. Dis. Coll., St. Louis); Doctor of Oriental Sciences (Or. Univ., Washington); Doctor of Law (Oskaloosa College); member of the Press Congress of the world. […]

[Islam]

Verily the religion which gives a true knowledge of God and directs in the most excellent way of His worship is Islam. (The Teachings of Islam)

Mrs Mustapha Thaha (Rahatullah)

Author of The Power of Truth; The Secret Camp of the King: A Mother’s Dream; My Three Visions; Transition; Smoke; Beautiful Islam; philosophic and religious articles; and articles on psychology.

Islam my saviour [By Mrs Mustapha Thaha]

Without knowledge, without purpose, was I wandering here and there, Tossed about by endless, restless twirling winds

And my soul was devastated as a country made most bare,

And my heart was heavy-laden from the struggles of the mind.

At last, I sought for God I knew not where But the yearning in my heart in anguish cried aloud;

Islam heard my prayer and before my eyes presented a jewel rare; T’was the beauty in her worship as the head was lowly bowed. My Eyes were quickly opened to her knowledge and her power, For Islam is a living faith, her truth can never die

And now my soul is at peace within her sacred flowers

Which are the blessed Ahmadis whose fragrant perfume extends into the sky.

Rahatullah

[Why Mrs Rahatullah converted to Islam?]

The good Mufti has requested me to write a short synopsis of my life and why I became a Muslim.

I was born in the state of Indiana, United States of America, on a beautiful farm where the trees and flowers welcomed me into this world. I had a twin sister who died at birth. My mother, a beautiful soul, passed away at the age of 23. Her last words were, that she was willing to go, if she but knew her little girl would grow up to be a good woman. My father looked after my welfare and placed me in the hands of my grand-parents, until I had reached the age of 10 years; he then married again, and I was taken to his home. My life was a lonely one, always craving for something I knew not what.

I married at the age of 15, a darling baby boy was born to me, he is now living and his name (Basheer). He is at the Ahmadiyya headquarters. My marriage was not a success. I was still longing for that something I knew not what.

I travelled a great deal from coast to coast. I studied music later on. I entered the college in San Francisco, taking up the study of elocution, literature and oratory. I plunged into all sorts of studies and read books of every description. My mind was

on fire, I began to realize it was knowledge I was craving. The sufferings I have passed through that I might learn are better untold.

I first found Islam through the sufi path. Its beauties were presented to me through the sufi poets. I have always loved the beautiful, and I longed to find the beautiful in everything in life. It was in 1910 that I first began to see Islam’s light, not in a very serious way, I was only [exploring], but I read and prayed and worked.

A glorious teacher of light came into my life in 1915, the late Sheik Mohammad Majid Gilani, who had been sent to the Philippine Islands by the Sultan of Turkey. He lifted me far above this world, so it seemed to me, but just in the midst of my exaltation, Allah called him away from this world. He died on 6 May 1916 in Richmond, Va. In one letter he said to me: “Your salvation now depends upon your actions towards those who see the light of faith through you.” May Allah shower his blessings upon his soul. I lived only for him after his departure for over two years, then a dear soul was sent to lift my soul again. It was our Mufti Dr MM Sadiq. I felt his kindness and his mercy. I knew he was a friend, a master and a saviour.

I joined his movement and assisted him in his work. He has shown me the true path, the path which knows no failure. The submission to one God, the only power which never fails and which never dies. I am happy to be an Ahmadi. I have worried at times, but I now find it is the only path for me. He has given me a noble, pure-minded man for a husband. We were joined in holy wedlock on 6 February 1922 in Highland Park, Mich. He is an Arabian, born near Damascus in Syria; his name is Mustapha Thaha and may God give him the power to become a leader among the people.

1 September 1922. (Rahatullah) Mrs Mustapha Thaha.

Light after darkness

A poem that was written by our dear sister, Mrs Zaineb Eldeen, who has passed to rest with Allah, now sent for The Moslem Sunrise by Mrs Gemela Restum, sallamahallah:

My heart was filled with discontent, My days were all in sorrow spent, What the trouble was I did not know. But life seemed predestined to only woe.

Discontent and trouble and care, God seemed far away – far and high. Then I read of the sorrow all the prophets did share, And I deemed it poor spirit to cry.

Then my words so fraught with sorrow, full of pain, With heartache and hopelessness too, Were lightened with hope and a faith old yet new, That God would forgive me again.

So I asked for a light for my pathway, For my soul a healing balm, And Allah who owns the universe, Told me of the Islam.

(Transcribed by Al Hakam from the original in The Moslem Sunrise, October 1922)

39th annual Ijtema Lajna Imaillah Netherlands

Attia Aslam Sadr Lajna Imaillah Netherlands

Lajna Imaillah Netherlands held its 39th annual Ijtema on 10-11 September 2022, which was held after a period of three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Ijtema programme and the syllabus for competitions were sent to all local presidents several months before the Ijtema. Efforts were made to reach every single Lajna member in the country. Various promotional videos were made and sent out to the members and different social media channels were used to promote the Ijtema

Lajna Imaillah has been holding their previous Ijtemas at the Bait-un-Noor Mosque in Nunspeet. However, due to the significant increase in the tajnid of the Jamaat and, consequently, of Lajna Imailla in recent years, a larger venue was required. Therefore, an extensive search was made for an alternative location to hold the Ijtema to accommodate the increased number of members. Eventually, a suitable hall was acquired and reserved in Almere, near the Bait-ul-Afiyat mosque.

There were several interesting activities held alongside academic competitions during the Ijtema. There were ziafat and exhibition competitions held for our creative members. Stalls were held by various departments such as wasiyyat, ishaat, khidmat-e-khalq, rishta nata, Humanity First and the Holland Mosque Fund. In addition, several food and drink stalls were set up by the bazaar team.

On the first day, all departments and their teams gathered at the Ijtema site at 8:45 am.

At 9 am, the registration team started their work and registered the lajna and nasirat as soon as they arrived at the Ijtema site. The Registration Department together with the Health and Safety Department had made special arrangements to check for Covid-19 vaccination status and carry out Covid-19 tests.

At 10 am, the programme started with the recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by the Lajna pledge and a poem. At 10:30am, the academic competitions were held.

Lunch was served at 1 pm, followed by Zuhr and Asr prayers.

After this, academic competitions continued, followed by the election of the president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women Students' Association (AMWSA). This session was followed by dinner.

On the second day, the programme commenced at 10 am with academic competitions, followed by lunch and Zuhr and Asr prayers. At 3 pm, the final session began with the recitation from the Holy Quran and a poem, followed by a bait bazi competition.

Afterwards, the prize distribution took place and awards were distributed among the lajna and nasirat.

Then, my humble self read out the special message from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa

The final session of the Ijtema concluded with a silent prayer at 4:30 pm.

After the conclusion of the Ijtema, all Lajna members took part in waqar-e-amal, which was followed by dinner at 5:30 pm.

The Ijtema was attended by 379 lajna, 103 nasirat, 10 guests and 120 children.

Boating through Swedish canals while spreading Islam's message

Kashif Virk Missionary, Sweden

The Gothenburg Cultural Festival was held from 1-4 September 2022. During these days, the rich cultural life of this city is displayed through various shows, activities and events. It is a public event held in the very heart of the city.

It is also an occasion where locals and visitors to the city meet and exchange ideas.

Gothenburg is also the city where the headquarters of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Sweden are located. As the organisers of this event offered boats to rent which could be sailed in the canals, Jamaat availed this opportunity for the purpose of tabligh – preaching Islam Ahmadiyyat. A large banner with the picture of the Promised Messiahas alongside the motto “Love for all, hatred for none” was displayed visibly on the boat.

This novel way of tabligh was in light of the instructions of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa who has guided us to find new avenues of spreading the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat. Previously, the message had also been displayed on public buses in the city.

The canal trip was arranged on 4 September 2022. The onboard team included Amir Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Sweden, Waseem Zaffar Sahib, Missionaryin-charge, Agha Yahya Khan Sahib and some other members. The boat caught the

attention of many bystanders and pictures were also taken. The message of Islam

Ahmadiyyat thus reached thousands of people on this day.

Hazrat Ahmad’s keen interest in reading newspapers and journals

if it was secular writings.

In our issue of 22 July 2022, the headline story – Holding science, discovery and research dear to our hearts – mentioned an accredited and historic medical journal, The Lancet

It will be surprising to many of our readers to know that the Promised Messiahas referenced and quoted The Lancet in his writings over 100 years ago. He made mention of its April 1881 issue in his book Arya Dharam

Today, as we are surrounded by knowledge and endless newspapers, periodicals and journals, it may, at first, seem irrelevant to mention Hazrat Ahmadas quoted from a medical journal; however, to quote and know about a journal founded and published in England from a remote village of India shows the Promised Messiah’sas devotion for acquiring knowledge and having the deep insight to what was being published in his era around the world – even

Having spent most of his time reading the Holy Quran and other religious scriptures, we know the Promised Messiahas was fond of reading and acquiring knowledge. It is narrated that as a child, he would often spend his time in his father’s library.

Hazrat Abdur Rahim Dardra writes in his book  Life of Ahmad, “That which distinguished Ahmadas from other students and other members of his family was, however, that he was fond of study. He was so fond of his father’s library that many a time his father had to remonstrate with him, fearing that he might injure his health.” (Life of Ahmad, p. 37)

The Promised Messiah’sas reading lists were not limited to comparative religion, he would study secular books too – even medicine. He said:

“[…] I studied some books on medicine with my father, who was an expert physician. By this time, I had become so fond of reading that I gave little attention to anything else. My father repeatedly admonished me to

reduce the study of books, for he was afraid that too much devotion to them might affect my health and he was also anxious that laying aside books I should begin to take an interest in his affairs and should share his responsibilities.” (Kitab-ul-Bariyyah, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 13, [footnote], pp. 181 - 182)

Mirza Sultan Ahmad Sahib, the son of the Promised Messiahas, narrated, “There were three books which our father would read very often: The Holy Quran,  Masnawi Rumi and  Dala’ilul Khairat. He would take notes of these and would read the Holy Quran very frequently.” (Sirat-ul-Mahdi, narration 190)

Further, reinforcing this narration, Hazrat Abdur Rahim Dardra writes: “Ahmadas devoted most of his time to study and the books that he studied most were the Holy Quran,  Bukhari,  Mathnavi Rumi and  Dala’ilul Khairat. He had always a pile of books around him when he was at home, and he went out for walks to the north or the east side of Qadian.” (Life of Ahmad, p. 57)

Being the Messiah & Mahdi about whom it was prophesied that he will break the cross, naturally, Hazrat Ahmad’s study of Christianity was thorough and detailed. In fact, he once said, “I have read hundreds of books by Christian clergymen.” (Haqiqatul Wahi [English], p. 634)

Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Sahib Irfanira, an eminent companion and the first editor of Al Hakam narrated that the Promised Messiahas was accustomed to reading newspapers and before being commissioned by Allah, Hazrat Ahmadas would read and subscribe to various newspapers, such as  Safir-eHind,  Nur Afshan,  Baradar-e-Hind,  Wazire-Hind,  Manshur-e-Muhammadi,  Aftab Punjab,  Riaz-e-Hind,  Ishaat-us-Sunnah. He would also write articles for some of these

newspapers.

Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfanira said that when Hazrat Ahmadas was commissioned by God, newspapers in different languages started coming to Qadian. Hazrat Ahmadas would have those newspapers translated and read to him whilst he listened carefully; and if there was any article in the newspapers against Islam, he would write and prepare a reply and publish it.

With regards to  Akhbar-e-Aam, it had the good fortune of being among the papers Huzooras enjoyed reading. The Promised Messiahas would buy it every day and keep it with him until he had finished reading it. And sometimes he would write and send an article to be published in  Akhbar-eAam. Hazrat Ahmadas liked Akhbar-e-Aam’s impartiality and neutral policy. (Sirat Hazrat Masih-e-Maud, Hazrat Shaikh Yaqub Ali, p. 71)

Hazrat Ahmad’sas son, Mirza Sultan Ahmad Sahib, narrates:

“Our father would order and read Rajab Ali’s newspaper,  Safeer-e-Amritsar, Agni Hotri’s magazine,  Hindu Bandu and the newspaper,  Manshur-e-Muhammadi. He would at times send an article to the latter newspaper”. (Sirat-ul-Mahdi, narration 210)

He also narrated:

“It was the custom of our father that he would sit all day in solitude reading and would be surrounded by books.” (Sirat-ulMahdi, narration 193)

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra, the first missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat sent to America, writes:

“One day, as I was leaving my room with the Holy Quran [in my hand] to listen to Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddin Sahib’s dars [religious sermon], the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, called me and said, ‘My eyes are in pain, you should read out the newspaper to me today.’ Every day, Huzooras used to order and read the newspaper  Akhbar-e-Aam.” (Zikr-e-Habib, Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra, p. 68)

Hazrat Amatul Haye Sahibara – the daughter of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira and wife of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra – whilst mentioning Hazrat Ahmad’sas method of reading newspapers, narrated that he “used to read newspapers and send in [his] articles to them.  Akhbar-e-Aam was the newspaper that the Promised Messiah liked to read. His method was to read the whole newspaper from the beginning to the end, and if there was anything [written] against Islam, he would write an answer to it.” (Sirat Hazrat Masih-e-Maud, Hazrat Amatul Haye Sahiba, p. 15)

Once, alluding to the newspapers that wrote against the perfect teachings of Islam, the Promised Messiahas said:

“If the periodicals, newspapers and books that have been published against Islam in the present century were gathered in one place, a heap of them would stack to a height of many miles. In fact, I can say without exaggeration that this tall heap would surpass the height of the highest mountains on earth. If they were laid down in a line, they would form a line that spanned many miles.” (Malfuzat [English], Volume 3, p. 273)

With regards to Hazrat Ahmad’s own writings (which he said was the “wealth” he was distributing), Hazrat Maulvi Sher Alira narrated that Lala Milavamal related to him the following:

Jalees Ahmad Al Hakam

(peace be upon him)

“Once Mirza Sahib, meaning the Promised Messiahas, showed me a small box in which a manuscript for one of his books was placed and he said to me, ‘This is all of my wealth and what I own’”. (Sirat-ulMahdi, narration 124) It is narrated that the manuscript was of Barahin-e- Ahmadiyya

In 1886, the Promised Messiahas, under divine command, spent 40 nights in seclusion, in which he prayed for a mighty sign in the favour of Islam. During these days, the Promised Messiahas was fully devoted to prayer. Hazrat Abdullah Sanaurira, who was accompanying him on this journey, narrates that a garden had been located in which there was a small, solitary mosque. There, the Promised Messiahas would go and lead the Friday prayer. Hazrat Abdur Rahim Dardra narrates, “He [Hazrat Ahmad] also attended to his letters and read newspapers.” (Life of Ahmad, p. 142)

The Promised Messiah would often share what he would read in the newspaper during the day. On one occasion, Hazrat Ahmadas said:

“I have seen in a newspaper that the Sultan of Turkey has given a strict order that the Hijaz Railway must be completed within a year. Glory be to Allah! What a wonderful sight it would be and how refreshing it would be for the Faith when long lines of trains would be seen running instead of the long lines of camels, exactly in accordance with the prophecy.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 10, p. 230)

The Promised Messiah’s study of newspapers and various subjects, particularly – but not exclusively - pertaining to Islam, was vast. Like an ocean, it knew no bounds. The Promised Messiahas was always aware of what newspapers published regarding Islam, and various other things. With regard to the solar and lunar eclipses that fulfilled a mighty prophecy of the Holy Prophetsa in favour of the Messiah and Mahdi, the Promised Messiahas said:

“Take note that this event was reported even by the English newspapers like the Civil and Military [Gazette] and The Pioneer, etc., that no event of this form has ever occurred before.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 10, p. 236)

In 1902 and 1903, when Hazrat Ahmadas invited Dr John Alexander Dowie, the false prophet of America, to a  mubahala (prayer duel), well-known newspapers published this news. Hazrat Ahmadas listed 32 wellknown and established newspapers that published the news. After listing the 32 newspapers, he wrote, “These are the newspapers that have reached me. It seems from this multitude [of reports] that it must have been reported in hundreds of newspapers.” (Haqiqatul Wahi [English], p. 634)

Huzoor’sas devotion to the truth and challenging false and corrupt notions found in world religions was a daily task. He was engaged in this Jihad of the pen, as is evident from his writings. Huzooras, concerning Dr John Alexander Dowie’s newspaper, writes:

“I subscribed to his newspaper  Leaves of Healing and was constantly aware of his foul and abusive language.” (Haqiqatul Wahi [English], p. 634) Such was Huzoor’sas devotion and commitment.

The newspapers, magazines, articles and books Hazrat Ahmadas would make mention of in his writings were not only published in the Indian subcontinent but also in the Arab world, Europe and America.

They were not only in the well-known and prevalent languages of the world but also in some local and relatively lesser-known languages. For example, in his book  Noah’s Ark, the Promised Messiahas made mention of the  Al Manar, a famous Arabic magazine published for the Arab world from Egypt.

Huzoor’sas study of various newspapers and magazines shows how, even though he was a resident of a remote village in India –Qadian – he was aware of the pace of the times. What an amazing and faith-inspiring experience this must be. Imagine, for a second, the journey these papers undertook. These newspapers and magazines would reach India after a long sea voyage since Qadian was not located near any known port. Bundles of newspapers and magazines would be loaded on railway vehicles, and then again, after a long journey, they would reach a big city like Lahore, Delhi, etc and then make their way to Qadian. After having read something in the papers, when necessary, the Promised Messiahas would make mention of them or, wherever needed, reply to a certain allegation made against Islam.

It is surprising that from such a vast collection of newspapers, the Promised Messiahas, when referencing a point mentioned in a newspaper, would not simply say something was mentioned in so and so paper; he would refer to the particular article, its page, column, and line. No doubt, this was only possible with divine support.

At first glance, it may seem redundant to mention which newspapers Huzooras read; however, it carries an enormous lesson. The Promised Messiahas was busy, day and night, in the propagation of Islam. The task he was assigned by Allah was no small matter. With such a demanding mission, the Promised Messiahas remained on top of the latest news and what newspapers and magazines mentioned regarding various matters.

Another example of this can be found, when, in May 1908, the Promised Messiahas said there existed a sense of urgency in the hearts of people for a reformer. Hazrat Ahmadas said that certain circumstances are crying out for the need for a reformer and said this was mentioned in a newspaper. He said:

“Just in today’s  Paisa Akhbar, there was an article by an Englishman. In one of his lectures somewhere, he said that the present era is crying out for unity among Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and Jews.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 10, p. 566)

Through studying Hazrat Ahmad’s life and various narrations and records about him, we know he spent his entire life devoted to Islam and perusing reading and studying to defend Islam. Wherever he read any allegation against Islam, he would write to refute the allegation and paint the reality. Thus, it can be said that his love for reading stemmed from his deep devoutness to Islam and the Holy Prophetsa, as is evident from the magnificent books he authored and the spiritual treasures he distributed to worthy recipients and the desirous.

Along with his personal deep study, reflecting and reading, he was given direct divine insights and knowledge by Allah. Through this, he presented a defence of Islam which is unparalleled, to this day.

Jamaat Ahmadiyya Wales invited to Queen Elizabeth II memorial service at Llandaff Cathedral, attended by King Charles III

Ammar Ahmad Missionary, UK

On 14 September 2022, Jamaat-eAhmadiyya South-West welcomed civic dignitaries, neighbours and members from different faiths for a special service of thanksgiving for the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The attendees included Dr Heather Payne, senior medical officer for the Welsh government and Aled Edward, Secretary Interfaith Council for Wales.

The event was chaired by the regional president of Jamaat South-West, Muhammad Noman Sahib. The event was concluded with a speech by my humble self.

On 16 September 2022, King Charles III visited Cardiff for the first time since

becoming the new monarch. The King and Queen Consort attended a service at Llandaff Cathedral, more than 400 civic dignitaries were present, which included members of the Welsh government, Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan and the Prime Minister of the UK. Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Cardiff was also invited to Llandaff Cathedral to honour the contribution of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

I had the opportunity to meet different faith leaders representing their faiths and later contact details were exchanged to work together to build a peaceful and harmonious society.

In the evening, ITV Wales asked about the experience of the service which was aired live.

Queen Elizabeth II remembrance event in Leamington Spa, UK

Shahzad Ahmad Missionary, UK

On 14 September 2022, Jamaat-eAhmadiyya Leamington Spa had the honour of hosting a remembrance service for the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The evening began with the recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by a poem written and composed by a nine-year-old nasirah, paying tribute to the late Queen.

Following this, a video was shown of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’s tribute to the Queen at the annual MKA UK Ijtema 2022.

The event was paused at the request of the ITV Central crew who were present, as they wanted to broadcast live, with reporter Hannah Bechelet highlighting the exhibition about the Queen that we put up and then proceeding to interview the local outreach coordinator, Dr Umar Nasser Sahib, who explained that it was important to hold this event as the Holy Prophetsa said that loyalty to one’s nation was part of faith.

During the event, a number of attending dignitaries were invited to say a few words, which included the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, the High Sheriff of Warwickshire, Vice Chair of Warwick District Council, the Mayor of Leamington Spa, the Mayor of Warwick, the Police and Crime Commissioner and Warwickshire Police Chaplain.

In the end, my humble self delivered the closing speech, followed by silent prayer.

Following the main session, light refreshments were served and also a full exhibition of the Queen’s reign was displayed in the main hall for participants to look at.

After the event, we received the following

comment from one of the neighbours regarding the event:

“We would like to tell you how much we enjoyed our visit, how impressed we were with the organisation and delivery of the event, and how pleased we were with the gracious and warm hospitality of our hosts. Our best wishes to you and your colleagues.”

100 Years Ago...

Missionaries in West Africa and Mauritius

Al Fazl, 14 September 1922

Al-Haj Hakim Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahib was born in Faizullah Chak, India in 1901 to Hazrat Hafiz Nabi Bakhsh Sahibra who was a companion of the Promised Messiahas. On the instructions of Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra, Khalifatul Masih II, Hakim Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahib went to Africa in 1922 to spread the message of the Promised Messiahas. He returned to Qadian in October 1929 and left for Nigeria in February 1933 under the direction of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra. His parents died in India during his stay in Africa. In October 1947, when he returned to his country, he served as the Afsar Langar Khana for a few years. On 28 August 1955, after being ill for some time, he passed away and was buried in the Bahishti Maqbarah. He carried out tabligh and served Islam Ahmadiyyat in Africa for around 21 years.

Departure from Qadian

On 23 January 1922, I [Al-Haj Hakim Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahib] left Qadian at nine o’clock in the morning and after reaching

Bombay [now Mumbai], I had to stay for a month waiting for the ship.

Finally, I boarded the ship on 22 February [1922]. Hazrat Maulvi Sher Ali Sahib, who had come to Bombay for the printing [of the book], A Present to the Prince of Wales, Syed Basharat Ahmad Sahib, Ibrahim Bhai Sahib Hyderabadi, Chaudhry Sarwar Ali Sahib, and Master Fazal Ilahi Sahib, came along to bid me farewell on the ship. Hazrat Maulvi Sher Ali Sahib stood on the ship with other friends and prayed for me. He recited the prayer:

[“In the name of Allah be its course and its mooring. My Lord is assuredly Most Forgiving, Merciful.”]

Then, all the friends returned after saying, “May God be your protector.”

On 9 March [1922], I reached Marseilles.

I got sick while crossing the Mediterranean Sea, but as Marseilles is a very cold place, I could not follow the doctor’s advice to rest there for three days. Moreover, one of the main reasons for not staying [in Marseilles] was that I was not familiar with their language. Owing to this [language issue], I particularly faced difficulties in Paris.

I reached London on 11 March [1922]. Maulvi Mubarak Ali Sahib and Ali Muhammad Abdullah Sahib welcomed me at the railway station.

On Wednesday, 22 March [1922], I left Liverpool for Lagos, [Africa], on the ship named “SS Appam.” [When I left London for Liverpool], all the friends came along to the railway station to say goodbye.

I left Liverpool at around four o’clock in the morning, and on account of the extreme cold in the Bay of Biscay, for five days I sat in my cabin, wearing warm clothes and covering myself with quilts. Although the rooms were heated, the blankets on the ship were not enough for me.

On Friday, 17 April [1922], I finally reached Lagos at four o’clock in the evening. Many friends welcomed me along with Maulvi Abdur Rahmin Sahib Nayyar and my photograph was also taken on the ship. On reaching the city, I met and preached to some officials and prominent Muslims. I had the opportunity to stay in Lagos for 32 days. All the friends, one after the other,

expressed great affection towards me. Especially among the youth, there was a strong passion and enthusiasm. Mr Martin, the General Secretary, in whose house I used to stay, was very affectionate towards me.

During that time, apart from answering numerous questions of the friends, I gave four lectures and most of them comprised the translated extracts of the books of the Promised Messiahas

On Tuesday, 9 May [1922], I embarked the ship named “Sir George” for Saltpond, which is our markaz [centre] for that colony. I reached there in the evening of Saturday, 13 May [1922]. Apparently, I was now 1000 miles closer to India. Here, I have to do everything myself and the time has come to stand on my own feet. In Lagos, Maulvi Abdur Rahim Sahib Nayyar looked after me like his own child and his kindness continues here as well. He is concerned about me more than I am about myself. May Allah bless him and his children with His special blessings in this world and [increase their] faith. The Jamaat here is spread across villages and far-off places. I have seen some places but travelling in these countries [of Africa] is not easy.

On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, five people joined the Jamaat. Moreover, 117 people converted to Islam Ahmadiyyat in a certain place in the first week of July, alhamdulillah. Friends are requested to pray for them.

Pressing need

The Review of Religions used to publish an English translation of the Promised Messiah’s book, Masih Hindustan Mein (Jesus in India), which was also printed separately. I desperately need this book. If any friend has it and wants to get the reward by participating in preaching work, please send it to me through registry. I can even pay for it. If there is no separate book, then send those issues of The Review of Religions [English] in which it was published.

Fazl-ur-Rahman Al-Hakim. Ahmadia Movement, Commercial Road, Saltpond (Gold Coast), West Africa.

Mauritius

Maulvi Ubaidullah Sahib

Maulvi Ubaidullah, the missionary to Mauritius, writes to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra]:

“I am engaged in the edification and moral training of Ahmadi children. Apart from this, dars of the Holy Quran is delivered at night after Maghrib prayer, and every Thursday, the sayings of the Promised Messiahas and the first Khalifa or Huzoor’s sermons and some important writings are presented. In the same way, after two or four months, when Al Fazl arrives, some of its extracts are presented [to members of the Jamaat].

“During the month of Ramadan, women were given dars of a quarter of the Holy Quran every day. Ever since Huzoor[ra] entrusted the women with the donation of the London Mission, it has been regularly collected here by the grace and blessings of God Almighty.

“From this month, I have made a new

Al-Haj Hakim Fazl-ur-Rahman Sahib (1901-1955)

Coming from every distant track

Abul Asar Hafeez Jalandhari, the author of Pakistan’s national anthem, visits

Qadian

A series looking at the high standard of morals of the Promised Messiahas and his Khulafa when receiving visitors in Qadian

Awwab Saad Hayat Al Hakam

On 9 June 1929, a grand assembly was held on the grounds of Talim-ul-Islam High School, Qadian, India.  Al Fazl reported it on the front page of its 14 June 1929 publication and wrote that in this gathering several people recited poems and Abul Asar Muhammad Hafeez Jalandhari recited some parts of his latest work,  Shahnama-eIslam, which was unpublished at the time. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra also graced the occasion.

It is said that when Abul Asar Muhammad Hafeez Jalandhari came to Qadian, he was still a young man and was eager to publish his latest work, Shahnamae-Islam

Abul Asar Muhammad Hafeez

Jalandhari’s name was Muhammad Hafeez and his patronymic name was Abul Asar. He would use the pseudonym Hafeez in his poetry. He was born on 14 January 1900 in Jalandhar. After attaining religious education, he started his formal secular schooling. Hafeez Jalandhari Sahib was interested in poetry since childhood.

To make a living, he did everything from selling perfumes to tailoring and managing a sewing machine company. He issued a monthly magazine in the Urdu language, which was closed after five months. Then, he went to Lahore in 1922 to work in the preparation of various monthly magazines.

Today, he is well known for writing Pakistan’s national anthem. He died on 21 December 1982 in Lahore.

Hafiz Jalandhari, when visiting Qadian before the publication of Shahnama-e-Islam,

showed some parts of it to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra. On the advice of Huzoorra, the Jamaat publication department, Book Depot Talif wa Isha‘at Qadian, pre-ordered and paid in advance 100 copies of Shahnamae-Islam in advance, before its publication, so that the poet would gain some financial benefit.

Similarly, the history of Ahmadiyya records shows that when the Jamaat organised the blessed gatherings of Siratul-Nabi across India in 1928 - which was without a doubt a glorious achievement of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra and a unique, international, and inter-faith gathering, through which the foundation of Sirat-ulNabi Jalsas was laid - in the reporting of these organised meetings, it is recorded that apart from Ahmadi speakers, among other Muslims who spoke, recited poems, presided over these meetings, Abul Asar

Hafeez Jalandhari was also mentioned in the list.

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra considered Abul Asar Hafeez Jalandhari as one of the able poets of the Urdu language. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, while addressing members of Khudam-ul-Ahmadiyya in Quetta, on 29 July 1949, said:

“In India, through the amalgamation of various nations and languages, a language was born which is called Urdu. This language has received little attention in India, rather efforts are being made to wipe it out altogether. The urban class of Punjab has been very fond of it and it has produced great poets like Allama Iqbal and Hafeez Jalandhari who have served the Urdu language greatly and due to them the Urdu language has become very popular in India and abroad.” (Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 21, p. 221)

request to the children that each child should contribute some amount from their pocket money every week. Consequently, most of the children have promised about one anna [a unit of currency formerly used in the subcontinent, equal to 1/16 of a rupee] per week, while others have promised 1/2 anna and 1/4 anna weekly without any demand. For the future, I have nominated a child who will collect the contributions from them on a weekly basis. Some children asked me what those donations were for. I requested

some of their peers to answer that question. Thus, they replied, “We will publish books and spread our religion to those who are not Muslims.” On this answer, some other children, who had not yet heard about the aforementioned donation, said: “Alright, then we will also contribute.” Consequently, some of them immediately presented their donation. I am hopeful from God Almighty and with the prayers of Huzoor[ra], I firmly believe these plants will soon become great trees of Ahmadiyyat in this country.

In the month of May [1922], I had a discussion with three Christians on the

divinity of Christ, the trinity and the second coming of the Messiah, and also on the issue of atonement. My wife and I discussed divinity and atonement with two Christian women as well.

The English book, A Present to the Prince of Wales, will open doors for preaching in France, because upon its arrival here [in Mauritius], efforts will be made to translate it into clear French language, insha-Allah, and God willing, it will serve as a complete source of tabligh to the Bourbon, the people of Madagascar. A detailed sketch of Ahmadiyyat will be present before them.

Now, by God’s grace, the Bhunnoo family has bought a huge house which has been converted into an auditorium. InshaAllah, a series of regular lectures will now be started in it from this week, because previously we did not have any public place in Saint Pierre where we could hold lectures freely.

On the day of Eid, by the grace of God, two men took bai‘at. May God grant them perseverance.

(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu published in the 14 September 1922 issue of Al Fazl)

‘Blessed are those who serve the Divine cause’: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s heartfelt advice to the Jamaat

Ata-ul-Haye Nasir Al Hakam

Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, the Musleh-e-Maudra had a great passion for spreading the message of Islam to all corners of the world, and we can imagine this passion from one of his couplets:

succeed without tabligh [preaching]. We are not like a political party which overcomes a majority by utilising a specific opportunity and hence establishes its rule over the people; this is not the method of our victory. Our victory can only be over hearts, we cannot establish our rule by controlling the government institutions. [...] The Divine communities do not act like this. [...]

God Almighty which are destined for the servants of this Jamaat. [...]

“We shall manifest the truth to the world, even if we have to ruffle and startle the Earth.”

During his Friday Sermon on 15 September 1950 in Karachi, Pakistan, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra called the attention of Ahmadis towards preaching the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat with more passion and zeal.

Huzoorra said:

“According to God Almighty’s decree, the time has come for those revolutions –from the religious and spiritual perspective – which will establish Ahmadiyyat in the world for a long time, and its victory will be acknowledged by friends and foes alike. However, one is required to strive hard for such revolutions.” (Al Fazl, 29 September 1950, p. 3)

Huzoorra then went on to advise members of the Jamaat in regard to the pathway for attaining progress.

Huzoorra continued:

“I call the attention of members of the Jamaat towards the fact that we can never

“Therefore, the Islamic way is to win hearts, and tabligh is a crucial method for this. It is your duty to spread [the message of] Ahmadiyyat by creating more and more opportunities for tabligh. [...] It is very important for youngsters to be honest, hardworking and diligent in their work. [...]

“While fulfilling the tasks of the Jamaat, one must set examples of hard work, sacrifice, honesty and punctuality. I have noticed that the Ahmadis working in the government departments are proving to be very beneficial [for their country] since they act with wisdom and hard work. Moreover, the government also acknowledges that they are not a burden, but rather very productive [for the country]. [...]

“If we establish a pious foundation for glorifying the name of God Almighty, then we and our future generations will become [spiritually] everlasting. [...] This community will certainly continue to progress, since this is not a man-made community, but rather one that is established by God Almighty. However, if we do not contribute to this progress, we will be depriving ourselves and our future generations of those blessings of

“This is the decree of God Almighty that Ahmadiyyat will eventually be victorious in the world. It is utter madness to assume that God’s chosen one could face a loss. If there is a God, who has been sending His prophets and also sent the Promised Messiahas, then though we can doubt about our own beings; our ears, nose, mouth, tongue, wives and children, we cannot doubt about the success of the teaching brought by God’s appointed one [ma’mur and mursal]. The enemies will be destroyed upon confronting him, just like the waves of a river are forced to change their course on striking against a rock, their opposition will also be unsuccessful and this community will continue to be victorious.

“Our duty is only to ponder as to how much benefit we have achieved from the decree of God Almighty. The [worldly] people put their utmost efforts into even those matters which are impossible, however, we are serving that cause which will certainly be fulfilled, and Allah the Almighty’s Hand is in its support. The Promised Messiahas states:

a person gets prepared for a certain task equipped with all supportive means, but even then does not succeed, however, when Allah the Almighty says He will certainly do something, then it becomes inevitable.

“It will be your good fortune to be a part of the great effort to bring the future victory [of Islam] nearer, and to serve the Divine cause, since blessed are those who serve the Divine cause.” (Al Fazl, 29 September 1950, pp. 5-6)

Huzoorra then mentioned the Promised Messiahas had received a revelation in 186869:

“I shall grant you blessing upon blessing, so much so that kings will seek blessings from your garments.” (Tadhkirah [English], p. 14)

Huzoorra stated that if the garments could be blessed by coming in contact with the Promised Messiahas, then imagine the blessings Allah would shower on those who served the Promised Messiah’s mission, i.e., the victory of Islam.

Huzoorra added:

[‘When He says that He will certainly do something; that becomes inevitable; indeed, this is Godhood.’

Durr-e Sameen, p. 182)]

“This is the difference between Allah the Almighty and mankind. Sometimes

“Therefore, such people [who will serve the Promised Messiah’s mission] will certainly be the recipients of those blessings which cannot be found even in the strongest governments and powers [of the world].” (Al Fazl, 29 September 1950, p. 6)

On 29 March 1956, during his address on the first day of Majlis-e-Shura, Huzoorra

said:

“We should pray to Allah the Almighty that may He enable us and our progeny to always serve the cause of Islam. [In terms of material wealth] we are poor. If the accomplishment of this mission was only possible through wealth, then we would have been deprived of this opportunity to serve Islam a long time ago, however, if our future generations stand firm on their faith, this mission will continue till the Day of Judgement. Wealth does not have any durability, however, sincerity and a passion for faith do have an everlasting impact.

“Therefore, look and see that whatever the Holy Prophetsa, his Khulafara and Companionsra had possessed, they sacrificed in the service of Islam. However, later on, Islam suffered a lot, since the Muslims got immense amounts of wealth but they fell short in sincerity and faith.

“Now, God Almighty has commissioned the Promised Messiahas to revive Islam again. He resided in a small hamlet, and in response to his call people started joining him and that small Jamaat began the work of tabligh [preaching]. He neither had any material treasure, nor any worldly fame, and Qadian was also a small and unknown town.

“However, Allah the Almighty had flamed the love of His religion in his [the Promised Messiah’s] heart, for this reason – despite living in a small and unknown hamlet – he was able to accomplish those tasks which the strongest of the Islamic governments could not do. He rendered such unmatched services for Islam that they were acknowledged even by his most severe opponents. [...] Therefore, wealth does not have any value, rather it is faith, which has an impact.

“We should pray that may God Almighty enable us and our future generations to stay firm on our faith. Until a person dies, it cannot be said with certainty whether they will remain on faith till the end or not. Thus, pray that may God Almighty not only enable us to stay firm on our faith, but also enhance it with each passing day, and may He make us the inheritors of the righteous people of the past and continue to shower His blessings on us till the Day of Judgement.

“May our progeny become the inheritors of the passion which we have in our hearts for the service of religion. Nay, may they outshine us in this passion and may that passion continue till the Day of Judgement so that they hold the flag of Islam in their hands and never let it fall. May they bring the whole world under the flag of Islam through their continuous efforts and may there be only One God and one religion in this world.” (Khitabat-e-Shura, Vol. 3, pp. 583-585)

On 30 March 1956, during his address on the second day of Majlis-e-Shura, Huzoorra said:

“By the sheer grace of God Almighty, such a revolution is occurring that Ahmadiyyat is attracting people’s attention and inclination instinctively, and they are feeling that Ahmadiyyat will be victorious one day. [...] There is an English proverb, ‘Coming events cast their shadows before’, meaning that the upcoming incidents indicate their occurrence beforehand. Now, every nation is inclining towards Ahmadiyyat.” (Ibid, p. 597)

After mentioning the services of

Ahmadiyyat in regards to the Holy Quran’s translation into different languages, Huzoorra said that Allah had decreed all of these blessings for us and its fulfilment was due to the blessings of Khilafat. Huzoorra added

“We had the opportunity to accomplish the task which the strongest of the [Muslim] kings could not do. [...] This is the blessing of Khilafat and unity which has enabled the Jamaat to publish the Holy Quran’s translation into various languages. [...]

“Allah the Almighty has blessed the efforts of our Jamaat. You should pray that may God Almighty enable us to continue this unity, and may the passion and zeal for the service of religion remain within us till the Day of Judgement. And may we serve the religion in such a way that the [teachings] of the Holy Quran reach the corners of the world, may we raise the call of the Holy Prophetsa in the corners of the world and there remains no one who has not yet learned about the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophetsa.” (Ibid, pp. 600-601)

While speaking about the importance of attending the Jamaat’s meetings and activities, Huzoorra said:

“Always remember, the days are coming when great honours would be granted to those who participate in the works of Ahmadiyyat, however, the progeny of those who do not take any interest in the Jamaat work, will be neglected. When the powerful governments like England and America would send their representatives for consultation and will deem it a source of honour for them, at that time, the progeny of those people [who do not participate in Jamaat works] would ask ‘include us in this consultation as well’, however, a certain person will respond that ‘no, your forefathers had neglected such consultation in their time, and did not take any interest in Jamaat works, therefore, you also cannot be included in this consultation.’ […]

“Always remember that if any of you is assigned a certain responsibility of the Jamaat, then it is a big mistake to quit it. You should never be indolent in fulfilling the Jamaat works, but rather consider it a source of honour for you. If you will honour the Jamaat work, then God Almighty will make you honourable as well. Although the Jamaat does not have wealth and has no importance in [the eyes of] the world, however, Ahmadiyyat is going to be victorious in the future and its signs are also visible now, by the grace of God Almighty. [...] Always honour the work of the Jamaat. Any one of you who is ever assigned to a certain responsibility of the Jamaat, should consider that God Almighty has granted them a great title.” (Ibid, pp. 601-603)

Allah the Almighty has granted us divine leadership in the form of Khilafat-eAhmadiyya, which is spreading the mission of the Promised Messiahas and propagating the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat throughout the world. Therefore, it is our duty to serve this Divine cause, to consider it an honour to partake in the Jamaat’s activities and to always remain obedient and loyal to Khilafat.

If we wish to be the recipients of the blessings of Allah the Almighty, we are required to obey every instruction given to us by Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa. May Allah the Almighty enable us to do so.

1

I need you

. Are you able to work hard, working up to 13 to 14 hours a day?

2

. Are you able to speak the truth and not lie under any circumstance, to the point that even the closest of friends cannot lie to you? If someone does falsely narrate their tales of bravery to you, can you express your utter disdain?

3

. Are you free from a sense of false pride? Can you sweep the streets? Can you lift heavy weights whilst wandering the streets? Can you make every type of loud announcement in marketplaces? Can you travel for entire days and stay awake throughout the night?

4

. Can you perform e‘tikaf i.e. can you sit in one place for days, sit and recite prayers and refrain from talking to anyone for days?

5

. Can you travel alone and bear your expenses without having any money in your pocket for yourself and live among enemies, opponents, strangers and unfamiliar people for days, weeks or months?

6

. Do you believe that some men are above every type of defeat and do not like to hear the word “defeat”? Do you believe that such men are ready to carve their way through mountains and alter the flow of rivers? Do you think that you can prepare yourself to make such sacrifices?

7

. Do you have enough strength to say “Yes” while the whole world says “No”; to observe everyone laughing around you, while you remain unshaken; to have someone chase after you and tell you, “Stop! We will kill you!” and you pause and say, “Go on!”, while presenting your head to them; to not listen to anyone because people can lie, but you have everyone listen to you because you are truthful?

8.

Can you refrain from saying, “I made every effort, but God prevented me from being successful”, and instead, consider every failure to be of your own doing? Can you be certain that everyone who makes an effort eventually succeeds and that whoever is unsuccessful did not make any effort?

If you can answer the above affirmatively, then you have the capability of being a good missionary and businessman. But where are you? A man of God has been in need of you for a long time?

O Ahmadi youth! Find that person in your regions, in your cities, in your villages, in your households and in your hearts, for the tree of Islam is withering away. Only through such a person’s blood can it be revived.

Mirza Mahmud Ahmad (Al Fazl, 22 May 1948)

(An announcement published by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Musleh-e-Maud, may Allah be pleased with him, in search of young waqifeen)

Witnessing Islam’s truth: Henry Steel Olcott and Charles Bradlaugh invited to Qadian by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Raheel Ahmad History Department UK

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiahas published, preached and sent his claim of being the Reformer of the Age far and wide. He sent 8000 copies of registered letters in English to the religious leaders, rulers, scholars, judges and thinkers of Asia, Europe, and America, informing them of his claim in 1885 and inviting them to come and witness the truthfulness of Islam at Qadian. This number exceeded 20,000 in 1891 when he published his book Fath-eIslam. (The Victory of Islam, p. 13)

Hazrat Ahmadas assured that if a sign was not witnessed within a year, a sum of 200 rupees per month, (two thousand four hundred rupees for a year) would be paid as compensation to such an individual. (Majmua Ishtiharat, Vol. 1, pp. 20-22)

Mr Charles Bradlaugh, an English political activist known for his relentless atheism, who founded the National Secular Society in 1866, was among the recipients of this announcement and invitation. At the time of receiving this invitation, he was serving as the liberal MP for Northampton, UK.

Steel Olcott – a founding member of the Theosophical Society and its first president until he died in 1907. He received the two circulars from the Promised Messiahas regarding his book Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya and his claim to be the Reformer of the Age which Olcott reprinted in the September issue of his journal The Theosophist in 1886.

The Promised Messiahas in these circulars explained that his book Barahin-eAhmadiyya elaborated on the divine origin of the Holy Quran and the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, thereby demonstrating the superiority of Islam over all other faiths with logical arguments.

The Promised Messiahas offered 10,000 rupees to anyone who would prove the arguments brought forward therein to be false. All were invited to stay in Qadian at the expense of the Promised Messiahas

The Promised Messiahas announced (as published by The Theosophist):

a sincere seeker after the truth who had observed heavenly signs would need to either embrace Islam or at least proclaim the existence of supernatural powers. This may have appeared as a strange proposal especially when the followers of all faiths based their beliefs on tales and stories of the past as opposed to a direct experience.

This effort of Hazrat Ahmadas did not go in vain, however. It is suggested that Alexander Russell Webb who is famously referred to as the earliest prominent AngloAmerican Muslim convert, was at the time an active theosophist and as a keen reader, may perhaps have read about the invitation of the Promised Messiahas in The Theosophist

The mention of these circulars in Olcott’s journal paved the way for Webb to initiate correspondence with the Promised Messiahas, the details of which were published by Hazrat Ahmadas in his book Shahna-e Haqq

Brent D Singleton talking about the second circular of the Promised Messiahas which was also reprinted by Olcott, wrote:

“In 1886, he came across an advertisement by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, India, founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, challenging anyone to find fault with even a single one of his 300 arguments in favour of the authenticity of the Qur’an and Muhammad’s prophetic mission. Until this time, Webb had given little attention to Islam, but now he was intrigued and wanted to learn more and thus started a correspondence with Ahmad.” (Minarets in Dixie: Proposals to Introduce Islam in the American South by Brent D Singleton, p. 1)

Messiahas in Olcott’s journal The Theosophist or in the newspaper The Scotsman. (Minarets in Dixie: Proposals to Introduce Islam in the American South by Brent D Singleton, p. 1)

This is mentioned in the Urdu synopsis of Webb’s first letter, found in the writings of the Promised Messiahas – Shahna-eHaqq. Webb said he had seen the letter of the Promised Messiahas in an American newspaper in which the Promised Messiahas invited readers to a demonstration of the truth. This inspired Webb to write to him.

The Cork Constitution of 8 June 1885, reporting on the invitation he received from the Promised Messiahas, wrote:

“Mr Bradlaugh has received a curious invitation, which many people will probably hope he may accept, Mirza Gulam Ahmad who says that he has been commissioned by the Almighty, has sent the junior member for Northampton by registered letter an invitation to visit the Punjab, there to be converted to Islamism, and he offers to guarantee Mr Bradlaugh 200 rupees per month with food and lodging. Mr Bradlaugh has the invitation under his serious consideration.”

Another prominent member who was fortunate to receive this invitation was Henry

“Now, if you do not come [here], you will, yourself, be answerable to God. After awaiting your arrival for three months, the statement of your indifference will, ipso facto, be noted in the book as stated above, but in case you do come, and fail to behold any heavenly signs during your stay with me for the time specified, you shall be paid Rs. 200 per mensem (besides food and accommodation), which will be supplied free to all) as compensation to cover your damages, or as a recovery of fine in default of my promise. If you deem this sum inadequate to your dignity, I am even ready to pay as damages or fine for unfulfilling promise, whatever suitable sum you propose yourself, proportionate to your rank, if it be but not beyond my means.”

Olcott, however, indicated he could not go to Qadian. Firstly, as a theosophist, he fundamentally could not accept only one religion and one religious text contained the true path to God. Secondly, he was unwilling to adhere to the condition that

Patrick D Bowen in his book, A History of Conversion to Islam in the United States, Volume 1, White American Muslims before 1975 suggests that Webb, who was a keen reader of Theosophy-related writings while studying at the St Louis Theosophical Lodge, which was highly influenced by Thomas M Johnson, must have come across these Islam-related writings, yet the invitation of the Promised Messiahas that Webb had come across was “undoubtedly a major event in Webb’s religious life.” (Ibid, pp. 98-99)

He further writes:

“Indeed, the timing of the appearance of information about Ghulam Ahmad in the ts [Theosophical Society] relative to Johnson’s increased interest in Islam and Sufism is quite suggestive. Learning about Ahmad’s activities may have, therefore, been what motivated Johnson to create in March 1887 his own Islam-connected practical occult organization, the ‘Sufic Circle.’” (Ibid, p. 103)

Alexander Russell Webb initiated the correspondence with Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiahas after discovering the invitation of the Promised

Webb also said he had made an extensive study of Buddhism and Hinduism and had attempted to study the teachings of Zoroaster and Confucius. He had, however, only studied very little about the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. Webb concluded that “He is sincerely in search of the truth.” (Ibid, p. 373)

Alexander Russell Webb in his second letter to the Promised Messiahas, wrote:

“I have no reason to doubt that you are inspired by God to spread the light of truth; therefore I would be happy to know more of your teachings and to hear further from you. God, who can read all hearts, knows that I am seeking for the truth that I am ready and eager to embrace it wherever I can find it. If you can lead me into its blessed light, you will find me not only a willing pupil but an anxious one.” (Ibid, p. 441)

In response to Webb’s second letter, the Promised Messiahas replied on 4 April 1887:

“I received your letter, dated 24 February 1887, which proved itself to be great delight to my heart and a satisfaction to my anxieties. The contents of the letter not only increased my love towards you that led me to the hope of a partial realisation of the object which I have in view for which I have dedicated the whole of my life viz, not

Henry Steel Olcott (1832 – 1907)

Alexander Russell Webb (1846 – 1916)

Mr Charles Bradlaugh

to confine the spread of the light of truth to the oriental world but, as far as it lies in my power to further it in Europe, America, & Co. where the attention of the people has not been sufficiently attracted towards a proper understanding of the teachings of Islam.” (Shahna-e Haqq, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 2, p. 443)

Umar F Abd-Allah in his book A Muslim in Victorian Britain: The Life of Alexander Russell Webb, talking of Webb’s correspondence with Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiahas, writes:

“One of Webb’s first steps toward Islam, however, occurred in St Louis and, insofar as we know, without direct connection to the Theosophical Society. Two years before his move to the Philippines, where he

accepted Islam, Webb initiated a remarkable correspondence about Islam with the Indian Muslim scholar Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Mirza Ahmad would soon become the object of great controversy, but that was not yet the case when Webb wrote him. At the time, Mirza Ahmad was recognized as one of the foremost Muslim scholars of India and was actively involved in making Islam known to the West, especially through personal correspondence with prominent Westerners. Webb came to know of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s interest in corresponding with persons interested in Islam and wrote a letter to him. The Webb–Mirza Ahmad letters are an essential part of Webb’s biography and are of great note because they were a prelude to Webb’s later

correspondence with Indian Muslims and presaged many of his later concerns about Islam, even the possibility of creating an Islamic mission in America.” (A Muslim in Victorian America, The Life of Alexander Russel Webb p. 60)

Webb, after resigning from his post of Consular Representative of the United States at Manilla, visited India in 1892. Haji Abdullah Arab (a wealthy Memon merchant) played a pivotal role in his travel and other arrangements in India. He spent about four months in India touring and visiting Muslim leaders and delivering lectures to collect funds to start an Islamic mission in America.

The arrival of Webb in India happened to be at the time when the Promised Messiahas

had announced (in 1891) his claim to be the second coming of the Messiah, which prompted great uproar and hostility towards him in India.

Therefore, Alexander Russel Webb was advised it would not be prudent to meet with the Promised Messiahas as the meeting would hurt their efforts to collect funds for establishing an Islamic mission in India.

Haji Abdullah Arab and Maulvi Hassan Ali, both of whom had advised against meeting the Promised Messiahas later accepted him and became his companions. Maulvi Hassan Ali later published a book, Taeed-e-Haq (Corroboration of the Truth) in which he narrated the entire account of Webb’s visit to India.

The Ahmadiyya records show that Haji Abdullah Arab who was in the allegiance of a saint known as Sahib-ul-Alam accepted the Promised Messiahas as a result of his saint’s Istikhara prayer about the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas where the Holy Prophetsa himself informed this saint in a vision that Hazrat Ahmadas was true in his claim. (Maktubat-e-Ahmad, Vol. 2, p. 431)

Webb regretted his decision to not meet the Promised Messiahas and after his return to the USA, he frequently corresponded with Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahibra asking for the prayers of the Promised Messiahas (Zikr-e-Habib, pp. 310-312) He shared details of many Westerners who had either converted to Islam or were interested in Islamic teachings. (Ibid, p. 74)

The Promised Messiahas wrote in The Victory of Islam:

“The second branch of this operation is the arrangement for the distribution of leaflets, which is underway through divine command for the purpose of Itmam-eHujjat [the Conclusive Argument]. Thus far, over 20,000 leaflets have been published –and will forever continue to be [published] in the future, during times of need – to fully convey Islamic arguments to the people of different faiths.” (The Victory of Islam, p. 13)

and triumph

The

years of Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddin

From Hazrat Ahmad’s invitation of Islam to the Empress, Queen Victoria, to his conveying the message of Islam to intellectual circles of Europe and America, it is clear that he established the foundation of the Ahmadiyya missionary foundation in the West, the fruits of which we especially began seeing during the era of the Second Manifestation (Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya) when Ahmadi missionaries like Hazrat Fateh Muhammad Sayalra and Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra were sent to preach Islam on the streets of Britain, Europe and America, described by Ron Geaves as “The first organized effort by Indian Muslims to establish Islam in Britain”. (Islam and Britain, p. 67)

We have a list of westerners who had either corresponded with the Promised Messiahas or came to meet him in person. Some of whom were fortunate and blessed to have accepted his claims, such as Mr Charles Francis (Muhammad Abdul Haqqra) (www.alhakam.org/charles-francissievwrights-meeting-with-the-promisedmessiah-part-i/) who visited Qadian in October 1903, or Anthony George Baker (www.reviewofreligions.org/17280/the-firstahmadi-muslim-convert-in-philadelphia/ ) whom the Promised Messiahas mentioned in his book Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part V, p. 132.

A group photo of the Promised Messiahas with his companions. Haji Abdullah Arab standing second from right

A memorial event at Noor Mosque, UK for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

On 14 September 2022, Jamaat-eAhmadiyya Crawley hosted an interfaith memorial service for the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the Noor Mosque in Crawley.

The event attracted many senior officials from the county, including the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, the Bishop of Horsham and Lews, Her Worship the Mayor, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex and faith leaders from Christian, Hindu and other faiths, as well as councillors and friends and neighbours.

Following the recitation from the Holy Quran, the local President of Jamaat Crawley, Adeel Shazad Sahib welcomed all guests.

Rev Gordon Parry then read a passage from the Bible. Personal recollections were then given by Henry Smith MP, who had met the Queen on several occasions.

Ashwin Soni from the Hindu Temple revisited her visit to Uganda when he was a child and felt very proud when the Temple in Crawley was awarded the Queen’s award a few months ago.

Other speakers included Petr Lamb MP, Martin Weightman of the All Faiths Network and Graeme Wilson from the Church of Scientology, all giving their recognition of Her Majesty’s services to just causes and to the nation.

Iyyad Daud from the Crawley Interfaith Network shared CIFN’s message of condolence with the audience.

This was followed by an address by the Rt Rev the Bishop of Horsham and Lewis.

The concluding address was delivered by my humble self.

A short message of thanks was then given and the event ended with a silent prayer for Britain, world peace and the reign of the new King, King Charles III. A book of condolences was signed by the guests and members of the Jamaat.

Wallaroo Lions Market, Australia sees Ahmadi Muslims removing misconceptions

After Fajr prayer, a group of five members, led by the missionary Atif Ahmed Zahid Sahib, commenced their trip in the Jamaat van. Atif Sahib led the silent prayer before the two-hour trip to Wallaroo.

After reaching the town hall, the Jamaat members set up a marquee in which the message of Ahmadiyyat was displayed. Two pull-up banners were placed at the front of the marquee – on one of them, the picture of the Promised Messiahas was shown. Its impact was clearly visible as one lady came to the stall to ask about the Promised Messiah’s picture and who he was.

Inside the marquee, the Jamaat members exhibited various translations of the Holy Quran, and books published by the Jamaat to present the true teachings of Islam. The local community members and tourists visiting Wallaroo stopped by and asked questions – Jamaat members responded to their questions, which removed many misconceptions about Islam.

From the Copper Coast Council, Councilor Cathy Vluggen came and stayed at the stall till the end to show support for the Jamaat initiative. She also provided information on other markets in the region. Jamaat members congratulated the councillor on her reelection.

Pamphlets along with the book Some Distinctive Features of Islam were distributed among the community members.

In the stall, discussions with the community members were held on the topic of terrorism and how the mainstream

media wrongly portrayed Islam in Western countries.

Following the discussions, Atif Sahib presented the true teachings of Islam, which was highly appreciated by the visitors.

One newly converted Muslim, Daniel Copping visited the stall to see the Jamaat members whom he first met at the Kadina Rotary Markets. He commented:

“People say to me, ‘How do you manage to pray five times a day?’ It’s not hard. When you pray – if you are having a difficult day and you say your prayers, there is a sense of feeling comfortable. You are never on your own, and I looked, and I met these gentlemen here from the mosque in Beverley. And the one thing about Islam – there is no colour distinction, no race distinction, everyone is equal – we are all brothers and sisters before God. And we are about peace, and I think more and more people need to know the truth about what Islam stands for.”

Another visitor, Neil commented:

“I just think that the world is in a terrible situation where we all need to be brothers and sisters, we need to be a peaceful nation and planet, but we are not having that. And there are too many radical people coming up with their own ideas who turn away from their real traditions. And I think we have got to fraternise more and become more [aware] of each other.”

The market started at 9 am and ran till 1 pm. During this time, by the grace of Almighty Allah, the stall successfully reached out to the regional community to spread the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat.

Ahsan Ahmedi

Sec. Umur-e-Kharijiyyah, Jamaat Crawley

Sharif Rasel Secretary Tabligh, Jamaat Adelaide West

On 10 September 2022, Jamaat-eAhmadiyya Adelaide West, Australia

travelled to the Yorke Peninsula and visited its beachside town, Wallaroo, where the Wallaroo Lions Market is held. This market is organised by the Lions Club once a month in the historic Wallaroo Town Hall.

Friday Sermon

2 September 2022

Men of Excellence: Hazrat Abu Bakrra

The battles fought during the era of Hazrat Abu Bakrra were being mentioned. In this regard, I will mention some details in relation to the conquest of Damascus, which took place in the 13th year after Hijra. This was the last battle that was fought during the era of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqra. With regards to Damascus, it is stated that it was the old capital of Syria and a city full of historical traditions. Initially, it was a large centre for idol worship. However, when Christianity was introduced, it transformed its idol worship centres into churches. This was an important centre for trade. Arabs resided there as well and as Muslim trade caravans used to go there frequently, they were well informed of this area. Damascus was a fortified city and it was distinct due to its security and sustainability. Its walls were made of large rocks. They were six metres high and had extremely strong doors. The walls were three metres wide and the doors would be tightly secured. A 3 metre-wide trench surrounded all four sides of the walls and it was kept full with the water from the river. As such, Damascus was considered rather strong and secure and it was not easy to enter it. (Al-Salabi, Sayyiduna Umarra bin Khattab [Muzaffar Garh, Pakistan: Maktabatul Al-Furqan], p. 225)

When Hazrat Abu Bakrra dispatched various armies towards Syria, he appointed Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra as the chief of one of these armies and instructed him to advance towards Homs. Homs is located near

Damascus and is an ancient and large city in Syria. (Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2012], p. 333.), (Farhang-e-Sirat [Karachi, Pakistan: Zawwar Academy Publications], p. 106.)

In accordance with the instructions of Hazrat Abu Bakrra, Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid surrounded it along with another Muslim army upon reaching Damascus. The people of Damascus climbed the walls of their fortresses and threw stones and shot arrows at the Muslims. The Muslims protected themselves with leather shields and would shoot arrows at them as well when finding the right opportunity. Twenty days passed by in this manner, but no decisive result was achieved. The people of Damascus were facing rather difficult circumstances as they were trapped in the fortress. The supply in the fortress was running out and their crops were outside. As such, their harvest and labour were being harmed. Grain could not enter the fortress and there was a shortage of consumables as well. Due to the extended period of the siege, they were facing great anxiety and difficulties.

In the meantime, while 20 days had passed since Damascus was sieged, the Muslims came to know that Heraclius had gathered a large Byzantine army at Ajnadain. As soon as they heard of this, Hazrat Khalidra left from the eastern gate and came to Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra who was at the Jabiyah gate. He informed him of the

situation and expressed his opinion, saying, “We should abandon the siege of Damascus and encounter the Byzantine army at Ajnadain. If Allah grants us victory, we shall return and see to the matters in Damascus.”

Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra replied, “My opinion is to the contrary, as the people of Damascus have grown tired of being encircled in the fortress for 20 days and we have overawed them. If we leave from here, they will get some respite and they will gather large amounts of food and drink in their fort. If we return to them from Ajnadain, they will be able to confront us for a lengthy period.” Hazrat Khalidra agreed with the opinion of Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra and continued the siege. He instructed all the appointed Muslim chiefs at the various gates of the fortress to intensify their attack. Complying with the instructions of Hazrat Khalidra, the Muslim army started launching intense attacks from every side.

Twenty-one days had now passed since the siege of Damascus. Whilst encouraging the Muslims to intensify their attacks, Hazrat Khalidra personally continued launching intense attacks from the eastern gate as well. The people of Damascus had now grown extremely tired and were awaiting help from Heraclius. Hazrat Khalidra continued his attacks. They were engaged in battle when they saw that the Byzantines standing on the walls of the fortress suddenly started clapping and dancing and expressing their joy. The Muslims looked at them in

astonishment. Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid looked to one side and saw a large cloud of dust in that direction, as a result of which the sky had turned dark. Even during the day, darkness had spread all over. Hazrat Khalidra immediately understood that the army of Heraclius was coming to aid the people of Damascus. Only a short while later, some informants confirmed this news, saying, “We saw a large army towards the valley of the mountain and it is most certainly the army of the Byzantines.” Hazrat Khalidra immediately went to Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra, informed him of the situation and said, “I intend to take the entire army in order to confront the army of Heraclius. What do you suggest in this regard?”

Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra said, “This would not be the best course of action, because if we leave this place, then the people in the fortress will come out and fight us. The army of Heraclius will be attacking from one side, while the people of Damascus will be attacking from the other. We will be stuck between two Byzantine armies.” Upon this, Hazrat Khalidra said, “What then, is your opinion?” Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra said, “You should appoint a valiant and brave person and send him along with a group of people to combat the enemy.” Hence, Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid sent Hazrat Dirarra bin Azwar, along with five hundred riders, to combat the Byzantines.

According to another narration, it is recorded that Hazrat Dirar’sra army

After reciting the tashahud, ta‘awuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa said:

numbered five thousand. (Abdul Sattar Hamdani, Mardan-e-Arab, [Lahore, Akbar Book Sales], pp. 203-204), (Waqdi, Futuh Al-Sham, Vol. 1, p. 48)

In any case, Hazrat Dirarra set out with five hundred soldiers – or with however many there were in the army – and set out toward the Byzantine army. Some soldiers saw the Byzantine army and said to him that this army was too large while they were only five hundred, and so it would be best for them to return and attack them with their full army. Hazrat Dirarra said, “Do not fear the enemy’s large number. God has caused a few to prevail over many on various occasions. He will help us now as well. My friends, to return now is to run from Jihad, which displeases Allah. Will you taint the Arab repute of bravery and devotion? Whoever wishes to go back can do so. However, I will fight and will exalt the name of Islam. God will never see me running away.” All the Muslims declared in a single voice, “We will sacrifice ourselves for the sake of Islam; we will attain the rank of martyrdom”. In other words, they said they were prepared for battle. This pleased Hazrat Dirarra and he commanded them to launch a single attack against the enemy and utterly destroy them. The Muslims, along with Hazrat Dirarra, struck consecutive blows to the enemy and fought bravely. A Byzantine commander’s son attacked Hazrat Dirarra and struck him with a spear in his right arm, which caused blood to gush out with great force. After a moment, Hazrat Dirarra struck that same spear into that man’s heart and killed him. The spear lodged in his chest and its blade broke off. When the Byzantine army saw that the spear was broken, they attacked him and imprisoned him. (Rafiq Anjum Makki, Islami Jangein, [Dar-ul-Kutub Lahore], pp. 123-125), (Abdul Sattar Hamdani, Mardane-Arab, [Lahore, Akbar Book Sales], pp. 203-206)

This is because he had no weapon in his hand. When the Companions saw that Hazrat Dirarra had been captured, they became very sad and worried. They launched many attacks to release him but were unable to set him free.

When Hazrat Khalidra learned of Hazrat Dirar’sra capture, he became very worried; he gathered information from his compatriots about the Byzantine army and then consulted with Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra about waging an attack. Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra said that after making the necessary arrangements for the siege on Damascus, he could wage an attack; the commander at the time was Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra. After tending to the arrangements for the siege, Hazrat Khalidra set out with his compatriots and went after the enemy. He advised them, “as soon as you encounter the enemy, wage a sudden attack. If they have not already killed Dirar then perhaps we may be able to free him and if they have martyred Dirar, then, by God, we will take full retribution from them. However, I am hopeful that Allah will not cause us grief on account of Dirar.”

At the same time, Hazrat Khalidra saw a rider on a red, strong horse, holding a long shining spear. The soldier’s demeanour exhibited bravery, intelligence and expertise in warfare. The soldier was wearing clothes over their armour. Their entire body, including their face, was covered and they were at the front of the army. Hazrat Khalidra wished to know who this rider was.

[He said,] “By God, this person is extremely fearless and brave. Everyone is following behind this person.” When the Muslim army approached the enemy ranks, this soldier was seen attacking the Byzantines, just as an eagle preys on birds. A single attack by this soldier caused the opposing army to panic, the number of those killed was piling up, and the soldier continued to progress until he reached the middle of the opposing army. Having already put his life in danger, he turned and ripped through the enemy army, getting deeper into their ranks. Whoever came in this soldier’s way was annihilated. Some thought that this person was Hazrat Khalidra. Raafi’ asked Hazrat Khalidra in astonishment, “Who is this person?” Hazrat Khalidra said, “I do not know, I myself am astonished, wondering who this person is.”

Hazrat Khalidra was standing at the front of the army when the same soldier emerged from the Byzantine ranks. None of the Byzantine soldiers was standing up to this soldier who had been fighting in the middle of the Byzantines by themselves.

During this time, Hazrat Khalidra attacked the enemy and extracted this soldier from the middle of the Byzantines and this soldier was returned to the Muslim ranks. Hazrat Khalidra said to that soldier, “You have let your anger out against the enemy. Tell me, who are you?” The rider did not say anything and prepared for battle once again. Hazrat Khalidra said, “O servant of God, you have worried me and all the Muslims. You are so reckless, who are you?”

Upon Hazrat Khalid’sra insistence, the rider replied, “I have not refused on account of disobedience (I am not responding due to being disobedient), rather I am ashamed, because I am not a man, in fact, I am a woman (women also displayed such examples of bravery). The pain in my heart has led me here.” Hazrat Khalidra asked, “Which woman are you?” She replied, “I am Dirar’s sister, Khaulah bint Azwar. When I learned of my brother’s capture, I did what you just witnessed.” Upon hearing this, Hazrat Khalidra said, “We should all launch a united attack. I trust that Allah will free Dirar from imprisonment.” Hazrat Khaulahra said, “I will also remain at the forefront of the attack.” Then, Khalidra waged a fierce attack. The Byzantines lost their footing and their army scattered. Hazrat Raafi’ra displayed exemplary feats of bravery. The Muslims prepared for another fierce attack when suddenly, some riders from the disbelieving army rushed to ask for security. Hazrat Khalidra said, “Grant them security,” and he further said, “bring them to me.” Then Khalidra asked them, “Who are you people?” They said, “We are from the Byzantine army and hail from Homs. We wish to form a treaty.” Hazrat Khalidra said, “A treaty will be formed upon returning to Homs. We cannot form a treaty beforehand while we are here. However, you are secure; when Allah makes a decision and we will be victorious here, then we will go there and discuss. Tell me, do you know anything about one of our brave men who was imprisoned for killing your leader’s son.” They said, “Perhaps you are asking about the one who was unclothed and killed many of our men, including our leader’s son.” Hazrat Khalidra said, “Yes, he is the one.” They said, “When he was captured and taken to Wardan, he sent him to Homs, surrounded by a hundred riders in order to be taken to the king.” Hazrat Khalidra was

very pleased to hear this. He called Hazrat Raafi’ra and said, “You know directions well. Take whatever soldiers you like and free Hazrat Dirarra before reaching Homs so that you may be rewarded by your Lord.” Hazrat Raafi’ra selected a hundred soldiers and was just about to leave, when Hazrat Khaulahra implored Hazrat Khalidra for permission to accompany them, and thus, everyone set out for Homs under the leadership of Hazrat Raafi’ra

Hazrat Raafi’ra went at a swift pace and upon reaching a certain place, he said to those accompanying him, “Rejoice, the enemy has not yet advanced,” and then he hid one of his battalions there. It was while they were in this state that they saw dust rising. Hazrat Raafi’ra ordered the Muslims to remain vigilant. The Muslims were ready when the Byzantines arrived. Hazrat Dirarra was in their custody and was reciting poetry in a pain-stricken tone, saying, “O captors, relay to my people and Khaulah that I have been captured and am bound in shackles. The disbelievers and non-religious people of Syria surround me, all clad in armour. O my heart, die of grief and sorrow and O tears of youth, flow down my cheek.” This is the meaning of the poetry he was reciting. Hazrat Khaulahra loudly proclaimed, “Your prayer has been answered. Allah’s help has arrived. It is me, your sister Khaulah.” Upon saying this, she raised a loud slogan and launched an attack, as the other Muslims also raised slogans and attacked as well. The Muslims overcame that battalion and all were killed. Allah the Almighty freed Hazrat Dirarra and the Muslims were granted spoils. Hazrat Khaulahra untied the ropes binding her brother and greeted him. Hazrat Dirarra commended his sister and welcomed her. He took hold of a long spear and got on a horse and thanked God. As this happiness unfolded here, Hazrat Khalidra waged a fierce attack against Wardan in Damascus and defeated him. The people there fled and the Muslims followed them. There, they met Hazrat Dirarra and the other Muslims. They sent news of their victory to Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra. It was at this point that the Muslims became certain they would gain victory in Damascus. (Fazal Muhammad Yusuf Zai, Futuhaat-e-Sham, [Maktabatul Iman Wa Yaqeen], pp. 75-81)

At the same time, the Muslim army was staying in Damascus and the siege of its fortress continued, when Hazrat Abbadra bin Sa’id came to Hazrat Khalidra from Busra. He informed him that a Byzantine army numbering ninety thousand had gathered in Ajnadain. Hazrat Khalidra consulted with Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra who said, “Our army is scattered around various parts of Syria. Write a letter to them all telling them to meet us in Ajnadain. We will also abandon our siege in Damascus and set out towards Ajnadain. (Abdul Sattar Hamdani, Mardane-Arab, [Lahore, Akbar Book Sales], p. 214)

Heraclius had learned of Wardan’s defeat as well as the details surrounding his son’s death. Hence, Heraclius scolded him severely in a letter, saying, “I have come to learn that unclothed, starving Arabs have defeated you and have killed your son. Jesus has not had mercy on him, nor on you. Had your swordsmanship not been so renowned, I would have killed you. In any case, whatever transpired has happened now, I have sent an army of ninety thousand to Ajnadain and I am appointing you as

its leader.” (Fazal Muhammad Yusuf Zai, Futuhaat-e-Sham, [Maktabatul Iman Wa Yaqeen], p. 81)

Hazrat Khalidra ended the siege in Damascus and instructed the army to set out towards Ajnadain. As soon as they received this instruction, the Muslims uprooted their tents and began loading their belongings onto their camels. The camels which were spoils, the camels that were carrying belongings along with women and children were kept towards the back of the army and the riders were kept at the front. Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid said, “It is my opinion that I should travel at the back along with the women and children.” However, Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra said that he should remain at the front. He said, “it is possible that Wardan takes his army from Ajnadain and sets out towards Damascus, resulting in a confrontation with them. If you remain at the front of the army, then you will be able to stop them and combat them. Hence, you should be at the front, and I will remain at the back.” Hazrat Khalidra said, “Your suggestion is right. I will not oppose your opinion and suggestion.”

When the Muslim army ended the siege of Damascus and departed, the people of Damascus rejoiced at the army’s leaving and started jumping up and down and clapping their hands to express their happiness. The people of Damascus had different opinions regarding the Muslim army’s departure; some said that they had heard about the great army of theirs that had assembled in Ajnadain and so the Muslims went to Syria to join their other army. Someone else said they had grown weary of the siege, so they would go to someplace else to fight. Others even went to the extent of saying that they were fleeing to return to Hijaz. (Abdul Sattar Hamdani, Mardan-e-Arab, [Lahore, Akbar Book Sales], pp. 216-217).

However, many people there who were in Damascus had gathered at the place of a person called Paul. Prior to this, he had never faced the companions in battle. He was very much trusted by Heraclius and was an excellent archer. The people of Damascus appointed him as the governor, and by tempting him with all kinds of things, they tried to convince him to fight. They vowed to not flee from the battlefield, and he would have the right to kill anyone who ran away from the battlefield. When this oath was completed, Paul returned to his home to wear his armour, when his wife asked where he was going. Paul replied, “The people of Damascus have appointed me as the governor, so I am now going to fight the Arabs.” His wife said, “Do not do this, and stay at home, for you do not have the strength to combat the Arabs. Do not fight them unnecessarily. I have seen in a dream today that you are holding a bow and are hunting birds in the sky. Some of the birds were hit and fell to the ground, but then got up and flew once more. I was astonished when all of a sudden I saw in the dream that many eagles were coming from above (not one, but many). They attacked you and your companions so fiercely that they destroyed you all.” Paul asked, “You saw me also in the dream?” She replied, “Yes. The eagles pecked at you so hard, causing you to fall unconscious.” Having heard this he slapped his wife and said, “You have been struck by fear of the Arabs. That is why you also had fear in your dream. Worry not, for I shall

now make their leader your servant, and his companions’ herders for the goats and pigs.”

Paul immediately assembled an army of 6,000 cavalries and 10,000 foot soldiers and set forth to go after and fight the Muslims, and pursued the Muslim army’s women, children, wealth, cattle and the 1,000-strong army of Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra. The Muslims also prepared for battle and in no time the disbelievers had reached. Paul was leading from the front and immediately launched an attack with 6,000 soldiers upon Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra. Paul’s brother, Peter was advancing with the infantry towards the women and made his way back to Damascus having captured some of the women. Having reached a place, he stayed there waiting for his brother.

Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra, deeming this a catastrophe, said that the view of Hazrat Khalidra was correct that he should remain behind the army. Where the women and children were weeping, there was also an army of 1,000 fighting valiantly. Paul launched attack after attack upon Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra, and he himself may have also taken part in combat.

Hazrat Sahlra swiftly reached Hazrat Khalidra on horse and informed him of the whole situation. Hazrat Khalidra recited ‘Inna lillah’ [Verily we belong to Allah]. He sent Hazrat Raafi’ra and Hazrat Abdur Rahmanra bin Auf each with an army of 1,000, in order to protect the women and children. He then sent Hazrat Dirarra with 1,000 cavalries, and himself set off with the army to fight the enemy. Meanwhile, Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra was in combat with Paul, when the Muslim armies reached from different places. They struck them so fiercely that the Byzantines who had come to attack from Damascus were made sure of their humiliation. Hazrat Dirarra advanced toward Paul like a blazing fire. When he saw him, Paul trembled as he stood up after recognising him. Paul dismounted his horse and began fleeing on foot. Hazrat Dirarra chased after him, seized him alive and detained him. Hardly a hundred disbelievers out of the 6,000 survived this battle.

Hazrat Dirarra was worried because Hazrat Khaulahra was also among the captives. Hazrat Khalidra said, “Do not worry, we have captured one of their men, in exchange for whom they will easily return our captives.” Hazrat Khalidra took 2,000 soldiers with him and entrusted Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra with the rest of the army, in order for the women to remain protected, and to go himself to search for the women who had been apprehended. He swiftly reached the spot where the enemies had taken the Muslim women away having captured them. He saw that the dust was scattered. He was surprised as to why some fighting had taken place there. Upon enquiry, he found out that Paul’s brother Peter had detained the women and was waiting for his brother by a river, and they were about to distribute the women amongst themselves. Peter said, regarding Hazrat Khaulahra, that she would be his. They had detained the women in a tent and as they waited for Paul they went to rest.

The majority of the women were very brave and experienced horse riders who were skilled in all kinds of arts of combat. They gathered together and Hazrat Khaulahra said to them, “O daughters of the Himyar tribe, and O heirlooms of the Tubah tribe! Are

you happy for the Byzantine disbelievers to make you their bondwomen? Where is your bravery and honour, which were renowned in Arab society? It is a shame to see you without any honour, courage and resolve. Your death is better than the tragedy that is to come.” Hearing this, one of the female companions said, “O Khaulah, what you say is no doubt true, but tell us, for we are detained and without spears or swords, so what can we do? We have neither horses nor weapons as we were detained unexpectedly.”

Hazrat Khaulahra then said, “Be vigilant, the tent poles are here. We should take these and attack these wretched people. Allah shall aid us, and we shall either be successful or be martyred.” Thereupon, every woman picked up a wooden pole. Hazrat Khaulahra placed a wooden pole on her shoulder and led the way. She said to the women with her, “Remain together like the rings of a chain and do not disperse, lest we all be killed.”

Thereafter, Hazrat Khaulahra advanced and then attacked and killed one of the Byzantine disbelievers. The Byzantines were shocked by the courage and heroism displayed by these women. Peter said, “You worthless people, what are they doing?” One of the women replied, “Today we have decided to smash your head with these wooden poles and safeguard the honour of our ancestors by killing you.” Peter then said, “Capture them alive and make sure to capture Khaulah alive in particular.” They were circled on all four sides by 3,000 Byzantines, yet none of them could get to the women. If any of them advanced toward them the women would kill them and their horses. In this way, they slew 30 cavaliers. Seeing this, Peter became enraged and dismounted his horse. He attacked with his cohorts, with swords in hand, yet the women gathered in one place and faced them all, with none of them able to approach. Peter said to Hazrat Khaulahra, “O Khaulah, have mercy on your soul, I value you and have a lot of feelings in my heart for you. Do you not wish for a royal like me to be your master and for all my property to be yours too?” Hazrat Khaulahra answered, “O wretched infidel! By God, if I had my way, I would break your head right now with this wooden pole. By Allah, I wouldn’t even wish for you to herd my goats and camels, let alone claim to be my equal.” Upon this Peter ordered his army to kill them all.

The army was preparing to launch another attack and it was during the initial attack that the Muslims, led by Hazrat Khalidra, reached. He was made aware of everything that had happened. The Muslims were so pleased to hear of the courage and fighting of the women and the entire army surrounded the disbelievers, attacking them together. Hazrat Khaulahra exclaimed, “Allah’s support has come! Allah has bestowed His mercy!” When Peter saw the Muslims, he became worried and fled. However, as he was fleeing he saw two Muslim cavaliers coming his way. One of them was Hazrat Khalidra and the other Hazrat Dirarra. Hazrat Dirarra struck him with a spear. He survived as he fell off his horse. Hazrat Dirarra struck him a second time and he was slain. The Muslims killed many of the Byzantines, and the ones who survived fled to Damascus.

When Hazrat Khalidra returned, he called Paul and invited him to Islam, saying, “Accept Islam or you shall be treated the

same as your brother.” Paul asked what had happened to his brother. Hazrat Khalidra replied, “He was killed.” Seeing the outcome of his brother, Paul said, “There is no more pleasure in life, let me join my brother.” Hence, he too was killed. (Fazal Muhammad Yusuf Zai, Futuhaat-e-Sham, [Maktabatul Iman Wa Yaqeen], pp. 82-29)

In any case, the Muslims gathered at Ajnadain. The details thereof have already been mentioned.

The second siege of Damascus was then underway, for they had to abandon the first one. It is written in relation to the second siege of Damascus that after the victory at Ajnadain, Hazrat Khalidra ordered the Muslim army to move towards Damascus. News of the defeat at Ajnadain had already reached the people of Damascus, but when they heard that the Muslim army was approaching Damascus once again, they became very alarmed. Those living on the outskirts of Damascus fled to take refuge in the fortress and they collected a large amount of grain and other goods so that their stock would not run out quickly in the case of a prolonged siege by the Muslim army. On top of that, they also gathered weaponry and other military equipment. Catapults, stones, shields, bows and arrows etc. were brought to the fortress walls in order to attack the besiegers.

The Muslim army had set up camp near Damascus, and after advancing forward, they surrounded the fortress. Hazrat Khalidra had appointed commanders, along with their armies, at every gate of Damascus. (Abdul Sattar Hamdani, Mardan-e-Arab, [Lahore, Akbar Book Sales], p. 247)

At the time, Thomas was the governor of Damascus. The chieftains, leaders and learned people of Damascus advised Thomas that they did not have the strength to face the Muslim army. Therefore, he should either seek support from Heraclius or make a peace treaty, i.e., give them what they demand in order to save our lives. Thereupon, Thomas said, out of arrogance and pride, “The Arabs have no significance in my eyes. I am the son-in-law of Heraclius and an expert in battle. While I am here, the Muslims shall not have the courage to step foot into the city.” Having heard this, the chieftains understood that he was reassuring them that a large army from Heraclius would soon come to help them.

Thomas ordered for the Muslims to be attacked ferociously from all sides. Many Muslims were injured or martyred during these attacks. Hazrat Abanra bin Saeed was hit by a poisonous arrow. After removing the arrow he wrapped the wound with his turban, but after a little while, the poison had spread to all of his body and he fell unconscious. He shortly after attained martyrdom. Hazrat Aban’sra Nikah [marriage ceremony] with Hazrat Umm Abanra took place during the conquest of Ajnadain, and the mehndi [henna applied in preparation for weddings] still remained on her hands and the perfume in her hair, that is to say, that the wedding only very recently took place. Hazrat Umm Abanra is counted among those Arab women who were at the forefront of performing jihad. When news reached her of her husband’s demise, she came running and stumbling. Having found her husband’s body, she stood displaying complete patience and forbearance. She did not even for a moment utter anything out of

ingratitude, and she recited some couplets upon the parting of her husband. Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid led his funeral prayer.

After the burial, Hazrat Umm Abanra went to her tent with firm resolution and determination. She had a weapon in hand and a cloth was tied around her face when she reached the Thomas gate, where her husband had been martyred. A fierce battle was underway at the Thomas gate. Hazrat Umm Abanra joined the Muslims and fought valiantly, killing many Byzantines with her arrows. In the end, during the battle, she had the opportunity to take aim at the guard of Thomas who was holding the great cross. This cross was made of gold and was laden with valuable gems. The one holding the great cross would encourage the Byzantines to fight and pray for success by means of the cross. As soon as the arrow of Hazrat Umm Abanra struck him, the cross fell down and came into the hands of the Muslims. When Thomas witnessed the Muslims in possession of the cross, he went down with his companions to retrieve it, and they opened the gate to fight the Muslims. In the meantime, the Byzantines were ferociously attacking from the top of the fortress.

During this time, Hazrat Umm Abanra saw her opportunity to aim at the eye of Thomas and shot her arrow, blinding him in that eye permanently. Thereupon, Thomas and his cohorts were forced to retreat, and they closed the gate behind them as they entered. Witnessing the state of Thomas, the people of Damascus said, “This is why we said that we do not have the power to face the Muslims. We should try to make a peace treaty with the Muslims in some way.” Hearing this made Thomas even more enraged and he said to his companions, “In exchange for this eye, I will take out a thousand of their eyes.” (Abdul Sattar Hamdani, Mardan-eArab, [Lahore, Akbar Book Sales], pp. 248254)

The people of Damascus were hoping for the support of an army of 20,000 from Homs. (Al-Salabi, Sayyiduna Umarra bin Khattab, p. 724)

However, the Muslims had already planned to send a battalion of the army on the path to Damascus, and thereby halt the army coming from Homs there and then.

The Muslims had been continuing their robust siege of Damascus. The enemies had been left greatly frustrated by the onslaughts, arrows and catapults. When the people of Damascus were certain that the reinforcements would not arrive, and they had grown weak and cowardly, they stopped striving so much and this increased the passion of the Muslims to overcome their enemy. (Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2012], pp. 357358.)

The people of Damascus believed that the Muslims would be unable to bear the difficulties of the prolonged siege in the intense cold, but the Muslims in fact, braved the circumstances with the utmost valour. The Muslims utilised the empty dwellings surrounding Damascus for their rest. According to the weekly schedule, the battalions at the battlefront would come and rest, and when they would leave, another battalion would come to rest. Furthermore, there would be a battalion assigned to oversee and support the battalions fighting at the appointed gates. In this way, keeping

control over even the longest of sieges was made easier. However, the Muslims did not just settle for that, they continued to carry out investigations on the battlefield and deploy military tactics in order to break through the organised hurdles placed by the enemy. Thus, with these continuous and organised barriers in place [by the enemy], Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid was successful in picking a suitable place where it was possible to penetrate Damascus. This was the best spot in Damascus, for there was very deep water in the trenches there and to enter from there would be very dangerous.

The plan devised by Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid to enter Damascus was to gather some ropes in order to climb the walls, and tie them together to be used as ladders in order to climb their way into Damascus. Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid received news that the leader of the Byzantine army of 10,000 on its way to Damascus had a child. The commander had a child and all, including the guards, were occupied in the celebration. Hence, they all ate and drank to their fill and slept whilst drunk, thus remaining heedless of their duties. At that moment, using their leather bags for support, Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid and some companions were able to cross the trench and reach the wall. Having knotted the ropes together to make a ladder, they hung it firmly against the wall and hung a number of these ropes on the wall. Thereafter, a large number of Muslims began to climb the wall using these ropes, and after getting down to the other side, they were able to reach the gate. They cut the gate latch with their swords to separate it. In this manner, the Muslim army was able to enter Damascus. (Al-Salabi, Sayyiduna Umarra bin Khattab [Muzaffar Garh, Pakistan: Maktabatul Al-Furqan], pp. 727-728)

Hazrat Khalid’sra army took control of the eastern gate, and out of panic, the Byzantines made a peace treaty with Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra at the western gate, even though they had refused the peace treaty offered by the Muslims previously and were bent upon war. Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra happily agreed to the peace treaty and so the Byzantines opened the fortress gate, telling the Muslims, “Enter quickly and save us from the onslaught (i.e. from Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid.)” In the end, the Muslims were able to enter the city after making peace treaties at each gate, whilst Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid fought his way into the city from his gate. Hazrat Khalidra and the other four leaders met one another in the centre of the city. Although Hazrat Khalidra bin Walid had gained victory in parts of Damascus through battle, as Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra had accepted to form a peace treaty, therefore the terms of peace were accepted throughout the conquered areas. (Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2012], pp. 357-358.), (Shibli Nomani, Al-Farooq, [Idaarah Al-Islamiyyat, 2004] pp. 106-107)

It should be clarified here that often historians attribute the victory of Damascus to the era of Hazrat Umar’sra Khilafat. However, the expeditions to Damascus had been initiated during the era of Hazrat Abu Bakr’sra Khilafat. By the time news of the victory reached Medina, Hazrat Abu Bakrra had passed away. This was the last battle during the era of Hazrat Abu Bakrra. God

willing, in the future, I will present other aspects of the life of Hazrat Abu Bakrra

I will also mention some details of some deceased members. The first is the respected Umar Abu Arqub Sahib who was the Sadr [local president] of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in southern Palestine. He passed away on 15 August at the age of seventy.

[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.’]

Umar Abu Arqub Sahib was first introduced to Ahmadiyyat in 2010, through watching MTA Al-Arabiyya. He said, “When I first watched MTA, I realised that Ahmadis are undoubtedly pure and righteous. On the one hand, I could see the Muslim world embroiled in bloodshed, theft, fraud and mutual enmity. On the other hand, I saw the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat giving teachings of peace and harmony, and encouraging Tahajjud prayer [pre-dawn voluntary prayer] and the recitation of the Holy Quran. This left a deep impression on me. I thought this is the true community, which is essential for us to follow. Through Istikharah prayer, I gained certainty. Then, in a dream, I was shown that this is the true community. I pledged to remain devoted to this community until my death.”

The deceased would remain steadfast in the face of any adversity. He would say, “I will remain firm upon my pledge as long as I am alive.” After his bai'at [oath of allegiance], his wife saw a dream and [she says] “a few people take my husband into a room. They bathe him, open his chest and cleanse it from within, and then say to me, ‘look we have returned him in an excellent state.’”

He was someone who had utmost devotion to Khilafat and was devoted to worship. He was dedicated to the Jamaat. He had dedicated the lower portion of his home to the Jamaat. The Ahmadiyya Community of southern Palestine held the prayers, Eids, Friday prayers and meetings and gatherings there. His son says, “He stated in his will that this portion of the home should be dedicated to the Jamaat.” During his illness, his opponents would urge him to repent and leave the Jamaat and tell him his illness would subside if he did so. Despite this, he would engage in preaching discussions. In fact, he held a debate with a fierce opponent, and left him utterly silenced and unable to respond to his arguments. When his illness intensified, he had to be transferred to the ICU. His son said to this Muslim cleric, who would always engage in debates with him and speak boldly, to leave his father alone because he was vastly experienced and he would never be able to persuade him.

His son says, that on his deathbed, his father advised them to not be saddened by his death. Then he recited the words of Hazrat Bilalra that:

“Tomorrow I will meet with my beloved Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and his companions.” (Sharah Al-Zarqani, Al-Mawahib alLadunniyyah, Vol. 1, p. 499, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1996)

The deceased was someone who was

adored by all and possessed a beautiful personality. He leaves behind his wife, three sons and four daughters. May Allah the Almighty enable his children who are not Ahmadi to also accept Ahmadiyyat. May Allah elevate the rank of the deceased and bestow upon him His mercy and forgiveness.

The next mention is of Sheikh Nasir Ahmad of Mithi, Tharparkar, who recently passed away at the age of 93.

[‘Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.’]

He accepted Ahmadiyyat in 1969. He was a passionate preacher, who held immense honour for his faith. His prominent qualities included that he was fearless, punctual in his five daily prayers, hospitable and had a deep devotion to Khilafat. He had the blessing of bringing into the fold of Ahmadiyyat many people from Mithi and surrounding areas. The first mosque built in Mithi was constructed on a plot of land that he had donated. He had to face staunch opposition from his family, kinfolk and local people. In particular, when getting his children married, his family exerted huge pressure to try and prevent him from marrying his children amongst Ahmadis. He was boycotted and they did not attend the wedding. Despite this fierce opposition, with the grace of Allah, all his children were married in Ahmadi households. He gave special emphasis to the good upbringing of his children and taught them the Holy Quran, and made them punctual in offering the prayers. The women in his family, who would previously dress in Hindu traditional attire, soon wore the burqah owing to his efforts. Once, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh said some words of praise regarding him and said, “If we produce one Nasir in every centre, we will certainly find success”. He leaves behind two sons and four daughters. Some of his children are Waqf [lifedevotees] and are serving their faith. May Allah elevate the rank of the deceased.

The third mention is of Malik Sultan Ahmad Sahib, who formerly served as a local mu’allim of Waqf-e-Jadid. He passed away recently at the age of 84.

[‘Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.’]

He was born in 1938 in Pakka Niswana, district Jhang and was a born Ahmadi. Ahmadiyyat started in his family from his father, respected Sajjadah Sahib, commonly known as “Shahzada”, who personally went to Qadian, during the time of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra, to do the Bai’at [oath of allegiance]. The deceased completed his education until middle school, and then in 1960, he requested to dedicate himself to the services of Waqf-e-Jadid, a request that was accepted.

When Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh was in-charge of Waqf-e-Jadid, he remained under his training. After a while, he was appointed as a mu’allim in 1960 after having completed his training. He was sent to Tharparkar where he rendered a great service, and thereafter he also served in other areas of Pakistan. For over 38 years he carried out his service, which he rendered in an excellent manner. He was

a very passionate preacher and owing to this in 1968, a life-threatening attack was made on him. He was honest, very friendly and social, hospitable, and kind-hearted. He was punctual in offering the Tahajjud and the daily prayers. He was devoted to prayers. He kept a connection of loyalty with Khilafat until his last breath and would advise his children in this regard as well. He leaves behind his wife, three sons and two daughters. May Allah grant him mercy and forgiveness and elevate his rank.

The next mention is of Mahboob Ahmad Rajeki Sahib, who was of Sadullahpur, Mandi Bahauddin. He passed away recently at the age of 86.

[‘Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.’]

He was a musi and leaves behind two sons and one daughter. One of his sons is in Germany and another is in Lahore. He was the son of the Promised Messiah’sas companion, Hazrat Ghulam Ali Rajeki Sahibra, and the nephew of Hazrat Maulvi Ghulam Rasul Rajeki Sahibra, and the maternal grandson of Hazrat Maulvi Ghaus Muhammad Sahib. The deceased’s son, Mabroor Sahib says:

“He served for 37 years as President of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat in Sadullahpur. He was devoted to prayers, and was a true devotee to the Holy Prophetsa and the Promised Messiahas. He had a deep affection for Khilafat and he was a fearless servant of the faith. On three occasions he had the honour of being a prisoner in the way of Allah. He was punctual with the five daily prayers, and would offer long Tahajjud prayers. On many occasions, he was immediately shown the acceptance of his prayers by Allah the Almighty and would experience true dreams and visions. During his imprisonment, he often saw dreams, such as that on this particular day he would be released, or that such and such would occur on a particular date and this was precisely what would happen. He would spend the day often engaged in supplications and Durood. Someone wrote that once he came for the Fajr prayer, and when he put his hand on him he had a high fever. Despite this, he came to the mosque to offer the congregational prayer. He regularly watched MTA and was devoted to Khilafat. Even when he developed hearing issues and could not make out what was being said, he would still sit in front of the TV during the sermon and made his best efforts to listen to it. Many non-Ahmadis came after he passed away. Even prior to his demise, nonAhmadis would regularly come to meet him as they held him in high regard, and would request him for prayers. After he passed many came to offer their condolences. They would say had he not been an Ahmadi, thousands would have been his followers. Many non-Ahmadis related incidents of acceptance of prayers relating to him. May Allah grant him mercy and forgiveness and elevate his rank. May his children also be enabled to continue his virtuous deeds. I will, God willing, lead these funeral prayers [in absentia] after the Friday prayers.

(Official Urdu published in Al Fazl International, 23 September 2022, pp. 5-10. Translated by The Review of Religions.)

Editor: Qaasid Muin Ahmad | Design & Layout: Jalees Ahmad | Sub-Editorial: Ataul Fatir Tahir, Aqeel Ahmed Kang | News: Ata-ul-Haye Nasir

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